Chapter 119: Author's POVMara cackled, her voice ricocheting off the cold, the courtyard as Fiona tried to fight through her magic. It was almost too hilarious — the belligerent young wolf, full of fire and fury, attempting to hold her ground. Mara had seen this all before — the resistance, the defiance, the faith that sheer will could do battle against centuries of power. But it was always the same. They never learned.“This is the best you can do little wolf? There was a note of mocking amusement in Mara’s voice. She watched Fiona struggle against the magic, and her age-old eyes sparkled with triumph. “Little flames of yours aren’t going to cut it. There is no fire that can kill me now."Fiona’s hands were still up, the flickering orange of fire dancing around her fingers, but Mara could feel the energy ebbing out of her. She was old—older than most of the men who crossed her path—but not old enough to beat Mara’s decades of practice. Fiona’s flames might roar for attention, but Ma
Chapter 120: Fiona's POVDespite my determination, something had been eating away at the edges of my confidence. I wasn't scared of Mara. No, I had stared down danger before, had dealt with enemies trying to destroy me and my family, my pack. And I had always won out in the end. But this time… this time was different. This woman was not only powerful — she was primeval. Her magic felt like it infiltrated the soil beneath our feet, so that everything felt heavier, more oppressive.Tightening my fists as fiery rage pulsed in my veins, begging me to do something. I had to defend everything — my house, my family, people I loved. And then, just out of the corner of my eye, I saw him.My father.The patriarch of our family, Lucian Ashford, entered the courtyard. When I first saw him, my breath caught in my throat. He had this calming effect on me in the chaos, his presence an anchor in the storm. He was strong, he was powerful, and yet in that instant I was suddenly inundated with vulnerabi
Chapter 1: Jason's POVThey seemed frozen.We watched silently, waiting for some movement, but there was nothing. The puny humans were too dumb to do anything with what they had found.I glanced at Fiona, the lady beside me—the only other person on this mission with me. The look lasted longer than it was supposed to, as my eyes settled on her cleavage that exposed half of her breasts, those beautiful tilts, full and soon to be mine, but hardly heaving. Clearly, she was holding her breath for more stealth.I looked away, back at our targets, once again considering the possibility that they were frozen by the snow. After all, humans generally needed our help to survive in this climate in the first place."Let's go," a man said suddenly.I tensed up a bit as I watched from above, hoping the crew would take the chest with them and leave us with no choice but to kill them altogether. That'd make things interesting.We had no weapons—only our hands, though they could become dangerous claws
Chapter 2Jason's POV I strolled into Frostwood territory, my home. The crate weighed heavily on my shoulder, contrasting with the lightheartedness lingering from my almost-date with Fiona. I shrouded it in mist to avoid drawing attention. I didn't want anyone staring.There was always something refreshing about Frostwood, a charm layered by the humans’ strange touches. I chuckled to myself—humans were so extravagant!With elaborate, multi-storeyed buildings, brightly painted doors, intricate carvings on their walls, and decorations meant to add “warmth” to the biting cold, it was ridiculous!It was impossible, but the werewolves had adapted, taking on the humans’ way of life bit by bit. Frostwood’s buildings were taller, and vainly decorated, far different from how it had been before and a testament to how deeply humans have influenced us. My own people had picked up their habits, woven human touches into our timeless traditions, until the line between our two worlds was nearly inv
Chapter 3: Author's POV Imagine a world secluded on an icy plain, carved from the frozen wilderness of the Arctic and bordered by an ocean. Somehow, life thrived, and magic did too. Werewolf packs emerged, but humans infiltrated as well. The initial migration into werewolf territory was once deemed a problem, and the killing of outsiders ensued. This bloodshed, however, stopped when the werewolves realized they needed the humans just as much as humans needed them. Human ingenuity, vital for innovation and development, complemented the werewolves' ability to manipulate and stabilize the harsh climate. Over time, this mutual dependence forged a fragile harmony—a delicate balance between the ordinary and the supernatural. A mystical mist, birthed by the land's natural magic, shielded fragile human minds from the inexplicable. It wasn't sentient but it did it's work well, blurring werewolf transformations and concealing their secret gatherings, making peaceful coexistence possible. The
**Chapter 4: Fiona's POV** "A Night to My Big Day" As the sun rose over Ashford's elegant estate, joyful anticipation filled the air. The fragrance of fresh flowers mingled with the aroma of baking pastries and the hum of activity. Laughter and the sound of last-minute preparations echoed through the halls as the estate buzzed with life. I stood by the grand windows, gazing at the flurry of activity outside. Cars pulled in and out, delivering decorations and guests. The estate, lined floor-to-ceiling with festive decor, felt alive with energy. A soft beep from my phone drew me away. I picked it up, my curiosity giving way to confusion as I scrolled through the messages. The words blurred, but one phrase seared into my mind: "Jason Frostwood affair!" My breath caught, and the room began to spin. Jason—my loving fiancé, my childhood companion. This couldn't be true. I had to know more. Summoning Maeve, my closest confidante, I paced the room until she arrived. Her grey skirt and l
Chapter 5: Jason's POV I was a mess, tangled in my thoughts. The events of the previous night kept haunting me, gnawing at the edges of my mind. I couldn't shake the feeling that I had crossed a line, and now there was no going back. I had a responsibility to fulfill—a promise to Fiona that I couldn't break, yet I let myself go through with it that night. I unfettered myself and gave myself to another, and in such a way that there was no coming back. Her eyes now haunted me—Lena's. The crystal beauty that I still couldn't place a finger on. I couldn't get her image out of my mind. Her eyes sparkled with mischief, the sound of her laughter filled me with a warmth I couldn't explain. Every glance, every touch, felt electric, like sparks of life igniting within me. My attraction to her now was out of control, the feelings I had impossible to ignore. I tossed and turned on my bed, plagued with confusion, overloaded with arousal. With Lena, everything was raw—uncontrollable, passionate.
