MasukManuel’s POVThe smell of blood and chaos still clung to my clothes even if I escaped long ago.I stumbled through the tunnels alone, my breathing oddly steady despite all that unfolded behind me. I could still hear the distant echoes of the battle, but the deeper I walked, the quieter it got till it finally faded into nothing.Azreal was dead.I watched it happen with my own two eyes before I fully dived into the tunnels to secure my escape. The Men of the Shadows were gone. The name and reputation that took years of planning to build was destroyed in a single night.But somehow…In the most sinister way possible, I still found myself laughing.Because I was certain they thought they won already.That was the funny thing about people like Julian and his pack. They always believed that victory came from surviving the battles in front of them, but I was about to show them that wars were never won that easily.I dragged my fingers against the damp walls of the tunnels as I continued thr
A week had passed since what I would call one of the biggest battles we had fought as a pack since Ron. We spent the first two days helping Alpha Levon try to rebuild his pack on a land that the council had given them. We offered as much help as we could before he and his pack members finally moved to occupy their new home. The members of the council took in the survivors from the men of the shadows’ pack as well. I wasn’t sure what they were going to do with them, but Aries assured us that they promised to help them join normal packs now. While all of this was going on, we didn’t stop searching for Manuel. Scouts were finally able to go through the tunnels, but even then they discovered they had several different routes, and he could have gone out through any of them. Still, we didn’t let that news affect us. At least I tried not to let it. The week was stressful, but I could see just how peaceful and happy everyone was now. The warriors and healers no longer looked stressed f
Robin’s POV Throughout the whole walk back to the pack, I couldn’t keep my eyes off Julian. I knew everyone was worried with Manuel being nowhere to be found, but I knew Julian was way more worried than anyone else, and I wanted nothing more than to be there for him right now. I could tell he blamed himself in some way, even if he was acting okay right now, and I would hate to let him out of my sight only to find out he went after Manuel alone, so yes… I would remain glued to him till we finally got through this. The moment we got back to the pack, the remaining pack members were already waiting for us with supplies to treat the injured. It seemed like accommodations were sorted out as well because the remaining members from the men of the shadows’ pack were taken in without any issue. We spent the best part of the day getting everyone settled back in, and by evening we all finally made our way to the pack house, each of us dropping onto the couch without a single word. The si
The silence that followed Damon's words was unbearable. Everyone's eyes still remained on the buildings in front of us even after they had been checked. We all stilled and it felt like so did our breathing. We had won right? That was what we should have been focusing on. The men of the shadows were gone. Their warriors were dead and even Azreal was dead, along with his fog that haunted us for months, but still... none of us could fully relax. Because Manuel was still out there. "He couldn't have gone far," Aries barked sharply, instantly pulling himself together. "Search the area he said turning to face the guards”. “Every standing building, every hidden room”. I want this entire place turned upside down." The guards nodded immediately before running off to search some more. I watched them run off as a strange heaviness settled in my chest, that weight that i thought i would never feel again after today. Why did it feel like this wasn't over? That thought scared me way mor
The moment I stepped through that fog, that familiar numbness filled me as I felt everything tied to my wolf shut down. The only difference was this time, I was prepared for it. The rock sealed shut behind me, and I exhaled lowly. Now I was trapped here with these men. My eyes darted around the place where warriors lined up on each side, their eyes never leaving mine as I took cautious steps forward. The pack looked almost ordinary. Almost. “Well, well,” Manuel’s voice echoed through the field. “Look who finally came back,” he added as he stepped forward, Azreal trailing behind him. They both wore irking smiles on their faces, and I forced myself to remain calm. All our plans depended on this. I couldn’t afford to act out of character now. “I can’t believe you actually did it,” Azreal called next with a laugh. “Would’ve thought you grew smart enough to ignore us this time,” he finished, and I drew a breath. “I’m here now, aren’t I?” “And alone too,” Manuel added, clearly
I and the rest of the pack spent the last week training our warriors and gathering all our remaining troops. We spent the first two to three days helping Alpha Levon’s pack settle down. We had to construct more houses to fit everyone because, for now, they would be staying with us—at least till all this was over. Levon promised his people that he would help rebuild their pack, and I believed him fully. He was always one to stick to his word. After their accommodations were sorted, we dived right into training. Lucian was doing his best to hone his magic so he could take Azreal out as soon as possible, and even if he wasn’t able to do that, he worked on his freeze spell as well—to make sure it could last long enough for us to gain the upper hand in battle. Robin, on the other hand, practiced controlling his powers. Since the time he used them on Orion, he had never wielded them again, so when he talked about using them this time and learning to control them, I was more than happy
Watching Lucian be this serious was surprising, to say the least, but at the same time, it was reassuring—knowing that he was willing to go through this, sit through this pain, just to get us out of here. I knew guilt, and I knew exactly what it was capable of doing to your being, so it was brave o
I woke up with Robin in my arms, just like I had always dreamed. The newly formed bond between us hummed loudly, and the first thing my eyes went to the moment they snapped open was the mark on his neck. My mark. I traced it softly with my fingers, even the sparks weren't enough to make me pull a
We didn’t waste time. The moment we agreed to go together, we hit the road.We’d been walking for close to thirty minutes, and so far, we hadn’t noticed anyone. I wasn’t sure how I felt about going back, but if my instincts were right, then I knew the shelter Robin was talking about—the one we’d be
A day felt like a whole week as I waited for Robin to come back. Unease clung to me, heavy and persistent, yet there was nothing I could do from here. My gaze kept drifting to the coordinates Robin had left behind, silently begging the universe not to force me to use them. It was only a day’s journ







