Mikhail I had to leave from there before my wolf did something crazy. The truth is that since Sophia left us, my wolf has turned unstable. Once he takes over, I have no control over it. It is his way of punishing me for letting her go. I can't blame him; what I am feeling is nothing compared to his loss. His pain is ten times more than mine because he has accepted her as his mate the moment we found her. He knew what I failed to realize at that moment. He was not an idiot like me, not to realize that she was all I needed and wanted. The bond I so carelessly discarded still pulls at me, a constant reminder of my foolishness. Returning to my room at the BlueLagoon pack, I try to calm the raging storm within me. My wolf paces, restless and angry. His growls echo in my mind, relentless and restless for some reason that I fail to understand. He doesn't communicate with me; all he does is growl. I try to find the reason, but whenever I do, it feels like he might take over... som
MikhailI can still clearly remember the intoxicating smell of my mate, the soft, tender touch of her hands, and her voice, which was more peaceful than the sound of calming waves at night.At the same time, the intensity of her hate and the pain of betrayal in her voice when she found the truth still haunts me every time I close my eyes.How could I ruin someone so pure and so precious?Maybe my physical blindness wasn't my real curse, but my inability to see what was right in front of me. My arrogance and stubbornness blinded me to the truth that Sophia was my perfect match, the one who could complete me."I have hurt her in the worst way possible. I betrayed her trust and crushed her heart with my own hands because of my arrogance and selfishness. It was not the hunters that took her away from me, but it was me who made her leave me... But look, even while hating me, she gave me everything." A bitter, rueful smile curves my lips as I turn to face Russo, "She freed me from the curse
SophiaClosing my eyes, I take a deep breath, and then again, I try to imagine myself speaking. Opening my mouth, I force my vocal cords to work while trying to make a sound... but all I get is to manage a grunting sound.Sweating starts to form on my forehead as the sun beats down on my skin... but the exhaustion that I am feeling is from pushing myself hard to speak.Last night, Rose told me she wants me to talk normally like everyone... she doesn't want me to talk to her in her head.I don't know how to explain to her that I try so hard to be a normal mom for her, but I can't.Looking up, I wipe my fingers beneath my eyes and clear the tears that escape my eyes.My emotions are all over the place, and it has something to do with Mikhail.Seeing him again was a reality check for me because, for all these years, I thought his presence wouldn't affect me, but I was wrong.He still affects me.And I don't know what to do about it; his presence rattled me from inside, stirring those emo
Sophia We've been sparring for too long, and I can see the fatigue in his movements, the way his breath comes in short, labored bursts. He's growing impatient, ready to end this fight. I can see it in the way his eyes dart toward me, the frustration evident in his furrowed brow.Up until now, I’ve only been dodging his attacks, testing his endurance, and letting him wear himself out. But now, I feel the familiar coil of strength in my muscles, the readiness to strike back. It’s time to switch from defense to offense.With a calculated step, I move forward.My body and movements, controlled with the training that has strengthened me and made me quick at my feet.My opponent’s eyes widen in surprise as he realizes the change in my stance, but it's too late for him to react. I feint to the left, drawing his attention, and then I strike with precision—a quick, sharp blow to his side that makes him stumble back.Bryan grunts, recovering quickly, but I don't give him a chance to regain his
SophiaEvery time I use my powers, I give away a part of myself. And yet, I can't stop. Not when I know I can help, when I know I can make a difference, no matter the cost.But the cost is getting harder to bear.My blessing is a curse as well, and there is no way to break this curse.A sharp pain slices through my chest, and I gasp, clutching Lucas's tightly in mine.He holds my hand tighter, his face a mask of determination. "You need to rest," he says, his voice cracking slightly at the end. "You're going to be okay."Caleb slips his arms under my legs and back and picks me up. He carries me back home while Lucas is still holding my hand. Jake is already inside the house, checking up on Rose before he nods at Caleb to take me inside.I can't let Rose see me in this condition. So I asked Jake to make sure she is not around.Gently, Caleb lowers me in the bed and sits beside me. His face seems like it is made of stone as he stares blankly ahead.Each of them is protective in their own
SophiaTonight, something feels different.I shift slightly, trying to shake off the feeling, but it only grows stronger, more insistent.I am caught in that place between waking and sleeping when I feel it—a presence. I feel someone running their hand over my face, the feather-light touch tracing the contours of my face and then running their finger along with my lips.But then, suddenly, the feeling is gone.My eyes fly open, heart pounding in my chest. I strain my senses, listening for any sound, any movement, but there is nothing. Just silence. I try to convince myself it's my imagination, a trick of my mind, but I know better because I can feel him. I can still feel someone's touch on my skin... a touch which feels so familiar.A scent that I can recognize anywhere is wafting through the room along with the breeze.I know the feel of eyes watching me, the weight of someone's gaze in the darkness.Slowly, I turn my head, scanning the room. At first, I see nothing, just the familia