Chapter 6, Jason's POVI walked into the large wedding hall feeling very small myself, just because of its size. My confidence reduced a little when I saw how many people kept moving around and especially when I noticed that a couple of them had their eyes on me. Yes, of course, Dad didn't want anything to go wrong, so he naturally sent some people to make sure that I didn't carry out any crazy ideas.I felt super annoyed to be monitored closely by them but decided that it was probably for the best. The time I spent locked up in my room until today was enough time for me to think about everything in depth, and now I was pretty sure that he was right. I needed to do what was required of me. That was the way things worked, the honorable way to go.I knew all the laws of the land and I also had all the unwritten laws memorized. It was one thing if I decided to break the betrothal and reject my mate that had been picked for me since I was a boy, but it was another thing entirely if I want
Chapter 120: Fiona's POVDespite my determination, something had been eating away at the edges of my confidence. I wasn't scared of Mara. No, I had stared down danger before, had dealt with enemies trying to destroy me and my family, my pack. And I had always won out in the end. But this time… this time was different. This woman was not only powerful — she was primeval. Her magic felt like it infiltrated the soil beneath our feet, so that everything felt heavier, more oppressive.Tightening my fists as fiery rage pulsed in my veins, begging me to do something. I had to defend everything — my house, my family, people I loved. And then, just out of the corner of my eye, I saw him.My father.The patriarch of our family, Lucian Ashford, entered the courtyard. When I first saw him, my breath caught in my throat. He had this calming effect on me in the chaos, his presence an anchor in the storm. He was strong, he was powerful, and yet in that instant I was suddenly inundated with vulnerabi
Chapter 119: Author's POVMara cackled, her voice ricocheting off the cold, the courtyard as Fiona tried to fight through her magic. It was almost too hilarious — the belligerent young wolf, full of fire and fury, attempting to hold her ground. Mara had seen this all before — the resistance, the defiance, the faith that sheer will could do battle against centuries of power. But it was always the same. They never learned.“This is the best you can do little wolf? There was a note of mocking amusement in Mara’s voice. She watched Fiona struggle against the magic, and her age-old eyes sparkled with triumph. “Little flames of yours aren’t going to cut it. There is no fire that can kill me now."Fiona’s hands were still up, the flickering orange of fire dancing around her fingers, but Mara could feel the energy ebbing out of her. She was old—older than most of the men who crossed her path—but not old enough to beat Mara’s decades of practice. Fiona’s flames might roar for attention, but Ma
Chapter 118: Fiona's POV“She’s older than I thought,” I said, my voice steady in spite of the fear snaking up my spine. “Maybe 400 years or more. Her power is not merely about natural talent. It’s honed. Ancient.”Ethan’s gaze flickered to mine, the intensity in his eyes matching the weight of my words. “That’s how she’s been able to manipulate so much so quickly.” She has had time to hone it.”As the crowd began to disperse, the estate buzzing with uncomfortable whispers. My parents were still shaking, their faces looking pale, their eyes flicking to my direction, as if trying to comprehend what had just happened. I wanted to comfort them, but there was no time.But before I took another step, the very atmosphere around me changed. It was subtle at first — a ripple, a hum in the air that raised the hairs on the back of my neck.And then she was back.Mara’s shape coalesced in the center of the courtyard, dark and imposing. This time, she didn’t bother with illusions. The real her wa
Chapter 117: Fiona’s POVI wasn’t surprised.As soon as I arrived at the estate I felt her—dark, intrusive energy that didn’t belong. It made me creast, and boiled my blood that Mara walked through my house pretending to be me.It didn’t surprise me that Maeve, standing next to me, noticed the obvious: “She’s going to tell Ethan she’s the real you.”I grinned grimly, clenching the enchanted stone in my fist. “Let her try. Ethan will see through it.”Maeve arched an eyebrow, her faith in Ethan not as solid as mine. “You have a remarkably steady disposition if you’re being impersonated.”“Calm?” I scoffed. “I’m furious. But this is not the moment to hit the panic button. I have to catch her something that nobody can dispute.”Maeve crossed her arms with a twinkle in her eyes. “What’s the plan?”I raised my hand, allowing a small flame to dance on my palm. Waves come in, back out, suck it all back down for another run. “I will call upon elemental fire and bring her true face to light. Ma
