LOGINWe walk quickly through the hallway, our footsteps echoing against the walls. I can barely keep up with Calix’s pace. He doesn’t slow down, doesn’t look back. There’s something in the way he moves—tight, controlled—that makes my chest feel uneasy again.Marcus is right beside him.“The Alpha of Silverfangs,” Marcus says, his voice low but firm. “He’s here for the girl.”My stomach tightens immediately.For a second, I don’t even breathe properly. It feels like something just dropped inside me.He’s here.For her.Fear creeps in before I can stop it. Not loud. Not overwhelming. Just… there. Sitting quietly in my chest.“Where are they?” Calix asks.“The throne room.”Of course.We don’t stop walking.My fingers curl slightly at my sides as we get closer. I don’t even know what I’m expecting, but my body is already tense. My mind flashes back to her—how she looked when she woke up, the way her hands shook, the way she kept looking at the door like someone would walk in at any second.He
I lie there with my eyes closed, but my mind keeps moving. It won’t slow down. Every time I get close to drifting off, it pulls me right back.Draven.That forest.His voice.Mine.Orphe.The word sits there, stuck in my head like it belongs there, like it’s always been there and I’m only just noticing it now.I turn on the bed, then turn back again, adjusting the pillow, pulling the blanket up, pushing it down. Nothing works.My eyes open.The room is still dark, quiet except for the soft sound of her breathing beside me.I turn my head slightly and look at her.She hasn’t moved.Not even once.I swallow and look away, back up at the ceiling.Two of them.Two Dravens.My chest tightens again, and I press my lips together.“Stop,” I mutter under my breath.But it doesn’t stop.Why him?Why now?Why again?I close my eyes again, forcing myself to breathe slower, trying to empty my head, but it feels impossible.At some point, the darkness shifts.The room grows lighter.Morning.I let
Night comes quietly.The room grows darker little by little, the last bit of light slipping through the curtains before disappearing completely. Lamps are turned on at some point, but it still feels dim. Calm on the surface.She hasn’t woken up.Not once.I sit beside her for a long time, watching the slow rise and fall of her chest, waiting for something to change. For her fingers to move. For her eyes to open.Nothing.Just silence.Eventually, I force myself up.I take a quick bath, letting the water run over me, hoping it would clear my head the way it usually does. But it doesn’t do much this time. My mind stays busy and restless.When I step out, I dry off and change, then walk back into the room.She’s still the same.Still.Quiet.I walk to the bed and climb in, careful not to disturb her. The mattress dips slightly under my weight. The space is big enough that I’m not too close, but still close enough to reach her if anything changes.I lie on my back and stare at the ceiling
We walk back into the room.It’s quieter than before.Marcus straightens where he stands by the door, his eyes flicking between us before settling back into place. We walk into the room.My gaze goes straight to the bed.She’s still there. Still. Too still.For a second, nothing happens.Then—Her fingers twitch.It’s small. So small I almost think I imagined it.But then her breathing changes.I move without thinking, stepping closer to the bed. My heart starts picking up again, that familiar tightness settling in my chest.“Calix…” I say quietly.He’s already looking.Her brows pull together faintly. A soft sound slips from her lips—barely there, like she’s trying to speak but can’t.Then her eyes open.It’s sudden.Wide.Disoriented.For a moment, she just stares at the ceiling like she doesn’t understand where she is.Then her gaze shifts.It lands on me.And everything changes.Fear floods her face so fast it makes my chest tighten. Her breathing turns uneven, sharp. She tries to
I step out of the room quietly, pulling the door closed behind me.Marcus is standing a few steps away, arms crossed, eyes alert. He turns the moment he hears the door.“Where is Calix?” I ask.“In his office,” he says. His gaze flicks briefly to the door behind me. “How’s she?”I exhale softly. “Still unconscious. I cleaned her up and changed her clothes.” My fingers curl slightly at my sides. “The injuries are really bad.”His jaw tightens just a little.“No idea who she is?” I ask as I start walking.Marcus falls into step beside me.“Not yet,” he says. “But right after we stepped out, one of the guards came running.”I glance at him.“Three men showed up at the gate,” he continues. “Asking if a girl ran in here.”My chest tightens.“So Calix told me to stay back and guard the room,” he adds. “He went to deal with them.”I nod once.“They’re in his office now.”I don’t slow down.“Okay,” I say. “Go back and stand guard at the door. Don’t let anyone near her.”Marcus nods without he
We rush outside.There’s already a small crowd forming near the entrance.My steps slow for half a second—Then I see her.A girl.Lying on the ground. There’s blood everywhere.My chest tightens sharply as my eyes take her in. Her clothes are torn, stained with blood. Her skin—bruised, cut, marked in places I don’t even want to look at too closely.She’s not moving.Calix doesn’t hesitate.He moves straight to her, crouches, then lifts her carefully into his arms like she weighs nothing.“Call the physician right now,” he snaps, his voice sharp, urgent.My heart starts pounding faster as I step closer.“Let me take her to your room for now,” he adds quickly as he turns. “Before a room is arranged for her.”I nod immediately. “It’s okay.”I don’t even think about it.We move fast.Back inside.Up the stairs.Down the hallway.I reach my door first and push it open.Calix walks in and lays her down on my bed carefully, like even the slightest wrong move might hurt her more.Marcus is r
The night air tastes like salt. I lean against the balcony rail, staring out at the dark stretch of water glinting under the moonlight. The breeze hits my face, cool and gentle, but it doesn’t calm the pounding in my chest.I can still see Draven’s eyes. The way they burned when he looked at me ear
We don’t speak the entire walk back to the cabin.Calix’s hand stays wrapped around mine—firm and grounding, but I barely feel it. My chest feels hollow, like someone scooped the air out of me.I can still see Draven’s face. The way his hand stopped midair, the anger in his eyes… and still, he didn
The field is already crowded when we arrive. Pack members, contestants, spectators—all buzzing with excitement and gossip. The kind of scene I hate.And then I see them.Lauren stands like she’s posing for a magazine cover, her hand resting on her small baby bump, the glow on her face screaming vic
DRAVENI’m packing, but I’m not really paying attention to what I’m doing.My bag is open on the bed. Shirts go in first, then jeans. My boots are lined up by the door, as if I’m actually being organized.My hands are moving, but my mind is somewhere else entirely, replaying the same words over and







