PhanosThe roar didn’t just shake the cavern—it tore through it like the wrath of an ancient god.The ground trembled beneath my feet, fissures splintering across the rocky floor. Dust rained from the cracked ceiling, and the cavern walls groaned as if they, too, feared what was coming.My warriors stiffened, their instincts screaming at them to fight. But I knew—no steel, no fang, no strength of our own would be enough.A violent pulse rippled through the cavern.A tremor of pure, undiluted power."Alpha! What was that?!" Gamma Finn shot into the cavern, warriors trailing behind him, their weapons drawn."I don’t know!" I barked, tension coiling in my gut. "Stay alert!"Then, all at once, the answer revealed itself.At the center of the cavern, Valkyrie stood—glowing, trembling, alive with something beyond comprehension.Golden light pulsed from her in waves, her violet eyes burning like twin flames against the darkness. The mark on her skin shimmered, shifting, alive.Then—A tear s
Phanos The moment the word left Valkyrie’s lips, the air shifted. The shadows, once writhing and hungry, stilled. The suffocating weight of the Queen’s presence no longer pressed against my ribs like an iron cage. The cavern groaned, but the collapse halted, as if the world itself had been caught between destruction and something else. Silence settled, thick and charged. Then, the Queen of Darkness tilted her head ever so slightly, studying Valkyrie with an amused sort of curiosity. “How fascinating,” she murmured. “You strike a bargain, yet you do not ask for terms that serve you. Only them.” Her eyes flickered to me and the warriors still frozen in place. “Such a foolish, Little Heiress.” Valkyrie didn’t so much as flinch. “Then I suppose that makes us both fools. You need my power, don’t you?” The Queen’s smile was slow, curling like ink spilling through water. “So bold. You will learn, Child, that debts to me are not so easily forgotten.” With a flick of her wrist
ValkyrieI felt… different.Not just in my body, but in my very soul.And I could feel how they watched me—all of them. Their gazes heavy with uncertainty, trying to decide whether I was something to be feared or revered.The golden markings on my skin still pulsed faintly, fading but never truly gone. Remnants of the power that had surged through me in the cavern.It had changed me.All of me.The magic hummed beneath my skin, restless and untamed, coiling like a living storm waiting to be unleashed. But beneath that power—beneath the awe and whispers—was something deeper.A weight.A burden."You feel it, Genna?" I whispered internally to my wolf.Genna purred in response, her voice laced with something akin to satisfaction. "Of course, I do. This is what we were always meant to become."Destiny.The word should have made me feel stronger, but instead, it pressed down on me like an iron chain."Prepare to face a more difficult task, Luna," Genna warned.I swallowed. Right.Power nev
ValkyrieI woke up the next morning with an ache—not in my body, but in my heart.For a moment, I lay there, staring at the ceiling, letting the weight of my decision settle over me like a thick fog.The room felt colder, emptier, as if something vital had been stripped away overnight.Outside, the pack was stirring. The sounds of warriors readying themselves for departure filtered through the stone walls—footsteps, murmured orders, the occasional clatter of weapons.But none of it mattered.Not yet.Because the only thing I could think about was the conversation from the night before—The way Phanos had looked at me and the unspoken words that lingered between us.I squeezed my eyes shut, forcing the memory away.It didn’t matter now.I had made my choice."You made the wrong choice."Genna’s voice slithered into my mind before I even had the chance to sit up.I let out a slow breath, pressing my palms against my temples. “Not now, Genna.”“Yes, now,” she snapped. “Because I refuse
ValkyrieThe courtyard hummed with quiet activity.Warriors secured their packs, checked their weapons, and exchanged murmured farewells. The scent of damp earth and morning dew clung to the air, mingling with the distant smoke curling from the torches lining the walls."Everything ready?" I asked, spotting Dwayne near the front.He turned at the sound of my voice, nodding once. "Ready, Luna.""Good," I said. "We leave soon."He didn’t question me, didn’t linger. That was the way of our kind—efficient, focused. No wasted words. No hesitations.And yet, as I scanned the faces around me, my chest tightened.Where was Phanos?I told myself I wasn’t looking for him. That it didn’t matter. But I knew better.He should have been here.At least… to wave a final goodbye.I exhaled sharply, shaking my head. Damn, what am I thinking?"Pathetic," Genna’s voice growled in my mind, sharp and unrelenting. "You’re acting like a lost pup."I clenched my jaw, keeping my expression neutral. "I’m not."
