LOGINSoft light filtered through the tall windows, stretching across the bed in pale gold streaks, warming the room but doing little to ease the tension that lingered within it.Becca stirred slowly beneath the covers. Her brows furrowed slightly as she shifted, her hand instinctively reaching out across the bed but it was empty.Her eyes snapped open instantly.“Eugene?”The name slipped from her lips before she could stop it but there was no answer.Her heart began to pound amd the air suddenly felt thinner.“No… no…”Her breath hitched.She sat up quickly, her eyes scanning the room as if he might appear out of nowhere but he didn’t.The emptiness of the bed beside her felt louder now and her chest tightened painfully.He’s gone.The thought hit her before she could stop it.What if something happened?Her mind spiraled instantly, images flashing too quickly, too vividly.“Stop thinking like that…” she whispered, pressing a hand to her chest but fear didn’t listen.Just as her breathing
The silence between Max and Skye stretched and he could still feel the temptation to forget everything and just go with her.His chest rose sharply as the thought hit him fully, his mind painting the image too clearly.“No.”The word came out firm.Skye’s breath caught slightly.“Max—”“No,” he repeated, louder this time.He stepped back, putting distance between them, as if being too close to her was dangerous.“You don’t get to do this,” he said.Skye frowned, confusion and hurt flashing across her face.“Do what?”“Show up here, after everything, and expect me to just walk away with you like nothing happened” Max said, his voice rising slightly.“That’s not what I’m asking—”“That’s exactly what you’re asking,” he cut in.The tension surged between them again.Skye took a step toward him, her voice softening.“I’m asking you to choose yourself,” she said.Max laughed bitterly.“No, you’re asking me to choose you” he said.Skye hesitated because she knew he wasn’t wrong.“I’m asking
The snapping of branches echoed faintly through the forest now, followed by low murmurs of voices, barely audible but unmistakably present.Mira’s grip on Jack tightened.“We need to hide,” she whispered.Ava didn’t argue this time.Without another word, the three of them moved quickly but carefully, slipping behind a cluster of thick trees and low-hanging branches. Jack pulled Mira down slightly, guiding her into a crouch as he positioned himself just in front of her.Ava moved to the side, pressing her back against the trunk of another tree, her cloak blending almost seamlessly into the darkness.“Stay low,” Jack murmured.Mira nodded, her breath shallow as she tried to steady herself.The footsteps grew louder until Mira could see them emerging from the shadows, their imposing figures moving through the forest with purpose. Her eyes widened slightly.“Soldiers…” she whispered.Jack leaned slightly, just enough to confirm.His jaw tightened.“Skye’s father’s men,” he said quietly.
Ariel's heartbeat pounded violently against her ribs, each thud loud enough that she was certain Alpha king Desmond could hear it. Her hands trembled at her sides, and no matter how much she tried to steady them, they refused to obey.Desmond didn’t move. He stood there, watching her approach, his expression unreadable but his eyes were sharp, cold, and filled with something that made her stomach twist violently.Ariel swallowed hard as she closed the distance between them, her steps slowing despite herself.“I—”She didn’t even get the chance to finish.Desmond moved fast.His hand shot out, grabbing her wrist with a force that made her gasp, and before she could react, he dragged her down the hallway.“A-Alpha—!” she stammered.“Quiet,” he snapped.His voice was low but it cut through her like a blade.Ariel’s breath hitched as she stumbled after him, her feet barely keeping up with his pace as he pulled her along. The corridor seemed to stretch endlessly, the dim lights blurring a
Max walked through the hallway, his steps heavy, his jaw clenched so tight it felt like it might crack under the pressure. Every breath he took was sharp, uneven, laced with frustration he couldn’t seem to shake.Seraphina’s words still echoed in his head and his hands curled into fists.“Damn it” he muttered under his breath.It wasn’t just her. It was everything that had happened tonight. Max exhaled harshly, dragging a hand through his hair as he turned another corner, the dim light flickering across his face.“I should’ve seen it, I should’ve known…m” he said quietly. But he hadn’t and that hurt the most.His steps slowed slightly, his chest tightening.“I trusted you,” he whispered.Even now, he couldn’t stop thinking about her.Max scoffed bitterly at himself.“Pathetic,” he muttered.Maybe Seraphina was right. Maybe he was because despite everything, he still cared.His steps resumed, sharper now as he tried to push the thoughts away.Max stopped walking, his body stiffened s
Mira slowed her steps, crouching slightly as her eyes scanned the forest ahead.Ava had been there just moments ago.“She was right in front of us. She couldn’t have gone far” Mira said.Jack moved beside her now, lowering his voice further.“She’s trained,” he said. Mira’s jaw tightened slightly.They moved forward again, slower this time, more cautious. Every step was deliberate, careful not to make unnecessary noise. The forest floor crunched softly beneath their boots, but they kept their movements quiet.“She’s definitely trying her best to find their camp,” she added.Jack exhaled softly.“If she succeeds…”Mira didn’t let him finish.“She’ll report back to Seraphina, and she won’t wait”she said.Jack’s jaw tightened.Mira’s steps slowed again, her mind racing.“If Seraphina finds Skye before the duel then it won't be good” she whispered.“It’s over,” Jack said.“Not just for Skye, for all of us” Mira added.Jack looked at her because they both knew what that meant.Mira clench
The night had settled thick around Blackwood mansion. Desmond leaned against the marble railing, swirling the wine in his glass. Beside him, Seraphina stood gracefully, her hand resting lightly over the subtle curve of her belly. Her other hand held a fragile crystal glass filled with water instea
The dense forest seemed endless as Becca, Eugene, Max, and Mira walked through the thick underbrush, the path barely visible beneath a blanket of fallen leaves. It had taken hours to reach this place, but the closer they got, the more Becca felt a sense of anticipation building inside her. She pa
The tension pressed its weight onto the forest like a heavy, silent blanket. The trees were blackened silhouettes against a moon faintly obscured by clouds, and the wind whispered through the branches. Every rustle of leaves sounded like a footstep, every snap of a twig set nerves on edge.Eugene
The morning sun barely pierced the windows of the tracking post where Jack stumbled through the door, leaning heavily on one of his men. Every step sent a jolt of pain through his bruised ribs and torn shoulder, and his face was smeared with dirt, blood, and sweat. Behind him, the other trackers







