"I, Grant Dixon, soon to be Alpha of the Rivermoon Pack, reject you, Astraia, as my mate." The words that shattered Astraia’s world, spoken with cold finality by the man she had loved her entire life, echoed through her heart like a death knell. But Astraia isn’t one to be defeated by fate. The bond she shares with Grant, rejected and broken, leaves her heart in tatters—but a spark of defiance rises within her. She will prove herself. She will rebuild her life, even if it means walking away from everything she once believed in. Far from the pain of rejection, she takes refuge at Stellar University, a neutral zone where both werewolves and humans coexist. But fate has other plans. Astraia’s world collides with Carson, the broody, guarded Alpha of High Crest Pack—the most powerful pack, second only to the royal family. He carries the same scars as she does, a broken past marked by rejection. Will their shared pain draw them together, or will the past continue to haunt them? By Shadowlight Lake is a story of strength, healing, and the undeniable pull of destiny. Astraia must decide if she will embrace her future or let her past control her. And Carson—will he continue to hide from the future that fate has in store, or will he finally allow himself to heal?
Lihat lebih banyakI stared out the window of the black SUV as the familiar landscape of my childhood began to materialize. The rolling hills gave way to denser forest, the scents of my former territory starting to filter through the car's air system. My wolf stirred restlessly inside me, recognizing home even as my human side remained conflicted."You've been quiet for the last hour," Odette observed, her violet eyes briefly flicking from the road to me. "I can practically hear your thoughts spinning."I sighed, absently twisting a strand of my hair. "Sorry. I just never thought I'd be coming back here. Not like this.""Your father needs you," Odette said gently. "That trumps everything else."The royal guards in the vehicle ahead of us maintained a steady pace, their black SUV identical to the one Odette and I rode in. Another followed behind, forming a protective convoy that the Royal Pack had insisted upon. Rogue attacks had increased in frequency and boldness, and no o
Odette's idea of an "art studio" turned out to be a sunlit room with twenty-foot ceilings, wall-to-wall windows overlooking the royal gardens, and enough supplies to stock a small art school. Easels stood ready with blank canvases, and a table against one wall held bottles of wine next to an array of fruits and cheeses."Royal lockdown has its perks," she admitted, seeing my expression. "What? I stress-prepared."I laughed, feeling some of the morning's tension ease. "I'm not complaining."We settled at adjacent easels, Odette pouring generous glasses of wine despite the early hour. "So," she said casually, too casually, as she arranged her paints, "you and Carson looked very very cozy in bed yesterday morning.""We're not doing this again," I groaned, focusing intently on squeezing paint onto my palette."What? I'm just making conversation." Her innocent tone didn't match the devious glint in her eyes. "Though I did hear from a very reliable sourc
The morning after Carson's late-night call, I woke to sunlight streaming through the palace windows and the persistent chime of multiple incoming messages on my phone. Groggily, I reached for it, expecting to see a text from Carson. Instead, my screen was filled with notifications from the university's emergency alert system."All students, please be advised that Stellar University will transition to remote learning effective immediately due to ongoing security concerns. All buildings will remain closed until further notice. Faculty will contact students with course-specific instructions within 24 hours. Do not attempt to access campus or neutral territory without explicit security clearance. Updates will follow as the situation develops."I sat up, suddenly wide awake. While we'd all suspected classes might be canceled for a few days, a complete shutdown and transition to remote learning suggested the rogue threat was more serious than we'd been told.
I watched from the palace balcony as Carson and Hunter departed with the High Crest security team, their figures growing smaller until they disappeared into the treeline. Even after they were gone, I remained there, the ghost of Carson's touch still lingering on my skin, his promises echoing in my mind."So," Odette's voice came from behind me, making me jump. "Are you going to tell us what happened, or do we need to torture it out of you?"I turned to find not just Odette, but Lila and Freya as well, all three wearing identical expressions of eager curiosity."I have no idea what you're talking about," I said primly, though the heat in my cheeks betrayed me."Please," Lila scoffed, linking her arm through mine. "Carson practically ordered everyone out of the breakfast room so he could whisk you away for a private conversation. Then he returns looking like he's won the moonlight run, and you're standing here staring after him like a lovesick pup."
