As Praya stood by my side, her gaze shifted to my wound, concern shimmering in her eyes. She gently touched it with her snout, and I reassured her by rubbing her temple."I'm fine, don't worry about me."Her attention then turned to Jessica, who limped toward us. Observing her injured leg, a sense of pride welled within me, knowing that Praya had landed a blow on her.Gerald got back on his legs and approached us. Praya made sure to position herself in front of me, guarding me from both wolves. Glancing behind, I noticed the lake directly at my back.‘Get back Praya,’ Gerald’s voice echoed In my mind, ‘Or I will kill you myself.’‘I’m done listening to you traitors. I will protect her from you,’ Praya growled back at him.‘Too bad, I wonder what I’ll tell Mother,’ he chuckled darkly, sending shivers down my spine. In an instant, Gerald charged towards us from the front, while Jessica approached from the side. Two of them were getting closer, ready to attack us at once. Before I could

When we arrived at the house, Lucia greeted us at the door, wearing a startled expression on her face when she saw Gina’s state.“What can I do to help?” she asked, her tone etched with worry.“Get the doctor,” I said to her as I raced up the stairs. During the walk back, Gina passed out in my arms due to the pain coursing through her body.When I got to the room, I placed her gently on my bed and quickly dressed myself. Standing by her side, burning anger surged through me when my gaze fixated on her wounds. I would’ve kept her attacker alive and made him suffer for what he did to her, but in the heat of my rage and overcome by bloodlust, I lacked the patience and sanity to spare a life.A knock on the door echoed through the room before the door swung open. Liam and Wilona walked in, accompanied by the pack’s doctor. He was a stern man, sporting a full head of gray hair, and his movements were hindered by a bad leg.“She’s badly injured,” he said as I watched him bring out a pair o

GINA’S POVI was sinking into darkness, suffocated by the shadows closing in as I delved deeper into the abyss. My heart pounded with unbearable pain as I struggled to breathe. I thrashed around, but my limbs remained frozen, as if an unseen force held my body down, and pushed me further into the surrounding darkness. I tried to scream but I felt something lodge in my throat. It pushed back and deeper, burning as tears forcefully sprang out from my eyes. I stopped struggling when I realized there was no use. I was getting swallowed into the abyss pulling me in, and there was nothing that could be done. No one was coming to rescue me; I realized that now.As I closed my eyes, bracing for whatever awaited me in the darkness, I heard a gentle voice call my name.I opened my eyes, finding hands outstretched towards me. I heard my name from above, like an echo, and the will to survive surged through my veins. Suddenly my body could move as I reached out, stretching my hands towards the

We were seated at the dining table at our usual spot before Raven came to ruin the arrangement. Things had changed ever since Raven left. It was like her presence had been the catalyst for a change in our once-normal daily lives. Staring at the food placed in front of me, my mind drifted away, recalling the time when Raven had tried to poison me. The vivid image of Praya swinging the plate on Raven’s face replayed in my mind.Praya.She saved me that day. If she hadn't been there with me, I would probably be dead by now. And perhaps, if I had died then, she wouldn’t have died saving me from her siblings. She would’ve been alive, as she was supposed to be. I never hated living more than I did now.Tears welled in my eyes as I rubbed my hands in my lap. My heart ached painfully in my chest, and breathing into my lungs became difficult. I never truly understood what grief was until I lost Praya that night. Though I lost my mother, I was too young; I never really knew her, so grieving he

GINA’S POVPraya’s mother’s words still lingered in my thoughts and I couldn’t just stop thinking about it. Her last words to me before she left haunted me.As I knelt by Praya’s resting place, I found comfort as I spoke to her, as if she were still beside me. I could feel her presence enveloping me, radiating warmth over my heart. It brought me to tears when I realized she was never going to be there.Praya’s mother had suddenly caught my attention when she knelt beside her.“Praya wasn’t my biological daughter.”Those were her first words and they hung in the air surrounding us. I turned to look at her, trying to conceal the surprise etched on my face. I didn’t speak, I just waited for her to keep talking.“Her late father found her by a lake, without any clues about who might have left her there.”A wave of shock surged through me. Could it be the same lake where we spent time together? Had that been her origin all along? That would explain why she was so drawn to it.I had so man