NeroCamellia and Orion are in my office with me before the meeting with Creed today. I hate keeping her out of the loop about pack issues and never understood how other Alphas did that to their Lunas. Camellia was never going to be just a pretty face; she’s my partner in every way that matters.“Do we know what to expect when he gets here?” she asks from the chair to my left. “I mean, from what you’ve told me, you’ve only recently become amiable.I nod. “Yes, our relationship before all this wasn’t all that good, but no. I don’t know what to expect from this visit. The fact that he feels like he needs to be here already has alarm bells going off in my head.”Orion is leaning against the opposite wall watching our exchange. “This would only be his second time in our pack lands, it’s definitely something to be worried about.”Before I can agree with him, I feel a ripple in my wards and know Creed has arrived. I look at Camellia and Orion and nod. “Creed’s here. Better go be the welcome
NeroCreed’s words hang heavy in the air, and I can feel the tension radiating off him. There’s a darkness in his eyes that I don’t see often, a cold calculation that sends a shiver down my spine. He’s not just pissed off—he’s ready to tear this whole thing apart, one piece at a time.“There’s something more she’s not telling us, and I’m going to rip it out of her one way or another,” he says, before he cracks his neck and lets out a low growl.I don’t argue. I’ve seen Creed in action enough times to know that when he’s in this mood, it’s better to just let him do his thing. Seraphine’s eyes widen when she looks at Creed, and she scrambles back against the wall, sensing the shift in the air.“Wait,” she starts, her voice shaking. “I told you everything I know! Marle’s curse is tied to the bloodlines, to the ancient packs—”“Shut up,” Creed snaps, stepping forward with a predatory gleam in his eyes. “You’re hiding something. I can smell it on you.”Seraphine’s breath hitches, and she t
CamelliaSitting in Nero’s office, I try to process everything he’s just told me, but it feels like my mind is spinning out of control. I’m staring at the polished wood of his desk, my hands clenched into tight fists in my lap, but I can’t seem to find any sense of calm. How could things have gotten so much worse? It’s not just about my memory loss anymore; it goes so much deeper than that. The Meraloth, this Marle person , a curse—it’s like our entire world is unraveling, and I don’t know how to stop it.“Nero,” I murmur, barely recognizing my own voice. It’s shaky, unsure, nothing like the steady tone I usually strive for. “I don’t understand… How could this have been going on all this time, and we never knew?”Nero’s standing by the window, his shoulders tense, his jaw set in that way that tells me he’s barely holding it together. He looks at me, his dark eyes filled with a mix of anger and regret. “We were too focused on the Meraloth, on keeping you safe. We missed the bigger pic
NeroThe room feels too quiet after I tell Camellia my plan. She’s standing by the window, her arms wrapped around herself, staring out at the forest that surrounds our home. Nereo’s upstairs, probably playing with his toys, blissfully unaware of the storm coming our way. I can’t help but feel a knot of guilt tightening in my chest. I know what I’m going to ask her to do isn’t easy, but it’s the only way I can keep them safe.I walk over to her, placing a hand on her shoulder. She doesn’t flinch, but I can feel the tension in her body. “Camellia,” I start, my voice rougher than I intended, “I need you to take Nereo to the safe house, deep in our territory. It’s out of the way, and I’ve got warriors there I trust with my life. They’ll keep you both safe.”She turns to look at me, her eyes searching mine. “I don’t want to leave you, Nero. I don’t want to run away when things are falling apart.”“I know,” I say, and I mean it. I want her by my side, where I can keep an eye on her, make
CamilliaI haven’t been able to sleep well for the past three weeks. Every creak of the cabin, every whisper of wind against the windowpane stirs a flurry of worry that Nero hasn’t quieted in the month since he left. He sends words—sparse, always too sparse—that he’s okay, that he’s coming home, but each message is just a small drop of reassurance in an otherwise overwhelming ocean of anxiety.The digital clock on the nightstand reads 2:17 AM. Sleep has been a stranger for weeks, and tonight is no exception. My mind churns with every possibility, every outcome of this war Nero is fighting. The quiet around me is stifling, suffocating, and yet it’s better than the terrible scenarios my mind conjures in the dark.A soft noise at the front of the cottage startles me from my thoughts, and my heart leaps into my throat. It’s probably just a branch, or the wind, I tell myself, trying to calm the rapid beat of my heart. But then I hear it again, a soft thud, like footsteps, hesitant and drag
NeroSitting in my office, I can feel the weight of everything we’ve lost pressing down on me like a fucking boulder. The air is heavy with tension, the kind that makes it hard to breathe, let alone think clearly. I look across the desk at Camellia, her eyes full of worry and exhaustion, and Orion, who’s leaning back in his chair, arms crossed over his chest, jaw clenched tight. They’re both waiting for me to explain, to tell them what the fuck happened out there.I lean back, running a hand through my hair, trying to figure out where to start. The words feel thick in my throat, and for the first time in a long while, I don’t know what to say.“A few packs,” I begin, my voice rougher than I intended, “we couldn’t save them in time. Some of the strongest packs, packs we’ve fought alongside for years, are gone.”Camellia’s eyes widen, her hand coming up to cover her mouth. “What exactly do you mean by gone, Nero?” she whispers, like she’s trying to process what that even means.“The cu
Camellia“Osiris left?” I ask, sitting up as Nero approaches the bed. “Why?”He shrugs. “He said something about finding himself again, and I get it. But we’re all fucking worried about him he hasn’t been the same since his memories were returned, so hopefully this does help him.”Nero stands in front of the dresser, his movements casual, but my eyes can’t help but linger. There’s something about the way he moves—unconscious strength in every motion, the way his muscles shift beneath his skin, the ease with which he holds himself—that makes it hard to focus on what he’s saying.His earlier words are sinking in, but my eyes can’t help but follow the movement of his hands as he pulls his belt free. The leather slides through the loops of his pants with a soft hiss, and I know I should be focusing on what he’s saying—about Osiris, about everything that’s been weighing on his mind. But man, he’s distracting.“Do you think he’s okay?” I ask, forcing my voice to sound casual as my gaze flic
Camellia The first thing I notice is the warmth. Nero’s arms are wrapped around me, his body solid and steady against mine. My head is nestled in the crook of his neck, his scent—earthy and comforting—filling my senses. I lay there, letting the feeling of safety sink in for a moment. Last night had been… intense. Primal. Nero’s bite is still throbbing, right over the old claiming mark, a raw reminder of the way we’d come together.I turn slightly, just enough to see his face in the early morning light. He looks peaceful, his strong features relaxed in sleep. I can’t help but smile softly, my fingers tracing over the lines of his jaw. It’s hard to reconcile this calm, sleeping man with the one who’d unleashed such raw desire last night. But that’s Nero, isn’t it? Strong, protective, a force of nature when he needs to be, but also the man who holds me like I’m the most precious thing in the world.As I watch him sleep, memories start to bubble up—memories of the first time we were li