Georgia's body was numb, her breath shallow. She was falling, deep, heavy, sinking into nothingness. But something yanked her back. A sound. Small, fragile cries. Her babies. Her eyes snapped open, her vision blurring before sharpening again. The wooden ceiling above her swayed, and for a second, she didn’t know where she was. Then the pain hit. Her entire body ached like she had been trampled by a pack of wolves. Her arms felt weak, trembling as she pushed herself up. The weight in her lap shifted, and she looked down. Three tiny bundles. Her heart clenched. They were safe. A choked sob rose in her throat as she touched each of their faces, their warmth grounding her. She had survived. They had survived. "Georgia!" Anna’s voice was sharp with relief, and a second later, hands gripped her shoulders. Georgia turned, blinking at Anna’s worried face. "You scared the hell out of me!" Anna exhaled heavily, running a hand through her disheveled hair. "I thought you"
"Who’s there?!"Georgia’s voice cut through the silence, sharp and commanding. She spun around, her heartbeat hammering against her ribs. The cabin door stood slightly open, swinging ever so gently as if someone had just slipped inside, or out. Her grip tightened around the blade in her hand. She had locked that door. The night air slithered in through the gap, carrying the scent of damp earth and something else… something rotten. A footstep. Soft. Slow. Deliberate.Her blood ran cold. She wasn’t imagining it. Something, or someone was in here with her. The wooden floor creaked. Another step. Her eyes darted toward the shadows near the cupboard. A shape moved, shifting ever so slightly. Georgia’s breath caught in her throat. Her fingers flexed around the knife handle as she took a step forward. Creeeak.Another step.Her instincts screamed at her to wake the children, to run, to fight, but she refused to panic. Instead, she forced herself forward, inch by inch, u
“I can't do this, Anna."Georgia's voice was sharp, her pulse pounding in her ears. She clenched her fists, the letter still crumpled in Anna’s trembling hands. The fire crackled behind them, casting flickering shadows across the cabin walls. Anna took a desperate step forward. “Please, Georgia. I need you. I can’t do this alone.” Her voice cracked, the raw emotion behind it twisting something deep in Georgia’s chest. “You don’t understand.” Georgia’s throat tightened. “If I go back… I’m not sure I’ll ever leave again.” Anna shook her head violently. “No. That won’t happen. You’re not the same girl you were back then. You’re stronger. You’ve built a life. You’ve built a family.” She gestured toward the small room where the triplets were sleeping soundly. “You are *not* weak anymore, Georgia.” Georgia swallowed hard, her body tense. Anna’s voice softened. “Look, I swear, you won’t have to see them. You won’t have to face anything you don’t want to. I just… I just need someone
"You're being paranoid, Georgia."The words echoed in her mind, sharp and biting.She exhaled slowly, forcing her fingers to unclench. Her pulse was still racing, her instincts screaming, but there was nothing. No figures lurking in the trees. No shadows slipping through the night.Just ghosts.Old memories clawing their way back to the surface."Damn it."She hated how easily this place could shake her.A hand touched her arm, and she nearly flinched.Anna.Her Friend’s face was lined with worry. “Are you okay?”Georgia let out a bitter laugh, shaking her head. “What do you think?”Anna sighed. “I get it. I do. But you’re not alone this time.”Georgia swallowed the lump in her throat and looked over at her children. The triplets were standing a few feet away, Kelsey and Keira whispering while Kelvin watched her with quiet intensity.Her son was always the most perceptive. Always the one to notice when something was wrong.She needed to pull herself together. For them.Straightening h
Georgia remained quiet, her heartbeat heavy in her ears. Anna’s desperate plea still lingered in the air fragile yet unyielding. “Please, Georgia… help me." Georgia’s fingers curled against her palm. The answer was obvious. She couldn't walk away from Anna. Not now. But a storm of thoughts churned in her mind, each one sharper than the last. What if she helped Anna, and the village turned against her? What if the Alphawhoever he was saw her as an obstacle? And worse… What if someone told her parents she was here? She swallowed hard. That was a thought she couldn’t afford. Her parents had spent years hunting her down, dragging her back whenever she tried to escape. She had run too many times, only to be caught, caged, and punished. The last time… she had barely survived. Her body remembered even when she tried to forget, the sting of betrayal, the cold iron of their will pressing against her throat. If they found her now… if they knew she was here… No. She forced a
A deep, commanding voice cut through the heavy silence like a blade. “I see my presence has caught you all off guard.” The air in the room shifted. Every head turned toward the doorway, where Jared, the Alpha, stood with an air of undeniable authority. His sharp, calculating gaze swept across the space before settling on Anna’s parents. His arrival was unexpected. Anna’s mother gasped, quickly straightening her dress as if that would make any difference. Her father cleared his throat, forcing a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Alpha Jared,” he said, bowing slightly. “What an honor.” Beside the Alpha, dressed in a gown fit for royalty, was Serafina. Georgia felt her stomach drop. She hadn’t seen her sister in years, but she’d never forget that face, smug, flawless, and brimming with superiority. Serefina stood tall, her presence as dazzling as ever, as if she owned the very air in the room. She had always wanted what Georgia had, even if it was nothing. And no
