Elena’s Pov At sunrise, I was regretting every decision that led me here. The training yard wasn’t what I expected. No high-tech equipment. No mats. Just dirt, stone, cold air, and steel weapons stacked against the wall like we were in some medieval war camp. I stood in the center of it, wrapped in a thick hoodie and baggy trousers Lykan’s healer had given me and trying not to show how much my ribs still ached. Across from me, Dominic looked like he hadn’t even blinked since I arrived. His arms were folded across his chest, his dark eyes sizing me up like I was meat.v “You look like you want to be anywhere but here,” he said. “I was hoping for coffee and a croissant,” I replied. “Maybe a hot shower. Not combat in a frostbitten death pit.” “Cute,” he said flatly. “You can keep the sarcasm. Let’s see if you can move.” He tossed me a wooden practice staff. It was heavier than it looked. I fumbled slightly, and Dominic didn’t even try to hide his sigh. “Okay, princess,” he said
Elena’s POV“I want to keep going.”The words tore out of me like a growl.“Let’s keep going. I feel her,” I said, locking eyes with Dominic.His expression shifted slightly impressed, maybe. Or amused.“Okay, little tiger,” he said with a grin. “You suddenly have some spark in you. I won’t hold back anymore.”He turned and walked toward the weapons rack, grabbing a long wooden staff.I didn’t even have time to blink.He was on me.I barely managed to block the first strike from hitting my face, lifting my own stick just in time. The force rattled my arms, and as our weapons collided, I saw it his eyes shifted, brightening unnaturally.His wolf was out.And it wanted to play.I jumped back instinctively, creating distance between us. My blood was roaring now, my muscles twitching with energy.Then I charged.This time, I was faster and stronger. But still, he blocked me effortlessly, his stance grounded, like he wasn’t even trying.“Come on,” he taunted. “You can do better. That was w
Lykan’s Pov I should have left the moment I set her down. That was the plan. Get her off the training ground, make sure she wasn’t bleeding internally, and hand her off to one of the healers. That’s what any Alpha with sense and self-control would’ve done. But then she looked at me with blood on her lip, exhaustion in her bones, and still managed to glare like she’d won. So I stayed. I watched her ease back against my pillows like she didn’t belong anywhere else. I watched her grit her teeth through pain and still make jokes. Still flash those sharp violet eyes like a challenge. Like she wasn’t lying broken just minutes ago. I’d seen warriors crumble harder after less. She asked for tea. Or maybe I just wanted an excuse to give it to her. I don’t even remember which came first. She called it regret. And then she laughed. And gods, I didn’t mean to, but I laughed too. It’s rare that sound is coming out of me. Rarer still when it’s real. But she pulled it out like it belon
Elena’s POV The snow was falling on me. Soft. Silent. Cruel. I was barefoot, running through the cold with cuts on my feet and frost creeping over my toes. I couldn’t feel my fingers anymore, just aching nubs of frozen skin, raw and numb. My breath came in sharp bursts, but the air was too thin, too sharp like I was breathing in blades. I couldn’t stop running. I didn’t know where I was going. I didn’t even remember why I was running. But something in me screamed that if I stopped—I’d never move again. People were running, too. All around me. Wolves in human skin, bare and wild, screaming. The cottages were on fire. All of them. Flames climbed roofs like vines, swallowing wooden beams and melting snow into steam. The village whole village was burning. Children cried. Mothers wailed. Somewhere, someone was begging the moon for mercy. I couldn’t look at them. I couldn’t stop. I just kept running. Then I heard it. My name. “Elena.” A voice is soft and distant like a lull
Elena’s POVI was officially dead.Okay, not technically, but spiritually? Emotionally? Physically?Fried.Training today has been the hardest yet. Dominic didn’t care that my ribs still ached or that my knuckles were raw from hours of blocking strikes. He pushed me harder than ever testing reflexes, teaching me how to use my wolf’s instincts instead of fighting them.And I hated to admit it, but it was working.My body moved differently now sharper, faster, more in tune. My wolf still wasn’t speaking, not in words, but I felt her more clearly every day. She stirred with each clash, each breath, each threat. And with Lykan always watching in the distance like some brooding shadow king, she had no problem waking up to show off.But tonight, everything hurt.I limped slowly through the mansion’s long, winding corridors, stretching muscles that screamed for mercy. I needed to rest, but my mind buzzed too much for sleep.The longer I stayed here, the more I noticed the silence.Not just t
Lykan povElena wasn't a normal wolf; That much was obvious from the beginning, a wolf who has never shifted or the fact her wolf refuses to speak. It didn’t matter how you looked at it. She was abnormal, even more than me; then they were the Northern Range Pack, knowing all this, but her adopted parents and the stones still took her in. I had someone do some digging, and it turns out that she's always lived with those people, but how there is no record of her being a stray or abandoned infant, she's always lived with the stones, which makes absolutely no sense. No one can provide concrete evidence of what actually happened. Could it be that Elena wasn't adopted but stolen?I stopped at the huge ceiling-to-floor window, and I stood, allowing myself to bask in the light of the moon. Why would the moon goddess allow her to suffer so much? My wolf was stirring harder these days. varyn was always on the edge of my skin, planning to jump out soon, I had a little over a month or two le
