Kailey’s POVI was pacing in the room, left, right, and center. My thoughts were a chaotic mess, spiraling out of control as my emotions battled for dominance. Restless, angry, and scared—I was a whirlwind of all three, with no outlet for relief. My hands balled into fists as my chest heaved with each labored breath. At that moment, I even started wishing I had remained in the woods with Elyra.“Shut up,” I muttered to myself, disgusted by the thought. “How could you even think that? How could you wish something like that?”My voice cracked as tears spilled over. Punching the wall beside me, I ignored the sharp jolt of pain that shot up my arm. It was nothing compared to the ache in my chest. My son was missing. My precious Aurnen was gone, and I didn’t know if I’d ever see him again.The door burst open, and Elyra rushed in, her face etched with worry. “Kailey! I came as fast as I could when I heard the news. What happened?”I collapsed into her arms, sobbing uncontrollably. “Someone t
Kailey’s POV“Stop,” Elyra said firmly. “We can’t think like that. Aurnen needs you to be strong. Ezekiel needs you to be strong.”“Ezekiel?” I scoffed. “Do you think he’s ever truly cared about me? About Aurnen?”Elyra’s eyes softened. “I know you’ve had your doubts about him, but he’s doing everything he can to bring Aurnen back. You have to trust him.”Before I could respond, another guard entered the room, his face pale. “Luna Kailey, we’ve found something.”“What is it?” I demanded, my heart pounding.He held out a small, silver bracelet. “This was found in the woods near the border. It belongs to the prince.”I snatched the bracelet from his hand, my fingers trembling. “Where exactly did you find it?”“Near the riverbank,” he replied. “But there’s something else. We found tracks leading deeper into the forest. They were faint, but they’re fresh.”“Then what are we waiting for?” I said, already moving toward the door. “We need to follow them!”“Kailey,” Elyra called, stopping me in my tra
Ezekiel’s POV“Keep an eye on Kailey and my son,” I ordered the guards stationed outside her room. My voice was like steel, cutting through the air with authority. My glare bore into each of them, leaving no room for error. They immediately straightened, gripping their swords tightly.“Yes, Your Highness,” they replied in unison.Without another word, I turned on my heel and strode down the corridor. My blood was boiling, anger pumping through my veins like fire. Someone had dared to kidnap my son. My son! The audacity was maddening.As I entered the garden, the crisp night air failed to cool my fury. My fists were clenched at my sides, my jaw tight as I replayed the events in my head. Who would dare challenge me like this? And why?Lost in thought, I didn’t notice the maid rounding the corner until she bumped into me. The collision jolted me from my thoughts, and I snapped.“Watch where you’re going!” My voice was sharp, louder than I intended.The maid’s face turned pale, and she stumbl
Kailey’s POV"Pass me the bowl of warm water," I said quietly to the maid beside me. Though I spoke calmly, inside I felt a storm of fear and anger. The maid handed over the bowl, her hands trembling. I dipped a soft towel into the water, gently dabbing it on Aurnen's arm. His deep cut looked angry and red, but the bleeding had stopped."Poor boy," I murmured, brushing his dark hair away from his forehead. Aurnen finally seemed at peace, his breathing steady. Earlier, his fever had been dangerously high, but now it was subsiding. "Thank the goddess," I whispered, checking his temperature again.The maid fidgeted nervously. "I'm sorry, Your Highness," she began, her voice shaky. "I should have been more alert. I—"I raised my hand to silence her, focusing on Aurnen with a commanding presence. "Enough. What's done is done. Apologies won't change anything now." My tone was firm but not harsh, my attention solely on my son.Aurnen stirred slightly, whimpering softly. My heart ached, and I whi
Kailey’s POVFor the past three days, I hadn’t left Aurnen’s side. He had been in and out of consciousness, his small body wracked with the aftereffects of shock. I’d barely eaten or slept, my world revolving around the fragile state of my son. I couldn’t shake the feeling that this place, this pack, wasn’t safe for us.As I sat beside Aurnen, gently stroking his hair, Elyra entered the room. Her concerned eyes softened as she saw the worry etched across my face.“Kailey,” she began, her voice gentle yet firm. “You’ve been through so much, but you’re stronger than this. Aurnen needs you to be strong.”I looked up at her, the fear in my heart almost suffocating. “I can’t do this, Elyra. This place isn’t right for me or my son. I was telling you before that we should leave, and I still believe it. I don’t feel safe here.”Elyra sat beside me, placing a comforting hand on mine. “Kailey, this is your birthright. You’re the rightful Luna of this pack. You shouldn’t have to live in fear. The pa
Kailey’s POVThere was a knock on my door.“Who’s there?” I shouted, my voice laced with agitation.Aurnen was getting better, but every inch of me itched to leave his side and conduct my own investigation. Whoever wanted my son dead wouldn’t get away with it, but being stuck here, waiting for answers, was driving me mad. Every little thing seemed to set me off.The knock came again, louder this time.“Come in!” I shouted.The door opened hesitantly, and a maid stepped inside, her head bowed. “Sorry, Luna, for disturbing you,” she said timidly.“What is it?” I snapped, immediately regretting my tone but too on edge to soften it.“Alpha Ezekiel sent me to inform you,” she began, her voice barely above a whisper, “that you are needed in the courtroom. They’ve found who kidnapped Aurnen.”My heart stopped for a moment before hammering in my chest. “Really?”The maid nodded quickly. “Yes, Luna.”I was on my feet in seconds, practically flying out of the room. My mind raced with possibilities. They
