ASHER’S POVA groan escaped my lips, its sound muffled by the soft pillow beneath my head. The room was bathed in a golden glow, the sun’s rays piercing through the gaps in the curtains, casting a warm, dotted pattern across my face.“What time is it?" I murmured to myself, realizing the sun was already high up in the sky. I should have been up and running by now not cooked up in bed.As I attempted to rise, a sharp, piercing pain shot through my skull like a lightning bolt, instantly forcing me back onto the bed with a startling thud.“Ow!” I cried out, my hands flying instinctively to my temples. My fingers pressed into the skin, trying to soothe the throbbing ache that pulsed beneath. “What in the world happened last night?” I muttered to myself, the confusion evident in my voice.I sat there, lost in a fog of confusion, trying to piece together the fragments of the previous night. My last clear memory was of myself, hunched over my broken study desk with a glass in hand. But now,
LISA’S POV My vision blurred into an unending haze as I lay crumpled on the cold stone floor of my cell. The floor was a cruel bed, its chill seeping into my bones like a dagger’s bite. The shackles gnawed into my skin with every move and turn. My bones felt fragile, as if they might shatter under the slightest pressure. My muscles screamed in protest, worn thin from the futile struggle against my iron shackles. Jonas, ever the ruthless captor, had ensured my bonds were as unyielding as his icy heart. “Why, Jonas?” I whispered into the consuming darkness, my voice barely taking a breath. “Why such unyielding cruelty?” There was no answer, just the echo of my own desperate voice, a haunting reminder of my solitude, bouncing off the cold, unforgiving walls. I curled tighter into myself, seeking warmth in the biting cold. Thirst and hunger claw at me relentlessly, but it was the haunting memories of my life back home with my family that inflicted the deepest pain. The darkness grew
Asher's POVThe afternoon air was heavy with tension as I watched Jonas’s figure disappear into the distance. A sense of unease coiled in my gut, a familiar serpent whispering warnings of a possible treachery. I turned to seek out Silas; his presence was a silent shadow beside me, his head bowed in submission.“Silas,” I called out, my voice steady despite the turmoil churning within me. “What do you make of Jonas’s departure?”His posture straightened, his eyes flickering up to meet mine, a silent acknowledgment of the gravity of the situation. “Alpha Asher,” he began, his voice a steady rock amidst a raging sea. “I’m afraid I cannot discern his motives. He is as unreadable as the night sky, devoid of both stars and moonlight, leaving us to find out what he is really up to.”I nodded, the weight of command settling on my shoulders. “Then we must find out what he is up to at this time. Have someone follow him discreetly and report back with your findings.”Silas offered a curt bow, h
JONAS POVAs I continue to rode out, a chill crept over me, a silent alarm whispering of another’s presence watching me. The sun was beginning to dip below the horizon; it wouldn’t be long before the creatures of the night emerged from their hiding places. To make matters worse, the distant human village was still nowhere in sight.Transforming into my wolf form is a gamble I’m reluctant to take. The mere thought of confronting those blood-thirsty creatures sends shivers down my spine. The fear of being easily overpowered is a terrifying reality. My only option is to spur my horse into a faster gallop, praying that we can outpace the looming threat ahead.And so, I do just that. The worn heels of my boots dig into the horse’s heaving sides with a force born of desperation. “Faster, boy!” I yell into the wind, my voice raw and ragged, mirroring the wild beat of my heart.Even though I had already crossed halfway through the border, an eerie sensation of being watched from the tree line
WRITER’S POVMany days had passed since Lisa’s departure, which had torn through the lives of her brothers, Jax and Max. The weight of her absence bore down on them, serving as a constant reminder of the sacrifice she had made.Jax, as the eldest, bore the responsibility of protection—a duty he believed he had failed when danger snatched Lisa away. Their parents, now long gone, had entrusted Jax with a vow to shield Lisa from life’s darker turns. Though her absence has left a gap in their hearts and homes, none of the brothers were willing to talk about their grief.When Max, who was the younger of the two, had finally had enough, he confronted his brother with a solution to their problem.Max’s voice was a low, menacing growl. “We can’t just sit here with our arms folded, Jax. We need action.”Jax’s reply came out weary: “And do what? March into the jaws of death? Lisa wouldn’t have wanted that.”“Jax, we can’t just sit here!” Max’s voice was laced with desperation and anger. “Every
WRITER’S POVIt was already midnight when Jax and Max returned home. Jax had somehow convinced the villagers to return home as well. The fight for their sister’s return was something they had to undertake by themselves, without shedding innocent blood.They returned home in silence. The tension between them from earlier was still obvious. Jax had agreed to lead the attack, but it would require more planning before anything could be done.On the other hand, Jax agreeing to the movement was enough for Max. If there was one thing he had learned about his brother, it was that he never went back on his word. For that reason, Max trusted him completely to commit to rescuing Lisa.“Father and mother would be so proud of us, don’t you think?” Max asked, his arm draped over his brother’s shoulders.Jax shrugged him off with a thoughtful look in his eyes. “Do you ever worry, Max?” he asked. “Worry that we might end up regretting this decision?”“Not if we play our cards right. Caleb knows a sec
JONAS POVMy heart pounded like a war drum in my chest, each beat echoing the confirmation of my suspicions about Lisa. The words of her brothers were the final piece of the puzzle, solidifying the truth I had suspected—Lisa was indeed Kiara.The woman, who had been the object of both my love and hatred for years, was within my reach, oblivious to her true identity. It was a bitter irony that her so-called brothers, as unreliable as autumn leaves in the wind, couldn’t protect her secret. A secret, I wagered, she was unaware of, having been fed a diet of lies.Every cloud has a silver lining, and Lisa’s ignorance of her true self meant that I could manipulate her easily and keep her close without her ever suspecting. On the other hand, Asher was clueless, devoid of any evidence that she was his beloved Kiara.“My heart races, brothers,” I sneered, my voice dripping with malice and satisfaction. “Your words have dispelled the last of my doubts about Lisa, or, as she was once known, Kiar
WRITER’S POVAs the fight's adrenaline started to fade, Max and Jax Bonnet paused, their hearts pounding like drums in their chests. Still rooted to the spot, they exchanged silent glances, their eyes speaking words of relief and disbelief.“Did you see that?” Max’s voice was barely audible, his eyes wide with the thrill of sheer survival.Jax nodded, his gaze lingering on the shadows where Caleb had appeared, a ray of hope in their darkest hour. “I saw everything. That was too close. For a moment there, I thought we were going to die”Caleb stepped forward, the faint light reflecting off his silver arrow “What the fuck was that? Are you both okay?” His worry was clear; his eyes were scanning them both for injuries.“We’re okay, all thanks to you,” Max replied, his voice steadying. “But we can’t let him escape, not after what he’s done. That beast was going to rip off my throat”Max, always ready for action, moved towards the window. “He’s hurt, slowed by your arrows. We can catch hi