As soon as Greta speaks, I stop moving. Callum doesn't have the baby. The air in the room gets thicker, and everything stops. My legs feel like they're going to fall off. Now, every eye is on me, and each look burns into my skin. I can hardly hear the whispers in the dining hall because my heart is beating so fast. My throat tightens, and fear claws at me. Callum's grip on my waist gets tighter. His touch is no longer warm; it's cold and hard. Slowly, he turns to face me, his expression unclear, but his eyes, those usually warm, safe eyes...are hard, narrowed into holes. His voice is low and tense as he asks, "Is it true?" I shake my head, but no words come. My mouth feels dry, like sandpaper. How could she know? How could Greta possibly know? I never told anyone. No one could’ve known about that night. Greta steps closer, her smile wicked and triumphant. She’s loving this, rejoicing in the chaos she’s caused. Her look stays on me, daring me to deny it. “You thought you could
The woods seem odd tonight. Darker, colder. As I approach into the open, the trees tower around me like calm, watchful entities. Moonlight floods through the trees, producing lengthy shadows on the ground. Every crunch of the dry leaves beneath my feet feels too loud, like it’s advertising my existence to whatever is out there. My breath fogs in the frigid night air, and my heart pounds in my chest. The words from earlier still resonate in my head: “Meet me at the edge of the forest at midnight.” I don’t know who I’m meeting or why they want to see me. But I couldn’t stay away. Not when I’m so desperate for answers. The truth about Greta, about Callum. I need to know what’s truly occurring and who’s behind all of this. The wind rustles through the trees, sending a chill down my spine. Every sound seems exaggerated in the calm, every snap of a tree, every whisper of the wind. I wrap my arms over myself, trying to remain warm, but it’s not simply the cold making me tremble. It’s the
When I get back to the packhouse, the atmosphere is tense, and it feels like a jail. This environment is more oppressive and feels colder overall. Every creak of the floorboards makes me tremble, and the walls feel like they're pressing in on me. I can feel the weight of the pack members' suspicious looks as I move through the hallways and hear them murmuring behind my back.Even though I make an effort to dismiss them, the reality of what transpired at the banquet cannot be avoided. I can't breathe because of Greta's harsh remarks, Callum's cold demeanor, and the uncertainty in his eyes. Despite my best efforts to swim, I feel as like I'm drowning in a sea of uncertainty.I arrive at the stairway and begin to ascend, my legs heaving and my chest becoming more tense with each stride. After everything that has transpired, I need to speak with Callum to see where we are. What can I say, though? How can I start to sort out the mess we've got ourselves into?Knowing that I'm entering more
The knock at the door resonates through the room, crisp and urgent. My heart quickens as Callum tenses alongside me. His entire body turns rigid, and I can feel the abrupt change in the air. Without a word, he marches straight to the door, his motions rigid, as if ready for whatever lies on the other side. I swallow hard, watching him. Whoever is knocking at this hour, it’s not good news. I can feel it in my bones. When Callum opens the door, one of the pack members stands there, breathing hard, his face pallid in the low light of the corridor. "Alpha," the pack member breathes, his chest straining with each breath. "You need to come to the conference room. Now." Callum’s expression shifts swiftly, his eyes narrowing with dread. He gives the pack member a quick nod, then turns to me, his gaze focused. “Stay here,” he says, his words quick, leaving no space for dispute. But I can’t simply stand here, waiting in the dark while something dreadful is occurring. “Callum, what’s going
“I think the pack deserves to know who their Luna truly is,” Greta’s voice oozes with malice, her words hanging in the air like a blade ready to strike. My heart stops. Time seems to freeze, and I can feel every eye in the room turn toward me. My breath catches in my throat, and I automatically take a step back, my body shivering with the weight of the charge. What is she talking about? What truth does she feel she has? I look to Callum, hoping for some comfort, but his eyes are fixed on Greta. His expression is inscrutable, but I can see the stiffness in his jaw, the way his hands tense at his sides. The silence in the room is suffocating, and I can feel the walls closing in around me. “I don’t know what you’re trying to do, Greta, but you’re lying,” I say, my voice weak but forceful. “You’re trying to turn the pack against me.” Greta’s smile grows chilly and nasty. “Oh, darling, I don’t need to lie. The truth will cause enough damage on its own.” Callum steps closer, his stanc
I feel as though the room is closing in on me. I fear that everyone can hear my heart pounding so loudly against my chest. The elders of the council stand in front of us, their eyes darting between Callum and me, their faces unreadable. It is oppressive to feel the weight of their quiet.I try to maintain a consistent breathing pattern while standing motionless, but my mind is racing. Greta has sowed doubt in everyone's mind, and I can sense it spreading like poison. I'm not sure what her strategy is.The council elders exchange glances, their faces tense as though they are considering their next words. I'm aware that they're waiting for Callum to speak and for the Alpha to reveal his allegiance, whether it's to me or whether Greta's false charges have gained traction.I can't force myself to look at Callum, even though I can sense his rigid, immobile presence next to me. My entire universe seems to be precariously perched on the brink of an uncontrollable event.At last, one of the e
