Jensen's Point of View The crisp night air bites against my skin as Ronan, Caleb, Mira, and I step out of the diner. The warm lights from inside cast long shadows across the empty parking lot, contrasting with the cool, silver glow of the street lamps above. My heart pounds with urgency, each beat echoing the name I can’t stop thinking about, Rosalee. Mira takes the lead, her sharp gaze sweeping across the pavement as she follows the faint trail left behind. Ronan and Caleb flank her, noses slightly tilted upward as they take in the fading scent. I follow closely, tension knotting my muscles with every step. The only sounds are our footsteps crunching against the asphalt and the faint hum of distant traffic. They guide us toward the edge of the parking lot, right where I was standing when they first arrived. Mira crouches down, her fingers grazing over the surface of the ground. Her eyes narrow in concentration. A brief silence falls, heavy with anticipation. Caleb steps beside h
Rosalee's Point of View As I begin to stir, the remnants of restless dreams fade into the dim morning light filtering through the curtains. I blink up at the ceiling, my mind already racing. Sleep had been a battle, my thoughts constantly churning, questioning if I had made the right decision. But now, in the clarity of the morning, I feel a sense of resolve settle deep within my bones. This is the right choice. I am sure of it. If I can stop this war, if I can finally create peace, then maybe, just maybe, I can return to my life in Thornhill without the constant weight of fear pressing down on me. With newfound determination, I push the covers off and swing my legs over the side of the bed. My muscles protest slightly, sore from the exhaustion of the last few days, but I push through. Moving to the closet, I pull out some clothes, slipping into them quickly, ready to face the day and solidify my choice. As I step out of the bedroom and into the hallway, the rich, mouthwatering s
Jensen's Point of View The small backroom of the gas station is dimly lit, the scent of stale coffee lingering in the air. The man behind the desk moves quickly, skipping through the security footage until the timestamp reads 6:00 PM. The screen flickers slightly as the footage fastforwards. We all stand completely still, eyes locked on the monitor, our breath barely audible over the faint hum of the old computer. The road on the screen remains mostly empty, just a few scattered vehicles passing by. My fingers curl into fists at my sides, impatience gnawing at me. And then... A dark blue car emerges from the diner’s side of the street. “Stop,” I say sharply. The man freezes the frame, and I immediately step closer, my eyes narrowing at the screen. The timestamp reads 06:20 PM. My pulse quickens. This has to be them. The vehicle appears unremarkable at first glance, no obvious signs of who might be inside. The image quality isn’t great, making it hard to distinguish detail
Jensen's Point of View As Ronan and I step out of the pack house, the early afternoon sun beats down on us, a stark contrast to the dim, artificial glow of the IT room we had been buried in for hours. I blink against the sudden brightness and raise my hand to shield my eyes against the sharp light, realizing just how long we had spent chasing dead end after dead end in the dark. The warmth of the sun does little to ease the tightness in my chest. We don’t waste any time as we walk straight to the truck. Ronan slides into the driver’s seat, the engine rumbling to life as I climb into the passenger side. The moment my door shuts, I pull out my phone and redial the last number that had called me, the waitress. My fingers feel stiff with tension, my breath shallow as I press the phone to my ear. One ring. Two rings. Then I hear her voice. "Hello?" she answers, uncertainty clear in her tone. "Hello, this is Jensen. I would like to talk to my friend, please." A brief pause.
Rosalee's Point of View The moment I step into the bathroom, I turn the shower tap on, letting the water run until it’s scalding hot. Steam begins to rise, curling around the air like a thick mist. I take a deep breath, trying to steady myself, but my gaze is immediately drawn to the mirror above the sink. I look tired. My eyes, usually bright, seem dull and clouded. There’s dried mud on my legs, faint scrapes along my arms. My hair is tangled, wild from the time spent wandering through the forest. I look exactly how I should, like someone who had barely escaped, who had run until she had no choice but to keep going. It was the perfect illusion. I keep staring at my reflection, as if searching for something, maybe reassurance, maybe doubt, until the mirror completely fogs over, blurring the girl staring back at me. With a small sigh, I pull the oversized T-shirt over my head and step into the shower. The moment the hot water cascades over me, my muscles loosen, the tension
Rosalee's Point of View I take a deep breath, steadying myself before I start the story I rehearsed with Freya. "After I shifted I was lost in thought as I made my way over to the diner. I walked inside, not realizing it was filled with werewolves. When I realized it, it was already to late so, I tried to play it cool, hoping they wouldn’t see me as a threat. I asked the waitress if I could use their phone. I wanted to call Dameon and ask if he could come get me, but someone else was using it, so I had to wait. I took a seat near the door, keeping my head down, just waiting for my turn to use the phone. And that’s when someone joined me at my booth." Jensen’s sharp eyes narrow. He’s hanging onto every word. "The woman that took you. Do you know who she was?" he interrupts. I shake my head, keeping my expression neutral. "No, I have no idea who she was." The first lie. I can feel my pulse quicken, but I force myself to stay calm. I continue. "As I was saying, this woman
