All Chapters of BOUND BY FATE, TORN BY CHOICES : Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

AVA The roar of the speedboats echoed across the vast ocean as we skimmed across the waves toward the larger vessel ahead. The sea spray cooled my skin, but it did nothing to settle the unease in my chest. Celeste’s gaze remained fixed on Derek, her interest in him blatantly obvious.Her own mate wasn’t pleased. A low, warning growl rumbled from his chest, a clear show of disapproval, but she seemed to enjoy provoking him. It was as if his possessiveness only amused her. Derek, however, paid her no attention. His focus was locked on the horizon, where the deep blue waters stretched endlessly beneath the afternoon sky. Seth, handling our boat with practiced ease, said nothing, while Vee piloted the second speedboat nearby.Why would the council align themselves with someone like Celeste? She exuded arrogance, a self-assuredness that felt more like entitlement. If I were to be blunt, she was insufferable.The journey between boats barely lasted five minutes before we reached the toweri

DEREK"I can’t shake the feeling that she thinks I don’t want her—but I do. For years, I longed for my mate, praying endlessly and shedding tears each time another year passed without my first shift. Being a late bloomer terrified me. There was a time I truly believed I wouldn’t be granted a mate at all. So when it finally happened, I was beyond thrilled. But then, disappointment followed just as quickly. I had expected her to be strong, powerful… but instead, she was weak.I suppose that wasn’t the best way to start our bond—her choosing me, only for me to feel let down by what I had become. And then, learning everything that came with it? It was overwhelming. Maybe that’s why I’ve been distant toward her. But she wants me to understand her, to ask about her past, to listen to her stories.“And yet, Derek… something doesn’t sit right. Seth claimed she became obsessed with power and left on her own, but I don’t feel that from her. She told me she used to come here often to meditate an

DEREK Sleep refused to come to me. This place was undeniably stunning, almost mesmerizing, but something felt... off. A darkness lurked beneath all the beauty, like a carefully placed disguise. It unsettled me. Maybe it was the sheer distance from my pack that made me uneasy. I couldn’t sense them, couldn’t reach into their thoughts if I wanted to. The only familiar presence I could pick up was Adrian, but I chose to tune him out. As for Blake, he was completely silent—probably fast asleep.Shifting upright, I leaned against the headboard, my gaze falling on Ava as she stirred slightly but remained asleep. A small smile tugged at my lips as I watched her, peaceful and serene. Then, my attention drifted to the window, where the low-hanging moon cast a silvery glow across the room.Beyond it, the silhouette of the towering trees stretched across the mountains in the distance. The sight was tranquil—but not for me. I had only been here for a few hours, and though Nimue and Ava had made

The cavern was unlike anything I had ever seen. The moment I stepped closer, the air thickened, humming with an ancient, unseen force. A luminous glow bathed the walls, casting shifting patterns as if the light itself was alive, writhing in unseen currents. The pool before me shimmered with an unearthly blue, its surface rippling like liquid sapphire under the cave’s soft bioluminescence.I inhaled deeply, catching the scent of mineral-rich water mixed with something sweeter, more intoxicating—like blooming nightshade or the crisp air before a thunderstorm. The cavern smelled of age and mystery, of secrets buried deep in time. I took another step, my boots crunching against a bed of smooth, water-worn pebbles. The sound echoed, swallowed by the vastness of the chamber.A soft, melodic sound filled the air, and it took me a moment to realize it came from the pool itself. The water wasn’t just moving—it was singing, a chorus of whispered notes that ebbed and flowed in harmony with the c

AVA The night air was thick with magic, electric and alive, wrapping itself around me as I stood at the center of the room. My body hummed with an unfamiliar energy, a raw power that threatened to spill over. Ever since I had taken Shira’s blood—imbued with Nimue’s magic—something inside me had shifted. It wasn’t just strength or awareness; it was an entirely new existence.I moved to the window, staring at the darkened forest beyond. The shadows stretched unnaturally, bending toward me as if drawn by an unseen force. I raised a hand instinctively, and to my shock, the shadows followed. They rippled like ink across the grass, responding to my every motion. I clenched my fingers, and the darkness thickened, swirling into a tangible mist before dissolving as quickly as it had formed.I gasped. That wasn’t normal. That wasn’t just wolf magic.My heart started pounding, I turned to the mirror across the corridor . My reflection gazed back at me , but something was different. The golden