Bruce's Point of View The morning sun filters in through the window of my office, casting long golden rays across the floor as I finish tying the laces of my boots, ready to head out and lead the pack's morning training session. It's a routine I’ve come to appreciate, a moment of calm discipline before the day’s chaos inevitably begins. But today, chaos doesn't wait. A sharp, forceful tug ripples through my consciousness, a mind link, urgent and heavy with fear. I immediately open myself to it, and Alpha Celine’s voice slams into my mind, frantic and breathless. “Bruce! Call Alpha Jensen and prepare to fight… Crimsonclaw is here!” Her words are like ice down my spine, but before I can even respond, the link cuts off, gone, severed in an instant. My body moves before my thoughts catch up. I surge to my feet and open a mind link to the entire Shadow Vale pack, projecting my voice with the full force of my authority. “We are under attack! Everyone get in your positions. Th
Jensen's Point of View The SUV jerks to a stop in front of the Shadow Vale pack house, the tires crunching over broken debris and blood soaked gravel. My door is open before the engine even cuts off. I step out into the chaos, my eyes sweeping over the scene with a sharp, assessing gaze. The damage is extensive. The front of the pack house is scarred, scorch marks along the outer walls, shattered windows gaping like broken eyes, and the heavy front doors have been splintered inward. The scent of blood clings thick in the air, heavy and metallic, intermingling with the faint tang of smoke and raw earth. Bodies, some covered with tarps, others already being tended, are scattered across the lawn and walkways. But despite the carnage, movement is everywhere. Shadow Vale wolves are already working, clearing debris, carrying the wounded, cleaning away what they can in the wake of violence. Victor got here just in time. It could have been so much worse. I’m just about to step forw
Rosalee's Point of View The house feels like it’s holding its breath. The late afternoon light filters through the curtains in long golden shafts, stretching across the floor and casting everything in warm, deceptive calm. But inside, my nerves are raw. I’ve paced the living room more times than I can count, the same worry gnawing at me like a steady drumbeat. Freya’s not answering. Jensen’s still not back. Something is wrong. I move to the kitchen, grabbing a cold bottle of water from the fridge, the coolness barely cutting through the heat simmering beneath my skin. Just as I twist off the cap, the unmistakable sound of the front door creaks open. I freeze. Turning slowly, heart in my throat, I see him. Jensen. He steps through the doorway, still in the clothes he left in, his boots marked with dried mud, his shirt wrinkled and torn near the shoulder. His hair is a mess, swept back like he’s been running his fingers through it all day. But it’s not the state of him that
Rosalee's Point of View I can still feel the weight of Nyx’s gaze like a physical pressure on my back, even though I haven’t looked in her direction again. It takes everything in me to keep my expression neutral, my body relaxed, like I don’t feel her eyes dissecting every flicker of movement I make. Then Jensen’s voice cuts through the tension. “Nyx and Ronan will show you to your rooms where you can stay the night.” A few heads nod, others exchange glances, the kind that speak volumes in silence. Nyx finally breaks her stare and turns with Ronan to begin leading the others out. I let out a breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding. As the crowd starts filtering through the door, the room becomes quieter, emptier, but not less tense. Jensen turns his attention to a man lingering by the file cabinets. “Bruce, I will personally show you to your room later. For now, we need to talk.” Bruce gives a curt nod of his head, calm but alert, his posture still rigid from everything th
Nyx Point of View The halls of the Dark Moon pack house are quiet as I walk alongside Alpha Lillian. The sun has set the moonlight filters through the windows, casting long shadows across the polished wooden floors. She walks with the confident grace of someone who has seen her fair share of wars but carries them well. When we reach her room at the end of the guest wing, she turns to me. “Thank you,” she says simply, her voice calm and steady. I give her a respectful nod of my head and a polite smile. “Of course, Alpha.” She closes the door gently behind her, and I turn, the heels of my boots clicking softly as I make my way down the corridor. The calm of the night is a sharp contrast to the chaos that erupted earlier in the day. The house feels heavier now, burdened by the weight of loss, suspicion, and unanswered questions. When I finally reach my office, I exhale and close the door behind me, relishing the stillness. The small desk lamp casts a pool of warm light across my
Jensen's Point of View I gesture toward the chair across from my desk, and Bruce steps forward, his movements a little slower than usual, still clearly burdened by the weight of everything that’s happened. He takes his seat, his shoulders squared despite the exhaustion evident in his eyes. I lower myself into the chair behind my desk, the familiar leather creaking quietly as I settle in. “Let’s start by getting everything in order,” I say, folding my hands together on the desk between us. “For tonight, you can stay here. That way, you’ll be present for the alliance agreement signing tomorrow. Do you need additional accommodation until you can rebuild your pack?” Bruce shakes his head, his voice calm but firm. “No. It was mostly just the pack house that took the brunt of the damage. We still have other housing options, guest quarters and some of the family cabins are untouched. Until the main house is repaired, that will do. Besides…” he pauses for a second, his expression tighten
