ELIJAH'S POVMy eyes blinked open slowly, adjusting to the dim light filtering through the curtains. For a second, I thought I was dead. There was no pain—none of the searing burn I had felt before. My body felt whole, healed."You're welcome" Cana's deep voice echoed in my mind. His tone was full of annoyance and yet satisfaction.I chuckled weakly, shaking my head. "I take it you’re going to lecture me now?""Lecture?" he growled. "This is beyond a lecture, Elijah. You deserve a beating. You intentionally got yourself shot with a silver bullet just to keep her close. That’s not just stupid; it’s irresponsible and reckless.""It worked, didn’t it?" I teased, though I knew better than to push him too far."What is wrong with you?", he snapped. "Lying about the seer to lead her into the woods was bad enough, but this? This is madness. An obsession."“Enough,” I muttered aloud, cutting him off. I didn’t need his judgment right now. Turning onto my side, I froze when I noticed a familiar
SERENA'S POVThe drive back home to Lucas was quiet. Really quiet.I couldn't even raise my head to face Elijah, not after his confession. Elijah loves me? He really does? Why....And me? I didn't even know what to say to him. I just froze in place and found myself tongue tied when he asked, "Do you feel something for me as well?" Gazing into his eyes in that moment I couldn't respond. I suddenly began doubting myself. I know Elijah isn't just a friend to me, and I loved his company and.... most of the tines the butterflies are....Oh fuck Serena.The entire drive, my mind had been spiralling. Worse was pulling over at the pack house to find Lucas standing there with nothing but anger and hurt in his eyes. Few feets behind him was Eliana.Somehow I just felt like I had done something extremely bad to him. I had spent the entire night and day gathering my thoughts, trying to find the right words to tell Lucas about what happened yesterday and why I'd been out late. I planned to tell
ELIANA'S POV I paced back and forth in my room, my heels clicking sharply against the hardwood floor. It had been days, yet nothing had changed. Lucas and Serena weren’t speaking anymore. And it was all because of my devious planning with those rumors, and now, Lucas remained distant, not turning to me like I had expected. He went through his day like he was on autopilot, his face expressionless. And at night? He drowned himself in alcohol, slowly slipping further away from everyone, from me.Seeing him like that made my blood boil. How could he let this happen? How could he fall apart like this, over her? Over Serena? She was nothing. She didn’t deserve him. She couldn’t even keep such a powerful man. She was weak. The thought of her made my blood simmer.I clenched my fists, anger swirling in my chest. I had worked too hard to see Lucas like this. All of my careful plans, all for nothing. Watching him become this broken shell of the man he once was—it wasn’t part of my plan. I coul
Eliana's POVThe next morning.... I spent the entire day locked in my room, tears streaming down my face. My heart felt shattered, and every breath was a struggle as I replayed Lucas's cruel words in my mind. He’d rejected me, pushed me away time and time again, yet I kept holding on, hoping he’d finally see me. Foolish, wasn’t it? I could feel the pain suffocating me, this relentless ache that wouldn’t stop, no matter how hard I tried.As the sun began to set, casting a golden glow across the room, the door creaked open. I saw a familiar figure step inside, but I didn't need to raise my head up to figure out who it was. My father.His expression shifted from worry to anger as he looked at me. The maids must have told him I’d been locked away in here all day, ever since I’d come home early this morning. He had never seen me like this before, so broken. I watched as his fatherly instinct kicked in, softening his approach."Eliana," he called out gently, coming closer to the bed. “Are
SERENA'S POV I pushed open Eliana’s door feeling a bit nervous. I had been coming back here to knock every hour but I got no response, so now I decided to just barge in. I hope she doesn't throw a tantrum. As I entered, I noticed the room was dark, untouched.No sign of her. I clenched my fists, letting out a breath through gritted teeth. I had been searching for her all day, asking everyone in the packhouse, but nobody knew where she’d gone.I wanted to ask where the hell she got those pictures.Just as I turned to leave, Lucas stepped into the doorway. His presence filled the space immediately, his sharp eyes locking onto me. His jaw was tense, his expression unreadable at first, but then his gaze hardened into something cold.“What are you doing here, Serena?” His tone was familiar. The tone he'd used to address me initially, when he had recently kidnapped me.“I’m looking for Eliana,” I said, forcing my voice to stay calm. “Have you seen her?”His eyes swept over me, dismissive.
