Cecilia’s POV"This is how you win."Kyle's voice was calm, steady, but there was something sharp underneath it. A kind of calculated danger that made my stomach tighten.I leaned forward, watching him closely. "Go on."He swirled the whiskey in his glass, smirking. "You already know Kailey's biggest weakness, Cecilia. You're just not looking at the full picture."I crossed my arms. "Auren.""Exactly." He leaned back, stretching his arms across the couch. "Her golden boy. Her pride and joy. The future Alpha." He looked me dead in the eyes. "You take him… and you take everything from her."I exhaled slowly. "It won’t be that simple."Kyle chuckled. "Oh, I never said it was simple. But it's doable. If you really want Ezekiel back, if you want Kailey gone for good, then this is how you do it."I narrowed my eyes. "How does taking Auren bring Ezekiel back to me?"Kyle tilted his head, like he was waiting for me to catch on. When I didn’t say anything, he sighed."Think about it," he said.
Cecilia’s POV"You owe me, Cecilia."Kyle’s voice was low, smooth, but there was something dangerous underneath it. Something sharp.I leaned back, crossing my legs as I watched him. "Of course. And you’ll get what’s yours."Kyle smirked, swirling the whiskey in his glass. "I intend to."I raised a brow. "What do you want?"He tilted his head slightly, his dark eyes studying me. "First things first—I want power. Real power. Not just being some Beta sitting on the sidelines of another pack. I want a seat in Ezekiel’s chambers."I exhaled slowly. "You want a place at his table?""I don’t want a place, Cecilia," Kyle corrected, leaning forward. "I want influence. I want a say in decisions. I want control."I tapped my nails against the glass in my hand. "And how do you expect me to make that happen?""You will," he said simply. "Once Kailey is out of the picture, once you are back in Ezekiel’s life, you’ll have the power to put me exactly where I need to be."I considered it.Kyle was sm
Cecilia’s POVBack in my pack, I knew I needed to figure out the right time to put our plan into motion. Timing was everything. If we moved too soon, we’d blow our cover. Too late, and we’d lose the advantage.The Moonlight Festival was coming up fast, and if there was one thing I knew about Ezekiel, it was that he took festival traditions seriously. That meant he’d have plans—big ones. Plans I needed to know.So, I decided to play nice.I brewed a fresh pot of tea, making sure to add just a little honey—he liked it that way. I carried the tray carefully to his office, keeping my expression soft, sweet. Like I was just a concerned old friend bringing him a warm drink.I knocked lightly.“Come in,” Ezekiel’s deep voice called out.I pushed the door open, stepping inside with a small smile. “Thought you could use a break,” I said, holding up the tray.Ezekiel raised a brow. “You? Bringing me tea?”I chuckled, setting the tray down on his desk. “Don’t sound so shocked. I can be thoughtfu
Cecilia’s POVI leaned back in my chair, exhaling slowly. Something felt… off. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but it had been clawing at the back of my mind all day. A nagging feeling, a whisper of something wrong.I shook it off and grabbed the radio on my desk, pressing the button.“James, get to my office. Now.”A second of silence, then his steady voice came through. “On my way, Alpha.”I set the radio down, running a hand through my hair. The Moonlight Festival was coming up fast, and I should’ve been focused on finalizing the last details. Instead, my thoughts kept circling back to Auren.Auren was strong for his age—faster than the other pups, sharper. He had the instincts of a warrior, but he was still a child. My child. And I wasn’t about to take any risks, especially not now.A sharp knock on the door snapped me out of my thoughts.“Come in,” I called.James stepped inside, closing the door behind him. His expression was calm, focused, like always. That’s why I trusted him.
Cecilia’s POV“Yeah,” I muttered. “Be careful.”James gave me a smirk. “Cecilia’s dangerous, but she’s not that dangerous.”I narrowed my eyes. “Don’t underestimate her.”James chuckled, heading toward the door. “Noted.”As he walked out, I exhaled, running a hand through my hair.Something was coming.I could feel it.I’ve been watching Cecilia for days now, tracking every move she makes. I don’t know exactly what she’s up to, but one thing is clear—she has a routine. And tonight, she’s sticking to it.Every night, around the same time, she leaves the pack house. Never too early. Never too late. Always slipping out when most of the pack is settling in for the night.Tonight, I’m gonna find out why.I move silently, keeping my distance as she makes her way through the darkened paths of the territory. She’s careful, checking her surroundings every few steps, but I’m better. Years of tracking have trained me to move like a shadow, blending into the night.She walks with purpose, never h
James’s POV All I wanted to do was get back to the pack and tell Alpha Ezekiel everything I had found out. Every single detail mattered, and I knew he needed to hear it as soon as possible. My heart was pounding as I made my way back to the packhouse, my legs moving fast as if my urgency could somehow make the Alpha’s meeting end quicker. The moment I stepped inside, I didn’t waste time. I went straight for Alpha Ezekiel’s office. The guards at the door straightened the moment they saw me. “Beta James,” one of them greeted with a nod, as always. “Is Alpha Ezekiel inside?” I asked, already knowing the answer but still hoping for a miracle. “He is,” the other guard confirmed. “He’s in a meeting with some other Alphas. It’s a serious discussion, so we can’t let anyone in.” I clenched my jaw. “Shit,” I muttered under my breath. This was important, but I knew the rules. No one was allowed to interrupt Alpha Ezekiel once he was in a meeting. Not even me. “Let me know the second he’s do
James’s POV Before I knew what was happening, a deep, sharp pain tore through my stomach. It wasn’t just a normal ache—it felt like something inside me was twisting, burning, eating me alive from the inside out. I barely managed another step before my legs gave out, my whole body suddenly weak. My hands clutched at my stomach as if I could physically hold back the pain, but it didn’t help. Nothing helped. “Shit,” I breathed, my vision swimming. Ahead of me, I saw Alpha Ezekiel and the other elders leaving the office, their voices blending together, distant, like they were underwater. I tried to call out, but my throat tightened, my voice barely more than a whisper. My head spun. The hall around me blurred, the walls shifting in and out of focus. My knees wobbled, barely keeping me upright. I was losing it. A fresh wave of pain hit me, and I nearly collapsed. I gritted my teeth, breathing hard, but even that didn’t help. My insides felt like they were being torn apart. A sharp, bu
Ezekiel’s POVEverything just happened so fast and sudden. One moment, I was finishing up a meeting with my elders, and the next, James was about to say something when he just collapsed.I stood there for a second, completely stunned. James never—never—fell sick. Not once in all the years I’d known him. My Beta was as strong as they came, a man who could take down three warriors without breaking a sweat. But now? He was on the floor, completely still, his breathing shallow. My heart pounded.“Get the healer! Now!” I ordered, my voice sharp, cutting through the stunned silence.The warriors in the room moved immediately, two of them running out while the others gathered around James. I knelt beside him, shaking his shoulder. “James! Wake up!”He didn’t move.A sharp anger bubbled in my chest, but I pushed it down. Anger wouldn’t help him right now. My eyes scanned his face—he wasn’t sweating, but his skin was too pale. I clenched my jaw. Was it something he ate?I stood up, turning tow
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