Rosalee's Point of View As I step off the porch, the morning sun peeks just over the tops of the trees, casting a soft golden glow across the clearing. The cool air brushes against my skin, crisp and invigorating, carrying the scent of pine and damp earth. It settles some of my nerves, though not all. I spot Josh walking towards me from the direction of the pack house, his posture relaxed, a slight smile already on his face. “Good morning,” I say with a smile of my own. “Good morning to you too,” he replies warmly, falling into step beside me without missing a beat. Our footsteps crunch lightly on the gravel path as we begin our walk towards the training center. The silence between us is comfortable, but my thoughts aren’t nearly as calm. I can already feel the tight knot of anxiety beginning to form in my chest. Training with Nyx has never exactly been easy, but after yesterday, after the way she kept looking at me, analyzing me, it’s worse. There’s something about her gaze t
Jensen's Point of ViewAlpha Lillian sits across from me, calm and composed, the last of the Alphas I need to speak to in my investigation. Her posture is confident, but not defensive. She answers each of my questions clearly, directly, and more importantly, without hesitation. Everything about her tells me she has nothing to hide. Just like all the others.It’s frustrating.None of the Alphas seem to be the leak. I can’t ignore the fact that someone is feeding information to our enemies, but the trail keeps running cold.I shift the conversation. “Alpha Lillian, I was hoping you might spare one of your wolves to help train Rosalee, in her wolf form. We’ve been working on her human combat, but I want her to be able to defend herself fully. She’s a strong wolf, but she needs real practice with someone experienced.”Lillian taps her fingers lightly against the armrest of the chair, thoughtful. Then she gives a small nod of her head. “Of course. I’ll take a look at my warriors and see wh
Rosalee's Point of ViewI quickly make my way back to the tree where I left my clothes, the pads of my paws brushing lightly against the earth. With a soft huff, I shift back into my human form, stretching my sore limbs as I reach for my wrap dress. I pull it on quickly, tying it snugly around my waist, and slip my sandals onto my still tingling feet.Walking back into the clearing, I see Nyx standing there, a cool bottle of water in her hand. She tosses it to me with easy precision, and I catch it, feeling the blessed coldness against my palm. I unscrew the cap and take a grateful sip, the water refreshing after the morning’s intense training session.Peyton joins us a moment later, after shifting back and getting dressed. Nyx hands her a bottle too, and Peyton accepts it, taking a long drink before turning to me with a bright smile."You did a really great job today, Rosalee," Peyton says, her voice genuine, her praise warm. "I’m glad to see you’re improving, next time will be even
Rosalee's Point of ViewI start to stir awake, my mind already heavy with the thought of today’s training session. With a frustrated sigh, I sit up in bed, running a hand through my hair. I never imagined training in my wolf form would be this difficult. Yesterday’s talk with Jensen gave me a little sliver of hope that I’ll get there eventually, but right now? It still feels impossible.Letting out another groan, I throw the covers off and swing my legs out of bed, forcing myself up. I shuffle into the bathroom, turning on the cold water and quickly brushing my teeth, trying to shake off the lingering tiredness. I splash my face with water, patting it dry, then walk back into my room feeling only slightly more awake.Standing in front of my closet, I frown, chewing the inside of my cheek. What do you even wear when you know you’ll be shifting? I don't want to destroy another perfectly good outfit. After a moment’s debate, I settle on a wrap dress, easy to slip off before shifting, and
Rosalee's Point of ViewI hear Jensen’s voice call out, "Come in," and I take a deep breath, pushing the door open carefully with one hand while balancing the tray with two plates in my other. I step into his office, smiling at the sight of him behind his desk, looking up at me with surprise quickly turning into something softer. Using my foot, I nudge the door closed behind me as I say, "You missed lunch again. So, I thought I would bring some lunch to you, and that maybe we can eat lunch together in your office? If you want too, of course." I say, smiling nervously at him.Immediately, Jensen stands from his chair, brushing a few papers and files aside to clear space on his desk. "Of course, I want too. Thank you. That sounds lovely," he says, his voice warm.A genuine smile spreads ascross my face and I quickly make my way to the desk. I set the tray down gently, feeling the tension between us ease into something more comfortable as I pull a chair out and sit across from him. At fi
