Serenya’s POV

This engagement party feels like a funeral.

I’m twenty-three, six months pregnant, and I should feel happy at my own engagement. I should feel excited, but instead, I’m sitting in this stiff hall with… let me count… one, two, three, four people. That’s it. Four people to witness a day I’ve imagined in a hundred different ways.

Jade said he wanted it private. *“No unnecessary attention, Serenya,”* he told me, as if he were doing me a favor, not taking away what I actually wanted.

And because I love him, I agreed. Because I thought love meant giving up my dreams. Because I believed a small, quiet celebration would be enough. I’ve always imagined an extravagant engagement party, one filled with people choking on their envy.

I try to straighten my back, to smile properly. I want to look like everything is fine, but my baby kicks inside me, reminding me of the life I’m supposed to be celebrating.

I glance at Jade—my fiancé. The man I’ve been dating for two years now. The man I’ve come to trust more than anyone else in the world.

He sits opposite me, his hand resting on the table, his eyes flicking to the door over and over for the past thirty minutes, as if he’s waiting for someone.

“Jade,” I whisper, leaning slightly forward. “Why do you keep looking at the door like that? Are you nervous?”

He lets out a short laugh. “Don’t be ridiculous with your curiosity.”

“I’m pregnant. Me being curious is allowed—over my man, especially,” I say, my voice sharper than I intended. “Actually, more than allowed.”

He doesn’t smile like usual, and that’s when a cold twist spreads through me, not from the baby but from him. Something isn’t right. I adjust my posture, keeping my head high. I’ve learned that weakness gets noticed and weakness is dangerous.

Then the door opens and a woman walks in.

I notice her instantly. She’s perfectly put together, carrying herself with a confidence I can’t place. Two little boys follow her—one around seven, the other five and a tiny girl rests in her arms. They look like the perfect family I’ve always dreamt of having with Jade.

Two boys and a girl.

I shift in my chair. My baby bump suddenly feels huge, my hair flat, my lips dull. I tug at my dress, trying to adjust it because I suddenly feel exposed.

Jade notices her, and then what I thought was impossible happens. He rises from his seat, leaves me sitting there, and walks toward her..kissing her cheek. A simple, brief kiss but at my engagement party, it feels like a punch to the gut.

I grip my wine glass tightly. “Really? Now?” I mutter under my breath. “Do I clap?” Maybe I shouldn’t get worked up. She might just be a friend he invited—she has three kids already. No need to panic, right?

But he’s already guiding her to the table where I sit, holding her hand the way he never holds mine.

She sits across from me, smiling as if we’ve been friends for years.

“Hi,” she says softly. “I’m Maya.”

I frown. The name scratches at something in my memory, but I can’t quite place it. “I’m Serenya,” I reply, keeping my voice calm and polite. “Jade’s fiancée.”

Her smile widens, like I’ve said something amusing.

I glance at Jade. His eyes avoid mine and my chest tightens. My hands tremble slightly on the table. Something is very wrong. I can feel it.

Minutes crawl by as Maya leans close to Jade, whispering in his ear. His lips twitch in ways I hate and my stomach knots uncomfortably.

“Wow,” I say loudly, tapping my fork against the table. “I see this is a very private party. Do you want me to leave so you two can finish your private conversation?”

He clears his throat and walks toward the podium at the front of the room. My heart skips a beat. Maybe he’s going to finally give the speech I’ve been imagining. Maybe he’ll announce me. Maybe he’ll tell everyone how much he loves me now..

Yes… after all, I’m his. There’s no need to get jealous over some woman’s gestures.

“Thank you, everyone,” he begins, his voice even. “I would like to introduce my fiancée and my only family.”

My lips part in a tentative smile. My heart flutters. This is it. The moment I’ve been waiting for. He’s going to announce me—Serenya, his fiancée. Our baby. Our life together.

But then his gaze slides past me to her.

He stretches his hand toward Maya. “This is my fiancée, Maya..and my kids. In a few days, we’ll be married.”

My heart stops. My mouth opens but nothing comes out. I blink, trying to make sense of it. Did he just…? No, it has to be a joke. Maybe a prank. Cameras will pop out any second—*Surprise! It’s a prank!*

But she rises gracefully, walks to him, takes his hand and smiles.

