We were running again.

The sound of snapping twigs and frantic footsteps echoed through the dense forest as Cesar and I sprinted through the underbrush. The moon hung low, its silver beams highlighting our sleek, fur-covered forms as we weaved between trees. Behind us, the shouts of hunters and the tang of iron weapons faded but never disappeared.

Finally, Cesar slowed to a halt near a rocky outcrop, his ears twitching. I stopped beside him, my chest heaving as I shifted back to human form. The transformation was fluid but draining, leaving me shivering in the cool night air. Cesar followed, his dark hair damp with sweat, his eyes scanning the horizon.

“We should be safe here,” he muttered, though his voice lacked conviction.

Frustration boiled over. “How long are we going to keep running, Cesar? How long can we live like this?”

His jaw tightened. “As long as we have to.”

“That’s not an answer!” I snapped. “The hunters are getting stronger, more organized. And us? We’re just two exiled wolves with nowhere to go. This isn’t living, Cesar. It’s barely surviving.”

His shoulders slumped. “What do you want me to say, Kaia? That I have a plan? That there’s some magical pack out there that’ll take us in?” His voice cracked. “There isn’t. No one wants us.”

“Then what? Do we wait until they catch us? Until they kill us? Is that it, Cesar?”

“Stop it,” he growled, his eyes flashing. “You think I’m not trying? That I don’t want more for us? You think I like this?”

The venom in his tone stung. I recoiled, biting my lip. “I didn’t mean...” My voice softened. “I’m sorry. I’m just... scared.”

His expression softened, and he stepped closer, wrapping his arms around me. “I know. I am too. But we’ll figure it out. I will find a way for us.”

I nodded against his chest, his warmth grounding me. For a moment, we were the only two beings in the world.

Footsteps broke our brief peace. We turned to see a group of wolves stepping from the shadows, shifting into human form. At the front stood a striking woman with auburn hair and a chilling, predatory smile.

“Well, well,” she purred, her gaze locking onto Cesar. “You’re quite the catch.”

I bristled, stepping in front of him. “He’s not available.”

The woman raised an eyebrow, amused. “Is that so? Pity. I was hoping to add him to my collection.” Her eyes never left Cesar as she stepped closer. “You’d have a good life with me. Better than whatever this is.”

Cesar’s gaze flickered between her and me, and my stomach churned. “You’re not seriously considering this, are you?”

He hesitated. That silence shattered something inside me. “Kaia...” he began, but his words died. Instead, he pushed me aside, harder than he ever had, and dropped to his knees before the woman. “Please. Take me. I’m not with her.”

The air left my lungs. “What are you talking about? Cesar, I’m your mate. We’re bonded.” My voice cracked with disbelief. I turned to the woman, trembling. “Look! The mark—”

Before I could finish, Cesar’s hand shot out, gripping my arm like a vice. His eyes were cold. A stranger’s eyes. “Kaia,” he said, his tone flat, devoid of emotion, “don’t fight this. It’s over.”

Then, with deliberate cruelty, he tore at the mark on my neck. The pain was blinding, a white-hot agony that ripped a scream from my throat. But the physical hurt was nothing compared to the soul-crushing emptiness that followed. Tears streamed down my face as I clutched at the now-faded scar, my knees buckling.

The woman—Selene, I heard someone call her—laughed, sharp and mocking. “Oh, this is delightful,” she said, brushing her fingers against Cesar’s cheek. “You’ve made the right choice, darling. Welcome to my pack.”

I reached out weakly, my voice barely a whisper. “Cesar... please... don’t do this.”

He didn’t even look at me. His gaze stayed fixed on Selene, his expression unreadable but resolute. “I’m sorry, Kaia,” he said, but the words were hollow, twisting the knife in my chest.

Selene smirked and turned, leading her group into the shadows. Cesar followed without hesitation, his silhouette fading into the darkness. Her laughter lingered, a haunting melody that mocked my shattered soul.

I dropped to my knees, the cold earth biting into my skin as sobs wracked my body. He was gone. My mate, my partner, the one I thought I’d face anything with—gone, and with him, every piece of the future I’d dared to hope for.

I was alone.

I woke up to the smell of damp wood and the faint creak of an old house settling around me. My body ached, a dull throb radiating from my side as I took in the unfamiliar surroundings. Before I could push myself upright, the door creaked open, revealing a tall man with sharp features and a roguish smirk. Owen. The infamous rogue whose name alone sent shivers down spines.

