DawnThe gathering of Alphas at the Golden Crest Pack was always a grand affair, one that carried weight and significance far beyond the borders of our territory. This year, the stakes were even higher. With the battle for the Crest and the title of Alpha Prime intensifying, the alliances and enmities forged at this event could shape the very future of our world.It was happening exactly one month after I had been marked as Luna. I had settled into my role, growing more comfortable with the responsibilities and the pack. But this event was a different challenge altogether. My first appearance as Golden Crest’s Luna to the rest of the world wasn’t just about looking the part but also commanding the respect that came with it.The triplets, along with Princess, had been fussing over me for what felt like hours. They were all so excited, chatting and laughing as they worked. I, on the other hand, couldn’t shake the nervous flutter in my stomach. It was one thing to stand before my pack, t
RhysThe evening had ended earlier than planned, which was for the best. I could sense Dawn’s discomfort growing with each passing hour, and it gnawed at me, twisting something deep in my chest. I’d asked her about it, but she’d been evasive, brushing off my concerns with a strained smile. Even as we guided the guests to their chambers, she stayed close but distant, her touch light and fleeting.I knew something was wrong. Our bond, stronger than ever, thrummed with her unease. But no matter how much I wanted to push, to demand answers, I held back. Dawn was strong and capable. She’d tell me when she was ready—or so I told myself.Once we finally returned to our chambers, she seemed tense, her energy almost vibrating with something she wasn’t saying. As soon as we were inside, she gave me a quick kiss, barely meeting my eyes, and excused herself to take a shower.I nodded, watching her disappear into the bathroom, my gut twisting. The moment the door closed behind her, the bond pulsed
RhysThe moment I saw the mischief in her eyes, I knew something wild was about to happen. We’d been walking quietly through the woods, the night air crisp and very cool. Yet Dawn was giddy. She seemed to be itching for some freedom or something else entirely. I, on the other hand, wanted us to return to our warm room, so I could kiss her senseless. My wolf, however, was more invested in her movements. It was almost certain that she was about to do something. As if reading my thoughts, she suddenly dashed ahead of me.Her laughter was light, carried by the breeze as she shed her clothes, shifting into her wolf mid-stride. I couldn’t keep my smile at bay as she challenged me with that playful glint in her eyes. Catch me if you can! she seemed to say with every bound of her sleek, powerful form.Without missing a beat, I shifted into my owlf and sprinted after her. The thrill of the chase was exhilarating. She was incredibly fast. Every so often, I caught glimpses of her agile form da
DawnThe third day of the event was supposed to be about fostering new connections, but the tension was thick in the air. For the past three days, the pack had been on edge, and our visitors were no different. Rumors of the Crest Mantle of the Alpha Prime being found had spread like wildfire and now, the very fabric of our gathering was fraying.Many Alphas, driven by power and ambition, had abandoned their Lunas, rushing off to chase down the Crest, leaving the rest of us in a precarious situation. The remaining Alphas tried to maintain some semblance of calm, but it was clear everyone was on edge. The uncertainty of the situation made it difficult for me to carry out my duties as Luna. Even simple conversations felt strained as if everyone was holding their breath, waiting for something to happen.It wasn’t just the rumors that were unsettling me. It was Rhys. He had refused to go after the Crest like the other Alphas, choosing instead to stay by my side. It felt wrong, somehow. Rh
DawnAll day, I was so startled that I couldn’t shake it, no matter how much I tried to focus on my duties as Luna. The encounter with Alex left me rattled, and the weight of the secret I now carried felt heavier with each passing hour. Should I tell Rhys? I knew that if I did, he’d drop everything and come racing back. And when he did, blood would be spilled. Creekside would be evicted from the gathering, and I was almost certain it would end in a massacre. But could I really keep this from him?The triplets approached me later that afternoon, their faces etched with guilt. “Luna, we need to apologize,” Layla began, her voice uncharacteristically hesitant. “We’ve been following you for a while now… It’s our duty, but we didn’t inform you.”I looked at them and gave them a weary smile “I know you were just doing your job,” I said softly. “I'm not mad at that.”“We’re also sorry we didn’t intervene sooner. We thought… we thought he was just here to talk since he’s the Alpha of your ol
RhysThe meeting with Alpha Ethan had gone on for hours, longer than I’d expected. He was frantic, trying to figure out where the rumor about him having the Crest had come from. I’d known Ethan for years—he wasn’t the kind of man to chase power recklessly or put himself in the middle of unnecessary danger. So when he swore to me, "I don't have the Crest, Rhys. I never wanted this attention," I believed him.Still, the attacks had come in waves, relentless and aggressive. My enforcers had held the line with his, but the pressure was intense. And just as suddenly as it had started, the onslaught stopped. I stood there, hands on my hips, watching the enemies retreat like the fight had been called off by some unseen command. “What the hell just happened?” I muttered, more to myself than anyone else.Ethan, standing next to me, ran a hand through his hair. “They’ve pulled back... but why?” His confusion mirrored my own. He was as clueless as I was.That’s when Lex rushed over, his face pa
