Damian's POVI run alongside Elsa, our pack following closely behind. We continue running through the forest trees, paws pounding against the earth. Elsa finally transformed into her wolf form, her wolf larger and leading the way.We run together out of Hector's territory, and his pack closely chases behind. Elsa's wolf is leading the way. Her smell is a distracting scent of sweat and blood. I see Pheona's wolf waiting at the entrance as we approach our castle. Elsa howls, and we follow. The security guard opens the gate, and our pack pours in.I begin to search after I have gotten in to see Elsa's wolf, who is not by my side. Where was she? I turn around to see her outside the gate. My heart beats when I notice Hector's huge wolf coming for her. She slid in the gate before it was shut, and Hector's angry growl followed. He had almost broken the rule of not crossing one's territory.Elsa transforms into her human form, and fresh clothes are immediately given to her. She quickly dre
Damian’s POV:He laughs, his voice taunting and annoying to my ears."You're just in time to witness the beginning of the end," he sneers.My grip on the dagger tightens."It's over," I snarl.Caspian chuckles. "I doubt that, pretty boy.”Caspian growls, his eyes glowing, and attacks, and in one swift movement, I swing the knife at him. The sharp blade slashing with the light of the moon.“Damian,” a faint voice calls, distracting me. “Damian,” the voice comes again, but louder this time. “Damian,” I hear the voice call me. “Dennis,” I whisper, my voice breaking and suddenly the dark room turns into the passageway to my chambers.I glance at the flame, standing in confusion as the figure behind me comes forward, revealing Dennis.“Are you okay?” He asks I look at him and back at my door. Dennis walks closer to me and places his hand on my shoulder.I look down at the dagger in my hand, and fear rushes through my body.“Remember, Hector is coming for you. All of you, Damian. There'
Damian's POV: The servants leave as I finish my bath and wear the clothes laid on the bed. I zip up my pants, feeling refreshed after the warm bath. As I put my shirt over my head, my eyes catch the claw mark on my hand. I stare at it in surprise.It hasn't fully healed.I've never had wounds take this long to heal before. I touch the mark, and it stings."What's going on?" I mutter to myself.Groaning, I realize the pain is a new thing, too. I start feeling dizzy, and my temperature rises, making me feel hot. I wipe the sweat off my forehead with the back of my hand. The heat keeps making me thirsty, and my throat burns. I rush to the table, stumbling as my hand lands on the top of the wooden furniture. I grab the cup of water, my hand shaking wildly.I quickly drink the water in one gulp, feeling the cold liquid calm my parched throat. I rush to the bathtub, my head spinning as I kneel and push my head deep into the cold water for a few seconds. My eyes glow as my wolf senses he
Elsa's POV:Why would anyone give him Wolfsbane? It was deadly to our kind.I hear footsteps coming, and I scream louder. “Someone, help!” The first steps get closer, running into the room. I look up to see Dennis and four men with teary eyes. “Help me,” I beg, my voice low. They do as they are told, quickly lifting him to the castle's physician. “Get the healers. All of them!” I command the maid standing by the door. She dashes like a madman as I fasten my pace, following Dennis.In an instant, we make our way to the infirmary. “Where's the healer?” I ask my voice loud and trembling. The guards walk in with the healer. He quickly moves to Damian and starts to examine him. “My goodness, he's been poisoned,” The healer says, and I nod. “I know. He told me before he collapsed. Please, do something. You need to save him,” I beg. “You'll be greatly rewarded. Nurse my friend to health, please,” I hear Dennis plead and the healer turns to the guard standing close to me. “You!” He
Damian's POVI can feel my heart beating slowly as I hear Elsa’s voice call out to me, but I can't answer her.I lose hold of my body, and I feel the life force drain from me. Elsa keeps calling me, and I feel the pressure on my chest. My eyes open slowly, and I see Elsa's puffy eyes and tear-stained face. She smiles at me, and I return the smile weakly. “Elsa,” I say in a weak voice, my throat dry.“You're awake,” she says softly, her hand caressing my cheek. I feel her hand reach for mine, raising it to her cheek. I feel her skin, soft and warm, against my fingers. Her face turns serious, and she faces the others. “Get every available man and start a hunt,” I demand, my voice firm. “I want to know who did this to Damian.”Dennis nods, his expression grim. “We'll find them, Elsa.”I see the guards scatter quickly, eager to begin the hunt.Dennis remains, looks at me, and softly speaks. “Do you need me to go, Luna?” He asks.“No, please stay,” Elsa replies, looking at him.I smile
Damian's POVThe maid keeps running down the hallway, and I chase her. My heart is racing as I know I can't lose sight of her. She turns swiftly to the corner, and her figure disappears. I quicken my pace. “Damian, wait! You're not healed!” I hear Elsa yell.My senses become blurry, and I keep running, following my instincts. There's no way she's escaping me. I must find her. “Damian!” I hear Elsa's faint voice before I disappear into the dark corner of the alley. My wolf growls, and I keep running, focusing on catching the maid. The effects of the remaining poison, which hadn't left my body, begin to kick in, and my head bangs harder. I groan, holding my head as I fall to the wall. I didn't let the seconds slip by, as I continue to search for her. the healer's warning echoing repeatedly in my head, disturbing my sight. I shake my head, clearing my thoughts for a while before I continue my pursuit. I walk into a scanty and clear open area, but it immediately turns dark as I enter
