(Seraphina) For three agonizing days, Lucas drifted in and out of consciousness, battling the deadly poison that coursed through his veins. The arrowhead, dipped in wolfsbane, had been a cruel choice of weapon, one that would have claimed a weaker man’s life without hesitation. But Lucas was not just any man; he is an Lycan, and his strength alone kept him clinging to life. I sat beside his bed, watching over him as I wiped away his fevered sweat. Each groan that escaped his lips twisted my heart, especially when he whispered her name, “Iris…” My grip on the towel tightened, the fabric rough against his skin as I struggled to suppress the surge of conflicting emotions within me. The atmosphere in the pack’s stronghold was tense, charged with uncertainty and suspicion. An assassination attempt had to be taken seriously, by everyone. Half of the Alphas had departed, retreating to their own packs to fortify defenses in anticipation of the looming war. The remaining half, including

(Iris) Just like Caden predicted, Jasper came to see me that night. The door to my small, dimly lit room creaked open, and there he stood, looking wary and cautious. In his hand, he held a plate of cheesy bread, my favorite. The sight of it, coupled with the intense events of the past few days, made my heart ache with nostalgia and confusion. Jasper approached slowly, his eyes scanning the room before settling on me. “I thought you might like this,” he said, offering the plate. I accepted it with a small smile, but the burning question in my mind couldn't be ignored. “Are you the one who shot the Lycan King?” I asked, my voice betraying the whirlwind of emotions I felt. His reaction was immediate. “What? How do you know about that? Who told you?” His eyes widened with a mix of surprise and fear, his body tensing as if ready to spring into action. “Does it matter?” I replied, watching him closely. Jasper’s shoulders slumped slightly, and he shook his head. “No, I guess it doesn

(Naomi) Jasper has been very cold to me since I woke up. The way he avoids my eyes, the sharpness in his tone… it’s like a knife twisting in my gut. I couldn’t help but feel very anxious, a constant gnawing in my stomach that won’t go away. He was never like this with me. When he was the unwanted son, the outcast, I was the only one that gave me the time of day. It was my voice that pulled him out of the shadows, my hand that reached out when no one else would. Elias and Iris never bothered to spend time with him. They were too caught up in their own world, their own destinies. Back then, it was simpler. We hung out together on occasion when we were younger, sneaking off to the woods or finding hidden corners in the pack house to share secrets. But those moments became rarer as Elias was being groomed for Alpha. The responsibilities, the expectations, created a chasm between us. Jasper and I drifted apart, and the bond we once had started to fray. Yet, even then, there was a