Nox’s POV “Greedy,” I mumbled onto her, and withdrew my finger nearly to its tip. Only to add a second finger as I plunged back in. She let go entirely then. Her remaining composure shattered—sanity and pride gone as I filled her with those two fingers and sucked and nibbled, and release gathered around her like an iridescent mist. Fuck! I watched her fall apart beneath me, my wolf growling in approval. Gods, I should have done this long ago. But no, this was better now—when the craving between us was undeniable. Last night, when she came undone, it took everything in me to stop, to leave her before I crossed a line she might not want me to. Now, though, with her wolf stirring inside her, the bond between us pulsed stronger. I wasn’t sure if she understood it yet—how clear it was to me. Mate. She was my mate. Or maybe my wolf and I had lost our minds in wanting her this much. But whatever it was, I’d kneel at her feet for eternity if it meant giving her t
Nox's POV Hunter appeared at the doorway just as I made to leave. "He came alone." I frowned, the unease prickling at my instincts like a thorn under my skin. Eamon is always slippery, always calculating. “No one else made it through?” Hunter shook his head. "No one. Just him this time." I snorted, a low, derisive sound. “Alone. How convenient.” Eamon was never alone unless he had an angle to play. “What about his wife?” “Didn’t bring her,” Hunter replied, eyes flicking to the direction of the chamber where Eamon waited. “That bastard’s never been this... fishy.” “Maybe struggling to keep a title that isn’t his finally made him slippery enough,” I muttered, walking down the hallway. "Should’ve turned him away at the border," Hunter muttered. “Would’ve saved us all this headache.” A smirk tugged at the corner of my mouth. "That would’ve tipped him off. He came here to learn something. Whatever it was. We send him back now, and we’re playing what
Nox’s pov “What is it?” I demanded of Hunter as I reached him by the ground hall. “The rogues.” He simply said. I narrowed my gaze, weighing the possibility of another attack. No, that wasn’t it. Not this soon. “What happened?” “One’s dying. He’s refused to eat for days now, and we can’t risk taking him to the infirmary without raising suspicion.” “Then get Viktor. Have him meet you at the dungeon,” I ordered. “I’ll be there once I’m done with the spy.” Hunter hesitated, his eyes flicking to me. “Is Draven on duty for you? I haven’t seen him. Surprised you didn’t send him to track the rogues’ camp.” That too—his absence was starting to drag on too long. Something twisted in my gut. “He’s at Moonveil Pack, keeping an eye on Eamon. Tracking his moves and... a few other things. But now that you mention it, his silence is concerning.” Hunter’s jaw tightened. He was thinking what I was—if Draven had been discovered, the consequences would be severe.
Willa’s POV “Is the Alpha alright?” Gaia’s voice cut through the stillness like a blade, jolting me from my thoughts. I blinked, focusing on her. “What?” I stammered, still shaken. “Why do you ask?” She tilted her head, studying me, her brow furrowed in quiet suspicion. “You look... off. Like something happened. Was there an attack?” “No,” I answered too quickly, my throat tightening. I forced a calmness I didn’t feel. “There’s no attack. Everything’s fine.” Gaia wasn’t buying it. Her eyes narrowed, though her posture relaxed slightly as she leaned against the railing, arms folded. “You seem... closer to him now.” Heat flared up my neck and into my cheeks. I could feel it spread across my face, betraying me. I turned away, swallowing hard as I tried to push down the flush rising in my skin. “It’s not like that,” I said quickly, my voice stiff. “It’s... just political. A bargain.” Her lips twitched into a half-smile, but she didn’t press the issue. B
Nox’s POV I sat behind my desk, the small note in my hand like a ticking bomb. One single line, scrawled hastily, almost like an afterthought. Hunter stood in front of me, his arms crossed, eyes narrowed as he leaned forward slightly, reading the strain on my face. "What does it say?" he asked, his voice low and cautious. I ran a thumb over the paper, crumpling it slightly. "He wants to meet," I sighed, throwing the note down on the desk. "At the lake." Hunter’s brow furrowed, and he ran a hand through his blonde hair, the gesture revealing his unease. "Are you serious?" His voice was sharp now, disbelief coloring his tone. "And you're going to go?" I nodded, even though every part of me rebelled at the thought. "I have to." Hunter exhaled loudly. "You think this is smart? After all this time, Vad suddenly asks for a meet-up. That doesn't feel like a red flag to you? It's not like him, Nox. He’s never done this before. Why now?" I groaned, leani
Willa's POV My heart pounded, heavy and frantic, as if it were trying to escape my chest. But it wasn’t fear of getting killed that caused the turmoil—it was what I’d just learned. Two of them. Two Noxs. I stared at the pair of Alpha males before me, identical in every way that mattered. The same sharp jawline, the same arrogant smirk. No one had warned me just how alike they were. Damn it. I’d just learned of him having a sibling today. If I hadn’t followed Nox here, I wouldn’t know which was the Alpha of the pack and which wasn’t. Twins. I should have guessed this morning when I found out about his brother. But seeing them side by side… it was terrifying. Nox stood between me and the other—the one with the dark glint in his eye that sent a shiver down my spine. His smile, that smile—I’d seen it before. In my first days here, and even a week ago when I thought Nox was just being his usual arrogant self. But no, this wasn’t Nox. This was Vad. The banished bro
