MikhailSheโs clinging to Alexei, her face buried in his chest, but then she pulls back just enough to look up at me. Her eyes are wide, and thereโs something in them that makes my stomach drop.โHe killed them all,โ she whispers, her voice so soft itโs like sheโs afraid of the words themselves. โHe killed them... and she... she killed them too.โHer whole body starts trembling like sheโs remembering something too awful to even say out loud. Alexeiโs arms tighten around her, his face a mix of confusion and worry, but he doesnโt interrupt. Neither do I.Emilyโs gaze darts between us, and she leans closer to Alexei, like sheโs trying to shrink into him. Her voice drops to barely more than a whisper.โShe ate them alive,โ Her lips trembling as she gets the words out.Emily keeps repeating it, her voice barely above a whisper, like sheโs locked in a place of fear.โShe ate them alive.โ Her body is still trembling, like the words are coming from somewhere deep inside her, something she canโ
Lucas I canโt see a damn thing. Itโs pitch black, like someone just snuffed out the sun, and Iโm stumbling through this nothingness with only this weird pull to guide me. Itโs like a tug at my chest, faint but steady. Itโs all Iโve got to hold onto. But man, this feels like a twisted game, something designed to mess with my head. Every now and then, the pull shifts. Sometimes, it splits, like itโs coming from every direction all at once, trying to yank me one way and then the other. Itโs overwhelming, and I can feel the frustration bubbling under my skin. My wolf stirs uneasily, and I grit my teeth to keep from losing it. But I know better. The strongest pulls, the ones that hit me like a punch in the gut, those arenโt her. They canโt be. Itโs too obvious, too easy. Somewhere deep down, I just know the faintest pull, the one that feels like a whisper instead of a scream, thatโs the one thatโll lead me to her. So I focus. I block out everything else. Every strong tug trying
SophiaEverything feels heavy like I'm sinking into a thick, black ocean. My head's a mess, thoughts slipping away the second I grab onto them.The darkness is so deep itโs almost choking me. I donโt know how long Iโve been here. Hours? Days? Weeks? Time stopped making sense a while ago.That womanโs voice echoes in my head, soft but edged, like I should know it. Familiar, like an old dream or a name on the tip of my tongue, but itโs gone.Who is she? Her voice is the only thing that constantly rings in my head... sometimes I feel like my head will explode. No matter how much I try to block her voice, it is always there. The edges of my vision pulse and blur, and my thoughts scatter like dead leaves in the wind. All I know is that this place, this nightmare, is eating me alive. I just... I just want to wake up.My body is breaking, little by little. Every breath is heavier than the last, like this place is squeezing the life out of me.I know exactly what she wants. She wants me to
LucasI canโt believe it. Sophia is right in front of me. My mind almost refuses to accept it, but my heart knows itโs her. A flood of emotions hits me all at once, each one fighting for control.Joy. Iโve finally found her. After everything, after searching and fighting, sheโs here. Relief washes over me so strong it nearly brings me to my knees.Pain. She looks like sheโs barely hanging on. Weak, tired, like the life is being drained out of her. Itโs unbearable to see her like this. The glow that always surrounds us is almost dimmed to nothing. This is place is killing her, slowly, and I can feel it.And anger. Burning, searing anger. Whoever did this to her, whoever put her through this hell, will pay. I canโt stop the rage that rises in me, and I donโt even try.โSophia.โ My voice is thick with emotions that I don't try to conceal as I step closer to her.Sophia tries to push herself up, but her legs wobble. Before she can stumble, Iโm at her side in a heartbeat, steadying her. She
SophiaLucasโs presence is a comfort I didnโt know I needed. Just having him here, seeing his face, hearing his voiceโit feels like a lifeline. But thereโs this small, nagging thought at the back of my mind, this awful what-if that I canโt completely shake. What if he gets stuck here with me? What if this place swallows him up the same way itโs been trying to swallow me?I push that doubt away. No, thatโs not going to happen. It canโt. Weโre both getting out of here. We have to. Too many people are counting on us, waiting for us. We canโt let them down.Mikhailโs face flashes in my mind, and this wave of longing hits me so hard it feels like I canโt breathe. My heart twists, like someoneโs squeezing it too tight, and thereโs this emptiness inside me, this awful void where the mate bond should be. Itโs like a piece of me is just... missing, and no matter how much I try, I canโt fill it.I donโt even try to reach out to him. I canโt. If I do, heโll feel everything Iโm going through, and
SophiaSheโs here. I can feel her, even though sheโs too much of a coward to show herself. Sheโs playing games, just like always.Every time I think Iโve got the upper hand, she pulls this disappearing act, hiding in the shadows and letting her presence crawl over my skin. Itโs her way of saying sheโs in control that Iโm just a pawn on her board.Tapping into my wolf, I let her strength flow through me. Itโs like a spark igniting in my veins, a rush that steadies my hands and sharpens my focus. I need her right now, and she knows it.She growls softly inside me, just enough to remind me sheโs here, ready and waiting. The sound hums in the back of my mind, a quiet promise that weโre in this together.My mind starts spinning as random visions crash over me like waves, pulling me under. Some are memories, others are my worst fears. I know this is her doing, trying to mess with my head, but I fight to stay connected to myself instead of letting myself get lost in these visions. I wonโt le
