POV: Bella
"No. I refuse to accept this."
Sage’s voice rang out, sharp and filled with venom, cutting through the thick silence of the ceremony like a blade.
My breath caught in my throat. My body turned rigid, my heart pounding painfully in my chest. No. No, this isn’t happening.
I stared at him, my fated mate, my Alpha, my everything.
And he was looking at me like I was nothing, a piece of trash.
"The Moon Goddess made a mistake," Sage continued coldly, his piercing green eyes locking onto mine with pure disgust. His powerful frame stood tall, imposing, his jaw tight with fury.
"I reject you, Bella Blackthorn."
The words landed like a physical blow. My knees nearly buckled, but I forced myself to stay upright.
A low murmur spread through the crowd. Gasps. Whispers. Laughter.
This isn’t real.
I tried to breathe, but I felt a crushing weight of humiliation pressed down on me, choking me. The sting of rejection burned through my veins like wildfire.
The pack elder had just announced it—the Moon Goddess had chosen us. And yet, Sage was rejecting fate itself. Rejecting me.
I swallowed hard, my throat raw, my vision blurring. I could hear people snickering, I felt the weight of hundreds of eyes watching, judging.
My mate didn’t want me.
And worst of all? He wasn’t even hesitating.
Sage took a slow step forward, his massive frame towering over me, his voice dropping to something low and menacing.
"I am an Alpha," he said, his tone lethal. "I don’t need a weak, stuttering little omega as my mate. You are beneath me, Bella. You always have been."
The words cut through me like claws.
‘Weak. Stuttering. Beneath him’.
Something inside me cracked.
A lump formed in my throat, hot and bitter, but I refused to let the tears fall. Not here. Not in front of them.
The pack had always seen me as a nobody. A mistake. But I had hoped, prayed, that my mate would see me differently.
But I was wrong.
A slow, mocking clap broke through the tension.
I turned just in time to see Liora step forward, her lips curled into a cruel smile.
"Well, well," Liora drawled, tilting her head in false sympathy. Her long, dark hair cascaded over her shoulders, her silver eyes gleaming with amusement. "How tragic."
A fresh wave of humiliation burned through my chest.
Liora had always been there, Sage’s lover, his plaything, the perfect she-wolf. And now, she was delighted in my destruction.
"Congratulations, Bella," Liora continued, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "You’ve just made history as the most pathetic Luna this pack has ever seen. Oh—wait. You won’t be Luna, will you?"
The pack roared with laughter.
But my breath hitched. Pools of sweat gathering on my head
My hands curled into fists at my sides, nails digging into my palms. I could feel the sting, but I welcomed it. It was better than the crushing ache in my chest.
This was worse than rejection. This was annihilation.
I turned to Sage one last time.
Maybe, just maybe, there was something, some flicker of regret in his gaze. Some hesitation.
There was none.
His expression remained cold. Unyielding. Like I was dirt beneath his feet.
A shuddering breath left my lips.
Fine.
If this was how he wanted to do it, then I would give him what he wanted.
‘Dignity. Control. Strength’.
I lifted her chin. My voice—steady, clear, filled with every ounce of pain I refused to show. It rang across the clearing.
"Then I reject you too, Alpha Sage."
Silence, the crowd went still.
Sage’s eyes snapped to mine, the first flicker of something unreadable passing over his features.
I stepped back, my heart thundering in my chest.
"I reject you, and I reject this pack," I continued, my hands shaking but my voice was firm. "I will never bow to you. Not now. Not ever."
Sage’s jaw clenched, his body tensing.
For a moment, just a moment, it almost looked like he wanted to say something.
But he didn’t.
He just stood there, unmoving, watching me as I turned my back on him.
As I walked away from the only home I had ever known.
The laughter, the whispers, the cruelty, all of it faded as the wind howled around me, carrying my pain into the night.
But I refused to look back.
Because I was done.
With them. With him. With everything.
Later that night, I ran deep into the forest, my breath ragged, my feet aching.
The tears I had held in finally fell, hot and fast, as I collapsed against a tree, pressing a hand to my chest.
