ZAHRA-ROSEHours later, my eyes still couldnât leave the clock, ticking away like a cruel reminder of how little time we had left. Every second dragged me deeper into the storm raging in my chest. My family was here. My mother. My sisters.I should feel relieved. I should be happy. But until I see them safe and back to our pack, until I can hold them in my arms, happiness will remain out of reach.âHe will be here soon,â Felicia murmured at my side, trying to reassure me. But nothing could soothe the unease clawing at my insides. Not until I knew what was happening out there right now.Yes, the full moon was still five hours away, but minutes were enough to change everything. What if they moved my family? What if they vanished into another side of the human realm?Fear chewed at me, because all I wanted was to march into their fort and drag my family out myself. Was that too much to ask?âWhat about the girl? Is she still here?â I asked, glancing at Felicia.She shook her head. âShe c
ALPHA ASHVINHolding her as she cried against my shoulder was exactly what I expected. Zahra-Rose tried to be strong with added Luna-strength but losing oneâs family is a wound even the fiercest wolf cannot endure alone.âHow did you know?â Her voice was muffled against my shirt, her tears dripping hot against my neck as she sniffled hard.Running my hand slowly along her back, I breathed in her scent. Moonfire and earth. She belonged here, in my arms, and for once, the bond wasnât the only reason I wanted her close.When I didnât answer right away, she lifted her head, her eyes red-rimmed but sharp, searching. That pain that clung to her gaze squeezed something inside me so tight it almost stole my breath. This wasnât just the mate-bond tugging me, it was something deeper. Something that I never wanted to see her break.She stepped back, refusing to meet my eyes. She slammed her walls up so quickly I couldnât hear her thoughts through the bond anymore.âShe will open up when she wan
ZAHRA-ROSEMy eyes snapped open, the morning sun streaming through the window in warm golden streaks. I rubbed my eyes, trying to piece together where I was and how I ended up in a bed instead of the ground or a cell.âYouâre finally awake.âThe cold bite of his voice shattered the silence in the room. My head whipped toward the sound, my heart wobbling in my chest.Ashvin sat in a chair in the far corner, a cup in his hand. His bright blue eyes looked shadowed, the lines beneath them deeper than I remembered. Had he stayed there all night, watching me?Eira gave a restless growl in the back of my mind, ready to push forward. I shoved her down. I needed this morning to think, to just exist, without my wolf crowding my thoughts.My mind felt foggy, memories dull. The only thing I knew for sure was that I was still in the human realm andâŠ..Oh.It came back to me in sharp flashes, enough to make my stomach twist.I ran my hands over my face, my body tensing as my gaze locked on him aga
ASHVIN đđđĄđ„đđšThe rest of them slowly filtered out, leaving just the two of us in the small living room. Silence settled like a fog, thick and tense. My feet moved restlessly as I paced, my wolf Zen snarling beneath my skin. All I could think about was grabbing her by the shoulders and shaking some sense into her, shaking her until she understood the gravity of what she had done.Coming here. Alone. Unprotected.Did she forget sheâs the Luna of one of the most powerful packs in the North? Did she think no one would notice the energy that bled from her, raw, divine, unmistakably Alpha-blooded?âFunny,â she snapped, folding her arms across her chest. âI could ask you the same thing.âHer glare was sharp as a dagger, but if she truly knew the storm she had unleashed just by stepping into that club, she wouldnât be looking at me like I was the problem.Zen growled in my head, a low rumble of frustration.âYouâre the one who left the pack for a week, Ashvin. Donât forget that.âYeah
He didnât answer at first. It was clear Ashvin had warned him not to speak if anyone asked, but I wasnât just anyone, and he knew that.âYou see how everything is falling apart? Youâre supposed to lead the pack in his absence, and yet you canât do a thing,â I said, frustration burning in my voice.Kaiâs eyes darkened. âNot when Luna Verena wants to control everything.âOf course.It was about that woman trying to claim the mantle of Alpha and Lord of the pack. It was pathetic, especially since the true Alpha was very much alive.âI donât know what twisted game theyâre playing, but I refuse to let my pack be caught in it. So where is Ashvin?â I pressed, refusing to accept silence this time.He hesitated, then opened his mouth, but before he spoke, it hit me. I knew exactly where Ashvin would be.I remembered the day of the incident, the last place I saw him, the Human realm.âIt canât be, right?â I asked Kai.He didnât answer, but the look in his eyes said it all.âThe pack is fracturi
ZAHRA-ROSEEven after two days, I refused to leave my room. It felt safer there. Somehow, I felt better not seeing anyoneâs face all day, except the packâs chef who brought me food.I was still haunted by the image of that manâs face, twisted in death. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw him hanging. I felt like I had betrayed him a thousand times over.A choking sound escaped my throat, and I tried to stifle it, desperate to quiet the storm of pain inside me.âYou didnât know he was going to kill him,â Eira said softly, her voice like a gentle balm, her way of comforting me. But her words barely touched the weight pressing on my chest.âBut he was angry with me. I can feel it. And thatâs why he did what he did,â I whispered. It was the truth I couldnât deny.Deep in my mind, I knew I had done something wrong. Had he sensed Asaelâs kiss? That couldnât be true.âIâm tired of you sulking, Zahra. Get up. We need to get out of this room,â Eira urged, pacing restlessly. She tried to convinc