HERO POVWhen Weston and his soon-to-be bride left, I returned to my hotel room to discover that it wasn't empty. Jeremy turned from the window with a deep frown masked on his face. “I don't think the bleach would do any justice. You may have to set the whole bed on fire before the hotel can let anyone else sleep here.”The acrid scent of bleach mingled with the lingering, cloying sweetness of her perfume was all I could smell.But be honest, he wasn't wrong. The sheet had been changed, the carpets had been upholstery cleaned to perfection, at my request, but it still managed to smell of sex and her even after much room freshener sprayed.“You were at the ball last night?” I countered, my tone equally sharp.My second in command and my best friend raised his eyebrow at me. “And you were not? I was told you played the hero again but this time around to the humiliated beauty in the torn dress. I would only ask one question,” Jeremy's voice was laced with accusation.“Did you enjoy yours
ZARA POVSEVENTEEN DAYS LATER The heavy wooden door and window, barred and locked, loomed in front of me. Outside, a guard stood watch, his presence a constant reminder of my imprisonment. It was a foolish attempt to flee when my father was away, thinking I was safe. Paul, my father's ruthless second-in-command, relished the opportunity to inflict pain upon me, a pleasure he had been denied since the night of the ill-fated ball. I should have known he'd been keeping tabs on me.I felt stupid, I felt like shit,A wave of self-loathing washed over me. I should have stayed with Hero. The memory of his warm touch, his knowing smile, was a distant, painful dream. I’d been a fool to let fear dictate my actions.There was this connection between us. I don't even know if it's a mate bond but I strongly doubt it, but most wolves got this bond even if they weren't fated mates.If Hero didn't want to Marry me, he might at least give me a small place in his pack. I had considered telling him th
ZARA POVThe heavy, wooden door creaked open, casting a sliver of moonlight across the cold, damp floor. It was nearly four in the morning, an eternity since I had last seen Sonja. A wave of relief washed over me as I saw the guard, slumped over on the ground, his head lolling limply. The sleeping draught had worked.The cell was tiny, barely large enough for a cot and a small, wooden table. The walls were bare and cold, and the only sound was the distant hum of the prison generators. I had been confined to this miserable place for what felt like an age, my mind consumed by thoughts of escape and the one person I couldn't stop thinking about.She twirled the key between her fingers, a nervous habit."Paul and the others are on a mission down south. We should head to the North River and then go our separate ways. Are you certain you won't join me? My father has a place for us," she said quietly."Hey, did you tell him about this plan?" I asked, my voice sharper than I'd meant it to be.
ZARA POV'Clinging.'The word echoed through my brain like a broken record. He wasn't exactly welcoming me with open arms like I had imagined. I let my arms wrap themselves around my naked body. “I…I'm sorry, Hero. I'm honestly not trying to be clingy. I’m in some kind of a big mess, and I thought you could render some help.” "Hero?" The man next to him barked, and I flinched. I'd almost forgotten we had an audience. What had Hero called him? Jeremy. "Don't you ever call him Hero again, or I'll feed your tongue to the deadly animals in the woods.”I quickly looked down, realising my mistake. In my eagerness to talk to him, I had forgotten to be respectful. "I apologise," I mumbled, my voice barely a whisper. I took a deep breath, trying to calm my racing heart, before speaking again.“Alpha of the Black Haw pack. I didn't mean to offend you.” I uttered even if I knew that my initial plan was going off the rails already.The men around him fell silent, their eyes drawn to him. I cauti
ZARA POVI gradually got up from the damp floor of the forest that chilled my skin while letting my wolf’s instinct take over. She was the only one who could run, evade, and hide. I was only good at messing things up, apparently.I was so wrong, so incredibly stupid. Weston was just like my father, and at least I managed to avoid the disaster of getting married to him. But it was plain foolish to pin all my hopes on a man I barely knew.Even more foolish thinking that he would save me from the controlling hands of my father. I was a fucking dumb ass. My small, speedy wolf was a blur of fur in the thick woods. She was like a tiny, powerful bullet, darting and dodging with ease. I only noticed something was wrong when she disappeared under a low bush, completely ignoring Hero’s thought.The air was thick with the stale scent of damp clothes, a foul odour that made her nose wrinkle. As she moved cautiously forward, she realised the source of the stench: a pack of werewolves, not just o
ZARA POVThe smell of burning wood and sizzling meat tickled my nose, pulling me from the depths of sleep. As my eyes fluttered open, I realised something was amiss. My wolf form was gone, replaced by the familiar warmth of blankets. Night had enveloped the forest, casting long, dancing shadows. Confused and disoriented, I sat up, only to find five pairs of curious eyes fixed upon me.I gasped, my breath ragged, and pulled the blanket over my head."Alright, team," Hero's voice cut through the tense silence. "We need to make sure this place is secure. Spread out, check every corner. Keep your eyes peeled and your weapons ready."With a nod, everyone dispersed, disappearing into the shadows. Only Jeremy remained, a wooden bowl of steaming noodles held out towards me. "Eat," he ordered, his voice low. I hesitated, but the enticing aroma was too much to resist.”As I dug into the warm, comforting meal, Hero's gaze never left me. His expression was unreadable, a mask of indifference. I co
