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
Esther sat before us, bound and glaring, her lips curled in a defiant sneer. Her once perfectly combed hair was now a tangled mess, her clothes tattered from the struggle that had finally brought her to her knees. Despite her disheveled appearance, there was something unnervingly composed about her. Her dark eyes seemed to glimmer with twisted amusement, as if this entire ordeal was just a game to her. But it wasn’t. Not to me. I stepped forward, crossing my arms as I regarded her. Jake stood to my right, his expression carved from stone, and Althea to my left, her hands trembling slightly, though she tried to hide it. Behind us, Fatima lingered, her sharp gaze never leaving Esther. “Who are you working with?” I asked, my voice colder than I intended. Esther laughed, a grating sound that sent shivers up my spine. “Straight to the point, are we?” “This isn’t a game,” Jake growled. She tilted her head, her smile widening. “Oh, Alpha, everything is a game. The question is w
The air in the main hall was thick with distrust. Esther sat in the corner, her hands still bound with silver-lined chains, a quiet smirk playing on her lips. Her very presence set everyone on edge, a fox pretending to help the henhouse. Jake leaned against the far wall, arms crossed and his eyes glued to her every move, while Fatima busied herself gathering herbs and spell ingredients in the adjoining room. Althea paced near the large wooden table, her magic buzzing faintly in the air, a testament to her unease.As for me, I stood at the head of the table, trying to focus on the task at hand. The pack’s barrier had been our first line of defense, and without it, we were exposed. Vulnerable. I had to figure out a way to rebuild it, even if that meant working with someone like Esther.“We don’t need her,” Jake growled, his voice low but firm. “We can figure this out on our own.”“Can we?” I countered, my voice steady but not unkind. “She knows the Shadow Circle’s magic better than any
The morning sunlight streamed through the windows, casting golden hues across the packhouse. For the first time in weeks, it felt like we could breathe. The air still carried the weight of past battles, but for now, it was calm—a much-needed reprieve. Jake had left early to coordinate patrols, leaving me with Althea and Fatima to focus on what was quickly becoming our primary objective: fixing the barrier. It had been destroyed too easily during the last attack, and without it, the pack was vulnerable. Fatima stretched on the couch, her coffee mug balanced precariously on the armrest. “You know, for all the drama about magic, it’s kind of boring watching you two poke at spells all day.” Althea, sitting cross-legged on the floor surrounded by old spellbooks, shot her an irritated glance. “Maybe if you helped, it wouldn’t feel so boring.” “I’m human, remember?” Fatima replied with a smirk. “Magic isn’t exactly in my skill set.” I chuckled, flipping through another book. “Don’t
The morning of my birthday arrived like any other day, except for the suspicious smiles and hushed voices that seemed to follow me around the packhouse. I could tell something was up, but no one would say a word. Even Jake had been unusually evasive, flashing his charming smile whenever I questioned him.“You’ll find out later,” he teased, brushing a kiss on my forehead before disappearing to attend to patrol duties.I sighed, wandering into the kitchen where the tantalizing scent of coffee and pastries greeted me. Althea and Fatima were already there, sitting at the counter with Sophie, who was helping herself to a cinnamon roll.“Morning, birthday girl!” Fatima chirped, holding up a mug of coffee as if in salute.“Happy birthday!” Althea added, her usually reserved expression softening into a genuine smile.“Thanks,” I said, taking the mug from Fatima. “You guys are acting weird. What’s going on?”“Who, us?” Fatima feigned innocence, nudging Sophie, who stifled a giggle. “We’re just
The moon was high in the sky, casting a soft silver glow over the forest. I stood on the balcony outside my room, the cool night air brushing against my skin. My birthday had been nothing like I imagined—sweet moments interrupted by the weight of our responsibilities. I let out a sigh, resting my hands on the railing. The stars twinkled above, indifferent to my turmoil, and the world felt quiet, too quiet. “Penny for your thoughts?” I turned to see Jake leaning against the doorframe, his tall frame silhouetted against the warm light from my room. He had that mischievous smile that made my heart skip a beat, but there was something softer in his eyes tonight. “You don’t have enough pennies,” I teased, trying to hide the mix of emotions swirling inside me. Jake stepped forward, his movements deliberate, until he was standing right in front of me. His hands rested on the railing on either side of me, trapping me in the most delicious way. “Then tell me for free,” he murmured,
