Beatrice’s POV "Why was I abandoned?" I ask, more rage building up inside me. I swallow hard to control it “You’ve… had these all along, All the memories?” Her eyes glisten. “Every single one.” The man step into the room, his presence filling it with quiet strength. “We never stopped watching you,” he says. My voice crack. “Then why wasn’t I with you? Why the hell was I alone my whole life?” They exchange a glance, the kind of glance people share when the truth is sharp enough to cut. “You were never meant to be alone,” my mother whispers, “but keeping you with us… would have meant your death before your first birthday.” I blink at her. “What?” “There are… rules,” my father says slowly, as if weighing every word. “Old, ancient laws among our kind. You are not just a wolf, Raven. You are more. A child of two bloodlines that were never meant to mix. Your mother,” he nods toward her , “is of the Stormblood, wolves born with the gift to command the wind and the skies. And
Beatrice’s POV What was I even thinking… that he would wait for me? Me? Raven? I should have known better. Nothing has ever come easily for me. Luck has never been on my side, not once. And just when I was about to open my heart to him, to let him in completely, everything came crashing down like a wave determined to drown me. It hurts. Goddess, it hurts so badly I can hardly breathe. I can’t speak to him. Not now. Not after seeing that. All I can see now is flashes of her perfectly manicured hand on his bare chest. I can’t even pretend to compare myself to the woman her. She looked like she had stepped straight out of a myth, beautiful, confident, the kind of beauty that makes the world pause. I’m not even in the same league. Why did he tell me he would wait… when clearly he didn’t? Was it all just a lie? Did he just want to sleep with me, then move on? I feel sick. My chest tightens as I press my palms over my face. I’m so damn unlucky. Who did I harm in a past life to d
Caleb’s POV The moment I find her on the damp ground, the air shifts. There’s something wrong here, something that clings to her like a shadow. I can’t shake off. Her eyes give her away. Beneath her stubbornness, beneath the way she tries to push me off, I see it… fear. And not just any fear the kind that seeps into your bones and makes the world colder. The thing that dragged her here… it’s still close. I can feel it, like a predator lurking just out of sight. I keep my distance, following her silently. I respect her space, but inside, every instinct in me is screaming to pull her close, to shield her from whatever darkness is hunting her. We don’t know what it is, not yet. But when we do… I swear it’s going to die by my hands. “I’ll head to my hostel room,” she says the moment we reach the pack’s borders. I want to argue, to tell her no, to keep her where I can see her, but I bite it back. “Alright,” I say instead, though the word tastes bitter in my mouth. ' Have someo
Beatrice’s POV My back hits a tree. I didn’t even realize I’d been retreating until the rough bark digs into my skin. Raphael keeps closing the distance, step by agonizing step. His eyes are nothing like the friend I used to know. They're darker, colder, almost glowing with something… unnatural. “I don’t understand,” I say, my voice trembling. “What are you talking about? You were my friend, Raphael.” He stops, a shadow of pain flickering in his expression. “I am your friend. I was your first protector. Your first partner. You just don’t remember, not yet. But it’s all still in there, locked away in that pretty little head of yours.” “You’re not making sense,” I whisper. “You're scaring me.” “That’s because you’re still clinging to who you think you are,” he growls. “Beatrice, that name doesn’t belong to you. Not really. That was your cover, your leash. But me? I know what you are.” My breath catches. “What am I?” He smiles, slow and twisted. “Mine.” No. No, no, no.
Beatrice’s POV As beautiful as this moment is, it can’t last, duty calls. He’s the Beta, second in command, and his responsibilities are endless. Caleb presses a soft kiss to my forehead before he leaves, his lingering scent and the gentle creak of the door closing behind him the only reminders of his presence. Before leaving, he brings me everything I might need: my clothes, my books, even the small wooden comb I left behind its my favorite, since I made it myself. The fact that he remembered something so small makes something stir in my chest. He’s kind, thoughtful, patient. So incredibly patient that it unsettles me. Because that’s how it starts, right? Mason, too, was kind once, gentle, charming. He knew exactly how to look at me, how to hold me, how to make me feel like the only girl in the world, before he ripped my heart out without remorse. But part of me was to blame, he first treated me horribly, and then he acted sweet. I should have known it was all an act. But how
Caleb’s POV When we finish eating, Raven leans back slightly, her hands resting on her stomach. “I feel like I’m going to explode,” she says with a soft laugh. “That was amazing.” I chuckle, reaching over to take her plate and place it back on the trolley. “I’m glad you liked it. You needed it.” She stretches her arms above her head, letting out a quiet sigh as her body settles. There’s something about seeing her like this, safe, full, a little sleepy, that pulls at my chest. The walls she always keeps up are finally lowered, just a little, and I don’t want this moment to end. “Do you want to lie down?” I ask gently. It's not nightfall yet but I figure she might still be tired. She nods, brushing a stray curl from her face. I rise and pull back the covers for her, patting the bed lightly in invitation. She hesitates for only a second, then climbs in, curling up on one side of the bed. She looks so small beneath the blanket, her hair spread across my pillow, eyes slowly