Chapter 43The Dark SecretAxelI could feel it. The blood. The way it burned its way up from my chest and forced its way out through my mouth. I’d been coughing it up for days now, and with each violent hack, I knew, knew that I was running out of time.The antidote stopped working. Asher and Aiden had done everything they could to save me, even after I begged them not to. But there was no more hope left. The blood kept coming, a dark and gruesome reminder of what had been done to me. The poison was winning. And I, helpless, was fading.I heard the faint sound of Aiden’s footsteps outside the door as he paced back and forth. Asher, too, was here, his quiet desperation pushing him to every possible corner in the room, as if, looking for something or anything at all that could help. But there was no help left. No antidote. No Dr. Maverick. The man had disappeared without a trace several days ago, and the search had turned up nothing. Without a doubt, I knew that I was already a lost ca
Chapter 44ExposedAsher’s POVThe anger burning inside me was like a wildfire, spreading through every vein and fiber of my being. My fists were clenched so tight that my knuckles turned white, and I barely registered the pain of my nails digging into my palms. The moment we had rushed Axel to the hospital, barely conscious and coughing blood, I’d caught sight of our father’s face in the hallway. And his expression… it was empty, almost dismissive as if Axel’s condition was merely a mild inconvenience.I couldn’t take it any longer.After we had laid Axel in the hospital bed, with doctors bustling around him, trying their best but clearly uncertain of any solution, I’d gone straight to confront our father. This couldn’t go on, his cold indifference, the way he acted as if his own sons meant nothing to him. As I stormed through the hallways back to the house, my heart hammered with rage and grief.He was there, in his study, sitting in that overbearing armchair as if he were a king o
Chapter 45 A chance for survival Willow's POV I woke up to the now-familiar image of Axel in my dreams, the way he looked at me, pleading, as though his very life hung in the balance. It had been like this for days. In every dream, he appeared out of a mist, his hand reaching for mine, his face contorted in pain, his lips forming silent words, words I could never hear. His presence lingered even after I’d awakened, leaving me with a sense of urgency that I couldn’t shake.I sat up, trying to push his image from my mind as I began my morning routine. The dreams made no sense. Axel and the rest of the boys were not here, yet now he was haunting my sleep like some ghost refusing to be laid to rest. I wondered if this was some sign, a warning. The dream had refused to go, appearing every night without fail, almost like its only job had been to ruin every one of my attempts to sleep or rest.Just then, my phone buzzed on the lamp holder, pulling me back to reality. It was a message from
Chapter 46Drama ever afterWillow's POV After I had finished dressing up for my jog, I felt weak again, maybe it was because I had gotten up early, but the restless feeling from last night clung to me, like a shadow that wouldn’t dissipate. I couldn’t ignore the weight pressing on my chest, especially when I thought about Jason. He’d been close for so long, always there when I needed him, but something was gnawing at me. I decided that before I let this confusion overtake me, I’d talk to Ruby about it. She’d always been my sounding board, level-headed and perceptive, especially when my emotions muddied my perspective.Lina arrived earlier than usual, cheerful and full of energy, which my two little ones, Daniel and Ella, were all too eager to match. They bounced up and down excitedly, chattering and tugging on Lina’s sleeves. She scooped them up with a laugh and whisked them off to her room. It left the house wonderfully quiet and, for a brief moment, empty, giving me space to brea
Chapter 47Caught in a DistressAsher’s POVThe air in the house felt heavier today, thicker with each passing hour as Axel’s condition worsened. My mind raced, running over every possibility of how to fix it, how to get my brother back to health. I hated this, hated being trapped between my father’s twisted demands and Axel’s failing health. The idea that my father would only release the antidote if I brought him three children seemed like some cruel joke, but there was nothing funny about it. It was a game to him, a power play, and I was his pawn. I hated it so much, but that was sadly not enough to change the situation of things.I sat by Axel’s side in his room, watching him convulse on the bed again, blood staining the sheets beneath him, he had lost consciousness for over two days now. His face was pale, his body weak, and his breaths shallow. I could feel the panic starting to creep in, but I pushed it back. I had to remain strong. I was the eldest. I had to be the one who kept
Chapter 48Answering the mating callWillow's POVThe door slammed behind Kingston, the echo lingering in the air like a warning. Jason stood by the window, his posture tense and jaw clenched, as though he was ready to throw someone else out if need be. The room felt charged, as though an unspoken threat lingered in every corner. I watched as Kingston walked to his car, turning around severally with a puzzled look on his face. “What the hell was that about?” I finally asked, breaking the heavy silence. My voice sounded stronger than I felt, but I wasn’t going to let Jason’s mood intimidate me.Jason turned, his dark eyes meeting mine with a stormy intensity. “You need to stay away from him, Willow. All of you do.”Ruby, seated on the couch, raised an eyebrow. “And why’s that? He seemed creepy, sure, but what’s the big deal?”Jason’s lips pressed into a hard line. “He’s not a good person, that’s the big deal. Trust me on this one. A few years ago, I worked on a case where Kingston was
