Elara’s POVWe were still on the journey.The forest stretched endlessly before us, the path winding and uncertain. The silence pressed in from all sides, broken only by the rustle of leaves and the occasional snap of a twig beneath my boots. It was unsettling, this quiet, like the world itself was waiting for something to happen.I usually wished to go on adventures but not like this.Kael walked beside me, his presence a steady force in the chaos of my thoughts. His sharp eyes scanned our surroundings, always alert, always calculating. I had grown used to his watchful gaze, but I knew better than to think it was just for my sake. Kael didn’t trust the forest, not the journey ahead.I couldn’t blame him.After everything that had happened, after everything I had seen, I still had hope and I trusted myself.I was the bridge, the connection between the spirit world and our own. A power I barely understood coursed through my veins, yet every time I reached for it, something inside me
Kael’s POVThe forest was quiet. Too quiet.Even as Elara walked beside me, her steps careful but sure, I felt something shift in the air. An unease that crept beneath my skin like a warning. I had learned to trust those instincts long ago. They had kept me alive.My senses sharpened. We had traveled deeper into unfamiliar territory, the trees thicker, the shadows stretching long as the sun began its descent. Luca stirred in Elara’s arms, letting out a soft noise in his sleep. Even in his weakened state, he could probably feel it too.It seemed we had entered another Clan.Something was wrong.I scanned the trees, my breath steady but controlled.“Elara,” I said quietly.She stopped immediately, sensing the change in my tone. “What is it?”I didn’t answer. Instead, I listened. Watched.Then, I heard a faint rustling in the trees ahead. Footsteps, too controlled to belong to an animal. My grip tightened. Someone was here.“Stay behind me,” I muttered.Elara didn’t argue.A figure stepp
Elara’s POVThe fire crackled softly between us, casting flickering shadows across the trees. Luca lay curled up beneath a thick cloak, his breathing steady and deep. Exhaustion had taken him quickly.Kael sat a few feet away. He held onto a stick sketching a figure on the ground. His movements were steady, methodical, but I could tell his mind was elsewhere. After the encounter with Darin, he had been even quieter than usual.I understood that kind of silence, the thought of memories pressing down too heavily to put into words.Still, something unsettled me. A feeling I couldn’t shake.I rubbed at my temple, trying to push away the strange pressure building behind my eyes. The flames of the fire wavered, stretching unnaturally, bending in ways that defied logic.My pulse quickened.Something was wrong.I barely had time to take a breath before the world around me shifted.Darkness swallowed me whole.I was no longer sitting by the fire. No longer in the forest.I stood in an open f
Elara’s POVThe forest had changed as we ventured deeper into it. The trees seemed to loom closer, their twisted branches clawing at the sky, casting long shadows over the path. I could feel the pulse of the forest in my bones, like it was alive, watching us.“ We have gotten into the forbidden border. Show no fear.” Luca said.There was an unsettling silence in the air, the kind of silence that made my skin prickle and my heart race.Kael didn’t speak much, but I could tell by the way his eyes darted around the trees that he, too, sensed it. His posture was tense, every step calculated, as though he were preparing for something unseen.It wasn’t long before we found it—the haunted part of the forest.The first sign was the mist, rolling in thick and fast, covering the ground in a silvery fog. The temperature dropped sharply, and I shivered, pulling my cloak tighter around me."Should we keep moving?" I asked, trying to ignore the tightness in my chest.Kael paused, looking ahead into
Elara’s POVThe night was still fresh in my mind. Even with the first light of morning filtering through the canopy, I could still hear the whispers in the wind, still feel the cold grip of something unseen trailing along my skin. The spirits had faded with the dawn, but their presence lingered, like ghosts in my thoughts.Kael hadn’t said much since we broke camp. He moved through the motions, packing his gear, checking the perimeter, but his usual sharp focus was dulled, his movements were heavy and slow.I wasn’t sure when I had started noticing these things about him, the way his body stiffened when his thoughts turned dark.We walked in silence for most of the morning, the forest around us eerily quiet. It was as if even nature had sensed the lingering energy of the spirits and decided to hold its breath.It wasn’t until midday, when we stopped by a small, clear stream, that I finally found my voice."Kael," I said softly, watching him as he knelt by the water’s edge. "Talk to
Luca’s POVIt was indeed a long journey with different obstacles. I had to endure so much pain. At the same time I got the chance to experience Elara's care. The journey was long and exhausting, and filled with more dangers than I cared to count. My body ached from wounds that still bled, and my strength was draining fast, but I pushed forward. I had to. I was also influenced by the spirits of the dark forest. I saw myself betraying Elara but I believe it was only its usual trick.I just wanted to get back on my feets.Find the other survivors of my pack, regroup and get shelter.Elara walked ahead of me, her movements cautious, yet there was something about this place that made her slow down, it was not out of fear, but reverence. The cave stood behind a waterfall, hidden from the world like a portal to another realm. The sound of rushing water echoed around us, masking any noise from outside.Mist rose around the entrance, curling like ghostly fingers, adding to the illusion that t
