Zevs POVThe Grove doesn't feel like a secret anymore.It feels like a home.I watch the druids work, their hands glowing faintly with magic as they reinforce the outer border with spell runes and roots that hum when you get too close. The air here is softer, calmer… safer.And in the middle of it all, is her.Alyssa.She moves like she belongs to this place.Like the trees lean toward her without realizing it, like the moonlight waits to fall where she walks.She's talking to one of the new rogues—a boy with a limp and scared eyes—and she touches his arm gently, reassuring him.She’s not just surviving anymore.She's building something.She's changing everything.The Omega, now slowly building a pack.Thirteen new rogues. Seven druids. All rescued. All choosing to stay. To believe. Because of her.“This is wonderful,” I say quietly, my voice barely breaking through the hum of life around us.Alyssa turns slightly, her eyes still on the druids.“I know,” she whispers. “I just… I don’t
.Alyssa's POVThe night air is warm, but I feel colder than ever—until he touches me.Zev’s hands find mine as I stand there, heart pounding like it’s trying to break out of my chest. His golden eyes search my face, flickering with something profound… something I can’t name. The silence between us is heavy, thick with tension and want. "I want you," he whispers, voice rough, low, desperate. "I want you to be mine, Alyssa."The way he says my name—it does something to me, like a fire sparking inside my chest. I lean in and our mouths crash together like we’ve been holding back for too long. His kiss is wild, hungry, like he's afraid this might be our last. My fingers slip into his hair, tugging gently, and he groans against my lips. I feel his arms wrap around me, strong and sure, pulling me closer until there’s no space left between us."Are you sure?" he whispers against my mouth, breath hot, trembling slightly."Yes," I breathe, not even recognizing my own voice. It’s raw and h
Alyssa’s POVThe birds sing like they’re performing just for me, soft and sweet. Cool morning air brushes against my skin, tickling me awake.I turn slowly, still half tangled in the warmth of sleep, reaching out with a lazy smile.But he’s not here.My fingers touch only empty grass.My heart dips.I sit up, blinking the sleep from my eyes, brushing curls from my face.Zev’s coat lies beside me, his scent clinging to it like a promise.I pull it into my arms, hugging it tightly to my chest. It feels like him. Safe. Fierce. Mine.I stand, wrapping the coat around my bare shoulders before getting dressed. The breeze dances across my skin, but the chill doesn't bother me. I feel too warm inside. Happy. Whole.I walk slowly through the grove, fingers brushing against leaves, toes sinking into soft earth. The trees sway gently, like they’re whispering secrets to one another. I can’t stop smiling.I feel Zev in my soul.Maybe it’s fate. Maybe he’s my mate.Laughter echoes from ahead.I gla
Alyssas PovCara goes silent.She stares at me like she’s forgotten how to speak. Her lips part slightly, but no words come out. Her shoulders slump, and I see it—the fear, the guilt, the pain. Something inside her collapses.“What is it?” My voice cracks. “Cara… what happened to Zev?”I already know I won’t like the answer. My heart pounds against my ribs, loud and frantic. I taste blood at the back of my throat. The silence stretches, suffocating me.Then the Moonborn girl laughs—a sharp, cruel sound that slices through the stillness.“Come on,” she says, pushing off the ground and standing tall like she hasn’t been locked in the same cage we are. “Tell her. Tell your precious queen where her brave little mate is.”Cara doesn't move. Her eyes flicker, her hands tremble.“Cara?” I whisper again, my throat closing. “Please.”The Moonborn girl tilts her head, mockery dripping from every word.“Oh, Omega. Your boyfriend’s fine. Strong, alive, proud. It’s amazing, really… you still don’t