SophiaIt feels so strange to witness this moment because I donโt remember any of it.I remember being locked in that dark basement, the cold, damp air, and the pain that completely overtook my senses when I went through my first shift.But apart from that, my memory is all hazy, like itโs wrapped in fog. Itโs like thereโs a part of me that was lost back then, a piece that I still canโt quite reach.And thereโs this feeling inside me, a deep, gnawing desperation to uncover whatโs been locked away all these years. Itโs like thereโs a door inside my mind that I canโt open, and every time I try, it feels like Iโm just brushing up against the edges of it but never quite getting through.I want to remember.I need to know what happened, what Iโve forgotten.It eats me from inside, that longing to understand, to reclaim the memories that are kept away from me.I watch my wolf pacing in the room, her restless energy practically vibrating off her. She moves in tight circles, like sheโs itchin
SophiaMy knees hit the ground beside her, and my hands tremble as I reach out. She lies there unconscious, her chest rising and falling just enough to let me know sheโs alive.Tears threaten to spill as I look at her, beaten and broken.The pain etched into her body feels like itโs carved into my soul, too.I know this isnโt realโjust memories. But knowing that doesnโt make it hurt any less.It doesnโt erase the fact that once upon a time, this wasnโt a memory. It was my reality. โIโm sorry,โ I whisper, my voice breaking. My apology falls flat in the empty space, swallowed by the stillness of the room.Closing my eyes as tears slip free, hot and heavy. โYou deserved better,โ I choke out. โI shouldโve been stronger. For both of us.โHer body doesnโt move, doesnโt react. Of course, it doesnโt. Sheโs just a reflection of who I was back then.I close my eyes for a moment, letting the cold from the floor seep into my knees. This place... this moment... itโs like the walls themselves reme
AnastasiaThe world keeps spinning, people moving, voices rising, wind brushing through the treesโฆ but I feel like Iโm stuck in this weird kind of stillness. Like Iโve been dropped in the middle of a moment that doesnโt want to pass.Sophiaโs lips are moving, and I know sheโs talking to me, trying to reach me, but I donโt hear a single word. Nothing. Not her, not the others, not even Jakeโs wolfโฆ and I know heโs howling. I can see it in the way his body shakes, the way his mouth stretches open, raw and wild. But itโs all on mute. Like someone hit pause on the sound while everything else keeps playing.Thereโs this weird, heavy quietness inside me. One that screams louder than anything ever has. It drowns everything out. It presses down on my chest and wraps around my ribs and coils in my throat.I donโt see anything.I donโt hear anything.And the scariest part?I donโt feel anything.No anger.No grief.No heartbreak or rage or sadness.Just this empty, flat nothing.Like Iโve disapp
AnastasiaThe second I hear that howl, I don't even stop to think. My feet are already moving, carrying me outside like Iโve got no control over them. The pull in my chest only gets stronger with every step I take. Itโs not pain exactly, but itโs this deep ache, like a part of me is missing and screaming to be whole again.I follow the sound around the side of the house, past the trees, until I reach the outskirts of the packโฆ and then I freeze.Jake's wolf.Heโs massive, all muscle and wild fury, snarling and thrashing like a storm no one can contain. His fur bristles with rage, and his eyes... theyโre completely taken over by something feral. And what the hell... chains? Actual metal chains are wrapped around him, digging into his fur as a bunch of people try to hold him down. Theyโre failing miserably. He yanks and shakes, sending two guys flying like rag dolls. Heโs wild. Uncontrolled.I spot Mikhail standing there, tense, and beside him is Alexei, barking orders. โGet more men! H
AnastasiaI blink up at the ceiling, confused as hell for a second. My brain feels like itโs swimming through thick fog, trying to latch onto something that makes sense. The sheets under me are soft, smell faintly like lavender and old memories, and the light slipping through the curtains is warm, too warm for how cold I remember feeling.Whereโฆ?I turn my head and it all clicks into place.This room.Same pale blue curtains swaying a little from the breeze sneaking through the window. Same wooden dresser with the chipped paint. Same soft hum of nothingness outside, the kind of quiet you only get out here. Itโs like Iโve time-traveled. Like someone hit rewind and dropped me right back into the past.I sit up slowly, my muscles sore but not screaming anymore. That alone messes with my head. I lift my arm, the one where Iโd dug for the tracker, and stare at the skin. Itโs healed. Like really healed. Smooth, with just the faintest pink mark. No blood. No torn flesh. No proof of how bad t