Elsa's POV:I run after Damian, but he is too fast. “Damian!” I call out to him, but he turns into a corner and disappears.I rush to the spot and can't find him anymore. I look around. Wasn't he here a few seconds ago? Where did he go? What's happening? “Damian!” I yell again, but silence greets me. “No,” I mouth, and I continue to search for him. I run through the passageway, ignoring the looks of the servants and guards. I have to find him; the poison is still in his system, and if he strains longer, he will hurt himself. “Damian, you stubborn rascal,” I say under my breath, still searching for him. My chest heaves as I pant; where could he be? I close my eyes, searching with my senses, but still, nothing comes up. I keep trying, and I'm not ready to give up. My eyes pick up a noise. It's coming from the abandoned tavern. I hear a faint groan and a slash of wind. “Damian!” I whisper and open my eyes.I rush into the abandoned tavern, my heart racing with fear. "Damian!" I y
Elsa's POV:We get to the infirmary, and I watch the color of Damian's face vanish. He looks like he would faint any second. I laugh, watching him gulp as the healer mixes the herbs into a cup and brings it to him to drink. “I got vervain. It's much stronger, and you can tell by the smell what kind of magic it can do,” the healer says. Damian takes one sniff and chokes. “Oh goodness. It smells like hell.” “It sure tastes like hell, too,” the healer responds, and I chuckle. Damian looks at me with pleading eyes but I pretend not to see him. “Go on, son. Drink it all. It'll be all over before you know it,” the healer adds. Damian looks at the cup in his hand and exhales before chunking it all down his throat. He coughs and takes a step back as he finishes the drink. He wipes his lips with his hand and spits in disgust. “Yeah, that was one hell,” Damian says. “There, now you're all better. I'll have to say you're a lucky fellow. Others wouldn't have made it through the night. Y
Damien’s POVThe morning sun broke through the canopy, scattering golden light across the clearing. It was as if the forest itself had exhaled after so many months of tension. I stood at the edge of the camp, watching as the pack moved about, their steps lighter than they had been in weeks. Conversations were punctuated with laughter, and there was a spark of life in their eyes. For the first time in what felt like forever, hope wasn’t just a distant dream—it was here, tangible and alive.But even as I took in the scene, my instincts remained sharp. The Shadow Council was gone, but their remnants—the shadow wolves—still posed a threat. Callan’s warning from the Northern Ridge had lingered in my mind since the day he arrived. The shadow wolves were regrouping, recruiting smaller, defenseless packs.We’d formed an alliance with the Northern Ridge pack and two others since then. Together, we had created a network of patrols, shared resources, and fortified borders. It wasn’t perfect, but
Elsa’s POVThe forest was quiet, save for the rustling of leaves in the cool night breeze. The campfire in the center of the clearing had dimmed to glowing embers, casting soft shadows on the ground. Most of the pack had retired for the night, their exhaustion from the day’s events finally catching up with them.But I couldn’t sleep.The weight of everything sat heavy on my chest—the lives lost, the responsibilities waiting for me, and the knowledge that the shadow wolves weren’t truly gone. Tonight, I felt like the battle had only shifted, morphing into something more insidious.I stood at the edge of the camp, staring out into the dark expanse of trees. The silence should have been comforting, but it only amplified the noise in my head.“Elsa.”I turned at the sound of Damien’s voice. He approached me quietly, his golden eyes glowing softly in the dim light. He looked as tired as I felt, but his presence carried a steadiness that I desperately needed.“You should be resting,” he sai
Damien’s POVThe aftermath of the battle hung heavy in the air, even as the light of dawn painted the forest in shades of gold and amber. Wolves moved through the clearing, tending to the wounded and collecting the bodies of the fallen. There was no celebration, only quiet resolve and somber reflection.Elsa stood near the falls, her silver hair catching the soft light of morning. She was staring out at the water, her arms crossed tightly over her chest. From where I stood, I could see the weight pressing down on her shoulders, the burden of every decision she had made in the last few weeks.I wanted to go to her, to tell her she didn’t have to bear it all alone, but I hesitated. Elsa had always been strong—resilient in a way that inspired everyone around her. But now, her strength seemed to be tearing at her, leaving her raw and vulnerable.Lyra appeared at my side, her quiet presence grounding me. She looked as exhausted as the rest of us, her dark hair falling loose over her should
