CassiusI stormed down the corridor, my mind still buzzing with frustration. But no matter how fast I moved, Julian’s face wouldn’t leave me. His expression, tight-lipped and strained, followed me like a shadow.“Cassius… Your grip.”I froze in my tracks, the memory of his voice echoing in my head. I could still feel it—his wrist beneath my fingers, the way I had gripped it too tightly. I could still see the flash of discomfort in his eyes, and I knew in that instant I had hurt him.I cursed under my breath.Shit, Julian...I could almost feel my fingers on his skin again, the way they had dug into him without warning, the pressure too harsh, too sharp. I hadn’t meant to hurt him. I hadn’t meant to do any of this. But I had been so goddamn angry, so overwhelmed by everything crashing around me. I couldn’t control it. I couldn’t control myself.I remembered how quickly I had released him, like my hands had been burned. The guilt twisted in my gut the moment I realized what I had done.
LorienThe night was suffocatingly quiet, save for the soft rustle of the trees outside and the gentle hum of the wind. I lay still in my bed, staring out the window at the pitch-black sky. The room was dark, the only light coming from the faint glow of the moon that was hidden behind the clouds. My thoughts drifted as I listened to the sounds of the night—the occasional rustle of leaves, the distant howl of a wolf. But something else broke the stillness.A strange, almost imperceptible sound.I froze, my heart skipping a beat. It came again—faint but deliberate, like a low scraping noise, the kind you only hear when something is moving just outside your reach. My senses immediately heightened, and a wave of unease crawled up my spine.I stood up quietly, careful not to disturb Kieran who was sleeping nearby, his rhythmic breathing the only sign of life beside me. I glanced back at him briefly, my chest tightening. I hated disturbing him. After everything we had been through together,
LorienI had never been so terrified in my life.I sat there, heart racing, looking at Matthias who seemed to have just dropped a bombshell that I couldn’t quite process. His eyes were dark, unreadable, but there was a flicker of something there, something that both terrified and confused me. “How long, Lorien?” he asked, his voice low, but somehow unwavering. “How long have you been hiding it?”I could barely breathe. The word pregnant echoed in my mind, rattling around, refusing to settle. Pregnant? How could that even be possible? I shook my head, trying to clear the fog in my brain.“Pregnant?” I let out a nervous laugh, trying to keep my voice steady. "A man can’t get pregnant."The tension in the room thickened immediately, the air going still. My nervous chuckle faltered as I saw the expression on Matthias’s face shift. His lips pressed into a thin line, and in the blink of an eye, he was standing up and crossing the space between us. I didn’t even have time to react before he
CassiusI couldn’t shake the irritation clawing at me as I stood outside the pack hospital room. Something wasn’t right, and I knew it. Isabella—a woman who was supposed to be as strong as the Alpha blood coursing through her veins—had supposedly fallen down the stairs and hit her head? That didn’t sit well with me. A woman like her didn’t just “trip.” If she was truly an Alpha’s daughter, she was supposed to be made of tougher stuff. But here I was, pacing the hallway like a fool, still not believing the doctor’s words.Julian stepped up beside me, his usual smirk in place. “What’s going through your head?” he asked, leaning casually against the wall.I didn’t even look at him. “I don’t buy it,” I muttered. “An Alpha’s daughter doesn’t fall down the stairs. That’s weak, Julian.”He didn’t argue with me, just tilted his head slightly, as if to remind me he could see right through me. “You’re right. But that’s not what’s bothering you, is it?”I shot him a glance, annoyed that he was
LorienThe guest room was bigger than I expected—almost absurdly big. The walls were a soft cream color, and there was a huge bed with thick blankets that looked far too fancy for someone like me. I hovered awkwardly by the door, unsure if I should even step further in. Everything felt too pristine, too untouched. Like I might ruin it just by breathing too hard.Before I could decide whether to sit or not, the door swung open again and Matthias strode inside. I stiffened, pulse jumping in my throat. He didn't say anything at first, just closed the door behind him and stared at me, his arms crossed over his chest. There was something heavy about the way he looked at me—something that made me feel small and trapped. “Sit,” he said simply. I hesitated, but Matthias was already crossing the room. His hand landed firmly on my shoulder and he pushed me down into the nearest chair. It wasn’t rough, exactly, but it was firm enough that I knew better than to argue. My heart hammered in m
CassiusI woke with a jolt, my heart pounding erratically in my chest. The sudden rush of anxiety hit me like a freight train, my breath shallow as my senses heightened. I wiped the sweat from my brow and glanced at the old clock on the wall. It read 2 a.m. The darkness of the room pressed down on me, heavy and suffocating. Something wasn’t right. My wolf was pacing anxiously in the back of my mind, urging me to do something, to move. But what? I couldn’t explain it. The feeling, the sense that Lorien was in danger, was palpable. I shifted in bed, restless, my mind spinning. Lorien. I hadn’t thought about him as much as I should have—at least not consciously. I’d pushed everything about my mate aside, buried it beneath layers of denial. But tonight, it was as if the world was forcing me to remember. I couldn’t shake the feeling, and it gnawed at me, making it impossible to lie still. My wolf wouldn’t stop nagging me, the constant reminder that I was the reason Lorien wasn’t here
