Shadows in the Mist
Heather - POV
I woke up in a rush, disoriented, my heart pounding. “Heather,” a deep, masculine voice—steady yet heavy with urgency—cut through the fog clouding my head.
“Heather, wake up, please.” The pleading tone forced my eyelids open, and Kayden’s face came into view, hovering above me. His sharp, handsome features were marred with worry, his brow furrowed, his stormy eyes swirling with unease.
“We need to leave. Now,” he said, his voice calm, but the tension in his jaw betrayed him. His whole body radiated restrained panic, and for a moment, I couldn’t help but think how damn attractive he looked, even like this.
“Handsome,” I murmured weakly.
Kayden blinked, caught off guard. “You’re a mess,” he muttered, shaking his head.
“Why would you say that?” I rasped, trying to sit up. A sharp, searing pain tore through my body, making me groan, but Kayden’s strong hands gently helped me upright.
“For one,” he smirked faintly, “calling me ‘handsome’ isn’t something you do. And two, you can barely sit up.” But the teasing tone couldn’t mask the concern etched across his face.
“I don’t know what happened,” I whispered. “It feels like I got hit by a truck.”
“You don’t remember taking out the shadow and the necromancer?” he asked, watching me closely.
I shook my head, the effort making me wince. “No. It’s all blank.”
Kayden exhaled, his lips pressing into a thin line. “I see. Maybe it’s because you’re still new to using the power.” Then his expression softened, pride breaking through the worry. “But damn, Heather…seeing you in action? You were a badass. My mate, a total force to be reckoned with.”
His words sent a flutter through my chest, an unfamiliar warmth spreading in my heart. It was a kind of praise I’d never received before—not even from Clive, who used to despise me for standing out, for being too good as a soldier.
“Thank you,” I whispered, my voice shaky.
His face turned serious again, the warmth in his eyes flickering into urgency. “But we don’t have time. The pack is under attack. I
wanted to stay with you, but…”
“Kayden, no,” I cut him off, my voice low and raw. “You’re not fighting alone.”
“You’re in no condition to fight.” He sighed, his tone firm yet apologetic. I tried to argue, but exhaustion hit me in relentless waves, pulling me under.
“I’m sorry, Heather,” he murmured, brushing a kiss across my forehead, then my lips. The warmth of his touch was intoxicating, almost enough to lull me back to sleep. Almost. But before I could fight it, Kayden eased me back onto the bed.
I blinked groggily as he opened a vortex, a doctor stepping through the swirling portal. Then, just as quickly, Kayden disappeared into the same shimmering void.
“No,” I whispered, my voice too weak to stop him. Darkness wrapped around me like a lullaby, dragging me back under.
****
Kayden - POV
“Damon.”
“Goddamn it, a man needs rest,” Damon growled through the mindlink, his irritation sharp and clear.
“I need you to watch Heather while I handle the pack.”
“What’s going on?”
“We’re under attack. My beta isn’t answering my calls,” I informed him, trying to suppress the simmering rage boiling in my chest.
There was a pause before Damon replied, his tone dripping with annoyance. “Fine. But let me be clear: I’m only doing this because Stella cares about you—and Heather.”
I smirked despite the tension. Damon and I had our fair share of ups and downs, our bond strained by years of rivalry and unspoken grudges.
“Come on, don’t lie,” I teased. “We’re practically brothers now.”
“Don’t push it,” Damon snapped. Then, softer, almost mournful, he added, “We both know what it’s like to have nightmare brothers.”
I stiffened at his words, the memories clawing at the edges of my mind. “Fair enough,” I muttered.
“Just…be safe, Kayden,” Damon said quietly.
“I will,” I replied before cutting the link.
The moment my boots hit the territory pack grounds, the eerie silence wrapped around me like a noose. The mist curled through the trees, the pale glow of the moon casting long, jagged shadows. My gut twisted. Something was wrong—very wrong.
The pack members should have been in the evacuation center by now. My soldiers should have been out here, defending the territory. But there was nothing. No sounds of battle. No sign of life.
“Cowards!” I hissed into the night, my voice slicing through the silence. My fists clenched, my senses on high alert. Whoever was responsible for this attack wanted me off-balance. They were hiding, waiting to strike.
A rustle to my left snapped me into action.
“Merina?” I froze at the sight of her stumbling toward me, her body battered and bruised, her clothes torn and bloodied.
“Kayden…” she rasped, her voice barely a whisper.
I closed the distance between us in seconds, gripping her arms gently. “What happened? Where’s Harris? Where are the others?”
She coughed, wincing. “The pack…they’re in the evacuation center. Harris and the soldiers are fighting in the middle of the territory.”
Before I could question her further, a sharp snap echoed from behind me. I spun around just in time to see a wolf's form of—Harris—charging toward me.
But something was wrong.
Harris’s body was bruised, blood dripping from his fur. His wild eyes glowed unnaturally, filled with rage—and something darker.
“Harris!” I shouted, but my voice didn’t reach him.
He leapt into the air, snarling, claws bared, and aimed straight for me.