Elara's POVI shifted uncomfortably in the passenger seat of the Jeep, as it continued to bump its way along the dirt trail. The silence was a thick, heavy hanging between Andrew and I, broken only by the sound of crunching tires over gravel and the occasional howl of wind through the trees. Greg sat in the back quiet, his eyes scanning across the woods as if anticipating danger to leap from the appear at any moment.I still didn't know why I was here.Andrew said it was training, but what kind of training required dragging me to the edge of the pack's territory with no warning and no explanation? He hadn't spoken much since I'd met him downstairs-just barked orders at Greg and tossed me into the Jeep like some kind of inconvenient luggage."Why am I even here?" I finally asked, breaking the silence.Andrew didn't look at me. His hands gripped the steering wheel tightly, knuckles white. "You'll see soon enough.""That's not an answer."He glanced at me then, his sharp eyes glinting wi
Elara's POVMy ears rang as I tried to focus on Andrew's voice yelling my name. My chest heaved with my gasping for breath as my heart pounded against my ribs as if it would burst from them at any moment. Before I could wrap my mind around what had just happened, they came.Someone darted toward us with inhuman speed, followed by two more figures. The attackers didn't hesitate—they lunged with snarls that made the hair on the back of myneck stand up."Stay behind me!" Andrew barked, his voice sharp and commanding as he moved in front of me.Greg was already shifting, his body changing as fur erupted along his arms. Claws extended from his fingertips, glinting in the moonlight. Andrew followed suit, but he didn't transform fully yet, it was just as swift and deadly. The air was thick with the scent of power and aggression, a mix of Andrew's dominance and Greg's vicious anger.I had little time to watch the power they exhibited. One attacker dove directly for me, and I barely dodged, m
Andrew's POVCarrying Elara in my arms felt like carrying the world's most fragile treasure. She was too still, her body limp against mine. Blood seeped through my shirt where her head rested, warm and sticky, and I could not tell if it was hers or mine. Every step to the medical center seemed like eternity, yet I moved faster than I ever thought possible.“Move!" I barked as we approached the main hall. Pack members scrambled out of my way, their faces pale as they caught sight of the blood.Greg was right behind me, his claws still out and his breathing heavy. "We've got to get her stabilized," he said, his voice tense."I know," I snapped, though I didn't mean to. My chest felt too tight, my head too full of the memory of her losing consciousness in my arms.As we burst through the doors of the medical center, Mirabel, the head healer, was already waiting, her sharp eyes assessing the situation."Get her on the table, now!" she commanded, her voice rising above the chaotic situatio
Elara's POVMy head felt like it was stuffed with cotton, heavy and slow. Voices murmured somewhere nearby, but I couldn't make out the words. My eyelids felt like they were weighed down with something heavy, but I forced them open, blinking against the harsh light.The first thing I was aware of was the scent-antiseptic and herbs mingling in the air. It hit me like a punch to the face, and it didn't take long to figure out where I was. A hospital. No, not just any hospital-a pack infirmary. The faint markings of the crescent moon symbol etched into the beams above confirmed it.What the hell happened?I tried to sit up, but pain ripped through my side, sharp and wicked. A gasp escaped my lips before I could stop it, and my hands instinctively pressed against my ribs. That's when I noticed something else: I wasn't alone.In the corner of the room, hardly seen under the dim light of the lamps hanging from the ceiling, was a figure. First, I had thought him to be one of the healers, but
Andrew's POVI caught her scent before I saw her. That faint trace of lavender and something totally hers—something I couldn't name but had burned into my memory. It pulled me like a magnet to the hallway outside her room, an invisible hold I couldn’t break even if I tried.Elara.Two days. Two damn days since she'd been discharged, and it was like she'd vanished. Sure, the healers had said she needed rest, but avoiding me? That wasn’t part of the prescription. And she was avoiding me—I was sure of it.The weight of unanswered questions bore down on me as I leaned against the cold stone wall, debating whether to knock. My knuckles hovered an inch from the door, hesitation holding me back. What if she didn't want to see me? What if she had her reasons, reasons I wouldn’t like? But just as I decided to let the moment pass, the door creaked open, and there she was.Her hand rested lightly on the doorframe, her lips slightly parted in surprise. Her hair framed her face, loose strands catc
Elara's POVThe kiss was a shock-a storm of emotions I hadn't prepared for. One second, I was standing in my room, trying to ignore Andrew's piercing gaze, and the next, his mouth was on mine, searing and unapologetic. My first instinct was to push him away. My hands pressed against his chest, meeting the firm resistance of his muscles, but then something changed.My fingers betrayed me. Instead of shoving him back, they curled upward, tangling in his hair. His lips moved against mine with a hunger that pulled me in, and before I knew it, I was leaning into him, my body flush against his.The sound that growled from Andrew was low in his throat, vibrating between us, sending a shiver down my spine. His hands had been cradling my face with surprising gentleness; now, they moved lower, skating the sides of my torso until settling firmly onto my hips. Bold, yes, but not rough; a touch possessive in the most scary yet thrilling ways.I gasped into his mouth as his fingers tightened, pullin
