LOGINWe don’t get fights like this anymore. We’re modernized werewolves; fists, blades, maybe a firearm if someone’s desperate—that’s our usual. But seeing two primal wolves in their true forms, tearing into each other? Claws, teeth, raw power cracking through the air? It would’ve been mesmerizing if the rest of us weren’t getting swarmed by a pack of idiot witches.The old witch on our side was doing her part, cutting off their magic and keeping them from helping Creighton—but that left me stuck guarding her. And these witches aren’t stupid. They know someone’s interfering.I haven’t had to kill a witch in a long time.And these witches are really testing me.One of them screeched and lunged for the old witch, who was still in the car. Lost in a fog of magic. I caught her mid-air and slammed her into the dirt. Another came from my blind side; I grabbed her, twisted, and threw her down on top of the first. Their twin shrieks ripped through my skull, sharp enough to make my vision blur.Blo
Eliana and I headed up the stairs. We could hear music blasting through one of the doors, so this place isn't exactly sound proof. It's not like Ceila can't afford a house. Her grandparents did leave her their home as well, but she prefers to live in this apartment complex because it's closer to her work. Eliana pulled out her phone to check on the fight, and I looked away. I didn't want to panic, then lose sight of the part I'm supposed to be playing. But I could hear the whispers even though she'd lowered the volume. The reporter was screaming; something had gone wrong. Eliana tensed next to me, then turned the screen off and shoved her phone back into her pocket. The sounds I'd heard didn't make me feel confident, but since I didn't see it, I can delude myself into thinking everything is perfectly fine. I stepped up the stairs, eventually stopping on the third floor. My heart was pounding, and my nerves were all over the place. I raised my hand, curling my fingers into a fist,
With the car out of sight I was panicking even more. Fuck, this is so bad. This is so freaking bad. I don't want to jinx Cassiel by thinking negatively, but let's be honest, evil people don't just go down like that. I continued staring at the driveway through the window before finally dragging myself away. No time to waste, I told myself. I grabbed a free bag and shoved everything I needed. Then dressed for the occasion. I walked out of the room once I was sure I had all my essentials. Eliana was standing right in the hallway, baseball cap on, face mask, and hoodie to ensure she couldn't be noticed. “Are you ready to go?” she asked, pushing away from the wall. “No, but I don't have a choice.”“Yeah, this was your idea.” I can see her eyes rolling. I reached into my bag and pulled out some sunglasses.“Here, add this, your eyes are easy to recognize.” I hand them over to her, and she thanks me. “I know it was my idea.” I finally say. “But that doesn't mean I'm happy about it. I ho
Today is the day. I'm not as worried as I should be. I know I'm going to win. I know it in my bones. Or I'm deluding myself either way I feel pretty confident. Matthias drives us to the location. He insisted on going with me even when I wanted him to stay with Aurielle.What a weird guy. I stayed silent the whole way, thinking about Creighton. He's older, and in my experience, that usually means they're very weak, or they've had enough experience to give them an advantage. I'm not sure which lane he falls into, but I'll learn that when I see him. People will be watching, for my pride and sense of peace, I have to win. Mostly, I need to be around my mate for the rest of our lives. I cannot lose. Perhaps that's why I think I'll win. I mean, I'm going to kill him. He's not going to live. Treason against the region is death by execution, so his death is practically sealed. I closed my eyes and started to do something I hadn't done since I was a kid, and I would hide out in my closet to
The last three days before the fight slipped through my fingers faster than I wanted them to. Too fast, honestly. I kept hoping time would slow down, stretch itself thin, give us room to breathe. But it didn’t. Before I was even ready for it, the seventh day arrived like a verdict being read aloud. It was time. No more breaks. No more excuses. No more last-minute ways to prepare. Whatever we were walking into… we were already walking.That morning, I sat upright on the edge of my bed, knees pulled close, watching Cassiel move around the room with that sharp, clipped precision he gets when he’s forcing himself to stay composed. He was packing a small duffel full of the bare essentials only. He’d already sent the mercenaries ahead at dawn to prep the forest clearing where the fight would take place. Traps, perimeters, vantage points… everything to tilt the odds even slightly in his favor. He also needed the mercenaries to ensure that the rogue didn't keep people that would ambush him or
Aurielle and I returned to the house still riding the warm, honey-soft glow of the night we shared. My body felt loose, and my thoughts were drifting, still tangled in the memory of her hands, her voice, the way she gasped when I touched her. I loved seeing the marks on her skin, faint but visible enough to claim her in a way that made something primal inside me purr. I had been a little rough, but she had never complained. In fact, the way she clung to me, tightened around my cock, told me she liked it. Maybe more than she wanted to admit.But that magical night was already fading. Reality was clawing its way back into place. I had three more days until the fight, three more days to prepare, three more days before everything changed.We had barely stepped through the doorway when Matthias came barreling down the stairs. His phone was clutched in one hand, his eyes wide, his breathing uneven. He looked like he had been running laps around the house for hours.“We need to talk, Cassiel







