Nobela ni Annabell

Lyra's POVBy the time Soren finally allowed visitors into the healing room, exhaustion had settled into every inch of my body, but none of it mattered against the overwhelming joy of holding our daughter against my chest, her tiny fingers curled instinctively around one of mine.Vaelin entered first, practically vibrating with barely contained excitement, Zara close behind him with a softer, more reverent expression on her face.“Let me see her,” Vaelin demanded immediately, then caught himself, glancing toward me almost sheepishly. “Sorry. May I see her?”“Of course.”I shifted slightly so he could see properly, watching his expression transform from excited energy into something much gentler the moment his eyes landed on his niece.“She’s tiny,” he breathed, reaching out one careful finger to brush against her small hand. “Thorian, she’s so tiny.”“She’s perfect,” Thorian corrected, standing close beside the bed, his hand resting protectively against my shoulder, exhaustion and ove

Lyra's POV By the time Soren finally allowed visitors into the healing room, exhaustion had settled into every inch of my body, but none of it mattered against the overwhelming joy of holding our daughter against my chest, her tiny fingers curled instinctively around one of mine. Vaelin entered first, practically vibrating with barely contained excitement, Zara close behind him with a softer, more reverent expression on her face. “Let me see her,” Vaelin demanded immediately, then caught himself, glancing toward me almost sheepishly. “Sorry. May I see her?” “Of course.” I shifted slightly so he could see properly, watching his expression transform from excited energy into something much gentler the moment his eyes landed on his niece. “She’s tiny,” he breathed, reaching out one careful finger to brush against her small hand. “Thorian, she’s so tiny.” “She’s perfect,” Thorian corrected, standing close beside the bed, his hand resting protectively against my shoulder, exhaustion an

Thorian’s POV I had faced battles, ambushes, blades aimed at my throat without flinching. Nothing had ever terrified me the way the healing room did that night, watching Lyra grip the edge of the bed through another contraction, her face pale and slick with sweat, her breathing ragged with effort and pain. “You’re doing so well,” Soren said calmly, his focus entirely on Lyra despite the controlled chaos building steadily around us. The senior pack healer, an older woman named Brynna with decades of experience delivering both Lycan and hybrid births, worked alongside him with practiced efficiency. “It hurts,” Lyra gasped out, her grip on my hand tightening hard enough that I felt my own bones protest. “Thorian, it hurts so much.” “I know.” I pressed my forehead against hers, trying to project calm I didn’t entirely feel myself. “You’re so strong, Lyra. You’re doing incredible.” “Easy for you to say.” A short, strained laugh escaped me despite the gravity of the moment, some of th

Lyra's POV “Guilty,” Margret announced, the single word echoing through the silent chamber with the weight of two hundred years finally collapsing behind it. “On all counts, against all fourteen defendants, this tribunal finds full and complete guilt.” The chamber erupted, relief and grief and triumph tangling together into something I didn’t have adequate words for, even after everything we’d survived to reach this exact moment. Thorian’s hand tightened around mine, and I felt tears spilling freely down my cheeks, the months of testimony and fear and careful evidence gathering finally arriving at the conclusion we’d fought so desperately to reach. “Furthermore,” Margret continued once the chamber settled enough for her voice to carry, “by unanimous council ruling, the Severance enforcement structure, in its entirety, is hereby formally and permanently dissolved. Effective immediately, no remnant of its legal authority, its enforcement protocols, or its claimed jurisdiction over h

Lyra's POV The tribunal chamber felt different this time, heavier somehow, despite the familiar stone walls and the long table where Margret and the assembled council members sat in solemn rows. Maybe it was knowing this would be the final session. Maybe it was the weight of my own pregnancy, now impossible to hide beneath the simple dress I’d chosen for the occasion, that made everything feel more significant than it had during previous testimonies. “You’re sure you’re up for this?” Thorian murmured beside me, his hand resting protectively against the small of my back as we waited outside the chamber doors. “I’m sure.” I smoothed a hand over the curve of my stomach, feeling the small, reassuring flutter of movement beneath my palm. “This needs to end properly, Thorian. For all of us. For this baby, so they can grow up without Severance hanging over everything.” He pressed a kiss to my temple, his support steady and unwavering despite the obvious tension still lingering from his

Lyra's POVThe runner arrived just after midnight, exhausted and travel worn, carrying word that sent relief crashing through me so violently my knees nearly buckled.“He’s alive,” the runner gasped out. “Injured, but alive. They’re three hours behind me, Alpha’s orders to inform you immediately.”“Injured how badly?” I demanded, already moving toward the door despite Cecily’s restraining hand on my arm.“A blade wound along the ribs. The healer says it’s not life threatening, but it needed binding on site.”Three hours felt like an eternity. I paced the length of the courtyard despite Mira and Cecily’s combined attempts to make me sit and rest, my whole body thrumming with restless, anxious energy that refused to settle no matter how many times they reminded me the baby needed me calm. I couldn’t be calm. Not until I saw him with my own eyes.When the returning party finally crested the ridge leading into Moonveil, torches bobbi

