Kailey’s POV“She’s not my Luna anymore!” he roared, his voice cracking with frustration. “I told you that already. I—”“Oh, really?” I interrupted, stepping closer to him. “Because it sure as hell sounded like you were defending her just now. ‘My Luna this, my Luna that.’ Which is it, Ezekiel? Is she your Luna or not?”He opened his mouth to respond but closed it again, his jaw tightening as he struggled to find the words. I shook my head, laughing bitterly.“That’s what I thought,” I said, my voice cold. “You can’t even make up your mind. And you want to come in here and yell at my son for speaking his truth? For standing up to that conniving bitch?”“Don’t call her that,” he growled, his voice low and dangerous.“Why not?” I challenged, crossing my arms. “That’s exactly what she is. And you know it. You just don’t want to admit it because it’s easier to keep pretending everything is fine. Well, guess what, Ezekiel? It’s not fine. It’s never been fine. And your precious Cecilia? She
Ezekiel’s POVAs it stood right now, I was really losing it. Like, I was way too tired of everything. The feast Cecilia told me to plan? A fucking mess. Like, what the fuck? How can a fourteen-year-old boy talk back to me and Cecilia like that? Like, what the fuck?It shocked me to the highest level.You fucking caused all this for yourself.I could hear my wolf’s voice in my head, sharp and cutting, like he was enjoying my misery.“How did I?” I muttered under my breath, dragging my hands through my hair as I paced the room.You let Kailey down years ago, and you think nemesis won’t catch up with you?“You must be joking,” I growled back at him, my anger boiling over. “I have paid for my mistakes. Why the fuck is all this still happening to me?”Paid? Oh, please. You’ve barely scratched the top of what you owe, Ezekiel. And if you’re not careful, Auren is going to become something you’ll regret.“Fuck!” I snapped, striking my hand into the wall. My chest heaved as I tried to calm my
Ezekiel’s POVJames’s eyes widened slightly, but he didn’t reply. “Alpha,” he said slowly. “I… I think you need to address this head-on. Call a meeting. Confront Remus and the others. Show them you’re still in control.”I scoffed. “Oh, that’ll go well,” I said lightly. “What am I supposed to say? That my house is in shambles but they should still believe me? That my son publicly insulted me, and my Luna and ex-Luna are locked in a power struggle, but I’ve got everything under control?” “You don’t have to say all that,” he answered, his tone calm. “But you do need to remind them of who you are. Of what you’ve done for this pack and the Alliance. They’ve forgotten, Ezekiel. And if you let this continue, they’ll change the story entirely.” I rubbed a hand over my face, tiredness sinking deep in my bones. He’s right, you know, my wolf said, his tone softer this time. You’ve been so focused on keeping the peace that you’ve forgotten how to lead. Maybe it’s time to tell them. And yourse
Kailey’s POVHow fucking annoying it is to actually wake up to a text from Ezekiel.Meet me at the eating by 9 a.m. with Auren. Don’t be late! Who the hell does this fool think he’s talking to? I slid my phone onto the table and lay back down. I didn’t even know when I dozed off yesterday. I was so tired and scared that I just crashed, and now I wake up to this buzzing sound? So crazy. “Another crazy morning in this hell of a pack,” I mumbled, looking at the ceiling. I reached for my phone again to check the time. It was almost 8:30 a.m. I groaned, wondering whether I should even bother going to the diner. My wolf stirred, growling lowly, her way of nudging me to get moving. You should go. “Why? So he can piss me off even more?” I asked aloud. You know why. You care. I rolled my eyes. “Yeah, deep down, I still love Ezekiel so much. But what he did in the past? It’s always fresh in my mind. Every damn time I see him, I feel that pain. And it pisses me off so bad. Sometimes, I fe
Kailey’s POV"Nothing," I said easily, flashing another smile."Bullshit," Auren grumbled.Ezekiel leaned forward, resting his arms on the table. "Kailey, I know you. You were ready to tear this whole plan apart five seconds ago. Now you’re just… agreeing? That’s not how you work."I shrugged, tilting my head. "Maybe I had a change of heart."Auren laughed. "You don’t have a heart.""That’s rude." I smirked."That’s the truth," Ezekiel replied, his eyes still locked on me. He was studying me, trying to read me like a book with torn pages.I kept my face smooth. If they even got a hint of what I was thinking, it would ruin everything."Look," I sighed loudly, tapping my nails against the table. "We all want the same thing, don’t we? This curse broken. That’s why we’re even having this damn talk.""Yeah," Ezekiel said slowly, still wary."And this is the only way?" I asked, trying to sound hesitant."You know it is," Auren said."Then I’m in," I said with certainty.Silence. Thick. Heav
