LOGINBut Marcus’s instincts were sharp. He managed to pull out a silver dagger, still coated with wolfsbane, the very same blade he’d used to injure Sylas, and slashed it forward to block Maxwell’s sudden strike.Maxwell reacted quickly, stepping back just in time, but not fast enough to avoid the blade entirely. The dagger grazed his forearm, and the sizzling sound of burning flesh filled the air. Blood seeped from the wound, dark and thick, as the wolfsbane began to seep into his bloodstream.Maxwell’s brow furrowed slightly; he could already feel his wolf growling in agitation, reacting violently to the toxin. Fortunately, only a small trace had entered his system, enough to sting, but not enough to sever his connection to his wolf.Still, the irritation was enough to make his wolf bristle with fury, eager to tear Marcus apart for daring to touch their Alpha blood.Marcus smirked provocatively at Maxwell as he brought the dagger closer to his body. But Maxwell, clearly annoyed, suddenly
Maxwell sprinted at full speed, and the moment he burst out of the forest, a hellish sight greeted him: towers of flame devouring the houses, painting the ground in a blood-red glow. Rogues rampaged through the Golden Hue Pack’s territory, tearing everything apart as if determined to leave no survivors.Without hesitation, Maxwell lunged into the chaos. His massive paws crushed skulls, and his powerful jaws tore through flesh, each movement swift and merciless. Rogues fell before they even realized what struck them, their lives snuffed out in an instant as Maxwell became a blur of death and fury.The warriors following Maxwell froze for a moment, their eyes reflecting the burning houses ahead. But the bloodcurdling screams of the rogues jolted them back to their senses like a splash of cold water. Fury reignited in their veins as they remembered the attack that had ravaged their home.Fueled by rage, grief, and frustration, they charged into battle with everything they had. Every slas
Their faces paled at the sight, but there was no time to hesitate. They sprinted toward the packhouse as fast as their battered bodies could manage, doing their best to stay out of the rogues’ line of sight.They already knew that the noncombatants had likely been evacuated there, the safest place, guarded by the elite warriors. And if Alpha Maxwell truly was nearby, they could leave the extermination of these rogues to him. Their only mission now was to get Sylas to safety, alive, and into the hands of the medical team before it was too late.The medical team was most likely stationed at the packhouse, which was why they were heading there. As they ran, the air was filled with the chilling echoes of the rogues’ deranged laughter, mixed with feral howls and guttural growls.The sounds alone made their skin crawl; it was as if the cries came straight from the depths of hell itself."Don’t stop. Run, and don’t look back," the captain ordered, his voice sharp and unwavering despite the e
The rogue glared at the three men crawling on the ground as they fled in the distance, hatred blazing in his fading eyes. As his final breath escaped him, his body slid down the trunk, eyes still wide open, burning with fury even in death. Because of the trap, Marcus’s men couldn’t advance any farther. One of them tried to crawl through the obstacle, but the captain had already circled around and pulled another hidden string. In an instant, a barrage of poisoned arrows shot out from the darkness. The rogue froze mid-crawl, confusion flashing across his eyes before pain flooded his body. Dozens of arrows pierced through him, turning him into something resembling a hedgehog. He didn’t even have time to scream. The venom worked fast, spreading through his blood and reaching his heart within seconds, then, everything went still. His body collapsed lifelessly, eyes blank and unmoving. Only Marcus and one rogue were left standing. The captain glanced back, then turned and sprinted with
He wanted to say something, to offer comfort or reassurance, but he knew that a single word could endanger them all and expose his plan before it even began. So he bit down hard, gritting his teeth to keep himself silent. Slowly, he lowered his head to hide his face, knowing full well that acting was never his strength. Instead, he used their mindlink to speak with the other two. "Stop crying. I have a plan. Just follow my lead..." the captain said through the link, his mental voice calm but firm. "I know, Captain. I was just acting," the warrior replied, still sniffling a little. The captain could almost feel him doing it, and could also sense his own body stiffen in surprise at the response. "You knew? How? Did I give myself away? Did the enemy notice?" the captain asked quickly, a flicker of panic slipping in his voice through the mindlink. "No, Captain. I don’t think they noticed. That’s why I started crying," the warrior replied. "I wanted to divert their attention to me, to
He could only trust that there was a reason Sylas had led them here before passing out. Though he didn’t know what Sylas’s plan was or why this place mattered, he refused to let any more of his comrades die before his eyes. He wasn’t about to let one of his brothers throw himself into the fire just yet."What’s your purpose in attacking our pack?" the captain demanded suddenly. He knew there was little chance Marcus or his men would bother to answer, but he asked anyway, if only to buy a few more precious seconds, hoping their reinforcements would arrive in time.Marcus tilted his head to the side, a slow grin spreading across his face as understanding dawned. "So, you think that just because you’re dying, I’d feel sorry for you and answer your question? That I’d hand you the truth since the dead tell no tales?"He let out a harsh cackle, amused by his own words. Sure, some might indulge the dying with answers out of pity, but Marcus wasn’t one of them. He had neither the patience nor
Tori’s POV As instructed, I put on something nice, a dress I had been holding onto, hoping for the day I could wear it in front of Alpha Carlisle, sharing a quiet dinner together. I never imagined that day would come so soon. After washing up and dressing, I applied light makeup to conceal the exh
Tori’s POV The next day, the sun glaringly pierced through the curtains. I couldn't remember when I had fallen asleep the night before, but as far as I recalled, I dozed off in the woods after crying the entire night. But now... I looked around and saw that I was back in the Alpha suite. I was
Tori’s POV I immersed myself in my work, hoping it would help numb the pain slowly consuming my heart. As night descended, no one reached out to me or even sent a mindlink, leaving me feeling utterly isolated, as if I had been cut off from everyone. But I pushed those thoughts aside and focused o
Victoria's POV Raquel didn't need to complete her statement. The unspoken words hung in the air, allowing everyone to fill in the blanks with their own assumptions. Speculation spread like wildfire through the hall. What Raquel truly wanted was for everyone to believe that, as Carlisle’s curren







