LOGINSamantha's POVWe spent several nights working simultaneously — a vaccine for the rogue and hybrid infection, and a cure for Alpha Kael's infection. Alaric remained busy with pack security and the battle plan.I had brought samples with me from Nightveil, which included the vampire parasite from Jada and Elnora, and discovered it wasn't a mutation like the rogues' parasite — it was the exact same thing as the parasite that infected Alpha Kael. It got me wondering: if the Faceless Man was really a vampire like we thought.What if he was a hybrid instead?I had gone to the lab to work late, alone, while Adams was taking the night off today after Luna Tamia insisted on it, saying he needed a break after all the work he had done in our absence. He tried to resist but he lost to her, which I was glad he did.I arrived at the lab by eleven but was surprised to see the door unlocked when I reached for the knob. I held it, my defensive instincts on high alert. Then I slowly pulled the door op
Samantha's POV"So this is how the matriarchs control them," Adams said, eyes still on the monitor. "The parasite was engineered to last longer in their bodies. They feed them your blood in its complete form to keep them running back for more before they get eaten alive."He paused then turned to me. "That's why the rogues at the dungeon smell of decaying flesh. They haven't been fed your blood in a long time." A surge of anger burned through me. Whatever the Matriarchs' mission was, it could never be worth the lives of innocent people.Silence settled in the lab for a moment but was soon interrupted when Alaric came in. I had mind-linked him earlier while the results processed. I hadn't told him everything about what Adams and I analysed of the situation, but enough to make him come here.He stepped in and Adams and I turned to face him. He walked straight toward me, his gaze locked on me as if trying to read my expression to know how bad it was. He then looked at Adams and finally
Samantha's POVAfter I separated from Alaric that morning, I attended to Adrian before gathering everything I needed and heading for the lab where Adams was waiting for me.Adams had his back to me when I walked in, facing the desk, but turned at the sound of my footsteps. His eyes dropped to the documents I held in one hand and the sample cooler in the other before finally meeting mine.I set the cooler at the far end of the desk and dropped the documents between us. Adams picked them up, raising a brow. "What's this about?" he asked."Those are my documents containing my research about my lineage back when I was in Arcana Hills," I answered, watching as he opened the first page."I found out a few weeks into my stay here that the Matriarchs were looking into the fake ones I left behind," I said, recalling how Julian had called me early in my stay to tell me he had found them while helping Dean Carol move some files. Adams flipped to another page, his expression shifting. I had nev
Alaric's POVThe next morning, I was already up, bathed and ready to head to the training ground where I'd receive reports from Kayson. Those reports would determine how our battle plan would proceed later when I met with my generals, and I also wanted to oversee the training the warriors had been undergoing in my absence.I stepped out of the bathroom, a trickle of water running down my chest from my still-damp hair. I spotted Samantha at the desk, her hands focused on her laptop. She had woken early as well but had gone straight to work before she could join Adams at the lab today. I moved toward her, placing my hands on both sides of the table as I leaned in, my frame still towering a few inches above her head.She stiffened at my closeness. Her fingers paused over the screen for a brief moment, then she tilted her head backward to meet my gaze. I wrapped my hand slowly around her bare neck, gripping it gently before leaning down to brush my lips against hers."Try not to overwork
Alaric's POVSamantha hastened to my room in the alpha's wing, the closest place where she could have some privacy to make a quick call to her friend Liv. I followed immediately, hoping that Julian was fine and that the Matriarchs had not gotten to him. It would shatter Samantha. I could already feel the distress from her wolf — it made Storm restless too, wanting to take that burden off her. It would also mean that they had silently declared war when we weren't even ready. "Samantha." Liv's voice came through the speaker. "I need you to call Julian right now and tell me if you can reach him." Her fingers trembled over the phone, revealing just how much fear had settled within her. I stayed close, my hand draped across her back as I rubbed it gently to ease her even a little through the mate bond, while I braced myself for whatever may come. "We just got off the phone. He was having some network issues." A gasp left Samantha's mouth followed by shaky yet relieved sighs, and I
Samantha's POVKayson’s words stung more than I wanted to admit. The only reason I could imagine Finn digging into my background was because of what happened the last time we were here. I had lost control of my temper when he tried to hurt the people I loved, and my aura had slipped out. I still remembered the shock on everyone’s faces in that room when they felt it.I doubted he would find anything concrete on me. But if his search somehow led to my mother’s whereabouts, then I couldn’t even be bothered by it. And if he discovered my identity as Alpha Thorne’s daughter, it would simply mean the surprise would come earlier than planned. We were in the middle of a war. Announcing myself to the world right now wasn’t logical, especially while I stood at the center of all this chaos.We reached the throne hall, where Finn and his council were already seated. Images from the last time I stood in this room flashed through my mind. Before my aura could even flicker with rising anger, Alar
Samantha's POVOur eyes locked instantly, and I shrank from embarrassment at my posture. I held a lot of clothes in my hands, which I dropped quickly. I came down from the bed, pushing the bulk of cloth to the side, then adjusted myself to appear composed, except a line of sweat was dripping down
Alaric's POVThe silence that settled throughout the hall was even more deafening than any noise could cause. Then gradually the voices rose; people began to murmur amongst themselves, but I couldn't quite believe what I just heard or even saw right now.The reason my dad had been away from the pac
Alaric's POVAdrian took the news better than I had expected. He claimed that he had always suspected it, especially because we both had the exact same eyes, and that everyone around him pointed it out, but knowing his mum didn't like me, he decided not to talk about it with her.What touched me th
Samantha's POVAn intense silence settled between us, and I could feel Alaric's shock. Many thoughts seemed to run through his mind at the same time. He was probably thinking of the possibility of it to be true."That doesn't make sense. We conducted a DNA test just recently, and it proves Adrian i







