Cyrus POV.I finally gathered the courage to open the door, stepping quietly into the room. Baekalis was still lying in bed, her back to the door, the blankets pulled up around her like a shield against the world. I could hear her breathing, slow and steady, but there was a fragility to it that made my chest tighten. She was barely holding on, and I knew that leaving her now might be the hardest thing I’d ever have to do.“Baekalis,” I whispered, unsure if she was awake or asleep. Her stillness gave me no answer, but I continued, needing to say the words even if she couldn’t hear them. “I’m going to find them. I’m going to bring our babies back, I promise you. Please, hold on. Just hold on a little longer. I need you… I need you to be here when I get back.”There was no response, no movement, just the quiet rise and fall of her breathing. I wanted to reach out, to touch her, to reassure her somehow, but I was afraid. Afraid that my touch would break her further, or worse, that she wou
Devina's POV.The darkness of the room wrapped around me like a suffocating shroud. I stood there, frozen, staring at the basket on the floor, the soft breathing of the babies the only sound that punctuated the silence. I had turned away from them, but something—maybe that faint, insidious pity, maybe something else—kept me rooted to the spot. I should have left them, should have walked out and shut the door behind me, but my feet refused to move.What was I doing? How had it come to this? Caring for Baekalis’ children, playing the nursemaid to the offsprings of my greatest betrayal. The thought made me sick. Yet, I couldn’t bring myself to leave them alone in the cold room. I wanted to hate them as much as I hated their mother, but I wasn’t sure I could.A soft whimper broke the silence, the boy this time. I could see his tiny form squirming beneath the blanket, searching for warmth, for comfort. I clenched my fists, nails digging into my palms as I fought the urge to respond. It was
As the door closed behind Nightshade, I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. The tension in my shoulders slowly unwound, though the heaviness in my chest remained. His presence was like a cold, suffocating fog that seeped into every corner of the room, and even after he was gone, the chill lingered. I walked over to the window, pulling back the heavy curtain to peer out into the night. The sky was pitch black, with no stars to offer comfort, just the same oppressive darkness I had grown accustomed to.I pressed my forehead against the cool glass, my breath fogging the glass as my thoughts spiraled. It was always the same when Nightshade left. Relief mingled with dread, the uneasy calm before the storm. I was his lover, his confidante, but only because I had to be. The mask I wore in his presence felt like a second skin, a permanent skin I could never fully shed. I was trapped in this role, suffocated by the lies I told myself and him. There was no escape, not without payi
Devina's POV.The morning sunlight filtered softly through the heavy curtains, casting a warm, golden hue across the room. I was still half-asleep, drifting between dreams and reality, when I felt Devina stir beside me. Her warmth was a comforting presence, and I wanted nothing more than to stay wrapped up in her embrace, blocking out the dangers that waited beyond these walls. But even in this peaceful moment, there was an unspoken tension in the air, a reminder that our time together was always fleeting.I slowly became more aware of the world around me, the softness of the bed, the gentle rise and fall of Devina’s breath. But I kept my eyes closed, savoring the feeling of her fingers threading through my hair, the tender way she touched me. It was rare to see her like this—calm, unguarded, and not weighed down by the burdens she carried. I wanted to hold onto it, just a little longer.But reality had other plans.I felt her movements slow, the gentle strokes of her hand in my hair
CYRUS’ POV I kicked the stone I had been fixated on for the past half hour away from me. Stephen had been gone for a while and we were all losing hope. Of course none of us said it directly, but with each passing day, our shoulders slumped more, we became more sluggish and the vigour which had been there days ago slowly died.I don't even know who was more affected by the kidnapping of Ciel and Lyra– me or Thomas, my father in law.I stood up, dusting myself off as Stephen rushed towards me, looking more anxious than usual if that was even fucking possible.“Cyrus, we need to move…now!” he ordered, rousing the others from their resting places. “What…why?” I questioned, rubbing my temple as I arched my back, the satisfying crack it made as I stretched.“The twins…I know where they are…” he trailed off, picking up his gun and putting out the fire he and Thomas had struggled to ignite mere hours before.My eyes shot open at that, my somewhat calm psyche thrown into another frenzy as b
Cyrus POV.I don't know how long I lay there, I turned my neck, the stiffness making it hard as I took in the bloodiness of my surroundings. I looked at Denzel again, his eyes were closed so just to be sure I pressed my ear to his chest.It rose and fell slowly, a calming rhythm to his breaths. I pressed a kiss to the tip of his nose as I stood up gingerly, stretching as I reached for a makeshift first aid box in the corner of the room. I poured alcohol on a semi-clean rag and silently apologised as I pressed the rag to his thigh. He winced and woke up, he saw me and his frantic eyes softened as he clenched my cloak. I slowly wiped the blood off the surrounding areas and cleaned his wound as best I could, I then tore an piece of my cloak and used it to wrap the injury.That would help for now.I snuggled into his chest, not caring whether nightshade would see us anymore. He groggily turned and pressed a kiss to my forehead, falling asleep quickly after. ~•~I slowly sat up, rubbing