If this had been me before, I might’ve been terrified. But now, I stared at him with deadened eyes, unflinching.

“Why did you save me?” I asked, my voice flat.

Owen’s gaze darkened as he strode over, gripping my chin with surprising force. His eyes bore into mine, cold and calculating. For a moment, I thought he might snap my neck right then and there. Then, just as suddenly, he smiled, boyish and warm, like a golden retriever.

“I can’t stand seeing people get wronged,” he said, his tone light, as if we weren’t in the middle of a tense standoff.

Without another word, he dropped a piece of bread on the table beside me. “Eat,” he said.

I hesitated, narrowing my eyes at him. “I’m a rogue too. I can’t repay you.”

He shrugged, already walking toward the door. “Didn’t ask you to. But…” he paused, glancing back at me. “If you want to stop crawling and start standing, join me. We could use someone like you.”

I stared at him, unsure how to respond. He shrugged again. “Think about it. Good luck, Kaia.” He shot me a wink before disappearing into the hallway.

I stared at the bread for a moment before hunger got the better of me. The stale crust was tasteless, but it filled the void in my stomach. Once I finished, I left the old house. My goal was clear.

I needed to find him.

The forest was eerily silent as I approached Selene’s pack’s territory. Hiding in the thick bushes, I watched the scene unfold before me. Selene sat on her makeshift throne, her auburn hair catching the moonlight. Around her, men groveled and catered to her every whim. And among them, like a hollow shell of his former self, was Cesar.

My teeth clenched so hard my jaw ached. He served her, obeyed her, like some broken puppet. The Cesar I knew—or thought I knew—was gone. But I didn’t move. Not yet. I waited until the crowd dispersed and Cesar was alone, his shoulders sagging as he stood by the edge of the clearing.

I stepped out of the shadows, my heart hammering in my chest. “Cesar.”

His head snapped toward me, his expression a mixture of shock and guilt. “Kaia? What are you doing here?”

“I came to talk,” I said, keeping my voice steady. “Why are you doing this?”

For a brief moment, something flickered in his eyes—maybe regret and love. He opened his mouth to speak, but before he could answer, Selene’s voice cut through the night like a blade.

“Cesar!”

His entire demeanor shifted. The softness vanished, replaced by an icy detachment. He turned to me, his face hardening. “You shouldn’t have come here.”

Before I could react, he shoved me backward, pulling a knife from his belt. The blade glinted in the moonlight as he drove it to my side. Pain erupted, white-hot and blinding, but it was nothing compared to the agony of his next words.

“It’s over, Kaia,” he said coldly. “I’m never coming back to you.”

I gasped, clutching at the wound as blood seeped through my fingers. “Why?” I choked out. “Cesar, why are you doing this?”

He looked down at me, his expression unreadable. “Because I’m tired, Kaia. Tired of running, tired of fighting. Selene can give me peace.”

“There’s another way,” I pleaded, desperation creeping into my voice.

He shook his head, his gaze cold and unyielding. “No, there isn’t. This is the only way.”

Selene approached, a satisfied smile playing on her lips as she draped herself over Cesar. She leaned in and kissed him, slow and deliberate, her eyes locked with mine as if to drive the dagger deeper into my heart.

When she pulled away, she sneered. “If you ever come back here, your head will roll at my feet.”

With that, she led Cesar back toward the pack’s den, leaving me crumpled on the ground, tears streaming down my face. My body shook with sobs, the pain of betrayal far outweighing the physical wound.

“You’re pathetic like this, you know.”

I flinched at the sound of Owen’s voice, his silhouette emerging from the shadows. He crouched beside me, his expression unreadable. “What are you doing here?” I whispered.

He tilted his head, studying me. “Offering you a second chance. You don’t have to keep chasing after someone who doesn’t want you.”

I glared at him, but the fight drained me. “Why do you care?”

He smirked. “Let’s just say I have a thing for lost causes. So, what do you say? Join me. This time, for real.”

For a moment, I hesitated. Then I thought of Cesar, of the emptiness in his eyes as he turned his back on me. I thought of Selene’s cruel smile and the laughter of her pack.

I looked up at Owen and nodded. “Alright. I’m in.”

“Welcome to the Dragon Rogues Organization.”

