Valkyrie Phanos cursed with a hoarse voice. "Damn it, Ragnor!" But Ragnor didn’t slow. His grip on my wrist was unyielding, his pace relentless as he pulled me away from the slaughter. I twisted back. "Phanos—!" He stood his ground, bloodied and breathing hard, a savage grin splitting his face. "Go!" A wave of corrupted warriors lunged at him. He met them head-on, claws tearing into flesh, his defiance a final, burning ember in the darkness. Ragnor yanked me forward. "We can’t—" "We have to!" His voice was raw. I fought against his grip, against the instinct clawing inside me to turn back, to fight. But there was no fight left to win. The cliff’s edge loomed closer. The moonlight shimmered off the abyss below—a sheer drop into nothingness. I realized what Ragnor intended a second too late. "Ragnor, no!" His arms locked around me, and then— We jumped. The world tilted, the roar of the wind swallowing my scream. The last thing I saw before darkness took us was Phanos—st
Valkyrie My pulse thundered in my ears, drowning out everything else. The worn leather of my sword hilt bit into my palm as I tightened my grip. The Lycan King. For the first time, I stood before him—not as a whisper of prophecy, not as a hunted shadow, but face to face. And I was not ready. Ragnor tensed beside me, his breathing sharp and controlled, but I could feel it—his barely restrained fury. His wolf burned just beneath the surface, clawing to break free. The king’s golden eyes swept over us, calm, assessing, as if he had all the time in the world. His lips curled slightly—not quite a smirk, not quite a sneer. Just the insufferable confidence of someone who had already won. “I must admit,” he mused, his voice smooth as silk. “I expected you to be dead by now.” Ragnor let out a low growl. “Disappointed?” The king chuckled. “Not at all. I do enjoy a challenge.” My throat felt dry. My body screamed for rest, wounds throbbing with every breath, but weakness was
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
Valkyrie I couldn’t move, though every instinct screamed at me to do so. Ragnor’s claws sliced through the air, time seeming to stretch, his fury pressing against me like a suffocating weight. The air crackled with power, thick and heavy, but he didn’t strike. Instead, his claws halted mid-swing, trembling as though something unseen held him back. The tension was palpable, a razor’s edge between control and chaos. “Ragnor,” I whispered, my voice barely a breath but filled with fragile hope. His crimson eyes snapped to mine, wild and unrecognizable. Beneath the feral glow, a flicker—a trace—of the man I once knew. “Stay back!” Duncan’s voice was sharp, commanding. But I couldn’t obey. I stepped closer, ignoring the enforcers who struggled to hold him down. Their breath was labored, each of them feeling the weight of his thrashing strength. My body screamed at me to run, but my heart betrayed me, pulling me closer, urging me to bridge the chasm between us. “Let me try,” I
Valkyrie The Luna Dowager stood in the doorway, her eyes dark with barely concealed judgment, her presence as cold as the walls around us. The silence stretched, thick and heavy, as her gaze bore into me like an unspoken reprimand. “Luna… I—” I began, my voice faltering, but I couldn’t find the right words. “Well, whatever you were trying to do, it seems the madness has passed,” she said flatly, her tone distant, clinical, and cold. The words, instead of offering praise, felt more like a chastisement—an acknowledgment that I had simply been a tool, a means to an end. A strange form of praise that hit me harder than any insult. “Didn’t you care about what—” I started again, my heart pounding in my chest, desperate to understand her indifference. She cut me off with a sharp flick of her wrist. “I didn’t see anything except treatment for my son.” Her voice was dismissive, as if I were no more than an errant servant. She turned toward the door, her every movement deliberate and co
Valkyrie My world had ended—or so I thought. But when the morning sun filtered weakly through the frosted windows, I realized life would continue, whether I was ready or not. Last night, I barely remembered reaching the servants’ quarters. The moment my body hit the bed, exhaustion pulled me into oblivion. My birthday was ruined. My mate was gone. And Ragnor... he had gone mad. What a day. The chill in the room forced me to shiver as I hurriedly stood and pulled on my plain gray uniform, the coarse fabric scratching against my skin. "Time to work, Val," I whispered to myself, forcing my legs to move. The scent of cleaning supplies and stale air greeted me as I stepped out, a stark reminder of my place within the pack hierarchy. Being a maid in the Blue Fire Pack wasn’t glamorous, but it was survival. I had long since resigned myself to the monotony—scrubbing floors, laundering clothes, and ensuring every surface of the grand mansion gleamed under the ever-watchful eyes of t
Valkyrie I froze, torn between the undeniable pull of his presence and the sharp ache of everything we’d lost. “What do you want, Alpha?” I whispered, my voice breaking. “Why act like you care now?” His jaw tightened, his gaze dropping to where his hand held mine. “Because I do,” he said, the words raw and unguarded. The air between us crackled with tension, the kind that begged to be broken. He stepped closer, so close I could feel the heat radiating off him. His thumb brushed the inside of my wrist, a small, almost reverent touch that made my breath hitch. “Tell me to stop,” he said, his voice a husky plea. I opened my mouth, but no words came. My body betrayed me, leaning into him instead of away. And then his lips were on mine—warm, insistent, and filled with a desperation that matched my own. The kiss stole the air from my lungs, igniting a fire in my veins that I hadn’t felt in so long. His hands moved to my waist, pulling me against him as if afraid I might disappear.