Jared’s fingers twitched at his sides. His chest felt tight, his wolf stirring with restless energy, but he kept his face neutral. The weight of Georgia’s gaze on him unsettled him in ways he couldn’t explain. He had thrown her away. Five years ago, he had rejected her without a second thought, yet now… now, his instincts were screaming at him. Telling him something wasn’t right. Across the room, Serefina’s smirk wavered. She had caught the moment, the shift in Jared’s attention, the way his eyes lingered on Georgia for just a second too long. And she hated it. Serefina had always been good at reading people. It was how she got what she wanted. And right now, she could see Jared’s restraint cracking. That wasn’t part of her plan. She subtly slid closer to him, her manicured fingers ghosting over his arm. “Alpha,” she purred, drawing his attention back to her. “You must be exhausted from your travels. Let’s sit. I’m sure our gracious hosts would love to offer you somethin
“Alpha, the table is set,” Anna’s mother called out, wiping her hands on her apron. Jared stepped out of the room, his gaze sharp despite the early morning haze. His muscles tensed instinctively, always alert, even in the quiet moments. The scent of freshly brewed coffee and warm bread drifted through the air, mixing with the crisp scent of the forest just beyond the open windows. Georgia was already there, placing a plate down with practiced ease, her movements smooth but distant. Her long hair was loosely tied back, a few strands slipping free to frame her face. She didn’t look up, her focus fixed on the task at hand, but there was a stiffness in her posture one he knew all too well. Something was wrong. His wolf stirred. She hadn’t looked at him once. Seraphina, on the other hand, emerged behind him with a satisfied stretch, her arms rising above her head as she let out a soft, contented sigh. The silk of her robe slipped slightly off one shoulder, revealing just enoug
“Let’s take a break? No, Serafina, I'm done.”Jared's voice was cold, each word slicing through the thick silence like a blade. “You’re exhausted… pathetic.”Serafina froze.“What?!” Her voice cracked like lightning splitting the sky.She stormed toward him, fury burning in her eyes. “Are you being serious right now, Jared?”“You’re not listening to me, Serafina! You never listen!” he snapped, fists clenched at his sides.Her lips curled. “Oh, I’m listening now. I’m listening to the man who once swore I was his destiny suddenly acting like I’m the burden. How convenient.”“I heard you,” Jared said, voice low and hard. “But this... whatever this has become between us, it’s toxic. It’s done. It should’ve ended a long time ago.”The silence that followed wasn’t calm.It was the kind of silence that came before something exploded.Serafina took a slow step back, her chest rising and falling. “You think you can walk away from me? After everything? After me?”“Yes,” he said simply, stepping
"She’s unfit for her role, you know," the maid whispered, her voice sharp as broken glass. As they gossip about serafina.Serafina froze behind the corner, her fists tightening until her nails carved red moons into her palms."Mad," another murmured. "Dangerous."Their words swirled through the stone halls like smoke, curling around her throat, choking her.She should step forward.She should slap the girl so hard her descendants would feel it.Her body trembled with the urge, raw, hot, violent, but she didn’t move.Not because she couldn’t.Because they weren’t worth it.Serafina turned on her heel, her boots clicking sharply on the marble. She didn’t look back, didn’t let them see the wildfire rising in her chest. She marched past them like they were less than dirt.Her face, cold as winter.But inside?Inside, she was crumbling, screaming, clawing at the walls of her own ribs.They dared.They dared.She shoved through the palace doors and into the open courtyard, the evening sky b
"Do it clean," Serafina said coldly, her eyes never leaving the horizon. "Yes, my Lady," Kae murmured, already melting into the shadows like smoke.She stood there for a long moment, fists still trembling, feeling the sting of broken skin and broken trust. The air was thick, hot, like it could swallow her whole.She turned, cloak swirling, and stalked back through the palace gates. The guards didn’t dare meet her gaze.Good. Fear was easier to command than loyalty.Each step she took echoed loudly, bouncing off the cold marble walls. She didn't slow down. She didn’t look back. Her blood pounded in her ears, louder than the roaring whispers of servants scrambling to get out of her way.She didn’t care.She didn’t care about their looks, their mutterings, their prayers.She had a storm inside her chest, and it needed somewhere to go.By the time she reached her quarters, Serafina was breathing hard, her chest heaving. She threw the heavy doors open and let them slam behind her.Sile
