Alessio trudged wearily through the shadowed forest, head low, shoulders slumped in defeat. He had been wandering aimlessly for over a week now, since fleeing his pack lands in shame. The untamed power burning within him frightened everyone he cared for. He was a threat...a monster. So he had run, hoping to protect them from himself. But now, exhausted and utterly alone, he wondered if leaving had been a coward's choice. The forest seemed endless, and the fury inside him raged on, unchecked. He was no closer to controlling it or finding answers. Only the beasts and trees witnessed his struggle, and they offered no wisdom.Lost in desolation, Alessio did not sense the large wolf trailing him until a voice called out."You look a little lost, friend."Alessio whirled, a snarl instinctively rising in his throat as his inner beast reacted. But he stifled it when he recognized the broad-shouldered stranger leaning casually against a tree trunk. Yes, now he remembered - they had crossed pa
Kat stalked through the dense forest, anger simmering in her veins. Those useless idiots had failed to kill Natalia, again. Just how long would it take to wipe out a single wolf?A twig snapped, jerking Kat from her brooding. She whirled, a snarl on her lips, only to find herself seized from behind by multiple assailants. She thrashed and bit down hard, tasting blood, but their grip was like iron. Within moments they had dragged her past the border markers and dropped her roughly at the feet of a smirking figure leaning against a tree. Kat leaped up and shifted into an attack crouch, lips curled back to expose her fangs. But she faltered at the sight of the man casually cleaning blood from beneath his nails with a knife. Dr. Maddox."Now now, that's no way to greet an old friend," the rogue scientist purred, poisonous gaze locking onto hers. "But given how you've ignored my messages of late, I thought an...intervention...was required."Kat forced her wolf down, though her muscles rem
Kat met her squad of hand-picked warriors just outside her territory's border as the moon rose high overhead. Only her most savage and unquestioningly loyal fighters had been recruited for this distasteful but necessary task. They stood restlessly in the shadows of the trees, awaiting her signal.Kat stepped into their midst, her expression grim. "You know our purpose. This is not a sanctioned raid, so speak of it to no one upon our return." Her eyes glinted dangerously in the moonlight. "Am I clear?"The warriors rumbled their assent. They cared not about the whys, only the promise of a good fight their Alpha provided. Kat curled her lip slightly. Foolish brutes. But they would serve her aims well enough tonight. "Then let's be off. We've a two day's hard journey ahead." She inclined her head toward the border. "Time and secrecy are of the essence." Without another word, she leaped forward, shifting mid-air into her wolf form. Powerful limbs ate up the distance as she surged into t
Natalia sank into the steaming water of the women's bath with a contented sigh, letting the heat relax her sore muscles. It had been an exhausting day of leading martial training for the pack's youth. As much as she loved passing on her skills, keeping up with the pups' boundless energy left her drained. She leaned back and closed her eyes, appreciating this chance to unwind in solitude.Her blissful soak was interrupted by the creak of the door and murmured voices. Natalia opened her eyes to see Olga entering with two other pack women, laughing brightly at something one said. Natalia suppressed a frown. Since the trial two weeks ago, Olga had been nothing but a nuisance, following Natalia around and ALWAYS showing up wherever she happened to be. Natalia did her best to remain civil, but Olga's overly familiar attitude grated on her.Oblivious to her irritation, Olga waved cheerfully. "Natalia! What a happy coincidence running into you here." The other women greeted Natalia politely
Dawn's first light filtered weakly through the dense forest canopy as Natalia and Olga set out on patrol together. Since extending her offer of friendship, Olga had made a point of volunteering for duties alongside Natalia as often as possible. To Natalia, the she-wolf's presence now felt less like camaraderie and more like the smothering watch of a prison guard. "What a lovely morning!" Olga exclaimed, breaking the tense silence between them. "Don't you just adore the springtime, Natalia? Everything feels so alive and renewed.""I suppose so," Natalia replied halfheartedly, scanning their surroundings. She was anxious to finish this patrol and pursue a new anonymous tip regarding the omegas' whereabouts. The scrap of paper had contained only an address and dire warning - "Cabin east of canyon, leave now. Evidence inside."Natalia wasn't foolish enough to fully trust such a conveniently timed message. More likely it was a trap set by the kidnappers to lure her out alone where she wou
Pale dawn light filtered weakly through the dense forest surrounding the sprawling Krovavyy Krest pack grounds. Nestled deep within the remote Siberian wilderness, it was the largest and most formidable werewolf clan in Russia.In the training grounds, Alessio crouched across from Vincent, eyes narrowed in concentration. His muscles coiled tightly as he watched his mentor circle slowly. Vincent's scarred face gave nothing away, completely unreadable. They had been sparring since dawn, neither gaining advantage over the other for more than a moment. But Alessio could feel his strength starting to flag. The grueling daily training here at the Krovavyy Krest pack sanctuary was taking its toll.Vincent lunged without warning, aiming a vicious kick at Alessio's midsection. With reflexes honed over weeks of practice, Alessio spun away, using his opponent's momentum against him to flip Vincent over onto his back.Before he could press his counterattack, Vincent had rolled swiftly back to hi
