SERENA “Hey gorgeous,” Reid drawls, leaning a shoulder against the doorframe of my bedroom.I look up from my spot on the edge of the bed- I’ve got one leg pulled into my chest and I just finished applying a second coat of bright red toenail polish. Painting my toes may seem like a silly thing to do, given the fact that we’re on the eve of a war, but little menial tasks like this help to distract my anxious mind.“Hey handsome,” I breathe, a smile instantly coming to my lips as I look up at him.He’s wearing a simple white t-shirt and my favorite pair of grey sweatpants, his dark hair a little tousled and messy- and damnit if I’m not getting a little hot just looking at him. Don’t get me wrong, the man looks slick in his usual slacks and dress shirt, but there’s just something so sexy about him when he’s relaxed like this rather than all buttoned up a

REID   The light coming in through the window the next morning is uncomfortably bright, reflecting off of the blanket of snow covering the ground. It must’ve snowed all night- we got several inches, and it’s just cold enough outside for it to stick. The significance of the snow isn’t lost on me. It means that Astrid’s vision of the battle with the shadow pack was accurate; that it’s coming to fruition. We’re officially out of time. The mood is somber when we arrive at the Summervale packhouse for the council meeting. It’s our last sit-down with everyone before the battle starts, and it’s a packed house. All of the council members are attending- the alphas and betas of every pack- as well as the squad leaders and their mates, Chase, and the Denver alpha and beta. Lots of strong personalities in one room, yet nobody’s arguing for once. Not today. There are still a few more to arrive after Cy, Serena, and I get there, and w

REID   I’ve never enjoyed killing. It’s simply a means to an end; a necessary evil to keep my pack safe. As Alpha, it’s my duty to ensure my pack’s safety, and if that means taking the lives of those who threaten them, then so be it. It’s a burden I’ll gladly bear for the benefit of my people. That doesn’t mean it doesn’t come at a price. War is physically, mentally, and emotionally taxing, and no amount of preparation can truly prepare you for the sheer carnage of the battlefield. The smells, the sounds. The blood. The bodies that pile up underfoot. The awareness that some of them are from my own side, friends and allies we’ll be left to mourn if we emerge victorious, or soon join in death if we don’t.    In order to focus and do what has to be done in battle, I have to turn off part of my humanity, in a sense. I tuck it away and let my wolf take over. I’m still there in the background, executing the strategy

SERENA   When Reid tugs my hand, I quickly snap out of my own hesitation and back into warrior mode, hustling to get to the doorway with him before the shadow pack wolves catch up to us. Right as we slip through, I hear snarls from behind us as they’re thwarted by our friends who’ve shifted to cover our backs as we advance. “Brooke, any idea where this route leads us?” Reid pants as we continue sprinting down the corridor. “There’s an access door at the end to another wing,” she replies, her voice coming through the speakerphone in Reid’s pocket. “I’ll have it open for you in three… two…” I hear the latch to the door in front of me click right as I come upon it, yanking it open and stepping through. As soon as I do, a foul odor hits my nose- like mold and human excrement and death. I stop in my tracks, my blood running cold. “What’s wrong?” Reid breathes as he skids to a halt beside me. My jaw goe

REID The events of the day replay in my dreams all night like a horror movie that I can’t turn off. I’m back on that ridge, watching as Xavier staggers toward Gray, lunging in a last desperate attempt to fight him off. I see Gray tear out his throat again, hear the gurgling sound as Xavier struggles for air, blood spurting from the gaping wound in his neck and staining the snow. This time, though, when I go to turn away, something gives me pause. I look back to see Xavier rise again, still bleeding from the neck but still very much alive. Everyone else has their backs turned, and I open my mouth to warn them, but no sound comes out…My eyes fly open, the sunlight pouring in through the window stinging them as they adjust to the brightness. My heart is racing, a thin sheen of sweat clinging to my brow. I reach in front of me, then behind me, my hands meeting nothing but the silken bedsheets. No Serena.I