CHAPTER 92: UnboundPyra’s povThe throne room was vast and cold, its high ceiling and stone walls lost in shadows as Madraya’s voice echoed like a song carried by the winds of time.“Hear me, the spirit of the old religion,” Madraya who no longer was beside the door of the throne room, but was now six feet behind me chanted, her words resonating with an almost tangible strength and power. “Here comes your child, your long-lost descendant whom you have waited so desperately for. She is here to reclaim her truest position, to cleanse the darkness within her, and accept your flames. May she be replenished by the light of the Moon Goddess. For you, Wanderer, a messenger from the goddess herself, shall accept your one true Alpha.”I couldn’t move. It was as if my muscles were frozen solid as my heart hammered against my rib cage. Ahead of me, the cloaked figure—the Wanderer—stood shrouded in an aura of unnatural crimson light, one so similar to the flames of the throne. Its presence fille
CHAPTER 93: The Black Hood Attack Maverick’s POV My hands tightened on the steering wheel as the car sped through the emptying streets, the engine growling under the speed as if mirroring the chaos brewing from inside me. I could see the penthouse from this distance, and its destruction was evident even from the afar, but my focus was razor-sharp. Natalie sat stiffly beside me, her voice cutting through the tension. “Minister Blackthorn and Daemon are still inside.” I gritted my teeth, my knuckles white as I gripped the steering wheel tighter. I stopped the car as the penthouse loomed ahead, its once-pristine exterior marred by cracks and shattered glass. I didn’t need to ask what happened. The carnage spoke for itself. My heart slammed inside my chest, but not out of fear but out of anger. How dare anyone attack my private holding?! When we entered the building, it was unrecognizable. Furniture lay shattered, walls were gouged with deep claw marks, and the acrid scent of
CHAPTER 94: A Different AlphaMaverick’s POV:“Hey, hey, wake up.” I rushed over to Natalie, shaking her shoulder. She must have fallen unconscious after I faced off that mysterious man. Natalie twitched, groaning slightly. Her head shifted to the side as her eyes fluttered open, unfocused. “Huh-uh?” She murmured incoherent words, her words a slurry of confusion. She squinted at me, before her eyes darted around the destroyed penthouse, to the window and back to meet my gaze. “W-where’s the bastard?” She asked, her temple stained with blood, a thin crimson trail tracing the curve of her cheek. “Gone,” I said firmly, gripping each side of her face. “Are you okay?” I asked, feeling her skin cold against my palm. Her eyes squinted, becoming even smaller, as if trying to make sense of me, of everything. “Maverick?” she gasped. A faint, bitter laugh escaped her. “So I’m alive. But you... look different.”“He must’ve hit your head pretty hard to say such a thing. I look the same,” I mut
CHAPTER 95: Kicks Of JoyPyra’s POVI was still shaken a bit from the events of the day as I stood in the throne room, the air thick with the lingering echoes of the Wanderer. Madraya stood beside me, her voice a soothing balm against the storm inside.“Do not stress, Pyra,” she murmured, her hand rubbing gentle circles on my back. “You need rest. Such stress isn’t good for your unborn children. Remember, the gestation period of crimson wolves is far shorter.”Her words caught me off guard, my brow furrowing in confusion. She must have seen my confusion and furrowed brows as she smiled, explaining further. “It takes five to seven months for crimson wolves,” she continued, her tone soft. “And you’re already five months along.”I blinked, processing her revelation. “But I don’t feel like I’m close to giving birth. I’m not even that big.”Madraya smiled faintly, “Things are strange now, child. The awakening of a crimson wolf is something I can never understand, for it shifts everything.