ThorneAt exactly 9 p.m. the games started.Capture the Flag had been around for centuries, and everyone knew the rules by heart. Both teams set their bases deep in the woods, miles apart. A gunshot cracked through the air, and that was the signal. Whichever side grabbed the other team’s flag first won.It was a tricky game. Over the years packs had come up with all kinds of strategies. Most went for the divide-and-conquer approach, splitting into pairs to hunt. We stuck with the old way hold a strong position and wait for the other side to come to us.Our base sat right beside a stream at the edge of the woods. Kael jammed our bright red flag into the ground, and we settled in to wait for the Frostfang Pack.The silence dragged on for a long time. I didn’t really feel like talking, but somebody had to keep everyone awake so we wouldn’t get ambushed.“How long do you think it’ll take them to find us?” I asked Kael.“Shouldn’t be long,” he shrugged. “Our base is pretty open.”“Yeah,”

ThorneI trudged through the damp grass on my way back to the pack square, my head spinning with thoughts of Eira and Kael. No matter how hard I tried to shove the images away, they stuck. That scene of them together in the tub Kael’s hands moving over her, the way she’d reacted kept replaying, and it made my blood boil.I knew I had no real right to feel jealous. We were all mates. Still, I couldn’t switch the feeling off, and I hated that more than anything. Kael had always been the one who got whatever he wanted without effort. And now the bond was making me react to her the same way, even though the sight of her still left a bitter taste in my mouth.“Thorne, come on!” Soren called, cutting through my thoughts. “We don’t want to be late for the challenge.”I clenched my jaw and followed him, forcing the unwanted pull down. We had a tournament to win. Personal crap especially anything involving her couldn’t get in the way.Minutes later we reached the pack square. I spotted Eira o

KAEL’S POVEira let out a muffled moan when I pushed into her fully, and I hated the grin that came with it. Her legs shook with every stroke. She tried to pull away and I caught her wrists before she could.“K..Kael,” she stammered.“What.” I kept moving in her slow. I didn’t like rushing. I never had. I wanted her to feel all of it. I wanted this to be a night she wouldn’t forget, and I wanted her wanting more when it was over. It was her first time. I wasn’t going to treat it like nothing, even if part of me wished I could.I pulled out of her slowly and watched her wetness roll down her thighs. My hands found her breasts again. I cupped them and squeezed her nipples until a sharp cry left her mouth.“You like that?” I breathed against her neck, irritated that I even cared how it sounded.She said something I couldn’t catch. Those little sounds she kept trying to swallow were doing more to me than I wanted to admit. I hated that.I spread her legs a little and pushed back in to th

KAEL’S POVI yanked the silk gown off her and took a moment to look at her. She was slim and beautiful, with curves in all the right places. Her skin was light and unmarked, shining under the water. My cock hardened at once and I hated it. I hated that it was her. The same girl we had spent weeks treating like she didn’t belong here. The same girl Thorne had almost killed an hour ago.I had her exactly where I wanted her, and I still felt sick about it. Father wanted this. The bond wanted this. That didn’t mean I had to like her.I knew I had to move carefully. Not because I cared. Because if I rushed it she would shut down, and then none of this would go the way Father said it needed to go.Eira’s eyes stayed on me while I kept soaping her body. I could hear the short breaths and the little moans she tried to hold back. She looked ashamed. Scared. Like she couldn’t believe she was standing naked in a tub with the same triplets who hated her. That was enough. She was untouched.“Turn

KAEL’S POVI yanked the silk gown off her and took a moment to look at her. She was slim and beautiful, with curves in all the right places. Her skin was light and unmarked, shining under the water. My cock hardened at once and I hated it. I hated that it was her. The same girl we had spent weeks treating like she didn’t belong here. The same girl Thorne had almost killed an hour ago.I had her exactly where I wanted her, and I still felt sick about it. Father wanted this. The bond wanted this. That didn’t mean I had to like her.I knew I had to move carefully. Not because I cared. Because if I rushed it she would shut down, and then none of this would go the way Father said it needed to go.Eira’s eyes stayed on me while I kept soaping her body. I could hear the short breaths and the little moans she tried to hold back. She looked ashamed. Scared. Like she couldn’t believe she was standing naked in a tub with the same triplets who hated her. That was enough. She was untouched.“Turn

Eira I wasn’t comfortable with the idea of helping Thorne wash up. The thought sat wrong in my chest the whole way back. He clearly wasn’t happy about it either. He sulked and grunted every step, like even being near me made him sick.“Don’t try anything funny,” he snapped the second I started filling the tub with warm water.“I..I should be the one telling you that,” I shot back, the words coming out smaller than I meant them to.It was bold of him to even think I would want anything after he’d tried to kill me barely an hour ago. These were the same triplets who looked at me like I was dirt. And now I was supposed to bathe one of them?Once the tub was full I helped him climb in. My hands were shaking. I undid the buttons of his shirt one by one, slipped it off his body, and dropped it on the floor. I swallowed hard at the sight of his abs and looked away at once. It was the first time in my life I had seen a guy shirtless and it felt wrong. Off. I kept telling myself this isn’t ri

