Novels by 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

EIRA’S POVThe harsh white lights of the hospital seemed almost unbearable as I stood at the doorway, staring at Soren.For a moment, I couldn’t move. My heart hammered painfully against my chest, and I struggled to draw a proper breath. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.Soren—the strong, dependable man who had always been there for me—was lying helplessly on the hospital bed. His shirt was soaked with blood, and some of it had already spread across the clean white sheets. His face was frighteningly pale, and his chest rose and fell in weak, shallow movements.It felt as though the air had been knocked out of my lungs.“Soren!”His name escaped my lips in a broken cry as I hurried towards him. My legs felt unsteady, almost as if they might give way beneath me, but somehow I managed to reach his bedside. I stretched out a trembling hand and touched his arm.“Please, Soren,” I whispered, my eyes filling with tears. “You have to stay alive. Please, don’t leave me.”I barely noticed t

EIRA’S POVThe harsh white lights of the hospital seemed almost unbearable as I stood at the doorway, staring at Soren.For a moment, I couldn’t move. My heart hammered painfully against my chest, and I struggled to draw a proper breath. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.Soren—the strong, dependable man who had always been there for me—was lying helplessly on the hospital bed. His shirt was soaked with blood, and some of it had already spread across the clean white sheets. His face was frighteningly pale, and his chest rose and fell in weak, shallow movements.It felt as though the air had been knocked out of my lungs.“Soren!”His name escaped my lips in a broken cry as I hurried towards him. My legs felt unsteady, almost as if they might give way beneath me, but somehow I managed to reach his bedside. I stretched out a trembling hand and touched his arm.“Please, Soren,” I whispered, my eyes filling with tears. “You have to stay alive. Please, don’t leave me.”I barely noticed t

KAEL’S POVThe moment Lucian finished speaking, an uncomfortable silence settled over the room. None of us knew what to say. We simply stared at him, hoping he’d give us something useful, something that would help us understand what the hell was going on.But apart from confirming that someone had taken his blood, he hadn’t given us much to work with.Why would anyone need his blood? What were they planning to do with it? How was Eira connected to all this? And where did Yara fit into the picture? If she was even responsible in the first place.My eyes drifted towards Lucian. He was still lying weakly in the hospital bed, looking nothing like the person I remembered. It was hard to believe that so much had happened in such a short time. His eyes, which were once full of life, now looked tired and sunken. He seemed like a completely different person.Seeing him in that condition made my stomach turn.Thorne finally broke the silence.“I honestly don’t understand any of this,” he said,

KAEL’S POVThe smoke burned my lungs, making every breath a struggle, but I couldn’t afford to stop. The explosion had left everything around me in chaos. Debris filled the air, my ears were still ringing, and the ground seemed to shift beneath me as I tried to understand what had just happened.Somewhere in the distance, I could hear men coughing and groaning in pain.I rolled onto my side and struggled to push myself up. Every part of my body ached, but lying there wasn’t an option. There was too much at stake for me to waste time waiting for the dizziness to disappear.With considerable effort, I managed to get back on my feet. My legs were unsteady, and I had to pause for a moment to regain my balance.That’s when I spotted Thorne.He was also struggling to stand, looking just as badly affected by the explosion. His face was tense, and there was something almost frantic in his eyes. He clearly wasn’t in any condition to move around, let alone chase anyone.But then, to my utter di

EIRA’S POVMy scream seemed to bring Soren out of his trance for a brief moment, but he didn’t release the dagger.His chest rose and fell heavily as he slowly lifted the blade towards himself again. His hands were trembling, yet there was no sign of hesitation in his eyes. Even in that terrifying moment, Soren remained determined.He clenched his jaw, gritted his teeth, and pulled his shirt over his head. The fabric slipped from his hands and landed on the floor, leaving his broad, muscular chest exposed.My heart pounded painfully as I watched him.I wanted to scream at him to stop. I wanted to beg him not to go through with it, but my voice had abandoned me once again. I couldn’t get a single word out. All I could do was stand there, helplessly watching as he raised the dagger and positioned it against the right side of his chest.My throat ached with the effort of trying to shout, but my body refused to cooperate. I couldn’t even move.Soren flinched as the cold blade touched his

EIRA’S POVMy heart nearly stopped when I noticed Soren staring directly at Seraphina.Her sudden appearance had changed the entire atmosphere of the room, and a terrible feeling settled in my stomach. Every instinct in me screamed that I needed to stop him before he got any closer to her.But it was already too late. He had seen her.“Stay away from her!” Soren shouted, his voice thundering through the room.His entire body was tense, his expression fierce, and he looked ready to attack at any moment.Seraphina simply narrowed her eyes, a wicked smile slowly forming on her lips. She didn’t seem the least bit intimidated by him. If anything, she looked entertained.“And why should I?” she asked sweetly, though there was nothing sweet about the venom in her voice. “This has nothing to do with you, Soren.”My heart was pounding so hard I could almost hear it.I wanted to tell him to leave. To turn around and get as far away from that woman as possible. But the words refused to come out.