It hurt. Gods, it hurt.
My mate, the one person meant for me, had rejected me like I was nothing.
Like I was worthless.
My body trembled, the overwhelming weight of it all pressing down on me until I thought I might suffocate.
"Why?" I whispered, my voice broken. "Why would you do this to me?"
I had been so ready to love him. So ready to be his.
But Alpha Sage Wyatt had never been ready for me.
And now, I would never be enough.
Above me, the sky rumbled, thunder rolling across the heavens like a warning. The wind picked up, whipping through the trees, howling in a way that made the hairs on my arms rise.
Something felt different.
The air around me shifted, thick with something ancient and powerful.
A single bolt of lightning cracked across the sky, splitting the darkness in two.
I gasped, my entire body tensing as a strange, invisible force wrapped around my chest.
For a moment, it felt like something was being ripped from me.
My wolf.
It was gone.
I fell to the ground, gasping for air, my vision swimming.
And in the distance, miles away, I could almost swear I heard Alpha Sage let out a blood curdling howl.
POV: Sage Liora moaned beneath me, her nails digging into my back as I drove into her with relentless force. "More," she gasped, arching into me. "Sage…." She called out but I silenced her with a rough kiss, my grip tightening on her hips, bruising her soft skin. I wasn’t making love to her. This wasn’t about connection or tenderness.It was about control, dominance, and possession.I grabbed her hair and pulled her up—enough to give me a good balance behind her. Her voice rose and I loved the sounds she made. But to prevent further wailings, I took a finger to her lips and made her suck on it. She was so good at it too. Her breasts, full and satisfying as I grabbed them. I squeezed and pressed while harassing the nipples with a free finger. It was pleasurable for her with the way she kept moaning, arching her entire body to meet mine. It was like I wasn't deep enough, so I plunged deeper. I could feel her succulent walls tighten, producing juices as I rocked in and out. My hand
POV: BellaThe wind howled through the streets of the small border town, rattling windows and sending icy rain pelting against the pavement. Thunder cracked overhead, a deep, rolling sound that vibrated through my chest as I locked the door to the clinic, pulling my coat tighter around myself."Need a ride?"I turned to see Lane, standing by his car, keys in hand. His blue eyes held quiet concern, his medical scrubs still damp from the long shift we had just finished.I forced a small smile. "I’ll be fine, Lane. It’s just a short walk."He frowned, glancing up at the storm raging above them. "You sure? It’s getting bad out here."I nodded. "I like the rain."It was a lie.I didn’t like the rain. It reminded her of the night I lost everything.Lane sighed but didn’t press further. He had learned long ago that I was a locked door, and no matter how many times he knocked, I never let him in."Alright," he said, tossing his keys in the air before catching them again. "But if you get struc
POV: BellaA deep rumbling growl filled the cabin, low and unnatural, vibrating against the very walls.My eyes snapped open, my heart slamming into my ribs.The fire had burned low, leaving the cabin bathed in flickering shadows, and the air had grown thick, charged with something unnatural. A strange energy pressed against my skin, making the fine hairs on my arms stand on end.I sat up abruptly, my breath coming in quick, shallow bursts. Then I heard it again, a deep, guttural snarl.My gaze flew to the wolf.It was shaking.Its massive form convulsed violently, its limbs twitching, its chest rising and falling in ragged gasps. The low whimpers it let out, sent a chill down my spine.Something was wrong.I threw off the blanket and rushed toward the wolf, dropping to my knees."Hey," I whispered, my fingers hovering over it burning-hot fur. "Stay with me, big guy."Its body trembled harder. Its paws clawed at the wooden floor, it fangs bared as another tortured sound left its throa
