LOGINKAIFreezing rain pelted the thick canopy of the eastern swamps. Black water splashed violently against Kai’s gear. He was tearing through the waist-deep mud with brutal, unrelenting force. Thick, rotting vines dragged against his legs, but he shoved them aside . General Gideon and the elite strike team were moving right behind him. They were cutting a relentless path through the dense brush, their heavy boots sinking deep into the freezing muck."Keep the flank tight!" Gideon ordered over the howling wind. "We do not know how many mercenaries are guarding the perimeter! Watch the tree lines!"Kai did not care about mercenaries. He only cared about his wife.Suddenly, the sharp, distinct crack of a suppressed rifle echoed through the storm.Kai froze in the mud.That was Halil's weapon.Before Kai could even key his radio to ask for a status update, a chaotic eruption of automatic gunfire shattered the quiet swamp. The loud, deafening roar of assault rifles echoed from the north."A
HALILHis entire body was numb from the cold, but he ignored the physical pain. His mind was locked on the mission.A lone mercenary was patrolling the outer perimeter. The man was standing near the massive, rotting roots of a dead willow tree. He held an assault rifle loosely across his chest. He was smoking a cigarette. The tiny orange cherry flared in the dark while the guard took a deep drag.Halil did not hesitate. He sank slowly beneath the surface of the freezing water.While the mercenary was exhaling a thick cloud of gray smoke, Halil rose from the muck directly behind him.He wrapped one thick arm around the man's throat. He clamped his other hand firmly over the guard's mouth. Then Halil twisted violently. The man's bone crunched with a sharp, sickening pop.He dragged the limp body straight down under the black water.Bubbles broke the surface for a few seconds. Then, the swamp was still again. Halil moved forward like a phantom.He finally reached the solid ground of th
THIRD PERSON’s POV "You cannot banish me!""I can do whatever I want," Aiden replied. He walked over to his desk and picked up a ringing cell phone. "Get out of my office."Celeste stared at his back with pure hatred. She did not argue anymore. She turned around and stormed out of the room.Up on the roof, Halil lowered the microphone.His heart pounded a steady, furious rhythm against his ribs. The puzzle pieces finally snapped together. Aiden definitely had Nora. But he did not bring her to the main pack house. He was holding her at a secondary location, waiting for some kind of twisted ritual.Halil pulled his radio back out."Kai," Halil whispered."Did you find her?" Kai answered immediately."She is not in the house," Halil reported. "I just intercepted a conversation between Aiden and Celeste. Aiden admitted to taking her, but he is hiding her off-site. He mentioned a ritual. He needs two more days to complete it.""A ritual?" Kai sounded completely horrified. "What does that
THIRD PERSON’s POV Freezing n rain was lashing against the slate roof of the Pine Ridge armory.Halil lay completely flat against the cold stone. Water soaked through his dark tactical gear. He ignored the miserable chill. He kept his sniper scope trained directly on the massive glass windows of the main pack house. Down in the muddy courtyard, southern guards were patrolling the perimeter in pairs. They held their rifles tight against their chests, completely unaware that a northern King was already inside their walls.A tiny earpiece buzzed softly in his right ear."Give me a status update," Kai demanded over the encrypted frequency. His brother's voice sounded like crushing rocks. "Did you find her?""Negative," Halil whispered into his collar mic. "I breached the southern fence twenty minutes ago. I am currently monitoring Aiden’s private office from a high vantage point.""Is she inside the house?""I do not see her," Halil replied. He adjusted the thermal imaging on his scope.
THIRD PERSON’s POV Freezing rain was lashing against the slate roof of the Pine Ridge armory.Halil lay completely flat against the cold stone. Water soaked through his dark tactical gear. He ignored the miserable chill. He kept his sniper scope trained directly on the massive glass windows of the main pack house. Down in the muddy courtyard, southern guards were patrolling the perimeter in pairs. They held their rifles tight against their chests, completely unaware that a northern King was already inside their walls.A tiny earpiece buzzed softly in his right ear."Give me a status update," Kai demanded over the encrypted frequency. His brother's voice sounded like crushing rocks. "Did you find her?""Negative," Halil whispered into his collar mic. "I breached the southern fence twenty minutes ago. I am currently monitoring Aiden’s private office from a high vantage point.""Is she inside the house?""I do not see her," Halil replied. He adjusted the thermal imaging on his scope. "
THIRD PERSON’s POV The heavy door creaked and swung open a few inches. A sliver of bright, artificial light sliced into the dark cell.Nora peeked through the gap. The long, damp hallway was completely empty. Rusted pipes lined the concrete ceiling, and flickering fluorescent bulbs cast harsh shadows against the walls. The mercenaries were gone. They were rushing to secure the swamp entrance.Nora slipped through the opening.She did not know the layout of the underground bunker. She just knew she had to go in the opposite direction of the guards. She started running down the dark, narrow corridor.Her heavy boots slapped quietly against the wet concrete. She kept her back close to the wall.While she was navigating a sharp turn in the hallway, a blaring, high-pitched alarm suddenly erupted from the ceiling speakers. Flashing red lights bathed the bunker in a frantic, bloody glow.*"The prisoner is out!"* a voice screamed over the intercom. *"Lock down the north stairwell! Do not let
KAI’S POV You’ve got to be kidding me. A stray. A fucking stray that had tinges of rejection all over her. To make it worse, she was wolfless. My eyes hovered all over her, and my heart boiled with a mixture of disgust. Why on earth would the moon goddess think she could link us to a stray as a s
HALIL’S POV I clenched my hand around the edge of the Ebony table, as surges of electric current splintered through my chest. Fucking hell! A devilish smirk lined the corner of my lips. “This might just be our chance at easing the grief.” I spat. Kai grunted, and didn’t say a word. My Gamma Chi
NORA’S POV I was stunned to my bones, too stunned to move. I gaped as the drama unfolded around me. My heart bled like someone was ripping it out of its cage. For a few minutes, I couldn’t wrap my head around what was happening. The world was spinning around me, and everyone seemed to be okay. I
NORA’S POV “Don’t worry, there’ll be no need for that anyway.” I pulled away, as the maid tried to cover the scar on my face with makeup. The maid didn’t say anything, yet the glaring question was all over her face. A soft knock sounded against the door, “I’ll take it up from here, you may leav