The ballroom was alive with music and laughter, a stark contrast to the heaviness that had lingered over the pack these past few weeks. Fatima had outdone herself, organizing this ball to remind everyone that joy still had a place in our lives.Dressed in a flowing emerald-green gown, I swayed gently in Jake’s arms as we moved across the dance floor. The light in his eyes, the way his fingers traced soothing circles on my back, made me forget—if only for a moment—that our world was still in pieces.“See?” he murmured. “A night without doom and gloom. Feels nice, doesn’t it?”I smiled up at him. “It does.”He twirled me, and for a second, I felt weightless. Then it hit me.A sharp, piercing sensation in my skull.I stumbled, the room tilting violently.Jake’s grip tightened. “Prisca?”I couldn’t answer. The pain spread like wildfire, and suddenly, the music and chatter faded into the background. My legs buckled, and I was falling.Darkness swallowed me whole.And then… I wasn’t in the
The weight of what I had just seen clung to me like a second skin. Even as I sat on the edge of the bed, back in the safety of our room, I could still feel the cold presence of that figure. The sound of its voice—my voice—echoed in my head like a haunting melody. Choose. But choose what? I could still feel Jake’s hands on my face from before, the desperate way he had searched my eyes, pleading for an answer I didn’t have. Now, he paced the room, his body tense with unspoken frustration. The others sat nearby, watching me with equal parts concern and curiosity. “You need to tell us everything,” Althea finally said, breaking the heavy silence. I rubbed my arms, trying to rid myself of the chill that had settled in my bones. “I was… alone. You were all gone. And the figure—it wasn’t just some shadow. It was me.” Sophie’s eyebrows shot up. “Wait. You? Like… a doppelgänger situation?” I nodded slowly. “Exactly like that. She—It—told me I had to choose. But I don’t know what t
The tension in the room was thick enough to cut with a blade. We had all woken up in a cold sweat, shaken by the fact that we had the exact same dream—no, it wasn’t just a dream. It felt too real. The streets of that town, the heavy feeling of being watched, the way the air had seemed almost alive with something unnatural. I glanced around at the others, my heart still hammering in my chest. Jake sat at the edge of the bed, his muscles tense, his jaw clenched as if trying to process everything at once. Fatima and Sophie had both fallen into a heavy silence, their usual humor nowhere to be seen. And Althea… she was staring blankly at the candle burning on the bedside table, deep in thought, her fingers twitching slightly. “This isn’t over,” I finally said, breaking the silence. “We left that place. We returned here. But somehow, it’s still with us.” Jake turned to me, his expression unreadable. “There has to be a reason why we all saw the same thing.” His voice was low, controlled—b
The morning air was crisp, carrying the scent of damp earth and pine as I stepped out of the cabin. The town was finally behind us, but a strange unease still lingered in my chest. It wasn’t just the eerie experiences we had—it was something deeper, something clawing at my subconscious, demanding my attention.Jake was already outside, sharpening his dagger with a quiet focus that sent a chill through me. His jaw was tense, his muscles coiled, as if he were ready for another fight. I walked up to him, rubbing my arms against the cold. "You look like you're expecting trouble," I said, trying to sound lighthearted, but he barely acknowledged me at first.Finally, he sighed and set the dagger down. "I don’t like that we had to run from that place. It feels unfinished," he admitted.He wasn’t wrong. We had gotten away, but at what cost? The things we had seen, the presence that still clung to us like an unshakable shadow—I knew deep down that it wasn’t truly over.Sophie came strolling ou