Alyssa’s POVThe way he says my name.Everything inside me breaks.I turn slowly, my heart shuddering so loud I can hear it in my ears. There he is. Zev.But he’s not my Zev anymore.He stands there like a stranger—dressed head to toe in Fenrath armor, the black and silver plates gleaming under the torchlight.A wolf insignia sits proudly across his chest, sharp and cruel, the mark of everything I’ve feared. He looks like one of them—a soldier, a commander, a man who doesn't belong to me.The air leaves my lungs.“Shadow,” I whisper, but my wolf is already howling inside me, full of rage and betrayal. Her wrath crawls under my skin like fire. I don’t think—I move.My fist crashes into his jaw with everything I have. The sound echoes in the cage. He stumbles back, eyes wide, but he doesn't defend himself.Hands grab me. They pull me off him roughly, trying to hold me down, but I twist and scream like a wild thing.“You traitor!” I cry, my voice shaking with pain. “You betrayed me! You
Alyssa’s POVIt’s been a month since the invasion of the Grove.Thirty days since the world I thought I was building crumbled to ash around me.They have moved me from the cage to a room—not lavish, but quiet, with a window that lets in slivers of moonlight.I get escorted on daily walks through the stone courtyards, always with two guards close behind. I’m not mistreated, not starved or beaten. But I’m not free either. I’m a wolf in a gilded cage, waiting for the verdict of fate.Waiting for the Moonborn Pack to claim what’s left of me.I sit by the window, fingers tracing the frost-lined glass. My breath fogs the air. My heart feels hollow.Alpha Conan wants me back. He’s made it very clear through whispers that echo through these walls. Through the looks the soldiers give me. Through the silence that follows me everywhere.But even as I brace myself for that nightmare—his nightmare—my thoughts are stuck somewhere else.They slip backward, like leaves carried by a stream, to four w
Zevs POVShe’s walking toward us now. Alyssa. Her hair is braided back in that neat, Moonborn way—tightly woven, almost regal.It pulls her face back, shows the sharp edges of her cheekbones, the quiet strength in her jaw. Her expression is calm.Too calm.She almost looks peaceful, like this isn’t a death march. Like she’s already accepted whatever fate we’re marching her toward. But I can see the tension in her shoulders. The way her hands twitch at her sides. She won’t look at me. Not even once. And gods, I deserve that. She passes through the middle of the soldiers.They part just enough to let her through.The silence around her is thick, watchful. Everyone's pretending not to judge her, but we all know they are. Whispering in their heads. And still, she doesn’t look up. Doesn’t look at me. “She's just one person, Kira,” I say, my voice low. “Do we really need all these soldiers here?” Kira strolls over to me, the curve of her lips smug. She’s wearing leather and steel to
Alyssa’s POV“I take you as mine.”Levi stands tall, and handsome in his ceremonial robes, his golden hair catching the glow of the torches that line the hall.His words ring through the grand hall, his voice strong, unwavering. Conviction bleeding from every syllable.I feel the rip in my chest deepens.His grip on Mira’s hand is firm as he takes the sacred mating ties and wraps them around her wrist.My Levi.The man who has always whispered promises into my ear under the cover of darkness.The man who has held me as if I were his world.And yet—here he is. Binding himself to another.I should have expected this.It was forbidden from the start.I am an omega.A stray with no place in the Moonborn Pack.A nobody they took in out of pity. And Levi—Levi is the Alpha’s son. The future of this pack. Mira is the heir to the Raven Pack, her bloodline pure, her worth undeniable.This was always meant to happen.Still, it doesn’t make the pain any less unreal.I stand among the servants, my
Zevs POVShe’s walking toward us now. Alyssa. Her hair is braided back in that neat, Moonborn way—tightly woven, almost regal.It pulls her face back, shows the sharp edges of her cheekbones, the quiet strength in her jaw. Her expression is calm.Too calm.She almost looks peaceful, like this isn’t a death march. Like she’s already accepted whatever fate we’re marching her toward. But I can see the tension in her shoulders. The way her hands twitch at her sides. She won’t look at me. Not even once. And gods, I deserve that. She passes through the middle of the soldiers.They part just enough to let her through.The silence around her is thick, watchful. Everyone's pretending not to judge her, but we all know they are. Whispering in their heads. And still, she doesn’t look up. Doesn’t look at me. “She's just one person, Kira,” I say, my voice low. “Do we really need all these soldiers here?” Kira strolls over to me, the curve of her lips smug. She’s wearing leather and steel to
