MasukRonon’s POVElsa was hiding something from us. I could tell. She thought it would be better for us not to know, like she was shielding us from some truth that could break us. I prayed—deeply—that whatever she was holding back wasn’t something too awful, something that would shatter what little we had left.“I just need the spirits to give us a sign,” Keal murmured, his voice thick with grief as tears rolled down his cheeks.That was all we really wanted—a sign. A clear path. We needed something solid, something real to hold onto in this dark, suffocating fog.Elsa’s face remained calm as she replied, “I’ve already told you—the spirits say to form an alliance with the West. They are pointing west.”Seaside.But I shook my head, frustration edging into my voice. “Not for the war, Elsa. I need a direction to find Lyra.”She lowered her head, sadness flickering across her expression. “I don’t have that kind of magic, Alpha. I only know what the spirits choose to share with me. But I’ll te
Ronon’s POVThe room was swallowed by a heavy, suffocating silence. My heart sank as the truth settled in.Lyra was out there—exposed, vulnerable—lost in a state that made her a target for any predator, any Alpha. And we had no idea where she was… or how to reach her.Yet somehow, she had tried to reach us.And something was keeping her away.The silence after Elsa’s words pressed down on my chest like a weight. Her gaze carried a sorrowful understanding, as if she could see through all the bitterness and regret we carried… all the damage we had done to Lyra.Keal suddenly surged to his feet and slammed his fist into the wall. The crack echoed through the room as his knuckles split open, blood staining the surface. I felt the anguish radiating from him—it mirrored my own.“I’m sorry,” Elsa said softly.But her words brought no comfort.They only made everything worse.I forced a breath into my lungs, steadying myself enough to ask the question clawing at my mind.“So… is she being car
Ronon’s POV“I’m sorry, Keal,” I murmured, desperation clawing at my voice. “I swear, I’ll do whatever it takes to make things right.”He looked at me, his face streaked with tears, his eyes hollowed by sorrow and anger. “You can’t bring her back, Ronon,” he whispered, his voice shaking. “You can’t… you can’t fix it. Don’t you see that?” He buried his head in his hands, the weight of grief pressing down on him until his shoulders slumped forward, defeated.“We took everything from her,” he continued, his words choked with guilt. “She had nothing, Ronon—no money, no security, no one. We stole it all. Nikolay was right to keep her from us… he saw what we were, what we’d do to her.” His voice cracked, and he wept openly, raw and broken.“Please, Keal,” I urged, grasping for anything that might bridge the chasm between us. “I know you felt it too. She’s out there somewhere, and we can find her. I’ve been praying, and I believe… I believe fate will help us.”At that, he let out a bitter, h
Lucian's POVThe memories twisted inside me, vivid and merciless. I thought of the day Maxwell and I came home and made her wear those damp, uncomfortable clothes because we refused to let her use our things.The cold - heartedness of it sickened me now, yet she had never complained. She just bore it all, quietly, with a strength we didn't deserve to witness. And even after everything, she had opened her heart to us.She allowed herself to love us, to see something good in us when we gave her every reason not to.I clenched my fists, feeling the fire of anger and guilt burn within me. How could we have allowed people like Bianca, Stasia, and Gregory to treat her with such contempt?We favored the pack, protected their pettyfeelings over the well-being of the one who was supposed to be our mate, our equal.And now, we were paying for it. This mess was ours, a twisted reflection of everything we'd allowed and encouraged.The image of Timothy and Tasha flashed in my mind, and I felt a w
Ronon’s POVLiving without Lyra felt like drowning in darkness. Every day was an empty, colourless stretch, filled with nothing but sorrow. There was no joy left in my life, no light, no purpose. I spent most nights with a bottle in hand, numbing myself until I felt nothing at all. But even that brought no relief—it only deepened the void she left behind.Dax hadn’t given up, though. He clung to hope like it was the last shred of light in a world swallowed by shadows. He showed her photo to everyone he met, asking, pleading for any sign of her. He offered rewards, desperate promises, anything to find her again. But the days passed, and there was no news. His eyes looked more hollow with each passing day.And Keal… he was barely a man anymore. I saw the emptiness in his eyes, a haunting vacancy that mirrored my own. At first, he’d lash out, his anger finding no other place to go. Bianca and her child bore the brunt of his rage, but even he realised that hurting others wouldn’t bring Ly
Lyra’s POVThe car came to an abrupt stop, and Keith pulled away, stepping out quickly and rounding the vehicle to open my door. He lifted me out with ease, holding me as if I weighed nothing, his arms steady and unyielding. I clung to him, my body pressed against his as he carried me into the mansion.“All male workers—leave the premises immediately!” he called out, his voice echoing through the grand halls. The urgency in his tone left no room for argument, and as we moved deeper into the house, I felt the space around us empty, leaving only the two of us alone in our need.He laid me gently on the bed, and I couldn’t tear my dress off fast enough, the fabric ripping under my hands, desperate to feel his skin against mine. The ache inside me was unbearable, like a burning hunger that wouldn’t be sated. Keith’s touch was the only thing that grounded me, the only thing that eased the frantic beat of my heart.He touched my forehead, his fingers gentle, his gaze full of concern even in
Keal’s POVRonon’s face hardened, and he struck them again, the whip cracking against flesh, the cries echoing in the air.“You mean to tell me that you would rather defy your Alpha’s orders than cross a pair of corrupt Elders?” I asked, letting my voice carry the bitterness and betrayal I felt. Th
Keal’s POVEvery day we chased after shadows, hunting down Gregory Olsen, the one responsible for all of this. We’d let him go once to avoid a war with the West, thinking we were saving lives. But in sparing him, we’d sacrificed everything precious to us. While we were away, fighting battles and se
Keal’s POVSleep was no friend to us at night. It was more like a shadow that mocked us, a bitter reminder of the peace we’d lost. Every minute stretched out, endless and heavy. Our minds circled around one agonizing thought — where was Lyra? What if she was cold? What if she was hurt? Every possib
Lyra’s POVThe next morning, I woke to a soft knock on my door. When I opened it, a team of staff entered, each carrying clothes on hangers and bags full of items. They filled my closet with an array of new garments, carefully arranging everything before leaving with respectful nods. I stood there,







