MIKHAILThe hall was filled with Alpha after Alpha. Some stood with arms crossed, waiting to hear what I had to say. Others shifted uncomfortably, their eyes flickering with fear. None of them dared speak first.I stood before them, hands clenched at my sides, rage boiling just beneath the surface."She is a traitor," I said, my voice sharp like broken glass. "Rosanne. My mate. My wife."Murmurs stirred among them."She ran from me," I continued. "She took my child with her. And any of you who dare to shelter her will suffer the wrath of the crown."I threw the bounty file down on the long table, the signature of me, the Lycan King pressed scrambled boldly. "Find her, bring her back. Alive."The words tasted like poison.Somewhere inside, I hoped she would be dragged in, bloodied and breathing, just so I could see her again. I wanted to shake her. I wanted to hold her. I wanted to demand why she left me—and maybe, if she cried enough, I'd even forgive her.But none of that mattered he
ROSANNE “I'm glad you're much stronger now.” Reaching for Anita's hands, I gave it a light squeeze. Her lips bloomed into a small smile. Anita's face was still a little pale. She looked frail, unhealthy, but she'd stepped down from the stairs alone. She'd eaten breakfast and lunch without puking her guts out. “I heard you saved my life.” “I just got the herbs you needed.” “You risked your life and your baby's.”“That's what friends do for each other, isn't it?” “Sisters.” Anita's smile widened. “Friends might not go to that extent, but sisters would do it a thousand times for each other.” No argument, she was right. It'd just been a few days since I last stepped out of this abandoned, shaky house. Axel had told me the patrols became even more strict, and people were more eager to find me. Soon, they'd be knocking on that damned door to get me out. Yvonne stepped out of the kitchen, wiping a sheen of sweat from her forehead. Wearing a brown apron we'd found in this house, s
MIKHAIL I'd always loved the sound of war. I'd always loved watching Lycans shift, rogues squirling in pain, their blood splattered around everywhere like a masterpiece on a canvas. Hearing their groans was like awakening a beast that'd been locked up for far too long. It's like giving the beast in me the opportunity to go feral, to kill as long as he could, and that was how I felt by giving into Lex. We stood at the battle field, listening to the lost souls find their way to damn fucking hell. Lex was large, larger than any Lycan here, and as a rogue stood before me, in his wolf form, I could literally see the fear spread across his face. He took a step backwards, and I a step forward. My pack had been peaceful for way too long. We'd stayed out of every dispute for the sake of peace. As the Lycan king, I'd tried to solve things the right way—not all times—but these rouges still had the guts to drag a war to my pack? I wasn't just going to let it slide. I would take them, t
ROSANNELeaning against the cracked walls, I watched as the rain tapped lightly against the windows. Sometimes, it felt like nature could feel my pain, feel the agony threatening to drive me insane. I'd woken up quite early because I had been unable to sleep. Mikhail ruined my life. My whole life. I'd thought he loved me, but this wasn't love anymore. It was pure obsession. He wouldn't stop until he dragged me back to hell, which meant Axel, Yvonne and Anita were in danger too. “Yo, Rosanne.” Axel's voice followed a knock on the wooden door. He peeked, eyes fliting across the room. “Ready for breakfast?” Meeting his gaze, I shook my head. “You guys should eat, don't worry about me.” I couldn't stand it anymore. I couldn't continue acting like I wasn't bothered when it was gradually eating me up. Just like Mikhail ruined mine, I'd ruined their lives as well. I was the reason Anita had to fake her death, the reason Axel had to leave the pack. The longer I stayed with them, the
ROSANNEI stifled a scream, my eyes wide as I watched Axel’s hand crush the man’s throat in a loud crunch.The man tried to fight back, but it was too late, nothing could stop Axel, not in this form that he was in. I watched with bated breath as he ripped the man’s larynx out of his throat, his fangs elongating just as the spilt blood touched his lips.Yvonne screamed, falling to the ground as she tried to put a much-needed distance between her and Axel, who had turned his attention to her.A scream erupted, and the sound of metal being drawn filled the air.I was shoved to the ground, my hand, wrapped around my stomach, trying to protect it from any harm.“No harm must come to her,” a man yelled, rushing into the room with more men.We were werewolves but hated fighting like one. They had circled Axel, weapons in hand as they watched his move. I could see it, the fear in their eyes, no matter how hard they tried to hide it, they were afraid of him.“We just want the girl, and the res
ROSANNEThe room had gone quiet. If I had thought that Axel looked scary when I first noticed his burning red eyes. I was wrong.Gone were his warm blue eyes. Now, it felt like I was staring into death’s eyes. He was primal. Gone was his humanity.“Leave,” he growled, his hand tightening around the man’s neck.My feet stood frozen in fear.“Leave!” he hissed in a darker tone.Anita’s shaky hands grabbed mine as she tried to pull me behind the counter, “We have to hide,” she whispered, her face decorated with tears.The sound of choking and bones cracking brought me back to reality. The man who once stood before Axel had dropped to the floor with a loud thud, his neck twisted at an odd angle.Blood mage. I would never have believed it, had I not witnessed it with my eyes. They were perceived to be a myth—some bogeyman our parents told us about as kids just to keep us in line.The sound of claws and pain echoed through the room. No matter how hard I squeezed my eyes shut, the sounds I h