I grip the edge of the table. “No. No, no, no. This isn’t funny, Jade. Tell me this is a joke!”

He doesn’t look my way. My stomach churns.

“As you all know,” he continues, “today I’ll also complete my first mission as a hunter. After this, I’ll be a full member.”

My mind stutters. *Hunter? Mission?* I don’t understand. My voice catches in my throat.

I look at him, trying to read his expression, but there’s nothing familiar there. No warmth. No love.

I swallow hard. “Jade… what are you talking about?”

I press my trembling hands against the table. My vision narrows, my breathing heavy. My baby kicks relentlessly, it can feel what I feel.

“What I’m talking about,” he says, “is that I am a hunter, Serenya Lopes—for killing you, the Alpha princess.”

He says, each word slicing through me. My chest tightens. I stare at him, unable to speak. Every moment, every smile, every touch now feels like a lie I’ve been living beside him.

His voice stays calm, almost bored. “You are the Alpha princess of the BlueRidge pack. A werewolf. Something that shouldn’t exist here.”

I can’t breathe. My secret—the one I’ve carried for four years, the reason I ran from everyone I knew is out. I clutch my stomach, feeling the baby’s sharp kicks. My world has shrunk to fear and the tiny life inside me.

“I found out who you are a year ago,” he continues, his eyes distant. “You fled your pack to hide here. But this town… it’s full of hunters. Did you really think I wouldn’t figure it out?”

I shake my head, trying to process his words. “I… I hid it because I didn’t want that life anymore. I didn’t want to marry the man my father chose. I wanted freedom. I wanted… you.” My voice breaks, choked and raw.

He doesn’t move. Tears sting my eyes but I force myself to meet his gaze. “So what now?” I murmur. “You spent a year and a half with me just… what? To win some prize?”

He stays silent.

A bitter laugh escapes me. “All this time… everything… it was part of your plan, wasn’t it? Even this baby… it was all practice for you?”

He bends slowly and pulls a dagger from his boot. My heart stops. My legs stiffen. I stumble backward, clutching my stomach as if sheer pressure can keep the baby safe.

“No. No, Jade, don’t.” My voice cracks. “I’m sorry I hid it. But I love you. I’m carrying your baby. Please… please don’t do this.”

Maya watches silently behind him. Her perfect smile twists into a frown. Her eyes flick to my stomach. “That monster inside you dies with you,” she says coldly.

I shake my head violently, tears streaming. My chest feels like it’s splitting open. “No… please… not my baby.”

Then the lights go out. Darkness swallows the room. I can’t see or move properly. My hands fly to my belly, pressing shakily. My heart hammers so loud it fills my ears.

A sharp pain stabs through my stomach—hot, deep. My scream tears out of me. “AHHH!”

I collapse, my knees giving way, clinging to his arm. “Jade! Stop! Please! Please, it’s me! Serenya! Please!”

“Die,” he hisses, close enough that I smell the cologne I bought him for Christmas.

He stabs me again, deeper. Pain blooms, twisting through me. I choke on a sob. My hands are slick with blood or sweat. I can’t tell. I can’t think. The baby inside me is moving frantically, struggling in the same body that’s failing to protect it.

The lights come back on.

The room feels unreal as I see their faces, not shocked, not horrified but smiling. Applauding. Cheering. Hunters.

Every single one of them.

“Congratulations on your first mission, Jade Owens!” someone shouts.

I gag on my own blood. My baby. My baby. Warmth spreads downward wrong and terrifying. My hands clutch my stomach tighter. “No… no, please… don’t let me lose my baby,” I whisper, my voice broken.

Tears blur my vision. I try to crawl backward but the floor is slick, wet, and red my blood pooling around me.

Jade stands over me, the dagger dripping. His expression is calm and proud, like a man who just succeeded.

I try to laugh but it comes out twisted on my lips “Congratulations, Jade on your first successful mission.”

They keep clapping. Everyone. Smiling. Watching.

Maya tilts her head, looking down with fake pity. “It’s better this way,” she says softly, as if stating a fact.

*Better for who?* I rasp silently, blood bubbling in my throat. *For this… game you’ve played with my life?*

I shake violently, tears streaming, trying to push myself upright. My stomach burns. Every muscle screams to run, but I can’t. I can only sit here, exposed and helpless.