Nox’s POV “Don’t take another step toward her,” I ground out, my voice low and edged with warning. Vad ignored, not the slightest bit concerned. He kept his eyes on Willa, and something inside me snapped. He stood just barely two steps away, his shoulders loose, his face a mask of casual disdain. But I knew better. I could see it—the flicker of madness behind his eyes, that ever-present hunger lurking in his smirk. If our roles were reversed, if he had to deal with half of what I had, he would’ve burned this place to the ground by now. Hell, he’d have lit the match himself, grinning while the flames swallowed everything whole. But that’s the difference between us. I keep my control. I have to. My wolf, however, was another story. It growled, scraping at my skin, desperate to be unleashed, but I held it in check. Barely. It took everything I had not to lunge at Vad as he smirked, his gaze shifting—drifting too close to her, and my chest tightened, heat rising i
Willa’s POV Nox’s study was much suffocating this time and I wasn't sure which was better. The woods or here. He wasn’t calm—not even close. I wasn’t either. Hunter stood by the door, his presence careful, watching us with a hawk’s eye. I could feel his unease. He knew better than to interrupt when things were this volatile, I haven't seen Nox this—this apprehensive or furious before… it frightened me more than I would have liked. His face had twisted into something horrible in the woods. And I’d never known such fear. But at least now I knew who Vad is. Now I knew there were two of them. And that madness may show up anytime. Nonetheless, Hunter voiced his words. “Alpha... while you were gone, the pack received a message from your brother, Vad.” There was no hiding that fact from me again. That Vad was the Alpha’s brother. And I wondered why I never asked about the identity of Vad before. Damn, the heavens. “What did he say?” His fa
Nox’s POV My body coiled tight, steel cables ready to snap, every sinew screaming to tear Eamon apart. Rage crackled deep in my chest like electricity—one heartbeat, two— I didn’t even realize I’d moved until Eamon’s voice stopped me cold. “Not. Another. Step." Eamon's voice was glacial. My claws ached to sink into his flesh, my wolf howling in frustration. Willa’s wide eyes met mine, and I saw the fear there—the fear I never wanted to see on her face again. But beneath it, there was anger too, a fire that hadn’t been extinguished. It made my chest tighten, a sick mixture of fury and helplessness. “Let her go,” I growled, my voice raw and guttural. Eamon smirked, his claws flexing against her skin. “Oh, I don’t think so. You make one wrong move, and I’ll slit her throat right here.” Willa winced as his grip tightened, and my entire body tensed, the mate bond hammering through me like a second heartbeat. My wolf pushed harder against my control, despe
Nox’s POV The night pressed down like a curse, sharp and unforgiving. The air was thick, heavy with ash, and carried the weight of a thousand untold stories. It reminded me of sharp fangs sinking deep into flesh—relentless, excruciating, and unyielding. Rest was a luxury we couldn’t afford, and complaints felt pointless now. Once this ends, Willa will learn the truth about what indeed happened to the second man she had been accused of killing. Draven was on it already, and I'm certain she would get the hang of it quickly. Maybe there was a bright end to this after all. My eyes swept across the maw of the mountain. The Ash Eyes Pack. Once, they were revered. Legends spoke of their lands—a paradise enriched by volcanic soil that made their harvests plentiful and their people untouchable. But that was all gone now, like ash falling from the sky and disappearing into the wind. No one spoke of what had happened. It was as if an unwritten rule had silenced their me
Willa’s POV The Blood Moon would be here soon, I thought, tightening my grip on the hilt of my dagger. If we survived this night, perhaps we'd celebrate it at last, instead of merely surviving under its light. Maybe this time, it would bring renewal, not more bloodshed. I tore my eyes from the heavens to face the land before me: Gerald’s Way. “What is this place?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper, though the tension crackling through the air ensured everyone heard me. “This,” Nox replied, his voice smooth, almost indifferent, “is where it all started for Eamon.” Vad’s lips twisted into a smirk that made my wolf bristle. “This is his true home,” he said, gesturing grandly to the crumbling castle perched on the volcanic mountain. “Where he was born.” The small castle loomed, its jagged towers stretching into the ashen sky. Steam hissed from cracks in the earth, the very air heavy with heat and sulfur. “It’s massive,” I murmured, scanning the da