HERO POVHer face froze in shock, her eyes wide and unblinking. A moment passed, then another, as she struggled to comprehend the words she had just heard. Finally, she found her voice, her tone laced with disbelief."I... what? I don't think that's possible," she stammered, her voice barely a whisper.“Why not?” "It's not real, you know. Just a silly and stupid story to give people goosebumps. I mean, look around," she gestured at the peaceful surroundings. "It's just a peaceful mountain. A big, harmless mountain. Nothing to be afraid of!”“I’m not playing games here. The mountain is a harsh reality, and the rogue wolves are a constant threat. If you leave, they’ll hunt you down. They’ll tear you and your unborn child to shreds.”I didn't want to, but my eyes fell to her belly. The second I caught the faint scent of her pup, my wolf went crazy. It had been there, a silent predator, ever since she vanished into the woods.I had darted after her, eager to keep pace. But her wolf was a
ZARA POV"Jeremy, please stop! You're hurting me!" I yelled, my voice barely audible over the sound of my own ragged breathing.His grip tightened, and I winced in pain. "You need to be quiet," he hissed, his voice low and menacing. "If you don't, you won't have to worry about seeing your father anymore. You'll be dead.”The fear that gripped my heart was almost unbearable. I knew he meant what he said. He was capable of anything. I tried to calm my breathing, to still my trembling body. But the more I struggled, the tighter his grip became.We were so far from Hero that he couldn't hear us, but I still yelled and fought back. I punched Jeremy hard on the back, again and again, but it didn't bother him at all. He didn't even flinch."Enough!" he sighed, his voice laced with exasperation. "Hero was absolutely right about you. You're so stubborn, it's unbelievable. You'd rather die out here than see your own father? If you've inherited Daddy's stubborn streak, please, do me a favour and
HERO POV"You've been quiet," I murmured, my gaze locked on hers. I reached out and gently brushed a stray strand of hair from her face. "Something on your mind?"She met my eyes, a flicker of something I noticed like – shyness? anticipation? – crossing her features before she offered a soft smile. "You're very confident," she replied, a playful glint in her eyes. "You think you can just… make me… you know…”I chuckled, a low rumble in my chest. "Is that a challenge?" I teased, my fingers tracing the line of her jaw. "Because I'm more than happy to accept. I'm not just going to make you come, darling. I'm going to make you moan my name. I'm going to make you tremble. I'm going to make you forget everything but the moment. Like I always do," I added, a slight hint of playful arrogance in my voice.Cupping her face in my hands, I leaned in, my breath ghosting over her lips. "But tonight," I whispered, "tonight is going to be different. Tonight, I want to show you… I want to show you wha
HERO POVThe weight of the last four hours pressed down on me. Four long hours of so many question, of whispered confessions, of horrified gasps. Talking to everyone who had lived under Elliott's rule had been… draining. Most of them genuinely hadn't known what he was doing. They were shocked, horrified, some even physically ill at the revelations. Their faces, that of disbelief and disgust, while we explained what Elliot had been doing.Others… Well, others tried the "I didn't know" routine. But a wolf can't lie. Their inner animal betrayed them, the tell-tale flick of an ear, a nervous shift of weight, giving away their deception. And then there were those who admitted they knew, their eyes filled with a weary resignation. "What could we do?" they’d asked, their voices barely above a whisper. "He was too powerful.”A burning rage flickered inside me. I wanted to expose some of them who worked hand in hand with him, and punish every single one of them who had turned a blind eye. But
HERO POVWater splattered on the floor between Finna’s legs, and she stared at me in horror. “What am I going to do? Paxton isn't even here. He should be here for this._” she yelled in pain with a groan escaping her lips. “What the fuck, Finna. Paxton is definitely not my concern right now. I thought you were still a month out from your due date?” I would never had fucking agreed for her to come along if I thought she was going to give birth in the middle of all this.“I am,” she responded, her breathing coming out in gasp.I winced at her pain. "Easy, Finna. Breathe. This isn't the time to panic."“But it's happening! I can feel it!” she groaned, her voice trembling.She moaned, her voice trembling. "It hurts! It hurts so much!”I roared again, and everyone came running. Glinda took one look at Finna, paled, and disappeared. Sabrina and Hana coax a stressed Finna out of the kitchen into the living room while Zara raced around getting supplies she was told to get. "She's going to be