“I gave you everything, Jade,” I stutter. “I gave you love. Loyalty. This child.”

He doesn’t move and just smirks.

“Oh God…” I whisper, pressing my head to the floor. “Goddess, please. Help me.”

The cheering grows. My heartbeat slows. My ears ring. I reach weakly toward him, blood dripping from my fingers.

“And this is what I get?” My voice cracks, jagged.

My lips tremble as my belly feels hollow, like the life inside me is slipping away.

“Oh God… my baby…” A broken sob rips from my chest.

Darkness creeps at the edges of my vision. My body grows cold. The applause fades to a distant hum.

I stare at Jade one last time. His face shines with pride. I loved that face. I trusted it. Now, I hate it.

I open my mouth, but no words come..only blood.

Then, a voice cuts through the room.

“STOP!”

The world tilts in my vision and the cheers vanish but it’s already too late for me.

Serenya's POV

My eyes feel heavy, like something has been pressing on them for days. I force them open but the light stings a little. The ceiling above me is gray and white. For a few seconds, I don’t understand where I am. The room is quiet except for the faint hum of machines.

Where the hell am I?

I close my eyes again, trying to remember. Then it hits me—Jade. My fiancé. The man I thought loved me. The man who stabbed me. My stomach twists. I remember the pain, the blood, the betrayal. My hand moves on instinct to my belly. It’s flat, wrapped in several bandages.

My throat tightens, I try to sit up, anger pushing me, but my body is weak. My arm shakes halfway up before I hear a woman’s voice.

“You might want to rest a bit more before going to fight off some ass,” she says.

Her tone is cold and calm but another footsteps approach. A younger woman in uniform enters as well and places a tray on a table near me and quietly leaves. I look toward the speaker. She walks in with slow steady steps, wearing a white suit that fits her perfectly. Her face is familiar. I know that face. I just can’t place where I’ve seen it.

“Who are you?” I ask, my voice rough.

She gives a faint smile. “Nice to meet you, Serenya. I’m Rosabelle Hyacinth.”

The name echoes in my head. Rosabelle Hyacinth. I know that name. I’ve seen her face on TV, in interviews, on the covers of business magazines. The woman who owns half of Chicago’s ice rinks. The one people call untouchable. I stare at her, speechless. Is this really her? I froze.

She's the woman who built the largest private ice empire in the United States, who dominated a sport ruled by men, whose name was glued into Chicago like fire. CEO of Hyacinth Ice Dominion, owner of The Chicago Vortex, billionaire with a reputation colder than her rinks.

I remember hearing rumors about Rosabelle’s team. They said she had three of the best hockey players in the country under her employ. No one really knew their names because they never showed up on social media, never gave interviews.

People only talked about them in hushed tones like legends

Except that wherever Rosabelle went, they followed. All I know is that they answer to Rosabelle and that’s enough to make me nervous.

“That's her?,” I breathed.

She sits on the edge of the my bed and looks at me, her expression calm but stern.

“What a cruel world,” she says quietly. “Giving your man your all only for him to betray you in the worst possible way.”

I blink, unsure how to respond. “Why did you save me?”

Rosabelle leans back slightly. “Because it’s a win-win for both of us. Don’t worry, it isn’t for free.”

Her tone is sharp but not unkind.

She continues, “Although If I had saved you earlier, you would’ve gone running back to that bastard again. You needed to see what he’s capable of, sometimes pain is the only way people learn.”

Her eyes soften a little. “I’m sorry about your baby. You lost it. But experience is the best teacher, don’t you agree?”

My chest tightens. I swallow hard but I don’t answer.

“What do you want from me?” I finally ask.

Rosabelle studies my face for a long moment. Her gaze moves slowly from my eyes to my hands, to my bandaged stomach, then back to my face.

“You really do look like her,” she says.

I frown. “Look like who?”

“My long-lost daughter,” she replies simply.

I freeze. “You… you had a daughter?”

“Yes.” She nods once. Her expression changes, soft but distant. “She was the best thing that ever happened to me. But I was careless, and I lost her.” Her voice breaks slightly before she straightens again.