Jensen's Point of View I lean back slightly in my chair, feeling the tension in the room finally beginning to loosen now that we have a solid plan in place. With everything settled, my mind drifts to another important subject, and I turn my attention to Nyx. “How is it going with Rosalee’s training in wolf form?” I ask, keeping my tone casual but genuinely curious. Nyx shrugs, a small, almost amused smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. “She’s trying her best. She’s strong, very strong, and fast. But her balance isn’t great. You can tell she hasn’t spent much time in her wolf form. She’s not used to moving on four legs yet. Well aside from running.” I nod my head, having expected as much. I’ve seen glimpses of her determination and stubbornness. I know she’ll keep pushing herself. “When is her next training session?” I ask, tapping my fingers lightly on the desk. “Tomorrow,” Nyx answers easily. “We are alternating her sessions. Every second day is in wolf form, then in
Jensen's Point of View Two weeks later. I sit behind my desk, elbows resting on the smooth surface, hands steepled in front of me as I stare blankly at the stack of papers that haven’t moved in hours. The sun filters through the office windows, casting golden lines across the floor, but even that warmth doesn’t ease the tight knot in my chest. It’s been two weeks since the alliance agreement was signed. Two weeks of stillness. No information leaks. No attacks. No whispers in the wind. On the surface, everything appears calm... too calm. I know better than to trust this peace. It feels like the inhale before the scream. Like the pressure building in the earth before it splits open. The calm before the storm. And deep down, I know, when Crimsonclaw resurfaces, it won’t be like before. It’ll be worse. A full-scale reckoning. My instincts have never failed me before, and they’re screaming now. I close my eyes for a beat and open a mind link. "Nyx, Ronan, please come to my offi
Freya's Point of ViewThe moment I hear Rosalee say the word cameras, my stomach drops.Cameras.The entire attack was caught on tape.I don’t hear another word she says. My pulse spikes and my vision narrows with rage. Without thinking, I take my phone and hurl it across the room. It smashes against the wall with a violent crack, splintering to the ground in useless pieces. The sound it makes is deeply unsatisfying. I clench and unclech my fists, my jaw tight.“Great… just great, why didn't I think of that,” I mutter through gritted teeth, pacing the floor now, trying to rein in the storm building up in my chest.The door swings open, and Ravena steps inside. She looks around the room and her brows pull together as she takes in the shattered remains of my phone on the floor. “What’s wrong?”I turn towards her, barely containing the frustration vibrating through me. “Rosalee just called. Apparently, Shadow Vale had cameras... cameras Ravena, installed all over their pack grounds. The
Rosalee's Point of View As Josh and I step into the pack house, the hum of conversation and the comforting scent of home surrounds us. I glance over at him just in time to see his eyes glaze over briefly, the telltale sign of a mind link. When his eyes return to normal, he offers me a small smile. “Piper is in the dining hall,” he says. I smile back, grateful. “Thank you.” We make our way through the familiar halls until the wide double doors of the dining hall come into view. I’m about to thank Josh again when he cuts me off gently, clearly reading my intention. “I’m going to go shower,” he says with an easy shrug. “But if you need me, just ask anyone to mind link me.” I nod my head with a grateful look, and with that, we go our separate ways. As I step into the dining hall, my eyes immediately find Piper. She’s at a table near the far wall, the soft afternoon light pooling around her like a warm halo. She looks relaxed, her hands resting on her belly as she gazes down
Rosalee's Point of ViewAs Josh and I walk back to the house after training ended, the silence between us is heavy but not uncomfortable. Still, I can feel a tight knot in my stomach, growing with every step we take. I know what I have to do, and the thought of it makes my fingers twitch and my heart race.As we near the front door, I turn to him and say, “I just want to grab a quick shower and then I want to go and find Piper.”Josh nods his head easily, his expression unreadable. “I’ll be waiting. Take your time.”“Thank you.” I give him a small, distracted smile before slipping into the house.The moment the door closes behind me, I don’t head for the shower like I said. I go straight to my room. I can’t put this off anymore. If I wait, if I let doubt creep in, I might never go through with it. And I need to go through with it.I grab my phone off the nightstand, my hands already trembling as I dial Freya’s number. My feet carry me in slow, restless circles around the room, pacing
Rosalee's Point of View Jensen and I are still sitting across from each other at the kitchen table, the warmth from breakfast lingering between us like a quiet comfort. Our plates are mostly cleared, just a few crumbs of pancake and the faint scent of coffee hanging in the air. The morning light filters in soft and golden, and for the first time in what feels like forever, I don’t feel the weight of secrets pressing on my chest. At first, when he started asking about Crimsonclaw, the leak, and Shadow Vale, I felt that old familiar knot of fear tightening in my stomach, afraid that maybe he suspected me. But as we talked, that fear started to dissolve. He wasn’t accusing, he was reaching out, needing someone to talk to. And the fact that he chose me… it means more than I can put into words. Now, I feel like it’s time to give something back. Trust for trust. I’ll call Freya later today and tell her I’m done. No more spying. I’ve found something here that I don’t want to lose, a place