KAEDRIN’S POVVaeric and I rushed into her room, hoping we hadn’t already missed her. But when we got there, all we found was a neatly made bed and a couple of maids tidying up.“Where is she?” Vaeric demanded, grabbing one of the maids by the arm.The poor girl looked startled.“Who, Alpha?” she asked nervously, clearly unsure who he meant.I didn’t bother waiting for an answer. My eyes swept across the room, but there was no sign of her. Her scent still lingered in every corner, though. It was as if she’d only just walked out.This had once been her room, but we’d turned it into a prison without even realizing it. We’d made her feel like a stranger in the very place where she should have felt at home. Maybe we had cared about her somewhere deep down, but we’d never shown it. And now, after everything, she was leaving us again.Had she finally given up on us?My gaze fell on the picture frame sitting on her bedside table. I picked it up, and a wave of memories hit me.It was a pictur

Nysera’s POVI stood quietly before Vaelor’s grave, a red rose held between my fingers. It was his favorite flower.The wind was unusually strong, whipping my hair across my face and making it difficult to keep the loose strands out of my eyes.I almost laughed at the thought of Vaelor watching me from wherever he was, probably finding it amusing that I’d come all this way to place his favorite flower on his grave.A small, bitter laugh escaped my lips. I blinked, trying to stop the tears threatening to fall.Honestly, what was I doing? Why was I even crying over that man? After everything he’d put me through, I should have been happy he was dead. I should have been cursing him, spitting on his grave, and reminding him of all the reasons he deserved what had happened to him.Yet, somehow, I couldn’t.Ever since that strange encounter in my dream, his apology had been playing over and over in my mind. I didn’t know if it had been real or just something my mind had created, but there ha

Nysera’s POVThis wasn’t how things were supposed to end.I had hated Vaelor for years. Just thinking about him was enough to bring back all the pain he’d caused me. Ever since his betrayal, I’d spent every waking moment wishing I could make him suffer as much as he had made me suffer. I wanted him to experience the same kind of heartbreak, to understand what it felt like to have someone he trusted turn against him.And now, I’d finally gotten what I wanted.So why did it hurt this much?A tear rolled down my cheek as I watched Vaelor’s final moments unfold once again. Our twisted bond was breaking apart, disappearing into nothing as the last traces of his life slipped away.I had no idea how long I’d been trapped here, but I was beginning to lose count of how many times I’d witnessed his death. The same scene kept repeating, forcing me to watch him die over and over again.It was as though the universe had decided that watching him die once wasn’t enough punishment for me.I couldn’t

Nysera’s POV“Where is Emily?”I asked the question without looking at anyone, my voice unusually calm. Elaris and Soraya exchanged a glance but neither answered.Three hours. It had been three whole hours since Virelya called and we discovered that Vaelor had taken the children. Three hours of searching, questioning, and trying to piece together what had happened, yet we were no closer to finding them.Kaedrin had rushed home as soon as he heard the news, but even he had no answers. We still had no idea where Vaelor and Virelya had taken my babies.Every passing minute made it harder to control my fear. I couldn’t stop imagining what Vaelor might be planning. Virelya, at least, was easy to understand. She wanted to hurt me, and she didn’t care who else suffered along the way. If helping Vaelor meant watching my children and everyone I loved pay the price, she would gladly do it.“Where is Kaedrin?” I asked again, finally turning to Elaris.“He’s in the torture room with Sylvara,” she

Nysera’s POVMy eyes flew open, and I sat up so quickly that my heart started racing.For a moment, I couldn’t tell where I was. Then I remembered everything.Virelya.She had been standing right beside my bed, stroking my hair while the drug she injected into me took effect. I remembered her telling me to sleep a little longer because she didn’t want me interfering with their plans.Their plans.“My babies!”I threw the covers off and rushed out of bed, only to bump straight into Elaris, who was standing at the door.“Fuck, Nysera!” She rubbed her forehead. “You just woke up. Where are you rushing to?”“Virelya was here,” I said, grabbing her arm. “She came into my room. She injected something into me and told me to go back to sleep. I saw her, Elaris. She was right here!”Elaris stared at me for a moment.“That’s impossible. There are guards all over this house. Two of them are even standing outside your door. How could she have gotten in without anyone noticing?”“How am I supposed

Nysera’s POVVoices echoed somewhere in the darkness. They sounded distant and muffled, almost impossible to reach. I ran toward them, hoping they would lead me out, but the faster I moved, the farther away they seemed to drift. The darkness stretched endlessly around me, with no sign of an exit.“Somebody help!” I screamed, desperately hoping someone would hear me.But there was no response. No one was coming.I was completely alone.The darkness seemed to grow heavier, pressing against my chest until even breathing became difficult. Eventually, I ran out of strength. I sank to the ground, too exhausted to keep fighting, and waited for myself to disappear into the blackness.Then a tiny giggle broke through the silence.“Mommy!”My eyes flew open.I knew that voice.“Lyssara?”I scrambled to my feet and rushed toward the sound.“Catch me, Mommy!” she giggled.Suddenly, I felt a surge of energy. What the hell was I thinking? How could I even consider giving up and leaving my children