CAIUSTwo days.That was all the time we had before meeting Elder Aldric.The oldest and most powerful of the Elders.And the only one who could answer the questions that had been plaguing me ever since I met Lira.She should have had her wolf by now.But she didn’t.And yet—she was stronger than any unshifted wolf I had ever seen.I knew there was something about her.Something more.And soon, we would find out what.The thought unsettled me, a deep, gnawing sensation in my gut. I was not a man prone to fear, but uncertainty had a way of burrowing deep, needling at the edges of my resolve. And Lira—Lira was the one thing I couldn’t afford to be uncertain about.I watched her now, standing by the balcony of my office, staring at the moonlit snow that blanketed the mountains. The cold wind ruffled her dark hair, strands dancing across her face, but she didn’t seem to notice. There was something different about her since our return from the hot springs. A softness in the way she held he
LIRAI barely slept.For the first time in a long time, I was afraid of what was coming.What if Elder Aldric told me I was weak?What if he told me I would never shift?What if—?The thoughts circled endlessly in my mind, twisting and turning like a storm I couldn’t calm. I had never let fear consume me before. I had faced battles, endured pain, and survived more than most wolves ever would. And yet, this uncertainty—the possibility of knowing the truth—unsettled me in ways I couldn’t explain.A knock at the door startled me from my thoughts. I froze, the sound echoing in the stillness of the room. My heart leaped to my throat as I quickly wiped away the trace of a tear that had escaped down my cheek. I didn’t need anyone seeing me like this—not now.“Come in,” I called, forcing my voice to sound steady, stronger than I felt.The door creaked open, and Caius stepped inside, carrying a tray of food. His presence was solid, grounding—like an anchor I hadn’t realized I needed. His broad
CAIUSThe air was cold as we prepared for departure. A biting wind swept through Grimhowl, carrying the scent of pine and snow. The sun had yet to rise, leaving the world in a hushed twilight, but my pack was already awake, gathered in the courtyard to see us off.Lira stood by my side, bundled in a thick cloak lined with fur, her golden eyes flickering with uncertainty. Her breath curled in the crisp air as she clutched the edges of her cloak tighter around herself. The tension in her posture was impossible to miss. She had been quiet since last night, lost in thought, and I knew the weight of what lay ahead was pressing down on her.I reached for her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. “We’ll be there by nightfall,” I murmured, keeping my voice low so only she could hear. She nodded, but I could feel the tension in her grip. She was trying to be strong, but the uncertainty of what awaited us at Elder Aldric’s dwelling gnawed at both of us. His invitation had raised more questio
LIRAThe fire crackled in the Elder’s grand hall, the sound filling the otherwise tense silence. The flickering flames danced against the stone walls, casting shadows that seemed to grow larger with every passing second. I sat beside Caius, feeling the weight of his presence, the steady warmth of him at my side. My father sat across from me, his face grim, his usual confidence replaced by something else—something uncertain.Elder Aldric stood near the hearth, his ancient eyes unreadable, his posture stiff as he stared into the flames. The air was thick with the weight of his gaze, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that the Elder could see straight through me, into everything I had ever kept hidden. His age was something I couldn’t ignore—he was old, far older than any werewolf I had ever met, but there was power in his gaze. Even now, in his advancing years, he held a kind of authority that made my skin prickle.And something told me—he knew everything."Before I explain," Elder Aldric
TOBIASI still remembered the day we met her.The witch.Her name was Morgana Blackthorne, and she was unlike any other.Morgana Blackthorne was feared by many, but she was no monster. No twisted, evil creature waiting to cause harm. There were whispers about her, of course—talk of curses, dark spells, and prices too steep to pay. Some said she could call upon shadows themselves, that she could see the future in the embers of a dying fire. Others claimed she was immortal, an ancient being who had walked the earth long before the first packs had even formed.But when she stepped into our lives, she did not bring death or destruction. Instead, she offered something else entirely.I had been young then, but I still remembered the way she moved—like the wind, silent and certain. Her cloak was black as night, blending with the darkness that surrounded her. Her eyes, a piercing silver, seemed to glow even without the presence of the moon. She was tall and graceful, with an air of mystery th
LIRAThe room had fallen into a heavy silence, the weight of Elder Aldric’s words pressing down on me like an avalanche. My mind reeled, trying to make sense of the prophecy, the war, and the power that supposedly lay dormant inside me. It felt unreal—like a story pulled from one of the old legends, not my life.I clenched my fists, my heart slamming against my ribs."I don’t understand," I whispered, my voice barely audible. "What do you mean the dark lord will come for me?"Aldric exhaled slowly, his piercing gaze locking onto mine. "It is a warning passed down through the generations, child. A child born under the rare lunar eclipse, of Alpha blood, will rise with immense power—power that will tip the scales of war. But it also means…" He hesitated, his expression unreadable.My stomach twisted with dread. "It also means I will be the cause of it."Tobias flinched at my words. "No, Lira, that’s not—""That’s exactly what it means," I cut him off, my voice rising. "If this prophecy
