ANMELDENBrynne's POVThe night air was cold and sharp against my skin as I ran.My paws pounded the frozen forest floor, silver-gray fur blending with the moonlight and shadows. I had left the palace hours ago, needing to burn off the restless energy clawing at my chest. The image of Calla’s mark … Blade’s mark … kept flashing behind my eyes. The way she had looked at me naked in her room earlier, the confusion and longing in her gaze… it haunted me.I ran harder, muscles burning, breath coming in steady clouds. Trees blurred past me. The wind whipped through my fur. For a while, the rhythm of the run drowned out everything else. No war. No rotting bodies. No complicated feelings for a woman my brother had already claimed.I was miles away from the barn when I heard something.A low, pained grunt somewhere ahead, deeper in the thick trees.I slowed down, ears pricking forward. Another grunt followed, followed by the sound of someone moving clumsily through the underbrush. My wolf instincts
Brynne's POVThe body on the table was no longer recognizable as a man.I stood over it with my arms crossed, my expression locked in a hard, serious line. Black veins had spread across what remained of the skin like cracks in dry earth. The flesh had peeled away in wet strips, exposing gray muscle and bone in several places. One eye socket stared up at the ceiling … completely hollow, nothing but darkness inside. The smell was thick in the room: rotting meat mixed with something sharper, almost chemical.Blade stood beside me, tension radiating from his shoulders. “Brother… what could it be?”I didn’t answer immediately. I leaned down closer, studying the way the decay had moved … starting from the mouth and eyes, spreading outward like it was eating him from the inside. I had seen wounds, poisons, even dark magic… but nothing like this.“We have never seen anything like this,” I said finally, voice low. “Not in any record, not in any battle. This isn’t natural sickness. Something
Bianca's POVI lay curled up on the large bed with Calla and Adele, the three of us wrapped together under the heavy blankets. The fire in the hearth crackled softly, filling the room with a warm, golden glow. For the first time in what felt like forever, I wasn't worried about anything. I almost forgot just how much I missed my sister.Calla was in the middle of telling one of our old childhood stories … the time we tried to bake cookies in secret and ended up covering the entire kitchen in flour. Her voice was light and playful as she mimicked our father’s angry shouting. Adele giggled wildly, her small body shaking with laughter as she clutched my arm. We woke her up with our noise earlier. “You really did that?” Adele asked, eyes sparkling.“Oh yes,” I said, tickling her sides gently. “And then we had to hide under the table while your mommy tried to sweep everything up before Father came back.”Adele squealed and buried her face in my shoulder. “You’re funny, Aunt Bianca!”C
Calla's POV But I feel the pull with him as well. Like… we’re all meant to be together.”He went completely still and then without warning, he slammed his fist into the rock beside my head. The impact cracked loudly against the stone, inches from my face. I flinched hard, heart leaping into my throat.“Shut the fuck up!” he roared, his voice echoing off the rocks.I froze, with my eyes wide. The raw fury in his tone made my stomach twist with fear. I would rather be anywhere than here at this very moment. Blade pushed himself up, chest heaving. He stood and snatched his clothes from the ground, yanking his pants on with sharp, angry movements. His back was rigid, muscles flexing with barely contained rage.I sat up slowly, clutching the blanket to my chest. “Blade… what is going on?”“Get dressed,” he snapped without looking at me. “The date is over.”My throat tightened. “Why? We just got here…”He finally turned, eyes locking onto mine with cold intensity. “Because it was a mistak
Calla's POV The carriage stopped at the edge of the hidden mountain path. Blade stepped out first and offered me his hand. I took it, the emerald gown brushing against my legs as I stepped down. The night air was cool, but the distant sound of falling water and the faint glow of flowers made everything feel magical.We walked together along the narrow path. Blade kept my hand in his, his thumb occasionally brushing my knuckles. At one point I nearly slipped on a mossy stone. He caught me instantly, pulling me against his chest with a low chuckle.“Careful,” he murmured, steadying me. “I didn’t bring you here to break your ankle.”I laughed softly. We continued until the trees opened into a breathtaking clearing. Multiple steaming pools nestled among dark rocks, fed by a graceful waterfall that shimmered under moonlight.Beautiful flowers bloomed everywhere, casting soft blue and violet light across the water. Steam curled lazily into the cold air.“It’s beautiful,” I whispered.We
Calla's POVI woke up slowly, the soft morning light filtering through the curtains of the cabin bedroom. My body felt heavy but satisfied, I didn’t want to admit how happy I was. But I feel like a missing piece of my heart is backThe mark on my neck throbbed gently, a warm reminder of last night. I touched it with my fingers, a small smile tugging at my lips. Blade had left earlier, but the memory of his hands, his mouth, his voice calling me his mate still stayed deep in my heart.I stretched, arching my back, then slipped out of bed. I needed to freshen up. I walked to the bathroom, the cool floorboards soothing my bare feet. Inside, I splashed water on my face, rubbing my eyes to clear the sleep. The mirror showed my reflection … flushed cheeks, messy long curly brown hair, and the dark claiming mark on my neck standing out proudly.I dried my face with a soft towel and stepped out, still in my thin nightdress.The room was suddenly full of people.Maids. At least eight of the
Blade’s POVThe study had seen better nights.Two chairs had been relocated to the far wall after he’d thrown them there. A glass had met its end against the fireplace sometime around midnight and nobody had been brave enough to clean it up yet. The map of Ash Creek’s surrounding territories was
Calla’s POV We left before the city woke up. Tyson had the car packed and idling at the snow-capped 4:45. I carried Adele down in her blanket, her rabbit tucked under her arm, her boots left unlaced because she had insisted on wearing them despite the hour and I hadn’t had the energy to argue.
Calla’s POVI ran.The shadow touched my feet and my body made the decision before my mind caught up and I burst out from between the vans and sprinted for the loading dock with everything I had left.I almost made it.A hand closed around my arm from behind … an iron grip, brutal and sudden, yanki
Calla’s POVThe cab rolled to a stop at the edge of Central Station and I had the door open before the wheels had fully settled.“Thank you,” I told the driver.He didn’t respond. His eyes were already back on the road, his radio already being switched to a different station. Whether that was guilt







