EverestKali and I changed into our bathing suits and brought a big blanket down to the edge of the lake. We laid it out flat in the sand under the shade of a tall fir tree and set out a variety of unhealthy snacks and sodas that we’d nabbed from the pack house kitchen. The day was clear and hot; perfect for sitting by the lake. After the emotional and physical stress over the last several weeks it felt nice to sit with my best friend and let the world fade away for a few hours. I knew the topic of what had happened down in the tunnels was eating away at her, but she didn’t press, which I was thankful for. What had happened to Fiona weighed heavy in my heart and I cringed at the thought of reliving it out loud. She had been just a child. Barely old enough to have a wolf and then she’d been turned into a monster against her will and lost forever. The thought of her mangled, hairless body rotting in the dark of those tunnels haunted me. If i ever got the chance, I'd retrive her remains a
EverestI gently patted Dayna’s hair and rubbed her back while she laid her head in my lap, tears streaming from her eyes. I didn’t want to push her, but I couldn’t imagine what was causing this kind of pain in her. I let her lay there and cry it out until she seemed to calm down enough to sit up. I passed her some tissues, and she blew her nose and dried her eyes.“Dayna, what’s going on?” I grabbed her hand, comforting her.She looked at me with big sad eyes, lip trembling.“R-remember the other n-night? W-when you asked ab-about my mate?” she stammered, trying to steady her breath. I nodded, not wanting to interrupt her.“I d-did find h-him. B-but h-he’s a h-h-human.” She buried her face in her hands, trembling. My jaw dropped. I hadn’t heard of a wolf being mated to a human in…pretty much forever. It was insanely rare. Some wolves through history had been mated to witches or other supernatural beings, but aside from Starrk…I don’t know if I’d ever heard of a wolf claiming a human m
FinnLupin never showed for dinner, so I left some on a tray outside of her room. Everest had said she would try to talk to her tomorrow, but I knew it should be me. She was my family and she’d done so much for me. I needed to put her conscience at ease…it was the least I could do. Everest had remained downstairs while I returned to our room to shower and change out of my stained shirt. I should probably stop cooking in white, I shook my head. I pulled off the messy clothes and stepped into a steamy hot shower, lathering up my toned muscles and letting the hot water rise the day off my skin. My mind drifted to the last time I’d been in here with Everest. She’d been on her knees with her plush lips wrapped around my thick cock. Gods, she’d felt good. I could feel myself getting hard just remembering it. My fiery mate was the sexiest little thing I could ever imagine. I closed my eyes and leaned forward, propping myself against the glass, while I stroked my growing erection. Her sweet as
EverestWe crawled out of bed and dressed for the day. I was quieter than usual during breakfast, but Finn didn’t pressure me to talk. We munched on bacon and eggs and fresh summer fruit while Finn texted someone. I was anxious to go home again. I didn’t feel like the same person anymore. I guess I wasn’t. I was changed completely down to the way I looked now. Mere weeks had passed since I’d left home but it felt like years. I realized I’d been poking a blueberry around my plate for 5 minutes when I noticed Finn watching me.“I know your nervous. Do you want to talk about it, little wolf?” He spoke gently but I could tell he was anxious to make it better.“I’m guess I’m just thinking about how different I feel. In the way I look but also just in who I am and how I feel. It’s been a wild few weeks.” I shook my head.Finn considered my words. “I can understand that. I think maybe though you’ll find that you will feel more like yourself when you return to the place you called home. Maybe
FinnI was exhausted. Today had been long and it was barely half over. Lupin had barely spoken to me this morning when I tried to smooth things over with her and I wasn’t sure what else I could do or say to ease the tension between us. It wasn’t exactly that she was mad, but I know she felt some responsibility for everything. I had tried to explain to her that nothing that I’d learned from Rowena or anyone else would ever change the fact that she’s my baby sister and I would always love her. She didn’t seem to want to hear it though. She may have gotten all the brains, but she was stubborn as sin too. And to top things off it turned out Everest’s family were huggers. I’d been given more hugs since I got here than I think I’ve had in my whole life. They were as welcoming as they could possibly be though, and I found myself curious at the close bond they shared between all of them. Not having had that since I was ten it was nice to know that it existed still, and that my pup would have t
FinnI never knew silence could feel so damn loud.Kali and Everest were laughing in the kitchen when Caleb, Jack and I walked in, but the sound cut off the second they saw us. Everest turned first, her smile faltering at the look on our faces. She was holding a mug of tea, steam curling lazily into the air, but the glow of her silvery eye caught the light just right, and it hit me like a punch. She looked so… ethereal. Strong. Like she didn’t belong in this world anymore.I wished I could believe that strength would make this easier.Kali narrowed her eyes, leaning against the counter. She was too sharp, too observant to miss the tension radiating off us. “What’s wrong?” she asked, her tone flat. No room for excuses.I opened my mouth, but nothing came out.Jack stepped forward, his usual steady demeanor masking the weight of what we’d found. I should have said something then—but my mind was stuck. On Theo...His scent, faint and desperate, mixed with the foul, metallic stench of Twax
