Rosalee's Point of View The faint glow of dawn fills the kitchen, slightly dispelling the dark of the night and the quiet hum of the early morning welcomes me as I step inside. The hotel is still asleep, the halls silent, except for the occasional creak of the old building settling. It’s peaceful, but my mind is anything but. I didn’t sleep much last night. I kept tossing and turning as my thoughts refused to quiet down. The run in the woods had helped, though, only briefly, because as soon as I returned to my room, Jensen’s presence, his words, his eyes, everything about him seeped back into my thoughts like an unshakable shadow. That’s why I’m here now, in the kitchen, st the break of dawn, long before anyone else has arrived. I needed something to do, something to occupy my hands and quiet my restless mind. I slip on an apron and tie it securely around my waist, taking comfort in the familiar routine. The kitchen is cool and still, the faint scent of flour and spices still ling
Rosalee's Point of View I freeze midstep, my breath catching in my throat as Jensen’s words cut through the air like a blade. "I saw you shift." Shock floods my system, leaving me feeling cold. My mind starts to race, telling me that I need get out but I am still frozen in place as my body refuses to move. He saw me. He knows what I am. All the effort I’ve put into hiding, all the walls I’ve built, have crumbled in an instant. Slowly, I turn to face him, my expression guarded even as my heart pounds in my chest. “And?” I say, my voice steady despite the storm raging inside of me. I brace myself for the inevitable, his rejection, the disgust, the word monster hurled at me like a weapon. But what happens next is something that I never dreamt of, even in my wildest dreams. “You can’t play dumb anymore, Rosalee,,” Jensen says, his tone firm but not cruel. His eyes lock onto mine, burning with an intensity that makes it impossible to look away. “I know you know what I am to you
Jensen's Point of View Her words echo in my mind, sharp and cutting. "A monster. An abomination. A freak of nature." I stand there, frozen, as the weight of her pain crashes over me. She truly believes that about herself. My chest tightens, anger rising, not at her, but at whatever has made her think this way. She’s no monster. She’s my mate. I shake my head, snapping out of my daze. I can’t let her leave like this. I can’t let her believe she’s anything less than extraordinary. Without another thought, I turn and stride out of the kitchen, following the faint trace of her scent. The rain outside has dulled it slightly, but the pull of our bond is unmistakable. It tugs at me, guiding me through the halls of the hotel, straight to her. When I reach her room, the door is slightly ajar. I pause for a moment, steadying myself before I step inside without bothering to knock. Rosalee is standing by her bed, her back turned to the door. She is hurriedly packing clothes into a worn duffe
Rosalee's Point of View As we sit on the bed, I force myself to really look at Jensen. His face is open, sincere, and free of the fear or disgust I had braced myself for. Instead, I see worry and sorrow etched into his features, as though my pain is his pain. It’s a look I’ve never seen directed at me before, and it’s enough to make me realize there’s no point in hiding anymore. I take a deep breath, steadying myself for what I’m about to say. “I guess it’s time you knew everything,” I begin, my voice soft but resolute. “I have to face my past, and I’ll start by telling you my story.” He nods his head, his expression gentle, encouraging me to continue. “I never knew my family,” I say, my gaze dropping to my hands as I fidget with the hem of my shirt. “From what little I’ve been told, my mother left me at a werewolf pack when I was just a baby. I don’t know why, and no one ever told me. I was raised in the pack house, but... it wasn’t much of a life. As soon as I was old enough
Jensen's Point of View“What happens now?” Rosalee’s question, lingers in the air between us. Filled with uncertainty and vulnerability. I rise from the bed, offering her my hand as I say with a soft smile, “How about we get to know each other a little better over breakfast?” Her lips curl into a small, tentative smile as she nods her head, placing her hand in mine. The touch sends a familiar spark up my arm, but I focus on keeping things light and casual. Together, we leave her room and make our way back to the kitchen, where the plates she prepared earlier still sit waiting. Each of us grab a plate, and as Rosalee looks around the dining area, she suggests, “There’s a nice, quiet table outside. It’s private and... peaceful.” I nod my head in agreement, following her out onto the small patio. The morning sun shines brightly, casting a golden glow over the world, and the scent of yesterday’s rain still lingers faintly in the air. The atmosphere feels fresh, a perfect setting for t
Ronan's Point of View The call with Jensen had barely ended when Nyx comes sprinting toward me, her expression sharp and urgent. My instincts kick in immediately, and I step forward, my voice firm as I ask, “What’s wrong? What happened? Did you find something?” I fire questions at her, as I quickly look her over, ensuring she is okay. Nyx shakes her head, but the urgency in her eyes tells me there’s no time to waste. “We got a report,” she says quickly, slightly out of breath. “A nearby pack is under attack. If we leave now, we might be able to get there before they cause too much damage.” I nod my head, my heart starts to pound as adrenaline surges through me. “Let’s go,” I say, already turning toward the SUV parked nearby. Nyx falls in step beside me, and we sprint across the gravel lot. We climb into the vehicle, and I waste no time starting the engine. As the car roars to life, I glance over at Nyx, who’s already pulling up the details on her phone. “Where are we heading?” I a