CHAPTER 96: A New SourceThird person’s POV:Caspian paced the pack’s common room, his restlessness was evident in every taut movement he made. The common area was filled with silence and tension as everyone waited. Warriors sat or stood in small groups, their gazes flickering toward the door every second with anticipation. Four hours. A whole four hours had passed since their Alpha had left without a word to Caspien or anyone, and every minute stretched endlessly.“Where is he?” Caspian muttered, his voice low and simmering with frustration. “It’s been hours, and he hasn’t returned.” His patience was wearing thin, his worry masked by irritation. After he came back from his successful mission, he expected to see his father waiting for him. Beta Alaric, leaning against the wall with arms crossed, turned to him. “Patience, boy,” he said with a calm authority that only deepened Caspien’s scowl. “Our Alpha wouldn’t delay unless it was necessary.”Boy? That single word was like a spark
CHAPTER 97: No Death ScareThird person’s POV:The laboratory was still filled with tension and the smell of chemicals and antiseptic. Alpha Duncan laid rigid on the edge of the examination table, his teeth gritted against the waves of pain that surged through his body. His normally imposing and staring frame was slumped, weakened, his healing slower than expected. The Crimson’s power still eluded him.Alpha Duncan turned to Caspien who watched his father with curious eyes. “There is someone I have kept locked up in the car’s trunk. Get him out.”“Father,” Caspien began, his voice hesitant and brows furrowed from the strange command, “What kind of—“ Duncan cut him off with a guttural growl, his voice commanding and unyielding. “Do as I say, Caspien. Now.”Caspien’s jaw tightened, but he nodded, his defiance swallowed by duty. He turned and left the lab, his boots crunching against the steel ground before exiting to the gravel path outside. The forest surrounded the facility, dense a
CHAPTER 97: No Death ScareThird person’s POV:The laboratory was still filled with tension and the smell of chemicals and antiseptic. Alpha Duncan laid rigid on the edge of the examination table, his teeth gritted against the waves of pain that surged through his body. His normally imposing and staring frame was slumped, weakened, his healing slower than expected. The Crimson’s power still eluded him.Alpha Duncan turned to Caspien who watched his father with curious eyes. “There is someone I have kept locked up in the car’s trunk. Get him out.”“Father,” Caspien began, his voice hesitant and brows furrowed from the strange command, “What kind of—“ Duncan cut him off with a guttural growl, his voice commanding and unyielding. “Do as I say, Caspien. Now.”Caspien’s jaw tightened, but he nodded, his defiance swallowed by duty. He turned and left the lab, his boots crunching against the steel ground before exiting to the gravel path outside. The forest surrounded the facility, dense a
CHAPTER 97: No Death ScareThird person’s POV:The laboratory was still filled with tension and the smell of chemicals and antiseptic. Alpha Duncan laid rigid on the edge of the examination table, his teeth gritted against the waves of pain that surged through his body. His normally imposing and staring frame was slumped, weakened, his healing slower than expected. The Crimson’s power still eluded him.Alpha Duncan turned to Caspien who watched his father with curious eyes. “There is someone I have kept locked up in the car’s trunk. Get him out.”“Father,” Caspien began, his voice hesitant and brows furrowed from the strange command, “What kind of—“ Duncan cut him off with a guttural growl, his voice commanding and unyielding. “Do as I say, Caspien. Now.”Caspien’s jaw tightened, but he nodded, his defiance swallowed by duty. He turned and left the lab, his boots crunching against the steel ground before exiting to the gravel path outside. The forest surrounded the facility, dense a
CHAPTER 101: The Recording Luna Elodie's POV:The soft glow of the moonlight filtered through the curtains of my chamber, illuminating the thoughts swirling in my mind. I’ve been wracked by the mere thought of everything falling out of place. To this day, nothing has been spoken much about the maid’s disappearance. There has been no report of a trace, a scent, or a trail. Nothing. Maverick has lost all focus on that; he has been too focused on the pack—on protecting them, rebuilding, and mourning the fallen. That left me. I was the only one with enough time and determination to continue the investigation. But the problem now was, where could I possibly start?I crossed my legs, tapping my fingers on the armrest of my chair. The humming tune I let escape my lips did little to spark any inspiration whatsoever. I had one confidant, and that was Minister Blackthorn. He had been my closest ally in these matters, and now… he was gone. Goddess blesses his soul. I rose from my chair, br
CHAPTER 100: Intermission Third person’s POV:The heavy diamond double doors of the FireHeart Pack’s throne room creaked open, their ancient carvings glowing faintly under the golden light spilling from above the chandelier and open skylights. Wolves, moons, and runes whispered stories of battles fought and alliances forged that were engraved in the stone walls. For more than a decade, the doors had remained sealed, the throne room shrouded in mystery that only the elderly could remember its former glory. Yet now, for the first time in a long while, the room was alive with the presence of the FireHeart pack members. Hundreds of pack members filled the grand chamber, their voices hushed in awe. Stone pillars loomed overhead, while the arched ceiling glistened. All eyes turned to the Crimson throne at the heart of the room. Nothing could compare to its beauty; it was a masterpiece, its crimson surface shimmering like blood in the sunlight pouring through the high windows.Standing be
CHAPTER 99: Friends Pyra’s POV:It had been two weeks since I’d confessed to Luna Verona that Alpha Maverick was the father of my unborn children. To my surprise—and of course, relief—she had promised to keep the revelation between the two of us, honouring my plea for secrecy. She had probed for more details about how the event went, wanting to know everyone to the point where I was found by the shore, but I had refused to say much, unwilling to relieve the pain of my past. But after some persuasion, I told her most of it. Now, nestled in the luxurious penthouse, while lying on an impossibly soft bed I’d never dreamed of, I found myself struggling with a different kind of burden. The doctors, along with Madraya, had insisted on strict bed rest. “It’s for the health of the babies,” they said. While I appreciated the care, I couldn’t help but feel restless.I glanced at my protruding abdomen, now noticeably larger than it was before. I couldn’t believe just how much I’d grown in just
