Chapter 92: The Broken Resolve.

Like a drumbeat that wouldn't quiet, Lucas could sense the weight of the guardian's last words resonating in the rear of his consciousness. Once more the estate was still, the cries of combat and blade clash replaced by the tense calm of those too terrified to talk. Now covered in traces of magic and conflict, the courtyard looked haunted by the ghosts of people lost in the fight. He turned from the scene, a raw wound inside him getting more severe with every pulse.

"Lucas," Roland said from across the hall, his voice cautious as though one incorrect word would break whatever brittle grasp Lucas still possessed.

Lucas looked at Roland, eyes blazing from more than the dust of the fight. "They're gone for now," Roland said, his words slightly pinched with tiredness. Still, they will gather once more. Viktor will not allow this stand.

"I know," Lucas answered, his voice low and somewhat hollow. Not sure

Locked Chapter

Continue to read this book on the APP

Previous Chapter Next Chapter

Related chapters

• Fate’s Hidden Luna: When Rejection Awakens the Wolf Within   Chapter 93: Gambit: The Allies'

  Tension permeated the estate's hallways as reports of the witch clans joining Viktor's army grew. Every quiet chat contained doubt, voices breaking beneath the weight of anxiety. Lucas moved purposefully through the hallways, gaze fixed ahead as others around him sent looks full of hope and fear. More than ever, they needed now was strength. Notes and maps strewn over the big table in the war room. The air smelled strongly of ink and wax, mixing with the iron tang of blood clinging to Lucas's armor. Seraphine stood by one corner, her gaze moving deliberately over the maps. Speaking softly, Roland was giving two lieutenants strong, forceful motions. "Report," Lucas said, calling everyone's attention. Roland straightened, a shade of tiredness stalking his face. "Scouts have verified Viktor is strengthening his position on the northern forest boundary. With him—at least three covens—are the witches. A murmur s

• Fate’s Hidden Luna: When Rejection Awakens the Wolf Within   Chapter 94: The Storm of Gathering Notes.

  The estate hummed with a nervous energy as the first light of morning stretched long shadows over the stone walls. Lucas watched the horizon as the sky changed from the deep indigo of night to the pale blue of morning while standing at his study window. Sleep had escaped him, replaced in his imagination by the constant thrum of plans and backup ideas. Their attack on Viktor would start today, but their road forward was precarious, like the edge of a blade separating success from catastrophe. He was startled out of contemplation by a gentle rap at the door. Roland came in, his look both serious and austere. Thorne and his pack are settling in the barracks east. When you are ready, they are here. Lucas nodded while his gaze stayed on the horizon. "Good" Right now we cannot afford doubt. Roland changed, a tiny movement suggesting news not yet given. "There more. Seraphine has sent word to us. She has gathered a small group

• Fate’s Hidden Luna: When Rejection Awakens the Wolf Within   Chapter 95: Divided Roads.

  The amphitheater screamed with the sound of magic slamming against steel, voices screaming incantations, and the terrible thud of blows hitting true. Lucas attacked Viktor's enforcers, pushing forward with each breath crisp and forceful. Their eyes ablaze with unearthly wrath, their black robes whipped around them like shadows come to life. With each measured strike driven by Aria's memory, Lucas's blade arced across the tumult. Seraphine stood surrounded by her witches to his left, their hands in coordinated patterns spinning strands of light and power across the air. Their incantations created a barrier, a shimmering wall pulsating in time that kept Viktor's ritual's heart unstable. Lucas turned to peek at her. She nodded slightly, the will there clear. "Focus, Lucas!" Roland's voice caught him back in the current conflict. One of Viktor's enforcers surged toward him with a blade loaded with dark magic. Lucas sidestepped, slanted to

• Fate’s Hidden Luna: When Rejection Awakens the Wolf Within   Chapter 1: The Alpha's Betrayal

