Willow's POVThe air was thick with the scent of damp earth and the faint rustle of leaves as I stood by the riverbank, a chill creeping through my bones. The moon hung full and bright above me, illuminating the water in shimmering waves that danced like whispers of magic. But there was something else in the air, an intangible force pulling at my very essence as if the night itself was trying to draw me in.My gaze turned toward the river, where I saw them, Daniel and Ella, my precious twins, sailing slowly away in a small boat. They looked so serene, their laughter echoing softly against the backdrop of the gentle ripples, yet something felt dreadfully wrong. “Daniel! Ella!” I called, my voice rising above the tranquil sounds of the water, but they didn’t respond. Their eyes were fixed on something far beyond my reach, something that captivated them entirely, and I felt a surge of panic flood through me.I couldn’t let them drift away. Without thinking, I jumped into the water, but a
Asher's POVI leaned against the cold stone railing of my balcony, staring out into the night, and trying to silence the thoughts that plagued me. I had tried to sleep, but every time I closed my eyes, all I could see was Willow, her smile, her laughter, and the way she looked at me as if I was the only person in the room. But now, the fear that she was moving on without me gnawed at my insides like a relentless beast.I ran a hand through my hair, feeling the weight of my worries. I needed to know what was happening with her, but the last thing I wanted was to disrupt the fragile peace we had managed to carve out in our lives. As I was lost in thought, I caught sight of a familiar figure stepping onto the balcony beside me.Axel, my brother, was standing there, a bottle of whiskey in hand. He looked as if he hadn’t slept a wink either. “Couldn’t sleep?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.He shrugged and offered me the bottle. “I figured I’d take advantage of the moonlight and
Chapter 33Next StopWillow’s POVAs dawn broke over the horizon, a soft golden light spilled into my small bedroom, rousing me from a restless sleep. I lay in bed for a moment, staring at the ceiling, my heart heavy with worry. It had been days since I last saw my kids, and the emptiness in my chest felt like a gaping wound that refused to heal. I could still hear their laughter echoing in my mind, and see their faces in my dreams. But now, they were gone, and I had no idea where to find them.The moment I swung my legs over the side of the bed, I felt a surge of determination. I couldn’t just sit here and wait for something to happen. I needed to take action, to find them. After all, they were my children. I would do whatever it took to bring them home.I quickly dressed and slipped on my worn boots, the familiar leather feeling reassuring against my skin. My heart raced as I made my way down the stairs, where I found Jason and Ruby waiting for me. Jason leaned against the kitchen
Chapter 34Finding My KidsWillow's POV After hours of searching every inch of the compound and calling for my children until my voice was hoarse, I found myself standing alone in the courtyard, surrounded by silence. My heart pounded as I stared at the empty grounds as if my pleas might somehow conjure their small, familiar faces from the shadows. But no one came. The few people I’d managed to find in the nearby houses and shops had only offered vague sympathy before turning away. I realized then, with a sinking feeling, that no one was going to help me. No one was as desperate as I was to find my children.Desperation mounting, I made my way to the security office, my footsteps heavy with anger and fear. I didn’t knock, didn’t wait. I barged into the room and faced the chief of security with a glare that, at another time, I wouldn’t have imagined myself capable of.“If you won’t help me find my children, then I’ll end this right here, right now. I’ll make it a public scene, you’ll
Chapter 35A Light in the Tunnel Willow's POV After Benjamin had run inside after his mate, I felt hollow, like I’d been left out in the cold. My heart was pounding from the despair and rage that boiled within me. He didn’t even care, my children were missing, and he brushed me off like I was nothing. I swallowed hard and turned to leave, but as I did, I came face to face with the Alpha himself, Benjamin’s father.The Alpha’s gaze was penetrating but calm, a contrast to my chaotic emotions. His expression softened slightly as he looked at me, and with a brief nod, he gestured toward the palace."Come with me," he said, his voice steady and composed.I hesitated, stunned by his sudden appearance and unsure of his intentions. I hadn’t come here expecting to meet him, let alone speak to him. I’d only wanted help finding my children. But something in his gaze made me feel that maybe, just maybe, he could offer that help. Brushing away my tears, I nodded and followed him inside.We walke
Chapter 36A way in Asher's POVI tossed my bag onto the bed, the contents spilling out in a haphazard mess that mirrored the chaos in my mind. Tomorrow, I’d be heading to Willow’s pack, something I’d put off for as long as I could which in an actual sense was barely five days but it already felt like a million years. I could feel the tension of this impending journey tightening around my chest, and I knew it was time. No more avoiding. We needed answers, and Willow was the key to getting those answers. I was midway through folding a shirt when Axel strolled into my room, hands in his pockets, his usual smirk absent. “So, you're really going tomorrow?” he asked, his voice low.I looked up, meeting his gaze. “Yeah. It’s time.” My voice sounded steadier than I felt.Axel glanced down, his expression almost hesitant. “You know, we… I wish I could go with you. I don’t like the idea of you facing this alone.”I placed a hand on his shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “We’ve already