Chapter 49The journey Willow's POV The morning air was crisp, laced with the anticipation of what lay ahead. I’d been up before dawn, packing and repacking, my hands working mechanically, but my mind racing, tangled in the web of thoughts and memories I couldn’t seem to unravel. Today was the day I’d finally go back to the place I’d tried to leave behind, the place that held both the roots of my past and the scars that had shaped me.Ruby arrived promptly, a warm, familiar presence amid my nerves. She held a steady gaze as she gave me a reassuring smile. “You ready for this, Willow?”“As ready as I’ll ever be,” I replied, trying to summon some confidence. She put a hand on my shoulder. “Just… be careful, okay? You’ve got people here who need you.” Her gaze softened as she glanced towards the stairs, where the kids were getting dressed for school.I nodded, swallowing down the knot in my throat. “I’ll be careful. And I’ll check in often, I promise. You know, I have to make sure tha
Chapter 50The Unimaginable Asher's POVThe machines in Axel’s hospital room were the only sound breaking the silence, their rhythmic beeps both comforting and tormenting. My brother's body was still, his pale skin a sharp contrast to the stark white sheets covering him. His lips had taken on a bluish tint, a haunting reminder that time was slipping through my fingers. I sat beside him, gripping his hand, though he didn’t respond. His chest rose and fell faintly, each shallow breath like a whisper of life refusing to give up. “You can’t die on me,” I said softly, my voice trembling. “You hear me? You don’t get to give up. I’ll fix this. Just hold on a little longer.” The weight of my words was suffocating. I wasn’t sure if I was reassuring Axel or myself. The sight of him like this, a shell of the strong, stubborn brother I’d always known was unbearable. I wished I had stopped us from going out that night, but I knew that without us, those kids might have faced a fate worse th
Willow’s POVIt’s been three years.Three years since the war. Three years since everything changed, and yet, in so many ways, everything feels the same. The palace is quieter now, though it’s never quite still. Life has moved on, unfolding, healing, and growing. The scars remain, but they’re faded, tucked away beneath the surface, just enough to remind us of what we’ve lost, but not so much that we can’t continue on. The pack has grown. It has become something new, something more, something better, despite everything. The bonds between us are unbreakable, forged in blood and fire, and we’ve rebuilt what we once thought was lost forever. Ruby’s presence in our lives has been a blessing in more ways than one. She’s become family in every sense of the word, not just my closest friend but a sister, someone I never knew I needed until she came into my life. And, of course, the triplets. My mates, my husbands.Aiden, Asher, and Axel. My heart still swells when I look at them, not just be
Willow’s POVThe cold, numbing silence enveloped me as I opened my eyes. I didn’t know what I expected, but it certainly wasn’t this. The last thing I remembered was the sharp pain from the knife, Alpha Thane’s knife. It had been a slow, agonizing descent into darkness, and now I was here, wherever here was.I was in a place that felt… unreal, ethereal even. The air was thick, heavy with an otherworldly presence, and a silver glow bathed everything. The landscape stretched out before me, a vast expanse that seemed to pulse with life, as though the very earth beneath me was alive. The ground was soft, almost liquid, but solid at the same time, and above me, a sky that wasn’t quite like any sky I had seen before—a sky of endless moons, their pale light shimmering like ghosts.And then, I saw her.My heart skipped a beat, a wave of dread and sorrow washing over me as I locked eyes with my mother. She stood there, her back straight, her expression unreadable. The sight of her should have
Alpha Thane’s POVThe cold stone walls of the palace felt more suffocating than ever as I stood in the center of the room, panting, my chest heaving with exhaustion. The world around me seemed to blur, my senses dulled by the toll of the battle and the relentless power I had been channeling. I had tried everything, spells, dark magic, fire, anything I could use to subdue her. But none of it had worked. Willow was too strong now. Stronger than I had ever anticipated. And with every passing moment, I felt my grip on this palace, on my empire, slipping away.I had become too reliant on my power. The souls I had taken, the spells I had cast, nothing seemed to matter anymore. She was the one I had underestimated. She had grown and changed in ways that even I couldn’t fathom, and now, I was standing here, helpless. The Moon Goddess had chosen her, and no matter what I tried, I couldn’t stop it.She was coming for me. And she would not stop until she had destroyed me.I glanced around, panic
