The morning was unusually quiet, a heavy stillness in the air that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on edge. I sat in the library, surrounded by books and scrolls, my fingers trailing over faded ink as I searched for anything that could help us. Each word I read felt like a dead end. My frustration grew as hours ticked by, the answers I sought remaining just out of reach. Jake had gone back to the war room, strategizing with his warriors on how to deal with the creatures. Fatima was out gathering intel, her determination a mirror of my own. And me? I felt stuck, drowning in a sea of knowledge that refused to yield the answers I needed. I slammed the book shut and leaned back in my chair, rubbing my temples. “Come on, Prisca,” I muttered to myself. “Think. There has to be something you’re missing.” A soft knock at the door startled me. I turned, half expecting Jake or Fatima, but instead, there stood a woman I had never seen before. Her presence was striking. She had
The days since Althea’s arrival had been a whirlwind of revelations, strategies, and relentless tension. For someone who claimed to be my sister, Althea had an uncanny ability to make me uneasy. Something about her presence—her calculated words, the way she always seemed one step ahead—felt off. I told myself to trust her, to give her the benefit of the doubt. After all, she had brought us valuable information and was helping us navigate this nightmare. But a voice in the back of my head whispered doubts I couldn’t ignore. This morning, I found myself watching her from across the room as she pored over maps and notes. She was intensely focused, her emerald eyes scanning the parchment with precision. Every movement seemed deliberate, every word she spoke measured. Jake stood beside her, his arms crossed as he listened to her suggestions. Even he seemed more guarded around her now. “Are you sure this is the right area?” I asked, breaking the silence. Althea looked up, her gaze mee
The forest was a cold and oppressive place that night, the towering trees seeming to close in on us as we moved through the dense underbrush. I couldn’t shake the weight in my chest, a nagging sense of unease that told me something wasn’t right. This was it—the moment we had been working toward for weeks. Esther was within our grasp, the woman responsible for tearing our pack apart. Yet, as determined as I was to see this through, I couldn’t ignore the chill that ran down my spine.Jake led the group, his broad shoulders tense with anticipation. He moved with the confidence of a seasoned Alpha, but I could see the worry in his eyes when he glanced back at me. The warriors fanned out around us, their breaths visible in the cool night air. Althea walked beside me, her staff in hand, her expression unreadable."Stay close," Jake said, his voice low but firm as he addressed the group."I will," I replied, though my voice wavered slightly. I hated feeling like a liability, but Jake had ins
The morning sun filtered through the curtains of our bedroom, casting a warm glow across the room. Jake stirred beside me, his arm draped over my waist, holding me close as though he feared I might disappear if he let go. I turned to face him, his messy hair and soft features making my heart swell with affection. For a moment, I let myself savor the peace, a rare moment of respite amidst the chaos that had engulfed our lives."Good morning," he murmured, his voice rough with sleep."Good morning," I replied, brushing a strand of hair from his forehead.Jake pulled me closer, pressing a gentle kiss to my forehead. "How are you feeling?" he asked, his eyes searching mine."Tired," I admitted, resting my head against his chest. "But I’m okay."He sighed, his hand tracing soothing circles on my back. "I hate seeing you like this, my love.""I hate seeing you like this as well," I countered, lifting my head to meet his gaze. A small smile tugged at his lips. "I don’t deserve you," he said
The air was thick with tension as I sat in the study, poring over the maps Jake had marked with sightings of the deformed wolves. It was a grim reminder of what we were up against, but the recent revelations about Esther had shifted everything. Knowing the mastermind’s name gave us an edge, but the sheer danger of confronting her was not lost on me. Althea was seated across from me, flipping through an old grimoire she had brought with her. Her fingers trailed over the pages with practiced ease, her brow furrowed in concentration. Despite the newfound camaraderie between us, I could feel the weight of her skepticism. She hadn’t outright said it, but I knew she wasn’t entirely sure if I had the strength to face what was coming. "Found anything?" I asked, breaking the silence. "Nothing concrete," she replied, her voice tinged with frustration. "This book touches on suppressing rabid magical creatures, but it doesn’t exactly tell you how to handle a person controlling them." "Wel
The morning air was crisp, a sharp contrast to the chaos swirling inside me. My steps echoed through the stone corridors of the pack house as I made my way to the study. The idea of reversing the deformities on the wolves seemed impossible, yet it was the only way to undo the damage Esther had caused. I refused to let her hatred define our future.When I entered, Fatima and Althea were already there. Fatima sat at the table, surrounded by open books and scattered notes, her usual calm demeanor replaced by a flicker of determination. Althea leaned against the wall, arms crossed, her eyes glowing faintly as if her magic simmered just beneath the surface.“Good, you’re here,” Fatima said without looking up. “We have a lot to discuss.”I took a seat across from her, glancing at Althea. “Have you found anything?”Althea pushed off the wall and joined us at the table. “Not much. There’s mention of healing spells for curses, but nothing specific to undo mutations like this.”Fatima sighed, c
