Rosalee's Point of View As Jensen and I make our way back toward the pack house, an uneasy feeling twists in my gut. Why would he ask if Iโm okay? Did I say something to make him suspicious? Did Nyx say something to him? I swallow down the panic threatening to surface. I have to end this. This spying mission was never mine to begin with, and if Iโm being honest with myself, Iโve never been good at it. Jensen is too kind, too open, too trusting. Each time I give information to Freya, it feels less like duty and more like betrayal. I take a slow breath. Just a little longer. I just have to fake it a little longer, and then Iโm out. As soon as we step into the dining hall, the scent of roasted meat, fresh bread, and warm spices fills the air. The room is buzzing with energy, the sound of clinking dishes and overlapping conversations creating a lively atmosphere. I force a bright smile as Jensen and I step into line. He grabs a plate and hands it to me. I take it with a g
Celine's Point of View The steady glow of my computer screen casts a soft blue light over my office, the only sound being the rhythmic tapping of my fingers on the keyboard. The scent of freshly brewed coffee lingers in the air, mixing with the faint scent of the old oak furniture. Itโs just another day, until I feel the familiar tug of a mind link as someone attempts to connect. With a sigh, I open the link, and Owenโs voice comes through, slightly tense. โAlpha. There is a woman at the border gate. She wonโt give us her name, she just keeps insisting that she wants to talk to you.โ I frown, my fingers pausing over the keyboard. โTell her to state why she is here, and if she wonโt, then she should leave.โ โWeโve tried that, Alpha, but she refuses to leave. She says she will only speak to you and she wonโt leave until she does.โ Annoyance creeps into my tone. โFine. Escort her in. I will send her away myself.โ โOn it, Alpha.โ I cut the link and lean back in my chair, st
Celine's Point of View Freya stalks around me like a predator, her movements slow and deliberate. Her bright blue eyes glow with excitement as if sheโs savoring the tension, waiting for me to strike first. But I donโt. I stand my ground, my muscles coiled and ready. The moment stretches, and I see her smirk falter, frustration flickering across her face. She wanted me to lunge, to give her an opening. Not happening. With a sharp exhale, she moves. Her punch comes fast, aimed directly at my face. But Iโm ready for her. I sidestep, letting the momentum of her strike carry her forward. She stumbles into my desk, her hands slamming against the wood to catch herself. Freya spins around, her eyes now burning with something wilder, more dangerous. She lunges again, this time aiming a series of rapid punches at my ribs and face. I raise my arms, blocking, absorbing the impact. A stinging pain spreads up my arms, but I donโt falter. The moment I see an opening, I counter, a sh
Freya's Point of View The moment I hear the sickening crack of Celineโs skull against the tree, I shift back into my human form. My breath comes in ragged gasps, my body battered and bloodied, but I keep my balance, even as my broken leg trembles beneath me. I take a step forward, wincing as pain shoots up my limb, but I donโt stop. Celine lies motionless in the dirt, her body twisted at an unnatural angle. Blood seeps into the earth beneath her, pooling around her like a dark, scarlet halo. I stare at her, my chest rising and falling in shallow breaths, waiting for any sign of life. Nothing. The Alpha of Shadow Vale is dead. A slow, satisfied smile creeps onto my lips, but before I can relish my victory, a familiar tug at my mind interrupts me. Ravenaโs urgent voice rings out through the pack link. โWe have company. Retreat.โ Her tone is sharp, a warning laced with urgency. I immediately open a private link to her. โI need your help. Iโm in a clearing, about a
Jensen's Point of View The energy in my office is focused and efficient as the final preparations for the alliance signing falls into place. Papers are neatly stacked, chairs arranged, and the soft light filtering through the windows gives the room an unusual calm before the storm look. Nyx is standing near the window, her arms crossed as she updates me. โWeโve prepared the rooms on the fifth floor just in case anyone needs to stay overnight,โ she says, her voice calm. I nod my head, โThank you, Nyx.โ Turning to Ronan, who stands on the other side of the room by the small table covered in maps and files, I raise an eyebrow. โI went on a border run myself this morning,โ he says, his posture straight, his voice steady. โI didnโt see anything suspicious, but Iโve doubled our patrols for today. Just to be safe.โ Another nod from me. โGood. It seems everything is in place. Now we just have to wait for them to show up.โ Nyx and Ronan both give a single, synchronized nod, the
Rosalee's Point of View The house is unusually quiet today, a calm thatโs almost deceiving. I'm curled up on one of the plush couches in Jensenโs living room, my knees drawn to my chest, flipping through one of his books on werewolf history. The book is old, the leather worn and pages slightly yellowed, but the content is fascinating, stories of the first Lycans, ancient alliances, blood feuds, and sacred rituals long forgotten by most modern packs. I lose myself in the pages, the soft ticking of a wall clock the only sound accompanying my reading. Todayโs the day, the official signing of the alliance. By noon, every pack should be arriving. The thought brings a twist of nerves in my stomach, even though Iโve told myself time and again that Iโm just an observer here. Still, I havenโt seen Jensen since early this morning. He left in a rush, saying he had final arrangements to handle in his office before the ceremony. Just as I flip to another page, something about a centuries old
