MasukHansel’s POVThe storm had trapped us inside for three days.Three long days of snow piling against the windows, howling winds shaking the walls, and absolutely nothing to do except eat, sleep, train inside the inn, and drive each other crazy.I was beginning to think I was going to lose my mind. I was lying on one of the couches in our room with my head resting against Marcus’s thigh while Caleb sat on the floor near the fireplace. The fire crackled between us, throwing warm light across the room outside , snow continued to fall.And fall and fall.I stared through the window. “I hate this storm,” I muttered.Marcus looked down at me. “You’ve said that at least twenty times today.”“Because it’s still true.”Caleb chuckled.“You know,” he said, stretching his legs toward the fire, “some people actually enjoy being trapped somewhere warm while it snows outside.”“Those people are boring.”“Or sane.”I lifted my head and glared at him, he grinned.Before I could throw a pillow at him
Mila’s POVThe lights flickered again then every window in the abandoned house shattered at once.“Get down!”Knox’s voice barely reached me before something crashed through the ceiling.I threw myself sideways.A demon landed where I had been standing only seconds before, the floor cracked beneath its weight.Then another demon dropped from the staircase.Then another came crawling from beneath the broken floorboards.“We’re surrounded!” Hansel shouted.My magic burst from my hands.A wave of blue energy slammed into the first demon and sent it crashing through a wall.It got back up.“Of course it did.”My wolf growled.They’re stronger here.I barely had time to react before claws came toward my face, I raised my arm and the demon’s claws struck my magical shield.The impact sent me stumbling backward.Knox appeared beside me.His sword sliced through the demon’s arm.It screamed and he kicked it away. “You okay?”“Yes!”“Good.”He turned and another demon charged him.Knox met i
Mila’s POVFor several seconds after I finished speaking, nobody at the table moved. The only sound was the faint clatter of dishes from somewhere behind the kitchen.The way Teddy and Michelle had knelt before the cave and announced that they were there.I described the demon that came out.A shiver passed through the room.“It was one of the ugliest things I’ve ever seen,” I said. “It told Teddy that the black object it gave him would hide the girl’s scent.”Marcus leaned forward. “Whose scent?”“Millie’s.”Everyone went quiet again.I continued. “The demon told them that if they didn’t find the book, the King would find them soon.”Hansel’s face tightened. “So Teddy knew about the book?”“Yes.”I placed my hand over the diary. “He knew more than we realized.”“I couldn’t stay hidden anymore,” I said. “I used my magic to fight the demons.”Knox glanced at me. “How many?”“Too many.”My voice dropped. “I kept pushing them back, but more continued appearing.”I told them how Michelle
Mila’s POV“Go away Knox” I groaned He grunted and glared at me, i looked beside me and he was staring at me, his face was only inches from mine.I blinked.“Knox?”He didn’t smile, that was when I noticed the tension in his face.His jaw was clenched and his eyes were searching mine. “Where did you go?”My stomach dropped and I pushed myself upright.“I…”He sat up too. “You disappeared in the middle of the night”“I know.”“Mila, I woke up and you were gone.”His voice was filled with concern and fear.“I searched the inn, I checked outside but I couldn’t find your scent.”I looked down and Millie was still sleeping beside us, curled beneath the blanket.Knox followed my gaze and his expression changed.“Is that Millie and why are you even in here?”I took a deep breath. “There’s something you need to know.”Knox immediately became alert. “What happened?”I glanced toward the door and back at him.“I followed Teddy.”His entire expression hardened.“You did what?”“I saw their foot
Mila’s POVI didn’t stop running.Not when my lungs began to burn or even when branches scratched my arms.Not when Millie’s little hands tightened around my neck.And definitely not when the sounds behind us slowly disappeared.I kept going.Millie was trembling against me, her face buried in my shoulder.“Mama…”Her voice broke my heart. “I know, sweetheart.”I held her tighter.“We’re going somewhere safe.”“But Mama”I swallowed.I didn’t know if Michelle had survived and I didn’t know what had happened to Teddy.I didn’t know if the demons were still following us.All I knew was that I had promised Michelle I would protect her daughter.And I intended to keep that promise.Eventually, the lights of the city appeared through the trees, the sight nearly made my knees give out.We were at the inn, we were back, we had made if out alive.I hurried through the streets, keeping Millie close until I reached our room.I pushed the door open and it was empty, everyone was still sleeping.
Mila’s POVThe demon’s words had barely left its mouth when another growl tore through the forest.I froze.Teddy froze.Michelle pulled Millie closer.The demon standing beside the cave slowly turned toward the trees.Then something huge came flying out of the darkness.It crashed directly into the demon.They hit the ground with enough force to shake the snow from the branches above us.A second demon.I stared in disbelief.It was larger than the first, with dark gray skin, curved horns, and long claws that immediately sank into the first demon’s shoulder.The first demon roared and shoved it away.“What—”Teddy didn’t wait to find out.“RUN!”He grabbed Michelle’s hand and Michelle grabbed Millie’s. They took off.I hesitated for half a second then I followed.I didn’t know what was happening anymore.Two demons were fighting behind us, and Teddy’s family was running like their lives depended on it.Maybe they did.We disappeared between the trees.Branches slapped against my fac
Mila’s POVThe dungeon smelled like damp stone and sweat.The moment they threw me inside the cage, the iron door slammed shut with a finality that echoed far deeper than the sound itself.I let out a fustrated groan and kicked the doors, Bastian was so evil for making me go through this.The momen
Knox’s POV“Call the healer!”My voice tore through the hall, sharp and raw, but it felt like it wasn’t loud enough.Nothing felt loud enough because my mother was dying in front of me.Blood spilled from her lips as she coughed again, her body trembling under my hands. I dropped to my knees beside
Mila's pov…Kreda was draining and annoying, I almost punched her in the face.I reached the palace gates and pushed it open everywhere was dark already except for the torches of fires lining the place. Guards stood at their usual posts, but none of them stopped me as I walked inside.Some nodded
Mila's pov…… I, Knox Mercer, future Alpha of the Crescent Moon Pack, reject you, Mila Carter, as my mate.” I hated parties. There, I said it. And not just any parties — school parties, the kind where everyone drank too much, and these were people I saw in school everyday, so it was basically j







