Hector's POV:“Open the gates! Lord Hector has arrived!” One of the men guarding the gates shouts. The gate opens and I ride in with my men. “It's good to be home,” I say, taking a good view of my castle.I get off my horse and walk into the castle and straight into my chambers. I wave my hand, dismissing the maids and servants gathered in my chambers. "Leave me," I command, my voice firm.They scatter, their whispers and footsteps fading into the silence. My mind remains fixed on Elsa, the elusive queen who continues to evade me. Damian, that insufferable wolf, protects her.I hope Caspian's plan to eliminate Damian succeeds. The thought brings a hint of satisfaction, but my frustration lingers.“Guard!” I yell and one of them comes in. “Fetch me one of the maids, I would like a warm bath now!” I command and he leaves bringing in a fair young woman a few seconds later. “You sent for me, my Lord,” she says, taking a bow.I eye her up and down, satisfied with her soft feminine aura
Hector's POVI enter the courtroom with Jason by my side, and the room falls silent. The long seat filled with men arguing stops, their eyes fixed on us.“Why the silence?” I ask, surveying the room. “You may continue your discussions,” I say, and still there isn't as much as a murmur from them.No one dares to speak. I take my seat, Jason standing beside me.“Proceed,” I order.One of the lords, Marcus, clears his throat. “Your Majesty, we propose conquering more kingdoms to expand our territory.”Another lord, Lucas, opposes. “We've been successful in battles, but at what cost? We've lost good soldiers. We should focus on growth, gather supplies, and strengthen our men and werewolf packs.”“Losses are meant to happen. That is the price of war,” Lord, Marcus speaks. He is one of the leading ranks of the werewolves and a good fighter. “You talk as if there aren't lives involved, Marcus. We cannot go to battle if all our men are dead!” Lucas speaks firmly. “We’ll train more,” Marcus
Damian's POVI glare at Merida, my grip on her neck tightening.“You're lying,” I snarl.Merida laughs, her eyes sparkling with amusement.“We shall see,” she says and Elsa walks towards us. “Cuimhní ar dó,” she says, her voice low and mysterious and everything stops.I feel the wind sucks me in, calling for me and I answer and I open my eyes. I turn around in shock and find myself in a familiar area. It is a small ranch, and I hear the wind blowing and the cow moo. Where am I? It looks familiar, almost like I am home.“It feels like home,” I whisper to myself as I walk forward trying to understand what is happening and I see a little boy running towards me. At first, it seems normal but I feel a part of me flash to my mind as he draws near. I look closer and I realize the little boy is me.He runs past me laughing and chasing after a butterfly, as I look on in disbelief. My heart swells as I remember the feeling. But how did I get here? What trick is Merida playing on me?The y
Damian’s POV:A witch. Sent to kill my father. But she fell in love instead.I feel my world crumbling.Who am I, really? A half-breed? A product of deceit and love?I glance at my mother, searching for answers.But she's lost in thought, oblivious to my presence.Thorne's words fade into the background as I struggle to process this revelation.My mother's secrets.My true identity.Everything I thought I knew is a lie.I barely have time to drown myself in denial when I appear at the cottage, and my heart sinks.No, not this. Anything but this. I would give anything not to relive these moments. I walk towards the cottage and into it as if something is calling to me. My mother lies on her bed, pale and weak. She is much thinner and her lips has lost its color. I recognize the familiar taste of sadness. Something I never wish to feel again but it's in front of me and no matter how much I want it to go away, it remains.This is the same feeling of pain I had when she died. I don't wa
Damian's POVMy younger self walked alongside Thorne, looking downcast but acting fine. I follow behind, waiting to see if something else arises. Something secret that I must have forgotten.My mother's secrets, hidden for so long now, move about in my head, not giving me a moment to rest. “Damian!” I hear Elsa's voice. I halt my steps, wondering if I am hearing things. I shake my head and continue following Thorne and my younger self when her voice speaks again, this time fierce.“Damian! I need you to wake up! Wake up!” She commands.Her voice pierced my mind, clearing every other thought. “Damian, wake up!” she calls, her voice urgent and insistent.“Elsa,” I call, searching for her, but I can't find her. “Damian!” She yells again, but it isn't the sound of someone seeing me. It's in my head.I look ahead and see them reach a clear distance; the landscape remains the same, and Elsa's voice continues to echo in my mind.“Wake up, Damian!” She yells again in my head, and I hold m
