LOGINI whirled around, my bottle of whiskey swinging wide as my wolf surged to the fore, ready to slaughter whatever was lurking in the dark corner of that rotted motel room.Standing beside the bathroom door frame, casually leaning his shoulder against the peeling wallpaper, was Marcus.Ronan’s right hand.The sight of his slicked-back hair and that smug, knowing smirk cut straight through the dull haze of the alcohol. My instincts screamed, and before he could even finish inhaling his next breath, I moved.I crossed the small room in a fraction of a second, my hand locking around Marcos’s throat like a vice. The sheer force of my momentum slammed his back violently into the wall, shaking the dust from the ceiling tiles and leaving a fresh crack in the plaster."You," I growled, my voice layered with the guttural double-tone of my beast. "You’ve been tailing my truck since I turned off the main highway."Marcos didn't gasp for air. He didn't claw at my fingers. He just stood there trapped
Abel's POV The wind on the balcony was freezing, whipping heavy rain across my face, but the cold inside my chest was worse.I leaned my hands against the stone balustrade, staring out into the dark timber, my knuckles white, my jaw locked so tight my molars ached. My cheek was still burning where Vanessa's hand had cracked across my skin. The sting of the slap was nothing compared to the violent, humiliating anger churning in my gut."Fool," I spat into the storm, my voice swallowed by a sudden clap of thunder.I turned on my heel and began pacing the stone floor, four steps left, four steps right. My hands clenched into tight, heavy fists at my sides, my nails digging hard into my palms until I felt the sharp prick of broken skin.What the hell was wrong with me? I knew better. I had already bled for trusting a woman once before. My ex wife had stripped my pride, shredded my pack's dignity, and left me with a blade in my back. I swore I'd never let down my guard again. Yet here I w
Vanessa's POV "What is he doing here?"The words tore out of my throat, raw and trembling with a dangerous blend of horror and rage. My eyes stayed locked on Ronan, watching the blood drip from his jaw onto the ancient stone floor.Ronan didn't flinch. He slowly wiped his chin with the back of his hand, a small, patronizing smile dragging across his pale lips like he had all the time in the world. "Always so warm, Vanessa," he murmured softly. "You haven't lost your temper, I see.""Vanessa, listen to me," my father started, his voice a low, heavy rumble as he took a step forward, putting a massive hand out to keep the peace. "We had no choice. The boy's blood—"I didn't let him finish.The world went completely red. Before my father could even complete his sentence, my wolf surged to the surface with a deafening roar. I bolted forward, moving with an incredible, blinding speed that tore the damp air apart.Ronan barely had time to widen his eyes before my boot slammed directly into
Vanessa's POV My heels slammed against the ancient stone floor, the sound echoing off the damp walls like a ticking clock counting down my son’s life. Back and forth. Five steps to the edge of the dark pool, five steps back to the cold wall. My skin felt too tight for my body, my heart hammering against my ribs so hard it made my chest ache.In the center of the chamber, Mara was kneeling in the shadows, her hands hovering over Ethan's still, pale body. Her lips moved in a low, raspy murmur, spitting out words in a language that sounded like grinding rocks."Is it working?" I blurted out, my voice cracking as I took three fast steps toward her. "Mara, answer me! Why isn't his color coming back? Is he breathing?"Mara didn't stop. She just raised her voice, the incantation turning harsher, her bony fingers trembling as dark magic hummed in the air."Mara!" I stepped closer, my hands clenching into fists at my sides. "Look at his chest! It’s barely moving! What are you doing to him? Is
Jordan's POV The cold rain washed over my face the moment I pushed through the heavy glass doors of the hospital, but it did nothing to cool the inferno beneath my skin.Across the rain-slicked avenue, beneath the flickering yellow glow of a dying streetlamp, Ronan stood holding his black umbrella. He raised two fingers to his temple in a mocking, polite salute, his lips curved into that unbearable, serene smile before he turned on his heel and stepped into the dark shadows of the alleyway.My wolf screamed for blood, a deafening, feral roar that echoed through my head. I didn't think. I didn't plan. I simply lunged forward, my heavy boots shattering the concrete of the hospital steps as I tore across the empty street.I rounded the corner into the narrow alley, my eyes blazing a lethal, molten gold as I tracked his scent. He hadn't run. The faint, arrogant aroma of bergamot and crisp linen cut cleanly through the reek of wet garbage and stagnant water, leading me out of the city gri
Jordan's POV The blood in my veins turned to ice, but I didn't give Ronan the satisfaction of running across that street. The second his tailored silhouette dissolved into the dark alley, the double glass doors behind me hissed open."Grand Alpha," a doctor stammered, his face drained of color as he gripped the doorframe for support. "It's... it's Ethan. The hemorrhaging has stopped, but his vital signs just plummeted. His brain activity is barely registering. He's fallen into a deep coma."I didn't answer him. I didn't even turn around. The word coma hit me like a physical blow, but my jaw remained locked.I turned back inside, my heavy boots thudding against the clinical floor as I marched back to the ICU. Vanessa was crumpled in a chair beside the bed, clutching Ethan's limp, pale hand to her mouth, her shoulders shaking violently as she wept. Abel stood over her, his jaw set in a hard, helpless line.Mara stood on the opposite side of the bed, her milky, blind eyes fixed on the c







