LOGINKRISTEN'S POVThe first rays of morning light crept through the thin curtains of our cabin, glinting off Eliana’s hair as it sprawled across my chest. For the first time in what felt like ages, I had slept without dreams. No alarms, no blood, no tension—just her warmth and the rhythm of her breathing against me.I didn’t want to move. Didn’t want to shatter that fragile peace we’d built in the last two days. Her skin was soft under my hand, her scent grounding me in a way that nothing else could. I pressed my lips against the top of her head, closing my eyes again.But peace never lasts long for people like us.The sharp buzz of my phone tore through the silence, vibrating on the nightstand. I tried to ignore it, but the sound came again, insistent. Groaning, I reached out and snatched it up before it woke her.“Alpha,” came Beta Rex’s low voice, strained and formal—never a good sign.I sat up immediately, my instincts snapping awake. “What is it?”Rex hesitated, and I already hated t
The lake shimmered like liquid glass beneath the moon. The ripples caught the silver light and threw it softly against the cabin walls. Inside, the air smelled faintly of pine and smoke; the fire had dwindled to a quiet glow, the kind that hummed warmth into the bones rather than heat.Kristen sat across from me on the couch, his arm draped along the backrest, his eyes half-lit by the amber light. There was something disarming about him here — stripped of his title, the weight of the pack, the constant tension that lived in his shoulders. He wasn’t the Alpha right now. He was just… Kristen.I leaned against the window frame, knees tucked beneath me, watching him with the quiet fascination I could never seem to shake. “You’re not used to sitting still, are you?” I teased softly.His lips quirked. “Not when you keep staring at me like that.”The way he said it made my chest flutter. I looked away, pretending to be interested in the faint trail of my own breath against the windowpane. “I
The soft hum of the engine was the only sound between us as the road curved along endless stretches of pine and mist. Morning sunlight spilled through the windshield, gilding Kristen’s profile in shades of gold and shadow. His jaw was tight, but his hands rested steady on the wheel, knuckles pale against the leather.We hadn’t spoken much since dawn, not since he’d said the words, “I’m taking you somewhere you can breathe again.”I’d wanted to protest. The pack still buzzed with tension after the attack; Arden’s presence lingered like smoke. But the moment the trees began to thin and the scent of water reached my nose, something inside me exhaled for the first time in weeks.The lake appeared suddenly, an endless mirror framed by mountains, still and quiet except for the faint ripple of breeze. Cabins dotted the shore, smoke curling lazily from one chimney. Kristen parked the car near the farthest cabin, the one half-hidden by tall grass and wildflowers.He turned to me with a small s
DAMON'S POVThe council chamber was deathly silent.Only the steady crackle of the fire filled the space, throwing shifting light across the stone walls and the faces of men and women who no longer looked at me with loyalty — only caution.My pack. My people. My legacy.And yet, when I looked into their eyes, all I saw were ghosts of the ones we’d lost. The ones I’d failed to protect.The air in the room was thick with accusation, though none of them dared voice it aloud.Not yet.“Enough,” I said finally, voice breaking the tension. “The matter of the missing scouts ends here. I’ll handle it myself.”They exchanged glances. Whispers slithered through the hall before they rose to leave, bowing half-heartedly as they passed me.It wasn’t obedience.It was fear.Once, that fear had been power. A tool I wielded to command respect. But lately, it felt like a chain around my neck — a reminder that I’d become exactly what I’d sworn I never would be.A ruler whose people no longer trusted hi
The first thing I felt was heat.It crept beneath my skin, pulsing from the gash on my shoulder like a second heartbeat. The second thing I felt was pain. A sharp, grounding ache that dragged me out of the darkness I’d been lost in for hours.When my eyes fluttered open, the room swam into focus — dim light filtering through drawn curtains, the faint scent of lavender and herbs hanging in the air. I recognized Kristen’s quarters before my thoughts even caught up.Someone had changed my bandages. Someone had stayed by my side.Arden.I turned my head slightly and there he was — slumped in a chair beside the bed, still dressed in his black uniform, his hair a mess, his jaw set even in sleep. His fingers were looking dirty.For a moment, I just looked at him. The sight should have brought comfort, but instead, a ripple of frustration shot through me.Because as much as he claimed to care, he was lying about something. I could feel it.I had no idea what he was doing in here, I looked aro
The world came back in fragments—sound first. The distant crackle of fire. The whisper of leaves. A soft, rhythmic thud that matched the pain in my skull.I opened my eyes to darkness. My wrists were bound, the rope biting into already bruised skin. A damp scent filled the air—moss, pine, and something coppery. Blood. My blood.Panic swelled, but I forced myself to breathe. In, out. I couldn’t lose control. Not now. Whoever had taken me had wanted me alive. That meant I still had a chance.I shifted, testing the ropes. They were knotted tight but not silver-laced—my skin wasn’t burning. My wolf stirred faintly within me, weak but present. That flicker of warmth in my chest gave me strength.Focus, Eliana.I scanned the shadows. I was in a small clearing, surrounded by trees so tall they swallowed the moonlight. A dying campfire glowed nearby. No guards, no movement. Whoever had done this… had left me alone.Or wanted me to think I was.I gritted my teeth and rolled to my side, inching