Elijah’s POVI stood by the floor-to-ceiling glass wall of my office, staring out at the city below. The sun had dipped low, casting long shadows over the streets. My reflection in the glass seemed just as restless as the thoughts swirling in my mind. Serena. She was all I could think about.I sipped the whiskey in my hand, the sharp burn doing little to ease the ache in my chest. This had been my routine all day—standing here, lost in thought. My office was quiet, save for the faint hum of the city outside. Even the faint ticking of the clock on my desk seemed to mock me. Time was moving, but I was stuck.Her face wouldn’t leave my mind. The way her lips parted in shock when I said those words. I love you. And all I wanted to do was to kiss her. To feel the softness of those lips against mine. Oh only the goddess knows how many times I'd fantasize doing that.~FLASHBACK~“I love you,” I had said, my voice soft even as my heart raced in fear of what she'd say. Would she laugh? Would s
SERENA’S POVI couldn’t sleep. I tossed and turned on the bed, staring at the ceiling. Lucas hadn’t come back. He hadn’t said much earlier, but I knew he was still upset. The thought of him being mad at me made my chest tighten. I stared at the door, waiting. Hoping. But Lucas wasn’t coming. He hadn't said much after our fight earlier, and the way he’d left… it felt unresolved.I got up, pulling at the hem of the peach-colored lingerie I’d picked out earlier.I’d put it on thinking maybe—just maybe—a passionate night together would fix things. But what was the point if he wouldn’t even come? I thought, after everything, if I could just be close to him, he’d stop being so cold. But now, standing alone in the room, it felt pointless.I sighed and grabbed the matching lace jacket from the bed, but as I turned, the fabric snagged on the corner of the bed frame. Frustrated, I yanked it free and tossed it into the closet.“What’s the point?” I muttered to myself, pacing to the window. The c
Serena's POV I laid in bed drifting in and out of feverish dreams. Lucas's silence still bothered me and the knot in my chest would not go away. I didn't know what to make of his act last night. Pulling me close one second into the most passionate kisses and turning me away with the next breath. If this was some kind of cruel punishment he'd devised... I was ready to be done with this. I decided I would get the truth out of him. This uncertainty hurt more than whatever he could say.Lucas wasn't in bed. I shuffled into a sitting posture, throwing the covers aside. When did he leave? What did it mean? I should have felt something shouldn't I? For a moment I wondered if he had really come home last night. Was everything just a figment of a scared, lonely woman eaten alive by her own fears. Were those moments of passion just expressions of the half realised emotions that filled my nights? But the sheets were creased in the form of his body on that side of the bed. No it was real.
SERENA'S POV "Okay, maybe if i just.." i whispered into the dark as i switched positions in my bed. "fuck, still uncomfortable." I couldn’t sleep at all and it was past midnight by now. The thought of Lucas in that dungeon, awaiting his fate, gnawed at me all night. Everything my father had told me, everything Eliana had said, none of it felt right. Even his death sentence was wrong, although he did kidnap me, he also saved me from getting mauled by that rogue. I owe him my life and letting him die just didn't feel right. "No, he's getting what he deserves." i whispered as i turned again in bed. There was this ache inside me, a pull I couldn’t explain. I kept replaying his face when he hugged me, the way he looked at me like he had finally had a breathe of fresh air after being deprived of it for so long. And when i had walked into father's office to explain what had happened, the way he stared at me broke me for some reason. Why did he look so hurt and betrayed, he barely even kn
LUCAS' POVI couldn’t stop myself from grinning as I walked through the gates of Vincent’s pack house. My disguise was rough, but it had to work. I was wearing a warrior’s uniform, with a mask and a fake tattooed marking that all warriors of bloodhound pack had on their arms. It was a risk, but it was the only way to get close to her.I had been waiting for this moment for what felt like forever. Three months without seeing her. Three months. Three months of constant aching, of never knowing if she was okay, of not being able to hold her, to talk to her, and spending every waking hour spent thinking about Serena. I knew I had to do something, anything, to get her back. I couldn’t just sit by anymore. Forcing my way into Blood Hound pack through war wasn't working so personally infiltrating is the better option.The plan was simple, get into Vincent’s pack. Disguise myself as one of his warriors, find my mate and escape with her. I had managed to slip in without anyone suspecting any
LUCAS POV I sat alone in my study, the room was dimly lit as the only source of light available was from a single candle, flickering as the wind blows by. The scent of stale whiskey filled in the air, mingling with the acrid smell of burnt parchment. On my desk were maps and notes, they were scattered and I stared at them as they reflected my head right about now. Every piece on my desk detailed Vincent’s territory, his strongholds, his weaknesses—or what little I knew of them. It wasn’t enough. It hadn't been enough for the past three months. Three months of failure. Absolute FAILURE.The more days passed by into weeks and then months the more I fall straight, face flat deeper and deeper into depression. I failed Serena. The one person I swore to protect above all else. I had been too slow, too blind, and now she was gone. My heart was slowly going numb, my world grey. Nothing made sense without her with me.Funny how a person could just appear in your life and become the entire l
