Prologue
The woods are alive, and not in the Disney-princess-singing-to-animals way. No, they’re alive in the “I’m going to eat you and laugh about it” kind of way. Every shadow feels like it’s plotting my downfall. Every crunch under my foot screams, “Here I am! Come and get me!”
I’m trembling so hard I might as well be auditioning for a haunted house attraction. Dad marches ahead, calm as a cucumber—or at least trying to look like one. Me? I’m holding onto his jacket like it’s a lifeline, my nails probably leaving permanent holes.
“Stay close,” he mutters.
No problem there, Dad. I’m basically glued to you.
Then I see them.
Four Lycans. No, monsters. Each one looks like it’s been sculpted from nightmares. Muscles ripple under matted fur, and their glowing eyes fix on us like we’re the appetizer and dessert rolled into one. My legs turn to jelly. My brain says, “Run,” but my body replies, “Nope.”
“Agatha, behind me,” Dad orders. His voice is steady, but I can feel the tension radiating off him.
I shuffle behind him, peeking beside his hand covering my face because curiosity is my worst enemy. One of the Lycans steps closer, its fangs gleaming like a butcher’s knife.
“Dad, what do they want?” My voice cracks like a cheap radio.
“Shh,” he snaps, his eyes locked on the wolves.
The leader—let’s call him Captain Nightmare—tilts his head like he’s toying with us. His growl vibrates through the air, a deep, menacing sound that makes my stomach flip.
Dad speaks, his voice firm but wary. “Sho, I don’t have what you’re looking for. Leave us.”
Sho? Wait. Dad knows this guy? My grip tightens on his jacket as my confusion deepens.
Deep in the forest head of where we were a voice like ice slicing through the tension. “Then you’re no longer useful.” Before disappearing into the shadows.
Oh, great. Just what I needed: a wolf with a flair for drama.
Before I can process the threat, the Lycans begin circling us, their glowing eyes narrowing. My heart is pounding so hard it might just leap out and beg for mercy on its own.
“Stay back!” Dad shouts, but they’re not listening.
They lunge.
Everything happens too fast. Claws flash. Blood sprays. Dad shouts something, but it’s drowned out by the snarls and roars.
“Dad!” I scream, but my voice feels like a whisper in the chaos.
I try to run to him, but something grabs me—a hand covered in tattoos, strong and unyielding ; but their face is unclear because of the shadows around them. I twist and thrash, but whoever’s holding me doesn’t let go.
“Let me go!” I cry, my voice cracking. “Dad! Stop it! Someone stop them!”
The Lycans don’t stop. They tear into him like a pack of rabid animals—well, more rabid than usual. Blood pools beneath him, and the metallic stench fills the air, making me gag.
And then… silence.
Dad’s gone. Not just dead. Gone. What’s left of him doesn’t even look human.
I collapse, my knees hitting the ground hard. The hand still grips me, dragging me away from the carnage. My screams fade into sobs as I’m pulled through the forest, my mind too numb to fight anymore.
…
When I come to, I’m in a cell. The floor is wet and cold, and the walls look like they were built to house misery.
I curl up in a corner, the smell of blood still clinging to me. It’s on my skin, in my hair. I want to scrub it off, but there’s nothing to use. My tears mix with the grime on the floor as I shake uncontrollably.
Then, the door creaks open.
I don’t look up. I don’t care who it is.
“Hey,” a voice says softly.
It’s not growly or menacing. It’s… human.
I peek through my fingers. A guy stands there, maybe 8 years older than me. Dark hair, intense brown eyes, and a face that doesn’t belong in this nightmare.
“You’re alive,” he says, crouching down. His voice is steady but gentle, like he’s trying not to spook me.
“No thanks to you,” I mumble, though my voice comes out weak and broken.
He ignores the snark, his eyes scanning me. “You’re covered in blood.”
Oh, really? Thanks, Captain Obvious.
He pulls out a cloth and reaches toward me. I flinch, but his hand is careful as he wipes the blood from my face.
“I’m getting you out of here,” he says, his voice firm now.
I stare at him, trying to figure out if he’s insane or just really bad at survival instincts. “Do you know what’s out there?” I whisper.
He smirks, the tiniest flicker of confidence breaking through. “Yeah. That’s why we’re not staying here.”
For the first time since this nightmare began, I feel a spark of hope.
Welcome.... so i'm still re-editing some past chapters and it might be a little weird after chapter 17. But enjoy nonetheless. Lastly thank you for choosing my book the support means everything to me.