POV: BellaI pushed away the tightness in my chest, forcing myself to pace the length of the cabin, my bare feet pressing against the wooden floor.Every breath I took felt wrong.The man lying on my couch, wrapped in the blanket I had thrown at him, was the same man who had humiliated me in front of our entire pack.The same man who had made me believe I was nothing.And now, he was here—weak, vulnerable, completely at my mercy.It should have felt good.It should have felt like justice.But instead, all I felt was anger.Anger at him.Anger at myself.Anger at the damned mate bond that kept tying us together, no matter how much I wanted to rip it apart.I turned, my hands clenched into fists, and stormed toward the couch.Sage lay still, his face half-hidden by the shadows of the dim firelight.His body was exhausted, but not broken.The Alpha was still there, beneath the layers of weakness and fever, beneath the filth of his exile.I hated that I could still see it.The raw power,
POV: BellaThe door shut behind me with a slam that rattled the frame.I leaned into it, my chest heaving, palms splayed against the cold wood. My breath fogged the air. I could still smell him. His scent clung to the wall like smoke, damp earth and ash. Something I didn’t want to remember but I couldn’t forget.The almighty Sage Wyatt was in my house.Alive and human again. And I couldn’t stop shaking.I dragged myself to the bathroom and turned the faucet on full blast. Water thundered into the tub, louder than the pounding in my ears, louder than the war in my chest.I stripped off my clothes with jerky movements. My skin was on fire. Rage and Panic clouded my mind. Or was it that stupid, cursed pull between us?I stepped into the water and sank down, hoping it would cool the chaos inside me. It didn’t.My thoughts were a storm. Sage rejected me, he humiliated me and left me shattered.And now he was here, bleeding all over my floor, acting like he had the right to speak to me. To l
POV: SageI’d faced down a dozen rogues with nothing but my claws.I’d survived winters in the wild, nights without shelter, and the slow decay of my own mind.But standing in Bella’s too-small kitchen, trying to figure out how to use a damn toaster? That almost broke me.The buttons didn’t make sense. The machine hissed. And the bread looked like it had been sacrificed to the Moon Goddess herself by the time I gave up.I tossed the burnt toast in the trash and scrubbed a hand down my face.This was what I’d become, useless, cursed, and apparently incompetent in modern appliances.The worst part? It still smelled like her in here.Her shampoo lingered in the hallway. Her laughter-quiet, guarded-echoed in my memory. The same girl I’d rejected without blinking now held my life in her hands. Literally.And she hated me, she had every reason to.I’d seen it in her eyes last night, the same way I’d seen it on her face four years ago, the pain I’d put there. And yet, even now, with every bre
POV: BellaThe scent of vanilla latte and sugar-dusted donuts filled my hallway before I even opened the door.Only one person ever brought both as peace offerings.I opened the door and, sure enough, there was Laura, holding up a pastry box in one hand and my favorite coffee in the other.“I come bearing offerings,” she said, breezing inside like she owned the place. “And a million questions.”I closed the door behind her. “You could’ve warned me you were coming.”“I could’ve,” she said, settling onto my couch and kicking off her boots. “But then I’d miss the look of panic on your face.”I rolled my eyes and joined her, accepting the coffee. One sip, and my shoulders started to loosen.Laura gave me a once-over. “You look like hell.”“I feel like it.”“So,” she said, curling her legs under her. “Let’s talk about the giant wolf-shaped bomb you’ve been hiding.”I let out a breath. “How did you even know?”“I smelled him.”Of course she did. Laura had one of the strongest noses in our ge
Bella POVThe sting on my wrist made me jolt awake. I hissed and clutched my arm as fire pulsed beneath my skin. The moonlight spilled through the window, illuminating the faint glow of a crescent mark that seared into my flesh."What the hell?" I exclaimed in shock, throwing off the sheets. My heart hammered as I stumbled into the bathroom, flipping on the light switch.The mark shone in the mirror, just under my skin like it’s always been there. I grabbed a towel, ran it under cold water, and scrubbed as hard as I could. But it doesn’t fade.I began to panic and I could feel my throat tightened. Nothing in the moment made any sense. Then, I saw a woman with silver hair. Her lips barely moved, but her voice echoed in my head.“Seven nights until the Blood Moon. Choose him… or lose everything.”I gripped the sink, gasping for breath as the vision faded away. My pulse thrummed wildly, drowning out the stillness of the night.Choose who? And why the hell does it feel like I already kno
