Drake POVI held my brother's wolf in my arms; his desperate cries of agony were gutting my insides. Kiera had rejected us. I felt her reject Chase, and now, compounded with River's rejection, my insides felt like lava was melting every part of my being. I wasn't sure we would survive a third rejection."Kiera, don't." I pleaded with her, pain enveloping my body. Our eyes locked into each other, and I bared my soul to her. She can't do this to us. "We can fix this, make it right. Just let me explain." My words were full of hopelessness, and her eyes held no concern for any of us. We betrayed her trust, lied to her, and used her. Kiera would never forgive any of us."There is nothing to fix. There is no right in this world anymore. Goodbye, Drake." She jutted her chin in the air to show confidence when she felt none. I knew my perfect little doll better than she would ever know, and I knew exactly what her following words would be."I beg you, Luna. Don't do this. I don't think we will

Kiera POV"Are you ok?" Becky asked for the hundredth time."I'm fine," I said through the pain. Three rejections in one day were too much for me. I tried to bury the agony, cracking my bones and ripping apart my muscles, but it was eating away at my soul. The look of all three brothers was etched in my brain. I crippled them, left them too weak to hold their own for days."We can go back. The South isn't going anywhere, Luna." Andy was now on my right side. "No, we can't go back," I said confidently. If I went back, I would never leave. My bond with them was too strong. The pain I felt was enough to make me give in. I knew if I accepted them, then all this would wash away, but then I would be bound to them forever."At least let one of us carry you." Andy pleaded with me. I was barely walking on my own. Each step felt like my tendons would tear apart. "I know you are all concerned. I'm fine, though. The rejection will pass, and we will be at our strongest again." I stopped walkin

Kiera POV"Be prepared for anything," Andy warned everyone as we officially crossed over from the North to the South. The landscape alone was vastly different, almost like a line drawn between rich and poor. In the North, despite lower privileged areas, basic needs were still met, ensuring a semblance of comfort. As we ventured into the South, the landscape shifted dramatically. The once lush grounds dried rapidly, devoid of any traces of snow or cold. Desolation stretched as far as the eye could see, with barren lands offering no hope for vegetation to thrive. Not a single animal roamed, and the absence of rain for weeks had left multiple villages in utter shambles.Along our journey, we conversed with many souls, extending offers of hope and peace in the distant lands of my former pack-house. Some greeted our words with reluctance, clinging fiercely to the only home they had ever known. Others viewed us with suspicion, branding our message as that of a cult and driving us away fro

Kiera POV"What is happening?" I rushed to Karen's side as she hollered on the floor."That disgusting Alpha did it again." Becky spat out, her hand gently brushing through Karen's hair."Did what?" I asked as tears left my eyes. Karen was in so much pain, and I had no idea how to stop it."Her Alpha is taking another." Elizabeth's fingers brushed over her mark."Marcus!" I growled out."Marcus? Is that Karen's mate? He was with Katherine." Elizabeth's eyes enlarged at the realization. Katherine was mating with Marcus. She knew all those marked by Marcus would feel this pain, and I'm sure she didn't care in the slightest. I knew more than ever I needed to let her go. "Reject him!" I demanded of Karen. Heat warming inside my skull."Your eyes!" Becky leaned away from me. "They are glowing."She's the one!" Whispers circled me, but I ignored them all."Karen!" I shouted her name, grabbing her face to look at me. "Reject him!" I ordered her."I... can't. It's hurts too much." She waile

Kiera POVThe night held an eerie presence, the ground lightly shrouded in fog and the half-crescent moon casting its mocking glow upon the world. As I continued through my garden, seeking lilacs to adorn my kitchen table, the delicate petals brushing against my fingers and filling the air with their powdery scent, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was amiss.As the gears of my mind began to spin, my senses heightened, trying to decipher the mysterious presence that had unsettled me. Suddenly, a figure emerged in the distance. Though his face was obscured, I recognized him instantly. A smile spread across my face, and my heart raced with anticipation. Without a second thought, my feet propelled me forward, moving faster than I had thought possible. He was alive, and he was here!"Chase!" I screamed out to him. He turned to me, a look of confusion on his face. My body lurched forward, and he caught me in his strong arms."Cherie! How are you here?" He asked in a low voice."W