Elena pov Soft breath.Slow heartbeat.Warm muscle beneath my cheek.I surfaced from sleep in a thick fog, blinking up at dark fabric that smelled of pinewood, honey, and something wilder. For a dizzy half‑second, I wondered whose bed—whose body I was sprawled across.Then the arm around my waist tightened, and the fog parted.Lykan. I fell asleep in his arms, I guess he fell asleep too I shifted just enough to glance at the window. It was already breaking dawn. The fire in the chimney had burned down to embers. Lykan dozed, sitting up, head tipped back, his grip instinctively anchoring me whenever I moved.Memory flickered… then fizzled.I remembered it all training yesterday.The terrifying dream again. And my panic attack Lykan, comforting me. My head ached. Why did it feel like I was forgetting something?I frowned, sifting for scraps—an image, a sound, anything. The harder I searched, the thicker the wall became until I gave up remembering.Nothing.A low rumble vibrated t
Elena's POVThe last of the soldiers had filed out, leaving only Lykan, Dominic, and me. The tension between the two men felt different now, not competitive, not playful, but alert. Watching. Braced.Lykan didn’t waste time. He leaned back in his chair, silver-gray eyes locked onto mine. "Tell me everything you remember from last night. The nightmare. Don’t leave anything out."My breath caught. I hadn’t told anyone yet. Not the full version.I glanced at Dominic. His usual sarcasm was gone. He looked grim as if he already knew he wouldn’t like what I had to say.I swallowed, then nodded."I fell," I began. "From the sky. And it hurt—not just the fall, but everything. The pain was everywhere like it lived in my bones. At first, I thought it was just a dream, but then the snow started falling. It was beautiful, soft... until I realized it was mixed with ash."Lykan's eyes narrowed slightly, but he said nothing."When I looked down, the snow was red. Not pink, not stained. Red. Thick.
Elena’s POV Today was brutal. Lykan was training me personally, and he didn’t hold back. Not like Dominic, who at least pretended to pull his punches sometimes. No, Lykan fought like I was the enemy, every strike sharp, precise, bone-deep. Every move was calculated to break me down and build me into something stronger. And dammit— did it Hurt but. I was catching up. My speed was finally toe-to-toe with his, my reflexes sharper, my instincts waking up. But strength? Forget it. Every punch he landed shook my bones like a battering ram. Each block sent vibrations through my arms. Still—I refused to fall. I refused to break. I felt my wolf howl, I gritted my teeth, pushed harder, faster— Only for Lykan to sweep my leg and slam me flat on my back in the dirt. "Better," he said, standing over me, breathing only slightly heavier. "But not good enough." I opened my mouth to snap back— When a soldier sprinted onto the field, skidding to a halt beside us. “Alpha!” the you
Lykan POV She stood there holding Stephanie’s hand back straight, chin up, eyes blazing. She was a storm wrapped in a wolf body, I always knew she had a temper; I had never just seen it till yesterday.And gods help me… I wished it was my hand she was holding.Well, Varyn wished that.…Mostly.When she clapped back at Jarrek with that razor tongue of hers, I nearly laughed. Nearly. His son really did have a face only a mother could love—Elena wasn’t wrong.And the way she defended that girl… not with desperation or ceremony. Just conviction. Fire.It shouldn’t have done something to me.But it did.Varyn purred for hours after that council meeting.Even now, her scent still lingered in my chambers like clove and defiance, making it hard to think straight.I’d just sat down behind my desk when the door opened.Of course.Dominic.No knock. No manners.“News about her spread to the markets already,” he announced, waving a folded parchment like a fan. “Everyone’s talking about the Luna
Elena pov Stephanie still trembled beside me as she finished speaking. Her eyes brimmed with tears, her voice barely above a whisper.“Please don’t punish her,” she said, bowing. “She only wanted to help me.”The room was silent. Tension hung in the air heavy, waiting for someone to break it. And of course, the one to break it was. The third seat holder, Darren’s father, sat forward in his stone chair, his expression a perfect blend of arrogance and disgust. His voice oozed with false civility.“How convenient,” he said coolly, folding his hands. “Tears and timing. Seems the servant girl knows exactly when to cry. And how loudly.”Stephanie flinched.I took a breath. How dear him I guess like father like sonNope. Couldn’t hold it.“You know,” I said loudly, “for someone in a power seat, you’re remarkably tone-deaf.”Heads turned. Jarrek’s did, too—slowly, like I’d personally offended his throne.“Excuse me?” he said sharply.“Oh, you heard me,” I said, voice steady. “Your son atta
Elena pov I left the dining hall, my thoughts a storm I couldn't silence. First, I find out I’m the last of a wiped-out, powerful clan and now I’m told that if I don’t mate with Lykan before the next Blood Moon, he’ll lose control and destroy everything.I didn’t even realize where my feet were carrying me until I found myself on the far side of the mansion somewhere I’d never been before. The path curved past a serene garden, and at its center stood a massive cherry blossom tree, tall and unwavering, its pink petals fluttering gently in the breeze.Drawn to its quiet beauty, I walked over and sat beneath its branches, hidden by the low bushes that created a kind of natural wall around it. For a moment, I let the silence wrap around me until I heard it.Faint noises. Struggling. A female voice whispered harshly, “Let me go.”My entire body tensed. I focused, sharpening my hearing. The plea came again, louder this time. I shot to my feet and followed the sound.That’s when I saw him.
