Jerryโs POVI woke up at 4 a.m. The sky outside was still dark and quiet. My body moved through its routine without thoughtโwake up, hit the gym, spar with one of the warriors. Then breakfast. Then the office. I had to process payroll before the banks opened. Running a pack isnโt for the faint of heart.My lovely mate was still sleeping. She enjoys her mornings slow, and Iโm okay with that. Jeremy, on the other hand, was also asleep, and that I wasnโt okay with. He should be up with me, getting his discipline set. Instead, he was still floating in the honeymoon phase with his new mate.A gamma is not a bad match for an alpha. But he gave up a beta-blooded female with high priestess potential. Fated mate or not, he made a political mistake. That kind of bond could have brought strength to the packโespecially with these demon attacks getting worse.My own fated mate died in a rogue attack before we had a chance to mate. I chose another, Jeremyโs mother. Chosen mates are just as good, s
Aresโ POVโCome on, Snow. You gotta get up,โ I muttered to my sister, nudging her lightly. Two days. Sheโd slept for two whole days. Again. And I was over it.A groan came from the bed. I let out a breath. Well, that was better than the coma-like state sheโd been in before.โStop being a sleepyhead. I need you to wake up. We all need you,โ I said, softer this time.The door creaked open behind me. โHas she moved or said anything?โ Alpha Rhett asked.I didnโt even bother to hide my eye-roll. I didnโt care what anyone saidโit was obvious he cared for her way more than any normal pack member. What Alpha spend two days straight sitting in someoneโs hospital room?โShe groaned,โ I replied.โYou should take a break. Iโm hereโIโll watch over her.โDidnโt sound like I had a choice.โSure. Iโll go get something to eat. Thanks,โ I said, getting up.I stepped out of the room but didnโt walk away. I lingered by the small hallway window, peeking through the gaps in the blinds. I watched as Alpha
Aureliaโs POVLight. Bright, blinding light.I blinked once. Twice. A million times.It took me a while to adjust to my surroundings. The hum of machines. Distant voices. A window overlooking a beautiful stretch of forest. I was in the packโs hospital.โWe donโt need a hospital. We can heal ourselves. We were just sleeping it off.โWaitโwho was that? โAre you serious? Alba, hello?!โMy wolf. My wolf!โYes, you do. And youโre lucky, human, to be soul-bound with me.โโAlba! How are we even talking? Do I just... think at you?โโYes. Like weโre doing now.โI felt sore. โHow long have we been in this bed?โโA couple of days, I think.โThis wasnโt the first time Iโd overslept something major.โYour bodyโs adjusting. A new wolf, me, and a strong one at that. Beautiful, too. Plus, your goddess-given power.โโHold up. How do you know youโre powerful and beautiful? And... power?โโI can feel it. And yes, your magic. But first, letโs go for a run.โโLet me get up first, then weโll see about
Aureliaโs POVAs we ran through the forest, feeling the wind rush past us and the soft earth and fine grass under our paws, I felt free, truly, deeply free.Then I heard a shuffle in the bushes. My ears perked up; my body tensed. A rogue? A demon? I scanned the trees.Something large moved to my right, a blur in the corner of my vision. I spun around, but it vanished. Then, behind me. My heart pounded.And thenโฆโScared?โ A voice asked in my mind, but it wasnโt Albaโs.โNo. Weโre waiting for you to stop your prank and show yourself,โ Alba said sharply.โHere I am.โFrom the shadows, a massive black wolf emerged, Alpha Rhettโs wolf.โAlpha, it is nice to meet you. I am Alba,โ my wolf greeted.โI am Rhys,โ he replied. So that was his name, Rhys. His wolf.โIs this your first run?โโYes. The attack left no time to explore. But here we are, finally enjoying this beautiful place.โโLet me not hold you back then.โWe dipped our heads in acknowledgment and took off again. I noticed Rhys fall