For the first time in what felt like forever, the air was light, free from the weight of danger or responsibility. Today wasn’t about plotting against enemies or strengthening defenses; it was about being normal—something I hadn’t realized I missed until now. “Prisca! Are you even awake yet?” Fatima’s voice rang out as the door burst open. She was already dressed in her casual jeans and an oversized hoodie, her curly hair bouncing as she grinned. I groaned, pulling the blanket over my head. “You’re too cheerful for this early in the morning.” “It’s not early. It’s almost noon,” she shot back, yanking the covers off me with no mercy. “Althea’s waiting downstairs. We’re showing her the pack today, remember?” I sat up, rubbing my eyes. Right. Althea. Despite the rocky start between us, things had been surprisingly smooth lately. She was beginning to feel like part of the family, and today was about making that official. “Okay, okay, I’m up,” I said, throwing a pillow at her, w
The evening air was cool and gentle, a soft breeze carrying the earthy scent of the forest. I stood at the edge of the pack’s territory, the fading light casting an orange glow over the trees. For the first time in days, things felt calm. Peaceful. “Penny for your thoughts?” I turned to find Jake standing a few steps behind me, his hands shoved casually into his pockets. His dark eyes seemed to catch the fading sunlight, making them warmer than usual, like melted chocolate. “You’d be overpaying,” I said with a small smile. “Try me.” He stepped closer, his presence steady and comforting. I hesitated before answering. “I was just… thinking about everything. The pack, the deformed wolves, Althea…” I paused. “Us.” Jake’s lips quirked into a crooked smile. “I’m flattered I made the list.” I laughed softly, shaking my head. “You’re always on the list, Jake.” He closed the distance between us, his hand brushing mine before he intertwined our fingers. “Good to know.” We stoo
PRISCA’S POVI woke up with a sharp gasp, my lungs burning as if I had been holding my breath for too long. The room was still dark, and the only sound was the soft rustling of the wind outside. My body felt heavy, my limbs sluggish, and an eerie chill wrapped around me despite the warmth of the blankets. Something was wrong. I pushed myself up slowly, trying to shake off the discomfort. The feeling in the air wasn’t just cold—it was unnatural. The shadows in the corners of the room seemed darker than usual, stretching and pulsing as if they were alive. My heart pounded as I glanced toward the door, expecting something—anything—to be there. But the room was empty. Just a bad dream, I told myself. A side effect of everything weighing on me. But as I moved to stand, a voice whispered in my ear. *"You must listen."* I froze. My entire body tensed as cold dread seeped into my bones. Slowly, I turned my head toward the mirror in the corner of the room. My reflection should
I sat in my office, staring at the wall as the weight of everything threatened to crush me. My mate, my unborn child, my pack—everything was hanging by a thread, and I felt powerless. Prisca had finally told me the truth, and it shattered me in ways I couldn’t put into words. She was given an impossible choice. One where no matter what she decided, she would lose something—either our child or me. How the hell was I supposed to accept that? My fingers clenched into fists against my desk as a growl rumbled low in my chest. No. I wouldn’t accept it. Fate had already tried to take too much from me. I had lost warriors, friends, people who depended on me to lead them. But my family? That was where I drew the line. There had to be another way. I pushed back from my desk and stood, my muscles tense as I made my decision. I couldn’t sit here and wait for fate to take its course. I had to act. I walked out of my office and made my way down the dimly lit halls of the packhouse. Most o
The moment I stepped into our bedroom, I knew something was wrong. Prisca sat on the edge of the bed, her back to me, staring out the window. The moonlight cast a soft glow on her, making her seem almost ethereal, but the tension in her shoulders gave her away. She was deep in thought, troubled. Lately, she'd been distant. At first, I chalked it up to the pregnancy—mood swings, exhaustion, the usual things that came with carrying a child. But this was different. There was something *heavier* weighing on her, something she wasn’t telling me. I had given her space, thinking maybe she just needed time to process things on her own, but time had only made it worse. I couldn’t take it anymore. I walked over to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Prisca, what's going on?" She flinched. *Flinched.* I immediately withdrew my hand, my stomach twisting. My mate had never reacted to me like that before. She turned to face me, her expression unreadable. “Nothing, Jake. I’m just t
