Chapter: 14 ****** TALON: The towering peaks of the mountains loomed above, their jagged silhouettes etched against the vibrant blue sky as I tried to make my way through the sprawling grounds of the Riverbay Pack Camp. My heart raced, a mixture of excitement and apprehension coursing through me. Laughter and the sounds of training echoed around me, yet I remained shrouded in silence, my thoughts a whirlwind of uncertainty about what lay ahead. Knight, who had left me as soon as we arrived, found me and began to escort me deeper into the camp. A figure of strength and authority, his presence commanded respect. His muscular frame was draped in the sleek, tactical attire worn by the pack’s elite trainers, and his piercing gaze seemed to assess every corner of the camp with practiced ease. No matter how beautiful the grounds appeared, the weight of my new reality pressed heavily on my shoulders, denying me the moment to appreciate the structure of this place. As we approached the
Chapter: 15 ***** TALON: As Lira stepped back, her eyes sparkling with excitement, I felt a wave of loneliness wash over me. “I can’t wait to train with you!” she chirped again, her enthusiasm infectious, yet it felt like a distant echo in my mind. I offered her a faint nod, struggling to find the words that eluded me. “Anyway, if you need anything, just ask Zora here. If she can't provide it, she’ll send a signal to me. We’re all here to help!” Lira added, her smile unwavering despite my silence. With one last glance at me, she turned to leave, her footsteps echoing softly in the hallway. As the door slid shut behind her with a gentle hiss, an unexpected stillness enveloped the room. I stood in the center of my new quarters, the air thick with unspoken thoughts. The vibrant atmosphere of The Elysium, with its camaraderie and laughter just beyond the door, felt worlds away. Here, in this solitary space, I was faced once again with the reality of my situation. I sank ont
Chapter: 16 ****** TALON: The darkness of the room was still thick when I was jolted awake. A soft, melodic chime pierced through my dreams, followed by a soothing voice that filled the space. “Good morning, Talon,” Zora said, her voice smooth and warm, like a gentle breeze on a spring day. “It is now five o'clock in the morning. Time to get out of bed.” Who wakes up at five in the morning?! I blinked, disoriented for a moment. Glancing around the room, I noticed the dim light from the digital displays casting a soft glow. Reality rushed back to me, and with a groan, I pushed myself up, the remnants of sleep clinging to me like a fog. “It’s orientation day; you don’t want to be late,” Zora informed me, and Lira’s words from yesterday echoed in my mind. “You have thirty minutes to complete your morning routine. Please proceed to the closet for your training uniforms.” I rubbed the sleep from my eyes, still trying to shake off the remnants of my dreams. “How do I–?” I murmure
Chapter: 17 ****** TALON: My heart sank, the weight of their hatred crashing down on me like a tidal wave. I stood frozen, bile rising in my throat as I heard words that cut deeper than any blade. Memories of the world I had tried to escape flooded back, filled with the pain of rejection and the fear of being hunted. I felt utterly alone, surrounded by a sea of hostility that seemed to engulf me. “Silence!” Knight’s voice boomed, but it was drowned out by the jeers and shouts. “You all need to listen!” The crowd continued to shout, their emotions raw and furious, and my chest tightened. I could feel the weight of their disdain— a palpable force that made it hard to breathe. I had hoped for acceptance, for a chance to prove myself, but instead, I stood as a target, the embodiment of their worst fears and prejudices. Then, as if summoned by the chaos, Knight shifted. In an instant, the Beta transformed into his massive wolf form, his fur rippling like shadows beneath the mornin
Chapter: 18 ****** TALON: As I lay there, the sounds of the pack faded into the background, replaced by the pounding of my heart and the quiet rustle of grass beneath me. I struggled to catch my breath, the weight of my failures pressing down harder than ever. The trainees' laughter felt like a distant echo, and I was left alone in my thoughts, a stark contrast to the vibrant energy surrounding me. “Get up, Talon! You can’t stay down forever!” Knight’s voice cut through the haze, filled with a mix of urgency and encouragement. I glanced up to see him approaching, his expression a blend of pity and anger that made his features twist into an unrecognizable expression for a moment. “Come on! You have to move!” Knight reached out and tugged at my arm, gently encouraging me to get up, but it wasn’t enough to pull me from my spot on the ground, not really. Especially since he pulled on the shoulder that I had just twisted when I fell. “I... I can’t,” I admitted the words escaping my li
Chapter: 19 ****** VALE: Forced apart and separated from my other half, they attempted to seal me away forever, ensuring I would never be part of Virgil’s life. They may have succeeded in tearing me from Altair, but they cannot keep me away from Virgil—he is my destiny. I found him long before I was reborn into this world, and I hate them for what they have done to us. Now, I cannot return to my body because of the bonding runes that loom over Altair, a poison keeping me at a distance. To protect Virgil, I must remain close to him. Where he goes, I must go. Even without a body or the means to use my runes, I floated on the sea alongside him, leaving my physical form behind. Only Virgil matters; he is the reason I am here. If he isn’t a part of this world we have just come to know, then that means I, too, cannot exist in it. For days we floated, and I began to fear that I had lost him—that he might never wake up again. But my will was stronger than any doubt. A spirit wolf is gi
