The morning air was crisp, carrying the faint scent of snow as the sun shone over the training grounds. Despite the lingering winter chill, heat radiated from the gathered group as they stretched and prepared for another rigorous session.Lira adjusted her stance, rolling her shoulders as she faced Caius, Ronan, Elias, and—unexpectedly—Kora, who had decided to join the sparring.“I figured it was about time I learned how to properly fight,” Kora said, smirking as she tied her hair back. “I can’t let my best friend be the only badass around here.”Ronan, standing beside her with his arms crossed, scowled. “You don’t need to train, Kora.”Kora shot him a glare. “Oh, so I should just sit back and let you protect me while I do nothing? Yeah, not happening.”Elias chuckled. “You walked right into that one, Ronan.”Caius smirked. “Alright, let’s see what you’ve got.”The session was intense. Lira sparred with Caius first, testing her speed and strength against his sheer power. The bond betw
LIRA Roaming around Grimhowl always gave me a sense of peace. It was different from Valenwood—larger and more structured, yet still filled with warmth. The towering pines, the fresh scent of snow, and the laughter of pack members going about their daily routines made this place feel like home.As we walked through the heart of the pack, enjoying the cool breeze, something caught my eye. There, beneath a massive oak tree, stood my father and grandfather—Alpha Tobias and Alpha Thoren—along with three Valenwood warriors.And they were hammering away at a wooden structure nestled in the thick branches of the tree. I stopped in my tracks, blinking in surprise before letting out a laugh. "Are you seriously building a treehouse?"Tobias, my father, wiped his brow with the back of his hand before turning to me with a smirk."What? You think just because we’re Alphas, we can’t do a little carpentry?"Grandfather Thoren, standing beside him, chuckled. "I wanted to do something with my hand
LIRA The night air was crisp, carrying the distant howls of wolves through the trees. Stars glimmered above like scattered diamonds, casting a soft glow over the vast Grimhowl territory. Wrapped in a thick blanket, I sat on the balcony of our room, my thoughts tangled in the weight of what was to come.Three days.Three days until the full moon.Three days until my fate was sealed.I tightened the blanket around me, my chest heavy with the uncertainty of it all. Would I be strong enough? Would I truly become the Luna and Alpha I was meant to be? And what if the Dark Lord reached me before then?The door behind me creaked open, and I felt a familiar presence before he even spoke. “You’re thinking too much again.”Caius.I turned my head slightly as he stepped onto the balcony, draping a fur-lined cloak over my shoulders before settling beside me. His warmth, his scent—earthy pine mixed with something uniquely him—eased some of my tension.“How can I not?” I whispered. “Everything cha
CAIUSThe sky had just begun to lighten, soft golden hues bleeding into the dark horizon as the sun prepared to rise. Inside our room, warmth still lingered from the night before, the scent of Lira and our mating thick in the air.I turned to look at her, still asleep beside me, her breathing soft and even. Strands of her dark hair were splayed across the pillow, and her lips were slightly parted. She looked peaceful, unaware of the storm of thoughts running through my mind.I could feel it in my veins, in the way my muscles thrummed with unyielding energy. But there was something else—something I couldn't quite put my finger on. A lingering presence at the edge of my consciousness.Leaning down, I pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. She stirred slightly but remained asleep. Smirking, I quietly slipped out of bed, careful not to wake her, and pulled on a pair of sweatpants before making my way outside.The cold hit me instantly, a sharp contrast to the warmth inside the Alpha mansion
CAIUSBy the time I returned to the Alpha mansion, the sun had already risen, casting long golden streaks across the snow-covered ground. The crisp morning air still carried the remnants of winter, but the approaching spring was evident in the way the frost slowly retreated beneath the sun’s growing warmth. Birds chirped faintly from the treetops, a soft melody that accompanied the gentle crunch of snow beneath my bare feet.My body hummed with leftover energy from the run. Fenrir was unusually silent now, as though he too was digesting what we had felt—what we had become. A part of me wanted to call it a blessing, the natural result of a completed bond. But deep down, a whisper in the back of my mind reminded me it was something more. Something not meant to be awakened.I ascended the grand staircase of the mansion, each step echoing through the still halls. The fourth floor was quiet, the soft light filtering through the tall windows casting shadows across the stone walls. My hand r
LIRAThe moon shouldn’t have been that dark.It hung low, smeared in shadows—silent, watching. My skin prickled with the familiar sense of being seen, judged by something far beyond this world. The same unsettling feeling I had every year when the eclipse returned. My eclipse.“Lira!”I winced at the urgency in my best friend Kora’s voice. I turned away from the clearing where the moonlight barely touched the earth. Kora pushed through the tall grass, her deep brown hair a mess around her face, her golden eyes wide with worry.“There you are! The Elders are asking for you—again.”I sighed. Of course they were. They always wanted something. Questions, stares, whispered conversations when they thought I wasn’t listening. The eclipse child. The unshifted one. The prophecy. The words followed me everywhere."Let them wait," I muttered, brushing my fingers against the bark of a twisted tree. "They'll say the same things they always do. Ask the same questions."Kora grabbed my wrist, her gr