MIKHAILFailures. That was all that rang through my mind. My eyes darkened as I stared at the last hunter, blood dripping from his shoulders, his pathetic attempt to show me that he had fought and failed. He'd told me he found Axel, Anita, Yvonne and Rosanne in a wrecked building. But stepping in was a bloodbath. Men from the Alpha of the Goldenrise pack were there to capture Axel as well. “Forgive me,” he stuttered, his heartbeat echoing through the room. “He was something we hadn’t seen before, dark, sinister, evil,” he whispered the last part, like if he had said it any louder he would have summoned an ancient god.“A few men, couldn’t fight against one man and two women?” I asked, rising from my throne as I approached him. “I thought you were the best of them all?” I mocked, my claws drawing out from my fingers.“Believe me, he was no man,” he whispered, fear radiating from his body, filling the room with its stench.“Was he scarier than me?” I growled, lunging my fist in his c
ROSANNEYvonne was gone. I don’t know what I was expecting, but the morning had come and she was nowhere to be found.“Shit!” Axel hissed, his fist hitting the tree trunk next to him. “I should have broken her bones,” he growled his eyes flashing red.Anita was quiet, tears brimming the sides of her eyes, I could see the struggle in her eyes, as much as we were all hurt by her betrayal, I did not doubt that we would have fought to work it out.Yvonne was her only relative, and after hearing their story, I understood Yvonne’s actions perfectly.“We have to move now,” Axel growled, packing up the things we had used for the night. “We don’t know what and how far she has gone,” he said in urgency.I was gutted, even with all that we had been through, I had hoped that she would stay with us and maybe try to make us sort things out.“Anita?” I called out, my feet aching as I moved closer to where she was. She was quiet, too quiet like she was trying to reel through everything that had happe
HUDSONWolves circled her, their fangs bared as they tried to scare her.I had jumped down the minute after she did, but I was too late, my men had already had her cornered. They were toying with her, waiting for her to move, then they would attack, tear her piece by piece until she was nothing but bones, a reminder of who she was.“Stand down!” I barked, my wolf surging forward. But my words were on deaf ears, Mikhail’s order stood firm, commanding their will.Her green eyes met mine, and instantly I was filled with a new order—protect.I lunged, landing right in the middle, blocking her from their vicious eyes, “Stay behind me,” I growled.She nodded, her heart beating loudly in her chest, the sound reverberating through my body. Her touch was soft against my back, a buzzing feeling surrounded the spot where she touched.“No one harms her,” I sneered, my claws drawn.For her, I would go to the end of the world—killing the men I called my family if need be.“Get out of our way beta H
HUDSONBACK AT THE GOLDEN RISE PACK…“Kill!” the single command that broke through my control, snapping my beast, filling us with the thirst for blood.The sound of their screams excited me. I was carnage bathed in the blood of my enemies. This was absolutely my scene.The warrior beneath me shuddered, blood gushing out of his open stomach. I grinned, my claws digging deeper into him as I pulled out his intestines, enjoying the way his face contorted in pain before the life drained out of his eyes. My eyes glowed red, filled with malice, as I savoured my kill. “They couldn’t even defend their home,” I hissed, crossing over his body as I moved towards the door he had been protecting.I was on a mission, “No one lives!” Mikhail’s voice echoed through my mind, drowning me.Knox has been foolish to go after Mikhail’s breeder. His thirst for power had sentenced his people to death.I pushed the door open, ducking just in time as an arrow whizzed towards me, its tip aiming for my head.“Yo
ROSANNEWe moved in silence, each man understood the severity of our quietness. The darkness and the trees were perfect covers, hiding us from anything that might have been hovering around.Aiden cooed, his lips moving against my chest looking for my nipple. These were moments that I should be enjoying, smiling as I fed my children, but I couldn’t. We were here in a forest running from an unseen but scary danger. Trying to be alive. We were nomads. Lost souls wandering around without a place to call home.My eyes looked around the group of people that were with us, their faces stricken with pain and determination, all looking for a better life, a new hope.We all wanted the same thing, a place we could call home. A place we could believe in.The ground rumbled, the forest coming to life. Birds moved through the trees out of fright. And from the silence, a growl echoed, deep, primal, hurt.“Lycan king,” Axel muttered, his eyes looking back to where we had come from.My heartbeat spiked