“And your daughter looks like me?” I ask quietly.

“Very much. Too much resemblance. Except for one thing—you don’t have the birthmark she had on her neck.”

I sit there, trying to process that. “So, you saved me because I look like your daughter?”

“That’s part of it,” she says. “The other part is because I’m going to make a deal with you. I don’t like it when I see young women broken and left with nothing.”

She crosses her legs and leans slightly forward. “I want a lot, actually. But first, are you willing to get back at your ex?”

Her question cuts through the silence.

I think of Jade again. The lies. The other woman. The stabbing and my baby. I remember running away from my pack four years ago only for me to be with him believing he would be my future husband and hiding my identity. He found out what I was and he still killed me.

“Yes,” I say quietly at first then louder. “I want him to pay for everything.”

Rosabelle nods. “Then you’ll have to change from who you are to who you need to become.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means you’re no longer going to be Serenya Lopes,” she says. “The change will start with your name.”

“My name?” I blink, clearly confused. “What are you saying?”

“Instead of Serenya Lopes, you’ll be Reese Hyacinth.”

“What?”

“Yes.” She says as she reaches into her blazer and takes out a folded document. “This is the contract terms. Read it.”

She hands it to me. My fingers tremble a little as I take it. The paper feels thick and official. I open it and read.

CONTRACT AGREEMENT

Party A: Serenya Lopes

Party B: Rosabelle Hyacinth, CEO of Hyacinth Ice Dominion

Terms and Conditions:

1. Party A agrees to assume a new identity as

Reese Hyacinth, under the guardianship and mentorship of Party B.

2. Party A will undergo three months of physical, psychological, and professional training at a private facility in Minnesota.

3. Upon completion, Party A will be appointed as an assistant coach under the Hyacinth Ice Division, with the responsibility of managing and coordinating training schedules for the elite hockey team known as *The Chicago Vortex*.

4. Party A will live under the Hyacinth family name and will be recognized publicly as an adopted member of the Hyacinth household.

5. Party A will maintain confidentiality regarding her past identity, events prior to this agreement, and any personal association with Party B’s family prior to this contract.

6. Party A must show loyalty, discipline, and obedience to the directives given by Party B.

7. Party A will act as a caretaker and personal assistant to Party B’s sons when required, ensuring their physical and emotional well-being within reasonable boundaries.

8. Any breach of confidentiality or loyalty will result in immediate termination of this contract and legal consequences under the Hyacinth Corporation’s protection law.

9. Upon successful completion of this agreement, Party A will receive full financial independence, personal security, and permanent legal documentation as *Reese Hyacinth*.

**Signed:**

Party A: ___________________

Party B: Rosabelle Hyacinth

My hand shakes as I finish reading. I look up at her. “You have sons?”

“Yes,” she says calmly. “You’ll meet them soon. But not yet. First, you’ll train. You’ll become what I want you to become.”

She reaches into her pocket again, pulls out a pen, and holds it toward me. “Here.”

I stare at the pen. My name is right there—Serenya Lopes. The name Jade used to call me. The name that no longer means anything. My throat feels dry.

“What happens if I don’t sign it?” I ask quietly.

Rosabelle’s expression doesn’t change. “You’ll go back to nothing. Back to pain. Back to running. And next time, there might not be anyone to save you.”

Her words are calm but final.

I look down at the contract again. The letters blur a little as my eyes sting. This is it. If I sign this, Serenya dies for good. Maybe that’s what I need. Maybe the only way to survive is to stop being her.

I take the pen. My fingers are cold. I press it down and sign *Serenya Lopes*.

Rosabelle takes the paper, folds it neatly, and slips it back into her blazer.

“That finalizes it,” she says, standing up. “After your treatment, you’ll leave for Minnesota. Welcome to the Hyacinth family, Reese.”

I watch her move to the door. Her voice is calm but there’s an aura to it like she’s already decided my future for me.

When she leaves, the room feels different. I stare at the door long after it closes.

My name is gone. My baby is gone. My past is gone. All that’s left is what she’s turning me into.

I lie back, staring at the gray and white ceiling again.

---

The next day, doctors come in to check my wounds. Rosabelle’s people handle everything with precision. No one speaks much. Every face is professional, distant. When they’re done, a woman named Clara brings me a set of documents and a new phone.

