The earth shook beneath my feet as the massive shadow drew closer, its presence sending ripples of terror through the air. I forced myself to move, to think, even as every instinct screamed at me to flee. “Brace yourselves!” I shouted, but my voice was swallowed by the roar of battle and the advancing darkness. Whatever was coming, it would hit us hard, and we needed to be ready—or as ready as we could be.Damon was already barking orders, rallying the warriors around us. “Get to the barricades! Form up, now!”The chaos of the fight swirled around us, a maelstrom of snarling wolves, flashing blades, and the deafening clash of metal on metal. But it was the tremors in the ground, growing stronger with each passing second, that sent cold dread spiraling through me.Alaric had unleashed something new, something none of us were prepared for.“Damon, what is that thing?” I asked, my voice barely audible over the cacophony.He didn’t answer immediately, his gaze locked on the approaching
The sun was beginning to set, casting long, desperate shadows over Silverwood as we rallied together for what felt like the hundredth time today. But this time was different. This time, it was personal. My brothers were somewhere under that pile of rubble, and I would tear the earth apart to find them.“Move quickly! Every second counts!” My voice cut through the chaos as I directed the rescue teams. The tremors had finally subsided, but the battle raged on around us, and we were racing against time.Damon and I had already gathered our best diggers—wolves with strength and stamina to match their loyalty. They’d been through hell with me, and I trusted them with my life, but this task... this was something else entirely. "Sera, we need to start here," Damon said, pointing to a section where the rubble was less compact. "We have a better chance of reaching them if we dig from this angle."I nodded, already moving to help clear debris. Every piece we lifted felt like it weighed a ton,
The taste of blood lingered on my tongue as we pulled Julian and Nate out of the debris. Relief was fleeting, shadowed by the realization that we were fighting a battle on multiple fronts, not all of them external. Silverwood’s enemies weren’t just out there—they were within our walls, within our very ranks.“Are you okay?” I asked Julian and Nate, my voice barely above a whisper as I scanned their faces for signs of serious injury.Nate nodded, grimacing. “Bruised, not broken. Thanks to you.”Julian gave me a weak smile, though I could see the exhaustion in his eyes. “We wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for you, Sera.”I tried to return their smiles, but my thoughts were already drifting back to Markus. That smug, self-satisfied look on his face haunted me. How many more like him were hiding in plain sight, waiting for the perfect moment to strike?Damon approached, wiping sweat and blood from his brow. “Sera, we need to talk.”I didn’t want to hear it. Not now. Not when my brothers
I froze, every muscle in my body tensing as the voice I hadn’t heard in years called my name.“Sera.”I turned slowly, dread pooling in my stomach. The shadows shifted, and out stepped a figure I had long buried in the darkest recesses of my memory.“Father?” The word came out as a breath, barely audible. My heart pounded, a mix of shock and disbelief flooding my senses. “How… how are you alive?”He stood there, tall and imposing, just as I remembered him—except now, there was something else, something darker etched into the lines of his face. His eyes, once warm and full of life, were cold, calculating.“Surprised?” His voice was smooth, almost gentle, but there was an edge to it that sent chills down my spine. “You shouldn’t be. Did you really think I was gone for good?”“I watched you die,” I whispered, the memory of that night flashing before my eyes. The blood, the screams, the fire. I had been so sure…“Yes, you did.” His lips curled into a bitter smile. “But death, my dear Sera
The moment the name left his lips, everything in me went cold. I couldn’t hide the shock that twisted my face, my father’s smirk widening at my reaction."That’s right, Sera," he whispered, leaning in so close I could feel his breath against my skin. "She’s been working with me from the start. Everything you thought you knew, everything you believed in—it's all been a lie."My mind reeled. Her? The person who had stood by my side, fought with me, bled with me? It didn’t make sense.“No,” I whispered, shaking my head in disbelief. “You’re lying. She wouldn’t—”“I’m lying?” He laughed, the sound harsh and grating against my ears. “I’ve given you everything, Sera. The truth, the power you need to survive, and yet you still doubt me? You’ll see soon enough.”My heart pounded as I tried to piece together this nightmare. But there was no time to process, no time to question. If what he said was true, then our entire plan, our entire fight, had been compromised from the start.“I need to
The chaos around me was palpable—wolves shifting and running to their positions, shouts of orders blending into the frantic noise of preparation. The once calm Silverwood had erupted into a hive of activity, and in the center of it all, I stood, the weight of leadership pressing down on me like a boulder.I had always known that one day I might have to lead, but not like this. Not with blood still warm on my hands, with Elder Wren’s lifeless eyes haunting me. Yet, here I was, and there was no turning back.“Luna, what are your orders?” Maxim’s voice cut through the noise, pulling me back to the present. His expression was tense, his eyes searching mine for the resolve I had to show.“We need to secure the perimeter,” I said, forcing my voice to steady. “Alaric’s forces will target our defenses first. We can’t let them break through. I want scouts posted at every entrance and a rotation of guards at all times.”Maxim nodded, already moving to relay my orders, but I caught his arm. “A
The smell of smoke lingered in the air, mixing with the sharp tang of blood and sweat. I could still hear the distant echo of the explosion in my ears as I sat up in bed, wincing at the pain that flared through my side. The healers had done their best, but even their magic couldn't erase the damage done by a point-blank shot.Maxim stood by the window, his silhouette stiff with tension. He hadn’t said much since the explosion. None of us had. The main house was in ruins, along with much of our supplies and critical plans. The damage was done—and it was clear that someone wanted to ensure I would never lead again.I tried to push the dark thoughts away, but they clung to me like the thick bandages wrapped around my ribs. Every move I made was a reminder that my position as Luna was hanging by a thread."They're losing faith in you," Maxim finally said, his voice low and grim.I swallowed hard, trying to keep my tone steady. "Who?""Everyone," he replied, turning to face me. His eye
Maxim and Julian flanked me as we made our way to the war room. I could feel the tension radiating off them—hell, I could feel it in every nerve of my own body. We were all on edge, every one of us questioning the loyalty of those around us, wondering if the next person to betray us would be someone we had trusted implicitly."We can't let this get out," Julian muttered as we descended the narrow staircase that led to the war room beneath the old chapel. "If the pack finds out we've lost the plans, it'll cause chaos.""Agreed," I replied, my voice barely above a whisper. "But we can't afford to ignore this either. We have to find out who did this—and fast."The war room was quiet when we entered, the usual hum of activity replaced by a tense silence. Only a handful of our most trusted guards remained, each one carefully selected to ensure that no one with even a hint of suspicion had access to this space."We need to go over everything again," I said, taking my seat at the head of t