Lorien The gun slipped from my trembling fingers, hitting the ground with a hollow thud. The sound echoed too loudly in the suffocating silence, sending a fresh jolt of terror racing through me. My heart hammered against my ribs so violently I thought it might burst straight through my chest. Blood.I blinked rapidly, my stomach twisting painfully. Blood was spreading, pooling in dark, sticky rivers across the ground—but... not from me.Damon.His uniform was soaked through with dark red, the fabric clinging to his skin in a grotesque display. His face was twisted into a crazed grimace even as he staggered toward me. His eyes—wild, feral—fixed on me with a hatred so raw it made my stomach churn.For a moment, stupid, reckless relief washed over me. He was hurt. Maybe he’d fall. Maybe it would stop.But the feeling soured just as quickly, curdling into dread.Despite the gaping wound in his side, Damon lunged, snarling like a rabid animal. His movements were jerky, almost unnatural, a
LorienThe world felt distant—like I was sinking into water, the edges of everything blurring, fading. Each sound came muffled, like it had to push through a thick fog just to reach me. My legs wouldn’t hold me. My knees buckled, but I didn’t fall—not quite. I swayed instead, arms limp at my sides, and when I tried to raise them, to hold myself together, they only shook.My hands trembled uncontrollably, small broken sobs tearing free from my throat before I could stop them. They felt raw, like they were scraped out of me. I hated how weak I felt, how clearly my omega instincts bared themselves under the weight of fear and exhaustion. My whole body was trembling with it—not from cold, but from the collapse of everything I’d held together until now.A shadow moved toward me—tall, imposing—and my body tensed. My heart leapt into my throat, panic spiking as my instincts screamed run even though I had nowhere to go. The forest was behind me, thick and silent, and there was blood, his blo
LorienI was breathless by the time I reached the throne. My legs trembled beneath me, my arms aching to take the twins back from the men holding them. I could see Lucien fidgeting, his brows knit in discomfort, and Caius had that telltale wrinkle near his nose that warned of an oncoming cry.“Give them to me,” I hissed, struggling against the two guards still gripping my arms. “Let me hold them. Please.”But they wouldn’t release me. Their hands were firm, not cruel, but unyielding.“Alpha’s orders,” one muttered under his breath.I barely heard him. My attention was locked on Lucien’s soft whimper. My body screamed with the urge to tear myself free, to soothe them both, but the hands on my arms held fast.Alpha Matthias still sat atop the throne, silent as stone, but his gaze was thunderous. He stood slowly, descending the steps one by one, his long coat sweeping behind him like the tail of some patient predator. His presence was chilling—controlled and yet dangerous.“Explain what
LorienThe scent of lavender clung faintly to the walls, but no matter how soft the sheets or clean the kitchen, the house didn’t feel like mine. Kieran had dropped me off two days ago with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes and a promise that things would “settle in.” I’d believed him—for a moment. Then he introduced Amy.The nanny stood stiffly by the door, her hands clasped in front of her like she was in mourning. Her expression didn’t shift, not even when Lucien cooed at her with a gummy smile. She simply inclined her head slightly, like she was memorizing him for a report.I didn’t like her.“She’s here to help,” Kieran had insisted when I pulled him aside that same day. “You can’t do this alone, Lorien. You need to recover. Alpha Matthias will want you back at work soon.”“I *can* do this alone,” I’d snapped, keeping my voice low so the twins wouldn’t sense the tension. “I’ve *been* doing this alone.”Kieran’s jaw tightened, but his voice was calm. “You were barely standing whe
LorienThere was a smell—faint antiseptic and lavender. A dim light above. My eyelids were heavy, and my limbs heavier. My mouth was dry, and my mind clouded, like I’d just been pulled from underwater.And then I remembered.My stomach.My hand shot down, trembling. The gown was thin, and under it, I felt… flat.Empty.“No, no, no—” My voice came out hoarse. I tried to sit up, but a sharp pain burst through my ribs. My vision spun, stars dancing before my eyes. I slumped back down, gasping.Where were they? Where were they?“Help!” I rasped, my throat raw. “Someone—please!”The door flew open. The doctor rushed in, followed by someone I didn’t recognize. A woman in dark robes, strange symbols stitched in silver on the hem. Her hair was white as snow, her eyes a piercing silver that didn’t look quite human.“Lorien, calm down,” the doctor said softly, coming to my side. “You’re safe. You’re in the clinic.”“Where are they?” I croaked. “My babies. Where are they?”“They’re alive,” the w