Vitale paced restlessly around the makeshift camp, his mind churning with questions. It had been two days since discovering the ominous clues at the abandoned office site, but they were no closer to uncovering the truth. Marco had extracted some data from the cryptic flashdrive, but it was all heavily encrypted. He was still working to break through the protections and access the files. In the meantime, Vitale had dispatched trusted allies to dig deeper into the shadowy rental company's records and affiliations. But so far, they had turned up nothing useful.Whoever was behind this had covered their tracks exceptionally well. But Vitale knew there had to be some thread they could follow, some mistake the culprits had made. And he had no intention of leaving until he found it. For now, the team remained camped a cautious distance from the derelict office park, maintaining a discreet watch over the site. The shred of clothing with Natalia's scent tied her to this place somehow, Vitale
Leo strode purposefully through the dense forest outside the Sanguinari wolf pack's borders, Vincent trailing at his back. The flickering leaves and branches prevent the rays from reaching the forest grounds . But Leo did not slow. He had tread this path enough times lately to know its twists and turns by heart.At the final iron-barred door, Leo cleared his throat. "Remind me again why we waste our time down here with this mad doctor and his monsters?"Vincent glanced back, lips quirking wryly. "Come now, Alpha. Where's your curiosity? Maddox is clearly on the brink of a breakthrough with his experiments on the wolves. One that could aid our pack greatly.""Or doom us all," Leo muttered under his breath. But he stood guard obediently as Vincent unlocked the door and entered the sprawling laboratory beyond. As always, the cavernous room unsettled Vincent on some primal level. Cages and glass cells lined the walls, housing Maddox's less than willing test subjects in various states of
Kat grinned as she looked over her shoulder at the line of omegas trailing behind her, their heads lowered submissively. Ten omegas to bring back to the pack, more than she had hoped for. She would have more than enough to pay Maddox and even request more drugs if the need arises. The forest was quiet as they made their way through the dense trees, the only sounds being the crunch of leaves under their feet and the occasional bird call overhead. Kat's ears swiveled, alert for any signs of danger, but all seemed peaceful.Too peaceful, she realized with a start. The woods were never this quiet unless..."Ambush!" Kat yelled, whirling around, but it was too late. The enemy warriors dropped down from the trees, landing lightly on their feet to surround Kat's small group. She counted at least twelve of them, all heavily armed and staring at her with hatred in their eyes."Well, well," one of them drawled, flipping a knife casually in his hand. "Look what we have here. Poaching our omegas
Vitale crept through the dense forest, ears pricked and senses on high alert. He did not know if this mysterious lead would yield answers or simply danger, but he was prepared either way.Behind him, his four most trusted guards kept pace, watchful for any signs of deception. But the path ahead remained undisturbed. Perhaps this would be nothing but a fruitless detour. Yet something deep within compelled Vitale onward. He had to know if truth awaited at the end of this trail.As the trees thinned ahead, the brush giving way to a rocky clearing, Vitale felt the fine hairs on his neck stand on end. He slowed, holding up a hand to halt his guards. The space appeared empty, but his instincts screamed that eyes were watching them even now. It was an ideal spot for an ambush.Vitale turned sharply to retreat back under the trees' protective cover. But too late. The faint hiss reached his ears seconds before the canisters hit the ground around them, spewing forth cloying white smoke. Vitale
Leo strode purposefully through the dense forest outside the Sanguinari wolf pack's borders, Vincent trailing at his back. The flickering leaves and branches prevent the rays from reaching the forest grounds . But Leo did not slow. He had tread this path enough times lately to know its twists and turns by heart.At the final iron-barred door, Leo cleared his throat. "Remind me again why we waste our time down here with this mad doctor and his monsters?"Vincent glanced back, lips quirking wryly. "Come now, Alpha. Where's your curiosity? Maddox is clearly on the brink of a breakthrough with his experiments on the wolves. One that could aid our pack greatly.""Or doom us all," Leo muttered under his breath. But he stood guard obediently as Vincent unlocked the door and entered the sprawling laboratory beyond. As always, the cavernous room unsettled Vincent on some primal level. Cages and glass cells lined the walls, housing Maddox's less than willing test subjects in various states of