ValkyrieEverything resumed.The wind sighed through the trees. Torches flickered. The warriors murmured among themselves, undisturbed.Nothing had changed.I stared at the ground where the drop had vanished into the dirt, my breath caught in my throat. No shift. No surge of power. No time stopping.Just… nothing.A slow, creeping sensation crawled up my spine. I turned the vial over in my hand, gripping it tighter.No. That couldn’t be right.“She said…” My voice came out hoarse. “She said it would work.”Grandfather sighed, his gaze heavy with something I couldn’t quite name—pity, perhaps. Or regret.“Luna,” he said softly, “you’ve been deceived.”The words struck like a slap. Cold. Sharp.I shook my head. “No,” I bit out. “She wouldn’t lie to me. Not about something like this.”Grandfather’s gaze didn’t waver, but there was undeniable sadness behind it.“Wouldn’t she?” he asked again.And this time, I didn’t know how to answer.I wanted to argue, to deny it, but doubt dug its claws
Valkyrie “I, Ragnor Howard, Alpha of the Blue Fire Pack, reject Valkyrie as my mate.” His words cut through me like a blade, sharp and unrelenting. Today was meant to be the happiest day of my life. My eighteenth birthday. The day I was told I’d find my mate, the one person who would make me whole. “No! It can’t be! The Alpha’s mate is just a lowly servant?” someone shouted in disbelief, echoing my own thoughts. I had never dared to dream of becoming the Luna. How could I? I was nothing more than a maid in this pack. “A–Alpha...” My voice faltered, my breath catching in my chest. Ragnor’s crimson eyes bore into me, like seething with disgust, as if the thought of being tied to me was a curse. “I’m... sorry...” “Just accept it.” His command was cold and absolute, devoid of any trace of mercy. I dared not defy him, though my heart shattered under the weight of his words. Luna Dowager stepped forward then, her presence as icy and unyielding as her voice. “Valkyrie.” I tilted my
Valkyrie I sank to the floor, trembling, my back pressed against the cold, unforgiving wall. My cheek still stung from the slap, but it was the ache in my chest that felt unbearable. Tasya's words echoed in my mind, each syllable a shard of glass cutting through the fragile remnants of my spirit. But beneath the sorrow, something else began to stir—a flicker of anger, faint yet insistent. I didn’t ask for this bond. I didn’t choose Ragnor as my mate, nor did I choose his rejection. Why must I bear the weight of their hatred for something I had no control over? A soft knock at the door jolted me from my spiraling thoughts. This time, the voice that followed was a balm to my frayed nerves. “Valkyrie? It’s Nancy.” I wiped at my eyes quickly, trying to mask the vulnerability etched into my face before opening the door. Nancy’s expression was filled with concern, her gentle presence a stark contrast to the storm that had just torn through my world. “I heard what happened. Are yo
ValkyrieEverything resumed.The wind sighed through the trees. Torches flickered. The warriors murmured among themselves, undisturbed.Nothing had changed.I stared at the ground where the drop had vanished into the dirt, my breath caught in my throat. No shift. No surge of power. No time stopping.Just… nothing.A slow, creeping sensation crawled up my spine. I turned the vial over in my hand, gripping it tighter.No. That couldn’t be right.“She said…” My voice came out hoarse. “She said it would work.”Grandfather sighed, his gaze heavy with something I couldn’t quite name—pity, perhaps. Or regret.“Luna,” he said softly, “you’ve been deceived.”The words struck like a slap. Cold. Sharp.I shook my head. “No,” I bit out. “She wouldn’t lie to me. Not about something like this.”Grandfather’s gaze didn’t waver, but there was undeniable sadness behind it.“Wouldn’t she?” he asked again.And this time, I didn’t know how to answer.I wanted to argue, to deny it, but doubt dug its claws
ValkyrieThe courtyard hummed with quiet activity.Warriors secured their packs, checked their weapons, and exchanged murmured farewells. The scent of damp earth and morning dew clung to the air, mingling with the distant smoke curling from the torches lining the walls."Everything ready?" I asked, spotting Dwayne near the front.He turned at the sound of my voice, nodding once. "Ready, Luna.""Good," I said. "We leave soon."He didn’t question me, didn’t linger. That was the way of our kind—efficient, focused. No wasted words. No hesitations.And yet, as I scanned the faces around me, my chest tightened.Where was Phanos?I told myself I wasn’t looking for him. That it didn’t matter. But I knew better.He should have been here.At least… to wave a final goodbye.I exhaled sharply, shaking my head. Damn, what am I thinking?"Pathetic," Genna’s voice growled in my mind, sharp and unrelenting. "You’re acting like a lost pup."I clenched my jaw, keeping my expression neutral. "I’m not."