EverestMy dad met us outside to see us off after the heated discussion, his expression unreadable. The weight of our argument hung in the air between us, but I wasn’t ready to face it yet. “I’ve packed some things to bring to Onyx with me” I said instead, noting the squeeze of his eyes. “I probably won’t be back for a while.”“Everest, please. I made a mistake. I’m sorry. I’m as devastated about Theo’s disappearance as you and Kali. He’s Griffins future delta, and I’ve known him since he was a baby. How could I not be?” He rubbed his eyes, looking older than I’d noticed before. His earnest words thawed me a little.“I – I’m not really ready to talk about it, Dad. You were willing to keep me in the dark. I get it was to protect me, but that’s not how our family does things. You lied. Just give me some time, Okay? I don’t hate, you. I – I just have a lot I need to figure out right now.” He’d nodded down at me, his eyes closing.“Whatever you need, honey.”I gave him a small smile and m
EverestThe morning light filtered through the creamy curtains, soft and forgiving, but it couldn’t soften the silence that clung to the room. Finn hadn’t slept here last night. The deep emerald duvet on his side was untouched. I rolled onto my side, trying not to think the worst. After the conflict between us I knew he carried shame after what Kali had said. And it’s not that she was wrong, but she shouldn’t have used it against him to prove a point like that.I’d stayed up late in the library with Dayna and Lupin. We’d really bonded. It was nice to have a few friends I knew I could count on. It would make the transition to Onyx a lot easier. If there was still a transition…I sighed, running my hands over his pillow. One step forward three steps back was right…A pair of bright icy blue eyes loomed in the doorway; a massive blue grey wolf attached to them.“Morning…” I said quietly. He huffed in response and padded to the washroom. He must’ve shifted as I heard the shower turn on. I
EverestThe morning sunlight filtered through the wide, airy windows of the packhouse, bathing the room in soft, golden hues. The smell of fresh flowers and faint lavender incense filled the air, mingling with the excited buzz of voices from the pack outside. My chest tightened—not with fear, but anticipation. Today, I would stand before the Onyx Moon pack, Finn at my side, and take my place as their Luna.The thought sent a strange mix of nerves and excitement fluttering through me.“You’re going to wear a hole in the floor if you keep pacing like that,” Kali teased from her seat by the mirror. She was brushing out her dark hair, her expression warm but amused.I froze mid-step and shot her a playful glare. “Easy for you to say. You’re not the one about to get up in front of hundreds of people and have your hand sliced open.”“You’ll be fine,” Lupin chimed in from where she was lounging on the bed. “They already love you. You’re basically their Luna now; this is just a formality.”“A
EverestThe air was heavy with magic that night, thick and electric, as we gathered in a clearing under the pale light of the half-moon. Megandra stood at the center, her movements precise as she laid out the final pieces of the ritual. The ground around her shimmered faintly, traced with glowing runes that seemed to hum with life.Theo lay in the center of the circle, his massive, hairless form bound by thick silver chains laced with wolfsbane. His black eyes glinted with a primal, feral rage, but he didn’t struggle. Not anymore. The beast was tired, his breath labored as if some part of him knew this was the end of his torment—one way or another.I stood beside Finn, his hand gripping mine tightly. I could feel the tension radiating off him, his wolf pacing beneath his skin. He’d agreed to this—to give Theo a chance—but I knew it wasn’t easy for him.“You sure about this?” Finn asked, his voice low, his eyes locked on Theo, as though he'd prefer to just end it himself.“Yes,” I said
EverestThe crunch of gravel under tires drew my attention to the packhouse gates. I stood on the porch after spending the rest of the day getting reaquainted with Finn. My hands gripped the railing as I watched the convoy of black SUVs pull into the courtyard. My stomach churned, a mix of relief and anxiety swirling through me.“They’re here,” I murmured, my voice barely audible over the sound of the engines.Finn stood beside me, his arms crossed, his presence grounding even as tension radiated off him in waves. I glanced up at him, and he met my gaze, his eyes soft but weary.The car doors opened almost in unison. My mother was the first out, her white-blonde hair catching the sunset light like spun silk. She was a vision of strength, her posture straight and proud, but as her bright green eyes found me, her composure cracked.“Everest!” she called, her voice trembling. I barely had time to step forward before she wrapped me in her arms, her embrace fierce and unyielding.“I was so
