LOGIN“Do you remember what he looked like?”“It’s all a blur. Sorry.”I nodded slowly, looking around again. I spotted Max on the other side of the yard, returning to his work with a group of other males.“What’s the labor for?” I asked. “Are we building something?”“We think it’s for an army. The stone
Natalia’s POVBy the end of the first hour, my shoulders were burning and my palms had gone from sore to numb. The rock I’d been assigned to break with a heavy pickaxe was dense and black, and I was expected to break it into small pieces, then place them on a large wagon. One of those awful gray thi
A pair of figures crossed our path as we walked across the roadway. We fell into step behind them naturally, matching their pace. Neither of them looked back.The water trough was near the center of the settlement. I spotted a short line of people standing in front of it. It wasn’t running water, bu
Natalia’s POVI jerked awake with a gasp.The red sky was the same as it always was. Max was curled on his side a few feet away, still asleep, his chest rising and falling slowly. Nothing had moved. Nothing had changed.I pressed my hand flat against the ground and steadied my breathing.The vision
Natalia’s POVThe report came back the following morning. I’d hardly slept that night, which was strange for me; usually, sleep came quickly and efficiently, serving purely as a means to regain my energy for another day of hard work.But last night, I kept tossing and turning. That pull in my chest
“It’s no use!” I heard her voice call after me. “He’s already gone, you stupid bitch! He’s not who you think he is anymore! You’ll all die here!”Her words struck me somewhere deep and painful, but I kept running. We didn’t stop until the hovel was well out of sight. Only then, once we were certain
Andrei & NataliaAndreiThe security tent felt far too small with all of us crammed inside. Damon sat across from me, his eyes clear now after the healers had flushed the wolfsbane from his system. Natalia stood beside him, one hand on his shoulder, chin lifted in cool defiance.As for Lilith, she w
“This is about survival,” I said, trying to salvage the situation. “Both packs’ survival. We can’t afford to let ego or old wounds dictate our decisions anymore.”“Fine words,” Andrei chuckled wryly. “But what guarantee do I have that this isn’t some elaborate trap? That you’re not just trying to ge
Eventually, we paused at a small stream that cut through the forest, marking a natural boundary between our territories. Andrei crouched down to examine something in the mud—tracks, maybe—and I couldn’t help but notice the way his leathers stretched across his back, revealing the powerful muscles be
NataliaThe Northern River Basin was just as beautiful as the legends claimed; mist dotting the peaks above, streams criss-crossing through the valley, tall evergreens and fat oak trees and colorful wildflowers swaying in the morning breeze.I stepped out of the car and immediately caught the scent







