Kael didn’t waste a second after I took his hand. He pulled me to my feet, his grip firm but not harsh, and we started running again. The forest seemed darker now, the air thick with tension. I stumbled, still disoriented by what had just happened, but Kael kept me moving.
“Don’t stop,” he said, his voice sharp. “We’re not out of this yet.” “What’s happening to me?” I asked, my voice shaking. My claws—the claws that were somehow mine—gleamed in the moonlight as we ran. “Why do I look like this?” Kael glanced back at me, his expression unreadable. “You’re changing. Your wolf is awakening.” “My wolf?” I echoed, my mind spinning. “There’s no time to explain.” He yanked me to the side just as a shadow darted past us, narrowly missing my shoulder. A low growl followed, and I saw another set of glowing eyes watching us from the trees. Kael growled back, a sound so feral it made my stomach drop. “Stay behind me,” he ordered, his voice a low rumble. “No,” I snapped, surprising even myself. “I’m not just going to hide while—” “Elara!” Kael cut me off, his tone sharp. “If you don’t listen to me, you’ll get us both killed.” Before I could argue, the shadow lunged again, and Kael met it head-on. The two wolves collided in midair, their snarls echoing through the forest. I stumbled back, my claws digging into the dirt as I tried to keep my balance. My instincts screamed at me to run, but something held me in place. The wolf attacking Kael was huge, its fur a dark brown that almost blended with the shadows. It was faster than the one from before, its movements sharp and precise. But Kael held his ground, his own speed and strength matching the wolf’s blow for blow. I watched in awe, my heart pounding in my chest. Kael wasn’t just fighting—he was protecting me. The heat inside me flared again, and I dropped to my knees, clutching my chest. My vision blurred as the fire spread through my veins, stronger than before. “Elara!” Kael’s voice broke through the haze, but I couldn’t answer. My body was changing again, the sensation overwhelming. When the heat subsided, I looked down at myself—and froze. My entire body was different. Fur covered my arms and legs, dark and sleek, and my claws were even sharper now. I could feel the strength coursing through me, the power just beneath my skin. I wasn’t human anymore. “Elara, focus!” Kael shouted, snapping me out of my daze. The brown wolf had him pinned, its jaws snapping dangerously close to his throat. Without thinking, I surged forward, the ground a blur beneath my feet. A snarl ripped from my throat as I slammed into the wolf, knocking it off Kael. It rolled across the ground before springing to its feet, its golden eyes narrowing at me. For a moment, we stared at each other, a challenge hanging in the air between us. Then the wolf lunged. Everything happened in a blur. My body moved on instinct, dodging and countering with a speed I didn’t know I had. The wolf was relentless, its attacks precise and brutal, but I held my ground. Somewhere in the chaos, I felt Kael beside me. Together, we forced the wolf back, our movements in perfect sync like we’d been fighting as a team for years. Steady. I followed close behind, my senses sharper than ever. I could hear the rustle of leaves, the snap of twigs, the steady rhythm of Kael’s breathing. We ran until the forest thinned, the trees giving way to an open field bathed in moonlight. Kael slowed, his eyes scanning the horizon. “Where are we going?” I asked, my voice low. “To safety,” he said. “What kind of safety?” Kael hesitated, his jaw tightening. “To my pack.” His pack. The words sent a shiver down my spine, equal parts fear and curiosity. I didn’t know what awaited me there, but one thing was clear—I wasn’t the same girl who had wandered into the forest.Kael slowed his pace once we reached the clearing, his eyes darting around like he was expecting another attack. The moonlight brightened his features, revealing fresh scratches across his face and arms. Despite the injuries, his focus remained sharp.I, on the other hand, felt like my body was about to give out. My legs trembled, my breath was ragged, and my claws still unfamiliar and terrifying itched with an unnatural energy.“Do they always come after you like that?” I asked, my voice hoarse.“Not me. You,” Kael corrected, turning to face me.I flinched at his bluntness. “Why? I didn’t even know… whatever this is about myself until tonight. How could they know more about me than I do?”Kael’s gaze softened, just a little. “Hunters can sense power. They’ve likely been watching you for some time, waiting for your awakening. Tonight, when your wolf surfaced, it was like sending a beacon into the night.”“A beacon,” I repeated, my stomach twisting. “You mean they’re going to keep com
The forest was darker, quieter. The air was thick with tension as we moved deeper into the woods. Every step I took, I felt like something was watching us, lurking just beyond the trees.Kael led the way, his steps sure and confident. I, on the other hand, was still shaky. My heart hadn’t stopped pounding since the fight. It wasn’t just the adrenaline. It was the fear, the realization that there was no going back. My life had changed in an instant, and now, I was being dragged into a world I didn’t understand.“Where are we going?” I asked, my voice rough.“To the pack,” Kael replied without looking back.The pack. My heart skipped a beat.I wasn’t sure what that even meant. I had heard stories, of course everyone had. Werewolf packs, secretive and dangerous, living under the radar of human society. But those were just stories. I never thought I’d be caught up in one.“How much further?” I asked, hoping he’d say we were almost there.“We’re close,” he said, his voice steady but with a
