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 sharp taste of bile still lingered in the back of my throat as I splashed cold water on my face. My hands trembled against the porcelain sink. Morning sickness had always seemed like a minor inconvenience in the stories I’d heard growing up—a small price to pay for the miracle of life. No one warned me how it would leave me feeling like my body was no longer entirely in my control.Finn’s footsteps echoed outside the door. He was pacing again, no doubt trying to decide whether to knock or give me the space I’d asked for. My chest tightened at the thought of the worry etched across his face.I reached for the glass bottle tucked into the top drawer. The tonic Rowena had given me sat cold and still in its glass. Its promise was simple: delay the inevitable. Buy time. Time to prepare, time to fight, time to heal.I held it up to the light, the golden liquid catching the faint glow of the lamp. Was this what a good mother would do? Was this what my child needed?Finn tapped on
FinnThe stench of blood and rot reached me before I saw them. It clawed at my senses, setting my wolf on edge. Caleb and I burst through the trees at the border, my paws digging into the earth as I skidded to a halt.Sienna.She staggered into view, barely upright, her arms wrapped around a man’s half-conscious form. His head lolled against her shoulder, and his legs dragged uselessly behind her. She looked like death warmed over—clothes shredded, face streaked with blood and grime, her movements unsteady as though the ground beneath her feet was giving way.My wolf snarled in my chest. I didn’t trust her. Couldn’t trust her. Not after what she’d done to Everest.But something in her eyes stopped me cold. Panic. Desperation. I shifted, giving her the opportunity to speak.“Sienna,” I growled, standing upright. Caleb stayed in his wolf behind me, his hackles raised as his eyes darted to the shadows of the forest. He was thinking what I was: this could be a trap.She collapsed at the so
FinnThe hospital’s fluorescent lights buzzed faintly, a stark contrast to the stillness of the room. Theo lay motionless on the cot, his chest rising and falling in uneven intervals. Sienna sat rigid beside him; her hands clasped so tightly her knuckles were white. She hadn’t moved since they’d brought him in, her eyes darting to the door every time it creaked open, as if expecting someone—or something—to come for them.Finn lingered near the window, his arms crossed, his wolf pacing beneath his skin. He didn’t trust her yet, not fully, but something in the way she held herself, the broken desperation carved into her expression, told him her story was far from over. Kali and Everest sat on a small sofa against the far wall, holding one anothers hands. Everests head rested on Kali’s shoulder, but her eyes were gazing out the window, distant, as though she was listening to voices on the wind. Caleb had gone to sure up the border defences and prepare the arial weapon strike we had plann
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
EverestFinn had barely acknowledged me in days. It was like standing on the edge of a cliff, the bond between us stretched so taut it might snap at any moment. Every glance, every word exchanged felt sharp, strained, and deliberate—like we were both trying to avoid spilling over into an argument we couldn’t come back from.He ate, slept, and lived battle preparations. He didn’t ask if I’d eaten, or if I’d rested, or if I needed anything. He didn’t linger when we crossed paths, didn’t hold my gaze longer than absolutely necessary. Didn't ask to talk, or attempt to mend things. It hurt more than I wanted to admit.It wasn’t anger I felt from him. Not really. It was something quieter, deeper. A kind of grief that twisted and coiled in his aura, pressing against the bond like a thick fog. It seeped into me every time I felt his presence, and I hated it.Ten days passed in a blur of preparation and tension until the new moon had cloaked the world in impenetrable darkness. The pack sat in
EverestThe air still smelled of smoke, the acrid scent clinging to the ruins of the village. The distant crackle of burning wood had long since faded, replaced by an oppressive silence that settled over the devastation. Onyx Moon felt like a ghost town—its spirit gutted by the chaos of last night.I picked my way through the streets, boots crunching over glass and debris. Broken walls leaned precariously, the remains of homes and businesses crumbled in on themselves like fragile bones. The east wing of the hospital was little more than a charred skeleton, its shattered windows framing a scene of ruin. The bodies—too many bodies—had already been shrouded in cloth. But the weight of their loss lingered, heavier than the wreckage. Bill and Annie. Gone.One of the forsaken had survived, though just barely—the one who had killed Annie. It was subdued now, locked away in a secure cell with wolfsbane coursing through its veins, but I couldn’t help wondering if there was even a sliver of the