  As the full moon hung high in the sky, sending its ethereal radiance over the towering trees that surrounded the Moonstone pack's territory, the air was filled with the astringent aroma of pine and soil. Although the air was calm and dense with expectation, it had a chilly and harsh sensation as it came into contact with Aria's skin. As she stood on the edge of the meadow, her heart was pounding, and her wolf was quietly prowling inside her, longing to be let free. She was meant to have a special night tonight, the night when everything would be different.Ever since she was sixteen years old, when she first felt the spark of her wolf, she had been waiting for this moment, the time when she would discover her mate. That one who was supposed to be her partner in life. In addition, she had prayed and hoped that it would be Damien Blackwood, who would eventually become the Alpha of the Moonstone pack. Her first love, the only love she ever had.Since childhood, they had been united, grow

• Fate’s Hidden Luna: When Rejection Awakens the Wolf Within   Chapter 2: Contract Marriage

  
Aria's room was illuminated with a gentle golden tone as the early light found its way through the curtains that were only partially drawn. The walls were a faded blue color. As she sat on the side of her bed, her thoughts kept going back over the events that had occurred the previous night in a never-ending and excruciating cycle. Despite the fact that the disappointment of Damien's rejection continued to sting, she was beginning to come to terms with the fact that she had consented to a contract marriage with Lucas Ashford.
Since the rejection, her wolf had been quiet, a faraway presence in the back of her mind. She was hurt by the mate connection that never had the opportunity to develop, and she had been unable to establish it. A significant portion of the night had been spent by Aria tossing and turning, pondering whether or not she had committed a grave error. On the other hand, the clarity of her resolve manifested itself when the sun rose. Continuing to be a part of the

• Fate’s Hidden Luna: When Rejection Awakens the Wolf Within   Chapter 3: Constrained by Obligation

  Unexpectedly, the dawn of the next day arrived. An orange light emanated from the big windows of Aria's new room as the sun just barely made its way over the horizon. She gently roused herself from her sleep, her body weighed down by the weight of the truth of her choice.There was no way for her to avoid the burden of what she had agreed to do, which was marriage, but not the type of marriage she had previously fantasized about. One and only a contract was being discussed here.Following a brief shower, she immediately stepped in front of the mirror and gazed intently at her own image.The tiredness that she had experienced as a result of the emotional roller coaster that she had been on was engraved into her face, and her brown eyes, which were normally so full of life, were lifeless.A sigh came out of her mouth as she tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. Simply put, what was she meant to be wearing?Is it even relevant?A rap on the door jolted her out of her reverie and

• Fate’s Hidden Luna: When Rejection Awakens the Wolf Within   Chapter 4: "A Night of Deception."

  Aria had hardly slept at all. During the time that she was lying on the enormous bed and looking at the ceiling, the weight of the impending gala was pressing down on her chest. She had just exchanged one prison for another, and now the walls were beginning to close in once more.Her thoughts were abruptly interrupted as she heard a gentle tap on the door.She sat up and pulled the blanket about her more tightly as she did so."Please come in."As Roland entered the room, he maintained the same level of formality that he's known for. With a courteous nod, he greeted Mrs. Ashford and wished her a good morning.Camille will be here soon to assist you in getting ready for the event that will take place tonight. The significance of tonight's appearance was something that Mr. Ashford wanted me to bring to your attention.Underneath the covers, Aria squeezed her hands tightly. I am Mrs. Ashford. The sound of the name seemed completely strange, as if it did not belong to her. Now, however, i

• Fate’s Hidden Luna: When Rejection Awakens the Wolf Within    Chapter 5: Unseen Enemy

  As they made their way back to Lucas's estate, the tension was palpable, and the stillness stretched between them like a cord that was about to break under immense pressure.At the same time as the automobile was speeding through the streets, Aria looked out the window and saw the city lights blending together into a one continuous line.As she continued to experience the unnerving sensation of his stare lingering on her skin, her thoughts kept going back to Viktor Pierce all the time. Lucas's response made it very evident that she should not have trusted him in the first place.She did not trust him for a single second.Aria was aware of the questions that were beginning to surface inside her as they approached the estate; nevertheless, she was uncertain as to whether or not Lucas would provide her with any genuine answers.The cryptic warning that he gave her about Viktor was sufficient to convince her that there was a great deal about Lucas's world that she did not know, namely ab

Latest chapter

• Fate’s Hidden Luna: When Rejection Awakens the Wolf Within   Chapter 95: Divided Roads.

