Dr. Hope Stevens is a dedicated trauma surgeon in the quiet mountain town of Black Hollow. Her entire existence is rooted in logic and science. But when she is taken against her will to tend to rapidly healing wounds of the most attractive man she has ever seen, her world shatters. That man is Malakar Greycloud, the feared and respected Alpha of the Eclipseborn Pack. A ruthless yet fiercely loyal wolf who never expected to find his fated mate in a human that doesn't even believe in the existence of his kind. The pull between the however, is undeniable, raw and dangerous. As Hope is thrust into his world, his pack is anything but welcoming. All they see when they look at her is a weak outsider that puts them at risk. The pack elders insist that Malakar reject her, but his wolf refuses. She belongs to him, and he belongs to her. When Hope looks into his primal eyes and sees the rage that lingers just beneath the surface, she wonders if she can love both sides of him. The strong yet gentle man and the murderous beast that has killed. She can't help but wonder if she's falling for a monster. With a rival pack closing in and a mysterious Hunter tracking their every move, Hope has a decision to make. Will she turn her back on Malakar, or will she step into the darkness with the man who has claimed her soul? Malakar faces his own battle: proving to his pack that Hope is not their greatest weakness, but perhaps their greatest strength.
View MoreHope's POV.
"Try and get some sleep, Hope."
"You can count on it." I wave over my shoulder at Dr. Moore as I rush over to the parking lot. It's pouring with rain and everything is shrouded in a thick, grey blanket of mist. I'm soaked down to my skin by the time I make it to my car.
I've just finished a grueling twelve hour shift as a trauma surgeon at the Black Hollow Medical Center, and I'm dead on my feet. I cannot wait to get back to my apartment, curl up under the covers and sleep.
I'm just about to open my car door when I feel something slip over my head and I'm surrounded by pitch black darkness. A pair of hands close around my arms and it feels like they've been placed in a vice-grip. I try my best to struggle, but the hands have got such a tight grasp on me that it's useless. I barely move. The strong hands move down my arms to my own and they tie a rope around my wrists. The rough, slightly bumpy texture immediately digs into my skin.
"You're coming with us, Doctor." A dangerously raspy voice whispers into my ear.
I'm thrown onto the backseat of a vehicle. I hear two doors being slammed shut and then we speed out of the hospital parking lot with screeching tyres. The vehicle has an awful, musty smell to it. It smells so much like wet dog that I wonder if there might be one in the backseat with me.
I can hear two voices whispering in the front seat. It sounds like they're having a heated argument, even though their voices are low.
"This is a huge mistake, Talon! Malakar is going to kill us both!"
"Malakar won't be around to kill anyone if we don't get him some help! So, shutup and drive!"
I start to panic. I can feel my heart pounding away in my chest. My lungs burn as my breathing becomes more and more rapid. I'm hyperventilating. I think I might be having a full-on panic attack.
Talon? Malakar? What kind of names are those? Malakar is dying from some sort of wound, but he might also kill my two captors? What the hell is going on? Where the hell are they taking me? I have an awful, dreadful feeling in the pit of my stomach. I need to get out of here.
I struggle against the rope around my wrists, but all I manage to do is make it dig deeper into my skin. My breathing grows even more rapid and my chest feels tight. I struggle for air and gasp.
"You better calm her down, Talon. She won't be any use to us if she passes out before we even get there."
I suddenly feel a hand on my shoulder. It's warm to the touch. Warmer than it should be. The person the hand belongs to, Talon, must be running a massive fever.
"Calm down, Doc. We're not going to hurt you. We just need your help." "Just try to relax."
"Relax! Relax! Let's see how calm you are when someone pulls a bag over your head and drags you into the unknown!" The words fall out of my mouth before I can stop them.
I hear a soft chuckle coming from Talon and he takes his hand away from my shoulder. I'm not sure if it's because of my little outburst, or the gentle, reassureing tone in Talon's voice, but I do feel a little bit calmer. My heart rate and my breathing both start to slow done.
After driving for what feels like hours, the vehicle finally screeches to a stop. Two doors open and then slam shut again. The back door opens and Talon pulls me out of the vehicle again. I still can't see a damn thing, but I know that we must be in the forest somewhere. I can smell the scent of the trees and I can hear the rushing of the river.
Talon ushers me forward gently. I stumble and trip over seemingly nothing. "Can't we just take this damn bag off already? Or do you want me to break my neck before I get to your injured friend?"
I feel a strong tug on my arm and we stop. A jolt of fear shoots through my heart and it falls into my stomach. Maybe I just pissed him off. Then, the bag is pulled from my head and I have to blink a few times to adjust my eyes to the bright light.
I'm shocked by what I see when I finally manage to open them again. I'm in the middle of a very large camp. Multiple tents are pitched up all over the place, and a lot of people are moving around, staring at me with wary, suspicious eyes. These people aren't just camping out, they actually live here. But why? Why would anyone want to live like this? In the middle of nowhere, like savages?
"Come on, Doc. We don't have time to waste." Talon pushes me from behind again.
I jerk my head around to face him and I have to stop myself from gaping. Talon is tall, like really, really tall. And he's massive. His hair is dark and his eyes feel like their staring right into my soul. He has a very primal look about him. I gulp and allow him to lead me in the direction of what looks like a medical tent. I'm not entirely sure if I'm totally terrified or totally arroused by Talon.
