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
LIRAThe fire crackled softly in the dimly lit chamber, casting long shadows on the stone walls. The warm orange glow of the flames was the only light in the otherwise dark room, flickering and dancing across the ancient stone. The weight of Elder Aldric’s words hung in the air like a dense fog, making it hard to breathe, let alone think.Caius sat beside me, our shoulders brushing lightly, though his presence felt more like a lifeline than mere proximity. His warmth was the only thing that seemed to ground me in that moment. My father stood just a few feet away, his posture rigid as ever, arms crossed tightly across his chest, eyes narrowed in contemplation. The silence between us stretched, thick and suffocating."I remember now," Elder Aldric murmured, his voice distant, as if he were trying to sift through the mists of time to unearth forgotten knowledge. His eyes glazed over, and I could see his mind working, digging deep into ancient memories. "The prophecy does not speak of one
LIRAAldric folded his hands together. "Now that we are all in agreement, there is one last matter to discuss."I turned to him. "You must leave soon," the Elder continued. "The Valenwood Pack has remained hidden for a reason. They might not welcome you easily."But before he could respond, my father stepped in, his expression tense. My father, always the protector, never the one to show vulnerability, now looked like a man whose world had been flipped upside down. I met his gaze, a question in my eyes, but he didn’t wait for it."I’m coming with you," he said, his voice low but resolute. "I’ve kept you from the truth for too long. I’ve kept you safe and I won’t let you face this alone.""Father," I began, but the words felt weak on my tongue. He wasn’t giving me a choice, and I knew it. My father, Tobias, was the Alpha of our pack—he couldn’t sit idly by while I searched for the answers to who I really was."You will need me," he continued, his voice thick with something I couldn’t q
LIRAThe morning air was crisp, carrying the scent of damp earth and pine as our group rode through the dense forest. Sunlight filtered through the towering trees, casting shifting shadows along the moss-covered path. The rhythm of hooves striking the dirt ground was the only sound that accompanied our travel, yet it felt like the forest itself was holding its breath, watching us, waiting.I stole a glance at my father, who rode beside me, his expression unreadable as always. His stoic demeanor was a constant presence, an unyielding force of control. Alpha Tobias, my father, had insisted on coming along, bringing ten of his own warriors to join our group. Despite his silent disapproval of my bond with Caius, he had made it clear that my safety was his priority—whether I liked it or not. The air between us was tense, yet unspoken. He had not addressed our issues directly, but his actions said everything. His gaze rarely lingered on me, his attention always focused ahead, as if determin
LIRAThe wind howled through the dense forest, swirling snow around our boots as we stood at the edge of the darkened valley. Our breath curled into the cold night air, a plume of white vapor fading into the frosty emptiness. The world seemed alive with the biting chill, but beneath it, a heavy unease pressed down on us like a suffocating blanket. The night was silent, save for the harsh whispers of the wind and the occasional crunch of snow beneath our feet. Yet, I could feel something—something lurking just beyond the reach of the moonlight, watching us, waiting.My father stood at my right, his broad form a silent sentinel in the dark. His warriors formed a protective semicircle around us, their dark silhouettes outlined against the pale snow. The tension in the air was palpable, thick with the foreboding sense that we were on the cusp of something dangerous. My father’s sharp gaze never wavered, his eyes scanning the edges of the valley, taking in every shadow, every flicker of mo
The captured warrior sat bound to a thick wooden post in the center of the camp, his wrists and ankles secured with silver-forged restraints. The dark night air whipped around him, but he didn’t flinch, his sharp amber eyes unwavering as he glared at the wolves surrounding him. The cold night seemed to press down on us, thick with the weight of what was to come. Caius, Tobias, Lira, and the others stood in a half-circle before him, each of us on edge, eyes fixed on the warrior. The fire crackled behind us, casting dancing shadows across the faces of those gathered.Ronan was the first to break the silence. His voice was low, tinged with that unrelenting cynicism he always carried. “You should consider yourself lucky,” he muttered. “We usually don’t keep strangers alive when they attack first.”The warrior scoffed, the sound rough, carrying the weight of experience. “And I usually don’t get captured,” he replied, his voice thick with the remnants of a hardened past.Caius stepped forw
The silence stretched for several moments as Lira processed everything Dain had just revealed. The weight of it settled on her shoulders, pressing down with the heaviness of a thousand unspoken truths. Her mind spun as she grappled with the implications of what she had just learned. She had always known there were gaps in her mother’s story, but she never expected those gaps to be so vast, so tangled in the shadows of betrayal and lost legacies.Caius was the first to break the silence, his voice steady but edged with disbelief. “You’re saying that Valenwood really still exists. That Alpha Theron, Lira’s grandfather, is still leading the survivors.”Dain’s amber eyes met Caius’s, unwavering. “Yes,” he confirmed with a nod, his voice thick with both reverence and sorrow. “And he would want to see his granddaughter.” His gaze flickered toward Lira, his next words meant only for her. “You carry his blood. Even after all these years, you belong to Valenwood.”Lira wasn’t sure what to say.
