Ragnor The figure outside the packhouse didn’t move. Their glowing violet eyes were locked onto mine, unblinking. My body tensed as the beast inside stirred, its growl low and menacing, like a warning drumbeat reverberating through my chest. “Alpha!” Dwayne called from behind me, his voice sharp. “Who is it?” I didn’t answer, my eyes fixed on the figure. Something about them was wrong—unnatural. The way the shadows seemed to cling to their body, shifting like smoke, set my nerves alight. “I’m going out there,” I said, my voice like gravel. “You’re barely standing,” Dwayne snapped. “If this is another threat, you can’t face it alone.” I turned to glare at him, my claws extending in a show of dominance. “Stay here. Protect the pack.” Dwayne didn’t back down, his green eyes flaring with challenge. “Not this time. If you’re walking into a trap, I’m coming with you.” A low growl escaped my throat, but I knew arguing would waste time. Without another word, I turned and headed for
Valkyrie One day earlier *** My last cold war with Ragnor left me hollow. The silence between us had stretched like an unspoken goodbye, and now the emptiness echoed in every corner of my being. I sat by the window in my room at the packhouse, the cool moonlight spilling across the floor, bathing me in its indifferent glow. The world outside was restless—wolves patrolling the borders, whispers of rogues in the shadows—but inside, my battle was far more insidious. I pressed a hand to my belly, the faint flutter beneath my palm grounding me. The life growing within me was the only reason I hadn’t shattered completely. But it wasn’t enough to erase the ache of his absence or the sharp pang of uncertainty clawing at my sanity. Nancy entered quietly, her usual energy subdued as she set a steaming cup of herbal tea on the table beside me. “You need to rest, Val,” she urged gently, her eyes filled with concern. “I’m fine,” I murmured, though my hollow tone be
Valkyrie Anna’s golden eyes gleamed as she stood before me, her words poised like a dagger meant to strike. Nancy stormed back into the room before I could respond, her expression livid as her sharp eyes locked on Anna. “What kind of nonsense is this? You come here to extort the Luna?” Anna stepped back, her golden eyes narrowing, but she didn’t falter. “I risked everything to come here. The information I hold could save her—and her pup.” The mention of my unborn child sent a shiver down my spine. Despite the rage simmering in Nancy, I raised a hand to silence her. “Leave us, Nancy.” “Madam, you can’t—” “Yes, I can,” I responded, though my heart raced. I forced my expression to remain cool. If Anna thought she had the upper hand, she was sorely mistaken. Nancy shut the door behind her, leaving Anna and me alone in the tense silence. “So…” I murmured, leaning back slightly. “You sneak into my home uninvited, spin a vague tale of danger, and expect me to hand over m
Valkyrie “Ragnor doesn’t want to see me?” The thought of such humiliation gnawed at me. I paced the room, each step heavier than the last, my hand drifting instinctively to my belly. My pup deserved a father, a stable pack—answers. But all I had were doubts and the sharp ache of betrayal creeping violently through me. “Arghh!” I shouted, as a strange sensation coursed through me. A roaring sound echoed in my head—it wasn’t just a noise; it called to me. “Nans…” I whispered, barely able to stand. “Valkyrie!” Nancy’s voice snapped me out of my haze as she burst through the door, rushing to support me. I nearly collapsed into her arms. “What’s wrong with you?” she asked, her voice filled with concern. I shook my head, feeling the blood drain from my face. “I… I felt a strange roar within…” “A roar?” Nancy’s eyes widened in alarm. “Could it be… your wolf has awakened?” I gasped. My wolf? “I… I don’t know…” “Here, sit down. Tell me—what exactly did you hear?” “It just… roare
Valkyrie I stormed through the packhouse corridors, my bare feet slapping against the cold stone floor. Anger boiled hotter with every step, a tempest roaring inside me, threatening to spill over. My wolf, usually quiet and subdued, stirred within me—a wild, unrelenting force that was both unfamiliar and exhilarating. How dare he? The image of Ragnor flashed through my mind: his haunted eyes, the whiskey bottle clutched in his hand, and that broken, tortured expression on his face. It was as if he dared me to walk away. To give up on him. To let him drown in the misery he seemed so determined to embrace. But I wasn’t going to let him. Not because of the mate bond, or because I craved his approval. No, this was something deeper—primal and unyielding. My wolf growled low in my mind, her energy surging like a rising tide. 'We are not weak,' she whispered. 'We are not his prey.' I shoved open the door to Dwayne's office without knocking. The heavy wood slammed
Valkyrie Ragnor’s expression darkened, shifting from confusion to disbelief, and finally to something raw and unguarded. His towering presence filled the room, his aura stifling, as though the air itself grew heavier with every passing moment. “You heard what, Valkyrie?” His voice was dangerously quiet—the calm before the storm. I met his gaze head-on, refusing to cower under his intensity. “Don’t play innocent, Ragnor.” My voice trembled, not with fear but with the rage I had kept bottled for far too long. “The whispers, the rumors—they said she was here. A woman. And she never left. Did you hide her?” His amber eyes widened briefly before narrowing, his jaw tightening as if to bite back words that could wound us both. “You think I would betray you?” His words were clipped, each one cutting like a shard of glass. “You already have!” I shouted, my fists trembling at my sides. “Maybe not with her, but every time you push me away, every time you drown yourself in guilt and self-
Valkyrie The tension between Ragnor and me stretched taut, like a storm waiting to break. The knock at the door shattered what little peace remained. “Come in,” Ragnor commanded. The door creaked open, revealing Dwayne. He stepped inside, his gaze briefly flickering between us before settling on Ragnor. “Apologies for the interruption, Alpha,” Dwayne began, his tone steady despite the weight of his words. “We’ve found traces of the spy—the one who fled earlier. Anna.” I froze, the name sending a chill down my spine. Anna. That woman. “What about her?” Ragnor demanded, his posture rigid, his authority filling the room. “She was sighted near the southern border,” Dwayne reported. “Our scouts picked up her trail, but someone helped her cover her tracks before we could intercept her. There’s more.” He hesitated, glancing at me as if debating whether to continue. “Speak freely,” Ragnor barked, his patience visibly thinning. Dwayne nodded. “The trail didn’t just lead to her escape.