Sage POV I didn’t move for hours. Could’ve been a trap. Probably was. But the food didn’t rot. It stayed warm. Clean, no flies, no magic stink. Just food.And I was starving. I didn't realise when I rushed to the food and ate it. The meat was rich, real—flavored with something faintly herbal. I devoured it before I could think too hard about the consequences.She came again the next night. Same time. Same place. Same food. No words. No questions. Just her.I watched from higher up in the trees that time, cloaked in shadows. She sat longer. Sang a different song. This one was... sad. My wolf leaned forward in my head, ears perked.She smelled like memory. Like something I should know.It kept happening. Dusk after dusk. She never brought fire, never wore shoes. Her breath fogged in the cold, but she didn’t shiver. The forest began to settle around her. Birds followed. Deer peeked from the edges of the trees. Even the cursed places began to slow their spread.She was changing somethin
Sage POV Something felt wrong the moment I stepped into the clearing.It wasn’t just the cold or the silence—this quietness ran too deep. The kind that seeps into your bones and warns you you’re not alone. My paws sank into the frostbitten soil as I crept forward in beast form, every muscle tensed. The scent hit me a second later.Rot, decay and worse—blood magic. I froze instantly. The trees ahead weren’t just dying—they were blackening. The bark split and blistered, oozing dark sap like blood. Leaves had withered mid-branch, and the ground was slick with a sickness that pulsed through the earth. I growled low in my throat.Someone was poisoning the forest. Not randomly—no, this was deliberate. It must be a message.Malrick. It had to be him. Who else would twist the land like this just to force me out of hiding?I should’ve turned around. Everything in me screamed to leave. But this was my territory. Mine. I’d hunted here. Bled here. Howled under a hundred moons. I couldn’t just w
Sage POVThe snow is deep tonight, it clung to my fur like frostbite waiting to happen. I move low to the ground, my body slink between trees that creak with cold. Every breath foghed the air. I haven’t shifted back in months—not since the dungeon. Not since Malrick.My beast form keot me safer out here. More muscle, better speed. The downside? I’m losing pieces of myself. Human thoughts came in fragments now—disjointed, buried beneath the instincts that snarl louder with each passing day.A branch snaps up ahead causing me to freeze, every muscle locked tight. My ears twitch. A low rumble builds in my chest, a warning to the night. I heard another snap, it was softer this time. Just wind or something watching?I sank back into the shadows. The patrols have been thicker lately. Malrick’s voice—his commands—they ride the wind like old songs I can’t stop hearing. I don’t know how many men he’s sent. Five? Ten? More? Doesn’t matter. I stay out of sight. Always watching. Always moving. Th
Bella’s POV The morning after I got my first A, I woke up to the smell of cinnamon and burnt toast.“Who let Liam near the stove again?” I called from the stairs.“I resent that,” Liam’s voice echoed up. “I’ll have you know this is a controlled culinary experiment.”“Controlled by what? Gremlins?” June giggled.I walked into the kitchen, rubbing sleep from my eyes. June was perched on the counter in mismatched socks, waving a spatula like a conductor’s baton. Liam stood proudly beside a skillet full of what looked like... slightly-charred pancakes shaped like wolves.“Are those ears or legs?” I asked, squinting.“Both,” he said without hesitation.“Harper, you’re seeing this, right?”She entered from the hallway in her oversized cardigan, her eyes were still soft with sleep. “I’ve learned not to question Liam’s methods before coffee,” she said, reaching for the pot.June held up a plate. “These are for you. Nurse Bella needs fuel.”“They’re actually really good,” Liam added quickly.