MIKHAIL“Names!” I yelled, my fist clenched as I stared at Knox, he was fighting, barely living. I needed to know the people that I would be hunting down.Knox coughed, blood slipping out of his mouth as he tried to move, “Here,” Blair said, placing a cup by his lips. “It will give you energy for the journey ahead,” she muttered.“Speak, or I will rip your tongue out,” I commanded, my voice heavy with authority.“Rosanne,” he coughed. “She was a monster, her powers…”I lunged, my fist colliding with his cheek, how dare he called Rosanne, my Rosanne a monster. She was peace, beauty and a ray of peace. I was the monster, not her.“Mikhail!” Hudson screamed, pulling me off the man who looked like he was about to die. “Are you going to kill our only lead?” he yelled. I straightened myself, shoving him off of my body, “Don’t you ever talk to me like that again,” I hissed.Hudson bowed, his neck bared as he showed mem the respect that I deserved, “I am sorry Lycan King,” he said, keep a mu
MIKHAILMy heart clenched at the large claw mark on the wall, just where Maverick’s head rested.Not a message, just a deep primal warning.Fear crawled up my spine. But not for myself or my men; but the thought of something, someone harming Rosanne and my child.My Rosanne.“We have to keep on searching,” Hudson muttered behind me, his voice sound far, like he was buried among the bodies littered here. “She has got to be here somewhere, she is a fighter,” he mumbled. His words felt like they were meant to comfort himself and not me.He was still fighting hard to see the positive in all this.The once thriving rogue settlement, No man’s land had been reduced to ashes, bodies thrown around like…The thought made me shudder, I should be happy that Rosanne’s body wasn’t in the rumble, but then where was she? Shouldn’t she have been patiently waiting for me to come and save her? Wasn’t she scared of the new, and real world she was seeing?My ears strained, and the sound of a faint heartbe
MIKHAILTrusting Blair to be the compass to No man’s land was one of the most terrible mistakes I had ever made, “Would you stop grinning or I will make sure Hudson pulls out all your teeth,” I hissed, my patience growing thin.It has been more than a day since we had set out to bring Rosanne and my child back. Blair had forbidden us from using the cars, her excuse; cars make her sick, and when she is sick, her powers seem to disappear.I wonder why I still keep her around. She has been nothing but a pain in the ass all through this journey, blabbering and sharing jokes that sounded like torture to the ears.“Sorry,” she muttered, completely unaffected by my threat.I rolled my eyes at her, “Are we anywhere close to Maverick’s land?” I asked, looking at the dense forest that we had been trapped in.I had taken a few men, the journey wasn’t meant to be this long. The plan was simple, find Ross, and bring her and my baby back. And for the traitors, make sure that they find their end at
ROSANNE“Whatever it is that you have to say, you can say it here,” I replied in a clipped tone. I wasn’t going to be separated from my children again.Ryan smiled, “No one is planning to take you away,” he said in a soft tone.“What do you want?” Axel interrupted, his eyes looking around the men who had been loyal to Maverick. “As you can see we are on a time crunch and we need to leave,” he hissed.I gently squeezed his shoulders, signalling that there was no harm in hearing them out. “What he is trying to say is that we are most grateful for your kindness and letting us dwell with you. But we must leave now. And we are sorry for any harm that might have come to you. All of you,” I said, sounding more diplomatic than Axel.Ryan smiled, his eyes sparkling with delight as he heard my little speech, “We know what you have suffered in the hands of Maverick and we would like to apologise for that,” he muttered.I kept a straight face, hiding my true emotion from showing at the mention o
ANITAThe war was over, but its scars lingered. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but I knew that something had happened in that room; the Rosanne I was seeing wasn’t the same lady I had left a few hours ago.“Hey,” Axel sighed, his hand touching my shoulders gently as he walked into the room.I smiled softly at him, my body melting softly into his touch, he looked fresh; no signs of blood and the stench of war, “I can’t leave them alone,” I mumbled, pointing to Rosanne and her children, sleeping peacefully on the bed.“What happened?” I asked, trying to get a little information about the ordeal. Rumours of Maverick’s betrayal had echoed through the walls, spits spat out in disgust as his name was mentioned.“Maverick had tried to be slick, thinking he could betray us,” he muttered, frowning at the memory that popped up in his mind. “She was great and handled it well. A true leader,” he added, smiling softly at Rosanne.I knew she was, Rosanne was the embodiment of strength and resilie
ROSANNEMaverick coughed, the sound drawing my attention from Knox, who lay at my feet, blood pooled around him. His heartbeat was faint, in just a matter of seconds he was going to die a slow painful death.Maverick was afraid, his eyes flickering between Axel and me, trying to put as much needed distance between us.I moved away from Knox, my eyes glaring at the man, who had betrayed his people, “What was that promise you made again about my children?” I asked, my blood-stained hand tapping my chin just like he had done a few minutes ago.Maverick winced, his hand holding his rib tightly, hoping to dull the pain that was forming, “Rosanne…” he tried to plead.“Remind me, or should I say it?” I hissed, cutting him off.Maverick stared at the floor, fear etched on his face. I loved this power, the control that I had over him was next to nothing. “Oh! I remember you were going to cut them piece by piece, right?” I mused.I dropped to my knees, keeping my gaze even with his, as I looke