Mia's PovAs panic tightened its grip around my heart, I scanned the river from the outcropping, desperately searching for any sign of Lycidas. The water churned below, its surface rippling with the remnants of his struggle, but there was no trace of him to be found. And the spreading red! Oh my goddess!Just as I prepared to dive in after him, I noticed a shadow creeping up on me from the side.Without even turning to face him, I instinctively issued a warning to Lycidas, my voice dripping with irritation and frustration."Hey, Lycidas," I called out, my tone firm, "don't you dare try to push me into the water."But before I could react, his laughter filled the air, and I felt his hands on my shoulders, propelling me forward with surprising force. With a startled cry, I tumbled into the water, my turban held tight against my head to prevent it from being swept away by the current.The shock of the cold water enveloped me as I plunged beneath the surface, my lungs burning with the nee
Mia's Pov I sighed, the tension draining from my shoulders as I realized it was in no way real blood. And truth be told, while it was annoying then, it was pretty fun to look back on now."Well, next time, maybe warn me before you decide to stir up the riverbed," I replied with a wry smile. "I was... I was scared out of my fucking mind."But before Lycidas could respond, a sudden shift in the air caught his attention, and he turned to face the forest behind us with a furrowed brow. Instinctively, I followed his gaze, my heart pounding in my chest as a sense of foreboding washed over me. I turned to see Lycidas's expression harden, his eyes scanning the forest for any sign of danger."What is it?" I whispered, my heart pounding in my chest.Lycidas didn't reply, his attention focused on something in the cluster of trees behind us. And then, as if on cue, a corrupted emerged from the trees, its eyes burning with malice as it fixed its gaze upon us.As the corrupted creature pounced tow
Mia's Pov.As Lycidas and I began our run through the dense forest, every muscle in my body surged with a newfound energy, propelling me forward with a sense of urgency that bordered on desperation. The forest blurred past in a kaleidoscope of greens and browns, the rhythmic pounding of our footsteps echoing through the stillness of the woods.With each stride, I felt the weight of the world slipping away, replaced by a sense of freedom and exhilaration that was both intoxicating and terrifying. Branches whipped past us in a blur, the air filled with the heady scent of pine and earth as we raced deeper into the heart of the forest.But even as we ran, a sense of unease gnawed at the edges of my consciousness, a whisper of fear that refused to be silenced. The forest seemed to close in around us, the shadows growing darker and more ominous with each passing moment.As we navigated the twisting paths and tangled underbrush, my senses were heightened to a fever pitch, every rustle of lea
Mia's PovAs Lycidas and I hastily made our escape from the area where we had encountered the corrupted, fear and worry gripped me like a vice, squeezing the breath from my lungs and sending my heart pounding in my chest. Every rustle of leaves and snap of twigs seemed to echo through the forest like a death knell, each sound a rather unpleasant reminder of the danger that seemingly lurked just beyond our sight.The weight of fear and worry pressed heavily upon my shoulders, threatening to crush me beneath its suffocating embrace. The near brush with corrupted we just had seemed to solidify all the more the feeling that we were all alone in a forest teeming with malice.But even as fear threatened to consume me, a steely resolve took root within me, driving me forward with a fierce determination to survive. I knew that I could not afford to give in to despair – not now, when the stakes were so high. No matter how many times it happened, I don't think I could ever get used to my life b
Hazel's POVAs I sat in my dimly lit study, the only sound filling the room was the soft scratching of my quill against the paper. Deep in thought, I toyed with the idea of how to proceed with the experiment involving the corrupted. Acquiring more of them had proven to be a challenge, one that required careful planning and cunning maneuvers. While Phelan had encouraged the tests, he had not shared with me the exact method of turning someone into a corrupted. I could not seem too eager to carry out the tests - that was just too suspicious - and so am unable to simply request more of them from the stupid old man.I leaned back in my chair, allowing my mind to wander as I contemplated the web of alliances and betrayals that defined the world of Alphas. Underneath the façade of loyalty and obedience lay a dark undercurrent of manipulation and deceit, and I would not be the one to be lost to its depths. I had broken down the web of nonsense and nonentities to a basic format. There were onl
Hazel's POVI cursed under my breath, my mind racing as I considered the implications of this new development. The only one I knew who may have a large number of corrupted was Phelan. But what the fuck was he doing setting them loose in the forest? Was he dumb or something? Was he trying to ruin me? Keep me in check?I stood from my desk, my face grim.These creatures posed a direct threat to my pack's territory, and if left unchecked, they could spell disaster for me."Alert the rest of the garrison," I commanded, my tone leaving no room for argument. "We need to prepare for a full-scale assault on these creatures before they have a chance to spread further. I want every able bodied men at the forest pronto.""Shall we call a Hunt, Alpha?" The man asked apprehensively."Not a Hunt," I snapped. "I want soldiers and soldiers only."The soldier nodded, his expression grim as he turned to leave the room. Whoever was behind this, I still needed to do something quickly. "Also," I called,
Hazel's POVAs I emerged from the depths of the forest, the unconscious corrupted slung over my shoulder, a crowd of soldiers approached, their leather armor gleaming in the dappled light filtering through the trees. I narrowed my eyes at them, my expression stern and commanding as I assessed their readiness for the task at hand."Soldiers," I called out, my voice cutting through the air with authority. "Form up into groups of ten. You have a task to complete."The soldiers obeyed without question, falling into formation with relative ease as they awaited my next command. I approached them with purpose, my gaze sweeping over their ranks as I divided them into smaller teams."You," I pointed to a group of soldiers nearest to me. "You will patrol the eastern perimeter. And you," I gestured to another group. "Take the western flank. The rest of you will divide the remaining sectors between you. Move out and secure the area."As the soldiers dispersed to carry out their orders, I turned m
Hazel's POVAs I hurled the third corrupted toward the soldiers, their rough, weathered faces contorted in a mixture of disgust and determination. Their gruff voices filled the air, exchanging terse commands and coordinating their efforts to contain the threat. "Secure the perimeter!" one of them - the guard captain I think - shouted, his voice carrying over the din of battle. "We've got more coming!"The people I had doing experiments on the corrupted had pulled through and provided a kind of scented mixture that drew the corrupted like moth to a flame. As much as I did not want to leave any lurking in the forest, I also wanted them all.That mixture has just saved a group of people quite a few beatings."You there!" I called out to a young soldier, his eyes wide with fear as he glanced in my direction. "Go find Damian and bring him to me. Now!"The soldier nodded frantically, his movements swift as he darted off into the fray, disappearing into the tangled mass of bodies that now th