LIRAThe atmosphere inside the Alpha mansion buzzed with energy. The grand hall was alive with laughter, the clinking of glasses, and the rhythmic beat of drums as the pack celebrated. The scent of roasted meat and freshly baked bread filled the air, mingling with the familiar smell of my packmates. This was a night of unity, a moment of triumph.I stood beside Caius, his warm hand resting possessively on my waist. Everywhere I turned, I was met with smiles and words of congratulations. It was overwhelming yet heartwarming.“Luna,” Elias grinned as he approached, holding out a goblet. “You look like you need a drink.”I chuckled, accepting the cup. “That obvious?”Ronan appeared beside him, his golden eyes gleaming with mischief. “You marked each other. Officially mated. What did you expect? The pack has been waiting for this moment for months.”Caius let out a low chuckle. “Let them celebrate. Tonight is a night of joy.”Kora suddenly threw her arms around me, squeezing me tightly. “
LIRAThe celebration was in full swing inside the Alpha mansion, the scent of roasted meat and spiced wine thick in the air. Laughter and cheers filled the halls as warriors and pack members alike reveled in the joyous occasion. It was the first time in decades that the Grimhowl Pack had a Luna, and I could feel the pride radiating from every member present.But even as I smiled and nodded at the well-wishers, my mind was elsewhere. The lingering unease from earlier refused to fade. The glowing eyes in the forest, the unsettling presence in the shadows—there was no mistaking it. The Dark Lord was already watching us.Caius must have sensed my tension because he leaned in close, his lips brushing my ear. “Come with me.”Without another word, we slipped through the crowd, making our way toward the secluded hallways of the mansion. Just as we reached the door of the private meeting chamber, footsteps sounded behind us.Elias, Ronan, and Kora caught up, their expressions expectant.“You t
CAIUSThe soft glow of dawn seeped through the curtains, casting golden rays over the room. The air was still cool from the night, carrying the scent of pine and earth through the slightly open balcony door. Lira lay beside me, her dark hair spilling over the pillows, her breathing steady and even.For a moment, I allowed myself to simply watch her. The way her lashes fanned over her cheeks, how the corners of her lips twitched slightly, as if she were dreaming of something pleasant. My mate. My Luna. My everything.The events of the past days weighed heavily on my mind—the marking ceremony, the ominous presence in the woods, the looming war. But here, in this moment, all of that faded.I reached out, brushing a stray strand of hair from her face before leaning in to press a soft kiss against her temple. She stirred slightly, her body instinctively shifting closer to mine.A low, contented hum escaped her lips. “Mm… Caius?”A slow smirk tugged at my lips. “Morning, love.”Her eyelids
CAIUSThe Elders' visit had reinforced what we already knew—this war was no longer something looming in the distance. It was here. We were standing on the precipice of a battle that would shape the future of our kind, and every choice from this moment forward would determine our survival.But the Elders were not the only ones who came.Just hours after their departure, the wind carried the scent of approaching wolves—hundreds of them. The air shifted, thick with the presence of another pack moving as one, their steps silent but powerful. The warriors at the gates of Grimhowl stiffened, their hands gripping their weapons instinctively. I raised a hand, signaling them to hold their ground, even as my own senses sharpened.At the front gates, Alpha Tobias stood waiting, his expression unreadable. He had been calm all morning, but I knew this moment held weight for him. He had left Duskborne under the care of his Beta, Orion, uncertain of what would become of them in his absence. Now, the
CAUISThe air inside the main house was heavy with unspoken tension as we entered. The war room was dimly lit, the long wooden table in the center of the room surrounded by chairs that had been hastily arranged. Maps and strategy notes littered the surface, remnants of previous discussions about the looming battle against the Dark Lord.Tobias, Orion, Lira, Elias, Ronan, Thoren, Dain, Morgana, and I took our places, the weight of the moment settling over us. Outside, the Duskborne pack was settling in, their presence merging with Grimhowl’s as the two packs began the slow process of integration. But inside this room, the real work was beginning.Orion’s sharp silver gaze scanned the room before landing on Tobias. “I won’t waste time with pleasantries. When we heard of the Dark Lord’s resurgence, we knew it would come to this. Duskborne doesn’t fight for causes—we fight for our own. But Lira is our own.” His voice was steady, unwavering. “So, we are here. Not just as allies. As family.
