All Chapters of Bitten, Branded And Bare: Chapter 161 - Chapter 170

Lisa's POVI woke up with a nervous jolt before dawn, the kind that made my chest tight and my heart beat far too fast for my own good. My room was still draped in darkness, the faintest threads of early light barely slipping in through the curtains. I lay there for a long time, staring at the ceiling, trying to quiet my racing thoughts.This was the day.The day everything could go wrong.The bag I had carefully packed last night sat hidden under my bed, so close I could almost feel its presence burning through the wooden floor. Just the essentials, nothing that would give me away too easily. A spare change of clothes, a few trinkets I couldn’t part with, and a small notebook I’d scribbled half my life into. Fiona’s voice echoed in my head from yesterday’s call: Don’t overpack, Lisa. Just the essentials. We can figure the rest later.Later.That word felt like hope.When I finally heard movement outside, I sat up, brush

Lisa's POVWhen I reached Fiona’s apartment, I swear my legs almost gave out under me. The whole way there I’d kept telling myself I would be strong, that I wouldn’t let anything show on my face, that I would just sit down, maybe smile, pretend I was fine until I could slip away into some corner and break down properly. But the moment her door opened and I saw her, all of that resolve shattered like glass.“Lisa?” Fiona blinked in surprise when she saw me standing there. She was still in her casual clothes, her hair tied up in a loose bun, a faint crease on her forehead as though she had been sleeping or trying to rest. “What are you doing here this early? Calla didn’t say—”Her words cut off because my throat burned and I couldn’t get anything out. Instead my chest heaved, and before I even knew it, hot tears were spilling down my face.“Lisa, hey—” Fiona rushed forward, her hand pressing against my shoulder as she pulled me inside. “What happene

Enzo's POVI sat in my office staring at the same set of papers I hadn’t been able to sign for days. My hands were clenched so tight on the edge of the desk that my knuckles hurt, but even that pain didn’t distract me from the weight pressing into my chest. The room was too quiet except for the low ticking of the clock, each sound grinding at my nerves.The reports scattered on my desk weren’t about the pack, not about security, not about finance—though they were there too—but the only name that kept burning through every corner of my mind was hers. Lisa. The woman I couldn’t get out of my head no matter how much I tried to drown myself in other duties.I leaned back, jaw tight, and pressed my fingers against my temple. Sleep hadn’t been coming easily. Even when it did, it was restless, filled with flashes of her—her face, her voice, the way she looked at me when I pushed her away, when I hurt her without meaning to. That last memory… it carved through me

Third person POVThe night was unusually heavy, the air carrying an ancient thickness that pressed against the trees and turned the forest into a breathing creature of its own. Shadows moved with more purpose than usual, not only because of the wind, but because something older than time itself had descended into the mortal world. The threads of fate trembled, drawn taut, preparing to be rewritten by hands that had not touched earth in centuries.Fiona lay in her small bed, her body restless, sweat dampening her skin despite the coldness of the night. Her mind burned with strange visions—silver light flickering through the darkness, a woman’s voice whispering promises, and the warmth of a presence so overwhelming it felt like both comfort and fire. Her lips trembled as if speaking words not her own, syllables her tongue should never have known.The window creaked open though no hand touched it, the curtains swaying as if bowing in reverence. A soft glow, p

Third person POV The council hall carried a heaviness that day that no one could shake off. The air was too thick, almost suffocating, as though even the walls themselves had absorbed the grief and panic that had been festering among the packs. A long table stood at the center, and seated around it were the alphas, elders, and warriors of rank who had been summoned by Enzo’s urgent order. Torches burned along the stone walls, but even their light seemed muted, dull, as though reluctant to fight against the darkness pressing in.Enzo stood at the head of the table, shoulders squared, jaw tight. He had not slept in two days, maybe longer, and the shadows beneath his eyes were evidence of it. His gaze swept over the council—Kael, Atlas, Ash, Mira, and several other prominent figures from the allied packs. Each face was etched with strain, some with outright fear.“This is no ordinary sickness,” Enzo began, his voice rough but carrying authority. “We’ve face