I sit by the window and gaze out into the darkness in a room that is almost too quiet. The packhouse grounds are illuminated by a spooky glow as the moon remains low in the sky. Each of my ideas pulls me in a different direction as they whirl like a hurricane.Callum, where are you? What's on his mind? Does he think Greta is real? Or does he still have faith in me?I try to contain the fear that keeps sneaking up on me by wrapping my arms around myself. It feels like the foundation is giving way under us after everything we've been through and all the times Callum and I have struggled to stay together.Since the council meeting, I have not seen him. There seemed to be something he wasn't saying based on the tightness in his eyes as he gazed at me. He wasn't prepared to acknowledge it.I rest my head on the window's cool glass and close my eyes. How can I trust him, even though I want to? How can I trust anything when Greta's lies are looming over us, and there are so many unsolved que
“A traitor?” I whisper, hardly able to form the word, let alone understand its significance. My chest tightens, making it harder to breathe, as the seriousness of what Mia just imparted finally settles me. The room suddenly feels cooler, the air thicker. A traitor in the pack. Someone is working with Greta to destroy me. I feel a cold shudder run down my spine as the reality takes hold. Greta, with her twisted smirk and ambiguous warnings, wasn’t acting alone this entire time. I believed her anger toward me was personal born from jealousy, resentment but this... this is something far worse. Someone is aiding her from within, feeding her information, arranging a strategy to take me down. Mia watches me; concern etched on her face, her usually sparkling eyes shadowed with worry. “I know it’s hard to believe, Aurora, but you need to be careful.” Her voice is quiet, barely above a whisper, as though she worries the walls may hear her. “Whoever it is, they’re close—too close to Callum.”
As it charges with its teeth bared and saliva streaming from its mouth, the rogue's eyes pierce mine. I automatically sidestep, my heart hammering against my ribs, but the beast is faster than I thought. The air is knocked out of my lungs as it crashes into me. Pain shooting through my chest, I fight to stay upright as the forest spins.The rogue is unrelenting as I swing my knife, aiming for its throat. Snarling, it dodges and pushes me back toward the trees. The impact's force causes my eyesight to blur, and for a split second, I worry that I won't survive this battle.My feet slip on the blood-slick floor as I scramble. Even if my breathing is labored, I don't give up and continue to move. It's no longer just about me. It's about defending my pack and those who have battled beside me. I cannot allow Victor to triumph.I lift my dagger, the blade gleaming in the moonlight, as the rogue lunges once more. I swing it as hard as I can with what little strength I have left. A deep gash i
The night devolves into mayhem. The air is filled with growls and snarls as bodies collide, claws tearing through fur, fangs digging into flesh. Blood is all over the woodland floor, and the smell is overpowering. A rogue lunges at me, its eyes blazing with bloodlust, before I can even react.Callum moves like a blur and slams a vicious blow into it before it can get to me. With a shriek of anguish, the rogue falls to the ground as his claws sever its side. He doesn't think twice. With one more deadly strike, he completes the job and turns to face me."Stay close," he growls, looking over the battlefield with his golden gaze. "I won’t let them touch you."I tighten my hold on my dagger and nod.Bennet, on the other hand, battles like a man under a spell. His movements are precise, his strikes are powerful, and each attack is planned for maximum damage. Tonight, he is different. He doesn't hesitate or let any residual feelings stop him. With every enemy he defeats, it seems as though h
As we run through the woodland, Callum's hand firmly holding mine, the tension in the air is palpable. Every stride Victor's army takes gets louder and closer until I can hear it echoing in my ears. The trees appear to close in, winding around us like a prison, and my heart thuds in my chest."We must continue to move," Callum exhorts in a stern yet quiet voice. Even though I can feel the weight of the looming conflict bearing down on us, his eyes spark with resolve.I nod, but my body is exhausted from the mental maelstrom roiling inside of me as much as the running, and my legs feel heavy. Though Bennet's revelation still taints my thoughts like a poison, I can't afford to be weak right now. Not when we are about to die.The rustle of leaves in front of me abruptly stops me in my tracks. As others start to appear out of the darkness, I know what's happening and my blood chills. Victor's outlaws. They are present. There were dozens of them, encircling us from all sides and obstructin
