MasukRyan’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 POVWhen I heard Doctor Ophelia declare that Judy only had one year to live, I nearly dropped the food tray.I hadn’t meant to eavesdrop. My heightened senses just happened to pick up their conversation through the ajar door as I was passing by the doctor’s office on my way back to Judy’s room. And the news struck like lightning, cracking my heart.Judy was dying.And it was all because of me.“You’re not at fault, Elena,” my wolf insisted. “Someone set you up. You had no idea about her disease.”She was only partially right.As guilt weighed on my chest, I countered, “If I hadn’t listened to Karen or tried to change my gift last minute, none of this would have happened.”Regardless of my intentions, nothing changed the truth.Goddess knows how long I remained frozen outside, stunned by a turmoil of emotions. The words that followed were blurred, muffled by the despair that tormented my mind. Except for one piece of information that hit me clear as day.When Karen mentioned he
Karen’s POVIn a second, the Alpha King forgot all about my question.He rushed out of the room fast as lightning, ordering the guards stationed outside his office to keep an eye on Rudolph. I didn’t hesitate to go after him.Judy’s room at the hospital was already packed before we arrived. Fiona stood next to her bed with Alpha Ryan at her side. But I barely spared a glance at them.My eyes immediately landed on Elena as she played the good girl and helped Judy drink some water.“Focus,” my wolf reminded me before I could do something I’d regret. “Don’t let your anger show. We can’t let the Alpha King suspect you again.”I promptly schooled my expression into fake worry, even forcing a smile at that pathetic Omega. Yet my act was for nothing. Adrian wasn’t paying any attention to me.He just ran over to his daughter.“My dear,” he whispered, tenderly grabbing one of her hands with both of his. “How are you feeling?”“Not bad,” she replied, but the way her face contorted gave her away
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 POV“No! Stop this! Please!” I tried, but it was useless.Without hesitation, the guards grabbed me by the arms and tossed me out of the packhouse like yesterday’s trash, and I hit the ground hard.The agony of my severed mate bond, combined with the unbearable torment of my worsening heat,