MatthiasThe bitter taste of smoke filled my lungs, and for once, it wasn’t the kind I craved.I exhaled slowly, watching the curling stream rise in lazy spirals above my head. The stick between my fingers was carved from dark mahogany, inlaid with tiny silver runes. My personal piece—custom-made, enchanted to preserve the burn longer. Only the finest for Alpha Matthias Delacroix.And yet today, it tasted like ash.“Damn it,” I muttered, grinding my teeth. I flicked the ash into the crystal tray beside the velvet armchair and leaned back, the weight of fury anchoring me deeper into the cushions. The weed barely tempered the fire in my blood. It coiled in my chest, tighter with every passing second.Four months. Four goddamn months of planning.Gone.Burned to hell like dry parchment in a wildfire.I wanted blood. I wanted to rip something apart with my bare hands—tear skin from bone, shred muscle, hear the satisfying crunch of cartilage under pressure.No—better. I wanted Cassius.His
Lorien The forest was quiet, too quiet. Only the sound of our frantic footsteps broke through the snow-blanketed silence. My breath came in broken gasps, sharp and painful, fogging the air in front of me. Kieran had one arm around my waist, half-dragging, half-carrying me, his steps firm despite the terrain.My legs were barely holding me upright.“Keep going, Lorien,” he whispered fiercely, sweat glistening on his forehead despite the cold. “We’re almost there.”But I couldn’t.Every step was a war, every breath a loss. Pain tore through my abdomen again—sharp, fiery, like claws shredding me from the inside. I winced, almost doubling over.Behind us, the wolves that had been pursuing us weren’t far.“They’re close!” one of our escorts snapped in a whisper, ears twitching.I clenched my jaw. “No. Stop. You need to leave me behind. Kieran—listen to me—we’re slowing you down. Go back. Get Matthias. He’ll know what to do—”“Lorien, shut the hell up,” Kieran growled, not looking at me. “
CassiusThe glass in my hand trembled, amber liquid sloshing dangerously near the rim.I paced.The room was dim, save for the firelight flickering along the stone walls. My shadows stretched tall and twitchy, like they couldn’t decide if they wanted to follow or flee from me. I took another sip—sharp, burning. It didn’t help.Nothing ever did.“I told her we’d do it tonight,” I muttered under my breath. “That I’d finally take her to bed.”I could still see Isabella’s expectant smile from earlier, her painted lips, her perfectly arranged hair. She was beautiful, but cold in a way that made my skin crawl sometimes.I had smiled at her. Lied.A promise made in desperation.A memory returned like bile—red, hot, and impossible to hold back.The night I got the news that Lorien was dead.I hadn’t even changed out of my bloodied clothes. I’d walked right into her room, still reeking of violence and grief, and kissed her like I could bleed the pain out of my mouth.She let me. She wanted it.
LorienThe air reeked of damp pine and bitter moss by the time I returned to the shack, the scent clinging to my skin like a second layer of guilt. The trees loomed like silent sentinels around us, and the moon hung low, barely cutting through the dense clouds. The forest felt different now—sharper, colder—as if it knew what we were about to do.I pushed through the shack’s crooked door and stepped inside. The lanterns were already lit, casting long, distorted shadows across the walls. My team was busy—maps unfolded, equipment sprawled across the dusty floor, radio frequencies crackling faintly. They were setting up. Getting ready.No one looked at me.Not at first.Then Kieran turned.“Out. Now,” he snapped, grabbing my arm and pulling me outside before I could blink.His grip was firm, fingers digging into my jacket like claws. We stood just outside the cabin where the dark wrapped around us like a noose. His voice dropped into a low snarl. “What the hell was that, Lorien?”I yanked
ZuriaThe silence in the hospital was deafening.Each tick of the clock on the wall echoed like thunder in my ears. My fingers trembled in my lap, clenched so tightly my knuckles turned white. The smell of antiseptic made my stomach churn—not with nausea, but dread.Danny had driven like a man possessed, ignoring traffic lights, muttering prayers under his breath. I had never seen him like that. And now, he sat somewhere outside this room while I sat on the edge of a cold hospital bed, waiting to hear if the worst had already happened.My mind wouldn’t stop racing. What if I’d already lost them? What if the bleeding meant they were gone and there was nothing left inside me but emptiness? My babies. The ones I had once tried to ignore, to forget about. But now the thought of losing them felt like someone was tearing open my chest.Please, just let them be okay. I didn’t mean to be careless. I didn’t mean to hurt them. Hot tears blurred my vision. I couldn’t breathe.I had told myself
LorienThe air was thick with tension, the scent of metal, dust, and forest clinging to everything like a second skin. Seven men stood silently behind me, their boots crunching against the gravel in almost perfect unison as they adjusted their weapons. The weight of my own gun pressed against the small of my back beneath my coat, cold and familiar. My fingers twitched toward it instinctively, though I made no move to draw it. Not yet.I shifted slightly, wincing when a sharp ache spread through my lower back. I rubbed at it absentmindedly, then glanced down—my coat hung a little awkwardly over the slight but unmistakable curve of my stomach. Six months. I hadn’t been able to hide it for weeks now, no matter how hard I tried. Not that I owed anyone an explanation. Not anymore.A shadow flickered in the doorway ahead. My breath hitched. Then, he stepped out.Alpha Mathias.Even now, after everything, my body reacted to the sight of him with a frustrating kind of treachery. My muscles te