July 1st Ella’s point of viewThat Sunday afternoon, Abi rung me. We were still best friends, and she only lived across the lake with Blair and their three kids, all of whom were angels compared to my hoard of hooligans. Although her relationship with Blair had been solid since day one, adjusting to life in the pack hadn’t been easy for her. This wasn’t how she’d imagined her life to be, and she’d had to make a lot of sacrifices along the way. After an accidental pregnancy in high school, she had to abandon hopes of college and move in with Blair years earlier than planned. With Blair busy working for Leo, she had to devote herself to raising her children, and even that brought challenges sometimes...“Leonardo,” I said, marching into my mate’s office, “I just got off the phone with Abi.”He looked up and leant back in his chair with a heavy sigh.&nbs

July 5thElla’s point of viewOn Wednesday morning, Cato came downstairs with a bounce in his step.“You’re in a good mood,” I said as he ate his toast.“I am?” he asked.“I haven’t seen you this happy before school since you were little. What’s going on? Should I be worried?”He just smiled and walked to the sink with his plate, a bounce in his step.I narrowed my eyes, “Straight home, remember?”“Of course, Mother.”I watched him head down the drive a few minutes later, practically skipping. Mathias was heading out after him, but I put my hand in front of him.“What’s up with Cato? And why aren’t you walking together?”“I don’t want to third wheel him and Jess,” Mathias said, “He walks her to school every day.”“Jess, as in Jessica Michaels?&rdqu

July 5thSkye’s point of view“… And they all lived happily ever after.”Pippa’s eyes had shut and her breath fell softly. She didn’t stir as I set the fairy tale book on the dresser and tucked her underneath the blankets. I swept the wisps of brunette locks off her forehead with the tip of my finger and placed a gentle kiss on her delicate skin.“Sweet dreams, my love,” I whispered before turning to the lamp by her bed.As I placed my hand on the switch, the photo frame on her nightstand caught my eye. It held a picture from a visit to the zoo years ago. Pippa was wedged between Max and me, our faces pushed together as we smiled widely into the camera. I lifted the frame and ran my fingers over the happy family smiling back at me.The little girl was my daughter, but the happy couple holding her were unrecognisable. They didn’t look like they spent the day hating each other.

July 6th Max’s point of view I rubbed my eyes and yawned. It was a quarter past midnight already, and I’d finished the Megestanis paperwork for the week. After switching off my computer and the lights downstairs, I headed to bed. After I creaked open my bedroom door, I found a figure already in my bed. Sleeping soundly in the soft blue hue of the moon was Skye. She hadn’t stepped inside this room for two weeks. Not since she moved her things into the spare room and refused to even share a bathroom with me. But there she was, asleep in my bed. She hadn’t stirred with my entrance. I could stand and admire her. She’d never know. In her white nightdress, she was an angel. With cherry lips and blushed cheeks, radiant skin and golden flowing locks. Everything was so perfect. I could find no faults in her. When I came out of the bathroom, she still lay there peacefully. So I slipped into the bed beside her and kissed her forehead.

August 20th – four months before Cato becomes AlphaElla’s point of viewOver the next few weeks, Cato was a different kid. Every morning, he was up at 6 am going out for a run or heading to the base for extra training. He refused to miss a single one of Leo’s meetings and they spent hours in the office together, Leo teaching him everything there was to know.Even when I was fulfilling my duties as Luna in the factions, he accompanied me. He helped build houses, hand out supplies, care for the frail and I even got him changing a few diapers. The kids in the villages adored him, of course. They gathered in hoards for a high five and to ask Cato countless questions about being Alpha. He answered each one with patience and honesty, no matter how wild or vague. And his stamina for playing mind-numbing games like duck-duck-goose and eye-spy was unspeakable. We didn’t get a single call from the police station or school.