LOGINLucien's POV The hallway of my pack seemed to stretch as I hurried my way down to see Marla.I had told Calla to wait behind. This was a dance of no mistake and I needed to play my part with precision. She already knew what to do… but right now, it was time for the Alpha to play the villain. Marla was no longer in the infirmary.Ulric had moved her to a small windowless room deep in the residential block. It was no different from a cage and it was guarded by four of my strongest warriors.They stood like statutes at the door, their hands resting on the hilts of their blades. They bowed their heads as I approached, one of them sliding the heavy iron bolt back with a sharp, grating sound.I stepped inside. The room was dim, lit only by a single flickering torch around the wall. Marla was sitting on the edge of a bunk bed that was in the room. She looked significantly better than when we had first taken care of her in the infirmary. She looked up and the way she tilted her head… she k
Lucien's POV I looked Ulric in the eyes and the look on his face was filled with worry. “What is it, Ulric? Don't tell me you've been thinking about our plans?” I clicked my tongue, my gaze pressed on him.“Lucien,” Ulric began, his voice a low rumble. He took another step forward, his thick arms crossed over his chest. “I ran into Fenric in the hallway. He didn't seem to like your idea. Not one bit. He looked like a man who had been told he was going to jump into a pit of vipers.”I let out a short, dry chuckle and turned away from him to face Calla and for a brief second, I saw the flicker of shared worry in her eyes.“I know he doesn't like it, Ulric. Fenric is a soldier. He likes plans that involve solid ground and clear targets. The vertical slope of the western face is none of those things. It is a gamble with the wind and the stone.”“Yes, that's the reason he is worried,” Ulric said, nodding slowly. “But he's a loyal beta. He would follow you into the sun if you asked him t
I watched as the door of Lucien's office clicked shut while my father and Fenric left the office.The room had been filled with tough decisions that were hard to make and the pressure of planning had been overwhelming even for me.I remained in Lucien's chair behind the desk, the rough grain of the wood pressing into my palm already and my butt already feeling an intense pain from too much sitting.My mind was a whirlwind of the sketches which Fenric had drawn, the terrifying reality of the western slope and what was bound to happen if we made the slightest mistake.The Old Root. The name sounded like a promise and a curse all at once. It sounded like a route to save a life and a route to our deaths.Lucien moved away from the desk. He didn't look at me immediately as he walked toward the tall window that overlooked the Nightmoor training ground. The sun was just coming up, making everywhere bright. Lucien stood with his back to me, his shoulders broad and rigid. Even from where I s
Rian's POVThe wind in the Craglands did not just blow, it bit down my skin.I walked along the path, following the trail where the Nightmoor Alpha had just departed. Lucien was a man walking into a trap, yet he moved with a grace that annoyed me. He had my prisoner, he passed through my route and now he had my curiosity.I went back to my camp, walking toward the cave. Inside, the air that blew hit me with the smell of damp and dried blood. Fenris was slumped against the floor, his back against the wall and his chest heaving. He looked like a pile of discarded rags. Lyra stood over him, still trying hard. She looked at me when I stepped inside, her eyes hard and questioning.“He is stubborn, Rian,” Lyra said, her voice a low rasp. “He thinks his silence will buy him a different kind of death.”Lyra had been trying to get words out of him since Lucien left but Fenris had been stiff-necked, wanting to bargain his life for whatever information he was holding back.I stepped into the
Lucien's POV The room was already lit up with the morning sun when my eyes stirred open. I turned my head to notice Calla beside me, sleeping quietly, her breathing deep. She lay naked with the blanket covering only half her body. I stayed still for a moment and watched as her shoulders rose and fell. My mind drifted back to the night we had just shared. It had been passionate and desperate, a hungry clink to one and order after we went back from the Craiglands. At that moment there was only the scent of her skin and the fierce pull of the mate bond.A small smile touched my lips. I didn't even know I was smiling. Despite the overwhelming pressure pressing against me, having her here was like a calm in my storm.I moved carefully, sliding out from under the blanket so as not to wake her. I began to prepare, taking a hot bath first, relieving myself of the stress of the night before. I began to dress afterwards, pulling on my black cargo pants and a black jacket. I was almost fini
Calla's POV Lucien and I stood in the middle of his chamber. I could tell how he felt through the bond when he asked me the questions about what his daughter said about him. Lucien had proven countless times he was a changed person and that was all I needed. Now, he needed me and all I could do was make him feel loved. I was still locked in his embrace as he held me tight. But I could feel the heat coming off his body and it was strong… It was a kind of heat that made me feel safe.I smiled while my head rested on his chest and looked up to see his face.Lucien pulled back just a little bit. He did not let go of my waist. He stayed close enough that our chests were still touching. He stared at me with his eyes. They were dark and seductive and I felt those eyes could see into my soul.They were full of a deep hunger and I could not look away. I did not want to look away. I felt like I was trapped in a beautiful spell.“You are so beautiful, Calla.” Lucien whispered, his voice low a
Lucien's POV I opened my eyes with a sharp breath and a sharp gasp, my body jolting like I had been pulled back from a dark pit. I grunted as the pain hit me at once. It burned through my veins, spreading from my shoulder down my arm and into my chest. My muscles felt heavy and my thoughts were c
Ulric's POV Walking in this huge robe wasn't as easy as I had thought it would be. I had been feeling this heat combined with the fears I experienced with Lucien and Marla. I shouldn't feel this kind of fear again after reaching this position of mine. But here I was. The story of my life. We we
Calla's POV I had known the sweat was going to drop even before it fell off his face.I felt his restlessness and his struggles while he tried adjusting his head to avoid his sweat from causing issues. I kept my eyes lowered and my body still, playing the part of the broken prisoner while every pa
Lucien's POV Ulric was shaking. It wasn't the kind of fear you could hide behind your pride but it was the kind of fear that made his hands tremble as he stood in front of me.Sweat ran down his temple and dropped into the collar of his robe. His eyes kept darting to the door like he expected dea







