Seth pov "You did what?" My voice trembles as I take a step back. I wish I could scream and shout, raise my hand at this little shit, or do anything close to that, but I can't. My own son... How could he? I know anyone can say something hurtful, especially if they are guided by emotion, but to say something like that to his brother. All this, even though Luka knows the nightmare we had to go through to keep Lenox with us. And all this, even though Luka knows how much these words would shatter his brother. I've failed as a mother. I've failed my sons, and, most importantly, my family. How did I fail to notice the monster hiding within Luka? I put a hand over my mouth to stifle the sob that escapes me. Pregnancy hormones and confessions like this don't mix well. I look at my son and wonder where I went wrong with him. Growing up, Luka's always been a charming young man, and he didn't change over the years. He always thought about how others might feel and never failed to show co
Sarah pov Pain. Nothing but pain, a thousand times worse than one from the heat. My body burns; the muscles tense and relax in violent, rapid jerks, and my head feels like a bucket overflowing with lava. What on earth has happened to me? Hissing, I open my eyes and immediately close them- the bright light stings and makes the unbearable feeling even worse. I have to take a deep breath until my heartbeat slows down and I can try again. If I don't find a way to calm down, my heart might burst through my ribcage. I try to lift my arms and legs; they seem to be working perfectly; apart from the physical pain, I'm fine. What happened? I furrow my brows and concentrate on the remnants of the memories. The playroom. Lenox. The half-shifted beast. "Oh, God, no," I whisper, fighting the pain coursing through my body as I raise my hand to my neck. I know, for a fact, that he bit the right side of my neck, but no matter how hard I try to find the scar- there isn't one. It can't be tha
Lazarus povLuka's been on my back since yesterday. I refuse to speak to him, look at him, or even acknowledge his presence. He is as much of a brother to me as Lenox, but Luka has taken it too far.I understand the brotherly rivalry and even the jealousy. What I don't understand is the display of pure, deep hatred for someone who has done everything to deserve his love. Lenox is crazy. He's messed up so deep in his roots that there's no way to fix him, but beyond that, he's an amazing, trustworthy and hard-working man who deserves the best in life. But despite our brother's good qualities, Luka pushes them aside and focuses on the bad ones. God, if only this idiot knew what happened to Lenox when he set out to avenge the attack. If only someone besides Lenox could tell the story. Lenox never shared the full details about what happened then. We know that the experience was horrifying, so much so that we lost the Lenox we knew and gained a new person instead of the one we had.But
Sarah pov *Don't tell me you were expecting the baby Jesus because if you did, I have to disappoint you. It's only me, you know, the lost cat you used to miss. But it's okay if you don't miss me anymore. I can hide and come back in like ten years or so.* Oh, God, it's her. It's Talia. I'm so happy I don't notice my heartbeat speeding up and myself hyperventilating until my cat points it out. I can't believe she's here, with me, in my head! But how? How could she break through these shields that we couldn't move for years? How could she break out and speak so freely now that I barely remember the sound of her voice? And the feeling, God, the feeling inside me. I feel complete, without flaws or worries. She's the other half that I was missing, and now that she's back- there are no mountains too high for us to climb. Together, we can do anything. "Talia," I whisper, savouring the feeling. Saying her name out loud has always been sort of a taboo thing for me. The thought of her abs
Luka pov My brother's words hit me. They struck me so hard that I finally understood my mistakes, and now, I better figure out how to fix everything. It's clear that Lazarus doesn't want me near him now. So, once he's done with explaining and shows me the door, I nod and leave his office. I won't leave his district just yet; there's a stop I have to make before I get to Lenox's district. God, I hope he's there and will agree to talk to me. I know he doesn't have to listen to me; after all, this mess is my fault, but I can only hope he'll let me in and listen. Lenox must hate me, fuck it, even I hate myself at this point. Luka: the worst fucking brother known to mankind and the entire shifter species. I stay near my brother's office door for a few more minutes to calm down. A pissed-off Alpha is a dangerous Alpha, and I don't want to go after members of the Lazarus pack just because I'm a first-class moron. After a few deep breaths, my heartbeat slows, and sweat no longer b
Lazarus povI groan at the frantic knocking on my office door. I hate it when someone decides to disturb me when I'm busy, but more than that, I hate when that someone is the same man I told to leave my district. Luka must have a fucking death wish if he decides to come back here and try to talk about his shitty behaviour ever again. "Didn't I tell you to leave my packhouse and district, Luka?" I growl as he still stands on the other side of the door. I don't understand what's so hard about following my words? I never told him that I needed five minutes to calm down and that he could come back. All I wanted was some peace and time for myself. "You did, and that's why I'm not storming into your office now. I'm trying to respect your wishes and boundaries, Laz, but this is a big deal; believe me, it's so big you need to hear about it. Besides, you're about to switch to the Alpha mindset, not brother, so may I come in?" Luka's voice is strangely stern. If it were anything about the
Sarah povI'm not myself anymore. This shift is nothing compared to those I've experienced over the years. For as long as I can remember, I struggled to shift; it took an agonisingly long time while my bones snapped and rearranged for the cat.Today, however, it was quick. It was only seconds, which was at least ten times worse than any other shift ever before. Unlike my previous experiences, I was forced back, somewhere in Talia's mind, whereas usually, it was just me who was present. God, how lonely Talia must've felt all those years, stuck in the back of my mind, hopeless and unable to communicate. My poor, beautiful Talia. But that's not all that surprises me. Talia is massive. All these years, everyone thought my cat was small and weak because that's how we presented ourselves next to every other cat, but I loved her nevertheless. I didn't care that she was different in more ways than one; all I wanted was to have Talia back. To have her by my side, not just her body, while
Alpha West pov Annon has decided to stay here until we find my son. The problem is that we can't find Angus. No matter how hard we try, how deep we dig and how far in other territories we go. It's like he's disappeared into thin air, and I'm afraid it's really that damn psychopath who kidnapped him and hid my son. Besides, Sarah's still missing, and that bitch will be in heat again soon, so I need her here. Alpha Lenox is ruthless, abusive, elusive, and, worst of all, unstoppable. He believes there are no consequences for him, no matter how far he goes. I've heard so many stories about that man; ever since he was a child, he's been out of it. Unlike his brothers, Lenox feels no compassion for others and cannot empathise. If it were Alpha Lazarus or Luka, I could bargain with them for the information, for both would rather choose peace than war, but Lenox would rather die than step back for the sake of peace. If I, or any of my men, entered the territory of Lazarus or Luka, th