The tension from our near escape still clung to me like a second skin, even as the night stretched into silence. My body was exhausted, my mind running circles around the events that had unfolded. I lay curled against Jake, his arms wrapped securely around me, his breath steady and warm against my hair. But sleep refused to claim me. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw flashes—red eyes in the dark, the twisted town, the feeling of time slipping like sand through my fingers. It had been too easy. Too clean of an escape. And that made my stomach churn. Jake shifted beside me, his grip tightening. “You’re thinking too much,” he murmured against my temple. I exhaled softly. “I can’t help it. Something isn’t right.” He pressed a kiss to my forehead, but there was tension in his touch. “We’ll figure it out in the morning. For now, just rest.” I nodded against his chest, but the uneasy feeling wouldn’t leave. And deep down, I knew—this wasn’t over. ---Morning came far too soon. T
The moment we stepped out of the inn, an eerie silence wrapped around us like a suffocating blanket. The town, which had been brimming with life just hours ago, now felt abandoned. The streets were empty, the lanterns flickering weakly, and the air carried a heavy stillness that made the hairs on my arms rise.Jake was the first to break the silence. "We need to get out of here. Now."His voice was calm but held an undertone of urgency that made my stomach twist. I reached for his hand instinctively, feeling the warmth of his skin grounding me.Althea, Sophie, Fatima, and Chris followed closely behind as we hurried toward the town's exit. But as we neared the main road leading out, a dense fog rolled in from nowhere, thick and unnatural. My breath hitched as the path ahead of us blurred into nothingness."What the hell?" Chris muttered, stepping ahead cautiously. He reached out a hand to push through the fog, but the moment his fingers touched it, a pulse of energy knocked him back on
The road stretched before us, endless and winding, as our SUV rumbled down the cracked pavement. The eerie little town we'd just left was nothing more than a fading memory in the rearview mirror. Or at least, that’s what we thought.Fatima sat in the back, fiddling with the radio, static crackling through the speakers. Sophie drummed her fingers on the dashboard while Althea stared out the window, her fingers twitching like she was trying to grab something unseen. Chris, sitting next to Fatima, was uncharacteristically quiet.“I swear, I’ll never step foot in another weird-ass town again,” Sophie muttered, shifting in her seat. “That place gave me the creeps.”“Agreed,” Jake said, his fingers gripping the wheel tighter. “Let’s just get home and pretend this never happened.”Silence settled over the car for a while, broken only by the hum of the tires against the road. The trees lining the highway were dense, towering over us, their darkened silhouettes illuminated by the occasional f
The idea of taking a break from everything was both ridiculous and desperately needed. The pack had been through hell, and for the first time in weeks, there was no immediate crisis to solve. So, when Sophie suggested a road trip, I had laughed—until I saw the way Jake looked at me, like he knew I needed this more than anyone. And maybe I did.That’s how I found myself crammed in an SUV with Jake, Althea, Sophie, Fatima, and Jake speeding down an open road. The wind blew through my hair as I rolled down the window, feeling something I hadn’t in a long time—freedom.“Alright, we need road trip rules,” Sophie announced from the backseat, pulling out a notepad. “Rule number one: No talking about pack politics.”“Agreed,” Fatima said, munching on a bag of spicy chips. “Rule number two: The driver does not get to pick all the music.”Jake, who was behind the wheel, raised a brow. “Excuse me? Who else would pick?”“Literally anyone else,” Althea said, crossing her arms. “You listen to brood
The morning air was crisp and fresh, carrying the scent of pine and damp earth through the open windows. It was the kind of morning that whispered of new beginnings, of hope gently stretching its fingers through the cracks of sorrow. I stood on the balcony, sipping warm tea, watching the sun rise over the treetops. The pack had been through hell, but today—today felt different. The heaviness that had lingered like an unshakable fog finally seemed to be lifting. Laughter drifted up from below, the sound of children playing near the training grounds. Warriors, who once walked with the weight of grief on their shoulders, were smiling as they sparred in the courtyard. The pack was healing, slowly but surely. I had found a place here. It had taken time, patience, and a lot of self-doubt, but now, watching the people I had come to love rebuild their lives, I felt at home. A pair of strong arms wrapped around my waist from behind, pulling me against a warm chest. “You’re up early,” J