CHAPTER 98: End The Bad BloodMaverick's POV:“This is something we should have done a long time ago, Maverick.” Mother’s voice followed after the initial silence. “Collaborating with the FireHeart pack and joining our forces as one should have been our first and top priority; maybe none of this would have happened.”I sighed, instinctively rubbing my palm over my face in frustration. As much as I would hate to deny it, my mother was telling the truth. It was all my fault. If I had not been too stubborn, too headstrong to believe I could handle everything in and out of my pack, then those wolves, or if I could even call them that, would have been stopped. I fear we are too late now. “But there’s bad blood between our opposing pack, Luna.” Derick’s worried voice pierced through as the ministers who sat around the meeting room all nodded in agreement, most whispering amongst themselves. “It’s been far too long. Our pack would speak to them now, since after the Great War, spark their in
CHAPTER 97: No Death ScareThird person’s POV:The laboratory was still filled with tension and the smell of chemicals and antiseptic. Alpha Duncan laid rigid on the edge of the examination table, his teeth gritted against the waves of pain that surged through his body. His normally imposing and staring frame was slumped, weakened, his healing slower than expected. The Crimson’s power still eluded him.Alpha Duncan turned to Caspien who watched his father with curious eyes. “There is someone I have kept locked up in the car’s trunk. Get him out.”“Father,” Caspien began, his voice hesitant and brows furrowed from the strange command, “What kind of—“ Duncan cut him off with a guttural growl, his voice commanding and unyielding. “Do as I say, Caspien. Now.”Caspien’s jaw tightened, but he nodded, his defiance swallowed by duty. He turned and left the lab, his boots crunching against the steel ground before exiting to the gravel path outside. The forest surrounded the facility, dense a
CHAPTER 97: No Death ScareThird person’s POV:The laboratory was still filled with tension and the smell of chemicals and antiseptic. Alpha Duncan laid rigid on the edge of the examination table, his teeth gritted against the waves of pain that surged through his body. His normally imposing and staring frame was slumped, weakened, his healing slower than expected. The Crimson’s power still eluded him.Alpha Duncan turned to Caspien who watched his father with curious eyes. “There is someone I have kept locked up in the car’s trunk. Get him out.”“Father,” Caspien began, his voice hesitant and brows furrowed from the strange command, “What kind of—“ Duncan cut him off with a guttural growl, his voice commanding and unyielding. “Do as I say, Caspien. Now.”Caspien’s jaw tightened, but he nodded, his defiance swallowed by duty. He turned and left the lab, his boots crunching against the steel ground before exiting to the gravel path outside. The forest surrounded the facility, dense a
CHAPTER 97: No Death ScareThird person’s POV:The laboratory was still filled with tension and the smell of chemicals and antiseptic. Alpha Duncan laid rigid on the edge of the examination table, his teeth gritted against the waves of pain that surged through his body. His normally imposing and staring frame was slumped, weakened, his healing slower than expected. The Crimson’s power still eluded him.Alpha Duncan turned to Caspien who watched his father with curious eyes. “There is someone I have kept locked up in the car’s trunk. Get him out.”“Father,” Caspien began, his voice hesitant and brows furrowed from the strange command, “What kind of—“ Duncan cut him off with a guttural growl, his voice commanding and unyielding. “Do as I say, Caspien. Now.”Caspien’s jaw tightened, but he nodded, his defiance swallowed by duty. He turned and left the lab, his boots crunching against the steel ground before exiting to the gravel path outside. The forest surrounded the facility, dense a
CHAPTER 96: A New SourceThird person’s POV:Caspian paced the pack’s common room, his restlessness was evident in every taut movement he made. The common area was filled with silence and tension as everyone waited. Warriors sat or stood in small groups, their gazes flickering toward the door every second with anticipation. Four hours. A whole four hours had passed since their Alpha had left without a word to Caspien or anyone, and every minute stretched endlessly.“Where is he?” Caspian muttered, his voice low and simmering with frustration. “It’s been hours, and he hasn’t returned.” His patience was wearing thin, his worry masked by irritation. After he came back from his successful mission, he expected to see his father waiting for him. Beta Alaric, leaning against the wall with arms crossed, turned to him. “Patience, boy,” he said with a calm authority that only deepened Caspien’s scowl. “Our Alpha wouldn’t delay unless it was necessary.”Boy? That single word was like a spark
CHAPTER 95: Kicks Of JoyPyra’s POVI was still shaken a bit from the events of the day as I stood in the throne room, the air thick with the lingering echoes of the Wanderer. Madraya stood beside me, her voice a soothing balm against the storm inside.“Do not stress, Pyra,” she murmured, her hand rubbing gentle circles on my back. “You need rest. Such stress isn’t good for your unborn children. Remember, the gestation period of crimson wolves is far shorter.”Her words caught me off guard, my brow furrowing in confusion. She must have seen my confusion and furrowed brows as she smiled, explaining further. “It takes five to seven months for crimson wolves,” she continued, her tone soft. “And you’re already five months along.”I blinked, processing her revelation. “But I don’t feel like I’m close to giving birth. I’m not even that big.”Madraya smiled faintly, “Things are strange now, child. The awakening of a crimson wolf is something I can never understand, for it shifts everything.