“This is your ID,” she says. “Reese Hyacinth. Date of birth adjusted. Background verified. You’re officially part of the family now.”

I look at the ID. My new name looks strange. I don’t recognize the woman in the photo. My hair is slightly darker, my eyes edited to look colder.

“Rosabelle doesn’t waste time,” Clara says, setting the phone on the table. “You leave in two days.”

I nod slowly. “And Minnesota?”

“Private facility. No press, no visitors. You’ll have a schedule waiting when you arrive.”

Clara leaves and I’m alone again. I stare at the ID for a long time. Reese Hyacinth on it.

It feels strange, but maybe that’s the point.

I hear a knock on the door and just then Rosabelle returns. She walks in and stands by the window, her hands in her pockets.

“Do you regret signing it?” she asks.

I shake my head. “No.”

“Good. Regret wastes time. You’ll have a lot to learn. The training won’t be an easy one.”

“I don’t care. I just want to move forward.”

She looks at me for a moment, studying my face. “That’s what I like to hear.”

There’s silence between us that feels almost comfortable.

“Why me?” I ask finally. “Out of everyone, why did you choose me?”

She sighs. “Because you remind me of who I used to be. And maybe… because I see so

mething in you that’s worth saving.”

Her honesty surprises me. For a second, I almost forget who she is.

She turns to leave but stops at the door. “Rest well enough Reese. You’ll need your strength.”

When she’s gone, I sit up slowly and look out of at the window. I murmur to myself, “Reese Hyacinth.”

The name still feels foreign but something about it clicks in my chest. Maybe this is what I needed. A new start. A new name. A new war to fight.

Cole's POV

The cold from the rink hits the back of my neck as I skate across the ice, the sound of blades cutting sharp against the surface. Practice has been going for an hour, and we’re already drenched in sweat.

Knox is at the goal, calm and cold as usual, blocking shot after shot like a machine. Nolan keeps circling, trying to distract him with that smug grin he never loses while Finn is beside me, too loud, too competitive, the same as always.

I pull back, line up and send the puck flying. It hits the top corner, just brushing Knox’s glove. He doesn’t react and just stares at me with those gray eyes like I barely exist.

“Still emotionless, huh?” I call out, skating closer. “You’d think one goal would piss you off.”

Knox doesn’t answer. He never does. He just leans down, grabs the puck, and sends it back my way with a flick that makes my wrist sting when I catch it.

Finn laughs behind me. “He’s waiting for you to actually *score*, Cole.”

I roll my eyes. “I did score. He just doesn’t like acknowledging talent.”

“Right,” Nolan mutters as he glides past, spinning the stick in his hand. “Talent, arrogance—same thing with you.”

I grin. “At least I have both.”

We’ve been like this since we could walk. Competing, arguing, pushing each other until something breaks. It’s what makes us the best. People talk about us like we’re a rumor and ghosts on the ice. The Hyacinth Brothers. No one ever sees our faces, no one ever interviews us. They just see the records we break and the trophies we collect.

And that’s how we like it.

I slow down, circling to the side of the rink where Finn’s adjusting his gloves. “So,” I start, wiping sweat off my face with my sleeve, “I heard something interesting this morning.”

Finn looks up. “What?”

“The new coach Rosabelle is bringing.”

Nolan skates over, already curious. “Rose is really hiring again?”

“Yeah.” I shrug. “Heard it’s a woman this time.”

Finn snorts. “A woman? You’re kidding right?”

“Nope. Straight from the staff meeting,” I say. “Rose really knows how to gamble with us”

Finn smirks, leaning on his stick. “She wouldn’t last a week. You’d think Rose would learn we don’t need anyone bossing us around.”

Nolan chuckles under his breath. “She probably just wants to prove we can take orders. Which we can’t.”

I tilt my head. “Maybe she just wants to see if anyone can survive us more than the ones we've drove out.”

Finn grins wide. “Or maybe she’s hoping she’ll find one of us interesting.”

“Not happening,” Knox says quietly from the goal, voice deep and steady.

We all turn to him. He’s standing there, expression blank like the conversation bores him.

I skate closer. “Come on, little brother. You’re not curious who she is?”