CAIUSThe moment our strategy was set, we wasted no time. If we were going to stand a chance against the Dark Lord, we needed numbers—and we needed them now.Alpha Tobias and Beta Orion led the charge, using every connection they had to reach out to the packs we knew. Lira, Elias, and Ronan assisted, sending messages through mind-links where possible and relying on trusted messengers for those too far to reach directly. I took charge of speaking with the Alphas I had personal ties with, those I had fought beside in the past.One by one, we made our calls.The first to respond was Alpha Marius of the Silvercrest Pack.“I thought you’d never ask, Caius,” Marius said, his deep voice filled with rough amusement. “You saved my hide in the battle against the Bloodfang rogues two years ago. I owe you for that. You’ll have my warriors before the next full moon.”I exhaled, relief settling in my chest. “Thank you, Marius. We’ll need every blade we can get.”“I’m sending two hundreds of my best
LIRAThe Grimhowl territory had never been this alive before. Warriors sparred in the training grounds, their grunts and the clash of weapons filling the air. Wolves in their beast forms dodged and lunged at each other, testing their agility and strength. Those who couldn’t fight played equally crucial roles—preparing meals, crafting armor, and ensuring that shelters were built for the warriors arriving from different packs.The war was coming, and every single person was doing their part.I stood near the training grounds, watching as Caius, Elias, and Ronan instructed warriors on battle formations. Beta Orion was on the other side, leading a group in close combat training. My father observed from a distance, his sharp eyes scanning the fighters as if assessing each one’s strengths and weaknesses.Caius caught my gaze and gave me a small nod before dodging a strike from one of the warriors. He countered effortlessly, his body moving with lethal precision. My heart swelled with pride.
LUCIENThe black crystal pulsed faintly, its core swirling with a darkness that even I, a disciple of the shadows, could not fully comprehend. I ran my fingers over its jagged edges, feeling the raw energy thrumming beneath my touch. A sinister presence seeped from within, connecting me to the distant whispers of my master—the Dark Lord.‘He had done it again.’Despite Grimhowl’s heightened security, despite their so-called “precautions,” another crystal had been planted deep within their lands. Hidden in the very foundation of their walls, it absorbed every word spoken near it, feeding me their plans like a constant, dripping stream of knowledge.I leaned back in my chair, the dim candlelight flickering across the stone chamber where I sat. The crystal sat atop a carved pedestal, its surface shifting as though alive. I smirked. “Fools,” I muttered. “No matter how hard they fight, they will never see what lurks in the dark.”Closing my eyes, I let my mind attune to the crystal, allowi
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
MORGANAThe room grew quiet after the others left, their footsteps fading into the distance like echoes of a life I could never return to.Only three remained—Caius, Lira, and Aldric—and though their eyes were patient, I could feel the weight of the storm I was about to release. My fingers curled into my robe. I had buried this truth so deep that even I began to believe the lie we created. But lies rot beneath the surface, and now… it was time.“There’s something else,” I said softly, turning toward the hearth though I no longer felt its warmth. “Something only a few souls in this world have ever known.”Caius straightened in his chair, his gaze steady. Lira didn’t speak, but I could sense her heart beating faster—an instinctive tension. And Aldric… Aldric was already frowning, as if he’d sensed the ghosts creeping in.I drew a slow breath and let the memories unfold.“The one dearest to me that Malakar killed… wasn’t just a friend. Wasn’t a sister. She was my daughter.”The room stil
LIRAThe silence after Morgana’s story was suffocating. I could feel the heaviness of everyone’s thoughts pressing into the air like a storm that hadn’t yet broken. No one moved. No one breathed too loudly. We were all trying to piece together a puzzle we didn’t even know existed until tonight.But something didn’t sit right.I studied Morgana closely. She looked drained, pale, her shoulders hunched forward like she carried the weight of centuries. But her eyes… they darted—first to Caius, then to Elder Aldric. And I saw it then. The unspoken words. The way her mouth tightened just slightly, the way Aldric avoided looking at anyone.There was more.“There’s something else,” I said, breaking the silence.Everyone turned toward me.Morgana’s head lifted slightly, eyes narrowing.“You’re still holding back,” I pressed, standing. “I can feel it. And if we want to stop Malakar this time, we can’t afford secrets. Whatever you’re not telling us… we need to know it. All of it.”Morgana’s lips