Alyssa’s POVIt’s been a month since the invasion of the Grove.Thirty days since the world I thought I was building crumbled to ash around me.They have moved me from the cage to a room—not lavish, but quiet, with a window that lets in slivers of moonlight.I get escorted on daily walks through the stone courtyards, always with two guards close behind. I’m not mistreated, not starved or beaten. But I’m not free either. I’m a wolf in a gilded cage, waiting for the verdict of fate.Waiting for the Moonborn Pack to claim what’s left of me.I sit by the window, fingers tracing the frost-lined glass. My breath fogs the air. My heart feels hollow.Alpha Conan wants me back. He’s made it very clear through whispers that echo through these walls. Through the looks the soldiers give me. Through the silence that follows me everywhere.But even as I brace myself for that nightmare—his nightmare—my thoughts are stuck somewhere else.They slip backward, like leaves carried by a stream, to four w
Alyssa’s POVThe way he says my name.Everything inside me breaks.I turn slowly, my heart shuddering so loud I can hear it in my ears. There he is. Zev.But he’s not my Zev anymore.He stands there like a stranger—dressed head to toe in Fenrath armor, the black and silver plates gleaming under the torchlight.A wolf insignia sits proudly across his chest, sharp and cruel, the mark of everything I’ve feared. He looks like one of them—a soldier, a commander, a man who doesn't belong to me.The air leaves my lungs.“Shadow,” I whisper, but my wolf is already howling inside me, full of rage and betrayal. Her wrath crawls under my skin like fire. I don’t think—I move.My fist crashes into his jaw with everything I have. The sound echoes in the cage. He stumbles back, eyes wide, but he doesn't defend himself.Hands grab me. They pull me off him roughly, trying to hold me down, but I twist and scream like a wild thing.“You traitor!” I cry, my voice shaking with pain. “You betrayed me! You
Alyssas PovCara goes silent.She stares at me like she’s forgotten how to speak. Her lips part slightly, but no words come out. Her shoulders slump, and I see it—the fear, the guilt, the pain. Something inside her collapses.“What is it?” My voice cracks. “Cara… what happened to Zev?”I already know I won’t like the answer. My heart pounds against my ribs, loud and frantic. I taste blood at the back of my throat. The silence stretches, suffocating me.Then the Moonborn girl laughs—a sharp, cruel sound that slices through the stillness.“Come on,” she says, pushing off the ground and standing tall like she hasn’t been locked in the same cage we are. “Tell her. Tell your precious queen where her brave little mate is.”Cara doesn't move. Her eyes flicker, her hands tremble.“Cara?” I whisper again, my throat closing. “Please.”The Moonborn girl tilts her head, mockery dripping from every word.“Oh, Omega. Your boyfriend’s fine. Strong, alive, proud. It’s amazing, really… you still don’t
Alyssa’s POVThe birds sing like they’re performing just for me, soft and sweet. Cool morning air brushes against my skin, tickling me awake.I turn slowly, still half tangled in the warmth of sleep, reaching out with a lazy smile.But he’s not here.My fingers touch only empty grass.My heart dips.I sit up, blinking the sleep from my eyes, brushing curls from my face.Zev’s coat lies beside me, his scent clinging to it like a promise.I pull it into my arms, hugging it tightly to my chest. It feels like him. Safe. Fierce. Mine.I stand, wrapping the coat around my bare shoulders before getting dressed. The breeze dances across my skin, but the chill doesn't bother me. I feel too warm inside. Happy. Whole.I walk slowly through the grove, fingers brushing against leaves, toes sinking into soft earth. The trees sway gently, like they’re whispering secrets to one another. I can’t stop smiling.I feel Zev in my soul.Maybe it’s fate. Maybe he’s my mate.Laughter echoes from ahead.I gla