Astridl’s POV How did I end myself in this situation? I could just punch him and get this over before I regret my next action. But I couldn't bring myself to say the word, to act like I used to. His eyes were still on me, waiting. Gods, he was waiting, and the thought that his eyes were this focused on me, the thought of what my answer would do to my body made me nearly curse out. “Say it, Astrid.” Goddess, why can't he just… “Give me more.” I couldn't care about what we were doing—who he was. “I am at your service,” he grunted, and then he reached between us, his finger snagging the latch of my carry-on and he yanked them off. Metal met the floor. And then the one on my thigh. More daggers off. Then he reached for my pants. He pulled on them hard enough to lift my hips. Buttons popped free, tossing onto the floor. “Goodness,” I murmured. He barked out a short, harsh laugh as he shoved my pants down until one leg was completely free, and
Astrid’s POV Once this was over, my family could finally rest, knowing the man who destroyed their lives would breathe no more. A part of me dreamed of escaping with Asher, finding a home beyond the sea—somewhere far from this chaos. This wasn’t home. It never had been. But first, there was work to be done. Willa would get her pack back. That was why I’d joined the fight, after all. And if I wasn’t mistaken, her relationship with the Alpha might not end, not even when the war ended. I knew the dynamics shifting around me. Willa would likely become the Alpha's Luna, and the tension between Starfall and Moonviel might dissolve into an unexpected alliance. Maybe even merge. Packs up north had done it before. Not that it mattered to me. My focus was singular: kill Eamon and complete my revenge. Then I'd be gone. Everything else—the alliances, the titles, the futures of others—was irrelevant. At least, that’s what I kept telling myself. I c
Willa’s POV Justin's lifeless body lay crumpled on the floor, a pool of crimson spreading beneath him. Astrid didn’t so much as glance at her handiwork as she secured the bloodied fabric back onto her hip—a lethal weapon I'd only just witnessed—gleamed with a deadly shimmer, the embedded daggers barely visible against the rich fabric. She stepped away from the mess, spitting outside the open window like it had been nothing more than a chore. I’d seen that fabric with her but never known it to be a weapon, or so. Vad, on the other hand, seemed invigorated, the gleam in his golden eyes unsettling. His gaze landed on the man who’d called Nox his cousin and that smirk of his grew. "The people you hoped would help you crawl onto the throne are nothing but weaklings," Vad snickered. He stepped over Justin’s corpse without hesitation, his boots smearing red across the floor. "You should’ve stayed in the shadows where you’ve been hiding all these years…” Vad turned.
Willa's POV The air, already heavy, seemed to grow denser as the council members filed in behind the Deacon whose face had gone several shades paler, his composure crumbling like wet paper. The unfamiliar man—their uncle, I guessed—looked utterly stunned, his disbelief written across every line of his face. My gaze flicked to Vad, who was watching him with that infuriating smirk, as if savoring the man’s discomfort. He looked like one who already regretted his move too late. But how will I know, judging that he was one of their bloodline, who knows what could exactly come off them? Only a few guards remained inside—Marcus and two others. I pulled at my sleeve. So, this had been the brothers’ plan all along? How? When? Was I kept in the dark again? Not that it mattered now. What a family dynamic. “What is the meaning of this?” The Deacon's voice cracked with indignation, like a man who'd just discovered he was nothing more than a puppet.
Willa’s POV It wasn’t that I was used to Vad’s presence—far from it. But recently, my wolf had stopped baring her teeth every time he was near. That shift meant something, though I wasn’t entirely sure what. The room felt charged, and I couldn’t tell if it was the tension or just Vad’s inherent ability to turn a space into a pressure cooker. I had come in looking for Nox, expecting a quiet moment. Instead, I found Sylvia, and to my surprise, Vad. Hunter had acted strange earlier, avoiding my gaze when he told me where to find Nox. But soon it made sense. Astrid’s expression gave it all away the moment I walked in on her. The rumor. Of course, there was always a rumor when it came to me, but this one didn’t sting. This one was different. My wolf purred at the thought, and I cursed myself as a flush crept up my neck. My sweater sleeve became an anchor as I pulled it over my palm, pretending to focus on something—anything—other than the weight of Nox’s gaze.
Nox’s POV "How do you know?" I prompted, my voice low and measured. Her lips curved—not quite a smile, more a razor's edge of knowing. "Because I can still feel that cold, shivering stare on me since I arrived. It's a sensation you don't forget.” “Unbelievable," Vad muttered, swirling the amber liquid in his glass before throwing a few into his mouth. “What?" Sylvia's eyebrow arched, a challenge wrapped in silk. "You find something amusing?" “No?” Vad drawled. “It’s always something with you. Ever so dramatic." I watched the interplay, my wolf prowling beneath my skin. Something was off. Vad's unusual calm wasn't lost on me. My twin had always been the type to unravel spectacularly when things didn't align with his vision—a mirror of my own younger self, only I'd learned to temper that rage into something more surgical. "Forgive my brother," I said dryly, rubbing my temple, feeling the beginnings of a headache. "He was dropped on his head enough tim