MikhailMy mind... my heart... everything is telling me she is Sophia. Because there is no other reason, why I would have such strong feelings for some shewolf whom I have just met. It doesn't make sense.I know sneaking into her room in the middle of the night is wrong. But at this moment, no right or wrong is important. I will deal with the consequences later because, right now, I need to find the truth.Quietly, I sneak into her room in the darkness of the night. The chaos inside me settles down just by the glimpse of her peaceful sleeping face. I feel mesmerized just by the sight of her, because even if I want can't descirbe her beauty in words. And I am not just talking about physical beauty, her beauty radiates from inside. I've been standing here for what feels like an eternity, watching her sleep. The moonlight filters through the open window, casting soft shadows on her face. She looks so peaceful, so innocent.But I can't just stand here and watch her all night. I need ans
MikhailShe keeps looking at me, and behind her blank gaze, there are so many emotions that she is trying to hide.Moments pass as we continue to stare at each other... both dealing with the war of emotions that is raging inside us.Her lips part like she wants to say something... but no words come out of her mouth. My heart wrenches when I see her struggling to speak, but then a helpless look passes over her face when she can't.What happened to her? What caused her to lose her voice?Another question added to an already pile of unanswered questions.Her face tells that she is struggling and trying to get hold of herself.I want to reach out to her... hold her... comfort her, and tell her that trust me once again and I promise that I will make everything alright.I don't know how I am going to do it, but what I know is that I will not let her struggle anymore.Suddenly, she looks at me.Her gaze is ablaze with fire as a low, ferocious growl erupts from her.My eyes widen in shock, be
MikhailMy claws are still out, stained with the remnants of blood and flesh, but my focus sharpens when Alexei runs up to me, his face grim.“I can’t reach Merope,” Alexis voice is strained. “She’s in the middle of the ritual, and Jake, Caleb, Atlas, and Artemis are all part of it. Lucas is with Sophia now."I nod, processing his words. A part of me feels a small wave of relief. At least Lucas is with Sophia. She isn’t completely alone. But that doesn’t ease the knot in my chest. Lucas may be with her, but that doesn’t mean they’re safe. They both are still out there somewhere we don't know... Somewhere where I can't reach my Sophia.My heart aches because she is still not with me.Pushing that thought aside, I focus back on the situation at hand.Destroying Selena's body.Sophia entrusted me with a task, and I have to see it through. I turn back to Alexei, meeting his gaze. “I need you to lead the warriors from here on out.”His brows furrow and I can see the flicker of worry in his
JakeLucas’s pain hits me straight in my chest, raw and sharp, and I can’t tell if it’s his panic or my own tearing through me. We’re all feeling it, this crushing under some invisible burden like something vital is slipping through our fingers.The bond we share with Sophia, even if it’s distant, hums with a growing ache.However, the truth is, we’re powerless. Lucas is the only one with any kind of connection to her right now, and even that feels like it’s hanging by a thread.My wolf is losing it. He’s pacing, snarling, clawing to get out. Every part of me is screaming to run, to tear through whatever’s keeping us from her. But we can’t. There’s this barrier, this suffocating wall between her and us, and no amount of strength or will can break it.I glance around at the others. Their faces mirror my own—a mix of fear and frustration. Their wolves are restless too, practically howling inside them, desperate to get to Sophia.But it doesn’t matter how much we want to help her. It doe
SophiaSelena’s face twists, her lips pulling back in a snarl that quickly morphs into something unhinged. Her eyes dart wildly, unfocused as if she’s seeing something no one else can. Her movements become erratic and jerky, like she’s trying to fight off something invisible.I feel it—a strong, steady presence pushing against my mind. It’s Lucas. His energy hums through the air, sharp and precise, wrapping around Selena like an iron grip. Whatever she’s seeing, whatever is driving her insane, it’s because of him.He is the smartest of us, his mind sharper than a blade. But now, watching Selena unravel, I realize he’s more than that. He’s not just intelligent; he’s got power over the mind itself. Because I can feel he is in her head, twisting her reality, and breaking her from the inside out.He is making her taste her own medicine.Selena lets out a guttural scream, clutching her head as if she can rip Lucas out of her mind. Her magic flares wildly, chaotic and untamed, but it’s not
