Their words sent a jolt through me. Playing the victim? What was right under my nose? My pulse quickened as I pressed harder against the door, trying to catch every word. The conversation was laced with a tension that hinted at something deeper than petty gossip.“We need to move quickly,” Clara said after a moment of silence. “If the Elder keeps poking around, it’s only a matter of time before he puts the pieces together.”Elder? Were they talking about Solas? My heart sank. What could they possibly be involved in that connected to him—and, by extension, to me?Martha sighed. “I know. But if we rush, we’ll make mistakes, and mistakes mean exposure. We’ve waited this long; a few more days won’t hurt.”Clara wasn’t convinced. “We’re running out of time. If she remembers anything—if she finds out what really happened—”“We’ll handle it,” Martha interrupted, her voice sharp with finality. “Just stick to the plan.”I stepped back from the door, my mind racing. What were they talking about
The following days passed in a haze of paranoia and determination. The journal and the pendant never left my side, tucked safely in my satchel. I spent every free moment deciphering my mother’s words and studying the map, though its symbols and annotations still eluded me. Each step forward felt like peeling back another layer of the lies that had shrouded my life for so long.Clara and Martha, meanwhile, were becoming more vigilant. Their whispered conversations were shorter, their movements sharper. It was as though they sensed I was onto them. I avoided them as best I could, but I knew it was only a matter of time before they made their move—or I made mine.One evening, I found myself back in the library, poring over old texts in the hopes of matching the symbols on the map to anything in the archives. The room was silent, the faint scent of aging paper filling the air. I’d nearly given up when a faint scuff of boots on the wooden floor made me freeze.I looked up to find Ryker sta
Clara let out a low, humorless laugh. “Good. Let her stay clueless. It’ll make things easier when the time comes.”I stepped back, my mind racing. They were talking about me. Whatever they were plotting, I was somehow involved, and it was clear they didn’t think much of me.The door suddenly creaked open, and I barely had time to slip around the corner before Clara and Martha emerged.“You’re sure you’ve got everything handled?” Clara asked, her voice still tinged with doubt.“I said I do,” Martha snapped. “Now stop worrying and act normal.”They parted ways, Clara heading toward the kitchen while Martha turned and walked in my direction.I pressed myself against the wall, holding my breath as she passed by, her expression tense. When she was out of sight, I exhaled slowly, my hands trembling.What in the world are they planning?---Later that afternoon, I found Martha alone in the laundry room, folding linens with an air of forced nonchalance. I needed answers, and I wasn’t about to
Evan was right when he said I was looking for something.Indeed I was.Martha.How could she? She acted all good and nice to my face, only to stab me in the back.I angrily walked through the hallways of the pack house, heading straight for the maids’ quarters.To the room we shared.It was unbelievable.I was sharing the same room, sleeping next to my enemy.The thought churned in my stomach, twisting like a knife. Her words to Clara echoed in my mind, the way she so easily dismissed me, calling me clueless, plotting something that I didn’t fully understand yet.I pushed open the door, the hinges creaking loudly. Martha was sitting on her cot, folding clothes, a soft hum escaping her lips. She looked up, startled, as I entered.“Marcy! You scared me,” she said, placing the shirt she was folding onto the pile. “What’s wrong?”I shut the door behind me and crossed my arms. “You tell me.”Her smile faltered, her brow furrowing. “What are you talking about?”“I overheard you,” I said, my
Martha leaned forward, resting her chin on her hands. “Oh, come on. You’ve been spending so much time with him lately. Don’t tell me there’s nothing going on.”“There’s nothing going on,” I insisted, though my voice sounded unconvincing even to me.Martha raised an eyebrow, her grin widening. “You’re blushing, Marcy..”“I am not!” I said, setting the spoon down with a little too much force.“Sure you’re not,” she said, laughing. “So, what did you two do? Talk? Laugh? Stare into each other’s eyes? Kiss? Touch boobs?”I groaned, covering my face with my hands. “We got ice cream, okay? That’s all. You don't exactly have sex in an ice cream parlor or I tell him to oh Evan mark me.”“That isn't so bad.”I cocked my head to the right, “It's just ice cream Martha.”“Okay at where?”“Dream delights ice cream parlor.”Martha gasped, her eyes lighting up. “Oh my goddess! You are so clueless. That’s practically a date! Anyone who goes there knows that's a date.”“It wasn’t a date,” I said firmly
The council chamber was filled with tension so thick it felt like it could shatter at any moment. The long wooden table, carved with the sigil of the Obsidian Pack, sat in the center, surrounded by elders and advisors. Ryker stood at one end, his broad frame rigid, his piercing blue eyes locked onto Evan, who leaned casually against the far wall.I hovered near the door, unsure if I was supposed to be here, but neither of them had told me to leave when I arrived with a tray of water for the elders.“I don’t see why we’re even having this conversation,” Ryker said, his voice a sharp blade cutting through the murmurs. “I’ve led this pack for years without incident. Evan is not ready to take on this responsibility.”Evan snorted, his smirk growing wider. “Right, because ‘without incident’ includes driving the pack into stagnation. Or have you forgotten how you’ve let other packs walk all over us in recent years?”Ryker’s jaw tightened, his fists clenching at his sides. “You don’t know wh