Elara's POVAndrew's lips were on mine again before I could think. His hands cupped my face, but his body pressed against mine told me everything I needed to know. This wasn't just a kiss; it was an exposition. Every part of me responded, from the trembling in my legs to the heat pooling low in my stomach.When he groaned against my lips, I felt it everywhere. My breath hitched as his hips pressed forward, the hard length of him brushing against my stomach. A rush of warmth spread through me, and I couldn't stop the small sound of pleasure that escaped my throat.I pulled him closer, fingers tangling in his hair as he deepened the kiss. He tasted of the mint tea I knew he always had in the evenings, yet there was something else, more intoxicating and darker."Elara," he breathed against my mouth, his voice hoarse, "I can't—" He broke off, his forehead resting against mine as his hands slid down my arms. His touch left a trail of fire in its wake, and I couldn't bring myself to stop hi
Andrew's POVElara's whispered words, Your turn, had that ring in my ears. I was thrilled, something really unexpected. It wasn't only her tone, breathless and full of need, but it was the look in her eyes. This combination of mischief and full-blown confidence, like she knew just what she wanted and wasn't going to allow me to stop her, remained in my mind.For a moment, I froze, caught between surprise and something far deeper, a heat that spread through me like wildfire. I wasn't used to this. I wasn't used to someone else taking the lead, but there was something intoxicating about the shift in power. She moved closer, her fingers roaming over my chest, leaving a trail of goosebumps in their wake.Her lips hovered over mine, not a kiss, but close enough to steal my breath."Elara," I breathed, her name a pleaI couldn't quite disguise."Shh," she whispered back, her fingers pressing gently against my lips. "Let me."And I did.She leaned in, her lips skimming my jaw and then lower
Elara's POVThe deep, frightening growls sent a shudder through the night air as they echoed through the silence. Every sound tore at my nerves, making me grip the blade Andrew had given me so hard that my knuckles went white. Amid the creeping terror, the cold steel seemed to be the only solid object keeping me grounded. Jacob. Like an evil whisper, the name slide across my mind. I felt sick to my stomach to see him here, confidently standing in the moonlight. His presence was overwhelming, not just threatening. Both the glitter in his piercing eyes and the sneer that flashed on his lips conveyed a terrible enjoyment. I straightened my posture. I wouldn't let him intimidate me.Andrew stood in front of me, a shield of raw muscle and simmering rage, his broad shoulders blocking my view of most of Jacob's pack. His protectiveness should have reassured me, but it only highlighted how unevenly matched we were. The glowing eyes surrounding us moved in sync, a combined reminder of how ou
Andrew's POVElara's slow breaths blended with mine, and her body warmed against my chest as the night surrounded us in a cocoon of silence. I sketched languid patterns on her back, my thoughts swirling with feelings I couldn't quite understand. The soft crackle of the fire in the hearth was the sole sound, an unsaid witness to this delicate moment. Her fingertips lightly brushed against my arm, sending a shudder through me.“What are you thinking?” she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.I hesitated, feeling the weight of the moment pressing down on me. “That you...are everything I didn’t know I needed.”Her lips curved into a small smile as she tilted her head to look at me, her deep eyes catching the glow of the firelight. “Good,” she replied simply, her fingers grazing my jawline as if memorizing the contours of my face.For a moment, it felt like time had stopped, like we were the only two people in the world. The room was a paradise, a fleeting relief from the problems t
Andrew's POVElara's whispered words, Your turn, had that ring in my ears. I was thrilled, something really unexpected. It wasn't only her tone, breathless and full of need, but it was the look in her eyes. This combination of mischief and full-blown confidence, like she knew just what she wanted and wasn't going to allow me to stop her, remained in my mind.For a moment, I froze, caught between surprise and something far deeper, a heat that spread through me like wildfire. I wasn't used to this. I wasn't used to someone else taking the lead, but there was something intoxicating about the shift in power. She moved closer, her fingers roaming over my chest, leaving a trail of goosebumps in their wake.Her lips hovered over mine, not a kiss, but close enough to steal my breath."Elara," I breathed, her name a pleaI couldn't quite disguise."Shh," she whispered back, her fingers pressing gently against my lips. "Let me."And I did.She leaned in, her lips skimming my jaw and then lower
