Jessica Lewis The whispers never stopped.Everywhere I turned, I felt them. Felt the weight of their stares pressing into my back, their hushed voices curling around me like invisible chains.She brought this upon us.She’s the reason for the deaths.She’s cursed.At first, I tried to ignore it. I kept my head high, pretending their words didn’t sting, pretending their eyes weren’t filled with suspicion and resentment. But each step I took through the pack’s territory felt heavier than the last, the space around me suffocating as the whispers grew louder, crawling beneath my skin like a disease.I didn’t know how the rumor had spread so fast, but I knew one thing—someone wanted me to break.And I was breaking.The final crack came when I entered the training grounds, hoping to find some sense of normalcy, only to have the warriors stop mid-spar, their gazes dark and unreadable as they turned to look at me. The silence that followed was thick, suffocating. Then, one of them—a woman I
My entire body froze, cold fear seeping into my bones as the voice wrapped around me like a noose. I knew that voice — the one from my nightmares, the one that haunted the edges of my mind. Slowly, I lifted my head, heart hammering painfully in my chest as my gaze locked onto the figure stepping out of the shadows.He's here.My heart beat erratically fast, my memories plunging me into ...that nightmare. I quickly scrambled up on my feet, taking two steps backwardsHis smile was sharp, cruel, and far too pleased, like he was savoring my fear. “What’s wrong, little wolf?” he purred, taking a slow step forward. “Aren’t you happy to see me?” Every instinct screamed at me to run, but my legs felt like lead, my breath coming in short, panicked gasps." I was almost sure you've made up your mind to follow me. You'll be fool not to, a fool just like your mother ".That intrigued me" What do you know about my mother?".His grin stretched wider, a cruel glint flashing in his eyes. “More than
---The afternoon sun was bright, almost too bright for how heavy the air felt around me. I sat on the balcony, knees tucked to my chest, staring blankly at the forest beyond the pack house. My mind was a storm I couldn’t calm, my heart still raw from the fight with Tristan.The hurt in his eyes haunted me. The way his voice cracked under all that fury. But beneath all the shouting and accusations, I knew the truth. He was scared — terrified — and so was I. We were both clawing at control in a situation where we had none.I should’ve gone after him. Should’ve tried to fix it.But instead, I stayed here — drowning in my own guilt and fear.Movement caught my eye below, two women walking briskly across the grounds, their steps sharp with urgency. They were whispering, their heads bent close together.I frowned, leaning forward just as Liam and Lucian followed after them — their strides just as urgent, their faces grim.A cold shiver ran down my spine. Something was wrong.Without thinki
Jessica Lewis The room was silent, save for the soft crackling of dying embers in the fireplace. Moonlight spilled through the window, painting silver shadows across the floor and the bed where Tristan and I lay.He was asleep — finally — his strong arm draped protectively over my waist, his chest rising and falling in the slow rhythm of deep sleep. For hours, he’d fought it, refusing to rest until exhaustion finally took hold.But I couldn’t sleep. Not with the seer’s words circling in my mind, sharp as broken glass.“You are his kindred.”“Your mother was bound to him long before you were born.”Each word felt like a lock clicking into place, a door I’d been too afraid to open now standing wide. My mother — the woman I barely remembered — tied to the creature who haunted my dreams. A bloodline curse I’d inherited with my first breath. A destiny written long before I knew my own name.And then there was the other warning — the one that refused to leave me, no matter how tightly I cl
“Jessica.”It wasn’t loud. It didn’t need to be.The voice — low, rasping, intimate in a way that made my skin crawl — curled around my name like a promise. Or a threat.I spun so fast the room tilted, my pulse pounding loud enough to drown out Alisha’s gasp. The firelight danced across the empty space behind me — empty, but not. The air felt wrong, thick and humming, like the room itself was holding its breath.Nothing was there.But I could still feel it.“Did you—” Alisha started, her voice breaking.“You heard it too,” I whispered.She nodded, throat working around a swallow, her fingers curled so tightly into the arm of the chair her knuckles were white.This wasn’t a nightmare. Not this time.I pressed a hand to my chest, trying to steady the frantic rhythm of my heart. “Tristan,” I whispered his name like a prayer, and the whisper in my head — the other one — he heard it.Laughter. Soft, distant, mocking.Alisha scrambled to her feet, her wide eyes darting toward the window, th