I had no idea what that meant, but before I could ask any more questions, we arrived at a large clearing. A massive cabin stood in the center, surrounded by other smaller structures. Wolves were scattered around the area, their eyes glowing in the moonlight.“This is where it all begins,” Luca said, his voice low.I stepped forward, taking in the sight of the pack. There was power here—raw and untamed. It was nothing like anything I had ever experienced.Luca turned to me, his expression serious. “This is your new home now. You’ll need to learn quickly. The full moon waits for no one.”The minutes felt like hours as I sat there in the cabin, the air thick with anticipation and uncertainty. The shadows in the room seemed to stretch longer with each passing second, and I could feel my nerves tightening like a noose around my chest. My mind raced, trying to make sense of everything. Werewolves. Shifting. The pack. Kael. Luca.And the full moon.I wanted to scream, to ask a thousand quest
The pack let out a collective howl, their voices rising to meet the full moon. The sound echoed through the forest, a powerful anthem of unity, strength, and belonging. I joined in without thinking, a deep, primal sound rumbling from my chest. It was exhilarating—freeing. For the first time, I didn’t feel alone. Kael’s gaze lingered on me, a mixture of pride and something I couldn’t quite place. “You’re stronger than I thought,” he said, his voice brushing against my mind, not my ears. I flinched at the sensation, my mind linked but the words calmed me in a way I hadn’t expected. Luca stepped forward, his towering wolf form commanding attention. “Your first run as a wolf is significant. It will define your connection to the pack and the land. Are you ready to join us?” I hesitated. The forest seemed darker now, the shadows more alive. The human part of me wanted to ask a hundred questions, but the wolf inside was already stirring, eager to chase, to run, to hunt. I nodded, my wolf
The cold stone walls of my chamber bore witness to the ambitions that burned in my soul. The flickering torches cast shadows across maps and plans spread over the wooden table before me. For years, I had hunted her. The Lunar Alpha. The embodiment of power that could either solidify my place at the top—or destroy me.It wasn’t just the stories of her abilities or the legends of her bloodline that drove me. No, it was the threat she posed to everything I had built.A sharp knock on the door interrupted my thoughts. "Enter," I barked, my voice echoing in the room.One of my scouts stepped in, his face pale and his clothes caked with blood and dirt. "My lord," he stammered, lowering his head. "We’ve confirmed it. She’s awakened."I leaned forward, gripping the edge of the table. My heart quickened, though I kept my expression calm. "And the men I sent? The hunters? Where are they?"The scout hesitated, his silence speaking louder than words."Speak!" My tone cut through the air like a bl
Tension buzzed the environment as the pack prepared themselves for the hunters’ approach. The earlier howls had sent ripples of unease through everyone, and the air carried a different energy. The wolf in me stirred with urgency, urging me to fight. This was my pack now, and I couldn’t stand idly by while danger was near. It's me they wanted, my awakening brought them closer to us.Kael’s golden eyes caught mine, firm but calm. “Stay close to me, Elara,” he said, his voice steady even as his wolf form tensed in preparation.I nodded, the wolf within me restless. My instincts screamed to protect the pack, to prove I belonged here.The first hunter appeared from the shadows, a man dressed in dark clothing, his weapon gleaming faintly under the moonlight. His movements were calculated, predatory, as if he had done this countless times. Behind him, others emerged, spreading out to surround the pack.“Hunters,” Luca growled, his large wolf form taking a defensive stance. “They brought more
It was now quiet in the camp, the tension from the earlier battle lingering like a faint mist. I stepped out of the cabin where Elara rested, the scent of herbs and blood still clinging to me. She had been brave to fight even knowing she wasn't skilled nonetheless. Her wounds would heal, but the strain on her body was evident.I couldn’t stay there any longer. The sight of her so vulnerable stirred something in me, something I couldn’t afford to feel. She was also the pack’s responsibility, not mine alone.The cool night air greeted me as I walked into the forest bordering the camp. The moon hung high above, its light filtering through the branches. This was where I felt most at peace, away from the noise of the pack expectations.A soft rustle of leaves caught my attention, and I turned to see Luca stepping out from the shadows. His expression was unreadable, but his presence wasn’t surprising. He was the Beta. The current leader and always looking out for everyone in the pack. “Yo
I paced the living room, my phone in my hands. I have been making calls, trying to find out where Elara was. She didn't return last night. Her absence without a phone call got me worried. Twenty four hours since I last saw Elara, and the unease had grown into something I couldn’t ignore. She has never been away without my knowledge. She didn't have friends because she wasn't comfortable with them. Where could she be?I glanced at the door to her room upstairs, hoping praying that she’d come home any moment now. Elara's mother's words echoed in my mind, a painful reminder of the responsibility I’d taken on. “Please, look after her,” she’d said, her voice trembling. “She is not safe with me. She needs someone to guide her now I can’t.”I have tried to protect her for the past eighteen years. I knew her mother, she had saved me from a beast in the forest, that was when I discovered werewolves really existed.“Where could you have gone, Elara?” I muttered, staring at my phone. The una
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