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 The rest of the ceremony unfolded in a blur. Smiling faces surrounded me, cheering voices filled the air, and Ragnor’s steady hand in mine was a comforting anchor. Yet, beneath the surface, unease gnawed at me, a hidden predator waiting to strike. I forced a smile, nodding and murmuring polite responses as pack members approached to congratulate us. My hands trembled slightly, and the ghost of that haunting voice continued to echo in my ears. “Are you all right?” Ragnor leaned in, his deep voice low enough that only I could hear. “I’m fine,” I lied, the smile on my lips brittle. “Just... overwhelmed.” His sharp eyes studied me, his brow furrowing slightly. For a moment, I thought he might press further, but instead, he nodded. “Let’s enjoy tonight. You deserve this.” “Yes... yes, of course,” I stammered. “You go ahead. I’ll join you in a moment.” Ragnor hesitated but eventually nodded, releasing my hand and stepping away to mingle with the pack. The celebration continu
Ragnor The sudden tension in the air snapped me out of the haze of desire, my chest tightening as the weight of my emotions shifted in an instant. Valkyrie pulled away from me, her brow furrowed, concern lacing her voice. “Ragnor, what’s wrong?” she asked again, her eyes searching mine. I didn’t want to worry her, but I could feel something deep within me stirring—something that wasn’t my own. Something insistent. “I…” I started, but my words faltered. I glanced toward the window, toward the vast expanse of the packlands that lay beyond the walls of the packhouse. My senses stretched, reaching for something I couldn’t quite grasp. The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end, and then I felt it. Her presence. Elyra. The nymph’s call had echoed in my mind like a pulse, sharp and demanding, a beckoning I couldn’t ignore. She had always known how to reach me—how to pull me in with her wiles, her beauty, and the strange, dangerous power she wielded over me. I clenched my j
Valkyrie“What is it, Luna?”Dwayne’s voice jolted me back, grounding me in the present even as my mind reeled. His sharp gaze pinned me, searching for an answer I wasn’t ready to give.I swallowed hard. “I thought… I heard something.”His expression darkened. “What did you hear?”My heart slammed against my ribs, the name pressing against my tongue like a forbidden curse. I didn’t want to say it. I shouldn’t say it.But the whisper coiled around me, relentless, inevitable.Elyra.A shiver crawled down my spine. My breath hitched.“The Nymph Queen,” I murmured, barely above a whisper.Dwayne flinched. Even he wasn’t immune to the weight of that name.“Then we’re close to their kingdom.” His voice was careful, measured, but his unease bled through. His eyes swept the darkened forest, scanning for what he already knew lurked beyond the veil.I swallowed against the tightness in my throat. I didn’t need to answer.Because I knew.She was here.Somewhere. Watching. Waiting.A sudden tremo
VALKYRIEThe wind stirred as I walked away, lifting my cloak in ghostly waves. Behind me, Phanos’ silence stretched—a tether I refused to acknowledge.I had made my choice.I had to.The path ahead loomed dark, winding through towering trees and tangled underbrush, leading us toward the realm of the Nymphs.Few had taken this journey. Even fewer had returned.Beside me, my warriors moved in silent formation, their senses sharp, their eyes ever-watchful.I had left Phanos’ pack for good. It hadn’t been easy—but it had been necessary.A moment ago, our eyes had met in a fleeting exchange, heavy with everything we wouldn’t say. He hadn’t spoken. Hadn’t tried to stop me.But I knew better.He was aching."Poor little girl," Genna scoffed, her voice curling in my mind, sharp as steel. "Running away won’t change what’s in your heart."I ignored her.I wouldn’t regret this. Never. The mission had to continue.“We’ll reach the northern border soon, Luna,” Dwayne reported, his gaze lingering o
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