NyseraI shifted in my sleep, letting out a quiet hum as I rolled onto my side. My head came to rest against something broad, firm, and ridiculously comfortable. A sleepy smile touched my lips.Whatever it was, it definitely wasn’t a pillow.My eyes slowly opened, and the first thing I saw was a wardrobe I had never seen before. It was black, not purple.That wasn’t my wardrobe.I looked around the room, taking in the unfamiliar furniture and walls. The more I looked, the deeper my frown became.Then it hit me.This wasn’t my room.I carefully turned my head and froze.Kaedrin was sleeping peacefully on one side of me, while Vaeric was completely knocked out on the other.I almost screamed, but quickly slapped a hand over my mouth. The last thing I needed was to wake them both.What the actual hell?How had I ended up in Kaedrin’s bed with both of them?Please, Goddess, let this be some horrible dream.I squeezed my eyes shut and silently prayed that when I opened them again, I’d be b

Kaedrin What the hell was happening?I still couldn’t wrap my head around the fact that Nysera was actually standing in this room, with practically every hungry pair of eyes fixed on her.What the hell was she thinking, showing up dressed like that?My eyes stayed locked on her, a hard scowl fixed on my face as she laughed and chatted with Elaris and two other men.One was obviously flirting with Elaris.The other was flirting with my mate.I immediately imagined a dozen different ways to get rid of the bastard talking to her, and somehow, none of them felt brutal enough.How dare he make a move on my mate right in front of me?A low growl sounded beside me.I turned toward Kaelor and saw the murderous expression on his face as he stared at the man near Elaris. Rage practically radiated from him, and his body was beginning to shift before he even seemed to realize it.“Get a grip, Kaelor. You’re shifting,” I growled.He inhaled slowly several times before forcing his gaze away.“Sorr

Nysera’s POVI groaned in frustration as I tried to pull my dress a little higher, but Elaris immediately slapped my hands away.“Ow!” I hissed. “What was that for?”“What do you think you’re doing? Trying to ruin the dress?” she snapped, glaring at me.I returned the glare.“Why does everything in your wardrobe have to show this much cleavage and thigh? These dresses are ridiculous.”“Because that’s how you make an impression, sweetheart.” She grinned. “You can’t walk into a new place looking all buttoned-up and proper. People need to know a hot, loaded bitch just walked into the room.”I gave her a blank stare as she continued touching up her makeup for what felt like the hundredth time while we sat in the car.“Seriously, Elaris. What’s the point? It’s not like you’re planning to hook up with anyone in there.”“That doesn’t matter. What matters is making sure they remember you.”Once she finished, I sighed and decided to drop it. There was no point arguing with Elaris. She always d

Kaedrin’s POVI smirked as I stepped out of the car.The party was exactly as chaotic as I had expected. Loud music was pounding through the building, hard enough that I could hear it from the parking lot.If these people knew this was the night they were destined to die, perhaps they would have chosen something a little more appropriate for a funeral.I pushed the hair away from my face and headed toward the house.I had barely taken a few steps when I sensed someone familiar behind me.“I thought I told you to stay out of this,” I said without turning around.“You did, Kaedrin. But you know I can’t just sit this one out,” Kaelor replied as he caught up and fell into step beside me.I raised an eyebrow.“Are you disobeying me now?”“Of course not, Alpha.”He gave me a smile that was just a little too smug for my liking.My irritation immediately started to rise.Why couldn’t he follow one simple order for once?“I have a friend in the Ashen Claw Pack. He invited me here. Turning him

Nysera’s POVI smiled as I looked out the window.The sky was unusually clear and bright that morning. For a brief moment, I wondered if it was some kind of sign that maybe, after everything I had been through, something good was finally coming my way.I sighed and turned away from the window.When I was younger and more naïve, I used to believe in signs like that. But those days were long gone. Even if the sky was trying to tell me something, I had never been lucky enough for it to actually mean anything.A soft, incoherent sound came from the cradle.Lyssara reached toward me, and I smiled as I picked her up.“You’re the exception, pumpkin,” I whispered, gently pinching her chubby cheeks.She giggled and wrapped her tiny fingers around mine.“You’re the one good thing life has ever given me.”“Quiet now, love. We don’t want to wake your brothers.” I lowered my voice. “You wouldn’t want them dragging me into whatever chaos they’re planning, would you?”She answered with a cheerful li

Kaedrin’s POVI sat completely still in my chair, barely hearing a word Thorne said as he went through his reports.My mind was somewhere else entirely.Nysera.I never would have imagined that she would suddenly kiss Vaeric and me, especially right in front of everyone.When I found out she’d only done it because of whatever had been put into her system, the disappointment hit harder than I expected.My eyes burned with anger whenever I thought about it.Someone had actually dared to drug our mate with disgusting intentions.It was unfortunate that he had died by her hands instead of mine.If I’d been the one to deal with him, I would have made sure his death was anything but quick.But her unexpected affection wasn’t the only thing that had caught us off guard.Learning that she had taken down several members of the Ashen Claw Pack was even more surprising.A small, proud smile tugged at the corner of my mouth.FLASHBACKVaeric and I sat in the living room, the atmosphere around us