Arina's POV "How could she see my future?" I asked my father, he smiled at me "She was a very powerful wolf." he said as he gently held my hand, "You look so much like your mother" he said a single tear falling from his eyes. Leonidas cleared his throat. "Let us get you set up in a room we shall reconvey after we rest," he said as he stood. We all stood and headed upstairs. As we walked up the stairs, I realized my father and my mate were under the same roof. I felt a wave of heat rush through me as Alexandre burst into laughter. I knew he had heard my thoughts. I looked over to my father who smirked at me. I felt my face flush as I realized he also knew. "Alexandre," my father spoke. Alexandre nodded at him and we all stopped in front of a room that I figured would be my father's "You know you are like a brother to me, but she is my daughter and the last thing I want to hear is the two of you, well you know" he said chuckling At that moment I wished I could disappear into thin air

Alexandre Pov The sounds of laughter filled the kitchen, something I hadn't heard for years. As I looked around I saw everyone gathered around enjoying the food that was served. "Good morning, nice to see you two here," my father said with a cheeky smile on his face. I nodded in acknowledgment as I pulled out the chair for Arina. Zeno stared at me with a look that suggested he had been well aware of what had just happened. Smirking at him across the table, I sat down. My father glanced between the two of us, his smile widening. He seemed to be enjoying the tense exchange between us. Arina, unaware of what was happening, thanked me for the gesture and took her seat. "Zeno, I hope you slept well," I said poking fun at him. I knew he was well aware of the pleasure I had given to his daughter last night and this morning but I couldn't help but throw it in his face. He scowled at me but I could see the hint of a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. I knew he was grateful for the w

Arina's POV The drive back was longer than I expected. What was only six hours felt like an eternity. We stopped just outside the pack border, the same place we had left that night. I chuckled at the memory thinking about how ironic this was to end up right back where I started. I looked up at the night sky and glanced at the moon. What had started as a journey of fear and uncertainty had ended up being an adventure of self-discovery. I realized that this journey had shown me the beauty of life. I also realized how, no matter how dark things may seem, there is always a light at the end of the tunnel. I was grateful for the experience and vowed to never take life for granted but I was also scared. I was scared of the things that were to come that I couldn't foresee. Alexandre was quiet the entire drive. I could tell he was lost in his own thoughts and from time to time I would notice his knuckles would turn white from his grip on the steering wheel, his face would contort in anger and

From Arina's POV Losing Aella hit everyone hard. Leonidas carried her limp body back to the car, his face contorted with anger and sadness. I could only think of Penelope. I knew this would break her heart. My father helped Leonidas place Aella in the car and the two drove away, leaving us standing in shock. We had all shed tears together, mourning the loss of our beloved Aella.Alexandre ordered a few warriors to stay behind and search the grounds while he walked me back to the car. The pain of losing someone so close to us was overwhelming. As we walked back, I could feel my heart breaking with every step. All I could think of was how Penelope would feel when she heard the news, and I couldn't help but start to cry. "Are you OK?" Alexandre asked, placing his hand on my shoulder. I shook my head and continued to cry, unable to find the words to express the pain I was feeling. I knew that this was only the beginning of a long road of grief. As we approached the car, I felt Zakara st

Alexandre's POV Watching my sister murdered before me was one of the hardest things I ever watched. I tried to get her but something kept me frozen in place. I couldn't look away as much as I wanted to "Long Live the Princess" Rick said as he dug his canines into Aella's neck. I saw tears falling from her eyes as I realized what he had just done. I saw when Zakara rushed forward at him and dropped Aella to the ground. It was at that moment that I could move and run after him. However, he quickly disappeared along with Eleni in a cloud of black smoke. Aella's beautiful eyes began to fade as my father ran towards her and held her close. "She has wolfsbane in her system, I am sorry," Zeno replied. Wolfsbane wasn't necessarily lethal to us lycans but there were so many different versions out there that we weren't sure which one was and wasn't. I watched as she took her last final breaths. My father's eyes widened with grief and he gently laid her down on the ground. He looked up at th