DawnRhys had been tense lately, and I could feel it. It wasn’t just the usual pressure of running the pack or the tension building around us. It was something deeper, something he wasn’t saying. I caught him glancing at me during meetings, his jaw tight as if he was holding back a question. He’d open his mouth to speak sometimes, but then quickly shut it, shaking his head as if he’d thought better of it. It worried me. But I couldn’t dwell on it too much. We were both so busy. Every day was like a marathon as we trained our warriors and strengthened our defenses for the inevitable attacks. I was in charge of the pack members, while the enforcers took charge of the members of our defense.Somehow, I'd become stronger than the triplets and quicker and more efficient. It shocked me to see how easily the commands flew from me and how it had become almost natural.The training sessions were relentless. I had been running drills with pack members, pushing them harder than ever before. Rh
DawnThe stress was eating me alive. I hated this, hated the way people looked at me like I was some kind of monster. It wasn’t always so obvious, but it was there, simmering in their eyes, that flicker of fear whenever I spoke or even walked into a room. I didn’t want this. I never wanted to be different. After everything I’d been through, I was finally blending in, and now this?The worst part of it all was seeing Princess, someone I considered my closest friend, becoming careful around me. She’d always been the most outspoken, the one who wasn’t afraid of anything. But now… now even she hesitated.We were in the kitchen, and I was trying to distract myself by making tea. Princess walked in, her usual bright smile faltering just slightly when our eyes met. She didn’t even come over to me like she normally would. Instead, she lingered by the doorway, as if waiting for permission to approach.“Hey,” I said, trying to sound normal, casual.“Hey,” she replied, her voice soft. She leaned
Epilogue RhysNine months had passed since the chaos that plagued us finally ended. Despite a few arguments with disgruntled Alphas and the pressure of ruling the pack, we were okay. Dawn and I found and now, she was in labor. The most terrifying and exhilarating moment of my life was happening, and I was completely out of my mind.I paced outside the room, my heart pounding against my ribs. The sounds of Dawn’s pain-filled cries tore through me. My stomach twisted with every sound, and it was taking every ounce of strength not to burst into the room and demand to know if she was okay."Alpha, please, sit down. It’s going to be fine." Nadia tried to calm me down, but I shook my head, running a hand through my hair."Fine?" I growled, the word coming out harsher than I intended. "She’s in pain, Nadia. What if something happens? What if—"Nadia smiled gently, cutting me off. "It’s normal, Rhys. You’ve seen her overcome worse than this. Trust in that strength."I wanted to believe her,
RhysThe day Alex attacked Golden Crest, I was ready. His desperation had become so obvious that it was almost pitiful. Word had spread quickly, his forces gathering at the edge of our territory, preparing for what he likely thought would be a grand invasion. Fool. He didn’t know who he was dealing with.I scanned the forest line where his men were hiding. "Hold your positions," I commanded. My Deltas and warriors growled in anticipation. They were eager to spill blood, to protect their home. Alex’s forces weren’t as ready as they thought. From within them, someone gave an order and they charged. A ragtag group of rogues and fools ran straight into the open field where my warriors were waiting. "Take them down," I ordered calmly. My men moved like shadows, fast and lethal, cutting through Alex’s forces like they were nothing. I barely needed to lift a finger. His men fell one by one, their screams echoing through the trees. While none of my warriors were even touched.It was almos
DawnI couldn't believe it. My head spun as I tried to absorb the words that had been thrown at me. Sofia. Lex. A maid. They had all conspired together to poison me. My skin prickled with anger. The worst part was the confirmation that I had been right about Lex all along. The discomfort I’d felt around him wasn’t just paranoia; it was instinct. He had changed, and not for the better. They caught up with him soon enough. There was nowhere he could hide. There was no place where Rhys' wrath wouldn't get to him. Rhys assured me that everything was under control. Lex and Sofia were being tortured in the dungeon. He didn't want to think about it or stress myself.But I couldn’t rest. Not with this burning need for answers clawing at my insides. The doctors had told me to take it easy, to rest for the baby’s sake, but how could I? My life had been turned upside down by people I thought were part of my world. I needed to confront them.First, I went to Lex.When I saw him sitting there,
