RaelynnThe morning sun filtered through the trees as Alison and I arrived at school for our last round of finals. A mixture of nervous energy and anticipation permeated the air. With our hands tightly gripping our books, we made our way towards the main building.“Are you ready for this?” Alison inquired, her eyes twinkling with a blend of excitement and anxiety.“As ready as I’ll ever be,” I replied, taking a deep breath. “I can’t believe we’re finally at the end.”“Me neither,” she agreed. “After yesterday’s challenges, today feels like a breeze.”We made our way to our first exam, genomics. The sound of students going over their notes one last time filled the room. We found our seats, and soon the exam began. The questions were tough but manageable. I felt confident in my answers, drawing on the hours of study and the intense focus I had maintained.After the exam, Alison and I met up outside the classroom, our faces flushed with relief.“How did it go?” Alison asked, her voice
Alpha LorenzoThe morning sun bathed the training grounds in a warm, golden hue as I stood alongside Conan and Marcus, watching our warriors engage in their specialized drills. Today was one of those important training days where we really tested our warriors to make sure they were mentally and physically ready for the challenges that lay ahead.Our assiduous delta, Fiona, was watching from the sidelines, her perceptive eyes examining each step and position."Keep your guard up,” I bellowed, my voice rising above the collision of bodies and laboring moans. "Remember, discipline and focus!"After the session, the warriors dispersed, some of them still catching their breath, while others patted each other on the back in camaraderie. I turned to Conan and Marcus, who were similarly drenched in sweat."Good work today," I said, nodding approvingly. "The new recruits are adapting well."Conan, ever the observant beta, added, "They've got the spirit, that's for sure. But it'll take more th
Alpha Lorenzo As Conan and I entered the hall, the room fell silent, with all eyes on us. The atmosphere was thick with anticipation and solemnity.The new members, standing in the front, appeared nervous and eager, while the established pack members watched with pride and interest.I moved to the centre of the room, feeling the weight of the situation.This was more than just a ceremony—it was a statement of harmony, the joining of souls to form a single, unified family.I cleared my throat, giving the audience a brief period of silence before I spoke."Welcome, everyone," I began, my voice resonating through the hall. "Thank you for gracing this occasion with your presence. We come together this evening to strengthen our ties as a single pack and family, as well as to welcome new members to the Lake View Pack. It is a celebratory evening that demonstrates our power and development.”I paused, letting my gaze sweep over the crowd, meeting the eyes of the new members and the old alike
Alpha LorenzoThe tension in my office was palpable as I pored over maps and battle plans, my mind racing with strategies to safeguard our pack from the rogue witches.The recent alliance with Garrick had given us some advantage, but the rogue threat was still very real and dangerous. As Alpha, it was my duty to ensure the safety of every member of the Lake View Pack.I was deep into my work, the faint scratching of my pen the only sound in the room, when my phone rang.The sharp tone cut through the silence, jolting me out of my thoughts. I glanced at the caller ID and felt a surge of urgency…it was the spy I had planted in the rogue encampment.Immediately, I mindlinked Conan. “Get to my office, now. Shadow is on the line.”Conan’s response was quick and urgent. “On my way.”He burst into the room just as I answered the call, his expression mirroring my own anticipation. "What do you have for us?” I asked, keeping my voice steady.The spy's voice crackled through the line, tension e
RaelynnI awoke early that morning, with sunlight streaming through my window and casting a warm glow over my room.Today was the day Alison and I planned to meet with Ashley. Though I was apprehensive about the outcome, I hoped we could repair our damaged friendship. I got dressed and went to our favorite diner to meet Alison for breakfast.I smiled as I approached her, she had a stack of pancakes in front of her."Good morning, Rae," Alison greeted with a smile, waving a fork in the air. "Sleep well?""As well as I could," I replied, sitting down and grabbing a pancake. "I'm nervous about today.""Me too," she admitted, pouring syrup over her plate. "But we'll get through it together. We always do."We ate in silence for a few moments before Alison spoke again. "So, how should we reach out to Ashley? A call or a text?""Maybe a text," I suggested. "It might be less confrontational."Alison nodded, pulling out her phone. "Alright, let's do this."She typed a message quickly, and we
RaelynnI awoke to the soft light of dawn coming through the curtains. It was the final day of school before summer break, and I could feel the excitement in the air.Alison had spent the night in my room, and we had talked late into the night about everything and nothing, attempting to temporarily put Ashley's tension behind us."Morning," Alison mumbled, stretching as she sat up. "Ready for the last day?""Yeah," I said, smiling. But first, we have packing to do. Meet you later, when we are finished?”"Deal," she said, grabbing her things. "I'll head back to my room now. See you in a bit."After we hugged, she left, leaving me by myself with my thoughts.I began carefully folding my clothes and stuffing them into my suitcases.The room was filled with memories from the previous semester, and each item I packed triggered a flood of emotions."Remember the first day we got here, Lynn?" I inquired, reaching out to Lynn via the mind link."Of course," Lynn replied, her voice warm and fa