She stood at the edge of the ring, her long auburn hair cascading over her shoulders, her emerald-green eyes glinting in the afternoon sun. She was as poised and stunning as he remembered, her smile delicate and deliberate, like a blade wrapped in silk.“I got in this morning,” Joanne said, stepping closer. “I thought you’d be happy to see me.”Evan stared at her, the whirlwind of emotions inside him shifting. Shock. Confusion. And beneath it all, a twinge of guilt.“You should’ve told me you were coming,” he said, his voice steadier now.She raised an eyebrow, her smile widening. “And miss the chance to surprise you? Never.”Evan ran a hand through his hair, his mind racing. He hadn’t seen Joanne in over a year—not since their engagement had quietly dissolved after his mother’s death.“I didn’t think you’d ever come back,” he admitted, his tone softer.Joanne’s smile faltered, a flicker of something unspoken passing through her eyes. “I wasn’t sure if I would,” she said honestly. “Bu
My pulse raced as Caleb’s words replayed in my mind. The tension in the air settled around me like a thick fog, suffocating and impossible to ignore. I shifted awkwardly, my thoughts swirling with the image of Evan and Joanne together, now compounded by the unsettling encounter with Caleb.“What does this mean?” I asked, glancing at Martha. Her contemplative expression only deepened my anxiety. “What do you think he wants with me?”“I honestly don’t know,” she replied, concern etched across her brow. “But if he’s from the Silverfang Pack, you need to be cautious. Packs that show curiosity about others usually have an agenda.”“He seemed harmless,” I countered, though I could hear the uncertainty in my own voice. “He was just asking questions.”“It’s seldom that simple,” Martha insisted, her eyes narrowing slightly. “Especially with outsiders. They’re always looking for leverage or weakness. Keep your guard up.”I nodded, though my heart felt heavy. The danger lurking beyond our walls f
Marcy’s POV“Did you hear?” Martha asked me as she hung a freshly washed shirt on the clothesline, her voice filled with excitement.“If it’s about gossip, I do not know. I do not pay attention to such,” I replied curtly, focusing on wringing out the damp towel in my hands.“It’s not just gossip,” Martha said, stepping closer to me. “It’s about your mates.”That made me pause. I raised an eyebrow, giving her a sideways glance. “What about them?”“They defended you,” she said, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper.I blinked, unsure if I’d heard her correctly. “What?”“Both of them,” she said, a hint of awe in her voice. “At the council meeting this morning. They stood up for you, Marcy.”I frowned, setting the towel aside. “What do you mean ‘stood up for me’? What happened?”Martha shrugged, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. “I don’t know all the details, but people are saying the elders demanded they reject you publicly. Something about unrest in the pack because of uou. Th
Ryker's POVI had spent the night pondering the hunter and his attack.His words haunted me, circling in my mind like vultures. “She’s a threat. You think she belongs here?”And yet, what haunted me even more wasn’t the hunter’s cryptic warning but the dreams that followed.Lola.It’s been twenty-five years since her death, and at fifty-seven, my heart still struggles to move on. She was my everything, her laugh the one thing that could shatter the weight of my responsibilities. Even now, her voice echoed in my mind, soft and loving, telling me to let go.But how could I, when my life seemed to be one cruel twist after another?The moon goddess made me a second-chance mate, only to tie me to my own son’s mate. Young, delicate Marcy, a complication I neither wanted nor asked for.I clenched my fists as I stared at the morning sun, its warmth doing little to thaw the ice in my chest. A cup of coffee sat forgotten in my hand, its bitterness matching my mood.A knock broke through my t
Ryker’s POVI tucked my hands in my pockets, my beta beside me as I walked through the shadowed hallway of the pack dungeon. The cold, damp air clung to my skin, the scent of blood and decay thick in the air. My boots echoed against the stone floor, each step a reminder of the task ahead.“Are you sure you want to handle this personally?” my beta, Darius, asked, his tone low but careful.“I don’t trust anyone else to get answers,” I replied without looking at him. “This bastard infiltrated my territory, attacked my pack, and nearly killed me and my son. I need to know who sent him.”“And if he doesn’t talk?”I glanced at Darius, my expression cold. “Then he dies screaming.”We reached the heavy iron door at the end of the corridor. Two guards stood outside, their postures stiffening as they saw me approach.“Alpha,” one of them said, nodding respectfully before stepping aside to unlock the door.The hinges groaned as the door swung open, revealing the small, dimly lit cell inside. The