  The amphitheater screamed with the sound of magic slamming against steel, voices screaming incantations, and the terrible thud of blows hitting true. Lucas attacked Viktor's enforcers, pushing forward with each breath crisp and forceful. Their eyes ablaze with unearthly wrath, their black robes whipped around them like shadows come to life. With each measured strike driven by Aria's memory, Lucas's blade arced across the tumult. Seraphine stood surrounded by her witches to his left, their hands in coordinated patterns spinning strands of light and power across the air. Their incantations created a barrier, a shimmering wall pulsating in time that kept Viktor's ritual's heart unstable. Lucas turned to peek at her. She nodded slightly, the will there clear. "Focus, Lucas!" Roland's voice caught him back in the current conflict. One of Viktor's enforcers surged toward him with a blade loaded with dark magic. Lucas sidestepped, slanted to

• Fate’s Hidden Luna: When Rejection Awakens the Wolf Within   Chapter 94: The Storm of Gathering Notes.

  The estate hummed with a nervous energy as the first light of morning stretched long shadows over the stone walls. Lucas watched the horizon as the sky changed from the deep indigo of night to the pale blue of morning while standing at his study window. Sleep had escaped him, replaced in his imagination by the constant thrum of plans and backup ideas. Their attack on Viktor would start today, but their road forward was precarious, like the edge of a blade separating success from catastrophe. He was startled out of contemplation by a gentle rap at the door. Roland came in, his look both serious and austere. Thorne and his pack are settling in the barracks east. When you are ready, they are here. Lucas nodded while his gaze stayed on the horizon. "Good" Right now we cannot afford doubt. Roland changed, a tiny movement suggesting news not yet given. "There more. Seraphine has sent word to us. She has gathered a small group

• Fate’s Hidden Luna: When Rejection Awakens the Wolf Within   Chapter 93: Gambit: The Allies'

  Tension permeated the estate's hallways as reports of the witch clans joining Viktor's army grew. Every quiet chat contained doubt, voices breaking beneath the weight of anxiety. Lucas moved purposefully through the hallways, gaze fixed ahead as others around him sent looks full of hope and fear. More than ever, they needed now was strength. Notes and maps strewn over the big table in the war room. The air smelled strongly of ink and wax, mixing with the iron tang of blood clinging to Lucas's armor. Seraphine stood by one corner, her gaze moving deliberately over the maps. Speaking softly, Roland was giving two lieutenants strong, forceful motions. "Report," Lucas said, calling everyone's attention. Roland straightened, a shade of tiredness stalking his face. "Scouts have verified Viktor is strengthening his position on the northern forest boundary. With him—at least three covens—are the witches. A murmur s

• Fate’s Hidden Luna: When Rejection Awakens the Wolf Within   Chapter 92: The Broken Resolve.

  Like a drumbeat that wouldn't quiet, Lucas could sense the weight of the guardian's last words resonating in the rear of his consciousness. Once more the estate was still, the cries of combat and blade clash replaced by the tense calm of those too terrified to talk. Now covered in traces of magic and conflict, the courtyard looked haunted by the ghosts of people lost in the fight. He turned from the scene, a raw wound inside him getting more severe with every pulse. "Lucas," Roland said from across the hall, his voice cautious as though one incorrect word would break whatever brittle grasp Lucas still possessed. Lucas looked at Roland, eyes blazing from more than the dust of the fight. "They're gone for now," Roland said, his words slightly pinched with tiredness. Still, they will gather once more. Viktor will not allow this stand. "I know," Lucas answered, his voice low and somewhat hollow. Not sure

• Fate’s Hidden Luna: When Rejection Awakens the Wolf Within   Chapter 91: The Echo of Offerment of Service

  Lucas held Aria's dead body in his arms, the dawn light mercilessly shining over the courtyard's wreckage. The silence was perfect, disturbed only by his jagged gasps tearing from his chest. The guards stood still around him, their faces reflecting the horror that matched his own. As if in respect to the moment, even the wind appeared to stop. "Lucas," Roland said from behind, low and strained. He walked slowly, eyes shadowed with desperation and grief. "We have to relocate. If Viktor does not already know, he will know shortly. Lucas's eyes flew to Roland, a wild, shattered sparkle. "She's gone," he muttered, his words hollow and slurred. "I know," Roland said, lines of sadness clearly on his face. "But we have to act right away. There is yet to be done. The reality of those words felt to Lucas like a razor slicing across the fog in his brain. Although Aria had given a great sacrifice—the power she had unl

• Fate’s Hidden Luna: When Rejection Awakens the Wolf Within   Chapter 90: Aria's Giving Up Her Sacrage.