“No,” he says flatly, sending the puck flying toward the wall.

Finn sighs. “Godd, you're so....always so cold.”

Nolan laughs. “He’s not cold, just focused.”

I raise a brow. “Focused on what? Glowering the rest of his life?”

Knox ignores me. He’s already back in position.

Finn shakes his head. “I’m giving her three days before she quits.”

“Bo Two,” Nolan laughs.

“One,” I counter it.

“Bet?”

I grin. “Always.”

We keep skating, pushing harder, moving faster. Every pass is perfect. Every shot has precision. This is what we were built for. No one outside this rink knows the truth, but every move we make carries the control we learned from hiding what we are.

We are werewolves. Four of us. Brothers bound by blood and that one secret.

To the world, we’re just players that are untouchable, unbeatable. But under the skin, there’s more. Every hit of the puck, every shift of our bodies, hides the strength that no human should have. We’ve learned to hold back, to make it look human enough not to raise questions.

I love the sound of the ice under me. It’s clean, sharp, real. The only place that quiets the noise in my head.

Finn crashes into Nolan, trying to steal the puck. Nolan pushes back, their sticks clashing. Knox catches the rebound and passes it cleanly toward me, and I take the shot. Straight through the gap.

Goal!

Finn groans. “You’re lucky, Cole.”

I laugh. “I’m always lucky.”

We’re still laughing when the air changes. It’s not something normal people would notice, but we’re not normal. The connection hums under my skin before it happens.

A voice slips through the mindlink that ties us to Rosabelle.

[ *You all should come pick her up at the airport. She’ll begin training soon.*]

Then she cuts off. No emotion, no explanation. Just orders.

Finn sighs. “She’s serious about this coach thing, really serious.”

Nolan skates to the edge, grabs his bag. “Guess we’re chauffeurs now.”

I shrug, grabbing my jacket from the bench. “Perhaps, it could be fun.”

Knox’s voice is calm but firm. “We’re wasting time.”

We leave the rink immediately , the cold replaced by the dry air of the arena hallway. Our assistant nods as we pass, but no one dares stop us. Outside, the cars are waiting—black SUVs lined up like soldiers.

I take the driver’s seat. Finn claims shotgun beside me, Nolan slides into the back and Knox takes the far corner, silent as usual.

The drive is quiet at first, the hum of the road filling the space.

Finn scrolls through his phone. “So, any guesses who this mystery coach is?”

“No idea,” I say. “But if Rose picked her, she’s either brave or stupid.”

Nolan chuckles. “Probably both.”

“Maybe she’s one of those motivational types,” Finn says. “You know, the ones that talk too much and think yelling fixes everything.”

“Won’t last,” Knox mutters, staring out of the window.

“You keep saying that,” I reply. “One of these days, you’ll have to give someone a chance.” I say

But he doesn’t answer.

We reach the airport within minutes. The city looks the same as always busy, bright and too loud. We pull up to the private terminal, step out, and wait near the entrance. The cold air bites, but it feels good against my skin.

Then something shifts inside me It’s subtle at first, a scent, warm and unfamiliar, drifting on the wind and then stronger.

My chest tightens as I glance at my brothers. Nolan’s posture changes instantly. Finn freezes mid-step. Knox’s hand burls into a fist.

We all look at each other at the same time.

“MATE,” we say together.

The word vibrates in the air, raw and instinctive.

Finn’s eyes flash briefly gold before he blinks it away. Nolan looks like he’s trying not to grin.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I mutter.

Knox’s voice is low. “She’s close, I can feel it.”

We turn toward the terminal just as the automatic doors slide open.

A woman steps out, slow and unsure, her hair pulled back, dressed simple but sharp. She doesn’t look like a coach. She looks like someone who’s been through hell and came back colder.

For a moment, none of us move.

Finn whistles under his breath. “Well, damn.”

Nolan’s tone drops lower. “Didn’t expect that.”

Knox says nothing as his eyes are fixed on her blankly.

I can’t stop staring. There’s something in her face that's familiar, something that pulls me in. I don’t know her, but I feel her.

Rosabelle steps out behind her, phone in hand. She spots us and nods once. “Boys,” she says. “Meet your new coach.”