LOGINRue’s POVWe stood near the shoreline now, the surface of the lake reflecting fragments of the evening light.His hands remained at my waist. Mine rested against his chest.In my past, closeness had always carried expectation and obligation. I had once believed that intimacy was something to be endured, like walking across thin ice.This was different.When Percy kissed me again, it wasn’t with hesitation, it was reassuring.His mouth moved against mine slowly, as if exploring a language we were building together from scratch. My breath hitched softly when his fingers traced the curve of my spine, mapping the line with quiet reverence.I deepene
Rue’s POVIris was eight now. It marked survival and growth. Years I had not been certain I would live to witness.She had my eyes, it was remarkable, always scanning the world as if cataloging it. But her smile was freer than mine had ever been at that age. She laughed easily.She stood between Percy and me, holding both our hands as we walked toward the car. She spoke animatedly about the newly built school, about a drawing she had made, about how she thought wolves should be majestic in painting.I had laughed.Percy had crouched down to her level, “Majestic wolves,” he said, “that would be revolutionary.”Iris grinned at him with unfiltered admiration.
Rue’s POVI had almost forgotten what it felt like to be invited somewhere without calculation. Ever since the mutation apocalypse, I had rarely heard of parties.When Vicky called and insisted I attend her small gathering at the mountain lodge, I nearly declined out of instinct. “Just come,” she had said lightly. “Let’s enjoy life for once.”The idea felt foreign, but I went.The lodge sat near the base of the northern range. Patches of snow still clung stubbornly to shaded slopes, while the lower meadows had already surrendered to green. The air smelled of thawing earth.Inside, the atmosphere was warm and conversation drifted easily from one topic to another. With the light laughter that transformed the air, I was glad that no one watched me too closely or no one whispered when I passed.I stood by the window for a short while before Percy joined me eventually. He held two glasses and handed one to me without speaking, his shoulder brushing mine lightly.“This is new,” he observe
Author’s POVAiden’s proposal had been rejected. In the formal letter that had been typed after the meeting cited “insufficient institutional trust,” “limited documented community-level implementation experience,” and “concerns regarding stability of leadership oversight.”They seemed like polite words but they had devastating implications.Aiden stood at the doorway as he read it. His fingers tightened around the paper.He had led patrols, defended borders, and negotiated tough agreements. He had commanded wolves in battle and maintained internal order through the mutation craze. And yet here, in the CDC facility, those victories meant little.They did not trust him. Not after the wedding incident. Not after whispers of plagiarism and concealed conflicts.He exhaled slowly, folding the letter once, then again, until the crisp edges bent unevenly beneath his grip.There was more. The second page outlined the CDC’s decision not to reassign the project to any alternative candidate with
Author’s POVThe elders convened more frequently than before. The nationwide directive concerning the containment and treatment of mutated rabid wolves had transformed from a distant crisis into an immediate political battleground. Whoever secured the CDC grant project would not only control the research initiative but also the flow of national funding, and with it, influence that stretched far beyond pack borders.“We cannot afford any sort of hesitation,” Aiden said firmly. “If we secure the initial operational control, we will secure legitimacy. The CDC neutral region is expanding its containment wing...plus the funding.”Several elders exchanged glances.The scandal at the wedding had not faded from collective memory. The charity presentation drama had brought more doubts. Most of the elders had already lost hope in ‘Haven’s’ plan.Still, Aiden pressed forward.“We will present a revised treatment protocol,” he continued. “It integrates containment, adaptive immune modulation, a
Rue’s POVThe first time I stood at the front of Blue’s classroom, chalk in hand, I felt like my plan was silently falling into place. Tiny chairs formed a semicircle before me, each occupied by a child whose legs dangled several inches above the floor, swinging with unspent energy.Children smelled different from adults. Their emotions were immediate and unfiltered, excitement, boredom, curiosity, frustration; all of it flickering openly across their faces without concealment.“Alright,” I said gently, kneeling to their eye level. “Today we’re going to play a game.”They leaned forward instantly.I had structured the lesson to be interactive, matching exercises disguised as adventure. It was about colors, and the kids loved it.Blue sat near the window.She had grown taller. Her hair fell loose around her shoulders. She watched me intently throughout the lesson, her gaze thoughtful in a way that made my chest ache.She didn’t recognize me. Of course she didn’t. She knew me as her tea
Have’s POVThe sound of the slap echoed through the room.Vicky stumbled back, clutching her cheek, eyes wide in disbelief. The other maids gasped, frozen in place. I could feel my pulse racing, but my hand didn’t tremble. It stung a little bit, but it was worth it.“I’m picking on you today,” I sa
Aiden’s POVThe meeting room reeked of desperation. It was subtle — a faint panic beneath every elder’s words and faces. But I could smell it clearly. They feared for our pack.“This new wave of virus is spreading faster than last time,” Vance said grimly, sliding a thick stack of papers across the
Aiden’s POVTwo days. That’s all it took for the news to reach me—Marcus had been discharged.I slammed the newspaper down on my desk, and quickly reached for my phone. This was the opening I have been waiting for. If Marcus had been discharged from the hospital, that meant that he was ready to mak
Haven’s POVThe moment Aiden disappeared behind the bathroom door, steam already beginning to hiss from the shower, I sighed.All that trembling, that pitiful sobbing, the soft quiver in my voice—gone. In its place came a quiet meditation of the previous events.He had looked at me with confusion t