Valkyrie My pulse thundered in my ears, drowning out everything else. The worn leather of my sword hilt bit into my palm as I tightened my grip. The Lycan King. For the first time, I stood before him—not as a whisper of prophecy, not as a hunted shadow, but face to face. And I was not ready. Ragnor tensed beside me, his breathing sharp and controlled, but I could feel it—his barely restrained fury. His wolf burned just beneath the surface, clawing to break free. The king’s golden eyes swept over us, calm, assessing, as if he had all the time in the world. His lips curled slightly—not quite a smirk, not quite a sneer. Just the insufferable confidence of someone who had already won. “I must admit,” he mused, his voice smooth as silk. “I expected you to be dead by now.” Ragnor let out a low growl. “Disappointed?” The king chuckled. “Not at all. I do enjoy a challenge.” My throat felt dry. My body screamed for rest, wounds throbbing with every breath, but weakness was
Valkyrie Phanos cursed with a hoarse voice. "Damn it, Ragnor!" But Ragnor didn’t slow. His grip on my wrist was unyielding, his pace relentless as he pulled me away from the slaughter. I twisted back. "Phanos—!" He stood his ground, bloodied and breathing hard, a savage grin splitting his face. "Go!" A wave of corrupted warriors lunged at him. He met them head-on, claws tearing into flesh, his defiance a final, burning ember in the darkness. Ragnor yanked me forward. "We can’t—" "We have to!" His voice was raw. I fought against his grip, against the instinct clawing inside me to turn back, to fight. But there was no fight left to win. The cliff’s edge loomed closer. The moonlight shimmered off the abyss below—a sheer drop into nothingness. I realized what Ragnor intended a second too late. "Ragnor, no!" His arms locked around me, and then— We jumped. The world tilted, the roar of the wind swallowing my scream. The last thing I saw before darkness took us was Phanos—st
Valkyrie Phanos gritted his teeth. “We need to move. Now!” Ragnor didn’t hesitate. He grabbed my wrist, yanking me forward. His grip was firm but careful, guiding me through the maze of ruins. Phanos flanked my other side, his breath ragged but determined as we sprinted. Our boots kicked up dust, the scent of blood and decay really overwhelming.. “We need to shift!” Phanos shouted. “I can’t!” I gasped, frustration burning in my chest. Genna was gone. I could not shift in any other form. “You don’t need to, Honey. I’ve got you.” Before I could protest, Ragnor hoisted me into his arms, his strength effortless, his hold unshakable. Then he surged forward, moving with unnatural speed. Phanos shifted mid-stride, his massive wolf form hitting the ground with a heavy thud before bolting ahead. He tore through fallen stone and debris, carving a path as the ruins trembled behind us. A guttural snarl echoed through the night, followed by the chilling scrape of claws against r
Valkyrie The battlefield was a nightmare. The blood-magic warriors were relentless, their eyes glowing red, their bodies moving with unnatural speed. I had fought beasts before, but these creatures—these corrupted soldiers—were something else entirely. "It's part of the Hollow!" I shouted to Phanos, who rode beside me, his bow drawn. "The Hollow?" He loosed an arrow, piercing one of the warriors through the chest. The creature barely faltered. "Yes! A revelation of dark magic," I panted, parrying a blade aimed at my neck. "They’re dangerous!" Phanos cursed under his breath. "No kidding! These bastards won’t die." Another warrior lunged at me, its dagger coated in a dark, sickly glow. I dodged, slashing at its neck, only to watch in horror as the wound sealed within seconds. "This is impossible!" Phanos growled. "What kind of magic is this?" "A curse," I said, breathless. "One that twists warriors into something… else." "We need to fall back!" But even as he spoke
Valkyrie "Okay, now... let's get some sleep. Tomorrow will be a big day." Phanos turned away, his posture stiff. He didn’t look back, but I heard the crack in his voice. I took a step forward before he could disappear into the shadows. "Phanos." He stopped, his back still facing me. "What?" "You think we’ll survive this?" My voice was steadier than I felt. A heavy silence settled between us. Finally, he exhaled. "We don’t have a choice." I frowned. "That’s not an answer." At last, he turned to face me. His piercing blue eyes gleamed under the moonlight, cold and unreadable. "If you’re looking for reassurance, you won’t find it here, Valkyrie." His lips curled into something that might have been a smirk—if not for the emptiness behind it. "Get some rest. You’ll need it." Then he was gone, swallowed by the darkness. I let out a slow breath, my fingers tightening around the hilt of my sword. Sleep? As if that were possible. The King’s army was vast. Organized. I