Bruce's Point of View The morning sun filters in through the window of my office, casting long golden rays across the floor as I finish tying the laces of my boots, ready to head out and lead the pack's morning training session. It's a routine Iโve come to appreciate, a moment of calm discipline before the dayโs chaos inevitably begins. But today, chaos doesn't wait. A sharp, forceful tug ripples through my consciousness, a mind link, urgent and heavy with fear. I immediately open myself to it, and Alpha Celineโs voice slams into my mind, frantic and breathless. โBruce! Call Alpha Jensen and prepare to fightโฆ Crimsonclaw is here!โ Her words are like ice down my spine, but before I can even respond, the link cuts off, gone, severed in an instant. My body moves before my thoughts catch up. I surge to my feet and open a mind link to the entire Shadow Vale pack, projecting my voice with the full force of my authority. โWe are under attack! Everyone get in your positions. Th
Jensen's Point of View The SUV jerks to a stop in front of the Shadow Vale pack house, the tires crunching over broken debris and blood soaked gravel. My door is open before the engine even cuts off. I step out into the chaos, my eyes sweeping over the scene with a sharp, assessing gaze. The damage is extensive. The front of the pack house is scarred, scorch marks along the outer walls, shattered windows gaping like broken eyes, and the heavy front doors have been splintered inward. The scent of blood clings thick in the air, heavy and metallic, intermingling with the faint tang of smoke and raw earth. Bodies, some covered with tarps, others already being tended, are scattered across the lawn and walkways. But despite the carnage, movement is everywhere. Shadow Vale wolves are already working, clearing debris, carrying the wounded, cleaning away what they can in the wake of violence. Victor got here just in time. It could have been so much worse. Iโm just about to step forw
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.โNyx, Ronanโplease meet me in my office.โTheir responses are almost immediate, overlapping with precision.โOn my way.โI close the link and sit back in my chair, fingers laced in front of me as I gather my thoughts. This plan could change everythingโor backfire spectacularly. One wrong move, and we risk everything weโve built, everyone weโve sworn to protect.A sharp knock pulls me from the spiral.โCome in,โ 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.โWeโve got a situation,โ I begin.
Rosalee's Point of View The walls feel like theyโre closing in on me as I pace the living room again. Iโve 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 itโs going. What if they turn on him because of me? What if Iโve ruined everything? I glance out the window, Nyx and Josh are still there, casually keeping watch like Iโm a prisoner in my own home. I know theyโre 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 Celineโs words, expecting anger, blame, maybe even a demand that we disband the alliance entirely. But what she says takes me completely by surprise. โI have seen firsthand what Crimsonclaw is capable of,โ she says, her voice steady despite the residual weakness in her frame. โSo I will do anything to stop them. If that means overlooking what Rosalee did, then Shadow Vale will join the alliance too.โ For a moment, I canโt speak. Relief washes over me in a heavy wave, loosening the tension in my shoulders. I incline my head towards her, grateful beyond words. โThank you, Alpha Celine.โ 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 Celineโs words might sway them. But Elias explodes. He shoves back from the table so violently his chair screeches across the floor. โYouโre all idiots,โ he spits, eyes flashi
Jensen's Point of View Itโs 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 thereโs 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 Valeโs pack house. They are stil rebuilding after Crimsonclaws last attack. Itโs 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. Heโs calm on the surface, but I can sense the same unease rippling through him. I ask, โHow do you think theyโre going to take it?โ Ronan exhales through his nose, eyes flicking towards the windshield before meeting mine. โI really donโt know,โ he admits. โGetting them
Jensen's Point of View I take a deep breath, feeling the weight of their eyes on me, Ronanโs expectant and unreadable, Nyxโs sharp and already narrowing like sheโs halfway to the truth. I look between them and then to Rosalee. She wonโt 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 Iโm the one who has to say it out loud. โI need to tell you both something,โ I begin, voice low but steady. โAnd I need you to hear all of it before you react.โ That gets Nyxโs 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. โRosaleeโฆ has been leaking information. To Crimsonclaw.โ Nyxโs face hardens instantly. Ronanโs jaw ticks. โBut...โ I raise a hand to stop them before they can speak, โshe didnโt know it was Crimsonclaw.โ Nyx scoffs under her breath, but I push through. โShe 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 canโt 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 canโt bring myself to care. Not now. She doesnโt understand the depth of what sheโs done. I thought we were building something real. I thought we had a connection. But now, it feels like a sick joke, and I canโt 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... itโs gone. Just like that. She opens her mouth again, probably to lie, to make excuses, and I canโt 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 canโt quite believe what heโs 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. "Itโs true," I choke out, my voice breaking completely now. "But I promise you, Jensen, I didnโt 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 Nyxโs 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 didnโt 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 Celineโs 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 canโt be, I think desperately. Itโs just a common name. It doesnโt 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 theyโre being shredded apart.Jensen's voice cuts through the pounding of my heart."Thatโs 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. Iโll never be able to forget