RhysThis had to be the worst type of fear I'd ever experienced. Why did she collapse again? Watching Dawn unconscious with her skin pale and chest barely moving was torture. My mind was racing, grasping at anything, trying to make sense of how this could have happened. The moment she collapsed the first time, I lost control.It was as if my greatest fear was manifesting before me."Move back, Alpha!" someone shouted at me, but I couldn't. My legs felt like they were glued to the ground. I couldn’t tear my eyes away from her as they wheeled her into the emergency room. A hand gripped my shoulder, snapping me out of the daze. It was Kaden, his face grim, but his grip steadying. “She’ll be okay, Rhys.”"I swear to God, Kaden if anyone had a hand in this..." I couldn’t finish the sentence. I didn’t know if I was going to break down or tear the whole world apart. He nodded, his jaw clenched. “We’ll find them.”But finding them wouldn’t change the fact that Dawn was lying there unconsci
DawnThe celebration after our return from Creekside was unlike anything I’d ever seen. The entire pack came alive with joy. Music echoed through the night and laughter bounced off the trees. Lights twinkled, and tables were piled high with food and drink. It was as if the very air had shifted and was filled with the energy of victory. Pack members danced, cheered, and toasted to Rhys and me, the new Alpha and Luna Prime. I felt so much pride and acceptance from them. This was our moment, and nothing could ruin it.Rhys kept me close the entire night, his hand never leaving mine, as if he were afraid I’d disappear if he let go. I could see the love and admiration in his eyes, but I also caught the worry. He hadn’t said anything yet, but I knew he felt something was off with me.To be honest, he wasn’t wrong. For days, I’d been feeling strange—this odd sense of imbalance in my body. It started with a bit of nausea, then evolved into random waves of dizziness. I chalked it up to stress,
DawnThe day had finally arrived, but something about me felt off. It wasn’t the usual jitters before a mission or even the creeping anxiety of walking into enemy territory. This was different, like a knot twisted deep in my gut that I couldn’t unravel. But I knew better than to let it show. Not in front of Rhys.He’d been on edge all morning, pacing around like a caged wolf, his eyes constantly flicking to me with worry. I could feel the weight of his gaze, even when I pretended not to notice.“Dawn, are you sure you’re okay?” he asked for the third time, his voice tight with concern.I forced a smile, keeping my tone light. “I’m fine, Rhys. Just... thinking about everything that’s about to happen.”He studied me, his brow furrowing. I could see the doubt in his eyes, but I didn’t give him a chance to press. If he knew how unsettled I felt, he’d scrap the whole plan in a heartbeat. He’d always been overprotective, but this time it wasn’t just annoying—it could ruin everything.Maybe
RhysI watched Dawn, her eyes shut in concentration, as she attempted to summon one of the pack members to us. Her brow furrowed in frustration as she reached out with her mind, trying to compel them to come. She was struggling, and I couldn’t help but feel a pang of guilt. I was making it harder for her, intentionally distracting her with my presence, but I couldn’t stop myself.She was more powerful than she realized. But that wasn't what terrified me.The thought of her walking into enemy territory unarmed, trusting those wolves who had already proven themselves traitors, made my blood boil. The plan was dangerous. Too dangerous for her. I wanted her safe, by my side, not out there pretending to be vulnerable when I knew she was anything but. And what if they figured her out? I couldn't stand the thought of that bastard Alex standing next to her.Yet, the more she struggled, the more I felt that guilt creep in. It wasn’t fair to her. She deserved my support, not my fear. Suddenly,
DawnI stood at the edge of the training grounds. The cool breeze brushed against my skin, but it did nothing to calm the whirlwind of emotions inside me. The plan was set, and I was a key part of it. But before that, I needed to test the full range of my abilities by infiltrating enemy territory. My role was simple, at least on the surface. I’d summon the Lunas from the enemy packs, make them think I was naive enough to trust them, and then walk right into their territory, unarmed and unassuming. The idea was for them to believe they had me, and in doing so, we’d get the upper hand.But none of this felt simple. The truth was, I’d have to go back to Creekside, the same place I swore I’d never return to. Just thinking about it reminded me of the memories that haunted me. They were the same ones I had tried so hard to bury. Yet here I was, about to walk right back into that darkness.I glanced over at Rhys, who was watching me carefully as we stood together. We had been testing out ab
RhysI was sitting in the Den with Marcus and Kaden, and my thoughts were all over the place. It was frustrating. The immediate danger had passed, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that something darker was brewing. I could feel it. Ever since I’d accepted my role as Alpha Prime, my instincts had sharpened. I knew exactly which Alphas were plotting against us. Their plans and strategies weren't as mysterious as they thought.They were having meetings now, those Alphas. They were discussing all possible methods and entry points to get to Dawn. It was funny how they were yet to discern or reason about my possible position as Alpha Prime. All their focus remained on Dawn.They wanted what they believed was her power. They were getting desperate now and trying to sneak up on us with a disjointed alliance, each one more eager to stab the other in the back than to actually attack me.But there was one name that stuck in my mind like a thorn—Alex. That bastard. The thought of him was enough t