Elena's POVThe last of the soldiers had filed out, leaving only Lykan, Dominic, and me. The tension between the two men felt different now, not competitive, not playful, but alert. Watching. Braced.Lykan didn’t waste time. He leaned back in his chair, silver-gray eyes locked onto mine. "Tell me everything you remember from last night. The nightmare. Don’t leave anything out."My breath caught. I hadn’t told anyone yet. Not the full version.I glanced at Dominic. His usual sarcasm was gone. He looked grim as if he already knew he wouldn’t like what I had to say.I swallowed, then nodded."I fell," I began. "From the sky. And it hurt—not just the fall, but everything. The pain was everywhere like it lived in my bones. At first, I thought it was just a dream, but then the snow started falling. It was beautiful, soft... until I realized it was mixed with ash."Lykan's eyes narrowed slightly, but he said nothing."When I looked down, the snow was red. Not pink, not stained. Red. Thick.
Elena pov Soft breath.Slow heartbeat.Warm muscle beneath my cheek.I surfaced from sleep in a thick fog, blinking up at dark fabric that smelled of pinewood, honey, and something wilder. For a dizzy half‑second, I wondered whose bed—whose body I was sprawled across.Then the arm around my waist tightened, and the fog parted.Lykan. I fell asleep in his arms, I guess he fell asleep too I shifted just enough to glance at the window. It was already breaking dawn. The fire in the chimney had burned down to embers. Lykan dozed, sitting up, head tipped back, his grip instinctively anchoring me whenever I moved.Memory flickered… then fizzled.I remembered it all training yesterday.The terrifying dream again. And my panic attack Lykan, comforting me. My head ached. Why did it feel like I was forgetting something?I frowned, sifting for scraps—an image, a sound, anything. The harder I searched, the thicker the wall became until I gave up remembering.Nothing.A low rumble vibrated t
Lykan povElena wasn't a normal wolf; That much was obvious from the beginning, a wolf who has never shifted or the fact her wolf refuses to speak. It didn’t matter how you looked at it. She was abnormal, even more than me; then they were the Northern Range Pack, knowing all this, but her adopted parents and the stones still took her in. I had someone do some digging, and it turns out that she's always lived with those people, but how there is no record of her being a stray or abandoned infant, she's always lived with the stones, which makes absolutely no sense. No one can provide concrete evidence of what actually happened. Could it be that Elena wasn't adopted but stolen?I stopped at the huge ceiling-to-floor window, and I stood, allowing myself to bask in the light of the moon. Why would the moon goddess allow her to suffer so much? My wolf was stirring harder these days. varyn was always on the edge of my skin, planning to jump out soon, I had a little over a month or two le
Elena’s POVI was officially dead.Okay, not technically, but spiritually? Emotionally? Physically?Fried.Training today has been the hardest yet. Dominic didn’t care that my ribs still ached or that my knuckles were raw from hours of blocking strikes. He pushed me harder than ever testing reflexes, teaching me how to use my wolf’s instincts instead of fighting them.And I hated to admit it, but it was working.My body moved differently now sharper, faster, more in tune. My wolf still wasn’t speaking, not in words, but I felt her more clearly every day. She stirred with each clash, each breath, each threat. And with Lykan always watching in the distance like some brooding shadow king, she had no problem waking up to show off.But tonight, everything hurt.I limped slowly through the mansion’s long, winding corridors, stretching muscles that screamed for mercy. I needed to rest, but my mind buzzed too much for sleep.The longer I stayed here, the more I noticed the silence.Not just t
Elena’s POV The snow was falling on me. Soft. Silent. Cruel. I was barefoot, running through the cold with cuts on my feet and frost creeping over my toes. I couldn’t feel my fingers anymore, just aching nubs of frozen skin, raw and numb. My breath came in sharp bursts, but the air was too thin, too sharp like I was breathing in blades. I couldn’t stop running. I didn’t know where I was going. I didn’t even remember why I was running. But something in me screamed that if I stopped—I’d never move again. People were running, too. All around me. Wolves in human skin, bare and wild, screaming. The cottages were on fire. All of them. Flames climbed roofs like vines, swallowing wooden beams and melting snow into steam. The village whole village was burning. Children cried. Mothers wailed. Somewhere, someone was begging the moon for mercy. I couldn’t look at them. I couldn’t stop. I just kept running. Then I heard it. My name. “Elena.” A voice is soft and distant like a lull