Kailey’s POVWhy isn’t this soup spicy?” I said even as I tasted the soup the maids were preparing for dinner.“My Queen… it’s—”“Your what?!” I cut her short, my voice sharp. “Don’t call me that. Call me the Luna.”“But—”“Are you trying to question me?” I shot back at the maid.“Sorry, Luna,” she said quickly, lowering her head.“Better. Now make sure this soup is spicy and not this trash you are cooking,” I snapped, turning to walk out of the kitchen. But as I reached the doorway, I paused.Cecilia was standing there, her arms folded, watching me with amusement. And then, she laughed.I narrowed my eyes. “What’s so funny?”Cecilia smirked. “What makes you think you are the Luna?”I tilted my head, my lips curling into a smile. “Oh, don’t worry about that. In no time, I will personally kick you out.”She arched an eyebrow. “Oh? And how exactly do you plan to do that?”I stepped closer, my voice low and firm. “All I need to do is prove you were the one behind my son’s murder.”Cecili
Kailey’s POVToday, a lot of Alphas were going to be around. The full coronation of my son, Auren, was today, and I was so happy. I was fully ready and dressed up. Elyra helped me with my dress even as she was telling me that there shouldn’t be any fight between me and Cecilia today.“I didn’t promise anything,” I muttered, adjusting my necklace.Elyra gave me a side-eye. “Kailey…”I smirked. “Yeah, yeah. As long as Cecilia don’t step on my toes, I’m gonna be good.”Elyra folded her arms. “You’re always the one finding trouble.”I turned to her, raising an eyebrow. “Me? Finding trouble? Elyra, be for real.”She sighed. “You don’t even see it, do you?”“I see plenty.” I smirked, checking my reflection. “I see that I look damn good. I see that my son is about to be crowned. And I see that if Cecilia breathes wrong today, I just might—”Elyra groaned, cutting me off. “Kailey! This is Auren’s day. Can you, for once, not start a war?”I chuckled. “I’m not starting anything.”She gave me a
Kailey’s POV"Alpha Ezekiel, I'm so happy for you. Finally, you have a son who will continue your legacy."Alpha Darius raised his glass, and I met his cheers with my own. The clink of our glasses echoed through the great hall, filled with the voices of powerful Alphas gathered for Auren’s coronation."Yeah, that was perfect," I said with a nod.Darius chuckled, leaning in slightly. "I just hope your new heir will continue the good relationship we’ve all kept through the years. You know how these young ones can be. Always eager to prove themselves."I smirked, taking a sip of my drink. "Sure, why not? He will. I trust him. He will be perfect. Though he's still very young, I know he will do his best."More Alphas began to approach, one after the other, congratulating me as they lifted their glasses. The air was filled with laughter and hushed conversations, everyone exchanging pleasantries and well wishes."Ezekiel, my friend," Alpha Tobias called as he clapped me on the back. "Tonight
JAMES’ POV. My eyes felt heavy, drowsy and the images in front of me doubled, tripped and the next thing I realized was that I was falling. I dropped to the ground with a thud, supporting myself with my arm strongly planted to the ground. “Shit” I cursed, shaking my head from side to side, trying so hard to stay awake. I could feel my consciousness slipping away gradually but I wasn't going to give it a chance m, I must stay awake. I can't pass out now, not now, not when the battle is still on. I shook my head again and struggled to get to my feet, however my effort was in vain as I collapsed again.My wounds burned on my skin, they were not healing, in fact it felt like they were getting worse.I grabbed my sword tightly, gagerung all the strength I could muster, I stabbed the sword into the ground using it as a third leg while supporting myself back to my feet.“There should be an Antidote” I muttered. “There should've an Antidote somewhere, and I need to find it.” I took a st
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