Jensen's Point of View I'm standing outside in the garden waiting for Rosalee to finish working so we can have lunch together when my phone starts to ring. I pull it from my pocket, glancing at the screen. Ronan. My eyes move to the sliding doors, and I see Rosalee still standing in die dining room talking too an elder guest. I turn my back to the door, taking a few step further away, just incase someone comes out and over hears me. "Ronan? An update already? I thought you were still investigating. Or did you call me to tell me some good news? Did you find something at the site of the attack that could lead us to them?" I ask and I hear Ronan sigh on the other end of the phone. "No, unfortunately we didn't find anything, but... Well, we have a problem, Jensen. A big one... While we were still investigating the site we got a report that another pack was under attack. We rushed over there as soon as possible, but we were to late. The attack was over and they were long gone." He goe
Rosalee's Point of View I stumble out of the dining room, my legs barely carrying me as I press my back against the cool wall of the hallway. My chest rises and falls rapidly, but no air seems to fill my lungs. My hands tremble as I clutch them at my sides, trying to ground myself, trying to hold on to the life I have built here. This isn’t happening, it can't be. Everything I’ve tried to escape, everything I’ve worked so hard to leave behind, is closing in around me. I was just beginning to warm up to the idea of having a mate, of allowing someone in, and now I find out that Jensen is part of the most feared Lycan pack in existence. And not just any member, he’s a warrior, a leader, someone powerful enough to track a rogue werewolf pack. What does that make me to him? A mission? A threat? My heart pounds so hard it hurts. My body shifts into a full-blown panic attack, my breaths coming in shallow, rapid gasps. My vision blurs. My hands feel numb. My chest tightens like an iron f
Rosalee's Point of View I stay seated at the table, my fingers absently tracing the edge of my plate as I watch Jensen leave. My ears focus on the fading sound of his footsteps, waiting until I hear the distinct thud of his boots hitting the ground outside. The moment I’m sure he’s gone, I push back my chair and move quickly towards my room, my heart pounding harder than it should. Once inside, I immediately head for the nightstand, pulling open the drawer and rummaging through it. My fingers brush against a few miscellaneous items, but my phone is nowhere to be found. Frustration flares in my chest as I turn to the other nightstand, yanking it open and rifling through its contents. Still nothing. I move to my bag, digging through every pocket, every crevice, searching for any sign of my phone. My breath comes faster as I search the entire room, under the bed, inside the closet, even between the couch cushions. But it’s not here. I sit heavily on the edge of the bed, pressing my
Jensen's Point of View I sit in silence, watching Rosalee as she absently traces patterns on the table with her fingers. She’s distant and quiet, too quiet, as if lost in thought. I’ve spent the last hour trying to piece together everything she told me, but I still don’t have the clarity I need. I don't want to doubt her but something isn’t adding up. Pushing my chair back, I stand, breaking the tense silence that has settled between us. Rosalee looks up, her blue eyes unreadable. “I need to go to my office to get some work done,” I tell her, my tone firm. “I’ll send someone to keep an eye on the house... just in case.” Her expression shifts, a flicker of resistance, the slightest narrowing of her eyes. I know she’s about to argue, but I don’t give her the chance. I turn on my heel and stride toward the door, feeling her gaze boring into my back as I leave. The moment I step outside, I open a mind link. “Keep an eye on my house.” “On my way, Alpha.” I cut the link and inhale dee
Rosalee's Point of View I take a deep breath, steadying myself before I start the story I rehearsed with Freya. "After I shifted I was lost in thought as I made my way over to the diner. I walked inside, not realizing it was filled with werewolves. When I realized it, it was already to late so, I tried to play it cool, hoping they wouldn’t see me as a threat. I asked the waitress if I could use their phone. I wanted to call Dameon and ask if he could come get me, but someone else was using it, so I had to wait. I took a seat near the door, keeping my head down, just waiting for my turn to use the phone. And that’s when someone joined me at my booth." Jensen’s sharp eyes narrow. He’s hanging onto every word. "The woman that took you. Do you know who she was?" he interrupts. I shake my head, keeping my expression neutral. "No, I have no idea who she was." The first lie. I can feel my pulse quicken, but I force myself to stay calm. I continue. "As I was saying, this woman