LIRAThe Elders sat in a semi-circle, their faces drawn and serious, eyes glinting under the flickering torches. The room felt suffocating, as if every inch of stone was watching me, bearing down on me. I had grown accustomed to their presence, but tonight, their silence was heavier, more deliberate. Each of them was a living relic of ages past—ancient, wise, and unsettling. Their eyes felt as though they could see straight through me, into some deeper truth I wasn’t sure I understood.I shifted uncomfortably under their stares, feeling small—like a child being scrutinized by those who held all the answers to questions I hadn’t even thought to ask.Elder Silas, at the far end of the circle, finally broke the silence. His silver hair, braided neatly down his back, shimmered faintly in the torchlight. His eyes—cold and calculating—fixed on me, and the weight of his gaze seemed to sink into my bones.“Lira Fenwick,” he said, his voice a low rumble, not unkind but certainly not comforting
CAIUSThe scent hit me before the wind shifted—like wildflowers after a storm. Soft. Elusive. Wrong for the battlefield.I inhaled deeply, trying to place it. The delicate floral notes were unmistakable, but there was an undertone, a strange tension to it that didn’t belong in the midst of war. The wind carried the scent of the forest, the dust of the battleground, the sweat of my warriors, but then, there was something else. Something... otherworldly.The moment the breeze swirled past me, I felt the pull, like a thread gently tugging at the core of me. Something deep inside shifted, like an instinctive, ancient recognition that I couldn’t ignore.Her.“Fenrir,” I called out to my wolf, voice rough and low in the stillness of the night. “Do you feel it?”"I do. But something is missing." Fenrir’s voice echoed low and restless in my mind. My wolf was always in control—vicious, confident, with a touch of arrogance. But now? Now, there was uncertainty, a rare tremor in his words.A flic
CAIUSBy the time I returned to the Alpha mansion, the sun had already risen, casting long golden streaks across the snow-covered ground. The crisp morning air still carried the remnants of winter, but the approaching spring was evident in the way the frost slowly retreated beneath the sun’s growing warmth. Birds chirped faintly from the treetops, a soft melody that accompanied the gentle crunch of snow beneath my bare feet.My body hummed with leftover energy from the run. Fenrir was unusually silent now, as though he too was digesting what we had felt—what we had become. A part of me wanted to call it a blessing, the natural result of a completed bond. But deep down, a whisper in the back of my mind reminded me it was something more. Something not meant to be awakened.I ascended the grand staircase of the mansion, each step echoing through the still halls. The fourth floor was quiet, the soft light filtering through the tall windows casting shadows across the stone walls. My hand r
CAIUSThe sky had just begun to lighten, soft golden hues bleeding into the dark horizon as the sun prepared to rise. Inside our room, warmth still lingered from the night before, the scent of Lira and our mating thick in the air.I turned to look at her, still asleep beside me, her breathing soft and even. Strands of her dark hair were splayed across the pillow, and her lips were slightly parted. She looked peaceful, unaware of the storm of thoughts running through my mind.I could feel it in my veins, in the way my muscles thrummed with unyielding energy. But there was something else—something I couldn't quite put my finger on. A lingering presence at the edge of my consciousness.Leaning down, I pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. She stirred slightly but remained asleep. Smirking, I quietly slipped out of bed, careful not to wake her, and pulled on a pair of sweatpants before making my way outside.The cold hit me instantly, a sharp contrast to the warmth inside the Alpha mansion
LIRA The night air was crisp, carrying the distant howls of wolves through the trees. Stars glimmered above like scattered diamonds, casting a soft glow over the vast Grimhowl territory. Wrapped in a thick blanket, I sat on the balcony of our room, my thoughts tangled in the weight of what was to come.Three days.Three days until the full moon.Three days until my fate was sealed.I tightened the blanket around me, my chest heavy with the uncertainty of it all. Would I be strong enough? Would I truly become the Luna and Alpha I was meant to be? And what if the Dark Lord reached me before then?The door behind me creaked open, and I felt a familiar presence before he even spoke. “You’re thinking too much again.”Caius.I turned my head slightly as he stepped onto the balcony, draping a fur-lined cloak over my shoulders before settling beside me. His warmth, his scent—earthy pine mixed with something uniquely him—eased some of my tension.“How can I not?” I whispered. “Everything cha