DEVINA'S POV“We have to strike now!” Nightshade boomed as he turned towards the pack of rogues…the same rogues who murdered Alpha Cyrus' parents.“Why? It's not the designated time yet. Our soldiers aren't fully trained yet and your top soldier just recovered from a fatal injury…”“I hardly think we are in any position to ‘strike now’.”“Oh, but we are dear Alpha. Cyrus' father in law was murdered in the same battle that my Denzel was wounded.”Your Denzel?“Combining the death of her father with the birth and kidnapping of her children, Baekalis is weak and emotionally unstable right now. And if she is, automatically her husband — Cyrus — is too.“Now is the perfect time to strike because they are so downcast and fucking disoriented.”“B-but–”“But what?!” Nightshade boomed, his voice echoing through the night, the distant cry of the birds echoing through the dense forest.“Lower your voice.” The alpha commanded, growling as he faced Nightshade.Nightshade sighed in exasperation, ru
CYRUS’ POV Baek switched between happy and depressed over the next fortnight. Her moods went from immense joy to overwhelming sadness in a matter of days. Her mother had holed herself up in her room ever since the night of the announcement. Thomas was cremated and his ashes were kept in a jar in Cynthia's room, the jar kept in a glass case which hung decoratively over her bed.We– especially I– were all worried for Baek, tiptoeing on eggshells around her all the time, careful not to upset her for fear she'd breakdown.“Hey,” I whispered softly, coming out the bathroom as I tightened the sweatpants which hung low on my waist.I went to her and softly kissed the top of her head, sitting behind her as I massaged her shoulders.“How are you holding up?” I asked, burrowing my fingers deeper into her shoulder, fighting the knots there.“It all still feels unreal. It's like trying to balance being the mother of twin newborns while mourning the death of my father and trying to be there for m
BAEKALIS’ POVI stood nervously in the dressing room, turning around so I was faced away from the mirror as I played with the rings that adorned my fingers. My wedding ring shone the brightest among them all, the gem glowing in a way that I had never seen before. It amazed me every single time. Sadly, this wasn't one of the special times that the glimmer managed to calm me down. “Sweetheart, you're overreacting. It's not that deep.”I snapped my neck around again to glare daggers at Natalia, folding my arms across my chest as she flinched at my look. She stared at me pointedly for a few more seconds before deciding to call me a bluff. She mirrored my look, hers accompanied with the same subtle eyebrow raise that Cyrus did all the time. “Mhm, don't look at me like that. You also know you're overreacting.” Natalia turned to look at Ardyn who was seated on the couch next to her, his attention fully directed at his switch.Clyde had finally gotten him one for his tenth birthday a few
DEVINA'S POVI sighed, soaking myself in the water even more as I let myself sink. My muscles were aching, and for the first time in a while, I felt relaxed. My face felt smooth, and my hair was neatly tied in a bun and my whole skin was tingling. Soft classical piano resonated around the room through the speakers situated at the four corners of the walls. The speakers were connected to my phone, and I genuinely wouldn't mind being murdered here. Sonata No. 14, “Moonlight” in C-Sharp Minor, Op. 27 No. 2: I. Adagio sostenuto. It was a particular favourite of mine ever since I had started listening to classical music. Which was, admittedly, only quite recently. Although, I didn't think my opinion about it being one of my favourites would be changing any time soon. I heard footsteps echoing from down the hall, sounding louder and louder as the owner of the two feet approached the bathroom. I only sighed louder, letting my eyes flutter close as I rested my head against the edge of t
Cyrus POV.The alpha rogue howled outside as if calling me, red filled my vision as I transformed, stepping over bodies as I made my way outside.The cool breeze blew our fur, his beady black eyes glinting wickedly in the moonlight. We both detransformed.“Ending your parents was just the beginning, I'll kill you then proceed to end the rest of your pathetic pack.”“Your father was a weakling who never deserved to rule.”“What's shocking is he had an even weaker son who succeeded in being a worse Alpha than he was.”I cut him off, sending an uppercut to his stomach as he lurched backwards, clutching his stomach.He lunged at me, his claws gleaming in the moonlight, I bent as low as I could, kicking him from under and sending him flying towards the entrance.He fell on the tiles with a large this, the stood up, limping as he wiped blood from his mouth, a sinister look in his eye as he transformed.I transformed too, slowly advancing towards him, howls and battle cries distant as his gre