RaelynnI stood at the curb, tapping my foot impatiently, waiting for the car Valentine had sent to arrive. In a matter of minutes, a sleek black sedan approached me.The driver's door opened, and out came Henry, the familiar werewolf who had been driving for Valentine for as long as I could remember. "Raelynn," he greeted me warmly before taking my luggage and placing it in the trunk. "Ready to go?"I gave him a little smile and muttered, "As ready as I will ever be. ”Even with my frustration, Henry's smiling face could not help but make me feel a little better.Henry took the wheel and turned on the engine while I slid into the backseat. We pulled away from the curb, and I settled in for the journey to Nightshade Manor."How have you been Henry?” I questioned, attempting to take my mind off the uneasiness that was eating at my stomach."How's Stella doing?""She's doing great, thank you for asking," Henry replied cheerfully. "We just celebrated our tenth-anniversary last month. How a
RaelynnThe next morning, I woke up to the sound of my phone buzzing. I groggily reached for it, seeing a text from Alison.“Hey Rae, just wanted to check in. How’s everything at home?”I smiled, grateful for her thoughtfulness. “Hey, Ali. It’s…complicated. I didn’t go to my parents’ house as I planned. My adoptive father, Valentine, called me to stay with him instead.”“Wow, that’s unexpected. How come?”“He said something about tradition, but I don't believe that. Something else must be up, I will get to know about it later. When I got here, no one was home. It was just me.”“That’s a lot to deal with. Are you okay?”“Yeah, just trying to process everything. What about you? How’s your coven?”“Busy as ever. We’re gearing up for our summer activities,” Alison replied. “It’s going to be a full schedule. I wish you could join us.”“When do they start?”“Next week. We’re doing a lot of interesting rituals and spells. Maybe you can join us for a few of them?”“Are only witches invited?”
RaelynnThe sun shone through the thick velvet curtains of our room and illuminated everything with a warm, golden light. The warmth of it kissed my skin, reminding me that this was no dream...this was my reality.A reality that only a few years ago, seemed like a world impossible to conceive, completely shattered into pieces that I would never be able to pick up. Yet here I am, so much stronger and smarter and more at peace than I have ever been in my life.As I lay in bed, listening to the soft rustling of the leaves outside and the distant chirping of birds welcoming the new day, I couldn’t help but reflect on how far I’ve come. The memories of my past, once sharp and painful, now seemed like faded shadows in the back of my mind.The pain of loss and betrayal, the paralyzing fear that I experienced during those days of darkness seemed like a dream…a nightmare that I had finally woken up from.My life had changed so much since those days. I thought of the darkness that had so nearly
Alpha LorenzoI wait outside the door to the dungeon the cold stone walls closing in around me. My hear beats faster the rage just below the surface.I need to do this. For Raelynn. For my pack. For all those who have been tormented by the life of valentine and his warped disciples.The door squeaks and I enter the somewhat dark hallway. It is damp and musty in there, with the drip of water bouncing off the walls.The guards nod their heads to me, with a very serious look on their faces. They know why I’m here. They know what I’m about to do.Valentine's cell is all the way at the end of the dungeon, away from all the others. I would have wanted him alone, removed from the rest of his nasty little gang. The man deserves no comfort, no company. Not after everything he’s done.I stand before his cell holding the cold iron bars. Valentine sits in there, perched on a little bench with his hands cuffed together in front of him.The look of pride and arrogance is no longer there, but instea
Alpha LorenzoWe step outside of the building and the heat from the fire engulfs us, and at that moment, I feel Raelynn's body drop from my arms. She's out of breath, out of energy, and I pick her up and carry her the remainder of the way.“Conan, take care of Valentine and his scientists, I shout over my shoulder as we make our way to the waiting SUVs. “Round them all up. No one gets away.”Conan nods, his expression grim. “You got it, Alpha. We’ll make sure they pay for what they’ve done.”I nod, my focus on Raelynn as I lay her gently in the back seat of one of the SUVs. She’s unconscious, her breathing shallow, and I feel a surge of panic. I can’t lose her. Not now.“Go! I shout to the driver, and the SUV speeds away from the burning building, the flames reflected in the rearview mirror. I cradle Raelynn in my arms, my heart beating hard against my chest.“We’re almost there, I whisper, brushing a strand of hair from her face. “Just hold on a little longer, love. You’re going to b