**this chapter contains themes of graphic violence and death**FinnThe mindlink hit like a blade slicing into my skull, Duncan’s voice frantic and cracking with terror."Alpha—monsters—hospital—carnage everywhere—"The connection snapped, leaving nothing but the echo of his panic. I shot out of bed, my wolf snarling in the back of my mind, claws already scraping for control.“What is it?” Everest asked, sitting up, her voice groggy.I didn’t answer. I was already moving for the door. My pulse roared in my ears. Something was wrong—deeply, violently wrong. I could feel it like a storm crawling under my skin.“Finn?” she pushed, her tone sharper now.“Stay here.” The words came out like a growl, harsher than I intended.Everest bristled, but I didn’t wait for an argument. I slammed the door behind me, praying she would listen this once, sprinting down the stairs, my senses locking onto the scent of blood hanging in the night air.Blood. Soaking the air square in its copper tang. Smoke
EverestTheo sat upright in the hospital bed. The sheets had been changed to get rid of the gore that had come off him. He looked straight ahead, not at Kali or I who sat either side of him, his brown eyes vacant and dissociated. He’d awoken a few hours ago but hadn’t said anything. His leg, ribs and arm had all healed nicely. His black hair was still gory, and he needed a shower, but he was alive, thank the gods. The doctors had assessed him and maintained that he was perfectly healthy, that perhaps he just needed time to recover from the trauma within his mind. Sienna had curled up on the sofa on the opposite wall when she’d heard he was okay. Poor thing had barely slept for days and had experienced some gruesome trauma of her own. Kali and I had shown Theo photos of the three of us when we were younger to try and jog his memory, but he had barely looked at them. It was like he was in some sort of daze, and he only seemed to know one word. “Sienna”. He would rasp it anytime his eyes
FinnThe hospital’s fluorescent lights buzzed faintly, a stark contrast to the stillness of the room. Theo lay motionless on the cot, his chest rising and falling in uneven intervals. Sienna sat rigid beside him; her hands clasped so tightly her knuckles were white. She hadn’t moved since they’d brought him in, her eyes darting to the door every time it creaked open, as if expecting someone—or something—to come for them.Finn lingered near the window, his arms crossed, his wolf pacing beneath his skin. He didn’t trust her yet, not fully, but something in the way she held herself, the broken desperation carved into her expression, told him her story was far from over. Kali and Everest sat on a small sofa against the far wall, holding one anothers hands. Everests head rested on Kali’s shoulder, but her eyes were gazing out the window, distant, as though she was listening to voices on the wind. Caleb had gone to sure up the border defences and prepare the arial weapon strike we had plann
FinnThe stench of blood and rot reached me before I saw them. It clawed at my senses, setting my wolf on edge. Caleb and I burst through the trees at the border, my paws digging into the earth as I skidded to a halt.Sienna.She staggered into view, barely upright, her arms wrapped around a man’s half-conscious form. His head lolled against her shoulder, and his legs dragged uselessly behind her. She looked like death warmed over—clothes shredded, face streaked with blood and grime, her movements unsteady as though the ground beneath her feet was giving way.My wolf snarled in my chest. I didn’t trust her. Couldn’t trust her. Not after what she’d done to Everest.But something in her eyes stopped me cold. Panic. Desperation. I shifted, giving her the opportunity to speak.“Sienna,” I growled, standing upright. Caleb stayed in his wolf behind me, his hackles raised as his eyes darted to the shadows of the forest. He was thinking what I was: this could be a trap.She collapsed at the so
EverestThe sharp taste of bile still lingered in the back of my throat as I splashed cold water on my face. My hands trembled against the porcelain sink. Morning sickness had always seemed like a minor inconvenience in the stories I’d heard growing up—a small price to pay for the miracle of life. No one warned me how it would leave me feeling like my body was no longer entirely in my control.Finn’s footsteps echoed outside the door. He was pacing again, no doubt trying to decide whether to knock or give me the space I’d asked for. My chest tightened at the thought of the worry etched across his face.I reached for the glass bottle tucked into the top drawer. The tonic Rowena had given me sat cold and still in its glass. Its promise was simple: delay the inevitable. Buy time. Time to prepare, time to fight, time to heal.I held it up to the light, the golden liquid catching the faint glow of the lamp. Was this what a good mother would do? Was this what my child needed?Finn tapped on