Alejandro’s POV
The sun has barely crested the Tahoe ridges, but the training field is already alive with motion. Koa paces along the perimeter, sharp eyes noting every stance, every twitch of muscle, every breath. He is the sentinel, the silent observer, ensuring that no mistake goes uncorrected. Today, the Haven of Shadows is taking the next step.Kael, Caius, and Lucien stand before the younger members, Darian, Lysander, and Elysia, demonstrating strikes, holds, and defensive maneuvers. The contrast in their styles is remarkable. Kael’s movements are fluid, a rogue’s grace coupled with a werewolf’s strength.Caius moves like a shadow, calculated, precise, his warrior’s intuition honed through survival. Lucien, centuries of experience etched in every controlled motion, teaches restraint as much as attack, his vampire heritage lending him a deceptive swiftness that leaves the teens scrambling to keep up.I walk among them, guidinAlejandro’s POVThe clock reads 3:02 a.m. when I wake. At first, I think it is a nightmare, my chest tight, every nerve screaming...but then I feel it. Zenith. The mattress is empty beside me, yet a heat lingers, thick and unmistakable. I swing my legs over the side of the bed, heart hammering, panic flaring.“Zenith?” My voice is rough in the darkness. No answer. I hear a faint shuffle from the bathroom. My pulse doubles. Something is wrong. Fever? Illness? I sprint across the room, the wooden floor cold under bare feet, and throw the door open.She is leaning against the counter, her shoulders slouched and her eyes half-lidded. Her body trembles slightly, a sheen of sweat glinting in the pale moonlight streaming through the frosted window. My first instinct is to scoop her up, rush her to the nearest hospital, to doctors who understand humans.“She’s burning up…” I mutter, panic clawing at me. Then Inferno's voice slides into my m
Zenith’s POVI have no idea how Alejandro brought me from the balcony into the bathroom. The water runs hot, steam curling in lazy tendrils around the bathroom, masking me, giving the illusion of privacy. I lean against the counter, my heart hammering, still dizzy from the heat and from him. Alejandro. My mate, my Alpha, my fire.He is behind me, close enough that I feel his warmth without a touch, close enough that every instinct tells me to lean back, to melt into him. I can hear the low rumble of his voice, feel the deep cadence of his breathing, and it makes my skin tingle. Eight months. Eight long months of restraint, of holding back, and now… now it’s like a dam has broken.“Zenith,” he murmurs, and the name on his lips is both a warning and a caress. I shiver, and he presses closer, chest to back, just a hint of weight, just enough for me to feel him everywhere at once. His hands trace along my arms, slow, deliberate, and I feel the heat p
Jandro’s POVThe villa feels too small tonight, though nothing seems to have changed. Every shadow, every flicker of candlelight seems to draw me closer to her. Zenith. My little moonlight. My Luna. Eight months. Eight months of restraint, of wanting her so badly I can feel it in my bones, in the taut coil of my muscles. Inferno’s voice whispers in my mind, warning me, reminding me, but even his wisdom cannot stop the ache I have carried this long.I find her on the balcony, wrapped in the soft glow of the moon. Her eyes lift when she senses me, the faintest smile tugging at her lips. She does not need to speak because her very presence calls to me. In fact, it unravels me. Her scent, the scent of her Luna aura, fills my senses and makes my pulse stutter.I cross the space between us in two long strides, and she does not flinch. She never does. She only tilts her chin up, lets me study her. The curve of her neck, the softness of her skin under th
Alejandro I watch from the veranda as the sun slices through the towering pines surrounding the villa. The Haven of Shadows is stirring in full force today. Kael, Caius, and Lucien stretch and circle each other in the cleared training grounds, practicing strikes, parries, and coordinated maneuvers. The sound of fists hitting pads, leather, and the occasional grunt that spreads across the courtyard.It is impressive, yes, but what holds my attention more is Zenith. My Luna. Standing near the greenhouse at Plot 13, she crouches beside Elysia and Lysander, guiding their hands over the herbs, adjusting their postures. Her fingers hover just above the plants, sensing their energy as if the tiniest tremor could tell her everything. “Pressure here, gently,” she instructs, pressing lightly on Elysia’s shoulder blade. “See how it relaxes the tension? That’s your body opening up.”Elysia gasps softly as the tightness in her shoulders melts, and I can almost se
Lucien’s POVThe first thing that strikes me is the silence, or, rather, the controlled energy. Not the chaotic, twitching tension I have felt in other packs, especially among wolves. This place, this villa perched on the Tahoe mountains, hums with order and trust. And it humbles me.I step onto the training grounds, early morning mist curling around my boots, and I see them. Darian, Lysander, and Elysia, already stretching, already practicing moves I would have scoffed at back in New Orleans. Kael, Caius, and Koa are positioned strategically, guiding, observing, correcting, their presence commanding without intimidation. And Zenith...human, Luna, healer extraordinaire, is by the greenhouse with herbs in hand, her gaze flicking to the teens with soft, gentle approval.Alejandro appears beside her, alpha and protector, eyes scanning, noting weaknesses, strengths, and the subtleties only someone of his power can detect. His aura radiates authority, but it is tempered by restraint and ca
Alejandro’s POVThe morning sun slants through the tall windows of the villa’s study, spilling over stacks of books and scattered notes. The scent of ink and old paper mingles with the faint aroma of Zenith’s herbal teas. I watch from the doorway, my arms crossed, a quiet smile tugging at my lips. Today is not about strength or combat. Today is about minds, sharpening, stretching, and guiding them toward a fuller understanding of the world.Darian, Lysander, and Elysia sit at the long oak table, each with a tutor at their side. The tutors are patient, experienced in handling supernatural minds as much as human ones. They teach history, science, languages, subjects the teenagers had never considered before joining the Haven. Yet, they lean in, eyes wide, eager.I glance at Zenith, seated beside the table with a small stack of medicinal herbs and reference guides. Even here, away from the training field, she is teaching. Her fingers brush over char