JakeBefore I can even blink, Anastasia throws the knife across the room and, to my horror, she digs her hand right into the wound she just made. Blood gushes out, running down her arm and dripping onto the floor. She bites her lip so hard trying not to scream that her teeth tear through the skin, blood mixing with the sweat on her face."What the hell are you doing, Anastasia?" I rasp out, my heart slamming against my ribs. I grab her wrists, trying to stop her from tearing herself apart, but she fights me like she doesnโt even hear me.Nothing I say is getting through that crazy haze sheโs trapped in. Itโs like sheโs somewhere else, lost in her own mind, and I have no clue how to pull her out of it. Watching her hurt herself like this is ripping me apart. Iโm scared outta my damn mind."I have to find it," she grits out between her teeth, her voice rough and broken. She keeps digging into her own flesh surprisingly it looks like she doesnโt even feel the pain. "He fucking canโt cont
JakeI carry Anastasia toward the cells, not loosening my hold even a little. I can hear Sophia and Mikhail following close behind, their footsteps quick but not rushed. They know somethingโs up even if they donโt have all the pieces yet.When we get to the old brick building, Mikhail steps around me and tells the guard to open the door. The guy fumbles with the keys for a second before the lock clicks and swings open.The place smells like metal and damp stone, but I hardly notice. All I see is her. All I feel is her heartbeat against my chest.Anastasia stirs a little and tugs at my shirt weakly.She shifts a little in my arms. "Put me down," she whispers, her voice soft but firm.My wolf snarling in protest. Every part of me wants to keep her close, safe, where nothing can get to her. Letting her go feels wrong, like Iโm cutting off a piece of myself. But I can't let my own fears and emotions get in her way, undermining the strength and power she carries.So, even though it goes ag
JakeI skid to a stop near the border, my heart slamming against my ribs so hard it feels like it might shatter. Mikhail and the rest of the patrol are crouched low, hidden behind trees and thick bushes. For a second, I don't get it. Why the hell are we hiding? Anastasia could be right there, so close I can almost taste her in the air.My wolf fights me hard, clawing at the inside of my chest, roaring at me to move, to tear through anything standing between me and her. But my human side digs in, just barely keeping control. I suck in a ragged breath and crouch low, reminding myself that rushing in without thinking could cost Anastasia her life.I notice the black hummer rolling down the old dirt road just outside the border. The windows are tinted so dark I can't see a damn thing inside. Every part of me wants to charge in and flip the damn thing over, but I grind my teeth and stay low."That's them..." Irwin says in a low voice from where heโs crouched behind a fallen log. He nods hi
JakeโHow do you know Anastasia?โ I ask, trying hard to keep my voice level. I donโt want to scare him off if heโs got real information. But damn, itโs tough when every second I can feel her pain twisting inside me like a knife.He leans on that broken branch a little, then shrugs like itโs no big deal. โWe areโฆ or wereโฆ friends.โ His voice drops a little at the end, more to himself than to any of us. โIโm saying were because I know once she sees me, sheโll probably try to kill me for abandoning her.โHe gives a short, humorless laugh that doesnโt reach his eyes. I don't laugh with him. None of us do.โThatโs not what you should be worried about,โ he says, looking back up at me, his eyes sharp. โYour focus should be on Ana. I donโt trust a damn soul over there. Theyโre vultures, all of them. But Anaโs smart. Smarter than most. Sheโll know whatโs going on. I trust her to get herself out.โI am still skeptical whether to trust a word coming out of his mouth, especially when I heard he a
JakeMy body shakes as my wolf pushes harder, breaking through the thin line between us. My skin stretches, bones shift, and I fight the change with everything Iโve got, but itโs like he doesnโt care. Heโs done waiting.Heโs angry. And scared.And so am I.Sophiaโs voice is somewhere nearby, soft but panicked. โJake? Whatโs happening? Jake!โBut I canโt answer. I can barely breathe.All I know is I feel her. Anastasia. Not just the bond tugging... this is something more.Sheโs hurting.And that pain? Itโs mine now, too.I slam a fist into the dirt and snarl, trying to get control back, trying not to lose it completely.Pain flares in my body like a wildfire, and I can hardly breathe. My vision goes all hazy, like I'm looking through a foggy window. I blink hard, trying to clear my head, but itโs no use. Everything around me turns into a blur. Iโm dimly aware of the sounds around me, but theyโre distant, like Iโm submerged underwater. My mind is racing, but itโs too focused on one thin
JakeThereโs this heat sitting right under my skin, like fire trying to crawl out of my bones. Itโs been there since I woke up, simmering just below the surface. I keep telling myself itโs nothing, that Iโm overthinking it, but I know better.Somethingโs wrong.I canโt explain it, not in a way that makes sense. Itโs like my instincts are pulling at me, dragging my thoughts to one place. Or ratherโฆ one person.Anastasia.I close my eyes and try to focus on the reports in front of me, but itโs useless. All I can see is her face. The way she looked when she left.... not angry, not cold, justโฆ hurt.I didnโt want her to leave. Not like that.I wanted more time. Just a little more. I wouldโve stolen her from the world if I could, even if it was selfish. But after that talk she had with Sophia, I saw it in her eyes... she was hurting.From Sophia's words, she might have gotten the impression that Sophia is against our bond, which is untrue. However, Sophia is slightly disappointed with me.