Bella’s POV The sky was ash when I found her again—June, leaning against the porch railing, a wool blanket wrapped tight around her shoulders. She didn’t look up when I stepped outside, just sipped from her mug like the world hadn’t tried to break her.“You’re gonna freeze out here,” I said, nudging her lightly.“I like the cold,” she replied.I didn’t have a response for that, so I just stood beside her and let the silence settle between us. Sometimes that was better than pushing. And lately, silence didn’t feel so heavy.Inside, Harper’s laughter drifted from the kitchen. She and Liam were cleaning up after dinner, arguing over who forgot to defrost the chicken. It felt normal. Safe. Like the council hadn’t carved messages into our door or hunted us through ancient forests.But even in that peace, a small ember inside me kept burning—restless, searching, quietly desperate for something more.I didn’t tell them right away.Weeks passed since we decided to stay. Weeks of healing, adj
Bella’s POV We left the house to a hotel to spend a few days and not raise any suspicion. The air in Ålesund felt different the moment we returned. The ferry ride back had been quiet—too quiet. June barely spoke, and Harper’s silence was thick with tension. Even Liam, usually steady, kept glancing over his shoulder like something was breathing down his neck.Now, standing on our front porch again, everything felt wrong.The snow hadn’t fallen naturally. It clung to the trees in odd clumps, too heavy, too still. The ravens had returned in droves, black feathers scattering across the drive like a warning. One perched on the porch railing, staring straight at June until she shooed it away with a flicker of energy that crackled in the air.“Don’t,” Harper said, voice sharp. “They're watching.”“They?” I asked.“Not just the Council. Something older. Something waking up.”Inside, the house was just as we left it, but colder. I could smell unfamiliar scents mixed into our own—cologne, swea
Bella’s POV The pendant flared white-hot. The ground beneath her feet cracked. Trees bent back like something had exhaled violently. Birds scattered from the branches, screaming into the sky.Liam lunged forward, grabbing her shoulders. “June! You have to control it!”“I don’t know how!” she screamed.Wind howled. Real wind. Not the kind from storms, but something summoned—something born.Harper raised her hands, murmuring an incantation. Runes lit beneath her fingers in sharp blue flickers. “Bella, keep her steady!”I rushed forward and grabbed June’s hand. She was trembling violently, her breath coming in gasps.“I don’t want this,” she cried.“But it’s already yours,” I said. “Let it in. Or it will tear you apart.”The pendant cracked down the middle, releasing a pulse of energy that knocked all of us back. I landed hard in the snow. When I sat up, June was on her knees, her chest was heaving—but calm. For now.The snow around her had formed a perfect ring of frost, etched with ru
Bella’s POV The days following the attack were a blur of healing and conversations about the way forward. Harper on her hand, immersed herself in ancient texts, her fingers stained with ink and herbs. One evening, I approached her as she traced a rune onto the floor with a mixture of ash and blood."Harper," I began cautiously, "you're pushing yourself too hard."She didn't look up. "We need stronger protections. The Council won't stop, and neither will what's coming.""What's coming?" I pressed.She finally met my gaze, her eyes momentarily flickering silver. "There are older things than the Council, Bella. Things that have been dormant for centuries."A chill ran down my spine. "And you're waking them?"She returned to her work. "Better to wake them on our terms than theirs."Liam and I stood watch outside, the snow crunching beneath our boots. "She's changed," I murmured.Liam nodded. "Magic that deep always leaves a mark. She's treading dangerous ground.""Can we trust her?
Bella’s POV We didn’t speak much on the way home. The lantern lights faded behind us, replaced by the hush of falling snow and the quiet thrum of adrenaline. My wrist still pulsed from where Kalen had touched me, like the cold had rooted itself beneath the skin. I kept rubbing it, trying to forget how close I’d come to unraveling.Back at the house, Liam was already waiting at home, pacing by the window. He had left earlier to check if the house was safe before we got home. “He was there,” I said.He didn’t need to ask who.“He got too close,” Harper muttered, locking the door behind us. “Too fast.”June dropped her coat, cheeks flushed. “We’re running out of time, aren’t we?”Harper didn’t answer right away. Instead, she crossed to the fireplace and knelt down, pulling away the base of the stone hearth. I heard the click before I saw the opening—a hidden compartment built into the wall, older than the house itself.She drew out something long and wrapped in thick, cracked leather.