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 39Heralding Good newsWillow's POV The night stretched long and merciless, dragging me through a haze of worry and restlessness. My children’s faces haunted me, shadows of their smiles flickering in the corners of my mind. Every thought was a question, where were they? Were they safe? My heart thudded heavily, filling the silence as I lay in bed, tangled in sheets that only reminded me of their absence.I must have fallen asleep eventually, but only barely, because it felt like mere seconds before Ruby was at my bedside, gently shaking my shoulder. The soft light of dawn cast a glow across her concerned face.“Willow, wake up,” she whispered, though urgency tinged her voice. “Some of the kids… they’ve been found. They’re on their way back to the palace right now.”Her words sliced through the remnants of sleep, and I bolted upright, gripping her arm. “They’re safe? Are you sure?” The relief bubbling up was almost painful, like a dam about to burst after holding back too much
Chapter 40Another chanceAsher's POV I stood outside the hospital ward, staring through the glass with clenched fists as I watched the doctors try once more to bring Axel back. My brother’s lifeless body lay still on the bed, three days after the doctor had told us that he was fine and recovering well. As they worked frantically, my own breath caught every time they charged the defibrillator or leaned in close to check his pulse. This was the fourth time today they’d tried to resuscitate him, but Axel’s body seemed determined to cling to unconsciousness, defying every attempt they made to pull him back. His wounds had started healing, thanks to his natural resilience, but the fact that he hadn’t yet regained consciousness gnawed at me with an almost unbearable weight.One of the doctors caught my eye as he stepped out of the ward, his expression unreadable but serious. I met him in the hallway, every instinct in me bracing for whatever he might say.“Asher,” he began, the hesitati
Axel's POVThe hum of hospital machines and the sterile smell of antiseptic had faded into the background, but I could still feel the tension in the air as we left. My body was healing, but something was gnawing at me, something deeper than the bullet wound or the ache that lingered. It was the tension in Asher, the way he hadn’t relaxed even when the doctor gave me the all-clear. When he thought no one was watching, I could see it in the lines etched deep around his eyes.The car ride back was quiet. Asher was sitting beside me, and Aiden was up front, focusing on the road, his usual chatter replaced by a heavy silence. I couldn’t ignore the feeling that something wasn’t right.“Asher,” I said quietly when I couldn’t stand it any longer. “What’s going on?”He didn’t look at me, just stared out the window, jaw clenched. “Nothing, Axel. You need to focus on resting and getting back to full health.”I didn’t buy it, not for a second. “Asher, don’t give me that. I know you. You’re tense
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.