His lips twitched, almost like he wanted to argue, but he didn’t. Instead, he stood and charged back into the fight, his wolf form emerging again as he tackled the hunter.The battle was a blur of movement, growls, and the sharp clash of steel. I stayed on the sidelines, my eyes darting between Ryker and Evan as they fought together to overpower the hunter.For a moment, it seemed like they had the upper hand. Ryker’s wolf form forced the hunter to retreat, while Evan’s blade struck blow after blow.But the hunter wasn’t finished. With a sudden burst of strength, he knocked Evan back, his blade swinging toward Ryker’s exposed side.“Celline!” I screamed, the panic in my voice matching the roar in my mind.“Now!” she shouted.I didn’t hesitate. I launched myself forward, grabbing a discarded spear from the ground and hurling it with all my strength.The spear struck true, hitting the hunter’s shoulder and throwing him off balance. Ryker and Evan seized the opportunity, their combined s
I woke with a gasp, my heart pounding so hard it felt like it might burst from my chest. Sweat clung to my skin, and my breaths came in shallow gulps as I sat up, clutching the blanket.The room was quiet, the only sound the faint rustling of the curtains as a breeze slipped through the cracked window.“Marcy,” Celline’s voice broke the silence, soft but insistent.“What was that?” I asked aloud, my voice trembling.“A glimpse of the past,” she said. “And a warning for the future.”I shook my head, trying to make sense of her words. “The wolves in the dream... were they my parents?”“Yes,” Celline replied. “They were protecting something. Someone. And now, the same danger circles you.”My stomach twisted, fear curling around my heart. “What kind of danger?”Celline was quiet for a moment before responding. “I don’t know the full extent. But I can feel it. It’s close, Marcy. Closer than we realized.”I swung my legs over the side of the bed, my hands shaking as I rubbed my temples. “Wh
I yawned, stretching my arms as I wandered through the quiet halls of the pack house.Martha had left me earlier, saying she had chores to finish, leaving me with nothing but my thoughts.The dim light of the lanterns cast long shadows across the walls, and my footsteps echoed softly against the stone floor. I wasn’t sure where I was going, just moving aimlessly, hoping that walking would help clear the mess in my head.As I rounded a corner, I froze.Ryker stood by the large window overlooking the training grounds, his broad frame silhouetted by the moonlight. His arms were crossed, and his expression was unreadable as he stared out into the night.I hesitated, unsure if I should approach or turn back. But something about the way he stood—so still, so silent—drew me in.Before I could stop myself, I took a step forward.“Alpha Ryker,” I said softly, my voice breaking the quiet.He turned his head slightly, his sharp blue eyes catching the glow of the moonlight. “Marcelline,” he said,
As the evening wore on, the festival’s energy shifted. The lively games gave way to enchanting music, drawing me and Martha toward a central clearing. Performers spun and danced beneath hanging lanterns that flickered like stars against the darkening sky. The sweet fragrances of grilled meats and baked goods filled the air, stirring my appetite and lifting my spirits.“Let’s grab something to eat!” Martha suggested, her eyes sparkling with excitement.I nodded eagerly. “I could definitely go for some of those roasted skewers!”We maneuvered through the crowd, soaking in the festivities around us. Laughter and chatter created a symphony that wrapped itself around me, lightening my mood with every note. My heart swelled with warmth as familiar faces smiled or nodded in greeting. In that moment, my earlier anxieties felt distant, like shadows chased away by sunlight.After securing a couple of skewers and some sweet pastries, we settled on a patch of grass off to the side. From there, we
My pulse raced as Caleb’s words replayed in my mind. The tension in the air settled around me like a thick fog, suffocating and impossible to ignore. I shifted awkwardly, my thoughts swirling with the image of Evan and Joanne together, now compounded by the unsettling encounter with Caleb.“What does this mean?” I asked, glancing at Martha. Her contemplative expression only deepened my anxiety. “What do you think he wants with me?”“I honestly don’t know,” she replied, concern etched across her brow. “But if he’s from the Silverfang Pack, you need to be cautious. Packs that show curiosity about others usually have an agenda.”“He seemed harmless,” I countered, though I could hear the uncertainty in my own voice. “He was just asking questions.”“It’s seldom that simple,” Martha insisted, her eyes narrowing slightly. “Especially with outsiders. They’re always looking for leverage or weakness. Keep your guard up.”I nodded, though my heart felt heavy. The danger lurking beyond our walls f
She stood at the edge of the ring, her long auburn hair cascading over her shoulders, her emerald-green eyes glinting in the afternoon sun. She was as poised and stunning as he remembered, her smile delicate and deliberate, like a blade wrapped in silk.“I got in this morning,” Joanne said, stepping closer. “I thought you’d be happy to see me.”Evan stared at her, the whirlwind of emotions inside him shifting. Shock. Confusion. And beneath it all, a twinge of guilt.“You should’ve told me you were coming,” he said, his voice steadier now.She raised an eyebrow, her smile widening. “And miss the chance to surprise you? Never.”Evan ran a hand through his hair, his mind racing. He hadn’t seen Joanne in over a year—not since their engagement had quietly dissolved after his mother’s death.“I didn’t think you’d ever come back,” he admitted, his tone softer.Joanne’s smile faltered, a flicker of something unspoken passing through her eyes. “I wasn’t sure if I would,” she said honestly. “Bu