Jensen's Point of View I sit in silence, watching Rosalee as she absently traces patterns on the table with her fingers. She’s distant and quiet, too quiet, as if lost in thought. I’ve spent the last hour trying to piece together everything she told me, but I still don’t have the clarity I need. I don't want to doubt her but something isn’t adding up. Pushing my chair back, I stand, breaking the tense silence that has settled between us. Rosalee looks up, her blue eyes unreadable. “I need to go to my office to get some work done,” I tell her, my tone firm. “I’ll send someone to keep an eye on the house... just in case.” Her expression shifts, a flicker of resistance, the slightest narrowing of her eyes. I know she’s about to argue, but I don’t give her the chance. I turn on my heel and stride toward the door, feeling her gaze boring into my back as I leave. The moment I step outside, I open a mind link. “Keep an eye on my house.” “On my way, Alpha.” I cut the link and inhal
Rosalee's Point of View I stay seated at the table, my fingers absently tracing the edge of my plate as I watch Jensen leave. My ears focus on the fading sound of his footsteps, waiting until I hear the distinct thud of his boots hitting the ground outside. The moment I’m sure he’s gone, I push back my chair and move quickly towards my room, my heart pounding harder than it should. Once inside, I immediately head for the nightstand, pulling open the drawer and rummaging through it. My fingers brush against a few miscellaneous items, but my phone is nowhere to be found. Frustration flares in my chest as I turn to the other nightstand, yanking it open and rifling through its contents. Still nothing. I move to my bag, digging through every pocket, every crevice, searching for any sign of my phone. My breath comes faster as I search the entire room, under the bed, inside the closet, even between the couch cushions. But it’s not here. I sit heavily on the edge of the bed, pressing
Jensen's Point of ViewThe early morning light spills through the office windows in soft gold streaks, casting long shadows across my desk. The house is quiet, save for the ticking of the clock on the wall and the subtle creak of old wood beneath the walls. I take a deep breath, rubbing my hands together before opening a mind link.“Nyx, Ronan—please meet me in my office.”Their responses are almost immediate, overlapping with precision.“On my way.”I close the link and sit back in my chair, fingers laced in front of me as I gather my thoughts. This plan could change everything—or backfire spectacularly. One wrong move, and we risk everything we’ve built, everyone we’ve sworn to protect.A sharp knock pulls me from the spiral.“Come in,” I call.The door opens and Ronan steps in first, Nyx right behind him. They both move with purpose, slipping into the chairs across from me without a word. Their expressions are focused, waiting.I don't waste time.“We’ve got a situation,” I begin.
Rosalee's Point of View The walls feel like they’re closing in on me as I pace the living room again. I’ve already circled the coffee table at least a dozen times, my fingers fidgeting with the hem of my sweater as my thoughts race. I can't sit still. I tried. The silence is too loud, too accusing. Every second that ticks by just feeds the knot in my stomach. Jensen is at that alliance meeting right now, and I have no idea how it’s going. What if they turn on him because of me? What if I’ve ruined everything? I glance out the window, Nyx and Josh are still there, casually keeping watch like I’m a prisoner in my own home. I know they’re just doing their job. Jensen asked them to. But it still stings. That after everything, I still need to be watched. Suddenly, a sharp knock at the front door freezes me in place. My heart leaps into my throat. For a second, my breath catches, did something go wrong? Did Jensen send someone back? My feet move before my thoughts can catch up, and I
Jensen's Point of View I brace myself for the sting of Celine’s words, expecting anger, blame, maybe even a demand that we disband the alliance entirely. But what she says takes me completely by surprise. “I have seen firsthand what Crimsonclaw is capable of,” she says, her voice steady despite the residual weakness in her frame. “So I will do anything to stop them. If that means overlooking what Rosalee did, then Shadow Vale will join the alliance too.” For a moment, I can’t speak. Relief washes over me in a heavy wave, loosening the tension in my shoulders. I incline my head towards her, grateful beyond words. “Thank you, Alpha Celine.” Her nod is small but resolute, and it carries more weight than anything said in this room so far. I glance towards Dorian and Elias, hoping, maybe foolishly, that Celine’s words might sway them. But Elias explodes. He shoves back from the table so violently his chair screeches across the floor. “You’re all idiots,” he spits, eyes flashi