Elara's POVAndrew's lips were on mine again before I could think. His hands cupped my face, but his body pressed against mine told me everything I needed to know. This wasn't just a kiss; it was an exposition. Every part of me responded, from the trembling in my legs to the heat pooling low in my stomach.When he groaned against my lips, I felt it everywhere. My breath hitched as his hips pressed forward, the hard length of him brushing against my stomach. A rush of warmth spread through me, and I couldn't stop the small sound of pleasure that escaped my throat.I pulled him closer, fingers tangling in his hair as he deepened the kiss. He tasted of the mint tea I knew he always had in the evenings, yet there was something else, more intoxicating and darker."Elara," he breathed against my mouth, his voice hoarse, "I can't—" He broke off, his forehead resting against mine as his hands slid down my arms. His touch left a trail of fire in its wake, and I couldn't bring myself to stop hi
Elara's POVThe kiss was a shock-a storm of emotions I hadn't prepared for. One second, I was standing in my room, trying to ignore Andrew's piercing gaze, and the next, his mouth was on mine, searing and unapologetic. My first instinct was to push him away. My hands pressed against his chest, meeting the firm resistance of his muscles, but then something changed.My fingers betrayed me. Instead of shoving him back, they curled upward, tangling in his hair. His lips moved against mine with a hunger that pulled me in, and before I knew it, I was leaning into him, my body flush against his.The sound that growled from Andrew was low in his throat, vibrating between us, sending a shiver down my spine. His hands had been cradling my face with surprising gentleness; now, they moved lower, skating the sides of my torso until settling firmly onto my hips. Bold, yes, but not rough; a touch possessive in the most scary yet thrilling ways.I gasped into his mouth as his fingers tightened, pullin
Andrew's POVI caught her scent before I saw her. That faint trace of lavender and something totally hers—something I couldn't name but had burned into my memory. It pulled me like a magnet to the hallway outside her room, an invisible hold I couldn’t break even if I tried.Elara.Two days. Two damn days since she'd been discharged, and it was like she'd vanished. Sure, the healers had said she needed rest, but avoiding me? That wasn’t part of the prescription. And she was avoiding me—I was sure of it.The weight of unanswered questions bore down on me as I leaned against the cold stone wall, debating whether to knock. My knuckles hovered an inch from the door, hesitation holding me back. What if she didn't want to see me? What if she had her reasons, reasons I wouldn’t like? But just as I decided to let the moment pass, the door creaked open, and there she was.Her hand rested lightly on the doorframe, her lips slightly parted in surprise. Her hair framed her face, loose strands catc
Elara's POVMy head felt like it was stuffed with cotton, heavy and slow. Voices murmured somewhere nearby, but I couldn't make out the words. My eyelids felt like they were weighed down with something heavy, but I forced them open, blinking against the harsh light.The first thing I was aware of was the scent-antiseptic and herbs mingling in the air. It hit me like a punch to the face, and it didn't take long to figure out where I was. A hospital. No, not just any hospital-a pack infirmary. The faint markings of the crescent moon symbol etched into the beams above confirmed it.What the hell happened?I tried to sit up, but pain ripped through my side, sharp and wicked. A gasp escaped my lips before I could stop it, and my hands instinctively pressed against my ribs. That's when I noticed something else: I wasn't alone.In the corner of the room, hardly seen under the dim light of the lamps hanging from the ceiling, was a figure. First, I had thought him to be one of the healers, but
Andrew's POVCarrying Elara in my arms felt like carrying the world's most fragile treasure. She was too still, her body limp against mine. Blood seeped through my shirt where her head rested, warm and sticky, and I could not tell if it was hers or mine. Every step to the medical center seemed like eternity, yet I moved faster than I ever thought possible.“Move!" I barked as we approached the main hall. Pack members scrambled out of my way, their faces pale as they caught sight of the blood.Greg was right behind me, his claws still out and his breathing heavy. "We've got to get her stabilized," he said, his voice tense."I know," I snapped, though I didn't mean to. My chest felt too tight, my head too full of the memory of her losing consciousness in my arms.As we burst through the doors of the medical center, Mirabel, the head healer, was already waiting, her sharp eyes assessing the situation."Get her on the table, now!" she commanded, her voice rising above the chaotic situatio
Elara's POVMy ears rang as I tried to focus on Andrew's voice yelling my name. My chest heaved with my gasping for breath as my heart pounded against my ribs as if it would burst from them at any moment. Before I could wrap my mind around what had just happened, they came.Someone darted toward us with inhuman speed, followed by two more figures. The attackers didn't hesitate—they lunged with snarls that made the hair on the back of myneck stand up."Stay behind me!" Andrew barked, his voice sharp and commanding as he moved in front of me.Greg was already shifting, his body changing as fur erupted along his arms. Claws extended from his fingertips, glinting in the moonlight. Andrew followed suit, but he didn't transform fully yet, it was just as swift and deadly. The air was thick with the scent of power and aggression, a mix of Andrew's dominance and Greg's vicious anger.I had little time to watch the power they exhibited. One attacker dove directly for me, and I barely dodged, m