Owen’s voice was calm yet commanding as he pushed open a hidden door in the run-down house. Beyond it lay a luxurious space, a stark contrast to the decaying exterior. My eyes widened as I took in the scene: plush furniture, intricate tapestries, and people bustling with purpose. They greeted me warmly, their smiles genuine.

I turned to Owen, my expression questioning. “This isn’t what I expected from rogues.”

He smirked, his golden retriever charm on full display. “We’re not just any rogues, Kaia. These are people who were wronged, betrayed, or wrongly accused. We’re not here to cause chaos. We’re here to reclaim what’s ours.”

I nodded slowly, the weight of his words sinking in. Owen didn’t waste time. He moved to the center of the room, clapping his hands to gather everyone’s attention. The chatter ceased, and all eyes turned to him.

“It’s time for another mission,” Owen announced. “This time, we’re taking down the Silvery Pack.”

My breath hitched at the mention of Selene’s pack. Owen’s eyes flicked to me, a knowing glint in them. “Before you think this is just for you, Kaia, it’s not. Selene possesses a dangerous magic stone. It’s one of three. We’re going to take it and disrupt her power. But make no mistake—this mission will not be easy.”

A murmur of agreement rippled through the room. Owen’s tone shifted, sharp and decisive. “The other two stones are hidden. We don’t know where. But if we can get this one, it will give us a lead and buy us time to prepare for what’s to come.”

The group sprang into action, preparing for the mission. Owen laid out the plan with military precision. I listened intently, absorbing every detail. This wasn’t just about revenge anymore. The stones were dangerous—Selene wasn’t just building a pack; she was amassing power that could destroy anyone who stood against her.

The night of the mission was cold and still. We moved through Selene’s territory like shadows, bypassing guards and traps with practiced ease. The chamber housing the magic stone was buried deep within the heart of her territory, its entrance heavily fortified.

Owen’s team worked swiftly. By the time Selene’s guards realized something was wrong, we were already inside. The stone rested on a pedestal, glowing faintly with an otherworldly light. It pulsed with energy, and just standing near it made my skin prickle.

Owen approached the stone, his expression grim. “This thing is no ordinary artifact,” he muttered. “Be careful.”

I stepped closer, my instincts screaming at me to back away. “What happens if we take it?” I asked.

Owen’s eyes flicked to me, sharp and assessing. “We don’t have a choice. Leaving it here is more dangerous than taking it.”

He reached out, wrapping the stone in a thick cloth before placing it in a protective case. The moment it left the pedestal, the room shuddered. Alarms blared, and we bolted, the stone safely in Owen’s hands.

We barely made it out. Selene’s forces were in disarray, but the tension in Owen’s team was palpable. As we regrouped outside her territory, Owen’s second-in-command, a woman named Lila, handed him a map.

“Only one,” she said, her voice tight. “The other two stones weren’t in the chamber.”

Owen swore under his breath. “Then we'll find them before she lays her hand on them.”

I frowned. “What’s the point of taking just one? Won’t she still have power?”

Owen shook his head. “The stones are connected. Separating them weakens their influence. This one will buy us time, but it won’t stop her completely. And if she figures out where we’ve hidden it…”

His words hung in the air like a storm cloud.

As we returned to the base, Owen pulled me aside. “Kaia, this isn’t over. Taking the first stone was the easy part. Finding the others will be harder, and protecting this one will be even worse.”

I nodded, the weight of his words settling over me. “What do we do now?”

“We plan,” he said simply. “And we prepare for war.”

For the first time, I felt a flicker of hope. Selene might have two stones, but she didn’t have all three. And now, with the Dragon Rogues behind me, I wasn’t fighting this battle alone.

But there was more to it than just the stones, and Owen’s words didn’t erase the fire burning inside me. I wasn’t just doing this for survival, or for some vague notion of justice. I was doing it for myself. For the girl I used to be—the one who hadn’t known betrayal, the one who hadn’t lost everything she cared about.

I was doing this for revenge—for Cesar. The pain of losing him still weighed heavily on my heart. Every step of this mission felt like a small piece of me clawing my way back from the darkness, one vengeful act at a time.

Selene had taken him from me, and now, I would take everything from her. Not just the stones. Not just power. I would destroy her, piece by piece, until she knew what it felt like to lose everything.

This wasn’t just about reclaiming what was mine. It was about making sure she never took anything from me again.