Kailey’s POV I stood before the beaten man, my heart pounding in anger and frustration. He sat slumped in a chair, bruises marring his face, his breathing shallow but steady. His silence infuriated me. No matter what Ezekiel and the others had done, he refused to reveal who had sent him.But I wasn’t done. If he thought he could outlast me, he was wrong.I stepped forward, my voice low but cold as ice. “You think you’re brave, don’t you?”The man didn’t respond. His bloodshot eyes barely flickered in my direction.“Answer her,” Ezekiel barked, his voice echoing through the room.Still, the man said nothing.I folded my arms, circling him slowly. My voice dropped even lower, filled with venom. “Do you know who I am? I’m the mother of the child you tried to harm. The Luna of this pack. And I’m not as patient as Ezekiel.”He gave a weak chuckle, the sound grating on my nerves. “You don’t scare me.”“Oh, you will be scared,” I promised, stopping directly in front of him. “Because I’m not asking a
Kailey’s POVI stormed out of the room, my fists clenched so tightly my nails dug into my palms. My entire body trembled with anger, my chest heaving as I struggled to control my breathing. But the fury within me refused to be contained."Coming here was a mistake," I muttered under my breath. "A huge mistake. I should never have left the woods. I should’ve stayed with Elyra. None of this would’ve happened if I had just listened to my instincts."I paced the dimly lit corridor, my boots slamming against the cold stone floor. The sound echoed around me, matching the chaos in my head."Kailey," a soft, familiar voice called behind me.I ignored it."Kailey, stop," Elyra said, her footsteps growing louder as she approached.I whirled around to face her, my voice sharp and unsteady. "Why should I stop, Elyra? Why? Look at what’s happening! Look at what I’ve done! I walked right into this nightmare, dragging my son into it, and for what?""Kailey, calm down," Elyra said, her voice soothing but fi
JAMES’ POV. He grinned, his sharp eyes scanning me, assessing my movements just as I was doing to him.Then he stroked, His sword came fast, a blur of steel slicing toward my ribs. I barely parried in time, the force of the blow sending vibrations up my arm. I twisted, countering with a quick strike aimed at his side, but he dodged effortlessly, stepping back just out of reach.He was fast. Too fast, I exhaled sharply, adjusting my grip. This wasn’t going to be an easy fight.We circled each other, the ground beneath us torn from previous clashes. My breathing was steady, my heart pounding in my ears. He feinted to the left, then struck from the right. I blocked, barely, his blade scraping against mine as sparks flew.Then he kicked me square in the chest, the strike was hard, I stumbled back, gasping as pain exploded in my ribs. He didn’t waste a second. He was on me again, his sword a whirlwind of motion. I barely managed to dodge, his blade slicing through the fabric of my s
James’ POV As I ran forward, my eyes locked at the three rogues. The growls of the rogue wolves filled the air, their yellow eyes locked onto me with murderous intent.I pulled my sword from my sheath and tightened my grip on the hilt of the sword, feeling the weight of it steady me as they crouched low, preparing to pounce. My body was tense, my muscles coiled like a spring, waiting for the right moment.Then as they charged towards me, I could feel the ground trembling beneath their heavy paws, a storm of snarls and snapping fangs coming at me from three different angles.I had seconds to react, and I did. With a quick step to the side, I twisted my sword in an arc, meeting the closest wolf mid-leap.The blade sliced across its chest, a deep wound opening up, but it wasn’t enough to take it down.Pain exploded across my side as another rogue slammed into me, knocking me off balance.My back hit the ground hard, the wind rushing from my lungs.Claws raked across my arm as I rolled
JAMES POV. It was night time , The pack house was quiet, the kind of silence that came with a hint of unease. I sat in the lounge area, the dim lighting casting soft shadows across the wooden walls. Auren sat on the rug in front of me, cross-legged, while Lydia lounged on the couch, her head resting against the armrest.We sit out here this way, most of the time. The fire crackled in the hearth, it was the only sound breaking the quietness of the night.I watched Auren fidget with his fingers, his brows furrowed in thought. He had a lot on his mind,I could tell, We all did.Lydia sighed and stretched. “It's been a long day.”“Yeah,” I agreed. “But at least things are calm for now.”Auren looked up at me, his green eyes bright with curiosity. “James, do you think the pack is okay? I heard some of the warriors talking earlier. They sounded... worried.”I exhaled through my nose, leaning forward so my elbows rested on my knees. “There's been some tension, but nothing we can't handl