ZARA POV"I honestly... I'm sorry, but..." I began, the words catching in my throat. I was about to explain why I couldn't continue with the breaking of the curse to get back my bonds, but the sound of Hero's voice stopped me."Zara," his voice boomed from behind me, deep with worry. I closed my eyes, the weight of his concern pressing down on me. He was terrified for our child, and rightly so. If I passed this curse or not having bonds on to them... I couldn't bear the thought. I had to try everything, no matter the cost to myself. Even if it meant facing certain doom, I had to try."Alright," I finally said to the witches, my voice trembling. "One last try.”“Hey, we are not doing it today. I think it's going to take a lot of energy, and we don't want you too weak. So I would like you to have the day to rest, and I still have some ingredients to prepare properly. And, frankly, I think we are going to need Glinda. I would advise that no one brings up anything that has to deal with Ba
ZARA POV"I told you no, Sabrina," Glinda's voice echoed through the house, firm and steady.Sabrina sighed dramatically. "But why? This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! It'll be huge, I promise. Bigger than anything we've ever done."Glinda scoffed, "Bigger? You mean more danger? More of my life on the line? I've already sacrificed enough to protect this mountain. I'm done playing hero for your thrill-seeking escapades.”"But Glinda," Sabrina whined, "you know how much I need this. It's a career-defining moment for me if you agree to go...""My own career is protecting this place," Glinda retorted, "not being your personal stunt double. And frankly, I'm starting to think you only call me when you need a chauffeur to help you in your little games. Forgetting how you drive off in a blaze of glory, leaving me to clean up the mess."Sabrina bristled. "That's not fair! You know I appreciate you. You're the best.”"The best at what?" Glinda asked, her voice rising. "The best at risking
HERO POVWhen I walked back into the room, I could smell Zara all over the place but she was nowhere to be found. “Zara,” I called out, while keeping my voice very gentle. “Hey, you can come out… it's fine, our pup is fine.” I uttered as calmly as possible. Silence. Then, a rustle under the bed. Her wolf emerged slowly, tail tucked, head low. Fear still clung to her. I sat on the floor, extending a leg towards her. She hesitated, then crept closer, her fur bristling.I reached out, my touch gentle. "There you are," I murmured, stroking her head. "It's okay, good girl.”She relaxed slowly, leaning into my hand. I closed my eyes, inhaling the scent of her fur, the woodsmoke, the lingering fear.I further stroked her fur and her head softly until I could feel her relax. "Sabrina's upset with me," I confessed, my voice a low rumble. "She thinks I'm ungrateful. That I don't appreciate you rescuing us. But that's not true at all. Back in that cage… I realized how much I wanted to live. To
HERO POV"What do you mean by she's not breathing?" I yelled, my voice cracking. "She has to breathe! Check her again! Use your magic, do something, anything!" Frustration swelled inside me, hot and suffocating. "Please, I don't want to lose Zara," I spluttered, tears I didn't know I was holding back streamed down my cheeks.Sabrina looked at me, her face etched with worry. "Calm down, Hero. I know you're scared, but you need to stay calm. It's crucial." She gently placed a hand on my shoulder, her touch surprisingly soothing. "Thank goodness she was already shifted in her wolf when it happened. Her wolf form is incredibly resilient. Her magic is protecting her, shielding her core. Her heart is still beating, and she's still breathing, though shallowly. The problem is that the excess energy of the electricity within her is building up, threatening to burn her from the inside out.”I wiped furiously at my face, the tears blurring my vision. "Burn her? What do you mean 'burn her'?"Sabr
HERO POV"I want you to kill Georgia," Elliot said, his voice low and dangerously even. "Right now. And I mean right now. I want you to film the entire thing. Every. Single. Fucking. Second. I want that stupid little brat, Cyrus, to see exactly what happens when someone betrays me. Make sure he understands the consequences when he watches it."He clicked the radio off, then on again immediately, his eyes carefully fixed on the small speaker as if he could force a response through sheer willpower."Kerry, can you hear me," he barked, the controlled anger starting to fray at the edges of each second.The only sound was the continued static, a mocking hiss in the tense air.He tried again, his voice rising. "Rendell? Wesley? Santos? Someone fucking answer me!" He slammed the radio down on the table, the plastic casing groaning under the impact. His breath came in ragged gasps, the frustration boiling over. He paced the room, like a caged animal, the silence from the other end of th
HERO POV"Fuck… fuck," I muttered, annoyance bubbling up inside me. I winced as I tried to shift, the chains biting into my wrists. The sight of Jeremy, bleeding heavily on the cobblestones, was a sickening reminder of our predicament, Kristina was strung up to the wall in chains on both hands. Beside me, Walker's cage stood empty, a chilling giveaway to their brutality. They'd dragged him away, unconscious, leaving me alone with the buzzing electricity that crackled through the bars."Tristan?" I whispered, my voice hoarse. My bond with him, though weakened, still throbbed with life. He was alive. But Walker… I felt nothing. No connection, no reassurance. Panic clawed at the edges of my fear. Was he…"We have been betrayed," I breathed, the word tasting like ash in my mouth. It was the only explanation for how we all ended up. They'd been waiting for us by the river, their ambush perfectly timed. Even through the haze of the drug that had washed over me, I'd overheard fragments of th