Aureliaโs POVEvening brought our usual routine: dinner, cards, then stargazing on the porch with warm tea. It was comforting and predictable. Mom, Brandon, and I had settled into it like clockwork. Alpha Rhett used to join us often, especially after night training, but ever since Ares came to visit, his appearances had slowed.Tonight, the chair he usually took remained empty.And I felt it.โCards?โ Brandon offered, shuffling the deck.โIโll skip tonight,โ I said, rising too quickly. My skin itched with something I couldnโt nameโanxious energy that refused to settle. There was a hollowness in my chest, and at the same time, a strange pulling sensation, like somethingโor someoneโwas missing.Alba, what is this?I donโt know, she answered softly. But I feel it too. A restlessness. Like our soul is searching for something it already knows.That night, I tossed and turned, lost in icy dreamsโblizzards roaring through endless mountains, frost curling across stone like veins, a deep hum
Life in the Ravenclaw Pack was perfect. As a junior in high school, captain of the cheerleading squad, and dating my one true love, Jeremy Philingsโthe football teamโs captain and future alphaโI had everything I ever wanted. We were just waiting for his eighteenth birthday to confirm what we already knew: we were destined to be mates. His big day couldnโt come soon enough.โHey gorgeous, ready for tonight?โ Melissa, my best friend and vice-captain of the squad, asked, practically bouncing with excitement. Tonight was prom, and I had been dreaming about it forever.โYou know I am. Come over, and weโll get ready together.โShe grinned. โI canโt wait for you to see my dress!โI pulled into the driveway, eager to rush inside. โMom! Iโm home!โโIn the kitchen, darling,โ she called back. โYour dress is almost ready. Go shower first.โโThanks, Mom. Youโre the best.โโHey, Snow, ready for another dull night of dancing?โ my brother, Ares, teased from the couch. He was charming, cocky, and the
I woke in the dead of night, my body still warm from the kiss Jeremy had left on my lips. The night had been perfectโfilled with laughter, dancing, the promise of something more. I could still feel the weight of the tiara resting atop my head, the sensation of being queen lingering in my skin. But as I closed my eyes again, sleep didnโt come easily.Instead, I found myself pulled into a dream.It began with the feeling of coldโa chill so sharp it cut through the air, creeping into my bones. The world around me was blanketed in white, an endless sea of snow stretching out in every direction. There was no warmth, no sounds, no lifeโjust me and the snow. The wind howled, but strangely, I wasnโt cold. Not even a little.In fact, I felt more alive than Iโd ever felt before.The snowflakes danced around me, swirling like delicate bits of glass, each one unique in its intricate design. They didnโt touch me, didnโt melt, but hovered near my skin like they were waiting for something. The silen
The party was in full swing. Music pulsed from the speakers, and the air was thick with the heat of late spring, mixing with the energy of excitement and laughter. It was Jeremyโs 18th birthday, the moment we had all been waiting for, the turning point of his lifeโand mine. The clock was ticking down, each second feeling like an eternity.I could feel it in the air, the electricity, the way the night hummed with the tension of what was about to happen. My eyes kept flicking back to Jeremy, standing in the middle of the room, the birthday boy, surrounded by our friends and pack members. He was perfect. Tall, broad-shouldered, his dark hair styled just right. The way he smiled at me from across the room made my heart flutter. Everything was coming together.I couldnโt help but glance down at my dressโa short, sleek black halter with intricate embroidery tracing the front. The fabric hugged my figure in all the right places, and the subtle shimmer under the party lights made me feel a li