I spent the entire morning with Althea, flipping through ancient grimoires, searching desperately for a spell that could summon Esther. My hands trembled as I traced the inked symbols in an old book, my mind racing with the possibilities of what we might discover. We had been through this before, and every attempt had failed. But this time, it felt different. This time, we needed answers. The room was dimly lit, the scent of burning sage and lavender thick in the air. The candles flickered unnaturally, as if something unseen was already lurking, waiting for us to call upon it. I swallowed hard and looked at my sister. “Are you sure about this?” Althea asked, her voice steady but filled with caution. “Summoning a spirit isn’t like calling on just any entity. Esther is powerful, and she’s—” “Unpredictable?” I finished for her. Althea nodded. “To say the least.” I clenched my fists, my determination outweighing my fear. “I don’t have a choice, Althea. I need to know how to save
I woke up feeling… strange. It wasn’t the usual exhaustion from pregnancy or the occasional morning sickness. This was different. It was as if something unseen crackled in the air around me, a tingling sensation running up and down my spine. My dreams had been odd, but that wasn’t new—I had been plagued with visions ever since we returned to the pack. Shaking off the unease, I sat up and stretched. The room was quiet, sunlight filtering in through the curtains, but something felt off. I glanced around, half expecting something to be lurking in the shadows. Nothing. Just my mind playing tricks on me. "Okay, Prisca. Breathe," I muttered to myself before sliding out of bed. As I padded to the bathroom, the floorboards creaked louder than usual. The second I stepped onto the tile, the faucet turned on by itself, water gushing out forcefully as if someone had yanked it open. I froze. My pulse quickened. I hadn't touched it. Swallowing hard, I reached for the knob and twisted it
The morning air was crisp as I stepped outside, the cool breeze brushing against my skin. The world felt heavy, the weight of my vision pressing down on my shoulders like an iron yoke. I had barely slept the night before, my mind looping through the same horrible question—who do I sacrifice? Jake or our child? I couldn’t make that choice. I wouldn’t. Which meant I had only one option: to find a way to break this fate before it broke me. I needed my sister. Althea was in the greenhouse again, her hands covered in soil as she carefully tended to a row of herbs. The scent of rosemary and lavender filled the air, a calming contrast to the storm inside me. She glanced up as I approached, instantly recognizing the distress on my face. “You look like hell.” I let out a humorless chuckle. “You told me that yesterday.” “Well, it’s still true.” She dusted off her hands and crossed her arms. “Talk to me.” I hesitated for a moment before finally blurting out, “I need your help. I
The day started with sunlight streaming through the window, a rare reprieve from the gloom that seemed to have hung over the pack for weeks. I stretched carefully, my hand instinctively going to my stomach. It was still hard to believe that a life was growing inside me. Every little flutter, every kick, was a reminder of the impossible decision I was grappling with. Jake was still asleep beside me, his arm draped over my waist, his steady breathing a source of comfort. For a moment, I let myself forget everything—the visions, the chaos, the impending doom. In that quiet moment, it was just us. But peace doesn’t last, not in our world. I slipped out of bed, careful not to wake him, and headed downstairs. Sophie was already in the kitchen, humming softly as she prepared breakfast. “Morning,” she said cheerfully. “You’re up early.” I forced a smile, grabbing a glass of water. “Couldn’t sleep.” She raised an eyebrow but didn’t press. Sophie was perceptive, but she knew when to
It started with rain. Not the gentle kind that taps on the window and lulls you into a false sense of peace. No, this was the unrelenting, bone-soaking kind that turned the ground to sludge and drowned any hope of a good day.I woke up to the sound of it hammering against the roof, a relentless drumming that refused to be ignored. Groaning, I rolled over and pulled the blankets tighter around me. Jake’s side of the bed was already cold, his absence a reminder of his early morning patrols.“Rain,” I muttered to myself. “Of course it’s raining.”The baby kicked lightly, as if agreeing with my discontent. I sighed, rubbing my belly. “You don’t like it either, huh?”There was no point in staying in bed, no matter how much I wanted to. The pack house didn’t run itself, and Jake certainly couldn’t handle everything alone.By the time I made it to the kitchen, I was already regretting getting up. Sophie was there, perched on the counter with a mug of coffee, her hair in a chaotic bun and her
The winds felt heavier today, thick with unspoken tension as if the earth itself knew something was amiss. Even the birds seemed quieter, their usual melodies replaced by uneasy chirps. I couldn’t shake the sense that this was the beginning of something dark. Esther’s cryptic words about chaos and fate clawed at the back of my mind, resurfacing with every step I took. I rested a hand on my still-flat stomach, a gesture of reassurance as much for me as it was for the baby. “It’s okay,” I murmured, though I wasn’t sure if I was convincing myself or the little life growing inside me. The day started normally enough. Jake had left early to oversee patrols after reports of rogue sightings near the border. I stayed behind, trying to keep myself busy in the garden. The vibrant blooms offered a semblance of peace, their colors a stark contrast to the unease brewing in my chest. But even this small sanctuary felt off. As I reached to pluck a weed, my fingers froze. The leaves of the rose