ValkyrieRagnor’s words were fierce, resolute, but there was a shadow of fear in his voice. It wasn’t like him to falter—not even for a moment—and the crack in his composure unsettled me.“I want to believe you, Ragnor,” I said, forcing my voice to remain steady. “But trust isn’t something that can be given—it has to be proven. If you want me to stand by you, to fight with you, I need more than just promises.”His jaw tightened, and for a fleeting second, a flicker of hurt crossed his face before he masked it with his usual stoicism. “What do you need from me?”I hesitated, my heart hammering in my chest. “The Reclaiming Ceremony.”He stiffened, his eyes narrowing with an edge of apprehension. “Valkyrie—”“No,” I interrupted, cutting him off before he could continue. “No more delays, no more excuses. If you want to prove that you’re committed to me and to our bond, then stand before the pack and claim me as your Luna. Publicly. Without hesitation.”His gaze locked onto mine, the inten
Valkyrie A sharp pulse of energy surged through my veins, and I gasped, doubling over as an unbearable heat spread beneath my skin. It was awakening against my will. The king watched me with rapt fascination, his golden eyes gleaming like victory has already his by now. "That's, My Dear. The last remnants that inside you." I forced myself upright, my breaths ragged. "I don't care whatever it is. But, one thing for sure... it doesn’t belong to you!" "Oh, but it does." He raised a hand then darkness radiated around like a mist. "You were never meant to keep it, Valkyrie. You were merely a vessel—a temporary holder of something far greater than yourself." I clenched my fists, fighting against the unseen force that pressing down on me. "If... if you think I’m just going to let you take it, then you’re even more delusional than Elyra was!" He chuckled. "Ah, but unlike Elyra, I do not intend to ask for it." A sudden wave of pressure slammed into me, stealing my bre
Valkyrie The darkness which swallowed me before now turned into something solid. The moment my feet touched it, o felt the suffocating presence of dark magic pressing against my skin like an unseen weight. It was everywhere, clinging to the very stones of the palace walls, seeping into the floors, the torches, the very fabric of this cursed place. "What the hell..." I muttered, barely audible. The cold biting into me despite the warmth of the flickering firelight that lined the grand hall. "Shhh... Valkyrie. Just enjoy the very moment." The king’s hand remained firm around my wrist, his grip unyielding, but not cruel. It was a claim. A reminder. "You feel it, don’t you?" His voice was smooth, almost amused, as he watched me take in my surroundings. "What have you done?" I shot back. I couldn't shake the uneasy feeling of this strange energy. I remembered something. Back when Elyra has overcome her power and attacked me back then. "It's an art." "No! It's not!
Valkyrie “Ragnor!” I lunged toward him, but the crushing force only grew stronger, pinning me in place. It felt like a thousand invisible hands clawing at my limbs, pressing me down as if I were nothing more than an insect beneath the king’s gaze. Ragnor's body trembled, his hands clawing at the ground as if he were fighting something within himself. His breath came in short, ragged gasps. The king chuckled, stepping closer. “Such resistance. Admirable, really. But pointless.” Ragnor lifted his head, his jaw clenched so tightly I thought his teeth might shatter. "You…” he growled through gritted teeth, “will… never… control me.” The king sighed as if bored. Then, with a mere flick of his hand, an invisible force wrenched Ragnor off his knees, lifting him into the air. "Oh, how easily they break. Even an Alpha." His voice was smooth, taunting, as he watched Ragnor struggle against the invisible force crushing him to the ground. His smirk deepened, enjoying the way Ragnor’s bod
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