Chapter: 20 ******* TALON: I drifted in and out of consciousness, the world around me hazy and indistinct. Flashes of light pierced the darkness, and I could hear muffled voices that felt far away like whispers carried on the wind. I wanted to reach out, to grasp the threads of reality, but my body felt heavy, as though I were submerged in a dream. At some point, the darkness began to recede, and I found myself lying on a soft surface. The scent of antiseptic filled my nostrils—sharp and sterile. I blinked slowly, trying to focus as my surroundings came into view. The room was dimly lit, punctuated by the faint beeping of machines surrounding me, monitoring my every breath. “—needs more nourishment. He can’t recover without it,” a voice came from nearby, clear and commanding. I turned my head slightly, my muscles protesting at the movement, and saw a woman in a white coat leaning over me. Her brow was furrowed in concentration; I recognized her as Dr. Larkin, the camp's chief p
Chapter: 21 ******* TALON: The weight of the world pressed down on my chest as I lay in bed, the familiar scent of my sheets mingling with the metallic tang of my tears. I didn’t care that I was ruining them; I barely cared about anything anymore. All that mattered was this suffocating grief that wrapped itself around me like a shroud. I let the tears fall, my face buried in the fabric, wishing that if I cried enough, I could wash away the memory of that fateful afternoon—the moment I had bitten into Altair. Regret clawed at me, a relentless beast gnawing at my insides. I should have known better. I should have fought harder against the instinct that drove me to him. If only I had turned away, if only I had resisted the urge, maybe I wouldn’t be drowning in this sea of anguish. The blood on my cheeks was a harsh reminder of my choice, each drops a witness to my weakness. The weight on my chest grew heavier still, threatening to crush me from the inside out. My hands shook uncontr
Chapter: 139 ***** TALON: ("Are you aware that she’s manipulating you, or rather, manipulating Helios?") Altair’s voice sliced through my reverie, prompting a smile as I gathered the children and guided them toward their bedroom. It was essential to soothe their spirits so they could find peace tonight. Helen accompanied me until we reached the children's room, but it was Liam who broke the silence first. “Can we stay in your room tonight?” he asked, his voice still tinged with the remnants of tears, soft and fragile. Without hesitation, I nodded and redirected our path toward my own bedroom. Once inside, I tucked the twins into bed, remaining by their side until their breathing steadied into sleep. Helen had slipped away earlier, leaving just me and the children in the quiet room. With them finally at rest, I turned and stepped out onto the balcony, settling into a chair as I gazed up at the luminous moon. “I apologize for keeping you restrained while she was hurting
Chapter: 138 ****** THIRD PERSON: Evelyn stood frozen in shock, her expression a mix of disbelief and something akin to acceptance. But in an instant, she erupted into loud laughter, tears streaming down her cheeks. As her laughter turned to sobs, she clutched his shirt and began to hit his chest with her fists. Each punch was heavy, enough to leave bruises, yet Talon remained motionless, absorbing her pain until she finally stepped back, wiping her eyes. “You must think I’m a complete fool, don’t you, Helios?” she said, her voice laced with bitterness. Talon shook his head, desperate to mend the rift between them without escalating the situation further. Vale had been right; uttering those words aloud would only lead others to believe he had lost his mind. “You’ve obsessed over your lost stepbrother for the majority of our marriage, and now that you’ve awakened, you think it’s appropriate to adopt the personality of a man you never even knew. A man who might very well
Chapter: 137 ****** THIRD PERSON: The sun dipped low in the sky, casting long shadows across the grand estate. Evelyn stood in her bedroom, her heart pounding like a war drum as she methodically watched the servants pack her belongings into a suitcase as instructed. Each zip of the bag echoed like a nail in the coffin of her carefully constructed facade. She glanced at the mirror, her reflection a mask of calculated disappointment. It had been four long years of silence, of plotting, and now, with Helios awake, her world felt as if it were crumbling around her. Liam and Ella, stood in the doorway, their small faces twisted in confusion and fear. “Mommy, please don’t go!” Ella’s voice quavered, a small hand clutching the edge of the doorframe as if it were a lifeline. Liam, usually the brave one, looked up at her with wide, pleading eyes, searching for a glimmer of the mother they once knew. Evelyn’s heart twisted at the sight, yet she steeled herself, the weight of her ambi