"Where is he?" Serafina’s voice sliced through the humid morning air like a blade. No one answered. The soldiers in the training yard froze mid-swing, the clang of steel against steel dying in the tension. A few exchanged glances, daring each other to speak. She stormed forward, barefoot still, blood dried around her knuckles, her once-glorious nightgown hidden now under a dark cloak she had grabbed from her closet. Her hair was wild, her eyes two burning embers that promised nothing but ruin. "I said—" she roared, fists clenched at her sides, "WHERE IS HE?!"A young squire, no older than fifteen, pointed a trembling finger toward the center of the field.Caleb.He stood with a training sword in hand, mid-spar with another knight. His back was to her, unaware of the storm about to crash into him.Serafina didn't walk to him. She charged."CALEB!" she screamed, her voice cracking the air like thunder. The boy turned, confused, then his eyes widened in horror.It was too lat
The next morning, Serafina stirred from a restless sleep, if two hours of tossing and turning even counted as rest. Her head throbbed, her eyes burned, but she refused to appear weak. She snapped her fingers, summoning one of her maidens.“Bring me tea. Now.”The girl rushed off, anxious to avoid another outburst. She returned minutes later, hands trembling as she placed the cup on the tray.Serafina took one sip, and froze.Her expression darkened like a brewing storm.“You dare call this tea?!” she thundered, slamming the cup so hard against the table the china cracked. “Did you boil this with swamp water or tears?!”The porcelain cup shattered against the wall, spewing golden liquid across the velvet drapes like blood. The young maid gasped, eyes wide as the fragments rained to the marble floor.Serafina’s voice was a whip. "If you want to serve me lukewarm water, go fetch it from the stables, not my damn breakfast tray!"The maid bowed deeply, trembling, but Serafina didn’t give h
"Answer me, Jared!" Serafina’s voice cracked like thunder across the grand chamber. "You’re just going to stand there?! Say something!"The air between them was thick with rage, heartbreak, and disbelief. Jared didn’t speak. He didn’t blink. He didn’t even breathe for a moment. He just stood there, jaw clenched so tight his muscles trembled. His eyes, those usually fierce, calculating eyes, were now dark and hollow. Then, with no explanation, no apology, no glance, he turned around and walked out.Serafina froze.“What…?” her voice dropped to a whisper, trembling. “You’re walking away from me?”She blinked fast, as if her vision had betrayed her. But the sound of his footsteps, heavy and deliberate, echoed louder than any confession.“Jared!” she shouted, storming after him. Her heels clacked furiously against the marble floor. “I’m talking to you and you’re walking away from me?! Don’t you DARE walk away!”He didn’t stop. Not until she caught up with him just outside the chamber door
Back at the palace, a storm raged, not outside, but inside Alpha Jared. The grand chamber, once a place of power and pride, now echoed with the sound of his pacing footsteps and guttural growls. The mighty Alpha, once calm and respected, was now nothing but a tormented soul spiraling out of control. His bare feet thudded against the cold marble floor as he walked back and forth like a caged beast, his massive frame trembling with anger and regret.Moonlight streamed in through the tall glass windows, casting silver streaks across the room, but Jared didn’t see the beauty of the night. His wolf was restless, scratching at the inside of his skin, urging him to howl, to destroy, to let go. His breaths came in hard, sharp bursts, like he was suffocating in his own thoughts. His claws had extended, slicing the palm of his hand from gripping too tightly.His heart thundered in his chest, heavy with the weight of what he had done. Every second that passed felt like a thousand needles prickin
“Can you imagine falling for a monster? The same monster who raped you?”Georgia’s breath hitched as the thought clawed through her mind like a jagged blade. Her grip tightened on the suitcase handle, knuckles pale. “Oh hell no,” she whispered to herself, shaking her head, trying to keep it together.“Mommy, where are we going?” Keira’s sleepy voice cracked the heavy silence, tugging at Georgia’s shredded heartstrings.Georgia paused. The hallway was dim, moonlight streaming through the windows like quiet judgment. Her hands trembled as she turned to face her daughter, her everything.“We're just... getting some air, baby,” she said softly, forcing a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes, so "Just keep walking, baby. Don’t ask questions right now," Georgia finally whispered again, but her voice cracked.Kelvin rubbed his eyes. "Is it because Sir Jared doesn’t want us here anymore? Did he… did he fire you, Mom?"Georgia stopped in her tracks. The name alone made her chest ache like a
Georgia turned back slowly.Her eyes locked onto Jared, still on his knees, still trembling.ThenSLAP!The second one landed harder. Sharper. Louder.His head jerked to the side.She was weeping now, chest rising and falling in uneven sobs. Her voice cracked with pain as she screamed, "I trusted you! I begged you that night! I said NO! And you still, YOU STILL"Jared shook his head desperately. "Georgia, I didn’t know it was you. I didn’t. I was sexually aroused and I was drunk too""But I did!" she shouted. "I knew what was happening, Jared. I begged. I cried. I screamed. And you... you didn’t stop. You didn’t care!"Her whole body shook as she backed away, hugging herself like she was trying to hold herself together. "Do you know what happened after that night? Do you even care what happened to me?"He opened his mouth to answer, but she didn’t give him the chance."I walked home that night, torn, bleeding, and broken! And when my parents that I was pregnant"Her voice broke again,