Two more large men are standing watch in front of the medical tent. They share a look with Talon as they hold the flaps open for us to enter.
I freeze in my tracks immediately. My breath catches in my throat and I almost choke on it. I blink my eyes once again, not because of the bright light this time, but because I can't believe that what I'm seeing is actually real.
Lucian's POV.Sarah sits on a cold bench in one of the stone outbuildings, arms crossed, eyes heavy with exhaustion. I stand near the door, arms folded, glaring. Talon and Dorian flank the wall like statues of war, and Malakar stands directly in front of her, gaze steady and unreadable."We're not here to play games." Talon says, voice sharp. "If you came here for redemption you better start talking.""We need to know everything." Malakar adds. "Where the hunters are. What they're planning. What weapons they're carrying. Every detail counts."Sarah exhales slowly. "I told you, I don't know where they went after Malachai kicked me out. They never stay in one place for long. They're always on the move. It's how they've managed to stay alive this long.""Convenient." Dorian mutters.Sarah meets his glare. "Do you want me to help or not?"I finally step forward. "Then what do you know? Anything about their next move? Their strategy?""No." She says, frustration creeping in. "I don't know
Malakar's POV.I step quietly into the hospital wing, my boots barely making a sound on the cold tile floor. The scent of antiseptic clings to the air, mingling with something heavier - grief, perhaps, or desperation. I expect to find my father resting, maybe dozing under the influence of the pain medication. Instead, I freeze in the doorway at the soft sound of someone crying.My mother sits at his bedside, her back to the door, his hand clutched tightly in hers. Her shoulders tremble as she leans in close to her mate's unconscious form."I don't know what to do," she whispers, her voice breaking. "Everything we've built... everything we've sacrificed for. It's all unraveling. And I need you to wake up, Vlad. I need you to help me fix this before it all comes apart. Before the truth ruins everything."I furrow my brow, jaw tense. "And what truth would that be, mother?"Velara startles, spinning around to look at me with wide, tear-rimmed eyes. "Malakar, I didn't hear you come in.""W
Malachai's POV.The wind howls through the trees as I storm into camp, jaw clenched, fists tight at my sides. Hope's words still echo in my mind - monster, killer, murderer of children.She doesn't understand. She can't understand.I pace the length of the clearing like a caged animal, fury and confusion battling for dominance in my chest. I warned her. I told her exactly what they are. I tried to give her a chance to choose the right side, her own side. But she chose to stand with them.The very thought makes my skin crawl. Wolves. Beasts. Liars. They're dangerous, every last one of them. They kill without mercy. Just like the one that tore my family apart. Just like the one that took everything from me.My boots kick up gravel as I spin on my heel, heart thundering like a war drum. They've poisoned her. Twisted her mind with their silver tongues and false sympathy. They used her compassion and her willingness to help others against her. She's lost. She thinks she's saving them, but
Hope's POV.I adjust the bag on my shoulder, pausing at the treeline where the forest melts into the edge of the hospital's parking lot. Malakar stands beside me, his hand lingering on the small of my back, eyes scanning the surrounding area like a predator hunting for signs of danger."I'll be here." He says quietly, his voice low and protective. "When your shift ends, just come back this way. I'll keep an eye out for anything... or anyone."I nod, my hand brushing against his chest. "I'll be okay. Just don't get caught lurking in the ER parking lot. Pretty sure it'll raise some red flags."He smirks, though his eyes stay sharp. "Only if they can see me."I give him one last smile before crossing the invisible threshold between our worlds. As I step onto the pavement, the weight of my other life settles back onto my shoulders. My white coat billowing lightly in the breeze as I make my way toward the hospital doors. The place looks the same, but I don't feel the same."Hope." A famili
Lucian's POV.The morning air is crisp, biting slightly against my skin as I stand at the edge of the overlook that stretches beyond my territory. The sun is rising slow and golden over the treetops, painting everything in a soft glow that does little to chase away the weight in my chest.We were lucky. My pack. My people. We're safe. The hunters didn't reach us. Not this time. But Malakar's pack hadn't been so fortunate.My jaw tightens as memories of the previous night flick through my mind - screams, blood, the unmistakable stench of burning wood and singed flesh. The hunters didn't fight with honor. They fought with cruelty. Precision. No hesitation. No mercy.Something had to be done. Soon.I glance down at the grounds below, catching sight of a few of Malakar's wolves as they filter quietly from their temporary shelters. Their movements are slow, guarded. Shoulders hunched. Eyes hollow. I recognize the look, they're displaced. Lost. Wounded in ways that goes beyond the physical.
Hope's POV.The hot water pours over my shoulders, tracing rivulets down my back as steam curls around me. I brace my hands against the tile wall, letting the water beat away the ache in my muscles and the weight in my chest. The move had gone smoothly - surprisingly so - but the unease that had taken root in my gut was still there.I think about Velara's face, the way her voice had trembled just slightly as she said, "I'm glad you're here." I had been caught off guard by the sincerity in her eyes. Gratitude. Maybe even a flicker of acceptance. It should have brought comfort, but instead, it brought questions.Why now?Velara never trusted me. She never wanted me here. So, why the sudden shift? Was it simply gratitude for saving Vladimir's life, or something else? Something to do with Lucian.I bite my lip, water sliding down my face. I remember the way Velara had gone still watching Lucian and Malakar together, the moment of frozen panic in her eyes. I don't have any proof, only inst
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