Third person POV Rune’s parents sat in the dim light of their room, each deep in their own thoughts, the silence between them heavy and tense. His father, a broad-shouldered man with a cold intensity in his gaze, clenched his jaw as he considered the situation. Though no one had openly spoken of it, he had sensed something between Rune and Alora, small shifts, passing glances, moments that shouldn’t have meant anything, yet did. And while he didn’t have concrete proof, he knew enough to sense that something was going on. It has started becoming way too obvious now. Things are getting really intense and that is bad for their politics. She is practically his sister since they grew up thinking such. The elders would balk when they find out. “Ridiculous,” he muttered under his breath, fists tightening on the arms of his chair. “If there's even a hint of truth to this… this…,” his voice trailed off as he struggled to find the right words. His fury bubbled just below the surface.
Third person’s POV The dimly lit room flickered with the faint glow of candles, casting shadows that danced along the stone walls. It was a forgotten corner of the castle, far from the grandeur of the witches’ main halls, and the perfect place for secrets to fester. The air was thick with the scent of damp stone and old parchment, but none of that mattered to the man standing at the window, looking out into the dark expanse beyond. His hands were clasped behind his back, posture rigid, eyes narrowed as he stared into the abyss. It was hard to tell what he was thinking, but the hatred that simmered just beneath the surface was palpable. Every breath he took was laced with venom, every thought consumed by one name: Rune. “How long has it been since we heard from them?” His voice was low, cutting through the silence like a blade. One of the men seated at the long wooden table glanced up, adjusting his position as though uncomfortable with the tension that hung in the air. “A wee
Rune’s POV I sat in the leather chair in my office, staring out at the vast expanse of the land. The rumors were spreading like wildfire, circling back to me from every corner of the pack. They wanted to ruin me, humiliate me, strip me of the power I’d held all these years. Me? Rune? The Alpha who built this empire from the ground up? I clenched my jaw, the weight of their delusions pressing against my chest. Cielle was at the center of it. My dear sister had always been ambitious, but now, she’d become something else. She’d tasted power, and it had poisoned her mind, warping her into a version of herself I could barely recognize. I had let her run free for too long. But now, it was time to remind her and everyone else in this pack who I truly was. Maybe I shouldn’t have chosen her over Alora. Maybe that was where I made the first mistake. She needed to know her place. I wouldn’t allow her, or anyone else, to forget it. I was still the Alpha. Still the one in control, no
Alora’s POV I don’t know why my mind chose to torment me with this memory. Out of all the pain, the betrayal, the nights I spent crying in silence, why did my subconscious drag me back to that one fleeting moment of softness? That brief, beautiful illusion where Rune almost, almost, made me believe he cared. It was right after I came back to him. Pregnant. He never mentioned the pregnancy, not once, as if the fact that I carried his child didn’t matter. And maybe that’s what cut the deepest, his silence. But there were these little things he did, these small, tender gestures that made me feel... something. Something that felt dangerously close to hope. That we might be more than just two people fucking. In the dream, it was a quiet night. I was lying on the bed in the room he’d assigned to me. The sheets were cool against my skin, and I was trying to distract myself from everything, his brooding silence, the weight of the child growing inside me, the uncertainty of it all. But
Rune’s POV The message had been lingering in my phone for hours, like a ticking bomb waiting to go off. At first, I didn’t think much of it. People offering help was nothing new, after all, I’m the Alpha. Many fools try to push themselves with me, offering their services or information. But this one… this one was different. This was about Alora. The text simply read: "I can help you get Alora back. The people around her have poisoned her mind against you. She deserves better. She deserves you." The tone of the message, the way it was worded, it didn’t feel like an empty promise. And something deep in my gut told me I had to know more. I texted back, keeping it simple again: "Who are you?" The reply came swiftly, almost as if they’d been waiting for me to bite: "Someone who loves her as much as you do. Maybe more." More? My jaw clenched. No one could love Alora more than me, but this stranger had my attention. I leaned back in my chair, staring at the message on the scree
Alora’s POVThe sound of metal clashing and voices shouting jolted me awake, sending my heart racing. I sat up in bed, disoriented for a second before realizing the commotion was coming from outside. The night had been calm when I went to bed, the air still and quiet, but now… something was wrong. Very wrong.My eyes flickered to Navaeh, peacefully asleep in her crib. I slipped out of bed, careful not to wake her. Her soft breathing was the only thing grounding me at that moment. Whatever was happening outside, I needed to make sure she was safe first. I gently pulled her blankets tighter around her, kissed her forehead, and checked that the crib bars were secure. My daughter. My precious girl.Another loud noise echoed from below, and my body tensed. I had to see what was going on. Quickly, I grabbed a simple pair of jeans and a shirt, throwing them on in haste. There was no time for anything else. My mind raced as I quietly but swiftly moved down the stairs, the sounds growing lou
Rune’s POV The moon hung low in the sky as I sped through the forest, the trees blurring around me in my wolf form. Every muscle in my body ached from pushing myself too hard, but I didn’t care. I needed to get to her. Alora. My paws pounded against the earth, the cool air biting at my fur as I ran toward the witches' lair. They were the last obstacle standing between me and the one person I couldn’t let go of. The one person that’s made me feel all emotions. I hadn’t planned this well, I wasn’t fully prepared, hadn’t eaten in days, hadn’t rested, but I couldn’t wait any longer. Time was slipping away, and the thought of Alora being trapped here, her mind poisoned against me, drove me into a frenzy. I wasn’t going to let anyone else get involved. Not my Beta, not my Gamma. They’d only question my motives, and I didn’t need that. Cielle would think I was unhinged, losing control, but I wasn’t. I had to do this alone. The lair came into view, nestled deep within the woods, and I
Alora’s POVThe sound of Rune’s body hitting the ground sent a shiver through me. My chest tightened as I rushed forward, heart pounding as I saw him lying there, unconscious, but still alive. His breathing was ragged, each inhale labored as though he was fighting to stay conscious, to hold on to something just beyond his reach. My mind raced, and I could barely think straight. Rune?I stopped a few feet away, my breath catching as I took him in. Even like this —helpless, vulnerable— he still looked formidable. His broad, muscular chest rose and fell with each agonizing breath, his skin slick with sweat from the fight. His hair, usually perfectly in place, was now tousled, falling into his eyes. He looked different, weaker somehow, yet that aura of dominance still clung to him, even as he fought to stay awake. Such a powerful man on the floor. Eirlys and Morrigan stood over him, their expressions cold and calculating, magic still crackling in the air around them. I had seen them wi