LorienThe man’s words echoed in my ears, ringing louder than the whistling wind that cut through the trees.“All your fault,” he’d spat, his voice like gravel scraping against my nerves.I stared at him—disheveled, gaunt, and shaking in the aftermath of his transformation. The man was barely holding himself together, but the fury in his eyes made it clear he didn’t care if I was trying to help him or not. I clenched my fists and took a slow breath, the sharp forest air grounding me.“What exactly did I do wrong?” I asked him, voice low but firm.The man stumbled forward and jabbed a finger at my chest. “If you hadn’t come back, the Luna wouldn’t be this way!”I blinked at him. “Be clear,” I warned, my patience cracking at the edges. “I don’t have time to stand around listening to someone trying to blame me for the consequences of someone else’s actions. If you want help, speak plainly. If not—” I shrugged, “—then sit here and wallow in self-pity.”The man let out a bitter laugh, so s
LorienThe sky was grey again.I stood by the window, my fingers pressed lightly against the glass, watching the wind curl leaves into the air before dropping them, lifeless, to the earth. The storm hadn’t come yet, but it would. I could feel it in my bones.Cassius was hiding something from me.He’d always been protective—too protective, if I’m being honest—but lately, there was a tension in him that went beyond that. It wasn’t just about shielding me or the twins. It was deeper. Sharper. It was the way he looked over his shoulder when he thought I wasn’t watching, the way his jaw clenched when he got phone calls he never told me about, the way he never let me near his office without some excuse.I knew him well enough to recognize the signs.What I didn’t know was why.Cassius had always believed in loyalty. That was his greatest flaw and his greatest strength. He trusted the people around him far too much—even when they didn’t deserve it. Julian and Isabella were the perfect exampl
CassiusThe moment I heard Isabella whisper those words—"How are you alive?"—my brows pulled together. Confusion crawled over my spine, cold and unwanted. The way she looked at me, like she had seen a ghost, unsettled something in my chest."What did you just say?" I asked, voice low but heavy with warning.She blinked, clearly startled by the question being repeated aloud. Her gaze darted around the room, the elders still standing frozen like statues. Then, as if on cue, tears welled in her eyes. I had seen that act far too many times to be moved by it.“I—I didn’t mean anything bad,” she stammered, her voice breaking. “I only said that because I was told the two of you had been attacked on your way back. There was so much confusion… so many bad reports coming in… I didn’t know what to believe anymore.”Lorien stepped forward, his expression cool and unreadable, though I could see the tension in his jaw. “And who told you that?” he asked, voice soft but sharp. “No one knew where we w
LorienI walked back to the hospital, my steps slower than usual, my thoughts heavier than I could carry. Antoinette was right beside me, and I could tell he was bursting with questions, but he held his tongue—for a moment.“What did those men say?” he finally asked, voice low and tight with concern.I didn’t answer at first. My mind was still spinning from what I’d heard. That voice, that face, those words—they weren’t things I was ready to share. Not yet. So I looked him in the eye and said, “It’s not something you need to concern yourself with, Antoinette.”He stopped walking. “Not something I need to—? Lorien.”“I mean it.” I faced him fully now, knowing the tension between us would spike. “What we need right now is safe passage to Blood Fang Pack. That’s it. And I need the chef who fed us earlier. Him specifically.”Antoinette folded his arms, clearly unhappy. “You’re keeping something from me.”“I am.” I didn’t bother lying. “But it’s for the safety of my family. Please, Antoine
LorienI jolted awake, drenched in sweat and tangled in stiff hospital sheets. My chest was heaving, lungs burning, and my mouth was dry like ash. “Cassius!” I gasped, the name tearing out of my throat like a scream. “Where—where is he?”“Calm down, Lorien,” a familiar voice said gently. Antoinette.I turned sharply, pain flaring through my side, and that’s when I noticed the IV in my arm and the soft beep of machines nearby. “Where the hell is he?” I rasped, trying to sit up, but Antoinette rushed to my side, holding me down.“Please, breathe. You’re safe now.”Safe? That word meant nothing to me without Cassius beside me. “Don’t lie to me!” I cried out, my voice cracking from the weight of everything I’d just relived in my sleep. “Where is Cassius? Is he okay? Tell me!”Antoinette’s face faltered. His eyes darted away, lips parting as if to deliver another line of comfort, but I saw the hesitation. That pause lit something explosive in my chest.“I swear to the Moon Goddess,” I grow
Lorien I couldn’t believe a week had passed already.The Enchanted Pack had this way of making time slip through your fingers like river water. One minute I was arriving, guarded and unsure, and the next I was laughing without guilt, breathing without fear. It was as if my soul had finally exhaled after holding its breath for years.The sun bathed the porch in warm gold. I leaned back against the wooden railing, sipping on a drink Antoinette had handed me earlier. Something citrusy and sweet. Somewhere inside, Cassius was likely telling one of his dramatic stories to the kids, complete with ridiculous hand gestures and over-exaggerated sound effects.Then, as if summoned by thought, Lucian came walking out barefoot and calm like he always did, his small frame casting a long shadow against the porch floor. He didn’t say a word before climbing up onto Cassius’s thigh and resting there like it was the most natural thing in the world.And maybe now… it was.Cassius didn’t flinch. He just