I opened my eyes slowly and sat up, I suddenly remembered yesterday and peeled back my shirt and stared at my shoulder. It was perfectly fine and with no trace that I had been stabbed there.
“You are good as new” came Jake’s voice and I turned to see him in the doorway, looking handsome, his long dark hair fell to his forehead enhancing those roguish good looks of his. I scowled at him and he smiled. “You stabbed me” I said and he grinned as if he enjoyed the moment. “You asked dear” he said with mock sweetness and I rolled my eyes. “And you still stabbed me” I said and he grinned and grabbed my hair brush and swung it like a sword. “I couldn’t miss that opportunity” he said and plopped on the bed beside me. “You’re a beast,” I said and he smiled. He extended a claw and grabbed my teddy and stabbed it in the heart. “Hey” I complained and he grinned and tossed me the teddy. I hid the teddy behind the bed and he chuckled. “What happened yesterday” I asked and he stood and stared at himself in a nearby mirror and fiddled with his hair. “I stabbed you and you howled, I meant wolf-howl then you grew fangs and almost chewed my head off but you suddenly collapsed” he said and I sighed. “Why do I still feel human?” I asked and he shrugged. “That trigger was for a short period of time, you really need to meet your soulmate” he said and I stared at him curiously. “How do I know my soulmate?” I asked and he looked away. “When you kiss the person, your wolf immediately recognizes him and a bond is formed. You would feel it and he would too, " he explained and I tilted my head to the side. “So I just go about kissing random dudes?” I said and Jake's lips twitched. “If you want to,” he said and lay on the floor, he closed his eyes. “Do you love my brother?” he asked, catching me off guard and I nodded. His eyes filled with something that looked like jealousy for a moment then he closed them. “Go shower, We’ll try awakening your wolf today with another trigger” he said and I nodded. I opened the door. “You can go. I have to change” I said and he smiled slowly. “You can’t force me” he muttered and I sighed. “Please” I pleaded and he nodded and walked out of the room, I knew why I asked him to leave. I didn’t know why but I was starting to feel something for him, something I thought I only felt for John. How wrong I was. _______________________________________ Jake and I sat in the grass after a gruesome session of training and I was extremely famished, he produced a pack of sandwiches and handed me one. “I haven’t seen John in a while” I said and Jake shrugged as he shove a sandwich into his mouth, “He is away on alpha business” he said and I stared at him. “Why do you sound bitter?” I asked and he chose not to reply. Something was definitely up between him and John. Jake popped open a bottle of beer and drank. He offered me but I shook my head. “Wimp” he said and for some reason that made me smile. “Did you ever have a girlfriend?” I asked and he made a mock offended face. “Girlfriend? How very insulting. I don’t do relationships stuff I just do what I want with the lady then we’re done” he said and I studied him. “Hmmm” I said, “Playboy” I said and he grinned. “Definitely” he said and brought out another sandwich and gave it to me and I stared at him in surprise. Why was he suddenly kind? “You are being nice” I said and he narrowed his eyes. “So you prefer me, tearing heads huh? I see” Jake said with a cold smile and I shook my head frantically. “No, no. I am just surprised that’s all” I said and he suddenly looked serious. “You just bring out the best in me, I don’t know why” his eyes roamed my face then my lips then back to my eyes and he looked away. “Eat up, you still have five more laps to run” he said and I groaned. Couldn’t he just be perfectly nice for one day. “Fine” I said and quickly ate my sandwich and started jogging while he watched me skeptically. Did this guy even ever get impressed by anything? I ran as he instructed and sat on the grass when I was done. “I am tired” I said and for a moment he looked at me sympathetically then he masked up the emotion and helped me get up, he walked me to my room and I sat on a chair, he rummaged around my things and pulled out my old journal and opened it. I shot to my feet and snatched it from him, he snickered. “You write a journal?” he asked and I nodded. He grabbed a pack of candy from the top of my drawer and tore it open, popping two into his mouth. “Stop taking my things” I chided and he grinned, he looked so handsome that I felt dazzled, he stared at me in concern. “What’s wrong?” He asked quietly and I shook my head. “No it’s nothing” I said and he studied my face and again his eyes went to my lips. He brushed away my hair from my face and slowly pressed his lip on mine, he pulled away but I pulled him closer and he deepened the kiss, then immediately my body vibrated and he pulled away in shock. He stared at me like I had grown two heads and his eyes……his eyes were yellow. ‘Mine’ said a voice that sounded like mine but deeper in my head and suddenly Jake’s eyes widened. “Soulmate” he whispered. Jake was my soulmate.Reyna’s POVI had always imagined what my wedding would be like—soft lights, maybe flowers strung from the trees, and a gown that made me feel like I belonged to something magical. But what I never imagined was sharing it with someone else. Stephanie.And yet, as we stood side by side, dressed in white, veils lifted by the breeze and hearts full to the brim, it felt perfect.The entire pack had gathered under the vast canopy of trees, the clearing decorated with ribbons, wildflowers, and lanterns that glowed softly even in the morning light. Nature seemed to be celebrating with us. Birds chirped joyously, and the sky was the perfect shade of blue—as if the universe had decided to give us this one, flawless day.Stephanie looked radiant. Her eyes sparkled with excitement, and her lips curled into the softest smile. Her dress flowed like a whisper, delicate lace lining the bodice, and a sheer train trailing behind her. I caught her stealing glances at John more than once, and each time