Elsa's POV: “You mean you are also a witch,” I say, pacing around the room. “Yes,” Damon answers and I can see Merida smirk.“What if she is lying? Putting these thoughts in your head?” I ask, glancing at Merida. My mind refusing to accept anything coming from Merida.“Sure, I bet you think I also placed the memory of his mom, which he knew and had forgotten,” Merida says. Her voice annoys me further. I badly want to rip her to shreds; her hands and feet are caged, but it seems her mouth needs to be sealed up. “Yes, I do,” I answer.“Then you're a fool, dear Luna,” Merida says, provoking me some more. Damian intervenes before I can tear her apart. His hands stopped me, and his eyes pleading. “She's telling the truth,” Damian says. “My mother was a cleric witch. One of the high witches of their coven,” I say, turning my gaze to Merida. “So, how does that help us?” I ask.“A whole lot, since Caspian is using dark magic,” Merida inputs, and I roll my eyes. “What?” I ask“You he
Caspian's POV:Did I do wrong by telling Hector I failed? But he would know anyway. That shouldn't be my problem now. I need to figure out how to handle my new powers. I can feel it draining my energy. I am pacing in my room, lost in thinking as I need a new plan. Raider is better and I haven't seen him since last night.Why did I have that vision of my plan failing? Could it be that the letter was wrong? Could Merida still be alive? Something isn't right somewhere. I can feel a pull at my life force. Merida never mentioned me feeling hungry every time but it wasn't food. I wanted blood, to destroy everything. Was the price I had to pay for dark magic? Damn that woman. I should have killed her myself.“Guard!” I call out and one of the men rushes into my room. “Lord, Caspian,” he answers. “Did anyone see the witch's body?” I ask, wanting a confirmation.“No, Lord Caspian,” the guard answers. “Then how was her death confirmed?” I ask, watching his reaction. He looks scared, his fa
Caspian's POV:I keep struggling, my body changing and contorting as I try to break free from Raider's grip. I feel the ache in my fangs, and I want to taste his blood. “Give it to me,” I growl, aiming for his neck. I swipe my claws wildly, trying to tear his flesh, but he is strong enough to hold me. “Caspian,” Raider calls me, but I can't handle it. “Caspian, snap out of it!” He yells, and I can almost taste his sweat. Blood, I need it. His blood is strong. Just one bite.“Caspian! Snap out of it now!” He yells. I try to listen to his voice, but the voices in my head won't let me. Blood, just one taste. You can have it—just one bite. Go on, look at him. He is weak. His scent is inviting. Go on! Taste it! Do it!My vision blurs and I see the pulsing vein in Raider's neck.I lunge, jaws open wide.Raider's hands clamp down on my shoulders, holding me back.“Caspian, stop!” he shouts.But I'm consumed by this primal urge.My claws scratch, tearing into Raider's arm.He grunts in
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
Damien's POV The morning sun reveals camp life has slowed down somewhat but peace still eludes it utterly. Silence fell ominously just before turmoil erupted in a deeply unsettling manner. Packs slowly began settling down following initial days of chaos but their wounds still felt incredibly raw. Plenty of physical ones existed as well somehow. Mistrust, fear and uncertainty lingered like a dark shadow over everybody somehow. I stood near the edge of a clearing watching some wolves rebuild makeshift shelters damaged during the last attack beneath the darkening sky. Their movements slow and cautious unfolded beneath fragile circumstances where loud noise possibly threatened delicate harmony holding everyone together. A faint rustling sound behind me suddenly caught my attention and I turned fairly quickly, finding Lyra quietly approaching. Her face looked incredibly worn out with dark circles under her normally sharp eyes that appeared dull from sheer exhaustion.“They’re not saying it
