Katrina's POVEmotions ran high in the days after my pregnancy was made public. As he showered me with love and attention, Davos was ecstatic and his joy was infectious. But I couldn't get rid of the uneasy sensation that persisted in the back of my mind even after he reassured me. The news was all across the castle, and although the majority of the pack members appeared to be sincerely delighted for us, I couldn't help but notice the faint looks and the hushed chatter that ceased as soon as I entered a room. Everyone seemed to be observing me and waiting for something to occur. "You're acting paranoid," Marie stated in a composed yet strong tone. "Not everybody is trying to harm you." "I know," I said, my thoughts racing. But I'm powerless to stop it. Something doesn't feel right. I knew Marie was as concerned as I was, but she didn't answer. In actuality, we were both aware that my pregnancy would not be welcomed by everyone in the kingdom. I was still viewed by some as an outcas
Katrina's POVThe atmosphere seemed colder, darker the instant Maddy departed to head for Davos. My hands shaking, I sat on the brink of the bed and fixed my eyes on the tea cup on the table. The faint, sour scent persisted in the air, a reminder of how near I had come to be drinking something that might have injured my pregnant kid, or worse. My heart hammering in my chest, I could sense Marie's presence in my head, her fear reflecting my own.'Katrina,' Marie said in a calm but forceful voice. We have to keep on alert. Whoever committed this could still be close by.I nodded, though nobody else could see it. My eyes flew around the room, searching for any signs of danger. The fire crackled quietly in the hearth, but its warmth did nothing to soothe the chill that had sunk deep in my bones. I stood up, pacing the room, my mind racing with questions. Who would do this? And why? Was it someone within the castle? Someone I trusted? The door flew open, and Davos stormed in, his co
Katrina's POVThe days following the poisoning attempt were tense. Davos had increased security around the castle, and I was rarely left alone. Guards followed me everywhere, their presence a constant reminder of the danger lurking within the walls of what was supposed to be my safe haven. Despite Davos's reassurances, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something terrible was about to happen. The castle, once a place of comfort, now felt like a prison.I sat in the garden, trying to enjoy the warmth of the sun, but even the bright rays couldn’t dispel the shadows in my mind. Marie’s voice echoed in my head, her tone calm but firm. 'Katrina, you need to stay alert. The threat is still out there.''I know,' I replied, my voice trembling in my mind. 'But how do I fight an enemy I can’t see?'Marie didn’t respond, and I knew she was just as worried as I was. The truth was, we both knew that the danger was closer than we thought. Someone within the castle walls wanted me and my child gone,
Katrina's POVThe night was oddly quiet after Davos and the guards left to investigate the person I had seen outside. I stood in the hallway, my arms wrapped firmly around myself, trying to quiet the storm of fear rushing inside me. The castle felt cooler, darker, like if the shadows themselves were alive and watching me. Marie’s words repeated in my mind, her tone pressing. 'Katrina, keep alert. The threat isn’t over.' 'I know,' I replied, my voice quivering in my mind. 'But what do I do, Marie? I can’t just stand here and wait.' 'You need to keep strong,' Marie stated, her voice stern. 'Davos will handle this. But you need to be ready for anything.' I nodded, though no one was there to see it. My heart was pounding, and I could feel the excitement running through my blood. I couldn’t just stand there and do nothing. I needed to know what was happening. I stepped nearer the window, looking out into the night. The moon shed a light glimmer over the castle grounds, but the shades
Katrina's POV The hooded figure’s grip strengthened like a vise, pulling me deeper into the dark. I thrashed, but their power was amazing. My breath caught as fear clawed at my chest. “Fight, Katrina!” Marie’s voice snapped in my thinking. “Use your instincts!” I spun violently, slamming my heel into their shin. The figure hissed, grip loosening—just enough. I broke free, stumbling back, but they lunged again, putting an arm around my throat. Cold breath hissed against my ear. “You’re coming with me.” Black spots blurred my eyes as I grasped at their arm. Then, a roar pierced the air. “Let. Her. Go.” Davos rushed down the hall, eyes burning. Relief rushed over me at the sight of him, but it was quickly replaced by fear when the figure shoved me aside. I slumped to the floor, gasping. Davos swung, his fist striking with the figure’s jaw. They staggered but recovered unusually quickly, ducking his next hit with strange ease. “Davos, be careful!” I rushed to my feet, pulse poundin
Katrina's POVThe door burst inward, wood pieces flying in every direction. Davos dragged me behind him, his body protecting me as the first rogue shot across the broken portal. With drool flowing from its bared fangs, its yellow eyes projected wild hunger. Davos answered it directly, his fist hitting its head with a terrible crunch. More were already flowing in behind the rebel fallen to the floor.'Stay back!' Davos yelled, his voice a hoarse snarl as he tore viciously across the rogues. His motions were a blur, each hit deadly and exact. But there were too many of them. For every rogue he took down, two others seemed to take its place. I held the blade Davos had given me, my hands trembling. My heart pounded in my chest, and I could feel Marie’s presence in my head, her words demanding. ‘Katrina, you need to fight. You can’t just stand here.’ ‘I don’t know how!’ I shot back, fear growing in my chest. ‘I’ve never fought like this before!’ ‘Use your instincts,’ Marie urged,
