“What?" I blurted out.
Luca appeared behind me, his movements so stealthy that I didn't notice him, until he spoke. “Try again, Mother."
She glanced at him. “My spell cannot be wrong. But I will nevertheless."
She began again, twirling her hands as a blue glowing back formed again. Her concentration was unbreakable, and her lips moving as she muttered inaudible words. After what felt like ages, she stopped, the glow disappearing into thin air.
“What did you see?" I asked hurriedly.
“It's the same thing." She held my eyes. "The Aurora's seal is in Alpha Thane's territory.”
Wow!
“That's strange. Don't they know that the seal is there?" Luca asked.
His mother shook her head. “I'm guessing they don't. It was hidden very well, I can tell. She must have given it to a very trusted person, because it wasn't me." Something flashed in her voice, but I was too engulfed in my thoughts to fathom what it was.
“We have to get the ring before they figure it out!" Della said.
I turned to her, feeling the heat of her stare, and Luca's on me. No way!
“I am not going back there." I snapped.
Della spoke up immediately, like she was waiting for me to refuse. “Mira, we don't have much choice. You've lived there for years, you know your way around the pack more than anybody else here. You're our only chance of getting that ring."
“No… " I began, but she cut me short..
“Mira, do you have any idea what will happen if that ring lands in the wrong hands? We are running out of time…”
It was my turn to cut her short. "Well, do you have any idea what I am going through right now? Do you even care? I was exiled, banished like a common criminal, all my years of hard work and search for knowledge tossed away, and now I'm here, with responsibilities I never planned for. And yet, you expect me to go back there.”
“Mira, we…”
"I won't go back. You can find another way to get the jewelry, but my decision is final.”
I stormed away from the clearing immediately afterwards, my boots crunching against dry leaves and twigs, every step fueled by frustration. My breath came in sharp bursts, my chest tight with a mixture of anger, fear, and something I couldn’t name.
Go back to Thane’s territory? The very place that tore me apart? No. Absolutely not.
I didn’t realize I was trembling until I reached a clearing by a small stream. My hands were clenched into fists so tight my nails bit into my palms. I forced myself to take a deep breath, the cool air doing little to settle the storm inside me.
The memory of that council chamber flashed in my mind—Thane’s silence, Alexa’s smug smirk, the way they stripped me of my identity in front of everyone. I squeezed my eyes shut, but it only made the memories sharper.
The betrayal. The humiliation. The heartbreak.
I leaned against a tree, its bark rough against my skin, grounding me for just a moment.
“Stubborn, aren’t you?”
I jumped, spinning around to find Luca standing at the edge of the clearing, hands in his pockets, watching me. His expression wasn’t mocking like I expected—it was calm, curious, even a little concerned.
“What do you want?” My voice was hoarse from the emotions clogging my throat.
“To make sure you don’t disappear into the woods and get eaten by something.” He took a few casual steps closer. “Though, you could probably handle it.”
I let out a bitter laugh. “Don’t be so sure.”
Silence stretched between us, broken only by the faint gurgling of the stream and the rustling of the wind through the trees. Luca didn’t push, didn’t demand answers. He just stood there, steady, present.
It was oddly comforting.
“Why does she want me to go back there?” I asked, my voice cracking despite my best effort to sound strong.
Luca tilted his head slightly. “Because you’re the only one who can. That place broke you, true—but you know it better than anyone. If the ring’s there, you’ll find it.”
“I can’t.” My voice was barely a whisper. “I… I can’t go back.”
Luca didn’t argue right away. He just walked over and leaned against the same tree, his shoulder brushing mine lightly. “Tell me why.”
I bit my lip hard, trying to hold it all in. But for some reason, standing here with him, in this quiet pocket of the world, it didn’t feel so impossible to let it out.
I turned to face him, arms folded tightly across my chest like armor. “Thane rejected me,” I said bluntly. “He was my mate, my fated mate, and he denied it—denied me—in front of the entire council. Like I was nothing. He called me obsessed.”
