로그인Celine's POV I had to get Kali out of this house.Tonight.The thought repeated itself over and over in my head as I stayed hidden beside the cabinet, listening carefully to the silence stretching through the hallway.No footsteps.No voices.Good.Slowly, I stepped away from the wall.My pulse still raced hard beneath my ribs, but now fear had tangled itself together with determination. I didn’t fully know what was happening to Kali. I didn’t understand the fire, the shield, or the terrifying amount of energy Lilith sensed inside her.But I knew one thing.If Emmett discovered the truth before we did, everything would become dangerous.Maybe it already was.I glanced once more toward Kali’s room before carefully making my way back down the hallway.The door remained cracked open.Warm golden light spilled softly across the floorboards.I hesitated outside for half a second.Then slipped inside.The room smelled faintly of herbs and smoke now, probably from whatever Lilith used durin
Celine's POV Fear still clung to me like damp cloth as I made my way back toward the house. Every instinct screamed that this was a terrible idea. Emmett had ordered me to leave. And judging by the look in his eyes back in the forest, disobeying him today felt about as smart as jumping into a wolf pit wearing raw meat. Still… My feet kept moving. Because Kali was in there. Unconscious. And no matter how frightened I was of Emmett, the thought of leaving Kali alone with him felt worse somehow. Also, I couldn't risk her telling Emmett the truth. I slowed as thehouse came into view through the trees, its tall windows shimmering under the afternoon light. The entire place looked too calm compared to the chaos twisting inside my chest. I lingered near the edge of the shadows for several minutes, making sure Emmett hadn’t doubled back outside. He hadn't. Just distant voices drifting faintly from somewhere deeper inside the house. Finally, I exhaled slowly and slipped toward t
Celine's POV Panic shot through me instantly. “What?” I stuttered. Emmett frowned at me, his expression hardening with impatience. The pressure rolling off him felt suffocating, thick with alpha authority and something far more dangerous beneath it. I bowed my head quickly, trying to steady my nerves. “Take me to where you found Kali,” he repeated coldly. “Now.” My stomach twisted. I glanced toward the bed where Kali still lay unconscious, her face flushed with unnatural heat. Even from across the room, I could still remember the sight of those flames swallowing the forest whole around her. Fire. Actual fire. My pulse quickened again. “Who is going to look after Kali if we both leave?” I asked carefully. Emmett’s eyes snapped toward me. The look he gave me made my throat tighten instantly. “Of course, Alpha,” I said quickly. I turned immediately and headed for the door before he could question me further. But just before stepping out, I glanced back once at Kali. Stil
Kali's POV I walked slowly deeper into the forest, my pulse hammering against my ribs as my eyes darted frantically between the trees. The footsteps. I knew I heard them. Heavy boots crunching against leaves and twigs. Someone had been out there behind the guest house. The sound came again faintly ahead of me. My breath caught. Without thinking, I hurried forward. The footsteps grew fainter with every passing second. Panic flickered inside me and I broke into a run, branches snagging against my sleeves as I chased after the sound. My lungs burned almost instantly, but I kept going. This was crazy. Absolutely crazy. But if I could find whoever it was… Maybe this would finally be useful. Maybe if I discovered something important enough to tell Emmett, then I wouldn't have to do something as crazy as this or drag Celine into any more messed with Kora. My feet pounded harder against the forest floor. Then suddenly Celine flashed through my mind. Her stan
Celine's POV The letter felt strangely heavy in my hand. The way Kora stared at it made it feel like I was holding a live coal fresh from a fire pit. One wrong move and everything would burn. For the first time since sneaking into the room, uncertainty crept into me. Kora wasn’t bluffing. I could see it clearly now in the rigid set of her shoulders and the dangerous stillness in her eyes. If I ran with this letter, she would go straight to Emmett. And that would be a disaster. Not for me. For Kali. My jaw tightened slightly. I hated that thought. Hated that somehow, in the middle of all this chaos, I was actually worried about her. Kali was frustratingly soft, all nerves and trembling, like a rabbit trying to survive among wolves twice its size. Half the time I wanted to shake sense into her. The other half… The other half I wanted to protect her from everyone in this pack. And Kora. Including herself. My fingers curled tighter around the folded paper.
Kali's POV I pressed myself tighter against the wall beneath the window, barely daring to breathe. My pulse thundered wildly in my ears as I listened to everything happening inside the room. The rough sound of shuffling footsteps. The sharp edge in Kora’s voice. The dangerous calm in Celine’s replies. I should run. I should leave Celine and get far away before this became an even bigger disaster. But my body refused to move. “What do you think you’re doing?” Kora demanded again. “Sheesh, relax,” Celine replied casually, though I could hear the strain beneath her voice now. “You act like I uncovered state secrets.” “You broke into my room.” “I was looking for something.” “And you found it?” Kora asked coldly. Silence. My stomach twisted. Celine had definitely found something. I carefully lifted my head just enough to peek through the open window. Kora stood near the door, her silver eyes blazing with suspicion. Her hair was slightly messy, like she had rus
Zara's POVI quickly threw on my clothes, my hands still shaky from the interrupted moment, while Ike waited patiently by the door. We left the room together, stepping into the hallway, the tension from our unfinished encounter mixing with the annoyance bubbling inside me."I wonder what this is ab
Zara's POV I stirred awake, my eyelids heavy as they fluttered open. For a disorienting moment, I stared at the unfamiliar ceiling, the sheets tangled around me feeling foreign against my skin. This wasn't my room, wasn't my bed, the crisp white linens and the faint hospital-like sterility hit me
Zara's POV I hesitated, staring at Ike, at the sad look on his face. Every instinct screamed at me to leave. But he looked genuinely sad. He was dying. He needed me. Maybe I could stay for a little while, then I would leave. I sighed as I went to his side and sat down. "What now?" I asked. He
Zara's POV I twisted and turned in bed, sheets tangling around my legs like they were trying to trap me. Sleep wouldn’t come. How could it? Kora was the silver wolf. The flame sapphire had proven it, glowing like a damn star in her hands. And Maduro had just… handed her over to Emmett. No fight.