Damien’s POVThe moment I stepped back into the camp, I could feel the tension in the air. Wolves moved with purpose, their expressions grim but determined. Elsa had done well in my absence, rallying the packs and preparing them for what lay ahead. Still, seeing her again, standing strong despite the weight of leadership, sent a wave of relief through me.She had always been strong, but now that strength was tempered with something deeper—an unyielding resolve. As we moved through the camp, I could see how the others looked at her, their eyes filled with trust and hope. She carried the weight of their survival on her shoulders, and though it clearly exhausted her, she didn’t falter.“You look like you haven’t slept,” I said softly as we approached the central fire.Her lips quirked into a faint smile. “Neither have you.”She wasn’t wrong. The mission had been grueling, and the constant threat of discovery kept me on edge the entire time. But now wasn’t the time to dwell on that.“We d
Elsa’s POVThe air around the camp was tense as if everyone could feel the storm brewing on the horizon. The scouts who had been monitoring Damien and Lyra’s mission had returned, reporting their progress and the chaos they’d sown in the enemy’s ranks. While the news was good, it didn’t erase the unease sitting heavily on my chest.Damien had been gone for over a day now, and every passing hour stretched painfully long. I tried to distract myself by staying busy, organizing patrol rotations and keeping morale high, but my thoughts always circled back to him.Standing near the falls, I let the cool mist settle over my skin. It was quiet here—a brief reprieve from the bustle of the camp. But even this place, which once brought me peace, felt hollow without Damien by my side.“Elsa.”I turned to see Lyric approaching, her dark eyes steady as she stopped a few feet away. She’d been one of my strongest supporters since the packs united, but even she seemed on edge lately.“You should rest,
Damien's POVThe morning air was cool, crisp, and filled with the distant hum of the forest waking up. Around the camp, wolves were already stirring, their movements slower than usual after the tense meeting from the night before. The packs were growing stronger, but fear lingered in their eyes. We were so close to the final confrontation, and the pressure weighed on everyone.I stood near the edge of the clearing, watching as Elsa moved through the camp. She carried herself with purpose, but I could see the exhaustion in her eyes, the strain she tried so hard to hide. Leading this alliance wasn’t easy, and it was taking a toll on her.“Damien.”Lyra’s voice pulled me from my thoughts. She approached me, her expression sharp as always. Lyra was like a storm—impossible to ignore, unpredictable but undeniably necessary.“What is it?” I asked, crossing my arms.“We’ve identified the enemy’s next move,” she said, her tone brisk. “Scouts returned early this morning. Their forces are gather
Elsa's POVThe breaking day reveals a camp shrouded in eerie stillness this morning beneath softly rustling leaves and faintly chirping birds. Packs stirred sluggishly beneath faint morning light savoring brief moments of calm before turmoil erupted again suddenly. I was already up pacing edgily along the forest's murky edge. My mind felt pretty edgy racing through details of upcoming events rapidly in anxious anticipation somehow. Lyra's plan worked beautifully under cover of darkness; our scouts reported signs of hesitation among enemy ranks and their movements slowed noticeably. Yet that fleeting moment wouldn't endure very long afterwards. They will regroup swiftly then strike with increased ferocity. As leader of this exceptionally fragile alliance I couldn't afford faltering now under terribly difficult circumstances. Weight of it bears down heavily on me beneath dark shadows of uncertainty surrounding everything. I must safeguard every wolf here under my care somehow. Damien sn
Elsa's POVElsa's vantage point revealed air feeling unnervingly chilly beneath dismal grey skies. I stood near the edge of Whispering Falls darkness gathering rapidly as warm sunlight faded slowly beneath the horizon. My thoughts formed a knotty mesh of dark apprehensions and tactics that perpetually looped back around one fundamental concern we weren't ready yet. Packs lay scattered everywhere, loyalty seemed fragile. Though we had started building trust it was still pretty fragile under intense pressure and uncertainty of war. War loomed ominously on the horizon. Damien stood silently by my side, his presence feeling uncommonly grounding these days. Silence hung heavy between us for a bit, somehow saying more than any words. He broke silence pretty abruptly.“We’ll make it through this, Elsa.”I turned to him, my chest tight. “You say that as if you believe it.”“I do.” He faced me, his golden eyes steady. “Because I believe in you. We'll make it through this Elsa. My chest felt tig