ValkyrieI woke up the next morning with an ache—not in my body, but in my heart.For a moment, I lay there, staring at the ceiling, letting the weight of my decision settle over me like a thick fog.The room felt colder, emptier, as if something vital had been stripped away overnight.Outside, the pack was stirring. The sounds of warriors readying themselves for departure filtered through the stone walls—footsteps, murmured orders, the occasional clatter of weapons.But none of it mattered.Not yet.Because the only thing I could think about was the conversation from the night before—The way Phanos had looked at me and the unspoken words that lingered between us.I squeezed my eyes shut, forcing the memory away.It didn’t matter now.I had made my choice."You made the wrong choice."Genna’s voice slithered into my mind before I even had the chance to sit up.I let out a slow breath, pressing my palms against my temples. “Not now, Genna.”“Yes, now,” she snapped. “Because I refuse
ValkyrieI felt… different.Not just in my body, but in my very soul.And I could feel how they watched me—all of them. Their gazes heavy with uncertainty, trying to decide whether I was something to be feared or revered.The golden markings on my skin still pulsed faintly, fading but never truly gone. Remnants of the power that had surged through me in the cavern.It had changed me.All of me.The magic hummed beneath my skin, restless and untamed, coiling like a living storm waiting to be unleashed. But beneath that power—beneath the awe and whispers—was something deeper.A weight.A burden."You feel it, Genna?" I whispered internally to my wolf.Genna purred in response, her voice laced with something akin to satisfaction. "Of course, I do. This is what we were always meant to become."Destiny.The word should have made me feel stronger, but instead, it pressed down on me like an iron chain."Prepare to face a more difficult task, Luna," Genna warned.I swallowed. Right.Power nev
Phanos The moment the word left Valkyrie’s lips, the air shifted. The shadows, once writhing and hungry, stilled. The suffocating weight of the Queen’s presence no longer pressed against my ribs like an iron cage. The cavern groaned, but the collapse halted, as if the world itself had been caught between destruction and something else. Silence settled, thick and charged. Then, the Queen of Darkness tilted her head ever so slightly, studying Valkyrie with an amused sort of curiosity. “How fascinating,” she murmured. “You strike a bargain, yet you do not ask for terms that serve you. Only them.” Her eyes flickered to me and the warriors still frozen in place. “Such a foolish, Little Heiress.” Valkyrie didn’t so much as flinch. “Then I suppose that makes us both fools. You need my power, don’t you?” The Queen’s smile was slow, curling like ink spilling through water. “So bold. You will learn, Child, that debts to me are not so easily forgotten.” With a flick of her wrist
PhanosThe roar didn’t just shake the cavern—it tore through it like the wrath of an ancient god.The ground trembled beneath my feet, fissures splintering across the rocky floor. Dust rained from the cracked ceiling, and the cavern walls groaned as if they, too, feared what was coming.My warriors stiffened, their instincts screaming at them to fight. But I knew—no steel, no fang, no strength of our own would be enough.A violent pulse rippled through the cavern.A tremor of pure, undiluted power."Alpha! What was that?!" Gamma Finn shot into the cavern, warriors trailing behind him, their weapons drawn."I don’t know!" I barked, tension coiling in my gut. "Stay alert!"Then, all at once, the answer revealed itself.At the center of the cavern, Valkyrie stood—glowing, trembling, alive with something beyond comprehension.Golden light pulsed from her in waves, her violet eyes burning like twin flames against the darkness. The mark on her skin shimmered, shifting, alive.Then—A tear s
PhanosI had never known fear like this.Valkyrie had been unconscious for too long. Too still. Too silent. It was unnatural—like she had been ripped from this world entirely.She lay motionless on the cavern’s cold stone floor, her hand outstretched toward the crystal—the same crystal that had burst with energy the moment she touched it. That force had knocked me back, sent waves of power crashing through the cavern, and now… she wouldn’t wake up."Valkyrie." My voice was tight with urgency, but she didn’t stir.I moved closer, kneeling beside her, pressing my fingers to her wrist. Her pulse was faint but steady. Still alive. Still breathing.But something was wrong.The air around her crackled, charged with an energy I couldn’t name. A shiver raced down my spine, and my wolf growled inside me, uneasy. The cavern itself seemed to react to her presence—the shadows stretching toward her, drawn to something unseen.Something had changed.And I had no idea how to bring her back."Come
ValkyrieThe energy surged through me like wildfire, setting every nerve ablaze. My feet lifted from the ground, drawn toward the floating crystal as if the very air had turned to liquid, pulling me deeper, closer.My wolf howled inside me, torn between instinctive fear and the irresistible call of something ancient—something meant for me."Valkyrie!" Phanos' voice rang through the chaos, but it was distant, muffled, as though I were submerged in another world entirely.The crystal pulsed, its glow intensifying, flooding my vision with violet light. The whispers morphed into voices—layered, echoing, a chorus of countless beings speaking as one.'Chosen. Claimed. Fated.'A sharp pain lanced through my chest, and suddenly, I was no longer in the cavern.Darkness engulfed me.Then—stars.Not the stars of the night sky, but brilliant, burning constellations spiraling in an endless abyss. I was floating in a void, weightless, untethered.And then, she appeared.A woman cloaked in shadow a
ValkyrieThe moment my foot crossed the threshold, the weight of something unseen pressed against my chest. It wasn’t just the drop in temperature—it was the undeniable sensation of something watching, waiting."Dwayne, do you sense it?" I asked, glancing at him.He nodded. "The power is immense, Luna.""Stay alert," I instructed."Always do."Dwayne moved closer as Grandfather led the way down the spiraling stone steps. The torches lining the walls flickered wildly as if protesting our presence. But we needed to stay focused."Afraid, Little Luna?" Phanos teased, but I didn’t respond.There was nothing I feared—except losing Ragnor and my pack. If this crystal could cure Ragnor and bring him back to me, I would be forever grateful."This is not a child’s game," Phanos whispered.I halted abruptly. "Enough, Alpha. Don’t make unnecessary noise," I snapped.But he only laughed, flashing a careless smile. How reckless can this Alpha be?"We’re almost there," Grandfather announced as we p