TOBIASThe atmosphere in Grimhowl was tense, a constant hum of alertness. After the news of strange occurrences in the surrounding lands, security had been heightened. Every patrol, every guard, every shadow in the forest was now something to watch closely. The last thing we needed was an unexpected threat.Dain had volunteered to patrol the northeastern gate. I trusted him with my life, but I still felt the need to check in, especially now. I found him standing by the entrance, his sharp eyes scanning the surroundings, his posture that of a seasoned warrior ready for anything."You good?" I asked as I approached him, stepping into his line of sight.He turned, giving me a nod. "I’m good. Nothing to report yet. But we both know that can change in an instant.""You need anything? Extra reinforcements? Supplies?" I offered, glancing at his weapons and the space around him.Dain shook his head. "I’m fine for now. Just keeping watch. We need to be prepared, but we’re not going to let our
SERAPHINASixteen years.It felt surreal, standing here now, breathing in the air of freedom after so many years spent behind cold, stone walls. I could hardly believe it. The chains, the darkness, the suffocating loneliness—those memories seemed so distant now, as if they belonged to someone else. But they didn’t. I had lived it, endured it, and now, I was free.I took a deep breath, letting the scent of fresh earth and the cool breeze that swept through the trees fill my lungs. The prison walls, those oppressive structures that had confined me, felt like a lifetime away. I had no idea what awaited me in Grimhowl, but right now, none of that mattered.What mattered was Tobias. My Tobias. And my baby, Lira. She was just five years old when I had been taken, and I had missed everything—her first steps, her first words, her growth. I had missed her entire childhood. I had no idea what she was like now. Was she still my sweet little girl? Or had she changed into someone unrecognizable, h
CELESTEThe moment Lucien spoke the words that I had hoped for, the words that cracked open the door to the man I had loved, I didn’t hesitate. Time was of the essence. I could feel the shift in the air, a subtle stirring of hope rising amidst the darkness that still clung to him. But that hope needed action.Without a word, I turned on my heels, determined to act swiftly. Lucien didn’t want to come with me—he couldn’t face the guilt, the shame of facing his sister, of confronting the wrongs he had committed. I understood that. But the weight of his past wasn’t something he could simply bury. He had to confront it, even if it was just a small part of it. But for now, I couldn’t wait for him to find the courage. I had to do this for him, for us.I made my way to the prison with purpose, my mind racing as I prepared for the task ahead. The walls felt suffocating as I neared the cold, damp cells. I had seen too much suffering here, too much darkness. The air was thick with the remnants o
CELESTEThe weight of the moment settled heavily around me. I could feel the deep ache in Lucien's voice, the rawness in his words. But I also felt something else—a flicker of hope, a spark of the man I had fallen in love with all those years ago.I had always known that the darkness had not completely consumed him. There were flashes of the Lucien I had known—the protector, the fierce leader, the one who had once cared for his pack as much as he cared for me. But somewhere along the way, that man had been buried beneath the shadows, the ambition, the anger. And yet, in this vulnerable moment, it felt like I could almost touch him again.I had hoped for this. I had believed in this. But now that it was real, now that I could feel the faint glimmer of the Lucien I had once known, I had to act quickly. The darkness was still lingering, gnawing at him, waiting for a moment to pull him back in. And that moment was coming soon, especially with Malakar’s influence slowly creeping into every
