I remain still, divided between two worlds. I can still hear Greta's voice, her offer creeping like a wicked spell into my thoughts. I'm not sure which direction to go, and it kills my heart to twist. Callum is standing close by, his eyes beseeching me to choose him in spite of everything, his face etched with remorse. "Don't listen to her, Aurora." Callum has a frantic, unpolished voice. Although his words cut through the tension in the air, they don't actually assist to quiet the pandemonium inside of me. His lies still sting, and his treachery is still raw. How can I ever again trust him? Is it possible for me to look at him the same way? EhinBut, Greta the situation is only made worse by her presence. Her lips curl into a satisfied grin as she takes a bold stride forward. "He has misled you, Aurora. He has consistently placed you at jeopardy. For what purpose? For his own self-interest. It seems like she's giving me a lifeline I didn't know I needed because of how smooth and ent
The tension that suffocates us permeates the air around us, making everything heavy. I can feel it engulfing me and clinging on so strongly that I'm having problems breathing. As I watch the figure walk out of the shadows and into the moonlight, I stand immobile, my pulse hammering. My spine receives a shiver from his presence; it's chilly and menacing. Victor. I've recently heard tales about this person. He has a reputation for being harsh, strong, and secretive. Even though I don't know him, I can feel the sadness flowing from him even though I haven't seen him before today. His eyes flicker over Callum and Greta before focusing on me, and he smiles maliciously as he glances around. He replies, "Looks like I arrived just in time," in a mockingly smooth voice. My skin creeps at the sound of it. He oozes confidence as he stands erect, and from the way he glances at me, it seems like he already knows how this will end, treating me like a piece in his diabolical plot. Beside me, Cal
Victor’s voice slashes through the silence, icy and ruthless, and I feel as though every nerve in my body is electrified by his words. I stand rooted, heart hammering so ferociously I fear it might burst. His tone is chilly, his visage an unreadable mask of evil satisfaction. “What are you talking about? What do you know about my past?” I demand, my voice quivering despite my efforts to remain composed. Each sentence trembles with equal parts fear and defiance, as if I’m pleading for answers I’ve yearned for and dreaded in equal measure. Victor strides forward cautiously, each calculated stride amplifying the strain that rises between us. His eyes cold, uncompromising, and curiously calculating lock onto mine, and I feel as if he’s staring deep into the depths of my soul. “Your bloodline isn’t as simple as you think,” he murmurs, his voice silky and laced with venom. “There’s a reason everyone wants you, Aurora. Your part of something much bigger than you can imagine.” His words re
Victor's words keep playing over and over in my head, like a bad dream that will never end. I can't breathe because of how shocked I am by what he said. What I thought was the truth feels like it's broken. I must know, yet I am unable to look at Callum. My heart is beating fast, and I feel scared, angry, and betrayed all at the same time.I swallow hard and force myself to look at Callum. His usual sense of self-confidence is gone, and in its place is a strange feeling of shame. I ask Calum, "Is it true?" and the world around me seems to be spinning around me. Have you been portraying my family to me? My voice is shaking so badly that it's almost broken. I need him to say that Victor is merely trying to play with my thoughts, to deny it. Even though Callum doesn't answer right away, that terrible, suffocating quiet is enough of a reaction. He can't keep his eyes on me and looks away. As though the words he's repressing are choking him, his lips form a tight line. "Callum," I urge, m
Victor's eyes gleam with a deadly promise, and his hand is extended, fingers slightly curved in invitation. Like poison wrapped in silk, his voice is enticing and velvety. "Come with me, Aurora," he begs, twisting every syllable. "I'll answer all of your queries. The truth about your family and your own self. You can't trust Callum. His hand is hovering in front of me, and I gaze at it as if grabbing it will make everything different. My head is whirling from the gravity of what has occurred, and my heart is still beating. Callum deceived me. He concealed from me something extremely crucial about myself. However, following Victor is like walking into the unknown, a risky journey with no certainty of protection. I can feel the weight of their gaze coming down on me, and there is a lot of tension between the two guys. With a soft but forceful tone, Victor says, "Come on, Aurora." "I won't keep you in the dark like Callum has. I'll give you the replies you're due. His lips curve into a
Everything was a blur of noise and dust. Before I can react, the earth is wrenched from beneath me as the explosion sends debris soaring into the air. I'm propelled back, my body smashing into the ground. The great activity around us dulls the ache that burns through me. I struggle to make sense of what just occurred while gasping for oxygen and blinking against the fuzz. My ears are ringing from the explosion, and my head is whirling. All I can hear are the distant screams ringing in the distance and the deafening sound of falling debris. "Aurora!" Callum's gruff yet earnest voice bursts through the commotion. He's at my side, hauling me up off the ground before I can completely realize what's happening. I'm sheltered from the falling debris by his arms enveloping me. "Are you in pain?" His eyes are wide with horror, seeking my face, and his speech is frantic. "I am... I'm all right. Despite my pulse thumping in my chest, I manage to choke out. I feel as if I am imprisoned in a ni
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
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
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