Chapter 37Weather of DoomAxel's POVThe moment I stepped into the hallway, I sensed it. A heaviness clung to the air, thick and suffocating, far heavier than the storm rumbling outside. My chest was burning.I caught a glimpse of my father’s retreating back, his figure disappearing around the corner, leaving behind a trail of silence that only blood could cause. The man lying on the floor was still, his life gone, and yet I knew him immediately, he was the one I’d been following, the one who had met with my informant in secret just last week. I only knew this because I had another of my men take a picture for me. My jaw clenched. I knew what it meant to cross my father, knew what line that poor man had stepped over. And yet, I couldn’t shake the feeling that my father had acted quickly, too quickly, as if trying to erase some thread that might unravel if pulled too hard. A chill swept down my spine; it wasn’t fear exactly, but more a grim realization of what lay beneath his lates
Chapter 38The interceptionAsher's POV The sky hung heavy, the early morning light muted under a thick veil of clouds, as though even nature was holding its breath. My heart raced as I stood in our quiet, darkened headquarters, the silence pressing down on me as I prepared myself mentally for what was coming. Today was the day. After all our planning, we were finally going to intercept the men trafficking kids for those vile experiments, and I could feel a sense of dread clawing at me. Something deep inside warned me that this was only the beginning, that today’s mission would open doors to things we might not be prepared to face.I felt a hand on my shoulder, jolting me out of my thoughts. It was Axel as usual, he was already geared up and armed with that steely determination I’d come to rely on. “You ready?” he asked, a slight smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth as if we were gearing up for another raid, not one that could expose our father’s dark secrets.I nodded, trying t
Chapter 114Plans on the WrongJason's POVThe sound of my boots echoed in the empty hallway as I made my way to the dungeon. Each step felt heavier than the last, but I kept moving. My chest burned with anger, humiliation, and something I couldn’t quite name. Asher’s words from earlier replayed in my head, each one sharper than the last. “Illegitimate bastard.” I clenched my fists, the memory of his taunt making my blood boil. He had said it so casually like it was a fact everyone knew but dared not voice. Not in front of our father. He wasn't scared of the old man and I wondered how he was able to do that. Knowing that my mother had been nothing to my father unlike the rest of the woman in his life hurt me deeply. It was almost like I had made a mistake and for years I thought that. Not until my father had reached out to me to claim me as his son out of the blues. Asher had mentioned that father was not someone who does anything without something else behind it. But Asher had
Chapter 113The Ultimate FusionWillow’s POVThe first thing I felt was the pressure. The weight of the earth above me pressed against my chest, making every shallow breath a struggle. I opened my eyes to total darkness, the realization sinking in that I was still buried. For a split second, panic clawed at my mind. My instincts screamed to thrash and claw my way out, but I forced myself to remain calm. I wasn’t the same Willow who had been laid in this grave three days ago. Closing my eyes, I drew in what little oxygen I could and reached out with my mind. Before the moon realm, connecting to anyone via mind-link had always been a challenge for me, requiring intense focus and effort. Now, it felt as natural as breathing. Lina. Her response was immediate, her voice clear and steady in my head. "Willow! You’re awake! Hold tight; we’re coming to get you." I could feel the ripples of excitement emanating from her wolf and I could only imagine how worried she must have been before
Chapter 112Truth UnfoldingAsher's POVRegret settled deep in my chest, as heavy as a mountain. I stared at the cold stone floor of the dungeon, my arms bound tightly behind me. The air was thick with despair and the coppery scent of blood. I should never have come here. My impulsive decision to confront my father had not only put my life at risk but had also escalated his wrath to levels I hadn’t anticipated. Six-pack members were already dead. I flinched as another agonized scream echoed through the chamber, cutting through the silence like a blade. My father, Alpha Thane, stood tall and imposing, his silver-streaked hair glowing in the dim torchlight. Beside him was Elana, his loyal, sadistic partner-in-crime, a twisted grin etched on her face. Each scream ended the same way, an abrupt, eerie silence that signified another life extinguished. “Asher,” my father said, his voice dripping with mockery as he turned to me, “do you enjoy the sound of their suffering? It’s all bec
