Mia's POVI was in a study, the exact same that I had had romantic conversations with Hazel in a lifetime ago. In the middle of the study was a young girl, about five or six. Instictively, I realised that was a much younger me. A me that wasn't aware of Hazel, because Hazel did not yet exist to it.Only the castle, and Mabel, and my parents: Alpha Megan and Luna Jessica. And their love. Their all consuming love that didn't care for the fact that she didn't have a wolf. It was refuge from the taunts of the other alpha princes and princesses that always taunted her with it whenever they came to our pack for one reason or another. Sunlight streamed in through a high window and she stood in the shafts of light, her small figure bathed in a warm glow. The younger me was captivated by a book in her hands, a worn-out fairy tale with colorful illustrations. She sat cross-legged on the rug, completely engrossed in the magical world within the pages.The scene shifted, and I found myself stan
Hazel's POVAs I rushed to the site of the commotion, I sighed. Seems each day brings its own troubles with it these days. New day, new trouble to solve. I couldn't help wondering what it could be this time though. The fight with Mabel drained me and I wasn't sure I could get in another fight now. But then again, I had dealt her a good blow, so she couldn't be here again looking for another fight, could she? Not unless she was made of steel, or healed faster than the moon. As I rounded a corner, I almost crashed into a guard. His eyes were dark, indicating that he had his wolf very close to the surface ready to be unleashed. "What's the matter?" I asked him.We only maintained the state he was in war times, when the enemy could attack at any time. The guard straightened, his expression tense. "Alpha, there's been an intrusion. A group of unidentified individuals breached the castle grounds. We managed to subdue some, but others escaped into the lower levels."My jaw tightened. In
HazelThe burly intruder's defiant laughter echoed through the chamber. I tightened my grip on his throat, my eyes narrowing with determination. "Nightshade pack? What do you want with my pack?"He spat on the floor, a mocking glint in his eyes. "You're not the only one with secrets, Alpha. Nightshade has its own agenda, and you're just a pawn in the game."I growled, frustration bubbling beneath the surface. "Enough games. Who sent you, and what are you after?"The agile intruder, still struggling against the ropes, sneered. "You think you're invincible, don't you? Nightshade won't rest until your precious secrets are exposed."I shot a glance at the chamber's entrance, ensuring no other intruders were sneaking up on us. "Secrets?"The burly one chuckled, a sinister edge to his voice. "We know more than you think, Hazel. Nightshade has eyes everywhere."My patience wore thin. "Tell me who leads Nightshade. What are they planning?"The agile intruder laughed, a mocking tone in his voi
MiaAmidst the chaos, I focused on the immediate threat in front of me—a cloaked figure lunging towards Mason. Reacting instinctively, Mason dodged the attack, his claws meeting the assailant's sword with a resounding clash."Nice try," Mason grunted, pushing back against the attacker.Lycidas engaged another cloaked figure, his movements fluid and precise. "You picked the wrong pack to mess with!"I glanced around, realizing that the cloaked figures outnumbered us. Fear crept in, but I couldn't let it paralyze me. Spotting an opportunity, I lunged at a distracted assailant, my wooden claws meeting their side. They staggered, momentarily thrown off balance."Take that!" I shouted, more to boost my own confidence than anything else.The leader of the cloaked group observed the chaos with a sinister satisfaction. "This is amusing, watching you pups struggle."As Mason and Lycidas fought with unmatched determination, I noticed a glint in the leader's hand—a small, shimmering vial. Before
MarthaI continued to stare into the now empty space where the mysterious wolf had disappeared. Michael joined me, his brows furrowed in concern."Martha, who was that? What's going on?" he asked again, a sense of urgency in his voice.I shook my head, still processing the encounter. "I don't know, Michael. It was a wolf, but not one of ours. There was something... different about it."A rustle in the bushes caught our attention, and Maya stumbled into the moonlit clearing. She looked weaker than ever, her fur matted and eyes dulled with exhaustion. I rushed to her side, my concern for her momentarily pushing aside the mystery of the stranger."Maya, what happened?" I asked gently, helping her to sit. Her response was weak, almost a whisper."I fought... Some wolves. Got injured," she managed to say, her voice strained.I exchanged a worried glance with Michael. "We need to get her back to the cave. She's in no condition to be out here."As we helped Maya back towards the cave, I coul
Selena's POVIn the dimly lit cave, surrounded by the worried faces of the pack, I couldn't shake the lingering unease that had settled in my chest. Hazel's distant demeanor, the revelation of Nightshade's plans, and the monstrous creature they had unleashed—all of it weighed heavily on my mind.As I stole a glance at Hazel, who stood stoically by the entrance, his gaze distant, I couldn't ignore the ache in my heart. The connection we once shared felt strained, and the unanswered questions lingered in the air."Hazel," I whispered, my voice barely audible amidst the hushed conversations in the cave. He turned to look at me, his expression guarded."Are you okay?" I asked, my concern evident in my eyes. He nodded, but the distance in his gaze remained."Hazel, we need to talk," I insisted, my voice quivering with a mix of frustration and vulnerability."Now is not the time, Selena. We have more pressing matters to deal with," he replied, his tone firm.I took a step closer, unable to
Hazel meets MiaHazel's POVSoon, the early morning sunlight filled the cave. I stood and stretched and looked around at all the people gathered. Despite myself, I could not help feeling a bit proud. In this time of danger, I had saved my people. That had to count, no matter how wicked they thought I was. Anyway, it was only the capital city that was evacuated, so it was really not that much of a problem to bring everything back to normal. But I would do that later in the day. For now, I want to go on the track of the beast I had seen last night. I couldn't shake off the feeling that it was more than I could afford to brush off. I just had to know what it is or else, I would never be at ease. For the first time in many days, I gave a sleeping Selena a kiss on the forehead, then walked out of the cave. The forest lay still in the early morning light as I ventured out, the pack members still resting in the safety of the cave. The not so distant memories of Nightshade's revenge surf
Mia's POVThough I tried to turn away coolly, my heart was beating very hard. My shoulders tensed, and I had a very intense urge to turn and keep my eyes on him as I walked backwards faster than any one living or dead had ever done.I could literally feel my skin tingle and goosebumps washed over me as I remembered all the tales from Lycidas about Hazel. Had he become that way because of me? I didn't care anymore. He broke my eyes once, and judging from the look in his eyes just now, he was ready to break it a second time no matter what he said.The first time, I had nearly died.All I wanted now was to get as far away from him as possible. "But I do want something you have," his voice rang out, and I paused in my tracks. After an intense personal struggle, I finally bit out a question. "What?" I felt his breath on my neck and tensed even more. I had not heard him close the distance between us. Despite myself, I turned my head so I could look at him. I wouldn't feel comfortable w