LucasIt’s like a fog’s lifting in my head, and everything about Sophia starts to click into place. Her blessing as a protector, the way she heals—it’s not just some random gift.It’s tied to something bigger, something deeper. She doesn’t just take pain because she’s selfless, even though she is.It’s because she’s an empath.I watch her now, standing there with that impossible calm, and it hits me. She’s not just feeling the world around her. She’s absorbing it. The energy, the emotions, even the power swirling in the air—it’s all drawn to her like a moth to a flame.I’ve seen glimpses of it before. The way she takes other people’s pain, how she carries it like it’s her own. But now I’m seeing the full picture. It’s not just about healing. When she takes other's pain on herself and heals them, she always pays the price for it. A sacrifice that she needs to make. But this never stops her from healing the people who are in pain. She heals not just physical wounds, but she even tries
LucasThe moment Sophia told me to step back into the shadows, I felt it—something shifted.I don’t know what she did, but whatever it was, it’s hiding me, keeping me out of sight.Sophia's back is straight, her shoulders squared, but I know her well enough to spot the tension running through her.That’s when she shows up.She doesn't walk or anything shifted... she just appears.One second, there’s nothing and the next, she’s standing there in front of Sophia.Even from where I’m standing, the smell hits me. It’s vile. Like rotting meat left out in the sun, mixed with something else I can’t even describe. My stomach turns, and I have to clench my jaw to keep from gagging.But it’s not just the smell. There’s something so wrong about her. Her movements and the way she stands all feel unnatural. Like the world itself is rejecting her presence. The moment I laid eyes on her, I knew. She’s not just bad news. She’s walking evil, plain and simple.Her eyes are black and bottomless, like t
MikhailThe sounds of the fight surround me.Growls, snapping jaws, and the sickening crunch of bones echo as we cut through the Redwood wolves, leaving them behind in a mangled mess. We’re a blur of fur and fury, tearing through them with no hesitation. I barely register the fight anymore. Blood stains the ground, soaking into the dirt as my warriors and I move deeper into the pack.My claws are slick with it, my wolf howling with satisfaction as we tear through the Redwood wolves like they’re nothing more than obstacles in our path.They fight hard, but it doesn’t matter. None of it matters. Not the blood, not the screams, not even the bodies piling up around us.They’re all just obstacles in the way of what I really want. Selena.There’s no hesitation, no mercy. Anyone who comes at us dies, plain and simple.Everything in here reeks of death and fear, but there’s no sign of her.A wolf lunges at me, teeth bared, aiming for my throat. I sidestep and bring my claws down hard, ripping
MikhailI’ve ordered Alexei to take Emily back to the packhouse. The poor kid is completely shaken up, clinging to Alexei like he is the only one she trusts at this moment.I don’t blame her. After everything she’s been through, I wouldn’t trust anyone else either, and honestly, Alexei looks just as protective of her as she is desperate for him.“Take her back,” I tell him again, my voice steady, even though I feel anything but calm inside. “She needs rest, and we need to make sure she’s safe.”Alexei hesitates, his arms still wrapped around Emily like he’s afraid she might crumble if he lets go. He looks at me, his jaw tight, and I can see the conflict in his eyes.I can tell he is torn between wanting to stay and fight along with me and the need to protect Emily."Go, it is an order of your Alpha." I relieve him from this inner conflict.Clenching his jaws, he looks at me and curtly nods his head.“I’ll take care of her,” he says, his voice low but firm, like he’s making a promise.
SophiaStaring at myself on the floor, broken and helpless. The sight of me like that twists something deep inside, but then I feel it—something behind me. A presence that sends a chill down my spine, raising goosebumps on my arms.“You’re smarter than I thought,” a familiar voice purrs right in my ear.Selena.Turning my head, I look at her. She smirks, her eyes gleaming with that same malice I’ve come to know too well. “Finally figured out my little secret, huh? Took you long enough.”Ignoring her, I shift my gaze back to myself.Every other emotion drains out of me, leaving just fury in its place. It rises like fire, burning hotter with every word she says.She laughs, the sound sharp and mocking, and then she steps closer, her hand reaching out. She runs her fingers through my hair, just like she did when I was lying there, vulnerable, beaten, barely conscious.I don’t flinch, don’t move. My eyes stay locked on the version of me on the ground, beaten and defeated. The anger inside
SophiaSelena keeps stroking my hair, her fingers moving slow, almost tender, like she’s comforting me. But her eyes give her away. There’s no kindness there, only malice. It’s sharp and cold, the kind of look that causes a shiver to run down my spine.With her other hand, she dips her fingers into the blood pooling around me—my blood—and starts drawing on the floor. At first, I think it’s random, just messy streaks, but the longer I watch, the clearer it becomes that it’s anything but random. The lines twist and curve, forming jagged, alien symbols that I don’t recognize.She’s so precise, like every mark has some deep, dark purpose. Circles overlap in ways that feel too perfect or too intentional. Inside them, symbols appear that almost look like letters, but they’re from no language I’ve ever seen. The air around her gets heavier and darker with each stroke. It feels wrong and unnatural, like the symbols are alive, feeding off something they shouldn’t be.A strange, low sound comes