All Chapters of Bound by Loyalty, Torn by Fate: Chapter 41 - Chapter 50

“So, if I run, you attack me. Yet nothing happens if I just stand here,” Lucille huffed, once again caught within the familiar bounds of her recurring nightmare. She stood before the wolf, leaning against a tree, eyes rolling with feigned boredom. “Just what are you trying to tell me?” she shouted, her voice echoing through the quiet forest. “Why am I here? Why are you here?” The wolf, as always, remained silent, hazel eyes observing her carefully. Its thick fur shimmered under the moonlight, threads of silver starlight catching on each strand. Lucille sighed and began to pace. The sudden movement drew a low growl from the creature. “Easy, Twinkle Toes. I’m not running off,” she muttered with a sarcastic edge. Her mind raced with questions. “Alright… so, if I take a step this way—” she stepped a few paces back, earning another rumbling growl from the wolf. “Right.” She returned to her original spot, tapping her chin thoughtfully. “What if I step towards you?”As she took a step closer

"In order for this to work, you're going to have to relax and open up your mind," Rita instructed gently, sitting across from Lucille in the garden. The two sat cross-legged on the cool grass, their hands clasped together. Rita had suggested scanning Lucille’s mind to experience her dreams firsthand and help decipher what they might mean.“That’s a lot easier said than done,” Lucille huffed, closing her eyes and trying to loosen the tension coiling in her shoulders and neck. But even as she tried to relax, an unsettling pressure built within her head. She fought against the instinct to pull away as she felt the strange, invasive sensation of Rita’s presence—like fingers gently scraping at the edges of her mind. It felt personal, exposing parts of herself she rarely touched. It was...wrong, somehow, like opening a door she preferred to keep shut.“Try to distract yourself,” Rita said softly, sensing Lucille’s resistance. “Think of something that calms you. I need your mind open, not te

"So, you’re telling me no one is willing to help because they think I stole Joseph’s mate?” Zach growled through the video call, his anger barely contained. His sharp features were tense as he leaned closer to the camera, his dark brows furrowed in frustration.On the other end of the call, Bo stood beside an older man seated in front of the camera. The man’s stern countenance was framed by a weathered face, his bushy grey eyebrows drawn together in thought as he considered Zach’s words.“I’m sorry, Alpha Zach,” the man said at last, his voice gravelly and deliberate. “From what Bo has shared with us, it does appear that Joseph is becoming a problem. However, no one will band together against him when he has a claim to move against your pack. The mate bond is sacred and protected. To the eyes of the other packs, you’ve stolen another Alpha’s mate, and without sufficient evidence, the claims of abuse you’ve made are just that—claims. The only witness you have is this female, and as you

"Into the packhouse! You’ll be safe there," Lucille called out to an elderly woman hobbling as quickly as her frail legs could manage, her gnarled hand tightly clutching that of a young boy no older than five. The old lady nodded gratefully at Lucille’s urging. Lucille gestured towards the open doors of the packhouse, where Nora stood in the doorway, ushering people inside to safety.As the pair hurried past her, Lucille turned her gaze back towards the town. Her sharp eyes scanned for any stragglers in need of help. Smoke billowed in thick, choking clouds from several homes now ablaze in the distance, the acrid stench mingling with the metallic tang of blood saturating the air.She was about to retreat to the packhouse when a flicker of movement caught her eye through the smoky haze. Lucille froze, muscles taut, and narrowed her eyes, hoping it was more pack members seeking refuge. But as the shapes became clearer, her heart sank. Three shadowy figures emerged, their movements predat

"Lucille, stop!" Zach’s voice carried after her, harsher and angrier than she had ever heard before. Yet she didn’t slow down. Her feet propelled her forward, carrying her swiftly into the bedroom. She yanked open the wardrobe, her movements sharp and mechanical, and grabbed some clean clothes from the items provided to her—a gesture meant to make her feel at home. The irony didn’t escape her as she tossed a plain T-shirt onto the bed and swapped out her bloodstained vest for it. Shrugging it on, she rifled through for a clean pair of leggings. Casual wasn’t her style, but she needed comfort for what she was about to do."Lucille, don’t ignore me!" Zach growled as he stormed into the room. His footsteps were heavy, and his frustration rippled through the air. Before she could react, his hand shot out, gripping her arm and spinning her to face him. "You don’t get to pull some disappearing act, come back looking the way you do, and then be pissed at me because you overheard a conversati