Luca’s jaw tightened, but he didn’t interrupt.
“And Alexa,” I spat the name like poison. “She made sure I was banished. She convinced the council I was dangerous, that I’d stolen something sacred. They all turned on me. All the wolves I’d spent my life protecting, studying for… they cast me out like a criminal.”
Luca’s gaze was steady, but his hands curled into fists at his sides. “They’re fools,” he said quietly. “All of them.”
My throat thickened with emotion. “You don’t even know me.”
He shook his head. “Don’t have to. I’ve seen enough. You didn’t break when they threw you out. You’re still standing. That’s all I need to know.”
His words slipped under my skin, warming something cold inside me. I didn’t know how to respond, so I didn’t.
Instead, I took a shaky breath and changed the subject. “I haven’t shifted in days,” I admitted. “Since they did… whatever they did to me.”
Luca raised an eyebrow. “Let me see her, then.”
“What?”
“Your wolf,” he said simply. “Let me see her.”
I hesitated. My wolf had been silent for so long, cut off by whatever dark spell had wrapped around me back at the pack. But Della and Cara had worked to break that barrier, and I could feel her now—faint, but present.
“Okay.” I stepped back a few paces, closing my eyes. I reached inside myself, feeling for the familiar spark that was my other half. She stirred hesitantly, as though waking from a long sleep.
The shift came slower than usual, my body protesting at first, but then the change flowed over me—bones realigning, muscles reshaping. When I opened my eyes again, the world was sharper, brighter, more alive.
I stood on all fours, my dark silver fur shimmering faintly under the moonlight.
Luca grinned, stepping back to shift himself. His wolf was sleek and dark, larger than mine but not by much.
I gasped slightly. “You're a wolf too?"
“Yes." His voice echoed in my head. “Father was one, mother is a sorceress."
He gave a playful wag of his tail, then took off into the trees.
For the first time in what felt like forever, I ran—really ran. The wind tore past my face, my paws hitting the earth in a rhythm that felt like freedom. Luca kept pace beside me, occasionally bumping my side, encouraging me to run faster, push harder.
I had almost forgotten how good this felt.
But then Luca skidded to a sudden halt, his ears pricked forward, his body tense.
I followed his gaze, my heart racing for an entirely different reason. Through the trees, two figures moved—wolves, but not from Thane’s pack. Their scents were wrong—metallic, tainted with something unnatural.
We shifted immediately. I ducked low, shifting behind a fallen log, Luca following suit.
The strange wolves were talking, their voices low but clear enough in the stillness.
“She has to be close,” one said.
“Alpha wants the book,” the other growled. “He says the girl stole it—the librarian.”
My stomach clenched. They were looking for me.
