POV: GayleI was going to lose it. Like, actually lose it.The hideout smelled like old socks, cheap whiskey, and whatever ungodly cologne Felix had decided to bathe in today. Seriously, who wears "Alpha Dominance" on purpose? The irony was lost on him.I sat at the rusted metal table in the middle of the room, twirling my pen over a torn notepad, trying not to dry heave from the stench and the stress. Mostly the stress, though. Probably.“Gayle, can I just unload the circus going on inside my skull for a sec?” Felix blurted, shattering the silence like someone just crashed a cymbal at a library. He was pacing—again. That was his favorite pastime now. Pacing and screwing up missions.“Mm, lemme guess,” I said, not looking up. “You think the moon goddess is sending you secret messages through cereal brands?”He didn’t laugh. He never did.“I think,” he said, pausing for dramatic effect because, of course, he did, “we’re being set up. This whole thing feels off. That witch woman—our 'le
Ember's POVThe first thing I felt was heat. Then the smell of smoke.I knew I was hot but this hot? My eyes snapped open—holy crap, where was I? Trees everywhere, like, full-on “lost in the woods” situation, and I’m just chilling on some random rock. The moon? Just hanging up there looking smug, the stars were doing their twinkly thing, right in front of me, fire blazing away, crackling and spitting sparks. So that’s probably why my hands were all warm and sweaty. My teeth would have chattered in the cold air, but my palms?Total sauna situation. Doesn’t really add up, huh? And I noticed I was barefoot. No shoes, which seemed so not me.All right, all right. When I opened my eyes after closing them, I found myself in the same spot. Even tried to pinch myself, seemed hella painful. Okay, where the hell am I?I was with Darius in the clinic. That's the last thing I remembered. Not walking into the middle of the woods, barefoot and alone, lighting a goddamn bonfire. Even my dress, I
Darius' POVI felt pain the moment my eyes snapped open. My head banged and my whole body ached. Ugh, I tried to groan, but wow, my throat? Felt like I’d swallowed a handful of gravel—bone-dry, scratchy as hell. Sweat clung to me—ugh, like my own gross, damp bodysuit. My shirt was glued to me, no joke—like I’d gotten shrink-wrapped at the deli counter. I just collapsed, totally wiped, marinating in my own sweaty regret.I kinda wanted to roll over, maybe see what disaster I’d gotten myself into this time, but nah. Not happening. Total blackout. Couldn’t see a damn thing. It was like someone had gone ahead and blindfolded me with a dirty oil rag. The whole place stank of rubbing alcohol and those weird hospital meds, which, yeah, that tracks, but there was this other smell too. Something off. Couldn’t name it. Just made my skin crawl a little more.Ember was here too. I could sense her.I turned my head and felt everything get dizzy for a bit as air left my lungs. My head was pound
Emily's POVEverywhere was a mess.The moment we burst out of the woods in the direction of the pack clinic, pack members were beginning to move closer, trying to see what the problem was. Gamma Griffin had to growl and shove some of them away violently a few times before they knew he was serious about them leaving the way.It was then that the pack warriors and guards knew what was expected of them. They form a line, giving way for Kellan to continue carrying the alpha. Everyone could feel it. It was the way of pack members, they are connected to one hive mind, the alpha so they feel his intense emotions. It was possible to block it out but I was sure they were too curious to do that. Maia held on to my arm tightly, growling at anyone who tried to touch me or question me.Kellan didn’t wait for the nurses or a bed to be brought out. He kicked open the doors of the clinic and I could see the strain it caused him by the veins on his neck. The smell of drugs and blood, a typical hospit
Anonymous POV "Shit! Shit! Shit!" Felix cursed as he pulled his hair so tight, I thought he might rip it from his head. "You can't curse in front of a—" Gayle tried to calm him but he cut him off with a hard glare that made me squint my eyes at him.“Don’t even think about butting in, you absolute moron!” He scraped his hand down his face and was honestly seconds away from just tearing his hair out. His boot came down hard—twigs cracking, leaves getting shredded all over the place."This is why I always fucking work alone. I've been working alone for years, and my work has been flawless, calm, easy, and not full of mistakes. But then I'm assigned to work with you f—""Complete it, Felix," I cut him off calmly, brandishing the bloody knife I had used to kill the guard a few minutes ago. I twirl it in my gloved hands as I smile sweetly at him. "I'm rather in the mood for more carvings."I see him gulp as he takes a step back, the fire in his eyes going down a little. Good, Chagx, thei
Ember's POV"Again."Griffin yelled out across the field behind the pack mansion. We were out there on the field, squinting ’cause the sun was just obnoxiously bright. If it weren’t for that breeze coming through every so often, I’d probably have melted right into the grass. I was wearing a tank top and my training shorts. Maya had come to drop it earlier. Sweat trickled down my brow and my breathing was faster than I would have liked."You're still resting way too forward when you throw your hands," Griffin said as he came in behind me and tapped my arm. "That's gonna throw you off balance. Keep your spine straight. Like this."He stepped back and spread his legs as he demonstrated the move with a sharp twist of his torso. His movements were actually clean and precise. His movements and teachings were accurate and actually good. He had a patience not many had and I secretly loved that about him. There had to be a good reason he was chosen as Gamma of the pack, right? Even though h