.Alyssa's POVThe night air is warm, but I feel colder than ever—until he touches me.Zev’s hands find mine as I stand there, heart pounding like it’s trying to break out of my chest. His golden eyes search my face, flickering with something profound… something I can’t name. The silence between us is heavy, thick with tension and want. "I want you," he whispers, voice rough, low, desperate. "I want you to be mine, Alyssa."The way he says my name—it does something to me, like a fire sparking inside my chest. I lean in and our mouths crash together like we’ve been holding back for too long. His kiss is wild, hungry, like he's afraid this might be our last. My fingers slip into his hair, tugging gently, and he groans against my lips. I feel his arms wrap around me, strong and sure, pulling me closer until there’s no space left between us."Are you sure?" he whispers against my mouth, breath hot, trembling slightly."Yes," I breathe, not even recognizing my own voice. It’s raw and h
Zevs POVThe Grove doesn't feel like a secret anymore.It feels like a home.I watch the druids work, their hands glowing faintly with magic as they reinforce the outer border with spell runes and roots that hum when you get too close. The air here is softer, calmer… safer.And in the middle of it all, is her.Alyssa.She moves like she belongs to this place.Like the trees lean toward her without realizing it, like the moonlight waits to fall where she walks.She's talking to one of the new rogues—a boy with a limp and scared eyes—and she touches his arm gently, reassuring him.She’s not just surviving anymore.She's building something.She's changing everything.The Omega, now slowly building a pack.Thirteen new rogues. Seven druids. All rescued. All choosing to stay. To believe. Because of her.“This is wonderful,” I say quietly, my voice barely breaking through the hum of life around us.Alyssa turns slightly, her eyes still on the druids.“I know,” she whispers. “I just… I don’t
Alyssas POV The voice slices through the silence like a dagger through skin.My breath catches in my throat. It’s cold. Too cold. I can feel the blood in my veins turn to ice. Every muscle in my body tightens as I stare into the darkness. Shadows shift. Then they step out.Rogues. Blood clan.My heart pounds against my ribs like it’s trying to claw its way out. My palms are clammy, the fear creeping up my spine like fingers of frost.“What do you want?” I snarl, even though my voice trembles at the end.One of them—tall, broad, with yellow teeth and wild eyes—throws his head back and laughs.“You’re the omega, aren’t you?” he says, voice gravelly and cruel. “You’ll fetch a pretty penny when we drag you back to that fancy Moonborn pack.”The others cheer. Loud, howling, mocking. It’s like a game to them. Like we’re prey caught in a snare.My jaw tightens. “So that’s what you were doing when you killed that little girl’s parents?” I demand, voice shaking with rage.He pauses, eyes glea
Alyssa’s POVThe warmth still lingers on my skin—wrapped around me like a second breath. I don’t know if it’s the grove or the man beside me... or if it’s me. If I’ve changed. If I’m changing.Zev’s fingers slide into my hair again, gentle but full of a hunger I feel humming through my whole body. Then his lips are on mine once more. Deeper this time. Slower. Like he’s trying to memorize every curve, every breath. My hands find their way to his face, brushing over the sharp line of his jaw, the stubble on his chin scratching my palm.Gods... I want him. I want to lose myself in him—right here under the moonlight, where the air tastes like magic and wind swirls around us like it knows our names.I tug at his shirt, fingertips brushing his stomach, warm and hard beneath the fabric.But he stops me.Zev pulls back, breath ragged, chest heaving. “Alyssa…”His voice is hoarse. Shaken.I step back, flushed and embarrassed. “Sorry,” I whisper, not sure if I mean it.But he shakes his head.