“What is it with that book anyway that the Alpha wants it back so badly. It’s just an ordinary book!” the other said sounding a little cowardly and ignorant.I turned and spared Luca a glance, he was listening to them intently and I figured that’s what I must do too.“Shhh!” the wolf paused, “You don’t spill words like that.” He warned. “That book is a a very important book and contains all the magic spells used in the ancient history of magic. It contains one of the most powerful spell chants and Alexa needs that book as well.” He explained gritting.I wanted to reposition myself and didn’t know when I stepped on a twig. It cracked sound was like a trumpet through the quiet forest. The two wolves stopped talking immediately and listened, their ears straightening and inclining to the direction of the sound One sniffed the air. “I smell her.” He said sniffing some more taking steady but calculative strides towards me.My heart skipped a bit as I was afraid of being caught. I didn’t kn
I exhaled and muttered inaudibly… “They are both death traps anyways.” I lowered my head-guilt tripped. I knew I had won because she had nothing else to say to me.I stood quietly, still weighing my options. I tightened my eyelids and clenched my fist. I didn’t care about me anymore, “I’m going save him!” I said.“Save who?” A baritone voice ransacked my thoughts and I instantly popped my eyes open.“Luca?” I called out, excitement bursting through my nerves the moment I laid my eyes on him, he stood there so casually by the threshold.“Is that how much you were worried about me?” he said.I ignored his sly comment and ran towards him engulfing him in a tight hug. I stayed that way without saying a word. “I was scared that something had happened to you.” I muttered, giving him a gentle squeeze.“If this is the kind of treatment I will be getting then I promise to always get in trouble for your sake all the time.” He jested and I pushed him away playfully, detaching from him.We laughe
I heard the loud voice from where I hid, and I knew it was game over. I had to run.“Get her!" I kicked against the door as hard as I could, bolting through it almost immediately. They were behind me, all four of them. I didn't stop running.The sound of grasses and twigs being trampled upon by our feets echoed through the night. My hands gripped the object in my hand tighter, as I kept running.“Stop!" One of them yelled. "Stop now, and we will let you go freely."Lies!I'm not a fool, and they're all liars. If their Alpha is a liar, then they are too.My heart ached as I thought about the situation that led me here. I had my doubts, but he overrode them, and made me fall in love with him, only to be rejected at the last minute when it actually mattered.Love sucks, but Alpha Thane sucks even more.A harsh voice pulled me out from my little “That book belongs to the pack, you can't take it. You theif!"I held unto it tighter. I'm not a thief! I ignored them as best as I could, putt
“I'm here to announce to everyone that your Alpha has found a mate. She's Alexa, from a pack that was once our rivals, but will now be joined together in this beautiful alliance."I was frozen into place, for over five minutes. I couldn't move, I couldn't speak, I couldn't think.I couldn't breathe.My eyes met his, and for a second, it felt like I had been restored, but only for a second. When I saw that same unusual far-fetched gaze settle in his eyes, I knew it was all over.“Thane…” How could you do this to me?He tore his eyes away from me, and it felt like a part of me was being torn apart. I'm dreaming, right? This isn't real.It can't be!I swallowed, finally finding my feet. Whispers were beginning to rise from every corner of the huge hall, everyone had something to say—their Alpha had found a mate afterall.If I stood there for one more second, I would probably lose my mind, so I turned and walked away. A part of me wished he would stop me, and tell me all of this was jus
The crackling sound of fire was the first thing I heard, the scent of herbs and charred wood heavy in the air.The room was dim, the flickering orange light casting shifting shadows along stone walls carved with symbols — ancient ones, some I recognized from the very book I’d risked my life to steal.I bolted upright, pain lancing through my shoulder.“You’re awake.”The voice was deep, but not unkind. A man stepped from the shadows, his face partially obscured by a hood. His scent was unfamiliar — neither part of Thane’s pack nor any of the neighboring clans. Rogue, maybe?“Who are you?” My voice came out hoarse, raw from breathing in too much smoke.He crossed his arms above the other. “Your saviour?"My eyes narrowed in confusion. “Those guys didn't seem willing to take it easy on you. A thank you would be nice at this point." He said.The air seemed to hum between us. “I know you saved me, thank you. But that won't stop me from asking who the hell are you?" I said, my voice coming