Everything around me is poisoned by Bennet's words, which linger in the air like a curse. I suddenly lose my capacity to breathe as my heart thuds forcefully in my chest. As his revelation sets in, the ground wobbles under me, sending the sword of betrayal even farther into my heart. Unable to take my eyes off of him, I take an unsteady step back. "You did this, did you?" His statements have upset me so badly that my voice cracks. "My family was destroyed because of you?" Bennet's eyes implore me to understand and forgive him as his face contorted with humiliation. However, how can I? How am I ever going to forgive such a thing? The guy I once loved is now standing in front of me recognizing that he contributed to the devastation of my family and my world. Bennet adds, "I didn't know," in a voice that is hardly audible, as if raising his voice may fracture the tiny thread of control I'm holding to. "Aurora, I had no clue it would end this way. Victor took advantage of me and manipu
The room seems oppressively tight. With our hands securely clenched together as if the tie were enough to hold us planted, Callum and I stand side by side. However, the weight of everything hangs down on me like a thick fog, regardless of how tightly I cling to that warmth. For individuals I care about, every decision we make might be the difference between life and death, and the tension is intolerable. I can feel my chest becoming tighter as we start strategizing how to reply to Victor's attack. As he provides guidance and advise, Callum's voice is solid and steady, and I can tell he's doing all he can to keep me safe. But every time I talk or look at Bennet, I'm reminded of an old grief I thought I had long ago forgotten. The sensations swirling in my chest are bewildering and disturbing. I thought that I had moved on. I assumed I had ignored Bennet. But now that he's so close, those memories are emerging and fighting to grab a footing. I can't get rid of Bennet's presence like a
Bennet's words hit me like a kick to the stomach. "Crush the pack?" Horror twisted in my blood, I whispered. It feels like my heart is going to burst out of my chest. I'm not alone anymore. Victor isn't merely chasing me. He is chasing everyone. Each and every one.Bennet is standing a few feet away, his attitude serious. His eyes are gloomy and dark with sorrow or regret. I am unable to tell. "Yes," he answers softly but with a shiver of certainty. "Aurora, he will attack soon. And everyone you care about will perish if you don't stop him. My throat tightens every breath. The world seems to have fallen away from under me. I feel as though my legs could fall at any time. The seriousness of what he's saying is beyond my understanding. Victor's goal is to destroy everyone. Callum, my pals, my pack... I turn to face Callum, and my eyes lock with his angry, protective look. I can nearly hear his teeth grinding together because of how tightly his jaw is locked. His body language is screa
At last, we reach a depth of the forest, far enough that the rogues' noises are muted. The breeze hardly stirs the leaves around us, and the night feels uncannily calm. Running has left my legs burning, and my heart is still racing. However, despite the brief security, I can't get rid of the growing doubt that makes my chest tighten like a knot.Bennet. He helped us, but why? What would make him suddenly change sides after everything he's done? The uneasiness that is churning in my stomach won't go away, and it doesn't make sense. I turn to face Bennet and stop walking, removing my hand from Callum's hold. My voice is shaky and my breath comes in short spurts, but I'm able to hold it steady enough. "Bennet, why did you assist us?" I ask, breaking the quiet with my words. Bennet's dark, mysterious eyes meet mine. My worries just get bigger when he doesn't reply right away. With a tight body, Callum approaches me, prepared to assist if Bennet makes a mistake. With a harder tone now,
Bennet, with his massive shoulders straight and his weapon still burning weakly in the darkness, stands tall between us and the outlaws. With a determined fire in his eyes, he swings around to face us when his vicious stare latches onto Victor's fleeing body. With a forceful and uncompromising voice, he announces, "I'm not letting Victor win this fight." My body trembles from the adrenaline of the near-escape, and I blink in amazement, still leaning on Callum for support. Why is Bennet now aiding us? I wasn't even positive whose side he was on until a few seconds ago. Tension pervades the air, and I can feel Callum's muscles tensing up next to me. He holds me protectively behind him as he moves forward Bennet, his jaw tightening into a snarl as his body emanates rage. "Bennet, you're the reason we're in this mess," Callum says in a low, frightening voice. "They came here because of you. We were put up by you! Bennet's expression stays uncompromising. He maintains his cool, but as
Callum takes a strong grasp of my hand and leads me over to the wood's edge. My legs feel weak from worry of the rogues chasing us, and my heart thuds in my chest. He hangs on to me when I fall, his arm surrounding my waist to keep me going. Behind us, the rogues' growls became more evil and louder. I peek over my shoulder and gasp, "They're getting closer." There are rogues everywhere, and they're coming closer. As I look straight at Victor, who is standing in the middle of the chaos and watching us with his chilly, twisted grin, my stomach flips. His chuckle makes me shudder. Callum mutters to himself, "We'll make it," but I can hear the fear in his voice. His body is straight and his jaw is tight, as though he is ready for the worst. Panic growing in my throat, my heart pounding. I shake as I say, "There's no way out." "We're confined." Callum's grasp on me becomes stronger. "Aurora, I will not allow him to take you. Never, ever now. Even though his comments are harsh, I can fe