Willow’s POVThe scent of smoke and burning flesh clung to the air, mingling with the sound of clashing swords and furious roars. The battle was in full swing, a violent symphony of growls screams, and the crackle of magic. I could hear the howl of the Lycans, the battle cries of Ruby’s warriors, and the sharp clang of steel against steel. My heart hammered in my chest, adrenaline pumping through my veins, but my focus was absolute. This was us, fighting side by side to defend the world that we knew. The world that we had.The palace, once a symbol of power and dominance, had become a battlefield, a crumbling monument to everything my father had built. It was the final confrontation, the culmination of everything I’d been through. I was here, surrounded by those who fought for me, Lycans, Moon Descendants, and Ruby’s warriors. They fought beside me, united in our shared purpose: the fall of Alpha Thane.But this was not just their fight. This was mine, I needed to give those who had b
Axel’s POVI sat in the cold, dark cell, my eyes staring at the rusted bars. The sound of dripping water echoed from somewhere far in the distance. It has become a constant in the background of my life now. A sound I could never escape as if time itself was slowly draining away. Asher and Aiden were sitting on the other side of the room, their backs against the stone wall, their faces unreadable. But I knew the truth, I could feel it. Their hope had been drained, just like mine. We’d been broken and shattered, and it seemed like there was nothing left to hold onto. Everything had fallen apart. “Axel, we’ve tried everything,” Asher’s voice was hollow like he was speaking from the depths of a grave. He had given up. “We can’t keep fighting. We can’t keep pretending like we have a chance.” I clenched my fists, my teeth gritting together. It was the same speech every day, every night. We couldn’t fight back anymore, couldn’t do anything but sit here and wait for our death. But I refuse
Willow’s POVIt was a small, simple thing, a phone lying on the stone floor of the room... I hadn’t expected to find it, but there it was, tucked behind a pile of sheets, like some forgotten relic. My fingers trembled as I picked it up, feeling the weight of it, the symbol of the connection to the outside world. A lifeline. The voice of a friend, a reminder that not everything in my life had been consumed by darkness. I didn’t hesitate. With trembling hands, I unlocked it, hoping for some miracle, some ounce of luck. I had been so alone in this journey, carrying Daniel and Ella, preparing for war, and trying to keep us all alive. I needed to hear a familiar voice. I needed someone who could remind me of who I was. And there, on the other side, was Ruby. Her voice crackled through the receiver, but I could hear the relief in it. “Willow? Is that really you?” Ruby’s voice, full of emotion, broke through my heart. I could hear her relief mixed with something else, concern. “Where h
Asher’s POVI can still hear the sound of Kingston’s last breath echoing in my ears, the image of his crumpled body burned into my mind. It doesn’t matter how many times I close my eyes, I can still see it, him, falling to the floor in a heap, hollowed out by the man who should have been protecting him. Our father, drained the life from him like it was nothing. I had stood there, helpless, unable to do a damn thing to stop it. And now Lina was gone too. Her throat slit open by Elana’s cold, unfeeling hand. It all happened so quickly, a blur of rage, grief, and terror. I hadn’t even been able to scream out her name before it was over. Just like that, she was gone, and we were left standing in the rubble of our broken lives, pieces of ourselves scattered around us. The grief cuts deep, but there’s no time to wallow in it. Not anymore. Since the day our father took Willow, we haven’t heard a single word from her. No cries, no screams, no messages of distress. Nothing. I don’t know w
Willow's POVThe first day of training hit me like a storm, relentless and unforgiving. I had expected something rigorous, after all, this was no ordinary training. But nothing could have prepared me for the intensity that awaited. The training was unlike anything I had ever experienced. It wasn’t just physical; it was emotional, spiritual, and mental. Lina had taught me to control my powers, but this... this was different. This wasn’t about managing fire or controlling my strength. It was about awakening something deep within me, something I didn’t even know existed. My uncle, Alpha Enoch, had been kind but firm. He didn’t waste time with pleasantries. Every lesson was a trial. We started with the basics, or what I thought were basics. Meditation to connect with my inner wolf. Breath control. Centering myself in the moment. But as the hours dragged on, I realized that my uncle’s version of training was about pushing the boundaries of my abilities, demanding more from me than I th
Willow's POVThe morning sun filtered softly through the curtains, casting a warm golden glow across the room. I sat up slowly, the remnants of the night’s exhaustion still pulling at my bones. My mind raced with the fragments of memories, moments that I had yet to fully comprehend. Where was I? How had I ended up here? The last thing I clearly remembered was collapsing in the desert, Daniel and Ella in my arms. I’d feared the worst, but here I was, alive. And they were safe, at least, that was what the woman had assured me. The same woman who had brought me to this strange, serene room. I didn’t know what to believe anymore, who to trust, or what the world had in store for me. Everything seemed to be moving too fast, too suddenly. I had no idea what was happening, but it felt like I was caught in a whirlwind of destiny, one that I hadn’t asked for.A knock on the door broke my reverie. I glanced up. The woman from last night stood there, her expression calm as ever. “Good morning