After breakfast, Carson led me through a series of elegant corridors until we reached a secluded balcony overlooking the royal gardens. Away from prying eyes and enhanced wolf hearing, it offered the privacy we desperately needed for this conversation.He moved to the stone railing, his broad shoulders silhouetted against the late morning light, and for a moment, I simply watched him, the powerful Alpha who had held me with such gentleness hours earlier. The contradiction of strength and tenderness that defined him."You don't have to stand so far away," he said without turning, a smile in his voice. "I don't bite. Unless asked nicely."Heat rushed to my cheeks at the implication, but I moved to join him at the railing, close enough that our arms nearly touched. The air between us felt charged with unspoken words and lingering touches."The gardens are beautiful," I offered lamely, grasping for a neutral starting point."Astraia." The way he said m
The Royal Pack's dining hall was a marvel of design, with soaring ceilings and walls of windows that looked out over carefully maintained gardens. Under different circumstances, I might have been intimidated by the opulence, but after a week of staying at the palace, I'd become somewhat accustomed to royal extravagance.Carson and I arrived together, his hand resting lightly at the small of my back as we entered. The gesture was subtle but unmistakable to any wolf, a sign of protection, of connection. From the knowing looks and poorly hidden smiles that greeted us, it was clear Odette had already made sure everyone knew about our morning arrangement."There they are!" Odette called out with unnecessary volume, drawing every eye in the room to us. "Sleep well, you two?"Lila nearly choked on her drink, coughing as Freya patted her back with obvious amusement. At the head of the table, Alexei merely raised an eyebrow, his violet eyes, immediately noting Carson's h
I woke to unfamiliar warmth and the steady rhythm of a heartbeat beneath my ear. For a moment, I was disoriented, my pillow wasn't supposed to rise and fall with breathing, and it definitely wasn't supposed to smell like pine and storm.Then the events of last night came rushing back.Carson. The balcony. Him staying.Somehow during the night, we'd shifted positions. I was now curled against his side, my head resting on his chest, his arm wrapped securely around me. The covers had twisted between us, a token barrier that had done nothing to prevent me from seeking his warmth. One of my legs had thrown itself over his, and my hand rested against the firm plane of his stomach. My wolf hummed with contentment, more settled than she'd been in days.I should have been embarrassed by how I'd practically wrapped myself around him in my sleep, but I couldn't bring myself to move away. For the first time in days, I'd slept deeply, without dreams, without waking in
A soft sound from the balcony made me freeze.Someone was trying to open the balcony doors.My heart hammered against my ribs as I instinctively backed toward the bed. The palace was supposed to be the most secure place in Royal Pack territory, who could possibly be trying to enter through my balcony? My mind raced with possibilities, each worse than the last. A rogue? An assassin?The lock clicked, and the balcony door eased open silently. A tall figure slipped inside, silhouetted against the moonlight. My breath caught in my throat, my wolf suddenly alert but not alarmed—something familiar about the scent...Pine and storm."Carson," I whispered, relief flooding through me as recognition dawned.He turned at the sound of my voice, golden eyes finding mine in the darkness. "Astraia, I—"I didn't let him finish. Before I could think better of it, I was rushing across the room and throwing my arms around him. The solid warmth of him, t
Three days passed with no word from Carson, Alexei, or Hunter. The university remained closed due to the ongoing threat, and all wolves were advised to stay within their pack territories. Those of us at the Royal Pack palace were essentially on lockdown, though the palace was large enough that it hardly felt confining.Odette did her best to keep my mind occupied, giving me tours of parts of the palace I'd never seen, introducing me to various Royal Pack members, and generally being the perfect hostess. But by the third day, I was restless, constantly checking my phone for messages that never came.I'd finally worked up the courage to text him the night before—a simple "Are you okay?"—but there had been no response. The silence was becoming unbearable, my mind cycling through increasingly worse scenarios. Was he hurt? Ignoring me? Regretting what happened between us?"Maybe they don't have reception wherever they are," Odette suggested as we sat in the palace ga
Welcome, dear reader, to By Shadowlight Lake, a story of loss, self-discovery, and the complex paths that lead us to understanding ourselves and our true purpose.When I began writing this novel, I wanted to explore the idea of how love can both heal and break us, and how the choices we make shape the people we become. Astraia and Carson’s journey is one of heartache and resilience, a reminder that even in the darkest moments, we have the power to rise. Their bond is a symbol of what we all seek—connection, trust, and the courage to face our fears head-on.Through the pages, you’ll meet characters who, like us, are striving to find their place in a world that can often seem unforgiving. You’ll walk with Astraia as she navigates the consequences of rejection, finding strength she never knew she had. And you’ll see Carson, a brooding soul whose own trauma makes him question everything he believes in.This story is one of healing, of facing demons, both internal and external, and ultimat...
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