Maximus’ POV~~ “D*e, you ruthless beast!” I slashed him with my powerful, elongated claws. The sharp claws tear through fur and flesh. I didn’t know where I had made the cut, but I knew it was with fury, rage, and determination that had settled down in the core of my being. I turned to face the brown-furred wolf. It was as if I had punctured the base of his neck with a sword. The sight was gory. A crimson stream of blood gushed from its neck, painting the brow fur in a stark contrast of red against brown. The brown-furred wolf’s amber-gold eyes widened in pain and shock. The air seemed to stand still. The forest echoed with the haunting sound of the clash. The metallic scent of blood lingered in the air. The tension in the air was palpable. The faces of the rogue wolves contorted in horror. While some widened their eyes in disbelief of what just happened. It was as if they all stopped the battle from going on, and they all focused on us, seeing their leader in a pool of his own blo
Maximus’ POV ~~It’s been almost three hours since we started running, following healer Aric’s guidance. Just as we were running ahead, we caught sight of a cabin, which prompted healer Aric Wolf to come to a halt, and we also halted following his signal. “We are here,” he said as soon as we stopped in our tracks. He transformed back into a human and told us to do the same. Looking at the cabin, which is just a few miles away from us, changing into a human can be dangerous for us, but we have to follow his command. “Don’t change yet,” I commanded through the mindlink to one of the warriors. The rest of us transformed back into humans, leaving the one I had ordered no to behind us. I have a reason for doing that. “Let's walk slowly to the cabin so as not to attract noise,” healer Aric ordered while we heeded his warning. The fact that he asked us to walk without attracting noise still baffles me. Why do we have to slink ahead when the witch in question isn’t aware of our coming? It
Maximus’ POVIt felt strange to me how this woman’s voice sent pangs of fear throughout my body. I raised my head to meet her gaze. Her eyes, that swirling storm of green like emeralds meeting deep purple amethyst, locked onto me. It was like staring into a bottomless pit—a pit that promised oblivion. “Are you f***king deaf? She scowled. "Who are you?” The woman yelled this time in her old, weathered voice as she hit me with the gnarled staff in her hand. I felt a touch of fear ripple through me at the impact. It wasn’t the staff that sent a jolt of terror through me; it was the power buzzing from it.My breath hitched, a strangled gasp in the heavy air. My muscles, before tense with fear, turned to jelly. I wanted to run, to scream, to do anything to break free from the invisible chains that held me captive. A cold sweat slicked my skin, turning my clothes clammy and clinging. Shame burned hot in my throat, a bitter ember of humiliation at being reduced to a trembling mess. If I had
Maximus’ POV~~ “My help? Tell me, what did you need me to do?” She probed as the corners of her eyes crinkled.“Don’t mind my manners, healer; let’s go inside my cabin so we can have a proper discussion,” the old witch said as she took the lead and walked us to her cabin. The cabin hunched over like a crooked old crone, its roof thatched with a patchwork of moss and wild grasses. Smoke curled from a chimney that leaned like a drunken sailor, disappearing into the thick, twilight sky.Twisted branches of ancient oak clawed at the sagging walls, half-embracing the ramshackle structure. Carved symbols, weathered and strange, peeked out from under peeling paint. The closer I got, the stronger the smell hit me—woodsmoke, damp earth, and something else—something herbal and sharp that made my nose twitch. This wasn't your grandma's cozy cabin. This was a place steeped in magic, and maybe a touch of danger.“Come in,” she gestured to us. Healer Aric took the lead, while I followed behind.
Back at the Wolfsong Dominion pack. Cassius’ POV~~It's been more than fifteen hours since Max and the warriors left with healer Aric in search of the moon goddess. My head shifted to the window, and the sun creeped in, painting a skinny line on the dusty floor. Same as yesterday. Same as every day for six months. This bed, these walls—they're my whole world now. My muscles, once strong, yell every time I try to move.Will it ever stop? This weakness, this feeling like a trapped animal? Healers came, mumbled stuff, and left me with bitter concoctions that did little more than lull me into a restless sleep. But there's someone that Max had told me, a story carried on the wind—a woman deep in the woods, a witch, they say.Witches used to scare me—those stories of hags and dark rituals. Now, it's like a light in the dark, a promise of something more. They say she can fix what's broken—what the healers and shamans couldn't. Doubt stings, like a tiny snake in my chest. Can I trust these w
Callista’s POV Two men, once trusted, now haunt my thoughts with their treachery. One, the man I loved first, the one who took away my most treasured value, my virginity, away from me, the one who whispered promises of forever in my ear. How could he condemn me to death because he doesn’t trust me, huh? F**k this trust; I don't think I need it anymore. The pain of his betrayal cuts deep, like a wound that refuses to heal. I don’t think I will be able to forgive him. I can’t, not until I make him pay for what he has done. And again, Tristan, the one who shattered my world with a single act of violence, took my father from me, plunging me into a darkness I never thought possible. Yet, despite the anger that boils within me, there is a different kind of connection between us. A bond that I cannot deny, no matter how hard I try. Stupid mate bond. “Are you kidding me? You dare call our bond stupid?”“Just shut it; I don't need you right here, okay? Don’t mess with my head. I need to thi
Callista’s POV“Meet me in my office; we have a mission,” I uttered through the mind link to Andrian. “Wolfsong Dominion pack?” He quizzed through the mind link, “Yes, the mission is now,” I answered affirmatively. “Okay, I'm on my way,” he replied. I hastened my pace and headed straight down to the Alpha’s palace. I got there in no time and pushed open the door. “Oh, you got here before me.” My gaze fixed on Andrian, who seemed to have gotten to the office a moment ago. He nodded his head. “I'm always at your service,” I giggle softly. “Trust you for that,“So, tell me, Alpha, do you want me to make a war plan?” He asked as soon as I took a seat in front of him. A war plan? “Is that really necessary? They can’t be prepared for our coming; even if they are, they can’t be on par with us,” I said as a matter of fact.“That's a fact, Alpha, but I take an interest in pre-war planning and strategy.”"Yeah, I know that, but I don't think it's really necessary right now,” I countered
Callista’s POVIt was night. Black as a beetle's belly. And each of my warriors, a storm cloud against the pale dawn, stood poised, ears perked, eyes reflecting the glint of the coming battle. This wasn't a hunt; this was vengeance. My revenge. “Are you ready, warriors?” I asked through the mental link. “Awoo!” they grunted and howled in unison, signifying they were ready. Their eyes are like embers, burning the same fire I feel. I am not hunting tonight. This is payback, raw, and mean.My gaze shifted to Andrian, who stood confidently beside me. His wolf’s fur shimmers under the moon's watchful gaze. His eyes match the rage in my gut. Every muscle coiled tight, like it wanted to explode.Cassius, the one who cast me out, who marked me for death—his scent lingered in my memory, a foul tang that twisted my gut. The memory of his betrayal and the searing pain of his judgment that had plunged me into an abyss of fear back then in the woods—it all fueled the inferno burning in my chest.