Katrina’s POVThe veiled figure stood at the middle of the burning courtyard, flames reflected in their masked eyes like twin stars of evil. The air reeked of smoke and blood, the castle walls moaning as fire consumed them. Davos tightened his grip on my hand, his breath ragged. Shaun changed back into human form beside us, his face mysterious but his stance coiled for action. “Who is that?” I whispered, my voice raw. Davos’s jaw clenched. “The puppeteer.” The figure raised a hand, and the rogues still crawling through the rubble froze, their snarls dying mid-throat. Silence fell, broken only by the crackle of fire. “You’ve made this tedious,” the figure said, their voice twisted, booming as if three people spoke at once. “But predictable. Always defending weakness.” Shaun stepped forward, his voice a blade. “Show your face.” The figure laughed—a sound that scraped my bones. “You first, traitor. How does it feel to kneel at her feet?” Shaun’s hands clenched, but Davos cut in. “
Katrina POVAdvisor Thomas smiled sharply and unnaturally, and his snake-like eyes gleamed. As he transformed back into a human, the Blood Moon Alpha snarled and flung me to the ground in the jungle."Traitor," spit out the Alpha. "The plan was for you to die in the vault."Blood still trickled from Thomas's lips as he tilted his head. "One I've learned to...work out." "Death is a choice." He held up his hand, and the red-eyed rogues stepped forward. "Give me the hybrid, and you can crawl back to your pack with your tail between your legs."The Alpha growled, his fingers sprouting claws. "Don't take what's mine."Marie hissed in my head, "Katrina." "He has the Relic in his satchel!"The leather pouch at the Alpha's waist caught my attention. Through the fissures streamed a faint blue radiance. Davos had attempted to safeguard the Relic.Thomas was the first to lunge, his movements oddly fluid. His hit sent a ripple across the trees as the Alpha collided with him in midair. The red-eye
Katrina’s POVSharp, constant pain throbbed in my ribs, but I made myself sit up. With bodies moving, weapons clashing, and the smell of blood heavy in the air, the battlefield remained a blur. My body was screaming for me to stay down and breathe, but I was unable to do so.With Mira out there, no.She was in charge of a mission that had the power to alter everything, somewhere beyond the mayhem.Shaun squatted next to me, his expression tight. "You ought not to be moving."I cleaned my mouth of blood. "I have no other option."His eyes grew gloomy. "Mira will take care of it."I forced myself to stand up despite the pain in my limbs and let out a sharp exhale. "She must."Because we would all fail if she did.The night was thick with tension and pressed against my skin.Somewhere out there, Mira and her crew were sneaking through the enemy's fortifications, moving like ghosts in the dark. Destroying their supply chains wasn’t just a mission—it was our only chance. If they fa
Katrina's POV With the exception of the distant crackling of flames devouring the remains of the dead, the battlefield was strangely quiet. The ground was slippery with the remains of soldiers who had sacrificed their lives for this conflict, and the air was heavy with the smell of blood and burned flesh. I walked over corpses, some I recognized, others I didn't, and my heart ached. The never-ending cycle of violence had taken another person, and each one was a loss. And yet there he was, in the middle of the slaughter. The Alpha Crimson. Despite the devastation all around him, he remained tall and intimidating. His posture eased as if he were just a spectator to the mayhem he had created, and his crimson eyes burned like coals. My body cried out for me to fight, to put a stop to this once and for all, and my grasp tightened around my blade. However, he held up a hand. "We need to talk, Katrina." My whole body hummed with stress as I tightened my jaw. "I have nothing to say to
Katrina’s POVUnease was in the air at the war camp. The tension was oppressive and unavoidable; it adhered to my skin like a dense mist. There was a problem. The absence of food supply had been the first clue. When additional warriors joined our army, we first believed that the rations were being stretched thin, which was a simple error. Weapons, however, disappeared. Our strategy tent's plans outlining our next course of action vanished. Worst of all, fighters were vanishing into thin air. I looked around the camp as I stood outside my tent. Long, unsettling shadows were thrown over the restless warriors by fires that flared in the darkness. They experienced the paranoia and the feeling that something was falling apart inside of them as well. Shaun came over, his face serious. "Last night, another fighter disappeared. a top scout for us. No indication of a fight. It seems as if he just left. Mira folded her arms. "Someone is helping the enemy." I let out a deep breath, my thoug