Lyanna’s POVThe moment I stepped out of the cave, my legs gave way beneath me.I knelt on the damp ground, my body trembling as I finally allowed myself to feel the burden of what had just happened.Eighteen years.Eighteen long, torturous years.And now, she was here. My daughter.Elara.My hands dug into the earth as silent sobs wracked my body. I had not prepared for this moment, nor envisioned it, I thought I would never see her again but now she was truly in front of me, I couldn't bring myself to say it. I couldn't reach for her, couldn't tell her who I was.Because I believed she wasn’t ready.Maybe if she knew, it would break her.I wasn't sure I was making the right choice. But I had to protect her, no matter how much it hurt.A presence stirred behind me, and I felt it before turning that it was Luca. His scent carried the familiar mixture of earth, blood, and the lingering pain of old wounds."You should be resting," I murmured, keeping my eyes on the ground.Luca stepped
Elara’s POVI wasn't paying attention to her anymore. I was hurt by the fact she wanted to keep hiding. She didn't want me to find out she was my mother.The roar of the waterfall was deafening, yet my mind was louder.I stood at the edge, staring into the churning waters, my emotions tangled into a knot so tight I wasn’t sure I’d ever unravel them.I was angry.But at what?At my mother for not telling me? At Luca for keeping the truth hidden as well? At the universe for making my life one endless series of secrets and half-truths?I had spent years hoping to see her someday. I even thought that she was gone, or just a distant, unreachable shadow in my memories. Now, here she was, real and alive, yet she had chosen not to say a word.I was breathing deeply as the cold mist from the waterfall clung to my skin.I wanted to be furious. I wanted to scream.But beneath all of that, there was a deeper ache, a longing I had buried so deep that even now, standing within reach of it, I was af
Elara's POV Finally, Peace ReignedThe land, once drenched in blood and shadow, now shimmered under the soft light of the moon. The scent of fresh earth filled the air, and the trees, once whispering with fear, stood tall, their branches rustling with a sense of peace. The howls of war had faded into the night, replaced by the steady rhythm of nature reclaiming what had been stolen.I stood at the river’s edge, watching the water ripple gently under the silver glow. My reflection stared back at me—hair loose, face no longer hardened by battle, but not quite softened yet either.The weight of vengeance, of loss, of relentless struggle—it had lifted.I was free.And I was finally mated to the one I loved.A presence stirred beside me, familiar and grounding. His scent—warm cedar and something unmistakably him—wrapped around me like a tether, steady and real.“Lost in thought?” His voice was quiet, careful, as if he knew I still carried the weight of everything we had endured. Of everyt
Elara’s POVThe morning sun bathed the land in golden light, illuminating the Lunar territory that had once been ravaged by war. Now, peace had settled over the werewolf clans, the air thick with the scent of fresh earth, blooming flowers, and the lingering energy of victory.I stood on the stone platform at the heart of the sacred grounds, my chest rising and falling as I took in the sight before me. The once-divided werewolves now stood united, their heads bowed in reverence. They weren’t just looking at me. They were acknowledging me.The weight of it all settled on my shoulders.I, Elara, the outcast who had been shunned and betrayed, was now standing at the pinnacle of power. The Moon Spirit had guided me through darkness, and now, I stood in the light.But before my ordination as Lunar Alpha, there was one last piece of unfinished business.Footsteps echoed behind me, hesitant yet steady. I turned to find Luca approaching, his head lowered, his expression riddled with guilt. His
Rowan’s POVThe battlefield was silent.For the first time in decades, there were no screams of agony, no clash of steel, no howls of war. Only the whisper of the wind as it carried the scent of blood and ash through the ruined land.I stood at the edge of what remained of our once-proud territory, his aged eyes scanning the remnants of a battle that had reshaped the very foundation of their world.Bodies of Shadowborn creatures lay scattered across the field, their twisted forms dissolving into nothingness under the first light of dawn. The ground beneath them, once tainted by darkness, now pulsed with the energy of renewal. The war was over.And Elara had won.I exhaled deeply, my breath shaky. I had lived through many wars, many rulers, and many sacrifices. But never had i6 witnessed something like this.The werewolves, the scattered Clans, the warriors who had once been divided—now knelt in reverence before the silver-haired woman who stood at the center of it all.Elara.The girl