LUCIENThe black crystal pulsed softly, its shadowed depths revealing fragments of voices and stories I had no business hearing. But I listened anyway, because the truth, no matter how twisted, was all that mattered now.I could hear Morgana’s voice, her words reverberating in my head as she spoke of Malakar’s daughter and the blood that ran through Caius. The realization hit me like a bolt of lightning—Caius was the vessel. He was the one that carried the dark magic, the legacy of Malakar.It made sense. It explained the strange stirrings within me, the shadows that followed me like a distant storm, threatening to engulf everything I touched. I had always known there was something inside me, something dark and ancient. But I had never understood what it was, or how to control it.If Caius was the vessel of Malakar, then… perhaps there was a way to fix this. If Caius could be cleansed, maybe the same could be done for me. But how? How could I rid myself of the darkness that was growin
CAUIS“All this time… I was the endgame.”I didn’t know how long the silence lasted after I said it. Maybe seconds. Maybe years. My voice echoed in my head, hollow and damning, like it belonged to someone else.I stared at the floor, hands clenched at my sides, my chest rising and falling too fast. My lungs couldn’t seem to hold enough air. Because now I knew.The shadow that moved when I marked Lira.The whispers I tried to ignore.The coldness that clung to my bones like frost…It was never outside of me.It was me.Or at least a part of me. A part I never asked for.“Malakar…” I whispered, the name burning my tongue like poison. “He’s been inside me this whole time.”Morgana stepped forward. Her eyes—gods, they were endless. Deep wells of sorrow and fury and love. She looked at me like she was seeing more than just a young Alpha.“When I met you,” she said softly, “I felt something. A pull. A bond.” She placed a hand over her heart. “I thought it was because of Xander… that maybe y
ALDRICMorgana’s words hit like a tempest—each syllable peeling back the layers of silence I’d carried for two centuries.Sacrifice. Heart. Xander. Mina.I stood motionless, her voice fading into the thundering in my ears as something deep inside me stirred. A flicker of something I hadn’t felt in ages. A memory long buried… by magic.Then it cracked—like ice under pressure—and the dam broke.It came rushing in.A face. A sound. The coppery scent of blood.And a child screaming.I staggered back a step, gripping the edge of the table.“I… I remember something,” I rasped. “Gods—how could I have forgotten this?”Morgana looked up, startled. Her tear-streaked face locked onto mine, and I could feel the hope—and the terror—rising in her chest.“What do you mean?” she whispered.“I followed him,” I said, breathless. “That night. I followed Xander… into the basement.”Her brows knitted. “You what?”“I don’t know why,” I continued, piecing it together, “Maybe I was suspicious. Or maybe somet
MORGANAI was in the garden, teaching Mina how to coax a bloom from a wilting bud when Xander came to me.“There’s trouble in the village,” he said, voice urgent but composed. “A witch has been spotted casting curses—terrifying the villagers. They need you.”I looked up, wiping my dirt-smudged hands on my apron. “Are you sure? I haven’t sensed anything.”He nodded. “They’re hiding her, out of fear. They sent word to us this morning. Please, Morgana. Only you can deal with this kind of threat.”He looked so sincere. I trusted him. Of course I did. He was my mate, the man who once swore he would stand against the darkness with me.I kissed Mina’s curls and whispered, “Be good for Papa,” before mounting my horse and riding out.The trip to the village took hours. By the time I arrived, the sun was past its peak, dipping into the haze of afternoon. I dismounted at the edge of the quiet settlement and walked its cobbled paths. But there were no cries for help. No signs of chaos. No trace o
MORGANAThe past clung to me like the scent of old spell smoke. I didn’t need to close my eyes to see it—the memory surged forward, vivid and raw, as if time itself folded and brought me back two centuries.Two hundred years ago, the Grimhowl Pack mansion was the heart of a thriving, unbreakable community. Nestled in the cradle of the forest, it stood proud and regal, its stone walls covered in flowering ivy and thick vines that shimmered in the morning dew. Tall arched windows caught every sliver of light, casting gold across the polished floors. The scent of pine and wild jasmine drifted in through open balconies. It wasn’t just a mansion. It was a home—a living, breathing sanctuary of pack unity, echoing with laughter, footsteps, and the howls of celebration.Xander Vexmoor, younger brother to Alpha Lance Vexmoor, and I lived in a cozy side wing of the estate. While Lance oversaw the affairs of the pack, Xander dedicated himself to study, exploration, and eventually, me. We were yo