My body ran across the city roofs like a white shadow streaking by, hunted by two figures: the man who loved me, and the man who wanted to possess me.I leapt from building to building, every muscle of my lupine body moving with full force, fused with the pull of the full moon echoing from the sky. My claws scraped concrete, my breath came out cold, and the world felt sharper. The nocturnal birds, the roar of cars on the streets below, and the sound of Liam’s footsteps in the distance all came through clearly in my ears.But I was not entirely myself. A voice in my head whispered: run, run, run.“SIENNA!” Liam’s voice sounded from below. I paused for a moment at the edge of a tall building and turned. He stood on the hospital’s top floor, his body trembling with fever, yet his eyes never left me.And below him, on the street, Gregor stood. The dark-cloaked figure stared at me with embers for eyes. His grin was wide and unchanged.“Run, white wolf, but you know where you’ll end up,” he
The infusion pump ticked slowly, dripping fluid into Liam’s body as he lay feverish again. Cold sweat soaked his temples, though he still tried to look calm in front of me.I sat in the chair, holding his hand tight. His body was burning, his breath heavy. Yet every now and then he tried to lift his head and look at me with that stubborn gaze.“Sleep,” I whispered softly, dabbing his sweat with a cool towel. “I’ll watch over you.”But at that moment my eyes were drawn to the window. The thin curtain fluttered in the night breeze, revealing a sky filled with silver light. The full moon hung large, round, and bright—seeming to call only to me.My chest trembled oddly; my heart pounded. Something in my blood was stirring, like a wave I couldn’t hold back. The towel in my hand trembled with me.“Cole?” Liam’s voice was hoarse. He watched my expression with concern. “What are you feeling?”I swallowed, unable to lie. “The moon is calling me.”His eyes widened. He pushed himself up despite
We fell silent for a moment after Alyssa and Ethan closed the door. The sound of their footsteps fading away still lingered.I saw Liam watching me from behind his pillow, his eyes sharper than usual even though his body remained weak. Outside the window, the night sky reflected the full moon, vast and round.“I need to tell you something. Tonight is the full moon. I’m going to try shifting into a complete wolf,” I said.Liam tilted his head. “Are you serious?”“Yes. I haven’t tried since the last incident. But I can feel the moon’s pull tonight—it’s strong. I feel like I can sense something, like a scent calling me. If my father is still alive out there, maybe this is my chance to catch his trail.”“No. You’re not shifting tonight.”“Why not? You said yourself the beta already brought back information. If there’s a lead—”Liam raised a hand, stopping me. “That’s different. If you shift without supervision, you could become a danger—not only to yourself. You could lose control, draw d
Alyssa and I returned to the hospital. The streetlights glittered outside the car windows while I sat silently, still not used to my new appearance. My hair fell smoothly over my shoulders, my face felt fresh with a touch of natural makeup, and the simple blue dress Alyssa had forced me to buy now clung to my body.“Stop looking down all the time,” Alyssa commented as she drove. “You look amazing, Sienna. If Liam doesn’t fall in love with you all over again tonight, I’ll hit him on the head myself.”I chuckled softly. “You’re exaggerating.”“No. You really are beautiful. You forget who you are: the white wolf, Luna of the Darkmane Alpha. That aura should be seen, and now it finally shines through,” she said.I could only shake my head slightly, feeling both embarrassed and pleased. When we reached Liam’s ward, Alyssa nudged me in first. I walked slowly, shopping bags in hand, my heart pounding. Liam was sitting on the bed, accompanied by one of his Betas who excused himself as soon as
I sat beside Liam’s bed, watching him as he began to drift to sleep. I leaned my head against the chair, studying his face. He still looked dignified, even pale and weary. There were fine lines beneath his eyes, the result of carrying too much weight on his shoulders. My fingers moved slowly, brushing away a strand of his slightly tousled hair.Without realizing it, my eyes closed too.A moment later, I startled when I heard his deep voice calling. “Cole.”I opened my eyes quickly. Liam was already awake. “You haven’t slept since yesterday, have you?” he asked.“I’m fine. I just wanted to keep watch.”His gaze traced my face for a long while, then without warning, his hand reached for my wrist. He pulled me gently, until I sat closer at his bedside.“You’re getting thinner.”“No, I’m fine.”“You are not fine. Your cheeks that used to be full are hollow now. The dark circles under your eyes, and your shoulders—” his eyes drifted down my body—“you are clearly too exhausted.”I lowered m
The luxurious restaurant still felt suffocating even after I had stepped out of it. My pace quickened as I descended the marble stairs, the groceries from the convenience store clutched tightly in my left hand. The midday sun was glaring, yet Gregor’s shadow—his calm but dangerous smile—still lingered vividly in my mind.How could I have sat at the same table with him?Gregor treated me as if I were an honored guest. Polite, even warm. His words about Ronny, about Kayla, about me being “worthy of more” all sounded sweet. But I knew that behind that sweetness lay something else. A wolf is never truly tame.I exhaled deeply and waved down a passing taxi. The car carried me back to the hospital. Throughout the ride, I tried to steady myself. I had to look normal when I saw Liam. He was unwell; he must not know.As soon as I entered his room, I saw Liam half-sitting on the bed, accompanied by one of his Betas who was reading a report. Liam’s face was still pale, but his eyes remained shar