Elsa's POV Echoes of the Scout's ominous words in my mind suddenly a warning that makes my blood run incredibly cold. Dark silhouettes of wolves emerge from murky twilight shadows. Even after the fall of Shadow Council dark remnants lingered silently beneath the surface waiting for the perfect moment to launch a surprise attack. Damien stood tall beside me, his golden eyes sharp and intensely focused underneath dim lighting. Darkness surrounded us and murky silhouettes murmured softly beneath faint moonlight that filtered through icy night air. I drew a deep breath inward slowly forcing myself to remain calm. They require my leadership skills now rather than see me utterly fail.“How far are they?” Damien asked the scout, his tone clipped.Damien asked the scout how far they were, his voice low and curt suddenly.“A mile or two… maybe less. Scout staggered forward slowly, exhaustion making his legs wobble badly under him.“We need to act quickly. A mile roughly or maybe a bit less than
Damien's povThe moon hangs high above trees beneath a silver glow that spreads over camp. Whispering Falls murmured softly beyond a nearby hill, its gentle hum soothing my frazzled mind completely. Tonight peace felt eerily distant somehow. I stood near the edge of a clearing watching wolves from various packs work together in a surprisingly harmonious fashion. It was a sight I never thought I'd see yet here it was somehow holding strong under circumstances. Elsa sat by fire, her head resting deeply in her hands surrounded by faint shadows. She looked utterly spent beneath the weight of all we worked tirelessly toward which pressed heavily on her narrow shoulders. Tension abruptly seized my chest upon catching sight of her faintly smiling face. She lugged an absurd amount more than anyone should bear. I moved silently across open space, my footsteps deliberately slow. As I reached her suddenly her pale blue eyes reflected flickering flames in dim light.“You’re supposed to be resting,
Elsa’s POVThe forest was still, save for the occasional rustle of leaves in the gentle wind. The calm was deceptive, though—it felt as if the world was holding its breath, waiting for the next challenge to unfold. I stood by the edge of the Whispering Falls, my fingers trailing through the cold water. Familiarity stared back at me from a face that looked somewhat different now somehow. My face had sharp cheekbones, a stubborn jaw and eyes that gave away pretty much everything but weight in my gaze felt different now. The battles, the loss, the responsibilities, they had all left their mark.“Elsa.”I didn’t need to turn to know who it was. I didn't need to turn around abruptly in a swift motion knowing full well it was Elsa standing behind me. Damien's voice remained steadily present, somehow grounding me deeply in unexpected ways.“You’ve been quiet today,” he said softly, his golden eyes studying me.He walked up beside me, his footsteps silent on the damp grass. He spoke softly, his
Elsa's POVThe morning air felt crisp beneath Elsa's face, it made her inhale deeply just feel alive. Most wolves remained still deeply exhausted from a long night's intense running beneath a dark moon. Tension in the air had lessened somewhat but a long way remained before peace settled eerily over everyone slowly. I stood at the edge of the clearing watching sunlight spill slowly through trees in the morning's warm golden light. Vivid moments reminded me why we fought passionately under incredibly difficult circumstances. Beauty of the forest and the promise of a new day was utterly worth fighting for with every ounce of strength.“Couldn’t sleep?” Damien’s voice came from behind me, low and steady.Damien's voice emerged from somewhere behind low and eerily steady as he murmured couldn't sleep. I turned seeing him walk toward me, his golden eyes warm beneath exhaustion etched deeply into his rugged features slowly. He looked pretty rough somehow but that wasn't surprising.“I needed
Damien's povDarkness swirled around me like murky fog as I navigated camp with senses heightened extremely. War finally ended but the forest still reeled deeply beneath dark eerie shadows. Scars on land and wounds on wolves were exacerbated by a fragile thread of trust holding packs together somewhat precariously now. Every step felt like balancing precariously on a knife's edge and I couldn't shake the feeling that one wrong move would send us all tumbling back into utter chaos suddenly. I found Elsa near the edge of her silhouette, outlined by the glow of the rising sun overhead slowly. She stood with arms crossed, her gaze fixed on the horizon as if searching fairly intently for answers somehow out there. Wind whimsically danced around her head tugging at stray locks but she remained frozen somehow unable to brush them aside slowly.“Couldn’t sleep?” I asked, stepping closer.Couldn't sleep. I stepped really close and asked softly,“Too much on my mind.”I nodded, coming to stand be
Elsa's POVElsa's perspective reveals battle aftermath settles deep within her chest as heaviness makes breathing incredibly difficult somehow. I stood at the edge of Whispering Falls where rushing water seemed ridiculously loud, drowning out faint murmurs of wolves downstream. Cool spray touched my face grounding me briefly beneath a clear blue sky. War had finally come crashing down. Remnants of Shadow Council fled or fallen and forest belonged solely back our way now. Victory felt somewhat hollow somehow. Numerous lives were lost under exceedingly dire circumstances. Numerous faces would slip forever from my sight suddenly.“Elsa.”I turned to see Damien approaching. Damien emerged from darkness behind me. He moved silently with a fluidity that hid his evident fatigue.“How are you feeling?” he asked, his voice low, almost hesitant.“Tired,” I admitted. “And… lost.”He stepped closer, his hand brushing against mine before he took it fully. His golden eyes locked onto mine and we stoo