Jensen's Point of View It’s 08:45 when Ronan and I pull up in front of Shadow Vale. The morning air is sharp, still laced with the earthy scent of damp soil and pine, but there’s a tension coiled in my chest that has nothing to do with the cold. As I scan the area, I spot several vehicles already parked, members of the alliance packs arriving early, likely just as anxious as we are. I let my gaze linger on the structure of Shadow Vale’s pack house. They are stil rebuilding after Crimsonclaws last attack. It’s quiet now, but I know inside there will be questions, possibly accusations, and it all starts with me. With what I have to say. I turn to Ronan in the passenger seat, watching him as he takes in the scene. He’s calm on the surface, but I can sense the same unease rippling through him. I ask, “How do you think they’re going to take it?” Ronan exhales through his nose, eyes flicking towards the windshield before meeting mine. “I really don’t know,” he admits. “Getting them
Jensen's Point of View I take a deep breath, feeling the weight of their eyes on me, Ronan’s expectant and unreadable, Nyx’s sharp and already narrowing like she’s halfway to the truth. I look between them and then to Rosalee. She won’t meet their eyes. She sits with her shoulders drawn in, fingers still twisting in her lap. I can feel her fear radiating off her, and I hate that I’m the one who has to say it out loud. “I need to tell you both something,” I begin, voice low but steady. “And I need you to hear all of it before you react.” That gets Nyx’s full attention. Her arms cross, jaw tight. Ronan leans forward slightly, eyes flicking from me to Rosalee. I run a hand down my face, then continue. “Rosalee… has been leaking information. To Crimsonclaw.” Nyx’s face hardens instantly. Ronan’s jaw ticks. “But...” I raise a hand to stop them before they can speak, “she didn’t know it was Crimsonclaw.” Nyx scoffs under her breath, but I push through. “She met her mother th
Jensen's Point of View I watch as Rosalee reaches out to me, her hands trembling, her expression full of fear and regret. But I can’t bring myself to let her touch me. I step back, shaking my head, the words slipping from my mouth before I even think about them. "No... Just... No.. I can't do this." The moment those words leave my lips, I see the fear in her eyes, and for a split second, I feel a flicker of doubt. But the anger and the betrayal have clouded everything, and I can’t bring myself to care. Not now. She doesn’t understand the depth of what she’s done. I thought we were building something real. I thought we had a connection. But now, it feels like a sick joke, and I can’t stand the thought of it. The betrayal is one thing, but what really stings the most is that what Rosalee and I could have been... it’s gone. Just like that. She opens her mouth again, probably to lie, to make excuses, and I can’t take it. I shake my head, my anger rising again. "I have to go." I need
Rosalee's Point of View Jensen shakes his head slowly, his movements stiff and mechanical like he can’t quite believe what he’s hearing. Then he pushes up from his chair so abruptly that it scrapes loudly against the floor, the sound making me flinch. He stays behind his desk, putting a solid barrier between us, but his eyes, those familiar, steady eyes, are stormy now, clouded with disbelief and something that looks dangerously close to hurt. Tears blur my vision, and I lift my hands in surrender, my body trembling so hard I can barely stand still. I shake my head too, desperate to make him understand, to make him believe me. "It’s true," I choke out, my voice breaking completely now. "But I promise you, Jensen, I didn’t know I was giving information to Crimsonclaw." His jaw tightens, muscles ticking furiously under his skin. When he speaks, his voice is low, hard. "Rosalee, what did you do?" I wrap my arms around myself like I can somehow hold myself together,
Rosalee's Point of View Nyx’s words hit me like a slap across the face, each one cutting deeper than the last. She doesn't even blink as she stares me down, her voice sharp and accusing. "How could you, Rosalee? Jensen trusted you. We took you in as one of our own, and this is how you thank us? By giving inside information to our enemy." I feel the sting of tears before I even realize they're falling, blurring my vision, making it harder to keep looking at her. I shake my head desperately, my voice cracking as I say, "No, Nyx, it's not like that. I didn't know. I promise you, I didn’t know." But she just shakes her head right back at me, disbelief and disappointment carved into every hard line of her face. "Why would you share private information with anyone? No matter the circumstances." The shame weighs down my shoulders, makes me feel so small. I hang my head, barely able to get the words out. "I thought I was making a difference," I whisper, my voice thick with
Rosalee's Point of ViewThe moment the word "Freya" leaves Alpha Celine’s lips, it feels like my entire world tilts sideways.Panic slams into me, sudden and violent, and my heart starts hammering so loudly in my ears that I almost miss what comes next.No, it can’t be, I think desperately. It’s just a common name. It doesn’t have to mean anything.I fight to keep my breathing even, my expression blank, because out of the corner of my eye, I catch Nyx watching me. Watching too closely.I force myself to focus, pulling my face into a neutral mask even though my insides feel like they’re being shredded apart.Jensen's voice cuts through the pounding of my heart."That’s great. Can you describe her?"His tone is calm, steady, as if he has no idea that the ground beneath me is crumbling into dust.Alpha Celine nods her head, her voice steady as she starts,"She is about my height, maybe a few inches taller. She has long pitch black hair and striking blue eyes. I’ll never be able to forget