Alpha LorenzoSo I pound my fist on the aluminum door as hard as I can, and I keep pounding and the door starts to cave in. Every hit vibrates up my arm, but I bite down on my tongue and continue. Raelynn is on the other side. I can feel her presence through our bond, faint but unmistakable.My entire body is on fire from the exertion, beads of sweat drip from my face into my eyes, but I will not give up. I can’t. Not when I’m this close. The dent in the door is minor, almost unnoticeable, but it is there. So I put all of my strength, and my anger, and my hopelessness into one last punch and I hope that it is.Then, without warning, a rush of warmth washes over the door. I yank my hand back, startled. The metal is red hot and I have to back up so I don't get burnt.I stare in disbelief as fire dances around the border of the door and the metal contorts and melts like some unseen force is wrenching it asunder.“What the hell…” I mutter, my eyes wide. This isn’t just fire; it’s somethin
RaelynnI’ ve been planning this for weeks. The smallest mistakes could cost me everything, so I’ve waited, watching, studying every guard’s routine. I’ve observed their movements, noted their shifts, even the way they carry themselves when they think no one is looking.One guard, in particular, caught my eye…small, unassuming, always on edge as if the very walls were closing in on him. I could see it in his eyes, the fear, the sweat above his brow whenever he was around me. And that made him my target.Well, this morning he was on walking post by my cell and I just knew it was time. He did not even realize how easily he was being played with.The shadows that had been my friends in darkness reached out to take his thoughts, pushing his focus away. A ripple of my fingers and the shadows told him of distant cares and his mind floated just enough for me to move.I moved silently, my fingers deft and quick, slipping into his pocket as he turned away. The cold metal of the key against my
Alpha LorenzoI can't remember the last time I was this tense. The past few months have been a nightmare, each day worse than the one before. I can barely sleep, my thoughts constantly consumed by Raelynn. My mate. My Luna. She’s out there, somewhere, suffering God knows what, and it’s my fault. I let her down, failed to protect her. And now, I’m desperate. Desperate to make things right, to find her, to bring her home. I’ve spent every waking moment planning, strategizing, preparing for this. There’s no room for error. Not this time.We’re in the war room, a dimly lit space in the pack house that’s become our headquarters for this mission. Conan, Alison, Ashley, and I are huddled around a large table, a detailed map of the Dawn Scientific Institute for Research spread out before us. The DSIR is an imposing fortress, heavily guarded, and getting in won’t be easy. But we have no choice. Raelynn is in there. I can feel it in my bones. “Alright,” I say, my voice steady but hard. “We
Alpha LorenzoI can't remember the last time I was this tense. The past few months have been a nightmare, each day worse than the one before. I can barely sleep, my thoughts constantly consumed by Raelynn. My mate. My Luna. She’s out there, somewhere, suffering God knows what, and it’s my fault. I let her down, failed to protect her. And now, I’m desperate. Desperate to make things right, to find her, to bring her home. I’ve spent every waking moment planning, strategizing, preparing for this. There’s no room for error. Not this time.We’re in the war room, a dimly lit space in the pack house that’s become our headquarters for this mission. Conan, Alison, Ashley, and I are huddled around a large table, a detailed map of the Dawn Scientific Institute for Research spread out before us. The DSIR is an imposing fortress, heavily guarded, and getting in won’t be easy. But we have no choice. Raelynn is in there. I can feel it in my bones. “Alright,” I say, my voice steady but hard. “We
RaelynnDarkness. It has been my constant companion for what feels like an eternity. My sense of time in this cold, damp cell is lost, days and nights running together in one continuous void of nothingness.I have no idea how long it’s been since I was tossed into this hell, since I was deprived of my dignity and my wolf. I don’t even know if it matters anymore. This place, this emptiness, it consumes you.I resemble now and again when the guards bring out their needles I test myself to see if I can remember what I was like before all this. I try to remember what it felt like to be free, to be whole.But those memories are as fragments of a dream. They are so beautiful and so elusive, and they dissolve before I can catch them. I have nothing but the pain to grasp on to. It’s the only thing that feels real anymore.I roll over on the cold floor and the chains that bind my wrists and ankles rattle. My body hurts in places I never knew I had.They don't feed me very much. Enough to keep
Alpha LorenzoIt's been a week since Alexis was incarcerated and I discovered the truth. A full week of searching and scouring every inch of our territory, and then some. The feeling of desperation claws at my insides, a gnawing ache that won’t go away no matter how many leads we chase, no matter how many faces I growl at in frustration. Every day without her feels like an eternity, every moment a fresh wound reopening. Max is restless, prowling just beneath the surface, ready to break free and tear apart anyone who gets in my way.I shouldn’t be here, pacing in my study with my phone clenched in my hand. I should be out there, tracking her down myself. But even alphas have duties, responsibilities, and meetings they can’t avoid. Today, it’s the damn council meeting, and if I don’t show up, there’ll be more questions than I’m prepared to answer. I need to keep up appearances. I need to make them believe everything is fine, that my world isn’t shattering around me piece by piece.“E