Jake’s POVThe morning was grim and heavy with the weight of justice. Everyone was gathered in the central clearing of the pack grounds, surrounding the large wooden stake that had been set up the night before. The logs beneath it were stacked high, soaked in oil, ready to burn. The flames hadn’t been lit yet, but the tension crackling through the crowd felt just as hot. Today was the end—for Diane.Reyna stood beside me, her hand gripping my forearm tightly. She was trying to stay strong, I could feel it in the way her fingers twitched, her jaw tightened. Her hair shimmered in the sunlight, and even now, amid the blood and fire, she looked like peace.John stood across from us with Steph, their fingers interlocked. There was a strange quiet between them, not discomfort—but something deeper. A sense of finality.The silence was broken by the thunder of boots. A guard burst into the circle, panting, eyes wide with adrenaline. All heads turned toward him.“My lord!” he gasped, bowing qu
Reyna’s POVThe morning light poured into the dining room like honey—warm, slow, golden. The smell of scrambled eggs, roasted meat, and freshly baked bread drifted through the air as I sat at the long table, tucked between Stephanie and Sarah. It felt strange—almost surreal—to have this kind of peace after everything that had happened.Steph passed me a mug of tea with a wide grin on her face. “You look like someone who barely slept.”I smirked. “I could say the same about you.”Her cheeks flushed pink, and Sarah immediately caught on, laughing into her drink. “Don’t tell me our mighty warrior got swept off her feet?”Steph rolled her eyes, but the blush gave her away. “Maybe a little.”I leaned forward with raised brows. “So? What happened?”She tried to act casual but failed miserably. “John asked me to marry him.”“What?” Sarah and I shouted at the same time.Steph giggled, biting into a slice of bread. “Yes. He told me last night after… well, you know.”I gave her a playful nudge.
John’s POVThe soft light of the morning sun filtered through the curtains, casting warm golden hues across the room. I blinked slowly, the heaviness of sleep still lingering, but the warmth wrapped around me wasn’t just from the sun—it was from her. Stephanie. She was curled into me, her bare skin against mine, her breathing soft and rhythmic like a lullaby meant for wolves.I tightened my arm around her, pressing a kiss to her shoulder. She stirred gently, letting out the softest hum before turning in my arms to face me. Her eyes fluttered open, and the moment they met mine, I felt it again—that pull. That certainty that she wasn’t just mine in body, but in soul too.“Good morning,” I whispered, brushing a lock of hair away from her face.Her lips curved into a sleepy smile. “Morning.”I didn’t wait—I leaned in and kissed her. Slow. Deep. She responded immediately, her fingers sliding into my hair, pulling me closer. One kiss turned into two. Then more. The world could wait. The cou
Stephanie’s POVMy palms were damp as I followed John into his bedroom, the soft echo of our footsteps the only sound filling the spacious room. My heart was thudding way too fast, and I couldn’t tell if it was because I was nervous about being alone with him… or something deeper.He stopped by the window, the moonlight spilling across his broad shoulders and casting a silvery glow over the room. Then he turned to me, his eyes catching mine in that intense, grounding way he always had.“How are you feeling tonight?” he asked, voice low, calm… careful.I took a breath. “I’m fine,” I said quickly, then hesitated. “But honestly, I really need to train. I’ve been off lately. My head’s been all over the place.”He chuckled, folding his arms. “That’s the price of being a warrior, Steph. You don’t get to switch your brain off, even when you should.”His smile made something flutter inside my chest, and I found myself smiling back.“Yeah, well,” I muttered, “being a warrior’s overrated someti
Reyna’s POVStephanie leaned against the doorframe, arms folded and a sly smile playing on her lips. “You won’t believe who’s rotting in the dungeon.”I raised a brow from where I was sitting on the edge of my bed. “Who?”“Diane.” She smirked. “Locked up like the traitor she is.”I blinked. My stomach did a little twist,not from fear, but from the overwhelming satisfaction that came with justice being served. “Seriously?”Steph nodded, eyes glinting. “Wanna go see her? Give her a piece of your mind?”I didn’t hesitate. “Hell yes.”We were out of the room and down the hallway in seconds, the sound of our footsteps echoing in the otherwise quiet corridor. The tension that had been clinging to my chest since everything happened seemed to ease with every step. I wasn’t sure what I was going to say to Diane, but I knew one thing for sure,I needed to see her in chains.The moment we entered the dungeon, the stench of mold and rust hit me. The air was cold and damp, but I kept walking, eyes