Luca's POVI was still feeling pains in my body. It was relentless, but it was nothing compared to the urgency coursing through my veins. Every moment that passed without action felt like a betrayal. I had survived the ambush, which left me even disappointed.I couldn't even defend my pack.I have failed.I failed my father, who died from the very hands of the hunters.Kael stood at the edge of the room, his eyes fixed on me as I slowly rose from the bed, my breath hitching in the process. The pain would make the journey unbearable, but there was no time for hesitation. I had to visit the Shin healer."You should rest," Kael said, his voice calm but the concern etched across his face clear.I focused on the simple task of standing, trying to ignore the way my body screamed for rest. “I can’t,” I managed to say, voice gritted. “We need to get to the healer. We need to find Elara’s mother.”Kael didn't argue. I didn't expect him or anyone to understand how I felt. He didn’t carry the w
Elara's POVWe had journeyed far into the wilderness. I hoped the healer we would meet would find a solution to Luca's health. Luca had insisted we stop at a particular location. I didn’t question him at first, but there was something unsettling about the place. The trees stood tall and solemn, their branches intertwining to form a dense canopy. The forest opened into what looked like a valley below.The ground was covered in soft moss, and the air was thick with the scent of earth, dampness, and the distant smell of wild animals.Luca’s voice broke through my thoughts. He was standing beside me, gazing down at the valley below.“This place…” Luca’s voice was solemn, his tone carrying the weight of history. “This is where the werewolves would gather during the full moon, centuries ago. It was a sacred place for them.”I didn’t understand at first. A sacred place? Why had Luca brought me here?“The Night Clans,” Luca continued, his gaze far away, “used to come together here under the
Kael’s POV The path ahead twisted sharply, disappearing into the distance. Seeing Luca in pain pulled me down with every step. The sun was sinking lower in the sky, the golden light fading to amber as it crept beneath the thick canopy of trees. I heard the distant sound of rushing water somewhere off to the left. I didn’t need to look back to know that Elara was struggling too. I urged us to go closer and drink water for strength.I slowed my pace, glancing over my shoulder. Elara was trailing behind, her breath shallow and labored, her face flushed with exertion. I could see the strain in the way she moved, the way her muscles trembled. “Stay close,” I muttered, my voice low but firm. “We’ll find shelter before nightfall. Don’t fall behind.”I was also trying to help Luca.Elara didn’t respond at first, but I saw her nod in the corner of my eye. She didn’t complain, not even when she was on the verge of exhaustion. Another few steps, and I heard a soft gasp from behind me. With
Kael’s POVThe night was still, the kind of stillness that settled deep into your bones. A crescent moon hung low in the sky, its soft glow casting pale silver light over where we had stopped to rest. The air was cool but not unkind, carrying the whisper of leaves shifting with the breeze.It was peaceful, almost unnervingly so.Luca had fallen asleep.I crouched near the fire, feeding small twigs into the flickering flames. The warmth did little to chase away the tension that had settled in my muscles, but it was a welcome comfort nonetheless.Elara sat across from me, her posture rigid at first, as if she were still expecting another ambush. But slowly, her shoulders relaxed, and she let out a breath.I noticed the exhaustion in her eyes before she tried to hide it, pressing her lips together as if to force herself to stay alert.Wordlessly, I pulled out the small rations we had left and ate. The dried meat was tasty, a few foraged herbs, and some roots I had gathered earlier. I
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 POV The night air was thick with the scent of damp earth and pine as I made her way toward the stronghold. The torches lining the pathways flickered in the wind, casting long shadows against the stone walls. It had been a long day—negotiations with the clan leaders, settling disputes, and reassuring the elders that the alliance would hold.And then there was Luca.I smiled to myself, remembering his teasing remark."If we had met in high school, you would have had a crush on me, right?"The memory made me chuckle. Luca was always so effortlessly charming.But my amusement faded as I neared the war chamber. The moment she stepped inside, she felt it.A shift in the air.Kael was there.He stood near the large wooden map table, his arms crossed over his broad chest, his golden eyes sharp as they settled on her. His expression was unreadable, but there was something stormy in his gaze.I hesitated. “Lyanna said you were looking for me. What’s wrong?”Kael didn’t answer right awa
Elara's POV The Eight Clans of the Moon were finally united.For the first time in centuries, werewolves of all bloodlines stood side by side under one banner.But I knew unity was only the first battle—the true war was still ahead.Raven would not sit idly by and accept his defeat. He was still out there, lurking in the shadows, waiting for his chance to strike back.And I needed to be ready.I called for a war council within the Lunar Stronghold, where the Eight Clans would discuss their next move.The leaders gathered around a massive stone table, maps and battle plans laid out before them.Kael stood at my right, his arms crossed. "We can’t sit and wait for Raven to attack. We need to take the fight to him."Lyanna nodded. "But we must be careful. If we rush in blindly, we risk losing everything we’ve built."The leader of the fifth clan, the cunning leader of the assassin clan, smirked. "I say we strike from the shadows. Let him feel the fear we have felt for years."The third c