"Alpha Thane,” the Head Chief's voice echoed in the huge meeting room which suddenly seemed too small. "Our librarian here, Ms Mira, claims that you are her mate— that you have been all along— and you two had a secret relationship going on already. By any chance, is any of this true?"I stood in the center of the room, my palms clammy at my sides, my heart pounding so loudly I was sure everyone could hear it. The council, ten in total, sat in a semi-circle, their faces expectant, their eyes shifting between me and the man I thought was mine.Thane sat directly across from me, his broad shoulders hunched slightly, fingers digging into the armrest of his chair. Beside him, too close for comfort, sat her — Alexa, the witch with the serpent’s smile.I raised my chin, just a little. My eyes found Thane’s, and for a fleeting moment, I saw it — hesitation, doubt, and underneath all of it, guilt. The silence stretched too long, and each second felt like a knife carving into my chest.The Head
The ground beneath me pulsed faintly, like a heartbeat matching my own. I could feel the earth, the air, the life pulsing through every root, every tree, every soul within reach."What am I?" I whispered. “What is happening to me?" Della stepped closer, her expression gentler now. "That’s a question only you can answer, Mira. But you’re not just a wolf. And you’re not just your mother’s daughter.""What does that mean?" My voice rose, but she only gave me that same unreadable smile.The clearing was silent, save for the soft crackling of the torches placed around the perimeter and the rustle of leaves dancing in the evening breeze. Through the corner of my eyes, I saw creatures gather, their eyes and undivided attention all on me, and it only made me want to disappear even more.Della was hovering above me, her voice echoing in my head, probing and intense. “Tell me what you feel, Mira."It—whatever it was—was starting to overwhelm me. It kept swirling like an over-agigated turnado,
I exhaled and muttered inaudibly… “They are both death traps anyways.” I lowered my head-guilt tripped. I knew I had won because she had nothing else to say to me.I stood quietly, still weighing my options. I tightened my eyelids and clenched my fist. I didn’t care about me anymore, “I’m going save him!” I said.“Save who?” A baritone voice ransacked my thoughts and I instantly popped my eyes open.“Luca?” I called out, excitement bursting through my nerves the moment I laid my eyes on him, he stood there so casually by the threshold.“Is that how much you were worried about me?” he said.I ignored his sly comment and ran towards him engulfing him in a tight hug. I stayed that way without saying a word. “I was scared that something had happened to you.” I muttered, giving him a gentle squeeze.“If this is the kind of treatment I will be getting then I promise to always get in trouble for your sake all the time.” He jested and I pushed him away playfully, detaching from him.We laughe
“What is it with that book anyway that the Alpha wants it back so badly. It’s just an ordinary book!” the other said sounding a little cowardly and ignorant.I turned and spared Luca a glance, he was listening to them intently and I figured that’s what I must do too.“Shhh!” the wolf paused, “You don’t spill words like that.” He warned. “That book is a a very important book and contains all the magic spells used in the ancient history of magic. It contains one of the most powerful spell chants and Alexa needs that book as well.” He explained gritting.I wanted to reposition myself and didn’t know when I stepped on a twig. It cracked sound was like a trumpet through the quiet forest. The two wolves stopped talking immediately and listened, their ears straightening and inclining to the direction of the sound One sniffed the air. “I smell her.” He said sniffing some more taking steady but calculative strides towards me.My heart skipped a bit as I was afraid of being caught. I didn’t kn
“What?" I blurted out.Luca appeared behind me, his movements so stealthy that I didn't notice him, until he spoke. “Try again, Mother."She glanced at him. “My spell cannot be wrong. But I will nevertheless."She began again, twirling her hands as a blue glowing back formed again. Her concentration was unbreakable, and her lips moving as she muttered inaudible words. After what felt like ages, she stopped, the glow disappearing into thin air.“What did you see?" I asked hurriedly.“It's the same thing." She held my eyes. "The Aurora's seal is in Alpha Thane's territory.”Wow! “That's strange. Don't they know that the seal is there?" Luca asked.His mother shook her head. “I'm guessing they don't. It was hidden very well, I can tell. She must have given it to a very trusted person, because it wasn't me." Something flashed in her voice, but I was too engulfed in my thoughts to fathom what it was.“We have to get the ring before they figure it out!" Della said.I turned to her, feeling