Vitale paced restlessly around the makeshift camp, his mind churning with questions. It had been two days since discovering the ominous clues at the abandoned office site, but they were no closer to uncovering the truth. Marco had extracted some data from the cryptic flashdrive, but it was all heavily encrypted. He was still working to break through the protections and access the files. In the meantime, Vitale had dispatched trusted allies to dig deeper into the shadowy rental company's records and affiliations. But so far, they had turned up nothing useful.Whoever was behind this had covered their tracks exceptionally well. But Vitale knew there had to be some thread they could follow, some mistake the culprits had made. And he had no intention of leaving until he found it. For now, the team remained camped a cautious distance from the derelict office park, maintaining a discreet watch over the site. The shred of clothing with Natalia's scent tied her to this place somehow, Vitale
Pale dawn light filtered weakly through the dense forest surrounding the sprawling Krovavyy Krest pack grounds. Nestled deep within the remote Siberian wilderness, it was the largest and most formidable werewolf clan in Russia.In the training grounds, Alessio crouched across from Vincent, eyes narrowed in concentration. His muscles coiled tightly as he watched his mentor circle slowly. Vincent's scarred face gave nothing away, completely unreadable. They had been sparring since dawn, neither gaining advantage over the other for more than a moment. But Alessio could feel his strength starting to flag. The grueling daily training here at the Krovavyy Krest pack sanctuary was taking its toll.Vincent lunged without warning, aiming a vicious kick at Alessio's midsection. With reflexes honed over weeks of practice, Alessio spun away, using his opponent's momentum against him to flip Vincent over onto his back.Before he could press his counterattack, Vincent had rolled swiftly back to hi
Dawn's first light filtered weakly through the dense forest canopy as Natalia and Olga set out on patrol together. Since extending her offer of friendship, Olga had made a point of volunteering for duties alongside Natalia as often as possible. To Natalia, the she-wolf's presence now felt less like camaraderie and more like the smothering watch of a prison guard. "What a lovely morning!" Olga exclaimed, breaking the tense silence between them. "Don't you just adore the springtime, Natalia? Everything feels so alive and renewed.""I suppose so," Natalia replied halfheartedly, scanning their surroundings. She was anxious to finish this patrol and pursue a new anonymous tip regarding the omegas' whereabouts. The scrap of paper had contained only an address and dire warning - "Cabin east of canyon, leave now. Evidence inside."Natalia wasn't foolish enough to fully trust such a conveniently timed message. More likely it was a trap set by the kidnappers to lure her out alone where she wou
Natalia sank into the steaming water of the women's bath with a contented sigh, letting the heat relax her sore muscles. It had been an exhausting day of leading martial training for the pack's youth. As much as she loved passing on her skills, keeping up with the pups' boundless energy left her drained. She leaned back and closed her eyes, appreciating this chance to unwind in solitude.Her blissful soak was interrupted by the creak of the door and murmured voices. Natalia opened her eyes to see Olga entering with two other pack women, laughing brightly at something one said. Natalia suppressed a frown. Since the trial two weeks ago, Olga had been nothing but a nuisance, following Natalia around and ALWAYS showing up wherever she happened to be. Natalia did her best to remain civil, but Olga's overly familiar attitude grated on her.Oblivious to her irritation, Olga waved cheerfully. "Natalia! What a happy coincidence running into you here." The other women greeted Natalia politely
Kat met her squad of hand-picked warriors just outside her territory's border as the moon rose high overhead. Only her most savage and unquestioningly loyal fighters had been recruited for this distasteful but necessary task. They stood restlessly in the shadows of the trees, awaiting her signal.Kat stepped into their midst, her expression grim. "You know our purpose. This is not a sanctioned raid, so speak of it to no one upon our return." Her eyes glinted dangerously in the moonlight. "Am I clear?"The warriors rumbled their assent. They cared not about the whys, only the promise of a good fight their Alpha provided. Kat curled her lip slightly. Foolish brutes. But they would serve her aims well enough tonight. "Then let's be off. We've a two day's hard journey ahead." She inclined her head toward the border. "Time and secrecy are of the essence." Without another word, she leaped forward, shifting mid-air into her wolf form. Powerful limbs ate up the distance as she surged into t
Kat stalked through the dense forest, anger simmering in her veins. Those useless idiots had failed to kill Natalia, again. Just how long would it take to wipe out a single wolf?A twig snapped, jerking Kat from her brooding. She whirled, a snarl on her lips, only to find herself seized from behind by multiple assailants. She thrashed and bit down hard, tasting blood, but their grip was like iron. Within moments they had dragged her past the border markers and dropped her roughly at the feet of a smirking figure leaning against a tree. Kat leaped up and shifted into an attack crouch, lips curled back to expose her fangs. But she faltered at the sight of the man casually cleaning blood from beneath his nails with a knife. Dr. Maddox."Now now, that's no way to greet an old friend," the rogue scientist purred, poisonous gaze locking onto hers. "But given how you've ignored my messages of late, I thought an...intervention...was required."Kat forced her wolf down, though her muscles rem