KRISTINA'S POVI took her hand and squeezed tightly, not wanting to let go of her. As I felt her fingers entwined with mine, I smiled slightly. "Goodnight, Alliyah," I told her before letting go of her hand and heading off towards my room.But as soon as I got into my room, my smile disappeared instantly. I threw myself down onto my bed and buried my head in the pillow. Tears started strolling down my cheeks, which I quickly wiped off. I hated being angry with her. Why did I do it? Why did she have to choose Alpha Laurence? He was everything to me, she should have given her heart to anybody. Not him. I kept repeating these words in my head over and over again, hoping that somehow it would change my mind. The next morning, she waved to me when I appeared and I smiled back, before sitting down. "Hey," I said and she nodded. We stayed silent, neither one of us knowing what to say, I wasn't in the mood to make any conversation. I didn't have a clue who to talk to, I just wanted to be

KRISTINA'S POVI stayed in the house for several minutes before leaving to take a look around. I wandered through the ruins of what had once been my home. Once the dust settled, it was obvious what had happened. There were bodies everywhere. Some of the bodies I recognized, and others I didn't. Most of the blood stained the floor from the dead. The stench of the smell filled my nostrils as I looked around. If I focused hard enough, I could faintly taste the iron lingering in my mouth. "Kristina, darling," a voice said behind me. I turned around to see a man wearing a suit. His hair was neatly combed. "Don't worry dear. This will happen. You've already lost so much to the wolves' hands. What you mustn't lose is your freedom. Your future. The people depend on you. So, you'll have to be stronger than ever." My heart sank when I realized that I wasn't supposed to remember my past self, or the one before her. She was the current me. I was forced to remember the past that happened in thi

KRISTINA'S POV That is, until my thoughts inevitably wandered to a certain someone. Someone who's eyes reminded me of honey and chocolate and sunshine. Someone who smelled of expensive cologne and musky masculinity. Someone whose skin felt smooth and velvety like silk, even if he was covered with stubble and scars. He radiated confidence and power like no other guy could achieve. But most importantly, he gave me hope in this dark and lonely world. He showed me that sometimes things will work out in the end. Things will change for the better. And he would be there when I needed him most. Always there, by my side. Like I always believed he would be. *** My alarm clock blared through the house. With a groan, I tried to block out its annoying noise with an arm draped across my face. When the noise continued, I shot upright, wincing at the pain in my head. I reached for the phone next to me. "Go to hell, Kristina. Let me sleep," I muttered before pressing the power button with my thumb

KRISTINA'S POVI didn't respond. "Is there any truth in what they're saying?" The stranger pressed again. His eyes were sincere. It took me aback for some reason. I couldn't quite figure him out. My brow furrowed, and I hesitated. I wanted to believe him… but that wasn't the case at all. There was something odd about this guy. "Yes," I responded reluctantly. "They're saying… that the Alpha is planning on killing them. To punish them, or something. That's why." My gaze fell to my feet, ashamed. "Ah… so that's what happened?" He murmured to himself, looking sad, almost. "So they came here seeking refuge. How noble of them." He shook his head sadly, sighing. "Well, we must protect them, or else they will surely perish. You two are the only chance they have, and yet, you refuse to aid them. Your loyalty must be tested." The stranger frowned at us, seeming to hesitate for a moment. Eventually, however, he nodded resolutely. "Alright, I promise not to harm you. Let me help you protect

KRISTINA'S POVOnly the faint sounds of animals moving around could be heard from behind the walls and fences on both sides of the streets. Suddenly, another car honked loudly. It was coming closer. Our new ally looked behind us, his expression worried. He quickly scanned the area before grabbing hold of my hand and dragging me down into a small alleyway, forcing us behind the wall that surrounded the shops we passed. He pressed himself close against my back and pulled out his gun as I did the same. I gripped his arm tightly, holding him in place. Just in case. I took slow deep breaths through my nose, listening attentively for the telltale footsteps of whatever was approaching. Suddenly, we saw someone emerge from behind a building across the street. The stranger cursed under his breath. Even from several yards away, we could tell that the person was male. His hair was cut short and messy. His clothes consisted mostly of jeans, t-shirt, and jacket. Although we couldn't make out h