FinnHolding Everest in my arms made everything else disappear for a moment. The chaos, the losses, the suffocating guilt—it all faded into the background. She was here, alive, and for that single heartbeat, it felt like nothing else mattered.The moment didn't last long.The door creaked open, and I looked up to see Rowena standing there, her face drawn tight. My stomach dropped. Whatever it was, it wasn’t good.“I hate to interrupt,” she said, stepping inside, “but we have a problem.”Everest pulled back, and I wiped at my face, quickly masking the vulnerability that had surfaced. “What is it?”Rowena moved to the chair across from us, lowering herself into it with an exhaustion I hadn’t seen on her before. Her hands were clasped tightly, the firelight catching on the sharp angles of her face.“Have either of you heard of Black Annis?”The name sent a ripple of unease through me, though I couldn’t place why. I glanced at Everest. Her jaw had tightened, her golden eyes narrowing.“Sh
EverestThe crackling fire danced before me, its light painting shadows on the walls as I sat curled up on the couch, nursing a steaming cup of tea. The warmth of the flames did little to thaw the cold knot of tension in my chest. I’d gotten out of the hospital yesterday after spending a day in there. Physically I’d been fine, so they let me leave after I’d woken up, on the order that I’d rest as much as possible to regain my strength. I’d planted myself in one of the cozy chairs of the library, reading about the Gods and Goddess’s of the old myths. My hand drifted to my stomach, still not accustomed to the appearance of the bump there. But it was there. She was there. My heart fluttered with nerves at the thought, but I took a breath and smiled. Fortunately, the acceleration of the pregnancy had projected me past the morning sickness part.Kali and Caleb had been ensuring the pack was being taken care of while Finn and I had been in the hospital. Finn had been healing, slowly but sur
EverestThe sunlight was soft, golden, and endless. It stretched out in every direction, filling a horizonless expanse that felt neither warm nor cold, neither real nor unreal. I stood in the middle of a field, barefoot, the soft hum of power thrumming beneath my feet. My hands felt empty, weightless, but when I looked down, they were glowing faintly, the same soft gold as the field around me. Behind me, the moon shone like a silver beacon, meeting the sunlight with a soft caress. I smiled, as my fingertips grazed the tops of the long stalks of grass. I felt safe here, at ease. I breathed deeply, smelling the sweet air, a delicate scent mixed in on the breeze. My eyes popped open in surprise at the scent.I wasn’t alone.A figure walked toward me, her steps light and deliberate. She looked... familiar, though I’d never seen her before. A beautiful young woman, perhaps in her twenties, with a torrent of dark red curls falling to her lower back that caught the light like spun fire and p
FinnPain was the first thing I noticed. Not the sharp, stabbing kind—no, this was deeper, a dull ache that seemed to thrum in time with my pulse. My chest felt like it had been stitched together by a blind surgeon, and my head was heavy, like someone had poured molten lead behind my eyes.I blinked, the dim light of the room cutting through the haze. White walls. The sterile smell of antiseptic. A hospital.My heart lurched, adrenaline surging as I tried to sit up.“Whoa, whoa. Easy there, big guy.”Caleb’s voice grounded me. I turned my head too fast, wincing as the pull of stitches across my chest reminded me how close I’d come to not waking up at all. He was slouched in the chair next to my bed, arms crossed, his face a mix of exhaustion and something else – grief.“What… happened?” My throat was dry, the words rasping out like sandpaper.“You’re lucky to be alive,” Caleb said, straightening. “Most of us are. But... not all of us.”The weight of his words hit harder than the pain
EverestPain. It radiated through every part of me, sharp and unrelenting, dragging me into a cold, suffocating reality. I had a long gash down my forearm that dripped blood steadily. My wrists burned where the ropes dug into my skin, tied so tightly behind me that I could barely feel my fingers. I was no longer in my wolf form…He must’ve soaked the ropes in wolfsbane. My body trembled, human and vulnerable now, as I hung limply from the tree they’d tied me to.Iza’s voice slithered through the air, soft but venomous.“You look so fragile like this,” he purred, crouching in front of me. His black eyes glinted with cruel amusement, the shadows of his magic flickering around him like living things. “Where is your precious glow now, hmm? Where is Selene’s power?”I lifted my head weakly, my glare cutting through the pain. “Go to hell,” I spat, my voice hoarse.Iza chuckled darkly, his pointed teeth gleaming in the dim light of the clearing. “Oh, my dear, I’ve been living in hell for cent
EverestThe forest swallowed me whole, the sounds of the battle fading into muffled chaos behind me. My heart thundered, every step driving me closer to the witches who had orchestrated this nightmare. The bond screamed for me to stop, to turn back and find Finn, but I pushed forward. This ended tonight—no matter the cost.Their energy pulsed like a beacon, sickly and dark, guiding me deeper into the woods. The gifts Selene had given me flared stronger the closer I got to their foul magic. On a night without a moon, my glow was all the light the forest needed. A soft silvery haze bathed the trees, the shadows twisting and curling unnaturally as though they feared my presence. My paws hit the ground in rhythmic thuds, quiet and deliberate as I honed in on my prey.Twax and Iza were close.A few more minutes of running and I saw them. Twax hunched near a crude altar, his single arm fumbling with a vial of dark yellow liquid. A low growl rumbled in my chest as I spotted his maimed should