Elara's POV My warriors and I had traveled for days, pushing through snow-covered landscapes and icy winds that cut like daggers.The Third Clan was the most isolated of the eight clans, living in the frozen wastelands of the north. Their warriors were strong, resilient, and unforgiving, shaped by the harsh environment that had become their home.I had heard the stories—how their ancestors had been abandoned in battle, left to fend for themselves while the Ninth Clan retreated.Now, I had to convince them to join her cause.Kael, walking beside me, pulled his fur-lined cloak tighter. "Are you sure they will listen?""No," I admitted. "But I won’t leave without trying."Lyanna exhaled, her breath visible in the cold air. "Then we better be ready for anything."As we neared the Third Clan stronghold, they saw figures on the cliffs above, watching our approach.The warriors of the Third Clan were clad in silver and white armor, their ice-blue eyes piercing through the snowstorm.Suddenl
Elara's POV After securing the allegiance of the Fifth Clan, I knew her next challenge would be even greater. The Fourth Clan, dwelling deep within the swamps, was the most elusive of all the werewolf clans. Their members were known for their secrecy and mastery of dark magic. Many considered them more myth than reality.Few who entered their lands returned, and those who did spoke of illusions, dangerous creatures, and whispers in the mist.But if I truly wanted to reunite the eight clans, I needed the Fourth Clan wolves on her side.I was accompanied by Kael, Lyanna, and a handful of warriors, set off toward the southern marshlands where the Fourth Clan resided. The journey was slow and treacherous.The deeper we ventured, the more unnatural the landscape became. Thick fog curled around the trees, shadows moved without a source, and distant whispers echoed through the air.Luca shuddered. "I don’t like this place. It feels… alive."Kael, ever the strategist, kept his hand on his we
Elara's POV The morning sun bathed the land in golden light as I stood atop a hill overlooking the First Clan’s stronghold. The battle against Raven and the hunters had been won, but the cost was heavy. Fields were scorched, homes reduced to rubble, and families mourned their fallen. The war had left scars, not just on the land but on the hearts of the werewolves.I clenched my fists, inhaling deeply as the cool breeze brushed against my skin. The air carried the scent of damp earth and the lingering echoes of battle, but beneath it all, there was something else, a whisper of hope.I turned to face the gathered warriors and council members. Luca stood at my right, his expression hard with resolve. Lyanna was nearby, her sharp gaze scanning the horizon, ever watchful. Kael, standing just behind me, radiated silent strength, his presence a constant source of reassurance.“The war is over,” I began, my voice clear and unwavering. “But our true battle has just begun.”Murmurs rippled t
Elara’s POV The morning sun barely touched the horizon when I stood before my warriors, my people—my pack. The war had stretched for too long, costing lives, homes, and countless sacrifices. But tonight, it will end. I had spent weeks gathering every able warrior, scouting the lands, and hunting down the remnants of Raven’s forces. The hunters had plagued the werewolf clans for far too long, tearing through our numbers like a disease. Not anymore. Dressed in my battle leathers, I walked through the ranks of my warriors. Their eyes burned with the same fire that coursed through my veins. They believed in me. And tonight, we would reclaim our lands and restore the balance that Raven sought to destroy. I turned to Kael, who stood at my side. “Are they ready?” His silver eyes met mine. “They would follow you to the ends of the earth.” A slow exhale left my lips. I nodded, turning to face my army. “Tonight, we end this war.” A roar of approval filled the air as I raised my sword,
Elara’s POVThe morning was crisp, the sky painted in shades of deep blue and streaks of silver as I made my way to the Sanctuary of the Moon. This was where my journey would reach its final test—the last quest that would determine whether I was worthy of being ordained as the Lunar Alpha.I had faced trials that tested my strength, my will, and my loyalty. I had battled against fate itself, emerging victorious against enemies who sought to break me. And now, one final step remained.As I stepped onto the sacred ground, the Elders of the Council stood before me in a solemn line. Their robes fluttered gently in the morning breeze, their expressions unreadable.Lyanna stood among them, her gaze steady, but I could see the flicker of emotion in her eyes—pride, perhaps, or hope.The great silver moonstone stood tall in the center of the sanctuary, glowing faintly under the rising sun. It was said that only those chosen by the Moon Goddess could awaken its full power.“The final quest,” th
Raven’s POVThe scent of blood lingered in the air.I leaned back in my chair, watching the flickering candlelight dance along the stone walls of my chamber. The war had begun.And yet…Elara was still standing.The news of her progress through the Lunar Trials had reached me swiftly. First, she had faced her past and survived. Then, she had endured the Moon’s Labyrinth—an ordeal that had crushed even the strongest werewolves before her.But she wasn’t just surviving. She was winning.A sharp growl rumbled in my throat.The so-called Lunar Alpha was growing stronger. Too strong.I tapped my fingers against the wooden table, my patience thinning. "She thinks she can defy fate." My voice was quiet, but the men standing before me flinched.“She has already passed two trials, my Lord,” one of my hunters muttered.I knew that already.That’s why I had to act, before she became unstoppable.With a slow smirk, I leaned forward. “Summon the sorcerer. I want to speak with her.”Elara’s POVThe
Elara’s POVThe first trial had tested my spirit, forcing me to confront the weight of my past and my deepest fears. I had survived.But the second trial…It would push me beyond my limits.The Trial of Endurance.The sun had barely risen when I stood once more before the Lunar Tribunal. A solemn hush filled the air as the Elders gathered, their expressions unreadable. Today, they would not test my mind. They would test my body, my strength, and my will to survive.Lyanna stood beside me, a soft yet firm presence in my periphery. She had guided me through understanding my first trial, but this… this was something I had to endure alone.“Do you know what awaits you?” she asked quietly.I swallowed hard but kept my voice steady. “Pain.”A flicker of something crossed her face—respect, maybe. Then she stepped back, allowing Elder Vaughn to address the crowd.“Elara, you have conquered the first trial,” his deep voice rang out. “But strength of spirit is not enough to lead a pack. A leade