VINCENT'S POV[Earlier]I sat alone in my office, staring at the broken pieces of the vase I had smashed hours ago. I could feel the lump in my throat get even bigger as i thought of Elijah's betrayal.That spineless coward had ruined everything for me. Lucas should've been dead by now. I was close, so so close. I had planned it all so carefully, and Elijah ruined it in the last secondI clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms. The thought of Lucas still breathing made my blood boil. I wanted nothing more than to destroy him and everything he cared about. But now. I had another problem to deal with, ElianaShe had stormed into my room last night. She was obviously furious. I intentionally hid my plan of killing Lucas from both Eliana and Elijah because i knew they wouldn't be on board with my plan and might try to stop me. Sily children."You killed his father too?" she had screamed her face pale with shock.I hadn't denied it. Why should i? Everything I had done was for thi
LUCAS'S POVI stepped into my room hoping, no, praying that Serena would be awake. But she wasnt.She lay there, completely still her chest rising and falling so slowly it made a knot form in my stomach. Her face was pale, her lips dry. She looked nothing like she normally does. "Open your eyes Serena." i found myself whispering as i stared at her long lashes.I moved closer, watching her, waiting for even the slightest movement. Nothing.The physicians had said earlier that she had slipped into a coma. And now all I can do now is waitWait.I hated that word. I wanted clarification on the specific time. Am i gonna have my Serena back soon? How long would i have to go without hearing her beautiful voice call my name? How long till i see her smile again? Days? Weeks? Months? A year? The uncertainty is what i hated most.Staring at her beautiful pale face i thought back to Vincent. The man is a fool. Who lets his men send a bomb hauling at his daughter!Oh he will so pay for this. Now
Elijah's POVMy body was numb, my chest burning with every shallow breath. I thought this was it. Maybe I deserved it. I stirred slowly from my slumber, feeling anything but refreshed. Exhaustion pressed down on me like an unrelenting fog, thick and suffocating. A strange tiredness pulled at me, beckoning me back to the comforting depths of sleep. With a heavy sigh, I turned over, letting the darkness claim me again. It was easier to face the dreamscape than the misery I called life.Distant murmurs began to slip into my consciousness, faint and far away, like whispers traveling through walls."Who is he?" someone whispered, their voice low but filled with curiosity. "Alpha Elijah?""Why did the Alpha Lucas bring him back? Didn't he betray us?"I blinked, my eyelids heavy and my vision blurred as I tried to focus. Shadows moved around me, but nothing came into clarity. My body refused to cooperate, and the pull of sleep was too strong. I let it take me again, the voices fading into t
Elijah's POVAfter watching Lucas go off to find Serena, i moved closer to Vincent. "We should deploy explosives at crescent grove to avoid Lucas taking her back inside where it's heavily guarded." "That is a brilliant idea." he praised before leaving my side to pass on his order. After ony a few minutes, the explosions rang out, blood stained the ground, and the cries of wolves echoed through the air. Suddenly i realised that one of those fools had actually sent one right at Serena. I quickened my pace as i tried to get to her, but Lucas got to her first and ended up hurt too in the process. My eyes fell on Lucas and Serena, lying motionless on the ground where the explosion had thrown them.I could hear both their breathings and so i felt slightly relieved. Some of Lucas warriors rushed to them. shielding their bodies from incoming attacks. Others carried the injured away, their faces grim and streaked with sweat and blood.Vincent mst've also seen their unconscious bodies as he su
LUCAS' POV Behind us. the battle raged on. I could hear my warriors shouting, feel the vibrations of their struggles. but all I saw was Elijah.His movements were sharp, calculated. but there was a desperation in his eyes. He wasnt as confident as he wanted me to believe."You can still stop this. Lucas." he said. panting as we broke apart for a moment. "We dont have to fight.""Youre right." I said, my voice dripping with venom. "I should've killed you the moment you betrayed me."He growled, his patience snapping, and lunged at me again. This time, I was ready. I dodged his attack and slammed my claws into his side, drawing a deep gash.He howled in pain, stumbling back, but he didnt fall. Instead, he grinned, blood dripping from his teeth, "Is that all you've got?""You havent seen anything yet." I said, my voice a deadly promise.I charged again, this time aiming for his legs. He tried to dodge. but I was faster, slashing at his thigh and forcing him to drop to one knee."lis ove
LUCAS' POV The battlefield was chaos. The air smelled of blood, sweat, and the metallic tang of fear. Screams, growls, and the clash of weapons drowned out every other sound. The Crescent Grove Pack was holding its ground, but barely.I stood in the center of the fray, my wolf straining to take control as I fought beside my warriors and allies. The humans were scattered around us, their rifles doing less damage than we’d hoped. The Bloodhounds were brutal, tearing through everything in their path with an animalistic hunger that even the strongest of us struggled to match.“Gamma!” I yelled over the noise, spotting Gavin locked in a brutal fight with two Bloodhounds. His claws were coated in blood, his face twisted in a snarl.“I’ve got it!” he roared back, ripping through the neck of one opponent before launching himself at the other.I spun around, looking for the next threat, only to see one of our humans fall, his body limp and lifeless.“Pull back!” I shouted to the human soldier