LOGINJohanis' POVIt happened fast.Too fast for words.One moment, the clearing was nothing but tension—thick, suffocating, ready to snap.The next—It did.“Stand down,” one of the Bloodbury authorities warned, power already rising under his skin.And then—Alaric moved.No warning.No signal.Just pure instinct.His hand shot out, grabbing my arm with bruising force as his eyes flashed—wild, sharp, certain.“Run.”That was all he said.And then—He shifted.Bones cracked and his power suddenly surged. Fur tore through skin in a violent, seamless transformation as his wolf burst forward—massive, dark, and terrifying in its presence.I didn’t hesitate.Couldn’t. Not even for a second.Because the moment he moved—They did too.“Stop them!”Pheromones ignited behind us.I felt it before I saw it—sharp, burning arcs of power slicing through the air, aimed to immobilize, to trap, to contain.Not kill.Not yet.But close enough.“Shit—”I shifted mid-step. Bones rearranging, senses exploding
Aya's POV The moment the love of my life stepped out—I felt it.Not saw.Not heard.Felt..The bond stretched—tight, thin, aching in a way that made something inside my chest twist painfully. Like a thread pulled too far, threatening to snap but refusing to break.My breath caught. “…Joha.”The name barely left my lips, dissolving into the quiet the second it did.Because he was gone.Again.The forest didn’t react the way it had when he entered. It didn’t lash out. Didn’t surge or shift or test.It simply… settled.Like it had allowed something it wasn’t supposed to—and was now correcting itself.The light dimmed slightly around me. The faint glow beneath my skin flickered once before stabilizing again. The roots at my feet tightened—not painfully, not restraining—but firmer. Anchoring.Reminding.‘You are still here.:I exhaled slowly, forcing my breathing to even out.“I know,” I murmured.Silence answered me.But it didn’t last.It never did.A low hum began to build beneath the
Johanis' POVThe forest didn’t let me walk out.It pushed me.Not violently like it had done to Alaric—but firmly. Unyielding. Like a hand pressed flat against my chest, guiding me backward step by step until the air changed, until the weight eased, until the line between her world and mine snapped back into place.And just like that—She was gone again.The bond stretched.Thin.Achingly present.. But suddenly.. it was not quiet anymore.A low, familiar rumble brushed against the back of my mind. Not sound. Not exactly. More like instinct given voice.“You could've just whisk her away..”I went still.Then huffed under my breath, something bitter and relieved twisting together in my chest.“You finally come out now?” I muttered internally. “After being silent for days?”A pause. Then—“Well, I figured you want to have some real alone time with her after being separated for years. Who would've thought this would happen..”I scoffed quietly, jaw tightening. “Damn right.”After that sm
Johanis' POVI didn’t let go.I couldn’t even dare to think so.Not when she was finally in my arms again—real, solid, warm in a way that no memory could ever replicate. My fingers tightened slightly against her back, pressing her closer like I could anchor her here if I just held on long enough.Like I could stop this from becoming another goodbye..Her breath was soft against my neck.Steady.Alive.I closed my eyes, letting it sink in. Every second. Every heartbeat. Every small shift of her body against mine. Every single damn moment..Because I knew—This wouldn’t last.“…Joha.”Her voice was quiet.Gentle.A warning.I exhaled slowly, my grip tightening for just a second before I forced myself to loosen it. Just enough to pull back.Just enough to see her.My hands slid up—one settling at her waist, the other rising to her face, cupping her cheek like I needed to remind myself she was still here.Her eyes met mine.Goddess..That broke me more than anything.Because they were sti
Johanis’ POV Her father let out a harsh breath.Then—Without another word—He turned.And ran.Straight for the forest.“Alaric—wait—!” Mother shouted from behind us, but it was useless.He didn’t slow.Didn’t even hesitate.Didn’t stop.He crossed the boundary—And the forest—Rejected him.Violently.The moment he stepped in, something unseen slammed into him, throwing him back like he’d hit a solid wall. He hit the ground hard, breath knocked out of him.But he didn’t stay down.Didn’t even pause as he got up and ran again.Same result.. but harder this time, more brutal.The forest wasn’t just blocking him. It was warning him.I stepped forward instinctively—And that was when I saw it.At the edge.Left behind.A suitcase.Old.Worn.Familiar.My breath caught.Aya’s..She probably dropped it when she was abducted from the beginning before I saw her again..From when everything started.I crouched slightly, brushing my fingers over it. And the moment I did—The bond pulsed.Str
Johanis' POVThe first thing I saw when I woke up—Was her.Not Aya.But Lily.Close enough that for a split second, my brain tried to lie to me. Tried to fill in the wrong face, the wrong presence, the wrong warmth.But it didn’t last.Because the bond—Still stretched. Still thin. Still there.And it didn’t lead to her.It led somewhere far away.Lily gave me a small, sad smile. “Hey.”My throat felt dry. Raw. “How long?”“Three days.”Three.Days.My chest tightened immediately. My body reacted before logic could catch up—I pushed myself up, muscles screaming in protest, ribs protesting every movement.“Johanis—”“I have to go.”The words came out automatic. Instinct. Not thought. Lily’s hand shot out, pressing firmly against my chest before I could swing my legs off the bed. Not hard.But enough.“Sit down.”“No.”“Sit. Down.”Her voice cracked. That was what made me stop. Not the force. Not the command.The fear.I looked at her properly then. Her eyes were red. Not fresh. Not fr
Aya's POV The pull eased as suddenly as it had come.I didn’t turn around—not because he told me not to, but because something in his voice had changed. The teasing was gone. The control remained, but it was tight now. Careful. Like he was holding something fragile with bare hands.Silence stretch
Aya's POVClasses ended in a blur. And thank Goddess for that! Because seriously, this subject is only for formality. Everyone already knew the pack ethics and laws by heart.When the dismissal bell finally rang, chairs scraped back and conversations erupted around us. I exhaled, gathering my bag,
Aya's POV Lily pushed herself up fully, leaning back against the wall with one hand pressed to her shoulder, and fixed her brother with a glare that could rival any elder’s. “Stop embarrassing me! In front of everyone, really?”Johanis’s rigid posture softened immediately, though his jaw was still
Aya's POV “I’m still talking to her, you know.” Eros frowned. Looking at Johanis as if the man had offended him. But said man doesn't pay him any attention as he grabbed my wrist and whisked me away. He was about to wolf out but Eros stopped him. “Trying to escape?”“She needs to rest. Talk to her







