로그인Third Person's POVXavier froze in the doorway.For a long second the world stopped around him. The constant low buzz of the medical machines fell into the background. Everything narrowed down to one single fact that his body had been waiting to confirm for days and was only now allowing itself to believe.She was awake.Althea was sitting up against the pillows. Pale, exhausted, the shadows under her eyes carved deep enough to look almost like bruises. But she was awake. Relief slammed through Xavier with a force that almost took his legs out from under him. He had to brace one hand against the door frame to keep himself upright. The wolf in him was howling somewhere just below his skin. The part of him that had been quietly preparing for the worst was suddenly told that it had been wrong.He did not so much walk as cross the room.He did not even register Althea’s mother starting to walk toward him. He reached Althea's bedside and his arms were around her before he had finished for
Between Life and DeathAlthea’s P.O.VDarkness.But it wasn't empty. It pulsed softly and steadily, like a heartbeat in the void. My own? I wasn't sure.Then came the stars.One by one, they lit up the darkness above me like someone was painting light onto a black canvas. I was lying on something soft, like moss, though there was no ground.A warm breeze touched my skin, and with it came the scent of lavender and something divine and sacred.I didn't feel pain. Just peace.I opened my eyes fully, and she was there.A beautiful woman.She wasn’t made of shadows or light. She was real. Her hair looked like moonlight flowing down her back. Her eyes were deep, like they held stars inside them. Her skin glowed softly. Being near her made me feel calm and broken at the same time. My chest tightened, and I wanted to cry without knowing why."Where am I?" I whispered.She knelt beside me. Her hands glowed faintly."Between the threads of life and death. A space only the chosen may reach." Sh
THIRD PERSON'S P.O.V Three endless days of sitting in a stiff chair, Xavier’s body was aching from lack of movement and his eyes were burning from staring at the same pale figure over and over. Three days of listening to the monitors beep erratically, each pulse and flutter a reminder that Althea’s heart was fighting a losing battle. They had successfully brought her to the hospital but she hadn’t wait up till then. He rubbed his temples for what felt like the hundredth time, trying to will away the growing panic in his chest. Her chest rose and fell with shallow, uneven breaths, and every exhale felt like a knife twisting in him. Dr. Chen had told him that the body was rejecting her heart this morning. That without the bond sustaining her, her human body was realising it had a werewolf heart and was trying to destroy it. Xavier’s fists clenched at that thought. He had begged, pleaded and promised. “There has to be something we can do!” He had shouted. His voice was raw from des
THIRD PERSON’S P.O.V It took Riley eight minutes. She appeared in the doorway with a tablet in one hand and a face so composed it could only mean she was furious and using every part of that fury to become useful. “His grandfather’s chapel. It’s forty minutes north on family land. It was sealed since the grandfather died, but Marcus has been making maintenance visits every month for the past year.” Xavier’s eyes locked on hers. “Every month?” “Every single month.” Riley said. “Sometimes twice.” “Anyone else with access?” “No. Just him.” “Mind-link Leo.” “I tried. Nothing.” Xavier’s jaw flexed. “Blocked?” “Either he is blocking us, or something is blocking him.” The room went very still. Then Xavier turned. “Get the warriors. Full escort. We leave in three minutes.” Riley was already moving. Xavier was about to move as well but Marla caught his sleeve before he could pass. “Xavier.” He turned back. “She really loves you.” The words hit him harder than any accusation
THIRD PERSON'S P.O.V Xavier had not moved from his desk in over an hour. Marla stood in the open doorway of his office and watched him sit there with eyes fixed on nothing. He looked like a man who had returned from war. Even worse. He looked like a man who had won a battle he should never have fought. The papers on his desk had not been touched. The cup of coffee Riley had brought him sat near his hand, untouched and going cold. The fire in the hearth burned low, throwing quiet orange light across the room, but it did nothing to warm the space. Xavier had been like this since he walked back from the courtyard. Silent and still. Stillness that did not come from peace, but from a man holding himself together by force because if he moved, if he breathed too deeply, if he allowed even one thought to settle fully, he would crack. He looked up when he sensed Marla. “Marla.” He acknowledged her with a rough and hollow voice. “Alpha.” She stepped into the office and
AlTHEA’S P.O.V I woke to voices. Distant. Muffled. Like I was underwater. "...not responding..." "....pulse is weak…" "....don't know if she'll make it…" I tried to open my eyes, but they were so heavy. My entire body felt heavy. Like I was made of lead. "Althea, can you hear me?" That was Dr. Chen's voice. "Squeeze my hand if you can hear me." I tried. God, I tried. But my fingers wouldn't cooperate. "She's in and out of consciousness." He said to someone else. "The rejection shock was too severe. Her heart is barely functioning. We need to get her to a hospital." "No hospitals." A different person said in a cold and authoritative voice. "She stays here." That voice. I knew that voice. But it wasn't Xavier. "Marcus?" That was Leo. "What are you doing here?" "Checking on the girl." He said smoothly. "Making sure she's being cared for properly." "Dr. Chen has it under control…" "Does he?" Marcus's voice moved closer. "Because it looks to me like she's dying. And if sh
Althea's P.O.V I knew it would be bad before I even walked through the doors. My stomach had been turning all afternoon. My hands wouldn't stop shaking while I dressed. The heart in my chest beat an uneven, anxious rhythm that I had learned, over these past weeks, meant something my body understo
Althea's P.O.V Xavier's voice was flat with absolutely no room for argument. But he was not looking at Selene. He was looking at me. And the intensity in those silver eyes made my breath catch in my throat. It made my heart stutter. "But Alpha..." Selene started. "I said she stays." Xavier s
Althea's P.O.VOnce I entered, I assessed the formal dining hall and my breath hitch. It was stunning.Candlelight flickered from elaborate candelabras placed down the length of a massive wooden table. Flames were dancing. Cast were moving shadows on the walls. The scent of roasted meat and fresh b
Althea's POV The howls grew closer. I stood frozen in the sitting room, surrounded by women who looked worried but not terrified. They moved around calmly, gathering children closer and whispering to one another like this was something they had experienced before. Meanwhile my entire world had j







