HERO POVWe left a few hours later. Cyrus had spent the night as a wolf, and we were hoping that being a wolf would help his body get rid of the serum. Unfortunately, it seemed like the drug had also affected him as a wolf.I began to doubt my initial assessment of his wolf. Perhaps I had overestimated its strength. But such thoughts were pointless now. The damage was done. Elliot had made it unmistakably clear that we had pushed him too far by making decisions he had nothing to say about. He wanted us gone by morning, and there was no turning back.Boston was walking on his own with a limp but he wasn't at full strength. Zara’s wolf was right at the surface, but she wasn't taking full control. Kristina was still pissed. In the end, we were all a fucking mess, but we kept a tight formation and didn't run into any trouble as we worked ourbway towatds the mountain. At noon, we had shaken off the wolves that Elliot had sent to watch us, until we had reached the river. I was truly reliev
ZARA POVMy wolf, usually not confident, shivered at the mournful sound. Fear, cold and sharp, began to prickle my skin. I knew I had to take control, and quickly. My body began to change, muscles flexing and bones shifting. Everyone else instinctively stepped back, giving me the space I needed. Cyrus, however, seemed lost in his own fear and pain. For a moment, the strange, uncomfortable feeling of my body transforming seemed to distract him from his own distress."Listen, we can't go this way," Cyrus said firmly. "Wolves come through this area, and they never come back. It's too dangerous.”"We have two things that will help us here," Hero said, his voice serious. "First, we have the amulet. Second, we have you. You can feel magic, and that's a powerful skill. Together, we can find our way through this place.”"No way," Cyrus declared. "I'm not going into that place and risk angering some angry wolf spirit.”The ground shook violently, and I squeezed my eyes shut. It wasn't just an
HERO POV"I think the route we're taking is probably the best option. We have already reached the highest point, but I believe we should veer more towards the east than the west. Paxton Marcua is closer than Stephen's location.”The pull to the west was strong, an undeniable force tugging at every bone in my body. Yet, a nagging doubt lingered, a puzzle piece refusing to fit. Zara's voice cut through my thoughts, "Is everyone aware of these packs?”“Sure. They have been around for ages. You can't really explore the mountain without having to deal with them, why?”“What about the humans who aren't humans?” They have been awfully vague about going to see Paxton. If everyone knew of the packs, then so should they. Why didn't they give us directions straight to Stephen?The amulet suddenly glowed intensely white, and I immediately stopped. “Oh no,” Cyrus whispered under his breath. “There's a powerful surge of magic ahead and to our left.”“And to the right?” I questioned.“Still magic, b
ZARA POVAnger surged through Hero, his eyes flashing with a dangerous light. But the witch remained defiant, showing no fear. I quickly placed my hand on his arm, stopping him before he could act. “You didn't come here just to seek vengeance,' I reminded him calmly. "You wanted answers – to understand why this terrible thing happened to them.”"I do not have the sight," she said, a hint of bitterness in her voice. "But one thing's certain – no one ventures into these mountains without a purpose. Maybe you can still find a way to get your revenge, or perhaps you'll discover something even more valuable. I can only offer you safe passage to your next destination.”"I've been injured a few times on our journey, even inside their camp. I think my blood might still be there. If you take some of my blood, could you use it to track where I've been?”Before I could say another word, she grabbed my arm. Suddenly, a knife flashed in her hand. “Just so you know,” she hissed, “It's an incredibly
HERO POVPaxton let go of me and took a step back. I could feel the heat of his anger radiating off him.I rubbed the side of my neck, feeling the lingering pressure of his grip. "I understand that Delilah's name seems to set people off," I said, trying to keep my voice calm. "But we've already traded information about her once in exchange for help. I promise you that we won't be doing that again.”"That sounds promising! We can definitely get the information from Glinda. Please consider yourselves our guests," Paxton said warmly, stepping back and putting his arm around Finna. "We have plenty of room for all of you.”How kind of him. He was just itching to tear out my throat a few second, and yet he was letting us stay. 'Keep your enemies close.' I thought.“We appreciate the hospitality for the night. Any information you can give us on Stephens succersor will be very much appreciated, and then we will be on our way.” I said diplomatically, trying to let him know that I wasn't here
ZARA POVI drifted off to sleep alone on the bed, but when I woke up, I wasn't alone anymore. Hero's arms were wrapped tightly around me, his breath warm against my ear. He was holding me close, his arm a solid barrier around my waist. I could feel his fingers lightly tracing patterns on my skin, sending unwanted heat down my entire body .I tried to leave, but I couldn't. I held my breath, fighting back the memories that flooded my mind. I meant every word I said last night. I refused to be someone he despised during the day and then used as a plaything at night.Sunlight streamed through the window, telling me it was morning. I hadn't slept enough, and exhaustion weighed heavily on me. Yet, time was slipping away. If I wanted to find the witch and get her help, I needed to do it before Hero left this place. I had no doubt that he would drag me away whether I wanted to go or not. He was incredibly possessive, to the point of foolishness.I struggled against his grip, trying to push
ZARA POVAs we walked in the direction of the witch's house, I couldn't shake off a question that had been bothering me. I finally decided to munster the courage I had left to ask, “So, Morgan is actually the third in command around here, right?”"When it comes to making decisions, she usually goes along with what I suggest," Finna said with a small laugh. "But there was a time when we were absolutely inseparable. We fought constantly, and it was terrible. She loves to bring those times up now, as if they were some sort of golden age of our friendship. For her, those memories are unforgettable, even though they were pretty awful at the time.”“Weird.” “We started up as a strange group. We have been through a lot, but I have a feeling that you could say the same because your little collection of misfits has probably had its fair share of adventures too,” Finna said as she pointed towards a path. “Tell me, how long have you known, Hero?” Is this why she wanted me to come alone? Was it
ZARA POVFinna was standing at the front door of the witch, pounding on it with her fist. “Sabrina,” she yelled, ”It's me! I've got someone with me, and we're coming in. So, don't throw any knives at us!”"I don't understand, why would she throw knives at our heads?" I asked.“Because the only person who visits her right now is her mate, and he is the reason she is mad all the time, so she throws knives at him.” Finna whispered in a low tone. "Wait a minute," I said, "Did you just say she has a mate? Like, a werewolf mate?”"Yeah, but it's a bit tricky to explain. Come on, we don't have all day." She opened the door and stepped inside. I was stopped in my tracks. Standing on the kitchen top shelf was a woman. Tall and slender, with long, flowing purple hair that cascaded down her back. Her eyes, an eerie shade of purple, seemed to glow with an inner light. I felt a shiver run down my spine. There was something… magical about her."Sabrina," Finna said calmly, "this is Zara. She could
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