Aureliaโs POVEvening brought our usual routine: dinner, cards, then stargazing on the porch with warm tea. It was comforting and predictable. Mom, Brandon, and I had settled into it like clockwork. Alpha Rhett used to join us often, especially after night training, but ever since Ares came to visit, his appearances had slowed.Tonight, the chair he usually took remained empty.And I felt it.โCards?โ Brandon offered, shuffling the deck.โIโll skip tonight,โ I said, rising too quickly. My skin itched with something I couldnโt nameโanxious energy that refused to settle. There was a hollowness in my chest, and at the same time, a strange pulling sensation, like somethingโor someoneโwas missing.Alba, what is this?I donโt know, she answered softly. But I feel it too. A restlessness. Like our soul is searching for something it already knows.That night, I tossed and turned, lost in icy dreamsโblizzards roaring through endless mountains, frost curling across stone like veins, a deep hum
Aureliaโs POVAs we ran through the forest, feeling the wind rush past us and the soft earth and fine grass under our paws, I felt free, truly, deeply free.Then I heard a shuffle in the bushes. My ears perked up; my body tensed. A rogue? A demon? I scanned the trees.Something large moved to my right, a blur in the corner of my vision. I spun around, but it vanished. Then, behind me. My heart pounded.And thenโฆโScared?โ A voice asked in my mind, but it wasnโt Albaโs.โNo. Weโre waiting for you to stop your prank and show yourself,โ Alba said sharply.โHere I am.โFrom the shadows, a massive black wolf emerged, Alpha Rhettโs wolf.โAlpha, it is nice to meet you. I am Alba,โ my wolf greeted.โI am Rhys,โ he replied. So that was his name, Rhys. His wolf.โIs this your first run?โโYes. The attack left no time to explore. But here we are, finally enjoying this beautiful place.โโLet me not hold you back then.โWe dipped our heads in acknowledgment and took off again. I noticed Rhys fall
Aureliaโs POVLight. Bright, blinding light.I blinked once. Twice. A million times.It took me a while to adjust to my surroundings. The hum of machines. Distant voices. A window overlooking a beautiful stretch of forest. I was in the packโs hospital.โWe donโt need a hospital. We can heal ourselves. We were just sleeping it off.โWaitโwho was that? โAre you serious? Alba, hello?!โMy wolf. My wolf!โYes, you do. And youโre lucky, human, to be soul-bound with me.โโAlba! How are we even talking? Do I just... think at you?โโYes. Like weโre doing now.โI felt sore. โHow long have we been in this bed?โโA couple of days, I think.โThis wasnโt the first time Iโd overslept something major.โYour bodyโs adjusting. A new wolf, me, and a strong one at that. Beautiful, too. Plus, your goddess-given power.โโHold up. How do you know youโre powerful and beautiful? And... power?โโI can feel it. And yes, your magic. But first, letโs go for a run.โโLet me get up first, then weโll see about
Aresโ POVโCome on, Snow. You gotta get up,โ I muttered to my sister, nudging her lightly. Two days. Sheโd slept for two whole days. Again. And I was over it.A groan came from the bed. I let out a breath. Well, that was better than the coma-like state sheโd been in before.โStop being a sleepyhead. I need you to wake up. We all need you,โ I said, softer this time.The door creaked open behind me. โHas she moved or said anything?โ Alpha Rhett asked.I didnโt even bother to hide my eye-roll. I didnโt care what anyone saidโit was obvious he cared for her way more than any normal pack member. What Alpha spend two days straight sitting in someoneโs hospital room?โShe groaned,โ I replied.โYou should take a break. Iโm hereโIโll watch over her.โDidnโt sound like I had a choice.โSure. Iโll go get something to eat. Thanks,โ I said, getting up.I stepped out of the room but didnโt walk away. I lingered by the small hallway window, peeking through the gaps in the blinds. I watched as Alpha
Jerryโs POVI woke up at 4 a.m. The sky outside was still dark and quiet. My body moved through its routine without thoughtโwake up, hit the gym, spar with one of the warriors. Then breakfast. Then the office. I had to process payroll before the banks opened. Running a pack isnโt for the faint of heart.My lovely mate was still sleeping. She enjoys her mornings slow, and Iโm okay with that. Jeremy, on the other hand, was also asleep, and that I wasnโt okay with. He should be up with me, getting his discipline set. Instead, he was still floating in the honeymoon phase with his new mate.A gamma is not a bad match for an alpha. But he gave up a beta-blooded female with high priestess potential. Fated mate or not, he made a political mistake. That kind of bond could have brought strength to the packโespecially with these demon attacks getting worse.My own fated mate died in a rogue attack before we had a chance to mate. I chose another, Jeremyโs mother. Chosen mates are just as good, s