Katrina's POVEven the most courageous soldiers were hesitant to enter the safehouse since it was tucked away in the deepest area of the forest. It was an area unaffected by conflict or the mayhem engulfing the world beyond the woods. My youngster was protected here.That's what I kept telling myself, anyhow.As the last of the sunshine slipped behind the tall trees, I watched from the doorway of the little wooden home. The soft sound of my son's laughing reverberated within, a tune so innocent that it didn't fit with the burden on my chest.I balled my fists up. The Crimson Alpha's soldiers were gaining momentum as the conflict reached its climax. My troops continued to fight without me for every second I was here. They lost another second life. But leaving was a total gamble. Leaving him was necessary.I turned and stepped inside, feeling a chill. With the flickering fire creating gentle shadows on the walls, the cabin's warmth enveloped me. Mira gave my kid some wooden sculptures t
Katrina’s POVAs we gathered around the frayed scroll, its mysterious lettering flashing in the faint torchlight, the atmosphere was heavy with suspense. Every time my heart beat, it served as a harsh reminder of how much depended on us. We had arrived to the deserted Lycan ruins, a location lost to time, thanks to the mystery. I felt the old carvings under my fingertips as I moved them over the stone walls. Relics from the past. Back when werewolves and lycans weren't adversaries. When they were one, that is. Shaun was standing next to me, looking over the ruins with amber eyes. "This place gives me a bad feeling." Mira let out a loud sigh. "Whether you like it or not, this is where the puzzle took us. Here is the solution. I looked to a big archway at the far end of the room and nodded. Beyond it, the blackness went on forever. I got a weird feeling that we were closer than ever before, like a weight pressing down on my chest. "We move together," I murmured while holding onto m
Katrina’s POVAs we gathered around the frayed scroll, its mysterious lettering flashing in the faint torchlight, the atmosphere was heavy with suspense. Every time my heart beat, it served as a harsh reminder of how much depended on us. We had arrived to the deserted Lycan ruins, a location lost to time, thanks to the mystery. I felt the old carvings under my fingertips as I moved them over the stone walls. Relics from the past. Back when werewolves and lycans weren't adversaries. When they were one, that is. Shaun was standing next to me, looking over the ruins with amber eyes. "This place gives me a bad feeling." Mira let out a loud sigh. "Whether you like it or not, this is where the puzzle took us. Here is the solution. I looked to a big archway at the far end of the room and nodded. Beyond it, the blackness went on forever. I got a weird feeling that we were closer than ever before, like a weight pressing down on my chest. "We move together," I murmured while holding onto m
Katrina's POVThe air shifted around me, thick like a heavy mist, pulling me under. My body no longer felt like my own. The world faded, the ground dissolving beneath me until I was floating in an endless void. I wasn’t sure how I got here—one moment, I had been gripping the scroll the temple guardian had given me, reading its cryptic words, and the next, everything had gone dark. I took a slow breath, steadying my nerves. This was part of the trial. I had known there would be one. The moment I touched the scroll, I felt something pull at me, dragging me into a place beyond the physical world. But I hadn’t expected it to feel so... real. A soft whisper echoed through the void, a voice both foreign and familiar. "You're not prepared." I spun, searching for the source, but there was only darkness. Then, out of nowhere, a figure stepped forward. My breath caught. It was me. Or rather, it was a version of me—one twisted, darker. Her eyes blazed an unnatural red, her lips twisted
Katrina's POV The icy frost seeped into my bones as the wind howled across the rocky summits. As we ascended more into the mountains, I felt the weight of our mission bearing down on me with each step. The faces of the slain flashed before my eyes, and the remains of the previous fight still troubled me. There was no time to mourn, but we had just about made it out alive. Shaun walked purposefully in front of me, his golden eyes searching the way. The cold air made Mira's breath haze as she walked next to me. We all remained silent. All we could hear were the distant howling of wolves borne by the wind and the crunch of snow under our feet. The temple was near. I sensed it. Legends about a secret temple tucked away in these mountains, unaffected by time or conflict, have persisted for ages. An ancient order of werewolves, warriors pledged to defend a holy weapon—the sole sword that might finally put an end to The Crimson Alpha—were supposed to guard it. However, getting there woul
Katrina’s POV The world continued to rotate. For a minute, I believed I had lost everything as darkness engulfed me. As I pushed myself to walk, I gasped for air in ragged breaths. The air was still heavy enough to choke on with the stench of decaying dead and burning flesh. They had lost the fight. We had had to back off, almost making it out alive. We had been teasing the Crimson Alpha. Now that much was obvious. Beside me, Shaun moaned and clutched his side, his fingers dripping blood. Mira was so tired that her body was shaking and her face looked pallid. We weren't dead, but we were shattered and bruised. Something has to count for that. I took a deep breath and looked around the remains of the former enemy stronghold. It had long ago been wrecked by the battle, and all that was left was eerie quiet and crumbling stone. It was our lone haven of safety and a place to rest before confronting the next nightmare. I had just risen to my feet when I became aware of the wall marks