Chapter: 136 ******* THIRD PERSON: How was it possible that Talon could possess such a pure heart? After everything Dirk had done, he still looked at him as if he mattered more than anything else in the world. Dirk felt a tumult of emotions swirling within him, unsure of how to process it all. Yet, he had one more confession to make. “I poisoned Altair’s milk, and when you drank his blood, your body withered and you died. I am responsible for your death,” he confessed, his voice heavy with remorse. Although he had expected a different reaction from Talon, all he saw in return were those same tender eyes, filled with understanding. “Did you hear what I said?” Dirk asked, his voice trembling as he sought reassurance that he wasn’t losing his mind and that Talon truly grasped the depths of his actions. “Talon?” A stray tear escaped Talon’s eye, and he didn’t even realize he was crying until Dirk wiped it away and called his name gently. “It’s fine, Uncle. I have returned to my
Chapter: 135 ****** THIRD PERSON: Dirk lay motionless, trapped in the depths of unconsciousness for three long days, while the Pack's doctor maintained a vigil over his fragile form. Outside his door, the air was thick with tension as his mates—Tricc, Seth, and Kurt—hovered anxiously, their faces etched with worry. The hours stretched into an agonizing blur, each tick of the clock amplifying their fears of losing their beloved mate and Luna forever. In the shadows of the Manor, Talon, and Vale remained, though Talon’s restlessness surpassed even that of the Alphas. A ceaseless storm brewed within him, fueled by the dissonance between his uncle's past disdain and the selfless act that had led to his current state. Dirk, the man who had harbored a lifetime of animosity towards him, had thrown himself into the line of fire to save Talon from Heidi’s lethal strike. The thought of Dirk risking everything for him gnawed at Talon’s heart, compelling him to pace the floor, the weight of g
Chapter: 134 ****** THIRD PERSON: “It is both exhilarating and deeply satisfying to witness the Great Luna quaking in terror,” a voice reverberated through the clearing, its familiarity sending chills down Dirk's spine. The flames danced ferociously, obscuring his view and shrouding the figure on the other side in shadows. “Nothing would please me more than to see you consumed by fire, Luna Dirk. You’re unworthy of your title and even more so of being called Luna of this great Pack.” Heidi stepped forward, her silhouette emerging from the flickering inferno, locking eyes with the bewildered Dirk. He could sense her scrutinizing gaze, yet the blaze refused to yield any clarity. “I have siphoned your son’s powers,” she revealed with a chilling calmness. “Even if, by some miracle, he were to locate you—and we both know he won’t—he would be powerless to save you. Only the blood of a vampire can extinguish these flames, and we both understand that you have already slain the vampire
Chapter: 133 ****** THIRD PERSON: The night was thick with tension as the fire blazed fiercely against the backdrop of the darkened sky. Hidden behind the rugged mountain range, the ground was scorched, a stark contrast to the shimmering stars above. Jagged rocks jutted out from the earth, their silhouettes illuminated by the hungry flames that danced and flickered, casting eerie shadows that seemed to writhe with life. Amid this chaos stood a majestic white lion, his fur glowing like a beacon against the consuming inferno. He paced restlessly, the blue barrier surrounding him pulsing with fading light, struggling to hold back the encroaching flames. The heat was oppressive, wrapping around him like a suffocating shroud, while the crackling of the fire echoed in the stillness of the night, a relentless reminder of the danger closing in. Every instinct screamed for him to fight, to summon the magic within him, yet despite his best efforts, the witch's dark power loomed large
Chapter: 132 ****** TALON: As I listened intently to the phone call, my heart plummeted when the Alphas revealed that their mate was missing. Despite the tumultuous relationship I had with my uncle, I could never wish him ill or hope for his misfortune. He was, after all, family, and my love for him remained resolute, regardless of the past. I caught a glimpse of the concern etched on Vale's face and heard the soft groans escaping Altair's lips. It was evident they were distressed over their Birth Omega, yet they seemed determined to shield me from the turmoil. Their protective instincts brought a smile to my lips. I reached out, pulling Vale onto the bed beside me. He avoided my gaze, fixating instead on the floor. “Hey, baby,” I gently prompted, lifting his chin with my fingers to encourage him to meet my eyes. “It’s alright; we’ll go.” The surprise in his eyes was notable, and I could sense Altair's relief with a quiet exhale. Vale's expression shifted to one of deep
Chapter: 131 ****** VALE: “Vale…” Talon murmured, stirring in his sleep, breaking the spell of my thoughts. The sound of his voice, soft and familiar, pulled me back into the present, reminding me of the love we shared, even amidst the chaos. I leaned in closer, wrapping my arms around Talon, drawing him in as if to shield him from the darkness that lingered just outside our sanctuary. “I’m here,” I whispered, holding on tightly, determined to face whatever came next together. “What am I supposed to do?” Talon’s voice trembled, the familiar broken quality tugging at my heartstrings. Propping myself on one elbow, I gently guided Talon to lie on his back so our eyes met. My fingers traced his cheeks tenderly as I pressed soft kisses to his nose, then to his cheeks, and finally to his eyes and temple. The sound of Talon's laughter filled the air, a sweet melody that encouraged me to capture his lips in a kiss, drawing a soft moan from him. We lingered in that tender exchange, sav