LIRA Roaming around Grimhowl always gave me a sense of peace. It was different from Valenwood—larger and more structured, yet still filled with warmth. The towering pines, the fresh scent of snow, and the laughter of pack members going about their daily routines made this place feel like home.As we walked through the heart of the pack, enjoying the cool breeze, something caught my eye. There, beneath a massive oak tree, stood my father and grandfather—Alpha Tobias and Alpha Thoren—along with three Valenwood warriors.And they were hammering away at a wooden structure nestled in the thick branches of the tree. I stopped in my tracks, blinking in surprise before letting out a laugh. "Are you seriously building a treehouse?"Tobias, my father, wiped his brow with the back of his hand before turning to me with a smirk."What? You think just because we’re Alphas, we can’t do a little carpentry?"Grandfather Thoren, standing beside him, chuckled. "I wanted to do something with my hand
The morning air was crisp, carrying the faint scent of snow as the sun shone over the training grounds. Despite the lingering winter chill, heat radiated from the gathered group as they stretched and prepared for another rigorous session.Lira adjusted her stance, rolling her shoulders as she faced Caius, Ronan, Elias, and—unexpectedly—Kora, who had decided to join the sparring.“I figured it was about time I learned how to properly fight,” Kora said, smirking as she tied her hair back. “I can’t let my best friend be the only badass around here.”Ronan, standing beside her with his arms crossed, scowled. “You don’t need to train, Kora.”Kora shot him a glare. “Oh, so I should just sit back and let you protect me while I do nothing? Yeah, not happening.”Elias chuckled. “You walked right into that one, Ronan.”Caius smirked. “Alright, let’s see what you’ve got.”The session was intense. Lira sparred with Caius first, testing her speed and strength against his sheer power. The bond betw
The morning air was crisp, carrying the scent of pine and freshly fallen snow. Lira stirred in the warm embrace of Caius, her body still humming with the aftermath of their night together. She had never felt so… whole. It was as if something deep within her had finally aligned, like a missing piece had clicked into place.As she stretched, she noticed how heightened her senses felt—every sound crisper, every scent sharper. Even the energy within her felt stronger, no longer something she had to strain to reach but something that now pulsed effortlessly beneath her skin.Caius stirred beside her, golden eyes meeting hers with a lazy smirk. “You feel it, don’t you?” he murmured, his voice husky from sleep.Lira nodded, pressing a hand to her chest. “It’s like my body has fully awakened. I feel… powerful.”Caius hummed, reaching out to brush his fingers along her arm. “I feel it too. My strength, my reflexes… everything is enhanced. Even Fenrir feels it.” He turned his gaze to the window
Lira couldn’t sleep.The moonlight spilled softly through the curtains, silver beams washing across the room in gentle strokes, but nothing about the night felt peaceful. Her skin still tingled from the shift. Her wolf stirred restlessly beneath the surface, alert, alive.But that wasn’t the reason she was still awake.It was him.Caius lay beside her, too still, too silent. His breathing was even, but not the steady rhythm of sleep—no, this was control. Restraint.She turned toward him, and sure enough, his eyes opened to meet hers—golden and glowing faintly in the dark.“You’re thinking too much,” he murmured.“So are you.”A faint smirk curved his lips, but his gaze stayed serious. “What’s on your mind?”Lira hesitated, then whispered, “The bond feels… different now.”Caius nodded. “Because it is. Your wolf is awake now. She recognizes what’s hers.”A shiver danced down her spine.“What about you?” she asked.His smirk faded, the heat in his gaze deepening. “I’ve always recognized
Lira had never felt this alive.She raced through the forest, the cool night air rushing past her, her paws barely making asound against the frozen ground. Each step was effortless, her body moving with a fluid gracethat felt almost otherworldly. Her senses were heightened beyond anything she could haveimagined—every smell, every sound, every shift in the wind was as clear to her as though itwere happening inside her own body.Beside her, Fenrir ran with equal speed and precision, his powerful form flowing through thetrees like a shadow. His dark fur contrasted beautifully with her radiant white coat, and hisgolden eyes glinted in the moonlight, watching her with an intensity that made her heart race."You’re incredible," his deep voice rumbled through the bond between them, the words vibratingthrough her as if they were spoken directly into her chest.She shot him a playful glance. "You’re just saying that because I’m your mate," she teased, hertail swishing behind her as she
The night air was crisp, the sky stretching vast and endless, illuminated by countless stars. Agentle breeze whispered through the towering pines surrounding Grimhowl’s training grounds,carrying with it the electric anticipation of the wolves gathered. Tonight was the night.Lira stood at the center of the clearing, barefoot on the frozen earth, feeling the energy pulsingaround her. The pack was silent, their collective presence a quiet yet steady supportsurrounding her like an invisible shield. Each breath she took seemed to magnify the moment,the weight of everything leading up to this night pressing down on her shoulders. But there wassomething else that grounded her, something more solid and real than anything else—Caius,standing beside her, his presence like an anchor. His steady gaze never wavered from her, andthe strength in his eyes made her heart hammer in her chest.“You’re ready,” he murmured softly, his golden eyes locked onto hers with an intensity that madeher p