ELDER ALDRIC"When we first heard of your birth, Lira, we were intrigued," Elder Aldric said, his voice steady but laced with a gravity that caused my pulse to quicken. He looked at me, his ancient eyes sharp with wisdom, but there was a weariness to him that hadn’t been there before.I leaned forward, trying to read the meaning behind his words. “Intrigued?”Aldric nodded, his silver beard swaying slightly as he adjusted his position in the chair. His features were worn with age, but his gaze remained unyielding, almost piercing. “A powerful pure-breed female Alpha-born—that alone was enough to catch our attention. But when we learned you were born under a rare lunar eclipse, that’s when we realized…”He paused, his eyes growing distant, and I could sense the weight of a memory tugging at him, something he was reluctant to bring fully into the light.“Realized what?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper, the anticipation thick in my chest.Aldric’s face darkened, and for the firs
LIRAI couldn’t sit still. The weight of the truth was pressing down on me, heavy and suffocating. Every question I had before felt insignificant now.. I had to take matters into my own hands."You don’t have to do this," Caius’s voice broke through my thoughts, and I turned to find him standing in the doorway, his silver eyes filled with concern.I didn’t look at him at first, instead staring out the window at the still, quiet world outside. The calmness of the world around me felt like a lie. Everything inside me was screaming for action. The clock was ticking, and I was running out of time."I have to," I said, finally turning to face him. "I need to find the Valenwood Pack. I need to understand what I am and where I come from."Caius stepped into the room, his gaze softening as he crossed the space between us. "I get it, Lira. But it’s dangerous. You don’t know what you’re walking into."I bit my lip, forcing back the wave of uncertainty that threatened to drown me. "I don’t have
Lira stood at the edge of the training grounds, her arms crossed tightly over her chest, as shewatched the warriors spar. The icy wind of winter nipped at her skin, but it was nothingcompared to the tension that was coiling tighter and tighter inside her chest. She could feel thepressure, the expectation, and it had been growing stronger every day. Only a week remainedbefore her birthday, and with it, the moment she had both dreaded and anticipated her entirelife.Her first shift.And four days after that—the full moon.Lira’s fingers clenched into fists at her sides as she thought about it. It had been a constantworry in the back of her mind for as long as she could remember. There was so much she hadto prepare for. The full moon would be the moment when everything changed. She would stepinto the world as a fully realized wolf, something she’d been dreaming about for years, but alsosomething she was terrified of. What if she wasn’t ready? What if she failed? There was no way
Lira sat on the log, staring blankly into the crackling fire before her. The flames danced in frontof her eyes, but she saw nothing. Her mind was a void, her thoughts nothing more than atangled mess of confusion, exhaustion, and pure embarrassment.She was numb. Emotionally, spiritually, mentally scarred.Her eyes were glazed, as though nothing in the world could pierce through the haze that hadsettled over her like a heavy fog. Last night’s events replayed in her mind over and over like anightmare she couldn’t escape.Caius sat beside her, an amused glint in his eyes. He wasn’t one to shy away from trouble—hewas the source of much of it, after all. His deep chuckle vibrated through his chest as hewatched her, obviously trying to suppress the amusement bubbling inside him. “You alright,love?”Lira slowly turned her head toward him. Her face was blank—empty, devoid of the usual spark.“I need therapy,” she muttered, her voice flat and devoid of any life.Caius raised an eyebrow,
*WARNING: THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS R-18 SCENES*Lira was exhausted.The past few days had been a blur of non-stop training—magic training, combat training,strategy sessions. It was more than she could keep up with, especially with Caius constantlypushing her limits in ways she never thought possible. He was relentless, and while the resultswere impressive, she was starting to feel the weight of it all.Her muscles ached with every step, her mind heavy with exhaustion. All she wanted—no,needed—was a long, uninterrupted sleep. It had been days since she’d truly rested, and herbody was screaming at her for a break.She shuffled toward her room in the guest house, dragging her feet, rubbing at the tension inher shoulders. The cold air from outside nipped at her skin, but she didn’t care. She just neededto get inside, strip down to her pajamas, and crawl into bed.As she reached for the door handle, she heard it.A sound so wrong, so utterly nightmare-inducing that her soul nearly left