Cecilia's pov. How could he stand up to me? How could he challenge me? In front of the elders.The nerve of him. The absolute audacity.I stormed out of the pack house, my heart pounding with rage, my fists clenched so tightly my nails dug into my palms. James.That worthless James had dared to challenge me. Right before the elders.In front of everyone.I gritted my teeth as I pulled my cloak tighter around my shoulders, the night air cool against my skin.The full moon was high in the sky, casting long shadows over the forest path ahead of me.My boots crunched against the dried leaves, but I barely heard them over the furious pounding in my head.I was furious and mad, and right now, I could tear apart anyone who stood in my way.James had stood up to me, his voice steady, unshaken, he dared to step in when I was already close to my goal. I was just a step away, if the healer had proceeded with the blood test, they would have found out the Auren was not Ezekiel's so.This was beca
Kailey’s POV.How can this be?, yet again the forest had played tricks on me, I sighed, resting my back on a tree as exhaustion washed over me. Just when I thought I had found the relic, when I thought all of this was over, the forest had struck and the relic had disappeared. Now I was left with nothing. How would I cope?How was I supposed to go about this? What was I supposed to do now? Even with the coldness the mist brought, beads of seas gathered on my forehead. I wiped them off with the back of my palm, the mist in the air was everywhere , my throat was dry and it felt like I was going to pass out if I didn't get water to drink.Right now, it felt like I was losing my mind, thinking.Straight was more like a difficult task for me now. However, I knew I needed to move on, there was no reason to stick around,I still had to find the relic, I still had to save Ezekiel and return him to Auren. Ihaen idea how much time Ezekiel has left, same with Auren,I had no idea what was going
Kailey’s POV. It still baffles me how the altar disappeared into thin air, it was hard to fathom. Multiple questions flooded my ear, I was getting confused and it also felt like I was losing my mind. It was obvious that the voices I heard earlier, the voices of Auren, were just an illusion created by the forest to fool me, to deceive me and delay me from acquiring the relic on time.However, was the altar also an illusion created by the forest? Or was it something else.?While inside, I had felt a difference, a change in atmosphere and for a second I thought I had the relic already, I thought the relic was already in my hands. And then the next second the whole altar disappeared into thin air. I sighed as the thick mist curled around me, swallowing every inch of the forest in an eerie white haze. My boots sank into the damp earth as I trudged forward, my body aching from hours of searching. I was already tiring out, I could feel it in my bones, it felt like there was something
Kailey’s POV. The thick mist curled around my legs as I pushed deeper into the forest. According to the spirit, I have to get the relic to take the curse away from Ezekiel. I hated the fact that this was stopping Ezekiel and I from seeing Auren, from returning back to the pack house. My heart pounded in my chest, each beat a painful reminder of how little time I had left. Ezekiel needed me. I can't afford to allow Ezekiel to turn into a wild beast for the rest of his life. Auren needs his father, and I was not going to sit back and watch this happen to him.The mark from the forest spirit was spreading across Ezekiel's skin, dark tendrils creeping toward his heart. If I didn’t find the relic soon, I would lose him.I knew this and it fueled my zeal to find the relic. I clenched my fists and kept moving, my boots sinking into the damp earth with each step. The forest was somewhat quiet, save for the occasional rustling of leaves far ahead. I could see Shadows shifting in the
Ezekiel's pov.“To leave this place, you must have to complete a trial, a trial set by the spirit of the lost werewolf lineage, This is the only way you will be permitted to leave”I face folded into a deep frown and I could also see the shocked expression in the eyes of my comrades and also kailey. I had no idea what this was, what this spirit was, however I knew it was of no good. I hated the fact that I was in this mess with kailey.I hate to put her in this kind of a situation,one that threatens her life. In all of my years I have never witnessed anything like this, however I had heard stories from some of the older wolves mention something like this, a spirit which duels In the deep forest.Though I believed it, I still felt they were all myths, but seeing what was happening here, I was convinced that they were not just myths. The rest of my guards who were knocked down earlier had already gotten back to their position. I glanced at kailey, I reached for her hand and pulled h
JAMES’S POV“You’re coming with me,” I said.Jon nodded, falling into step beside me without a word. That was what I liked about him, he didn’t ask unnecessary questions. He just acted.He was quiet and very loyal to me, one of the best warriors I have trained. Together, we moved through the trees, walking toward the bar, as we walked, the crunch of leaves beneath our boots were the only sound between us. Of course there are many routes to take to the bar, however I had chosen this one, which was to make our movement more secure and unnoticeable. At this time of the night. The place was quiet , as most pack members were probably in their houses, carrying out one or two activities, some in the bar drinking away the stress they went through during the day. The bar sat at one corner, just a stone throw from the pack house, a small wooden structure with a crooked sign that swung gently in the wind. In no time I was already at the door of the bar, it pushed it open and at that moment