Kasia gradually regained consciousness, her head throbbing as though it were split in two. Her eyelids fluttered open, and the dimly lit room came into focus. Her surroundings felt unfamiliar, and her memories seemed disjointed.　　She attempted to piece together the fragments of her recent experiences. She had been on the hunt for Lana; she found her, and they were driving away. Then comes the lycan.　　A low growl rumbled behind her, drawing Kasia's attention away from her bewildered thoughts. She rolled onto her back and met the intense gaze of a massive, black wolf. Its eyes bore into her with an eerie intelligence, and as its paw reached for her, it transformed into a clawed human hand.　　"Mine!"　　Kasia's heart raced, her disorientation deepening. The word "mine" reverberated in her mind, both eerie and perplexing. As the hand got closer,an invisible force pressed her back onto the cold, unforgiving surface of the bed.　　Kasia's eyes fluttered open, and her vision blurred as if s

　　"I was on a mission on my own for the first time and I hunted down the target. I tracked him to an abandoned building. What I found was not a bloodthirsty beast that had been murdering women,  it was a woman and her child," Lana explained.　　"No, you're lying," Kasia countered.　　"If I'm lying, I'm flying," Lana said. "The orders were clear. That's when I realized the hunters were lying to us. A mother and her child were no threat to us. They were rogues, malnourished, on the brink of death."　　Kasia shook her head, the pain in her heart too great to bear. "Nadia wouldn't have lied to us." 　　"And why wouldn't she, Kasia? We were grunts. We didn't need to think. We just needed to do what we were told," Lana said bitterly.　　"She wouldn't have done that. You must have gotten it wrong, tracked the wrong one," Kasia argued. She refused to believe that Nadia would do something like that.　　Nadia was the one to find Kasia and Lana struggling to survive. Nadia slowly morphed into.a mentor

　　The first light of dawn filtered through the curtains as Ethan approached Kasia's room, a tray laden with breakfast in hand. He rapped gently on the door, announcing his presence, before pushing it open. The scent of warm pastries and freshly brewed coffee wafted into the room, filling the air with an inviting aroma.　　"Breakfast is served," Ethan declared, a wry smile playing on his lips as he entered. His eyes locked onto Kasia, who was sitting on the edge of the bed, her posture tense. She looked as if she had not slept the entire night.　　Her scent filled the room, reminding him that she was his mate. He gripped the tray tightly in an effort to maintain his composure.　　Kasia's gaze flickered to the tray, then back to Ethan. Ethan wore a form-fighting short-sleeved orange shirt and blue jeans. He was absolutely massive, far more in shape than Austin.　　'Stop it! What are you thinking? He's a monster!' Kasia scolded herself. Her eyes met his, and she noticed the smirk on his face.

　　Ethan sat by the bank, eyeing the fish that swam lazily in the shallow waters. His senses were heightened, and he knew exactly which one would be the perfect meal for the night. He plunged his hand in and snagged it quickly, feeling the slippery skin against his fingers. He pulled it out of the water, the fish thrashing wildly in his grip. With a swift motion, he slit its throat, letting it bleed out on the river rocks before cleaning it thoroughly. The scent of blood filled the air, mixing with the earthy smell of the forest and the cool water.　　Kasia watched from a distance, her heart racing at the sight of the large fish he'd caught. She couldn't help but feel a surge of fear at the thought of what could have happened if it had attacked her while swimming.　　"You weren't lying," she murmured, looking at the fish. It was massive, its scales glinting in the moonlight. The forest was eerily quiet; only the sound of the rushing water and their heavy breathing filled the air. She took

　　Aimee slammed her glass down on the table. She gritted her teeth, anger boiling in her veins. Ethan had arrived at the pack house last night with some unknown female, the audacity after everything they had been through together. After all the late nights and secret rendezvous, the way he refused to show her affection in public, keeping her hidden like his dirty secret,　　Aimee's nails dug into her palms. How dare he parade another woman around when she has been loyal for so long? Thelina appeared beside her, her eyebrows raised knowingly.　　"Let it go, girl. Ethan isn't worth your tears."　　Aimee whirled at her friend, her eyes flashing. "You don't get it. I've given that man everything. years of my life!" She threw her hands up in exasperation. "And he tosses me aside for the first pretty face that catches his eye?"　　Thelina clucked her tongue sympathetically. "I know it hurts, but you can't let him treat you like this." She placed a hand on Aimee's shoulder. "It's time you staked