MasukElena’s POVI practically jumped out of the Alpha King’s arms.I’d been so relaxed in his hold, it totally slipped my mind that Karen and Ryan would be at the end of the tunnel. Otherwise, I would have insisted on climbing down and continuing on my own before.The last thing I wanted was for them to suspect Adrian and I were second-chance mates.Startled by my sudden reaction, the Alpha King widened his eyes at me.“Thank you for carrying me, my King. I feel better now,” I blurted out.Then I turned to Karen and Ryan.“I’d also like to thank you two for dealing with the rogues. I’m sorry for getting into trouble,” I said apologetically.Ryan scoffed.“That’s all you ever do,” he spat, narrowing his eyes at me. “You can never do anything right, you stupid—”“Quiet!” the Alpha King barked, baring his fangs at Ryan. “As long as we’re in here, we’re a team. If your words won’t help us reach our goal, you can keep them to yourself.”As he turned back to me, his expression softened along wi
Elena’s POVIn Adrian’s arms, I finally felt safe.As his scent wrapped around me, the fear and tension from earlier slowly subsided. When I stopped shaking, he slowly untangled himself from me. Something dark flashed in his eyes as he noticed my clothes half-torn by the rogues.Without a word, he removed his coat, gently wrapping it around my shoulders. It was so long on me it covered up to my ankles. Then he crouched slightly to look at me at eye-level.“You’re not hurt, are you?” he asked, his voice more tender than I’d ever heard it.I shook my head. “You made it here just in time.”That reminded me of something.Clutching his coat, I quietly asked, “How come you could hear me through the mate bond this time?”With my gaze on the floor, I barely noticed when he stiffened.In face of his silence, I simply continued, “Last time I was attacked by rogues, I tried reaching out to you, but our bond was too weakened. You said it was because of the pills, but I haven’t stopped taking them
Ryan’s POVOnce Karen and I had taken care of the remaining rogues, I turned back to find Elena in the Alpha King’s arms.My blood boiled.They were entangled in such an intimate hug. From a distance, I couldn’t hear what they were saying, but the way they whispered to each other irked me. Yet what truly set me off was when she looked up and showed him the sweetest smile.I lost it.“She’s ours!” my wolf roared.A growl rumbled in my chest as I glared at them from afar. As fury consumed me, all I could think about was how much I wanted to kill the Alpha King. I would teach him not to touch what was mine.Yet before I could act impulsively, Karen’s wolf bumped me with her shoulder. When my eyes snapped to her, she shot me a knowing glance. That snapped me back to my senses.Taking a deep breath, I swallowed my rage and shifted back into my human form. Karen did the same. Barely able to contain my rabid wolf, I decided to stay behind while she approached the Alpha King.“My King, we hav
Adrian’s POVAs soon as I had killed the last rogue, I turned around instinctively.My eyes scanned the battlefield. Dozens of rogue bodies were scattered around the place, most of them taken down by me. The grass under my feet had been dyed scarlet, and the muddy river now ran burgundy. All of our enemies had been defeated.Yet before I could celebrate my victory, I felt an absence like a stab in the chest.Elena was nowhere to be seen.My heart pounded violently. I shifted back into my human form in a panic, desperately looking for the little Omega whom I couldn’t stop from joining the most dangerous mission of my life. If something happened to her…I didn’t even dare think about it.“Where is Elena?” I shouted at Karen and Ryan.They were both still in wolf form, panting heavily from the combat. A few scratches stained their bodies. At my question, they both stiffened, heads darting around.Karen was the first one to shift back, quietly admitting, “I… She was right behind me. I was
Elena’s POV“Here we are—the Forsaken Land,” Ryan announced after the ten-hour ride, stopping the car in front of the most macabre forest I’d ever seen.The trees towered above us, their trunks twisted into eerie, unnatural shapes. Their foliage was a deep shade of green that looked almost black, casting the entire forest in a bleak, ominous gloom. The canopy was so dense that barely any light could penetrate it, leaving the woods shrouded in darkness and making it impossible to see more than a few feet ahead.For a moment, everyone remained still, taking in the terrifying scent overhead, until the Alpha King broke the silence.“Our mission only has three rules,” he began. “One, stay together. No matter what happens, never wander off. Two, don’t stray out of our path. Our goal is to find Princess Lunaris as soon as possible, no distractions. And three… If we can’t find any proof that she is alive in our search, we will retreat immediately. Understood?”“Yes, my King,” the three of us
Elena’s POVEach of my footsteps felt heavier than the last as I marched toward the border at the agreed upon time.My heart pulsed harder the further I dragged myself into danger, but fear didn’t stop me. Not when Judy’s life was on the line.The Alpha King was the only one there when I arrived. He turned to face me when he heard me approach, a flicker of surprise in his eyes. Then they darkened with something I didn’t dare name before he spoke.“You don’t have to come, Elena. There’s no shame in regretting your decision after thinking things through now,” he reassured me.But I didn’t budge.“I have no intention of backing down,” I replied firmly, clenching my fists.Adrian hesitated before nodding.Shortly after, Dylan arrived driving a car. As soon as he stopped, Karen, Fiona, and Ryan climbed out, gathering with us.“Good. Everyone is here. We have no time to waste,” he declared. With a sigh, he turned to his eldest daughter, placing a hand on her shoulder as he looked into her e
Elena’s POV“You’re crazy!” I yelled at his face, tears of sadness and anger burning down my face. “You’ll never have me again!”A sinister spark danced in Ryan’s eyes as he grabbed me by the throat. “We’ll see about that.”He squeezed my throat tighter and tighter until I could no longer breathe.
Adrian POVWhen morning came, I made my way back to Shadowfang Pack not with the imposing march of a King, but with the hurried steps of someone desperately trying not to be seen.I was a mess. Dirt stained my skin, and my clothes were filthy and wrinkled. What was left of them, anyway. Since I cou
Elena’s POVI was jerked awake by the cold early morning air whipping against my bare skin.A gasp tore through me as I shot upright. My insides no longer burned from the blind lust of the heat, and the ache in my heart seemed to have dimmed. For a quiet second, I felt a strange sense of peace.The
Elena’s POVToday was supposed to be the day I celebrated the 25th birthday of my fated mate, Alpha Ryan of the Shadowfang Pack. Instead, I stood frozen as I watched him kiss another woman in front of the entire pack. “Shadowfang!” Ryan addressed the crowd, his proud smile growing larger as he pu