ValkyriePhanos exhaled sharply and stepped back.“Enough for tonight. Go rest.”I blinked. “What?”“You heard me.” His voice was firm, leaving no room for argument. “Tomorrow, we ride to the central camp. We need more warriors.”I hesitated. “Phanos, I—”He turned away before I could finish. “You need to be at full strength.”That wasn’t what I meant, but the exhaustion in his voice told me there was no point in arguing. Still, unease curled in my stomach.“Phanos.”He paused but didn’t look at me.“What if… what if this war isn’t the answer?” My voice was quiet, but the weight of my words hung heavy between us."Then what is?”I opened my mouth, but no words came. Because I didn’t know."Tell me, Valkyrie. What’s the alternative? Let the king rip apart lives? Steal mates? Decide our fates like we’re nothing but pawns?”“No… it’s not necessarily like that—”“There is no other way, Val.”“Yeah… but…” I struggled to imagine how much blood would be spilled in this game of power."And I
Valkyrie My body was still trembling, still remembering Phanos’ touch, even as I tried to bury the mistake beneath layers of regret. "I'm sorry..." I rasped, tears blurring my vision as I watched him take a step away from me. His body went rigid. I saw the shift in his expression—the way his features twisted, the way something dark and wounded flickered in his gaze before it was buried beneath pure, unfiltered rage. “Sorry?” He let out a sharp, humorless laugh, but there was nothing amused about it. His fists clenched at his sides, his claws still extended, as if he couldn’t stop himself from reacting. “You’re sorry?” I flinched at the sharpness in his tone, at the way the words came out like a snarl. He took a step back from me—just one. And somehow, that single step felt colder than if he had grabbed me and shaken me. “Fuck.” His voice was hoarse, raw. His head tipped back, his jaw tightening as though he was physically holding himself together. I swallowed the knot in my
Valkyrie Phanos claimed me. There was no hesitation, no restraint left in him. The moment I surrendered, something inside him snapped—something raw, primal, unstoppable. His mouth devoured mine, his kiss so fierce and consuming that I forgot everything else. Ragnor. The war. The pain. Nothing existed beyond this moment, beyond the way Phanos’ body pressed into mine, pinning me against the rough bark as if he couldn’t stand even an inch of distance between us. His hands were everywhere—roaming down my sides, gripping my hips, possessive as they explored, daring as they teased. I moaned against his lips, and his answering growl sent a delicious shiver through me. “Say it again, Valkyrie,” he murmured, his voice like smoke and embers against my skin as he dragged his lips down my throat, claiming, tasting, marking. A sharp gasp tore from my lips as his teeth grazed over my pulse, not quite biting, but threatening to. “Say what?” I barely recognized my own voice—breathless, wr
Valkyrie The words settled between us. I swallowed hard, feeling the weight of his confession press against my ribs. I wanted to say something—anything—but my thoughts tangled with everything unspoken. Phanos’ red eyes never wavered, burning into me as if he were trying to strip me bare, to see beyond my words, beyond my choices. Finally, he exhaled sharply, shaking his head. “You should go inside,” he said, voice taut. “Rest before the battle.” I hesitated. That’s it? He had pushed, provoked—and now he was just letting it go? But there was something in the set of his jaw, the way his hands curled into fists at his sides, that told me this wasn’t surrender? This was restraint. And that, more than anything, made me take a step back. I turned, walking toward my tent, but his voice stopped me at the entrance. “Valkyrie.” I stilled. “I meant what I said.” Slowly, I glanced over my shoulder. His red eyes had softened, but they hadn’t faded. “If Ragnor were