Chapter 111Ethereal Willow's POVI woke slowly, the weight of the world lifting from me as I blinked open my eyes. Except...these weren’t my eyes. They were sharper, keener. The colors around me were dazzling, the world a canvas of ethereal light and shifting hues. Streaks of gold, blue, and lavender rippled through the air, blending into shapes and patterns that seemed alive. I tried to move and realized I wasn’t in my human form. My paws pressed against the soft ground beneath me, my silver fur shimmering like liquid moonlight. My wolf senses were heightened beyond anything I’d ever experienced. The air hummed with energy, and every sound and scent was more vibrant than I thought possible. Where was I? Looking around, I realized this wasn’t the world I knew. This place wasn’t earth, it was something else entirely. It hit me like a thunderclap: this was the Moon Realm. The stories I’d heard whispered since I was a pup, were the eternal resting place for wolves like me, where
Chapter 110Held HostageAxel’s POVI hadn’t slept. Not properly. The grave where we’d buried Willow loomed in my mind all night like an unspoken challenge. Every time I closed my eyes, I imagined her struggling beneath the earth, reaching out, needing us, and we weren’t there. The hours dragged by and even the soothing light of the moon did little to quell the storm inside me. The others didn’t seem much better. Aiden stayed awake sharpening his knife, over and over, his face an unreadable mask. Kingston sat with his back against the oak tree, pretending to be calm, but his eyes betrayed him, they flicked toward the burial site every few minutes. And Lina? She hovered like a shadow at the edge of the clearing, muttering under her breath as if running through a list of problems I wasn’t privy to. I was desperate for movement, a sign, anything to indicate that Willow was okay. “Lina,” I said sharply, louder than I intended. She stopped pacing, turning to me with an annoyed expr
Chapter 109The Beginning of the EndAsher’s POVThe firelight flickered in the corner of my vision, but my eyes stayed locked on the shallow grave. None of us spoke. We’d all decided to stay outside, camped out beside the ritual spot where Willow lay buried under the moonlight. Each of us carried a weight that grew heavier with every passing second. Daniel and Ella had woken up earlier to ask for their mother. They were asleep now but it had taken a lot of convincing to get them to believe that Willow went to get them something and had not been captured by their father.Axel paced a few feet away, his boots crunching against the frost-covered grass. Aiden sat cross-legged, absently tracing patterns in the dirt with a stick. Kingston leaned against a tree, his arms crossed, watching the grave like a sentinel. I was seated on the ground, knees pulled to my chest, trying not to let the gnawing worry consume me. What if something went wrong? What if she needed us and couldn’t call ou
Chapter 108The Moon RitualLina's POV The fire crackled low in the hearth, casting flickering shadows on the walls of the living room. Everyone had gone to bed hours ago, but sleep was the last thing on my mind. My hands clenched the edges of the blanket draped over me, the voices of doubt from earlier replaying in my head.“Half-baked plans,” Axel had said. “Do you even know what you’re doing, Lina?” Asher’s voice, though softer, was just as sharp.It wasn’t the first time they had questioned my abilities as a wolf seer, but today, it had cut deeper than ever. I wasn’t just a part of this pack, I was their guide, their protector. To hear them doubt me made me feel smaller than I ever had before. I leaned forward, staring into the embers as if they held the answers I sought. The truth was, I didn’t have all the answers, not yet. But I would. I threw the blanket aside and rose from the couch, determination swelling in my chest. If they didn’t trust me to lead, I would prove to
Chapter 107A Call Out Willow’s POVThe house was unnervingly quiet, the kind of silence that made every creak of the floorboards and whisper of the wind feel amplified. The faint light of the television flickered across the room, illuminating the tense faces of those around me. It felt like we were waiting for something inevitable, something we couldn’t stop even if we wanted to. Asher sat closest to the TV, his arms crossed and his jaw set in a tight line. Aiden leaned forward, elbows on his knees, his usual calm veneer cracking under the weight of the situation. Axel placed near the window, restless energy radiating from him like a storm waiting to break. Lina and I sat together on the couch, her steady presence a comfort I didn’t know I needed. We were waiting for the broadcast. Waiting for Thane. The children were upstairs, blissfully unaware of the danger looming over us. I envied their innocence, and their ability to sleep soundly while the rest of us were drowning in u
Chapter 106Warrior LunaWillow’s POVThe silence in the house felt heavier than the walls pressing in around us. Everyone seemed lost in their own thoughts, weighed down by the uncertainty of what was to come. As the day dragged on, I found myself sitting cross-legged on the floor with Lina in a quiet corner of the house. Her eyes were intense, her voice steady, but her words were like sharp arrows aimed at my heart. “You know this isn’t something you can avoid, Willow,” Lina said, her tone leaving no room for argument. “The longer you wait, the stronger Alpha Thane becomes. He’s not just going to stop at the pack. He’s aiming for complete dominance. You heard him, he won't stop, once he was down here, he would be moving on while Jason took over from him.” I sighed, leaning my head back against the cool wall. “You make it sound so simple like I can just wake up one day and decide I’m ready to fight an evil Alpha who’s backed by dark magic. Lina, I don’t even know what I’m doing.