Agatha’s POVI was broken.Like, spiritually, emotionally, mentally—every possible way a person could be shattered. I had just endured an hour-long, self-inflicted punishment of watching Matthew and Paris redefine the phrase "going at it like animals," and now I was standing outside the tent, gasping for breath like I had just run a marathon through hell.Luis was still laughing. Katherine had the audacity to give me a slow, approving nod, as if I had just completed some sacred rite of passage.Clo? Oh, Clo was loving this. He was grinning like the damn Cheshire Cat. "So," he drawled, arms crossed, "you stood there for a whole hour? Just… watching?"I WAS IN SHOCK! I screeched inte
Agatha’s POV1 hour later...I looked like a creep.I felt like a creep.I knew I wasn’t a creep, but let’s be honest—I had no way to justify my actions. Because why, WHY, had I been standing in the same exact spot for a whole hour, watching that?I had walked into the tent looking for answers. Instead, I had found Mattew—serious, borderline sociopathic, terrifying Mattew—ruthlessly plowing into Paris like he was trying to single handedly end a bloodline.And yet, I hadn’t moved.I should have left. The normal thing to do would have been to spin around and sprint out of there the moment I saw naked limbs tangling and heard sounds I will never unhear. But no, my idiot brain had decided to short-circuit, leaving me rooted in place like some deranged voyeur.What the hell are you doing?! Caroline’s voice hissed in my head. My wolf was practically vibrating with disbelief. MOVE! LEAVE! GET OUT OF HERE BEFORE YOU FRY
Agatha's POVIt’s been two days since we arrived at this so-called rogue camp, and let me tell you, I’ve learned more than I ever wanted to know.First off, I think I might actually be allowing myself to fall in love with Luis, and for the first time in my life, I don’t feel guilty about it. And before you ask—yes, I am aware that this is terrible timing, considering we’re technically in enemy territory. But feelings don’t care about logic.Unfortunately, Caroline has developed a full-blown obsession with Luis. If she says his name one more time, I swear I will throw her into the freezing lake nearby.Secondly, this isn’t actually a rogue camp. Turns out, Luis and I were completely off-base assuming these people were criminals. They only look like rogues because they’re operating behind enemy lines. Katherine told me they’re part of the powerful Lycan royal pack—the same one my region has been at war with since before I was even born. So, yeah. That’s a fun revelation. I’ve been unknow
Agatha's POVIt’s been two days since we arrived at this so-called rogue camp, and let me tell you, I’ve learned more than I ever wanted to know.First off, I think I might actually be allowing myself to fall in love with Luis, and for the first time in my life, I don’t feel guilty about it. And before you ask—yes, I am aware that this is terrible timing, considering we’re technically in enemy territory. But feelings don’t care about logic.Unfortunately, Caroline has developed a full-blown obsession with Luis. If she says his name one more time, I swear I will throw her into the freezing lake nearby.Secondly, this isn’t actually a rogue camp. Turns out, Luis and I were completely off-base assuming these people were criminals. They only look like rogues because they’re operating behind enemy lines. Katherine told me they’re part of the powerful Lycan royal pack—the same one my region has been at war with since before I was even born. So, yeah. That’s a fun revelation. I’ve been unknow
Lilly’s POVI scowl and turn on my heel, speed-walking away before I do something embarrassing like trip over a severed limb. I don’t dare look back, but I can feel him watching me as I disappear into the trees.Who the hell was that guy?You called him an angel, Lilly. Are you being serious right now?He just murdered those guys, and I wasn’t even scared. I was mesmerized. MESMERIZED. Like some kind of blood-drunk idiot. And his tattoos? They were detailed, intricate, almost like old paintings. One in particular looked familiar, but I can’t remember where I’ve seen it before. Great. Another thing for my ever-growing "figure out later" list.Right now, I need to get somewhere safe. I need to process everything I just discovered.Agatha isn’t my real sister. She’s a princess. And apparently, the key to everything.Dad had a secret alliance with the Lycan clan from Europe.Another war brewing; apparently two wars weren't good enough for them.Alexander is a sick, power-hungry lunatic.A
Lilly’s POVI scowl and turn on my heel, speed-walking away before I do something humiliating, like trip over a severed limb. I don’t dare look back, but I can feel him watching me as I disappear into the trees.Who the hell was that guy?You called him an angel, Lilly. Are you being serious right now?He slaughtered those men like they were nothing, and yet… I wasn’t even scared. I was mesmerized. Those tattoos—detailed, intricate, like paintings. And one in particular—it looked familiar. But where had I seen it before? Ugh. Add that to my ever-growing list of “figure out later.”For now, I need to get somewhere safe. Somewhere I can breathe, process, think about the absolute disaster my world has become.Agatha isn’t really my sister. She’s a princess and apparently the key to some grand scheme.My dad was close with the European Lycan clan. Why?The war .Alexander is a psychotic, power-hungry bastard and the mystrious reason why he is even here instead of fighting the war he appear