The warm breeze carries the scent of saltwater, and the rhythmic crashing of waves against the shore fills the air. I stand barefoot at the edge of the ocean, the cool water lapping at my toes. The sun is setting, and for the first time in what feels like forever, everything is calm. Peaceful.I hear Nereo’s excited laughter as he chases after a sand crab, his tiny legs kicking up sand as he runs. Nero’s deep voice follows, teasing him as he pretends to let the crab escape.“You’re too slow, Nereo!” Nero calls out, laughing. “Come on, you’ve got to be faster if you want to catch it!”I turn to watch them, my heart swelling with love. Nero’s crouched down in the sand, grinning as Nereo shrieks with laughter, trying to outrun the little creature. Seeing them together like this, carefree and happy, makes everything we went through worth it.“Mamma, look!” Nereo shouts, waving his arms in excitement. “I almost caught it!”“You’re getting closer every time!” I call back, smiling as I walk
I lean back in my chair, watching Nereo on the floor in front of my desk, pushing his toy cars back and forth across the hardwood. He’s deep in concentration, his little face scrunched up as he mimics the sound of an engine, totally absorbed in his own world. It makes me smile, seeing him like this. So carefree. So innocent.It reminds me of when I was his age, sitting in this same office, playing with my own set of cars while my father worked. I used to look up to him like he was untouchable, this larger-than-life figure who always knew what to do. He was my hero. I wanted to be just like him.But I also remember the day everything changed. The day I became Alpha.In our pack, the transition isn’t something that’s handed down peacefully. It’s a fight—brutal, bloody, and final. The son challenges the father, and if the son wins, he has to... finish it. Rip out the heart and consume it. It’s a ritual that’s been in the Leonetti pack since the beginning, meant to symbolize the passing o
OsirisThe engine growls as I pull the truck into a dusty parking lot, the tires crunching over wet gravel. I’m in some no-name town, the kind you pass through without thinking twice. That’s how it’s been for months—just driving, aimless. Trying to outrun something I can’t even fucking name.I kill the engine and sit there for a second, my fingers gripping the steering wheel so tightly my knuckles turn white. The silence inside the truck is deafening. My wolf, once a constant presence in my head, is quiet—too quiet. It’s been that way ever since I got my memories back.Everyone was so damn happy when I “came back.” But I wasn’t the same. They all wanted the old Osiris, the one who cracked jokes and kept things light. The guy who could make people laugh without trying. But that guy’s long gone. Buried under whatever the hell I am now.The town’s name isn’t important. I didn’t bother reading the sign as I passed it. I don’t know how long I’ll stay, if I’ll even bother unpacking the smal
OsirisThree days later, I’m still here, still in this small town that feels like it’s wrapped me in a weird sense of calm. I’ve kept to myself for the most part—wandering around, stopping in at the diner for food and shitty coffee, sitting by the river just outside of town. It’s been peaceful, and that’s something I haven’t had in a long time.Eva seems surprised every time she sees me at Rosie’s. I don’t blame her. I’m not the type to stay anywhere for too long. But this place... it’s different. It’s quiet. It gives me space to breathe, to exist without everything else crowding in on me.Today, I walk into the diner and find her behind the counter, pouring coffee for the old-timers who always hang out there. She looks up when I walk in, raising an eyebrow.“Back again?” she asks, wiping her hands on a rag.I shrug, sitting down at the counter. “Seems like a good town to forget about shit.”She smirks at that, leaning on the counter in front of me. “And what exactly are you trying to
OsirisI stare at my phone for what feels like hours, the screen dark and silent. My finger hovers over the group chat with Orion and Nero. I should’ve done this weeks ago. Hell, months ago. But something kept stopping me every time.Maybe it was shame. Or maybe I just didn’t want to admit that I wasn’t the same guy they used to know.I exhale sharply, leaning back in the booth at Rosie’s. Eva’s working today, as usual, and I catch her watching me from behind the counter, giving me that knowing look she always does. It’s like she can see right through me, knows exactly what I’m doing—putting off something important.I can’t run from this anymore.With a sigh, I unlock the phone and open the chat.[Osiris: You busy?]Orion’s reply comes almost immediately.[Orion: You’re alive?! Where the fuck have you been?]I smirk, shaking my head. I expected nothing less from him.[Osiris: I’m fine. Just been... sorting some shit out.][Orion: Sorting shit out?! You disappear for months, and all yo
EvaIt’s the same routine every time he walks into the diner—quiet, brooding, with a weight on his shoulders that practically screams “leave me alone.” Except today, there’s something different about him.Osiris sits at the counter, like always, but there’s a slight curve to his lips. It’s not exactly a smile, but it’s more than the hardened, distant expression I’m used to. Still mysterious, but less like he’s carrying the weight of the world.I can’t quite put my finger on it, but something about him is lighter. Not physically, of course. The guy’s built like a mountain, all muscle and quiet strength, but there’s something in his eyes today that wasn’t there before. Like he’s almost... at peace. Whatever storm was brewing inside him seems to have calmed, at least for now.I wipe my hands on my apron and walk over, trying to keep my thoughts in check. It’s not the first time I’ve noticed how handsome he is—how could I not? Tall, built like he could take on the world, with piercing gre
OsirisI’ve faced down some of the most dangerous enemies, survived battles that would leave most people broken, and clawed my way out of more than my fair share of hellholes. But somehow, asking Eva out on a date feels like the hardest thing I’ve ever done.Ridiculous, right?I lean back in the booth I’ve claimed in the corner of the diner, my fingers tapping idly on the table as I watch her move behind the counter. She’s graceful, her steps light even though I know she’s been working all day. The way she smiles at customers, the way she listens to people, it’s like she’s always putting others first.She’s a sweet woman, probably too sweet for someone like me. But there’s something about her that makes me keep coming back here, day after day. I’m not even sure what I’m doing in this town anymore, but Eva... she makes it feel like I’m where I’m supposed to be.I take a sip of my coffee, watching her as she laughs at something a customer says. It’s not just her looks—though she’s beaut
EvaIt’s my first day off in what feels like forever. The air is crisp, the sun warm but not too hot, and for once, I don’t have to worry about work or rushing through my day. Sophia is running ahead of me, giggling as she chases after some birds in the park. Her joy is infectious, and I can’t help but smile as I watch her. She deserves days like this, carefree and full of laughter.I sit down on a bench, watching her play, and my mind drifts back to last night. Osiris.I still can’t believe he asked me out.Honestly, I’d been waiting for him to lose interest or realize I wasn’t worth his time. But then, he kept coming back. And that kiss... God, that kiss. My fingers absentmindedly brush over my lips as I think about it. It wasn’t just some casual thing—there was heat, but also something deeper. Something I didn’t expect.My cheeks warm at the memory, and I can feel the butterflies stirring in my stomach. It was soft, slow, and... surprisingly tender for a man like him. There’s someth