"Hi," I said timidly.She stood before me, tall, radiant, cloaked in fur as white as snow with eyes like garnets, glowing from within. My wolf. She was... like me."I have been waiting for this moment," she said. Her voice was regal, calm, and ancient. "I am Alba, descendant of the goddess Kheimon, first of my kind. High Priestess of Winter.""Is that who we are?" I asked, my voice trembling with awe. "High Priestess of Winter?""Yes, young one. That is who we are. Do you not feel our power?""I do," I whispered. "I felt it... when we attacked the demon."Only then did I look around us. We stood in what looked like the middle of a frozen ocean. Ice stretched in every direction, flawless and glistening, with no land in sight. Above us, the sky was glowing with soft, golden light, ethereal, energizing. Peaceful. Magical."Yes, we wounded that demon," she said."I thought we killed it. It turned to smoke after our attack.""To kill a demon requires more than drawing its blood," she said
The demon's grip tightened. The pressure was excruciating. I could not move, and I could not fill my lungs with air anymore.My ribs cracked, at least one of them did. I couldn't scream. Couldnโt move. The heat scorched through me, blistering my skin. I was suffocating, burning, and breaking.This is it, I thought.This is how I die.But just as the world began to fade into nothingnessI heard her.A voice. Fierce. Wild. Mine but not mine.โYou will not kill us.โA sharp pain tore through my chest, not from the demon, but from within. It was like lightning cracked open my soul. My head snapped back, eyes wide, and my whole body exploded with a blinding white light.The demon howled.Frost spread across its hand and arm. The cold energized me; it was me as another surge came through my body.All the frustration, the weakness, the fear, it all exploded and dissipated in an explosion. As the demonโs hand shattered into a million pieces. It roared in agony. I fell hard onto the stone ste
POV: AureliaI woke up feeling strangely rested, as if the chaos of yesterday hadnโt left its mark. But it had. A warrior from another pack had been murdered inside our borders, and his chest was carved open, a demon mark left behind. And last night, I dreamt again.No, not a dream.The demon spoke to me.It felt too vivid, too real. Like it was no longer bound to the other side but slipping into this worldโฆ into mine.And then Rhett showed up. Like a knight in dark armor, he held me through the night. Iโd fallen asleep in his arms and somehow ended up in my bed this morning. Ares was home. So was Mom, if the smell of bacon coming from the kitchen was anything to go by.Today, I needed normalcy.Breakfast with the family. Morning practice. After training, I went home, worked on some new jewelry, then walked to Market Street to drop them off at one of the shops that sold my work. I even considered expanding and maybe start selling online or even in human markets. Crazy, right?The sun d
POV: RhettI woke before dawn, a hum of unease crawling beneath my skin. It wasnโt the usual stress of leadership or the weight of politics pressing down on me. No, this was different. This was dread.I didnโt even make it to the war room before Brandon intercepted me in the hallway. His face was pale, his jaw clenched.โItโs Jonas,โ he said.Jonas, the emissary from Crescent Ridge. Sharp. Steady. Loyal to the cause, if not to me.โWhere?โโBehind the barracks. Youโll want to see this.โWe moved through the thick morning mist in silence. The compound was quiet, save for the distant cry of a crow. One for death. Two for trouble. I remembered my grandmother saying that once.Jonas lay in the clearing, and one look told me everything.Not just murder. Ritual.His chest had been carved open with sickening precision. Symbols burned into his flesh pulsed faintlyโdemonic, like the ones Aurelia had described. There was no blood. No sign of a struggle. As if heโd gone willingly.Or been taken i