Alejandro’s POV
The villa hums quietly in the late morning, a kind of soft, steady rhythm that has become the pulse of our growing Haven. I leave the study reluctantly, unfinished reports and unanswered messages tugging at me, because the moment Koa calls about an injured rogue, I know I need to see this for myself.When I arrive at the greenhouse, my eyes immediately find Zenith. She is kneeling beside him, the rogue, guiding her hands with a precision and serenity that never fails to amaze me. The boy is young, maybe nineteen, barely older than our teenagers, and yet he carries the marks of battle. Torn flesh, silver burns across his shoulders, wolfsbane abrasions slowing the natural healing that should have come naturally to him.Koa holds him steady, but even with his strength, the rogue winces at every movement. Darian, Lysander, and Elysia hover a cautious distance away, unsure whether to look, breathe, or intervene.I take aZenith’s POVThe morning sun filters through the glass panels of Plot 13’s greenhouse, scattering light across the damp soil and rows of herbs that Alejandro insisted I cultivate. Even after all these months, the scent of earth and growing things never fails to calm me. I kneel beside a row of young ginseng plants, carefully loosening the soil around their roots. The teens, Darian, Lysander, and Elysia, hover nearby, each holding a small trowel or basket. Their eagerness is tempered by cautious hesitation. They are learning, but the shadows of their pasts linger, visible in their quick glances and tight grips.“Remember,” I say softly, brushing a line of dirt from Darian’s knuckles, “herbs respond to intention. Treat them like you would a patient. Speak to them, guide them, and they will thrive.” Darian frowns, muttering, “Plants don’t talk, Luna.”I smile, touching his arm lightly. “Not out loud, maybe. But they listen. And in a w
Caius’s POVThe villa is alive with morning light, spilling over the polished floors and catching in the frost on the Tahoe balcony. I stand near the breakfast table, hands tucked behind my back, trying to quell the nervous energy in my chest. Being here, fully accepted into this pack, the Haven of Shadows, feels surreal. But I have learned quickly that nothing is given for free. Even gratitude must be shown in action.I watch Alejandro as he moves about the kitchen, graceful yet commanding. Luna, Zenith, sits nearby, stirring a mug of herbal tea, her gaze warm and inviting. Every time I look at her, I feel the same awe I did the first time she healed me. Not just my body, but my soul. The silver burns and wolfsbane scars are gone, yes, but more than that, she gave me a reason to want to survive, to protect, to belong.I clear my throat, stepping forward. “Alpha Jandro… Luna Zenith,” I begin, my voice steady despite the tremor in my stomach. Alej
Lucien’s POVIt has been a week since I arrived at the Tahoe villa, and I still catch myself in disbelief at how… normal it feels here. Not normal like the suffocating, controlled routine of my clan in New Orleans, but normal in the sense that I can breathe. I can exist without the constant reminder that I am different.I never expected this. A vampire, alone, entering a villa filled with wolves and humans, and witches. Wolves. My natural enemies. Their alpha, Alejandro, and their Luna, Zenith, radiant as if carved from the moonlight itself. And yet… not a single growl, not a single hiss, not a whisper of distrust has reached me. I still expect it, half of me waiting for someone to snap. But it never comes. Instead, there is… acknowledgment. Acceptance. Even respect. And then there’s the mindlink.I had always believed pack bonds were exclusive to werewolves. Always. I spent centuries observing them, studying their rituals, their hierarchy. Never
Alejandro’s POVCaius does not speak much at first. He does not need to. The wounds on his body may have closed, but I know the scars in his mind and spirit are deeper, older, harder to reach. Still, even in silence, I sense the shift, he is no longer the hunted, desperate rogue I saw sprawled in the greenhouse. He is aware, alert, and slowly, carefully letting himself belong.The teens are eager to help. Lysander hovers near him, eager to prove himself useful, while Elysia fusses over his blankets and small comforts. Darian offers sharp observations, occasionally teasing, but the look in his eyes says he is measuring Caius’s place in the pack.Koa stands beside me, alert as ever, but even he allows a flicker of admiration toward the boy. “He’s got fight in him,” Koa murmurs. “And he’s smart enough to survive.” I nod. “Yes. But he’s also learning he doesn’t have to survive alone anymore.”Zenith hovers close, her hands occasionally
Alejandro’s POVThe villa hums quietly in the late morning, a kind of soft, steady rhythm that has become the pulse of our growing Haven. I leave the study reluctantly, unfinished reports and unanswered messages tugging at me, because the moment Koa calls about an injured rogue, I know I need to see this for myself.When I arrive at the greenhouse, my eyes immediately find Zenith. She is kneeling beside him, the rogue, guiding her hands with a precision and serenity that never fails to amaze me. The boy is young, maybe nineteen, barely older than our teenagers, and yet he carries the marks of battle. Torn flesh, silver burns across his shoulders, wolfsbane abrasions slowing the natural healing that should have come naturally to him.Koa holds him steady, but even with his strength, the rogue winces at every movement. Darian, Lysander, and Elysia hover a cautious distance away, unsure whether to look, breathe, or intervene.I take a
Zenith’s POVThe morning sun peeks over the ridges of Lake Tahoe, spilling gold across the villa and the greenhouse at plot 13. I breathe it in, letting the crisp mountain air fill my lungs, while Darian, Lysander, and Elysia are already at work among the rows of herbs. They are surprisingly efficient, though I can see the occasional clumsy twitch, new hands still learning the delicate dance of pruning, weeding, and tending plants that hold more magic than most mortals could imagine. “Careful with the silverleaf,” I say, kneeling beside them to inspect a particularly wilting patch. “If you pull too hard, you’ll lose the entire stem. It’s rare for a reason.”Darian nods, biting back a grin, while Lysander smirks at me, clearly trying to show off his technique. Elysia, meanwhile, hums quietly as she trims, her focus precise, almost meditative. Watching them, I feel a warmth spreading through my chest. Barely two months in the villa, and already th