Reya’s POVThe war room was heavy with unspoken facts. Shadows covered the faces of the council members, most frowning, some glaring with rage; they didn't believe I could lead, especially not now. Look into my eyes, though; they would detect the fire burning inside me. With the weight of what I was about to do, my heart pounding, I walked forward, voice even in spite of the storm raging within."I've made my decision," I started, eyes fixing on Alpha Tristan and the Lycan King Xander who stood side by side, united in goal but wary of the aftermath. "I will lead our forces." I will confront Dexter. Not because I want to, but because I must. My children, our future depends on it.Around the room, murmurs started. Some elders nodded their heads, undoubtedly uneasy with my statement. Knowing I was serious, others gave suspicious stares.At last, the Lycan King Xander shattered the quiet. "Reya, this is treacherous." You're asking us to follow a woman who still carries her past, her angui
Reya’s POVThick, heavy with the scent of imminent combat, the air hung. Dread, anger, something darker—something that caused my skin to crawl, I could feel it crawling even in the quiet hours of the night. This was not merely a threat. It was a siege.The data had arrived too quickly, too suddenly. The message from a scout: Dexter was back, a thread pulled free from the disorder starting now unraveling. And this time he was stronger, more intelligent, with an army that defied everything I deemed conceivable.I gazed at maps, documents, and the faces of pack leaders huddled in tight silence at the perimeter of the war room. My hands tightened into fists as I heard the words that depicted the impending horror.Lydia said softly, voice serious, "He's got hybrids now." More powerful. Faster. more deadly. This is no longer only packs fighting among themselves. We are discussing a force able of shredding defenses like paper.I shuddered. One thing was Dexter's insanity; this was something
Reya’s POVThe night was still except for the soft breezes sweeping the trees outside the room. I had come here looking for sanctuary, a way away from the turmoil, the memories, the treachery. However, shadows danced along the walls at this time, and the air between Tristan and I throb with a menacing energy I could not disregard.His voice shattered the calm. "You're pulling yourself back into the fire, Reya. Do you know that?I remained silent and stared at the flickering candle. I clenched my hands. I wasn't sure if I was shaking from the cold or anything else entirely."Look at me," he said softly but strongly. He got closer, towering over me when I hesitated. “You're still afraid, aren't you? You're still afraid of what we are. Of what I am, after all of this.”I wanted to lash out, to remind him of all the broken promises, all the nights I spent running from the shadows of what we’d become. Part of me, an older, weaker part longed to recall what it felt like when his touch was t
Tristian’s POVI had not slept. not essentially. Dawn piercing the horizon caused my thoughts to whirl in a maelstrom of remorse, rage, and sadness. The evening had passed in a fog of restless pacing, watching the shadows move as though they knew what was about to be lost.The weight pressing against my chest was almost too much to bear. Not just the looming threat of war, or the unrest stirring beneath my own roof. But something much darker something that broke the delicate thread I held between faithfulness and treason.Then it hit like a punch in the stomach.Breathless and trembling, the messenger's frantic arrival jolted me out of my restless sleep. My heart pounded as my eyes devoured the bloodstained scroll he held with trembling hands.Isaac. My Beta. My brother – in .He had never hesitated. Never even hesitated. Until now.Swiftly, I unwrapped the scroll; terror grew within me. Burned into my eyes were the terms, an alleged abduction, a betrayal unfolding in the dead of dark
Reya’s POVThe cool night air cuts against my skin as I tread softly through the thick forest. A dim shine in the heavens, the moon shadows across Riverdale, the territory I formerly called home. Though tears are about to rise, I gulp them deep within. I have worked too hard to become the woman I am: strong, tough, and committed to settle the ghosts of my past.Years ago, haunted by memories I buried and wounds I declined to acknowledge, this is the place I ran from. But tonight, I have to face them. To at last confront the agony that has shaped my spirit is something I owe to both my children and myself.My childhood home sits silent, abandoned, ruined. Cracks permeate the formerly magnificent walls, and vines are infiltrating the broken windows. Heart pounding, I move closer. So much grief, so much loss is hidden inside these ruins.Fingers shaking as I follow the faded cracks, I sink onto the remains of the porch. This was the place I first realized love might break into bits, loya
Reya’s POVI sit alone in the little chamber that has been carved into the mountain's areas. Though the darkness is in the backdrop, I can only make out my own purpose. A constant hand tugs at my heart, prompting me of the obligation I have to keep.Blood smears down my veins, bearing the weight of the promise. Shivering and with closed eyes, I prepare myself to pledge blood oath for the benefit of my children.Those words are still swirling in my brain; never again.They will never be pawns again, ever.I will never see them going through the same agony once more.I vow to the darkness, my voice being shaky and scratchy in mood. I vow by myself and by the blood I bleed and the lives of my children, I vow…...I'll save them. I will protect them from coercion that has engulfed us over a protracted period, from manipulation, and from the threats of this country.They will be free. Free to choose their own destiny, free to be children…... not tools or pawns in a game they never understoo