LOGINThe following day, I watched Leo, Valerian, and Atlas drag three heavy cases up from the basement. The ones Leo and Atlas carried looked like oversized suitcases. Valerian hauled one that resembled a thick, bulky briefcase."What are those?" I asked as they made their way up the stairs."Things Dad picked up years ago. I can barely even remember the last time we brought them out," Leo said. "As you can tell from all the dust."The cases were coated in dust. Leo flipped his case up and turned the small combination locks until the latches snapped open. When he raised the lid, my jaw dropped. Inside were four rows of what appeared to be assault rifles."What the hell, Leo?"He looked at me and smiled. "Relax. We aren't some anti-government militia or anything like that. Dad got these about ten years back when a shifter group that had bad blood with both our pack and Javi's came rolling through. They had no problem carrying weapons, and Dad thought it was best we stayed prepared in case t
I rubbed the bridge of my nose. I’d been dealing with so many people lately that I couldn’t even remember what this Howard guy looked like.“Alright, Howard. What’ve you got?”“Hello,” a deep voice responded. “Have we considered taking Viola out? I mean, isn’t that the best move? Flush her out and eliminate her. It’s what you do with a rabid dog, why not this crazy bitch?”“I think that’s a bit extreme,” Tiago said, clearly caught off guard by the suggestion. Howard must not have shared the full extent of his idea earlier.Tiago was quickly drowned out by several other alphas who agreed with Howard. The call descended into chaos, voices overlapping as everyone tried to talk at once.Once Tiago and I managed to regain control, I spoke. “Alright, hold on. I know a lot of you think we should take the fight straight to her, but it’s not that simple.”“Why not?” someone asked.“She’s already shown the world who she really is,” I said. “But she still has followers and bodyguards, that’s one
I stared at Lyanna in frustration. There was way too much happening for me to get caught up in the drama between Mira, Rowan, and Valerian. If not for the pleading look in Lyanna’s eyes, I would’ve completely ignored it. I shifted my gaze from her to Mira, who immediately lowered her head, embarrassed.“Are we seriously doing this right now?” I asked.Lyanna glanced at Mira, then back at me and nodded. “Yes. It matters. She needs somewhere safe to clear her head. With everything going on between her and the guys, and what she went through when she was captured… It's too much. She wants to go back to her apartment, but that’s not safe.”I looked down sadly at my turkey and salami sandwich. My appetite was gone. Would Donatello really agree to give Mira a place to stay? He’d already offered to shelter my entire pack, even suggesting sending transport helicopters so we wouldn’t have to leave pack lands and risk danger. But this was just one person. Would it even be worth his effort?“I’l
He was right. We all understood that.“No matter what the news or any politician says, Viola is pushing for a war against shifters, but we all know what she truly wants,” I said.The others stared at me closely, though they already knew what I meant. I was the target. Me, and the vial that only I could reach and use. She wouldn’t stop until she had both. Even if she had to cut through every army in the world, she was far too unhinged to grasp the odds. Would anything short of death ever make her stop?“I need some air,” I muttered.“Are you okay?” Leo asked as I moved toward the front door.“I’ll be fine. A little sunlight will help.”He looked like he wanted to say more, but instead he nodded and let me go. I stepped out onto the front lawn and inhaled deeply. It did help. Ever since connecting with my wolf, being in nature calmed me.Grunts and heavy breathing came from the neighboring house. When I glanced over, I saw Valerian and Rowan training in Leo’s parents’ yard. I wandered c
Ever since Viola’s war announcement aired on TV, I’d been stuck in a constant state of anxiety. It had already been bad when she and her followers worked from the shadows, now it was far worse. She’d laid everything out in the open, which meant we were all targets. There was no need for her to hide our deaths anymore. Her loyalists would gladly kill us just to earn her approval. That thought alone terrified me.My wolf churned inside me, restless and ready to strike, but there was no one to direct that rage toward. It only fueled the anger pulsing through me. We’d already endured so much, and it should have been finished by now. Donatello’s exposure was supposed to be the final blow, the decisive move to take down the royals and their vicious spokeswoman. But instead, we were holed up in Leo’s compound, afraid to step outside, dreading whatever came next.Now that I had control over my wolf and could shift whenever I wanted, I found myself craving another confrontation with Viola. The
“Does your audience care about our safety?” I asked, my anger rising with every word.“I think you’ll agree that shifters represent a serious threat to humanity. We need to stay informed about any additional risks your kind may pose. Along with increased strength, speed, and healing, if there are technological advantages that you, ”I slammed the button to end the call before she could finish. There was no point in continuing. Nothing I said would reach her. It was obvious she either secretly or openly supported Viola’s beliefs. If I had to guess, Channel Nine News would be running a smear piece on our pack by tonight.“It’s only going to get worse, son,” Dad said as he dropped into the chair across from me. He gestured toward the phone. “People like her are going to make things even more dangerous than they already are.”“I know, Dad.”“I’m not sure you fully grasp how serious this is. That group of protesters outside has the road completely blocked. I spoke to the chief of police, t
My phone was ringing again. Lyanna didn't want to talk to her parents. Simply mentioning it would trigger her. After the fifth or sixth attempt, I eventually provided her mother with my own mobile number. I felt awful about it, but I couldn't completely sever the connection. Lyanna was furious, but
I gestured toward the sleeping quarters. “Lyanna, grab your stuff. Let's go.”Before she could even head for the room, Kenneth leaped from his seat and backed himself against the main entrance. He yanked a pistol from his coat and pointed it in our direction. “You aren't going,” he stated. The sno
My yell was still echoing throughout the house. My gaze was fixed on Kenneth’s corpse. All I could focus on was the massive pool of crimson leaking from his head. He was gone. Just like that. One moment, he was breathing and conversing with me. The next, he was just gone.I was trembling violently
I cradled her for several hours. The agony she endured must have been fierce. She shifted between shivering and burning up. There were screams, followed by hissing breaths drawn through clenched teeth. I moved her to the bathroom so she could purge. I was becoming concerned that a hospital visit mi