  Though there was no calm in its arrival, the first light of morning cast the sky in streaks of delicate pink and gold. Burned grass, broken stone, and the still forms of those who had bravely stood to keep the line bore the marks of the war. Aria looked around the scene, her heart hurting with the weight of loss and the certainty of what had to follow.Lucas stood a few yards away, back to her, giving the other guards commands. His voice was calm, strong, a lighthouse among the tumult. She yearned for that consistency, for hope that their struggle may be won free from the cost she was ready to pay."Aria," a voice whispered quietly.She turned to see Roland staring back, his eyes keen and informed. He had seen the change in her attitude, the will that had become steel-hard." Does he know?" Although Roland's inquiry was subdued, it cut right through her.She said, "Not yet," pushing a tiny, sad smile. And he cannot.Roland's lips drew a thin

• Fate’s Hidden Luna: When Rejection Awakens the Wolf Within   Chapter 89: Conflict Among.

  Aria stood in the silence that followed Lucas's announcement, the tense atmosphere of the room stranding against her chest. The absence of the mark created a space that seemed to reflect unsaid promises of anarchy. Lucas's sad, tired eyes met hers, quietly begging for understanding that he had no right to demand. She inhaled gently to quiet the whirl inside her.You believe this will stop Viktor? Her inquiry hung there, challenging him to validate the impossibility.Lucas's mouth closed and the steel came back to his eye. "It's beginning. Edrik's allegiance is strong even if it could be distorted. We really need that advantage.Roland cleared his throat and shifted awkwardly in the background before she could answer. We have to guard the estate, sir. Viktor won't wait if he finds out of course.Lucas nodded, the dominating aura that made him a leader encircling him like second skin. Try it. Send our friends word and double the guards. We are following the

• Fate’s Hidden Luna: When Rejection Awakens the Wolf Within   Chapter 88: The Reckoning

  Lucas's estate's hallways were trenched in a tense silence broken only by Aria's steady footfall as she tracked from a safe distance. Lucas and Roland followed a route that veered further into the estate, where secrets appeared to hang like ancient ivy on the walls. The air grew colder, metallic in taste that accelerated Aria's heart rate. She stayed in the shadows, ears straying to catch bits of movement-related speech."Do you suppose he will agree?" Usually so calm, Roland's voice was tense.Lucas said, "He has to," the words short and clipped. "There is nothing else to choose."Stopped in front of a huge iron door, one Aria had never seen before, they huddled behind a tapestry showing a fight long past. Roland opened it, and the moan of old hinges shivered her back. Aria edged closer as they vanished inside, peered through the breach before sliding into the room behind them, quiet as a shadow.The chamber was darkly lighted, the air smelling of old wa

• Fate’s Hidden Luna: When Rejection Awakens the Wolf Within   Chapter 87: Lucas's Destiny

  The soft crackling of the fire burning in the large hearth was the only sound audible shattering the quiet in the room. The fires reflected a pleasant glow over the old wooden panels Lucas utilized in his study, so coloring the area in gold and amber tones. Bargains were struck in the chamber, alliances were developed, and historical events were revisited. There were secrets in the place. Tonight was the night the decision that would shape everyone engaged's destiny would be formed in a furnace.Lucas stood by the window, and the moonlit sky offered a background against which his tall and broad form could be seen. Glancing out into the night, his eyes were fixed on something far beyond the glass and he lost himself. His typically steady and careful fingers twitched as though the tempest raging within of him was reflected in them.Aria interrupted the silence with a soft but firm voice. She said, "Lucas." She stood toward the middle of the ro