Rosalee's Point of View The moment I step into the bathroom, I turn the shower tap on, letting the water run until it’s scalding hot. Steam begins to rise, curling around the air like a thick mist. I take a deep breath, trying to steady myself, but my gaze is immediately drawn to the mirror above the sink. I look tired. My eyes, usually bright, seem dull and clouded. There’s dried mud on my legs, faint scrapes along my arms. My hair is tangled, wild from the time spent wandering through the forest. I look exactly how I should, like someone who had barely escaped, who had run until she had no choice but to keep going. It was the perfect illusion. I keep staring at my reflection, as if searching for something, maybe reassurance, maybe doubt, until the mirror completely fogs over, blurring the girl staring back at me. With a small sigh, I pull the oversized T-shirt over my head and step into the shower. The moment the hot water cascades over me, my muscles loosen, the tension
Jensen's Point of View As Ronan and I step out of the pack house, the early afternoon sun beats down on us, a stark contrast to the dim, artificial glow of the IT room we had been buried in for hours. I blink against the sudden brightness and raise my hand to shield my eyes against the sharp light, realizing just how long we had spent chasing dead end after dead end in the dark.The warmth of the sun does little to ease the tightness in my chest. We don’t waste any time as we walk straight to the truck. Ronan slides into the driver’s seat, the engine rumbling to life as I climb into the passenger side. The moment my door shuts, I pull out my phone and redial the last number that had called me, the waitress. My fingers feel stiff with tension, my breath shallow as I press the phone to my ear. One ring. Two rings. Then I hear her voice. "Hello?" she answers, uncertainty clear in her tone. "Hello, this is Jensen. I would like to talk to my friend, please." A brief pause. Then, he
Jensen's Point of View The small backroom of the gas station is dimly lit, the scent of stale coffee lingering in the air. The man behind the desk moves quickly, skipping through the security footage until the timestamp reads 6:00 PM. The screen flickers slightly as the footage fastforwards. We all stand completely still, eyes locked on the monitor, our breath barely audible over the faint hum of the old computer. The road on the screen remains mostly empty, just a few scattered vehicles passing by. My fingers curl into fists at my sides, impatience gnawing at me. And then... A dark blue car emerges from the diner’s side of the street. “Stop,” I say sharply. The man freezes the frame, and I immediately step closer, my eyes narrowing at the screen. The timestamp reads 06:20 PM. My pulse quickens. This has to be them. The vehicle appears unremarkable at first glance, no obvious signs of who might be inside. The image quality isn’t great, making it hard to distinguish detai
Rosalee's Point of View As I begin to stir, the remnants of restless dreams fade into the dim morning light filtering through the curtains. I blink up at the ceiling, my mind already racing. Sleep had been a battle, my thoughts constantly churning, questioning if I had made the right decision. But now, in the clarity of the morning, I feel a sense of resolve settle deep within my bones. This is the right choice. I am sure of it. If I can stop this war, if I can finally create peace, then maybe, just maybe, I can return to my life in Thornhill without the constant weight of fear pressing down on me. With newfound determination, I push the covers off and swing my legs over the side of the bed. My muscles protest slightly, sore from the exhaustion of the last few days, but I push through. Moving to the closet, I pull out some clothes, slipping into them quickly, ready to face the day and solidify my choice. As I step out of the bedroom and into the hallway, the rich, mouthwatering sce
Jensen's Point of View The crisp night air bites against my skin as Ronan, Caleb, Mira, and I step out of the diner. The warm lights from inside cast long shadows across the empty parking lot, contrasting with the cool, silver glow of the street lamps above. My heart pounds with urgency, each beat echoing the name I can’t stop thinking about, Rosalee. Mira takes the lead, her sharp gaze sweeping across the pavement as she follows the faint trail left behind. Ronan and Caleb flank her, noses slightly tilted upward as they take in the fading scent. I follow closely, tension knotting my muscles with every step. The only sounds are our footsteps crunching against the asphalt and the faint hum of distant traffic. They guide us toward the edge of the parking lot, right where I was standing when they first arrived. Mira crouches down, her fingers grazing over the surface of the ground. Her eyes narrow in concentration. A brief silence falls, heavy with anticipation. Caleb steps beside
Rosalee's Point of View "Well, you have had a pretty long day. I think it is time to head of to bed. We can talk some more in the morning. Let me show you to the bedroom." Freya says with a little smile as she stands up. I follow her lead, standing up before following her down the hall. She opens the door second to her right. "This is the bathroom, if you would maybe like to freshen up. There are some extra toothbrushes in the cabinet along with some toothpaste." She walks forward, opening another door. "And this is the bedroom you can use. There are some extra clothes in the closet. I will be right down the hall of you need anything." She says pointing to the last door at the end of hall. I nod my head at her, giving her a small smile. "Thank you." "It's my pleasure. Well, I think I am going to take a quick shower and then go to sleep. I am pretty wiped. Goodnight Rosalee." "Good night, Freya." She smiles at me, before disappearing into her room to grab her things. I open the do