Elara’s POVThe battlefield was drenched in blood and moonlight, the air thick with the scent of ash and death. Shadows twisted and curled like dying serpents, their inky tendrils dissipating into the night as I stood amidst the carnage. My body ached, my muscles screamed, but I didn’t stop.I couldn’t stop.The Shadowborn had plagued our kind for too long. They had taken too much—our homes, our people, our future. I had vowed to end them, and now, that promise would be fulfilled.A low growl echoed through the ruined valley as the last of Raven’s creatures lunged toward me. Its soulless black eyes glowed with malice, its twisted form shifting between smoke and flesh. But I did not flinch.I raised my hand, feeling the power of the moon surge through me. My veins pulsed with silver fire, my claws shimmering as I met the creature head-on. With one swift movement, I tore through it, my energy colliding with its essence. It shrieked, writhing as its form shattered into nothingness.Silen
Elara’s POV The wind howled outside the encampment, whispering secrets through the trees. The fire before me flickered as I sat cross-legged, my fingers pressed against the cool stone at my chest. The night stretched endlessly, but my mind wasn’t in the physical realm—it was drifting beyond, into the veil of the spirit world.A dark force tugged at me, a pull I couldn’t ignore. I closed my eyes, breathing in deeply. The air in the spirit realm was thick, charged with an unnatural energy. Shadows twisted around me, curling like serpents.And then, I saw him.Raven.He stood before me, his form hazy yet unmistakable, shrouded in the dark mist of his power. His silver eyes glowed, filled with a cold amusement.“I wondered when you’d come,” he drawled, his voice echoing unnaturally.I clenched my fists. “You called me here. What do you want?”His smirk deepened. “To end this foolish war. You and I both know this cannot last forever, Elara. Come to me—face me at the Black Hollow. We will
Elara’s POVThe night air was thick with tension as Kael and I moved swiftly through the dense forests surrounding the First Clan’s stronghold. The tall spires of the stone fortress loomed ahead, dark and imposing against the moonlit sky. My heart pounded in my chest, not from fear, but from the anticipation of what was to come.Luca.Once my closest friend, now a prisoner of his own choices. He had betrayed me because of his emotions, which gave Raven a chance, stood against me when I needed him most. And yet, despite everything, we were here to save him.Kael moved beside me, silent but alert. His presence was a steady force, grounding me in the chaos that brewed inside me. “Are you ready for this?” he murmured.I exhaled, gripping the daggers at my belt. “I don’t know. But I have to be.”We crept toward the fortress, using the cover of darkness to slip past the outer guards. The First Clan had once been a proud force, but since Raven’s rise, they had become nothing more than a sha
Elara's POV The night air was cool, carrying the scent of damp earth and healing herbs. The soft glow of the moon bathed the clearing where we had stopped, and all was still except for the slow, labored breathing of the woman lying before me.I knelt beside her, my hands trembling as I traced the bruises on her wrists—remnants of the shackles that had bound her for far too long. My mother—who had once been so strong, so fearless—now lay before me, fragile and exhausted. Yet, even in her weakened state, her silver eyes, identical to mine, held warmth, relief, and something else.Love.A lump formed in my throat. I had dreamt of this moment for months, of the day I would see her again, but not like this—not broken and battered.Taking a shaky breath, I placed my hands gently over her wounds. A soft silver glow radiated from my fingertips, warm and soothing. The power of the moon surged through me, flowing into her, knitting torn flesh, dissolving bruises, easing pain.She gasped as the
Raven’s POVThe room was suffocating with silence. Not the kind that brought peace, but the kind that smothered, thick with unspoken rage. The moment I sensed it—felt the severance of my connection to the Shadowborn—I knew.Elara had escaped.A single word echoed in my mind, ringing like a war drum.Unacceptable.My fingers clenched around the arms of my throne, dark power crackling through my veins. The flickering torches along the chamber walls burned lower, their flames bending unnaturally under the force of my fury.I turned my gaze to the trembling guard kneeling before me. He had dared to deliver the news.“They... they are gone, My Lord,” he stammered, his forehead pressed against the cold stone floor. “We lost them in the trees.”Lost them?I let the words settle, my grip tightening. The shadows around the room thickened, curling like serpents waiting to strike.The guard swallowed hard. “The Shadowborn—”“They failed.”My voice cut through the air, cold and lethal.The man f
Elara’s POVThe night stretched before us like a never-ending abyss, filled with uncertainty and the weight of what we were about to do. The Lunar Territory was where Raven conquered. It has turned into dangerous places in the realm, and it was where Raven had taken Lyanna.She was trapped there, locked away in a prison built for those who dared to defy him.We couldn’t leave her behind.Sitting by the dim fire in our temporary hideout, Kael and I studied the map spread between us, the lines and markings glowing faintly under the flickering flame. The stronghold was heavily guarded, its towering walls nearly impenetrable. Getting inside wouldn’t be easy—but it wasn’t impossible.Kael exhaled sharply, rubbing his temples. “Even if we do get past the outer walls, we’ll still have to face the elite guards inside. They won’t hesitate to kill us.”I traced the path on the map with my fingers, calculating the risks. “We can’t go in with brute force. It would be suicide. But if we move like