Chapter 116: Mara’s POVI sat in her chambers — no, my chambers now. It was strange how quickly I’d settled into this space, how easily I’d commandeered everything that once belonged to her. My fingers rapped in measured time on the armrest of her chair. Servants moved about the estate, oblivious to the storm I was about to unleash on these walls. They believed I was her. Her parents were convinced, as was she. They had all accepted me, no questions asked, no doubts raised. They didn’t know the truth, nor did they need to.But then there was Ethan.Ethan was the problem.He was in the courtyard, pacing, as I had expected. He was never gone, always looking, always hoping for a slip, for something to tell him the truth. His suspicion had been building for days, ever since I had set foot on the property, and I felt it whenever his eyes landed on me, scrutinizing me, as if I were a problem he was determined to solve. It was maddening, but exhilarating. He was a challenge. And I always lik
Chapter 115: Fiona’s POVThe call with Ethan played in a loop in my brain, like a record that had skipped and wouldn’t stop skipping. The more I thought about it, the louder every word got. Someone was out there, wandering through my life, wearing my name, my face — living as me. It was not only unsettling; it sent a chill deep, deep into my bones. That thought clung to me like a second skin, cold and suffocating.Mara. She’d gone too far this time. Way too far.I sat by the fire, gazing into the dancing flames, but the heat did not comfort me. It was a jumble of hazy thoughts and fears I was afraid to voice. Next to me, Maeve quietly packed our things with an efficiency that was almost reassuring. She always knew what to do when the rest of the world seemed to be spinning out of control. Her calm steadiness kept me grounded when I felt like I was falling apart.“Maeve,” I said suddenly, shattering the leaden silence. My voice sounded odd even to me — hoarse and choppy, like it didn’t
Chapter 114: Fiona’s POVThe wood was disconcertingly silent, the sort of quiet that rubbed my frayed nerves raw. The fire crackled low between Maeve and me, the flames’ warmth no competition for the icy dread in my gut. The stars above us twinkled weakly, shrouded in thin clouds that echoed the haze of uncertainty that clouded my mind.My fingers traced the rough edges of the enchanted stone, the cool surface anchoring me. It hummed dully with energy, a slight suggestion of the link still kept with Ethan, however far away he was from us. He hadn’t replied before, and the lack of his familiar voice had made the pit of unease inside me sink deeper.Maeve shifted, her silver hair reflecting in the firelight. She kept her watchful eyes on me. “You’re going to call him back, right?”I nodded, swallowing the doubt that was choking me. “I have to. That’s not right, Maeve. If Ethan is able to hear me, I want to know what is going on.”She didn’t argue. “Good. If anyone can sort out this tang
Chapter 113: Fiona’s POVEverything in the forest had a life of its own; the breeze rustling the leaves and probably having a conversation of its own; the crickets never stinging still to voice their presence and every other moment the long-measured howl of a wolf that shivered down my spine. It was calm, yes, but not the kind of calm that comforts you. No, this was the kind of quiet where something seemed fishy, like the forest itself was holding its breath.I waited at the edge of the rogues’ training grounds, arms folded tightly across my chest, watching Maeve spar with one of the younger recruits. She was working with the thunderstorm — graceful and deadly. Her silver hair shone in the sunlight, the bright color catching the light every time she turned or crouched, which was not unlike the poor lad she was in training with. He was dirty, struggling to breathe as her blows fell on him. But he was clearly outmatched. Maeve did not give him an inch, honestly I didn’t know if she was
Chapter 112: Mara’s POVI walked through the grand hallways of the Ashford Pack’s estate, my steps slow, deliberate. The air was dense with their trust, their respect — a trust I hadn’t earned, but had surreptitiously plundered. They all thought I was Fiona, their beloved queen, the backbone of their beloved export. How quaint to watch them smile beatifically and bow their heads correctly as I passed. If only they knew what really lay under their fragile veil of loyalty.But not everyone was blind. Ethan. His look was the one scratch on my otherwise immaculate performance. I felt his presence, his eyes piercing, like all sharp silence, wherever I went. He stared out into the hall, observing, calculating, doubting — not like the others. And even though he hadn’t formally gone against me, the energy in his presence served as a reminder that I had to watch my step.I wasn’t going to let his scrutiny rattle me. No, I was Fiona in that part; I played Fiona to a tee. I listened to scouts dr