CYRUS’ POV Baek switched between happy and depressed over the next fortnight. Her moods went from immense joy to overwhelming sadness in a matter of days. Her mother had holed herself up in her room ever since the night of the announcement. Thomas was cremated and his ashes were kept in a jar in Cynthia's room, the jar kept in a glass case which hung decoratively over her bed.We– especially I– were all worried for Baek, tiptoeing on eggshells around her all the time, careful not to upset her for fear she'd breakdown.“Hey,” I whispered softly, coming out the bathroom as I tightened the sweatpants which hung low on my waist.I went to her and softly kissed the top of her head, sitting behind her as I massaged her shoulders.“How are you holding up?” I asked, burrowing my fingers deeper into her shoulder, fighting the knots there.“It all still feels unreal. It's like trying to balance being the mother of twin newborns while mourning the death of my father and trying to be there for m
DEVINA'S POV“We have to strike now!” Nightshade boomed as he turned towards the pack of rogues…the same rogues who murdered Alpha Cyrus' parents.“Why? It's not the designated time yet. Our soldiers aren't fully trained yet and your top soldier just recovered from a fatal injury…”“I hardly think we are in any position to ‘strike now’.”“Oh, but we are dear Alpha. Cyrus' father in law was murdered in the same battle that my Denzel was wounded.”Your Denzel?“Combining the death of her father with the birth and kidnapping of her children, Baekalis is weak and emotionally unstable right now. And if she is, automatically her husband — Cyrus — is too.“Now is the perfect time to strike because they are so downcast and fucking disoriented.”“B-but–”“But what?!” Nightshade boomed, his voice echoing through the night, the distant cry of the birds echoing through the dense forest.“Lower your voice.” The alpha commanded, growling as he faced Nightshade.Nightshade sighed in exasperation, ru
Cyrus POV.I don't know how long I lay there, I turned my neck, the stiffness making it hard as I took in the bloodiness of my surroundings. I looked at Denzel again, his eyes were closed so just to be sure I pressed my ear to his chest.It rose and fell slowly, a calming rhythm to his breaths. I pressed a kiss to the tip of his nose as I stood up gingerly, stretching as I reached for a makeshift first aid box in the corner of the room. I poured alcohol on a semi-clean rag and silently apologised as I pressed the rag to his thigh. He winced and woke up, he saw me and his frantic eyes softened as he clenched my cloak. I slowly wiped the blood off the surrounding areas and cleaned his wound as best I could, I then tore an piece of my cloak and used it to wrap the injury.That would help for now.I snuggled into his chest, not caring whether nightshade would see us anymore. He groggily turned and pressed a kiss to my forehead, falling asleep quickly after. ~•~I slowly sat up, rubbing
CYRUS’ POV I kicked the stone I had been fixated on for the past half hour away from me. Stephen had been gone for a while and we were all losing hope. Of course none of us said it directly, but with each passing day, our shoulders slumped more, we became more sluggish and the vigour which had been there days ago slowly died.I don't even know who was more affected by the kidnapping of Ciel and Lyra– me or Thomas, my father in law.I stood up, dusting myself off as Stephen rushed towards me, looking more anxious than usual if that was even fucking possible.“Cyrus, we need to move…now!” he ordered, rousing the others from their resting places. “What…why?” I questioned, rubbing my temple as I arched my back, the satisfying crack it made as I stretched.“The twins…I know where they are…” he trailed off, picking up his gun and putting out the fire he and Thomas had struggled to ignite mere hours before.My eyes shot open at that, my somewhat calm psyche thrown into another frenzy as b
Devina's POV.The morning sunlight filtered softly through the heavy curtains, casting a warm, golden hue across the room. I was still half-asleep, drifting between dreams and reality, when I felt Devina stir beside me. Her warmth was a comforting presence, and I wanted nothing more than to stay wrapped up in her embrace, blocking out the dangers that waited beyond these walls. But even in this peaceful moment, there was an unspoken tension in the air, a reminder that our time together was always fleeting.I slowly became more aware of the world around me, the softness of the bed, the gentle rise and fall of Devina’s breath. But I kept my eyes closed, savoring the feeling of her fingers threading through my hair, the tender way she touched me. It was rare to see her like this—calm, unguarded, and not weighed down by the burdens she carried. I wanted to hold onto it, just a little longer.But reality had other plans.I felt her movements slow, the gentle strokes of her hand in my hair
As the door closed behind Nightshade, I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. The tension in my shoulders slowly unwound, though the heaviness in my chest remained. His presence was like a cold, suffocating fog that seeped into every corner of the room, and even after he was gone, the chill lingered. I walked over to the window, pulling back the heavy curtain to peer out into the night. The sky was pitch black, with no stars to offer comfort, just the same oppressive darkness I had grown accustomed to.I pressed my forehead against the cool glass, my breath fogging the glass as my thoughts spiraled. It was always the same when Nightshade left. Relief mingled with dread, the uneasy calm before the storm. I was his lover, his confidante, but only because I had to be. The mask I wore in his presence felt like a second skin, a permanent skin I could never fully shed. I was trapped in this role, suffocated by the lies I told myself and him. There was no escape, not without payi