Alora’s POV The nightmare came like a suffocating fog, thick and choking. I was trapped in it before I even realized I was dreaming. My surroundings shifted and blurred, a twisting mess of shadow and light. And there, in the distance, stood Rune. He wasn’t the Rune I once knew. He wasn’t the brother who’d doted on me in childhood, with his warm smiles and protective embrace. No, this Rune was a monster. His eyes glowed an unnatural red, piercing through the darkness. I tried to move, to run, but my body was frozen, as though invisible chains bound me to the ground. Panic surged through me, my breath quickening as I struggled against the invisible force holding me in place. Rune stepped closer, his presence swallowing up everything around me. The closer he got, the darker it became, until the world seemed to disappear entirely, leaving just the two of us. His eyes locked onto mine, and I could feel the weight of his gaze, heavy and cold. It seeped into my skin, curling around
Rune’s POVI woke up the next morning feeling more energized than I had in months. It was as if a weight had been lifted off my chest, and for the first time, I could breathe again. The meeting with the prophetess lingered in my mind, her words echoing in my thoughts. ‘Only Alora could break the curse.”I didn't know the full extent of what that meant, but I knew one thing: I had to find her. Wherever she was, whatever it took, I would bring her back. She must come back home. The surge of energy I felt now was something I hadn’t experienced in a long time. It coursed through my veins, igniting a determination that pushed me out of bed and into action. I wasn’t going to wait around for more packs to fall or for the curse to sink its claws deeper into my life. I was going to track Alora down, even if it meant going to the ends of the earth.Sienna had started avoiding me, which was for her own good. In the mood I was in, I didn’t know what I’d do if she crossed my path. I might end
Rune’s POVI paced in front of the hotel, my eyes scanning the crowded streets of the human city, but none of it registered. Not the hustle and bustle of the pedestrians, nor the horns blaring in the distance. My focus was singular, burning into my skull like a hot brand, Alora. My pulse raced with the frantic desperation that had plagued me for months on end now. Both from the broken alliances and my obsession. "Ethan, Jacob, you stay here," I said back at the hotel. They argued, but they couldn’t see what I saw, what I felt. My pack was crumbling under the witches' curse. My father could handle the battles, but this wasn’t something he could stop. The only way to stop this was to find her. Alora. If I didn’t... well, the witches wouldn’t stop until there was nothing left of us. I have no idea what has made them this angry all of a sudden but I need them to stop. The pack’s alliances had been shattering left and right, but that was the least of my concerns now. Witches were att
Rune’s POVI stood outside the restaurant, my body tense, heart pounding against my ribcage as if it was trying to break free. The street was alive around me, bustling with human activity… laughter, conversations, the clatter of dishes and cutlery from the nearby tables. But none of it registered. My entire focus was on what I sensed inside, on her. Alora.I could feel her. It was undeniable. The same pull I had felt for years, the connection that had once bound us so tightly it seemed impossible to break. Even now, standing here after weeks of searching, of wandering through the world without a clear direction, that connection flared to life inside me with a heat that nearly knocked me off my feet.How could I have thought I could stay away from her? Every second of the past few weeks had been a slow descent into madness without her presence. The city was just a blur around me, just another human environment that I didn’t care about, didn’t understand. All I cared about was what
Rune’s POVI stepped outside, my frustration boiling over as I walked aimlessly, trying to clear my head. The rush of people around me blurred, my senses dulled by the chaos of my emotions. I was desperate, my instincts on high alert. I had to find her. I couldn’t shake the nagging feeling that she was close, too close for me to ignore. Too close for me to think I’m hallucinating. Then it hit me.I stopped in my tracks, my eyes narrowing as I glanced back at the restaurant I had just passed. No... behind me. My senses flared, a sharp pull in my chest, and without thinking, I turned around, nearly stumbling as I hurried back. My steps were so quick I almost tripped, even with my werewolf speed. My heart pounded in my chest as I approached the building, a new determination flooding through me. Something in me has snapped in place. This was it. She was inside. I could feel her.I reached another glass door, this one even busier than the last. People filled the place, moving about, ch
Alora’s POVThere was that feeling again, the strange tingling beneath my skin. It was subtle but persistent, creeping up the back of my neck like a ghost I couldn’t shake. It’s getting more and more intense. I paused for a moment, my hands freezing in mid-motion as I handed a plate to a customer. My pulse quickened, my senses heightening as a deep sense of awareness settled over me.Rune.I tried to dismiss it, tried to shake it off as just a lingering feeling from memories I couldn’t quite escape. He wasn’t here. He couldn’t be. I was far away from him, from that life, from everything that tethered me to my past. Yet, no matter how much distance I put between us, this connection —this unshakable awareness of his presence— never seemed to fade. The sensation was undeniable, like a fire smoldering just beneath my skin, refusing to be extinguished.David’s voice broke through my thoughts, pulling me back to the present. "You alright, Alora?" he asked, his smile easy and warm as he se
Alora’s POVThe restaurant was eerily quiet after the last of the customers had left, the chairs stacked on tables, and the lights dimmed. David and I were the only ones left, locking up after another long night. I moved to the counter to grab my things, absently wiping my hands on my apron before pulling it over my head and hanging it on the hook. We are done for the day and it was yet another success. More than yesterday’s success. My hand instinctively moved to rest on my stomach, now fully visible without the apron hiding my growing bump. The baby was big enough that there was no mistaking it anymore. And I opt for a body hug today because I’m a proud mummy. David was chatting about something light, but my mind was elsewhere. I could still feel that strange sensation under my skin, the same tingling, crawling feeling I had been trying to ignore all evening. I thought I was just unnecessarily paranoid. Something wasn’t right. Something in the air felt heavy, thick with tension,
Rune’s POVI stood there, staring at her through the restaurant's glass doors, my chest heaving with each ragged breath as I tried to control the red mist that clouded my vision. Alora. The sight of her, standing there so casually, talking with that man, made my blood boil to the point of madness. My fingers itched to lash out, to destroy something, anything, yet I knew deep down, no matter how blinding my rage, I could never physically harm her. I would never raise a hand to her. No matter what she had done. No matter the betrayal I felt ripping through my chest, I’d protect her from myself if I had to. I can’t bring myself. But that didn’t mean I wouldn’t destroy the pathetic excuse for a man she had settled for. The one she chose over me. I could feel my fangs threatening to push through, the wolf inside me barely restrained as I stood there, watching, waiting for him to step out. My eyes were locked on her, but I was waiting for him. Her lover. Her pathetic replacement for m