POV: Jeremy Williams.The world that I had known shattered like a fragile mirror, and the pieces that were left behind fell to the ground at my feet, revealing a distorted reality that rendered me incapable of giving a coherent response. I had been leading a dishonest life for the entire time, hiding the truth about who I truly was behind a well-built façade.On a lovely afternoon, the first crack appeared in the universe that I had imagined to be perfect. My friend Ivory had come to visit me, and I noticed that she had a hint of sadness in her eyes, which I was not sure I could fully interpret at the time. Taking a deep inhale of the reassuring scent of lavender that seemed to linger all about her, I embraced her with the same warm embrace that I had always given her. My little arms were wrapped around her waist.She started by saying, "Jeremy," in a little gentle voice that was nonetheless slightly eager. "We need to talk."It was as soon as I heard those four words I felt a chill r
POV: JennaWith every instant that passed, the weight of my acts descended over me like a stifling blanket. The echoes of my footsteps seemed to taunt me as I walked around my rooms, reminding me of the repercussions my hand had started.Originally a desperate attempt to uphold the dignity of our pack, what had started as a simple web of lies and dishonesty had threatened to destroy the entire fabric of everything I had battled so valiantly. The once solid ground underfoot had collapsed into a dangerous chasm, and I was teetering on the brink, trying to hold onto power.Darrel's disobedience had been the first fault in the foundation, a fissure widening daily. His obsession with the human woman Ivory had blinded him to the old customs meant to protect our species for millennia. How could he not realize that her entire presence was an insult to our way of life, a blight threatening to ruin the purity of our bloodlines?My calls to reason with him, to help him realize his mistakes of be
POV: MiaTension permeated the air, every breath I took seemed as though it were weight-bearing down on my chest. The walls that had once given me protection now seemed to be smothering me with their stifling grip as I snuggled in the low-light safe house.How had things turned out? My life had been a somewhat straightforward one, full of the daily grind just a few short weeks before. But then all changed when Ivory returned to my life.Her search for the truth about her daughter's destiny had turned into my own, a fierce need to rectify the past guiding all I did. And suddenly I was thrown into a realm of peril and mystery I had never dreamed of as the shadows of those who aimed to silence us grew progressively longer.My body tensed naturally as the sound of footsteps outside the door and a bolt of adrenaline coursed through me. I grabbed for the gun hidden in my waistband; the cool metal served as a sober reminder of the reality I now lived."It's me," said a familiar voice distort
POV: Callum WellsThe shadows appeared to hang over me like a shroud, their cold fingers encircling my being and stifling me with their hug. Walking the boundaries of my cave, the weight of my deeds fell on me, a continual reminder of the sins I had done in the name of safeguarding our way of life.For so long, I had thought that my road was the moral one, that the sacrifices I had made were required to preserve our bloodlines' purity. Now, though, as the reality started to fall apart before my eyes, I started to doubt everything I had always revered.Ivory's unrelenting search for the truth had grown to be a thorn in my side, a continual irritant threatening to untangle the well-spun web of lies I had created over the years. Her sheer existence was a stain that had to be eliminated before it could permeate the very fabric of our pack, an affront to all I had battled to preserve.I could feel the noose tightening around my neck as the days went by, the whispers of dissent getting loud
POV: Ivory WellsWith every instant that passed, the weight of the truth descended upon me like a stifling cloak. I could feel the walls closing in and the sense of claustrophobia threatening to overcome me as I sat crouched over my makeshift desk and the dimly illuminated room created ghostly shadows across the strewn papers and pictures.I had been hunting whispers and half-truths for weeks, following the breadcrumb trail of hints meant to untangle the web of deceit that had entangled me and those closest to her. But it appeared as though the road ahead got more perilous, more rife with danger and dishonesty with every step forward.Startled from my dream by a knock at the door, I automatically grabbed the rifle that had lately become my regular friend. "Who's it?" I yelled, my voice tinged with a little nervousness."It's me," the familiar voice of Hardin muffled by our thick walls.Relief flooded over me, and I got up fast to bring him inside the secure house that had become our t
POV: Darrell WilliamsEvery waking moment seemed as though the weight of the secrets I held was real, weighing down on me. My mind flew with the ramifications of the truth I had found about Ivory and Jeremy's past as I walked the boundaries of my study.Jenna's voice penetrated the quiet, tinged with mistrust and fear. "Darrel, throughout the past few days you have been far off. What troubles you?"I turned to see my friend, her lovely features marked with concern. Longing to share the weight that had grown too great for me to carry by myself, I yearned to tell her. Another voice, one grown of years of following the pack, advised against showing too much though.I said, "It's nothing," lying and attempting a comforting grin. "Exactly the usual duties of leading the pack."Jenna narrowed her gaze, and I knew she disagreed with me. She had always been sensitive, able to see behind my front stage performance with one glance.She pleaded, "Don't shut me out, Darrel." "Remember we are supp
POV: Jeremy WilliamsWith every waking minute, the weight of the truths that had been thrown upon me seemed like a crushing load falling on my shoulders. Once so consoling, the sense of belonging that I had when I meandered the familiar trails of the pack felt like a distant memory, replaced by a gnawing sense of insecurity.The admission of my actual ancestry by my father had rocked me to the core and made me doubt all I knew about myself and my role on this planet. Once so solid and consistent, the links felt frayed, as though the whole fabric of my life had been ripped apart.My thoughts flashed Ivory's face, her soft features and caring eyes a sharp contrast to the turbulence inside me. A part of me had long desired to know her, to understand the lady who had given me life and had been so ruthlessly snatched away from me, ever since discovering our link.But along with that need came remorse, a persistent sensation that I was betraying the pack that had reared me and my father. Da
POV: JennaBeing Luna had always been a hefty load, one I had carried with pride and unflinching tenacity. But a new darkness started to grow inside me as the shadows of uncertainty and doubt neared, ready to tear apart the very fabric of my earned status.Ivory's unrelenting search for the truth had grown to be a continual thorn in my side, a reminder of the frailty of the authority I had battled so valiantly to get. Every discovery revealed a perfectly crafted deception, and I could feel the earth shifting under my feet as the once solid basis of my authority broke with every day.The whispers of jealousy and dread taunted me with the prospect of losing what I had sacrificed so much to reach as I walked the boundaries of my private quarters. Darrel's wavering allegiance and his developing fixation with learning the truth about Ivory and Jeremy's past simply helped to fan my anxiety."My love," I begged, voice tinged with a great urgency. "Do you not see how this is affecting us? to