The ground beneath me pulsed faintly, like a heartbeat matching my own. I could feel the earth, the air, the life pulsing through every root, every tree, every soul within reach."What am I?" I whispered. “What is happening to me?" Della stepped closer, her expression gentler now. "That’s a question only you can answer, Mira. But you’re not just a wolf. And you’re not just your mother’s daughter.""What does that mean?" My voice rose, but she only gave me that same unreadable smile.The clearing was silent, save for the soft crackling of the torches placed around the perimeter and the rustle of leaves dancing in the evening breeze. Through the corner of my eyes, I saw creatures gather, their eyes and undivided attention all on me, and it only made me want to disappear even more.Della was hovering above me, her voice echoing in my head, probing and intense. “Tell me what you feel, Mira."It—whatever it was—was starting to overwhelm me. It kept swirling like an over-agigated turnado,
"Alpha Thane,” the Head Chief's voice echoed in the huge meeting room which suddenly seemed too small. "Our librarian here, Ms Mira, claims that you are her mate— that you have been all along— and you two had a secret relationship going on already. By any chance, is any of this true?"I stood in the center of the room, my palms clammy at my sides, my heart pounding so loudly I was sure everyone could hear it. The council, ten in total, sat in a semi-circle, their faces expectant, their eyes shifting between me and the man I thought was mine.Thane sat directly across from me, his broad shoulders hunched slightly, fingers digging into the armrest of his chair. Beside him, too close for comfort, sat her — Alexa, the witch with the serpent’s smile.I raised my chin, just a little. My eyes found Thane’s, and for a fleeting moment, I saw it — hesitation, doubt, and underneath all of it, guilt. The silence stretched too long, and each second felt like a knife carving into my chest.The Head
The crackling sound of fire was the first thing I heard, the scent of herbs and charred wood heavy in the air.The room was dim, the flickering orange light casting shifting shadows along stone walls carved with symbols — ancient ones, some I recognized from the very book I’d risked my life to steal.I bolted upright, pain lancing through my shoulder.“You’re awake.”The voice was deep, but not unkind. A man stepped from the shadows, his face partially obscured by a hood. His scent was unfamiliar — neither part of Thane’s pack nor any of the neighboring clans. Rogue, maybe?“Who are you?” My voice came out hoarse, raw from breathing in too much smoke.He crossed his arms above the other. “Your saviour?"My eyes narrowed in confusion. “Those guys didn't seem willing to take it easy on you. A thank you would be nice at this point." He said.The air seemed to hum between us. “I know you saved me, thank you. But that won't stop me from asking who the hell are you?" I said, my voice coming
“I'm here to announce to everyone that your Alpha has found a mate. She's Alexa, from a pack that was once our rivals, but will now be joined together in this beautiful alliance."I was frozen into place, for over five minutes. I couldn't move, I couldn't speak, I couldn't think.I couldn't breathe.My eyes met his, and for a second, it felt like I had been restored, but only for a second. When I saw that same unusual far-fetched gaze settle in his eyes, I knew it was all over.“Thane…” How could you do this to me?He tore his eyes away from me, and it felt like a part of me was being torn apart. I'm dreaming, right? This isn't real.It can't be!I swallowed, finally finding my feet. Whispers were beginning to rise from every corner of the huge hall, everyone had something to say—their Alpha had found a mate afterall.If I stood there for one more second, I would probably lose my mind, so I turned and walked away. A part of me wished he would stop me, and tell me all of this was jus
I heard the loud voice from where I hid, and I knew it was game over. I had to run.“Get her!" I kicked against the door as hard as I could, bolting through it almost immediately. They were behind me, all four of them. I didn't stop running.The sound of grasses and twigs being trampled upon by our feets echoed through the night. My hands gripped the object in my hand tighter, as I kept running.“Stop!" One of them yelled. "Stop now, and we will let you go freely."Lies!I'm not a fool, and they're all liars. If their Alpha is a liar, then they are too.My heart ached as I thought about the situation that led me here. I had my doubts, but he overrode them, and made me fall in love with him, only to be rejected at the last minute when it actually mattered.Love sucks, but Alpha Thane sucks even more.A harsh voice pulled me out from my little “That book belongs to the pack, you can't take it. You theif!"I held unto it tighter. I'm not a thief! I ignored them as best as I could, putt