The heavy wooden door clicked shut behind Logan, but Tristan didn’t turn. His back was to the room, his hands braced on the edge of the desk, knuckles white with tension.The silence stretched between them, broken only by the faint crackling of the fireplace. Liam knew better than to speak first when Tristan’s wolf was this close to the surface — the air itself seemed to ripple with suppressed rage, thick enough to choke on.Finally, Tristan exhaled, a rough, ragged sound.“She woke up screaming,” he said, voice low, almost hoarse. “She’s not just having nightmares, Logan. Something is inside her head — inside her.”Logan stepped closer, his brows drawn into a deep frown. “The same presence from the clearing?”Tristan’s jaw ticked, muscles flexing along the sharp line of his throat. “Stronger. Bolder. It’s like he’s not even trying to hide anymore.”Logan didn’t bother asking who he was. They both knew — even if neither of them fully understood what, exactly, they were dealing with. S
Jessica Lewis When we reached the door to our room, I slowed, my fingers brushing the wood, but I couldn’t bring myself to open it.Tristan’s hand was already at the small of my back, the heat of his palm searing through my shirt. I could feel him watching me, the weight of his attention too heavy to ignore.“I need to be alone for a while,” I said quietly.His grip tightened — not painfully, but with enough force that I knew he hated every word that came out of my mouth. His jaw ticked, and the muscle along his throat flexed, his wolf prowling beneath the surface.“Alone,” he repeated, voice low and dangerous, like the word itself offended him. “After what just happened, that’s your idea of a good plan?”“I just…” I swallowed hard, avoiding his gaze. “I need to clear my head.”Tristan stepped closer, crowding me against the door without touching me — yet. His scent wrapped around me, smoke and pine, dominance and heat. “You’ve been quiet since the clearing,” he murmured, his tone so
Jessica Lewis The warmth between us evaporated like mist under the weight of those words.Tristan’s entire body shifted, muscles tensing beneath his shirt, the easy warmth in his eyes hardening into something sharp and lethal. His hand slipped from my face, leaving my skin cold in its absence.“A rogue?” Tristan asked, his voice calm — too calm.The guard nodded. “We caught him near the southern perimeter. He’s demanding to see you.”Tristan’s frown deepened. “ A common rogue demanding to see me?”The guard hesitated. “He… he mentioned your mate.”I felt the air shift around me. My fingers curled into my palms, and my breath hitched, but I stayed quiet. My heart pounded so loudly I was sure they could both hear it.Tristan’s stance turned protective, a barely perceptible shift that placed him slightly in front of me, like instinct had already decided I was something to be shielded.“What did he say?” Tristan’s voice was harder now, more dangerous.The guard’s gaze flicked to me, unco
Jessica Lewis I found myself wandering toward the east wing, where the windows were taller and the air always seemed to carry the faint scent of wildflowers from the gardens below. It was one of the only places that felt welcoming, and I knew exactly why.“Elara?” I called softly, peeking into the sunlit sitting room.Tristan’s grandmother sat near the window, a basket of embroidery resting in her lap. Silver hair hung loose over her shoulders, glinting in the afternoon light. There was something about her — a warmth that made the cold stone walls feel less like a fortress and more like a home.Her head lifted, and her face lit up with a smile that crinkled the corners of her eyes. “Jessica, dear. Come in. I could use some company.”I stepped inside, the thick rug muffling my steps, and settled into the chair beside her. For a moment, I just watched her hands move — the needle gliding through the fabric in smooth, practiced motions.“Do you like it here?” she asked suddenly, her voic