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
The air was thick with tension, every shadow seeming to conceal a potential threat. The walls, usually a source of comfort, now felt like they were closing in, trapping us in this nightmare of betrayal and deception.When we reached the east wing, the scene was chaos. Guards were scattered, shouting orders at one another as they searched for any sign of the intruder. The heavy door to the archives had been blasted open, the metal twisted and warped as if some monstrous force had ripped it apart."How the hell did this happen?" Maxim growled, his eyes blazing with fury as he surveyed the destruction.I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. The east wing was supposed to be impregnable, its defenses layered with both physical barriers and magical wards. Whoever had done this wasn’t just skilled—they were either insanely powerful or they had inside help."We need to secure the area," I commanded, trying to keep the panic out of my voice. "I want every inch of this wing searched. If the th
I could feel the tension in the air the moment I stepped into the war room. The usual atmosphere of quiet confidence had been replaced by something far more unsettling—unease, suspicion, and a sense that everything was on the brink of unraveling. My inner circle—Julian, Maxim, Marissa, and the others—were already gathered around the table, their faces grim.I took my place at the head of the table, the weight of my responsibility pressing down on me like never before. The events of the past few days had shaken Silverwood to its core, and the theft of the artifact was just the latest in a series of blows that had left us reeling. But what haunted me the most was the knowledge that someone in this room—someone I had trusted—might have played a part in it."Thank you all for coming," I began, my voice steady but cold. "We have a serious problem on our hands, and it’s time we address it head-on."Maxim’s eyes met mine, his expression unreadable. "You think one of us is the traitor, do