Lira stood in the middle of the training grounds, arms crossed tightly over her chest, watching asCaius and Ronan sparred. Their movements were a blur of speed and strength, fists connectingwith precision, growls echoing in the crisp air. The power behind each strike resonated throughthe ground, the thud of their feet against the earth punctuating their ongoing battle fordominance.Normally, Lira would have been fully immersed in their movements, analyzing each of theirtechniques, mentally planning her own training sessions, and preparing for the future. Buttoday?Today, she couldn’t focus. Her thoughts kept drifting back to the way Caius had kissed her lastnight—no, the night before that, too. She could still feel the heat of his lips against hers, the wayhis hands had pulled her closer, his touch igniting something deep inside her. Her bodyresponded to him in ways she couldn’t ignore. The warmth of his hands on her skin, the fire thatburned between them every time their ga
Later that evening, Lira sat in the pack house, exhausted from the day's training. The cracklingfire in the hearth provided a bit of warmth against the chill that still clung to her bones. Sheleaned back in her chair, savoring the quiet, a rare moment of peace amid the chaos that hadbecome her life.Then, it hit her.A scent, rich and familiar, so strong that it sent a rush of emotion through her chest. It wasunmistakable.Her heart stopped.No. It couldn’t be...Footsteps echoed down the hall, getting closer, until they stopped right outside the door.“Did you miss me, or did you forget about me completely?”Lira’s breath caught in her throat, and she turned sharply, her eyes widening in pure shock.“Kora?” she gasped.The blonde-haired, hazel-eyed she-wolf stood in the doorway, a grin spreading across her face,radiating the same confidence and energy that Lira had missed so much.“Oh my Moon Goddess,” Lira exclaimed, her voice cracking slightly as she surged forward. Shethrew
Lira tilted her head up, meeting Caius’s intense gaze. The concern in his sharp blue eyes sent awarmth through her chest, a warmth that was different from the fire she had wielded earlier thatday.“You’re pushing yourself too hard,” he murmured, brushing his knuckles over her cold cheek, histouch sending a shiver of comfort down her spine.She gave him a teasing smirk, trying to brush off the seriousness of his words. “I thought youwanted me stronger.”“I do,” he admitted, his voice softened with care, “but not at the cost of your health.”Lira sighed, allowing herself to lean into the warmth of his embrace. She relished these stolenmoments, the rare pockets of time where they weren’t Alpha and Luna, where there was noprophecy to fulfill, no looming war. In these moments, they were just two souls deeplyconnected, not bound by duty, but by something more personal.After a long beat, he gently pulled back, his smirk returning, laced with playful challenge. “You’renot done traini
The frozen winds of Grimhowl howled across the vast training grounds, biting at Lira’s exposedskin. Yet she stood firm, her body steady despite the numbing chill, her eyes narrowed inconcentration. In her palm, a small flame flickered, its golden light casting a warm glow againsther pale skin. The fire was a reflection of the power stirring within her, a force she was stilllearning to control.“Good,” Morgana’s voice cut through the cold, low and almost predatory as she circled Lira.“Now, expand it.”Lira inhaled deeply, focusing on the warmth in her core. The flicker of the flame responded,stretching and twisting, growing larger as she fed it more of her energy. The fire danced wildlyfor a moment, the air around it shimmering with heat, but Lira kept her focus, forcing the fire intocontrol. Slowly, the flame took shape, curling into an orb of bright golden light that hovered justabove her palm.Morgana stopped her pacing, her sharp eyes gleaming with approval. “Better. Now,
The revelations from Morgana lingered in Lira’s mind, gnawing at her as the night stretched on.Lying in the bed, the weight of everything she had learned pressed down on her chest, leavingher restless and unable to sleep. The cold moonlight filtered through the window, casting longshadows across the room, but Lira hardly noticed. Her thoughts were a whirlpool, eachrevelation adding fuel to the fire of uncertainty within her.Her birth had been destined. Morgana had known Malakar. The Dark Lord’s betrayal had turnedthe witch into an ally, yet the depth of Morgana’s story only deepened the complexity of theirsituation. The idea that she had been part of some cosmic design—her existence tied to aneclipse, an event that was supposedly beyond her control—was both comforting and terrifying. Itmade her feel like a pawn in a game that had been set long before she was born.But Lira didn’t want to be a pawn. She wanted to be the player.The sound of a knock at the door broke through he
Morgana led Lira through the winding corridors of Grimhowl’s grand estate, finally stopping at asecluded chamber tucked away from the bustling heart of the pack’s fortress. The room was small, its atmosphere thick with the scent of herbs, dried flowers, and the faint must of oldparchment. Candles flickered in the corners, casting long shadows against the stone walls,which were lined with ancient tomes—some so worn that the titles had faded to nothing morethan ghostly traces.The witch gestured to a high-backed chair, its fabric rich and deep in color, and Lira hesitatedonly for a moment before sitting across from her. The air was heavy with unspoken secrets, andLira could feel the weight of them pressing down on her.Morgana leaned back in her seat, folding her hands in front of her. Her eyes seemed to darkenas she began to speak, her voice low and steady, as though every word carried the weight ofcenturies.“I am older than most beings you’ve ever met, Lira. I have lived for