Valeria The door to Rylan’s room slammed open with a force that shook the walls, and I stormed inside, my heart pounding with fury and betrayal. Rylan stood by the window, his back to me, but I could tell by the way his body tensed that he knew something was wrong. He turned slowly, his brow furrowed in confusion, but there was no trace of surprise in his eyes.“Valeria?” he said, his voice calm, as if nothing in the world could be amiss. “What’s going on?”I didn’t bother with pleasantries. I didn’t have the time or the patience for it. My chest felt tight with the anger I had been bottling up since my conversation with Malachai. That one name—Rylan—had sent my world crashing down, and now I stood here, face to face with the man who was supposed to be my mate, the man who had betrayed me in the worst way possible.“Did you really think I wouldn’t find out?” I spat, stepping closer to him, my fists clenched at my sides. “That I wouldn’t discover what you’ve been doing behind my back?
ValeriaThe air in the council chamber was thick with tension. I stood before the council elders, the weight of the truth heavy on my chest. This was the moment I had been waiting for, the moment I had to set everything straight, no matter how painful it was.“I have called this meeting because the truth about Jeric’s death must be revealed,” I began, my voice steady despite the storm swirling inside me. “Jeric was not killed by Kade. He was killed by Rylan Darkridge.”The room fell into a shocked silence. The elders exchanged uneasy glances, their expressions a mix of disbelief and confusion. But I held my ground, my gaze unwavering as I met each of their eyes.“You all trusted Rylan as one of our own,” I continued, my voice gaining strength with every word. “But his betrayal runs deeper than any of us could have imagined. He worked with the rogues to sabotage my coronation, to prevent me from becoming the Luna Queen. And when Jeric stood in his way, he had him killed.”Elder Marcus,
Valeria After the coronation, the air buzzed with the energy of new beginnings, but beneath that, a darker current was brewing. The war I was about to declare would shape the future of my reign. As Luna Queen, I had to show strength, decisiveness, and a relentless drive to protect my pack. There was no room for hesitation.Standing before my pack, gathered in the grand hall of the packhouse, I raised my voice so all could hear. “The rogues who conspired with Rylan to kill Jeric are enemies of this pack and every pack under our alliance. They threaten our peace, our way of life, and the future of our packs. They have murdered without remorse and plotted to divide us. But they have underestimated us.” I felt the eyes of my pack members on me, some anxious, others filled with the same determination that fueled me. “From this day forward, I declare war against the rogues. We will hunt them down, crush their rebellion, and restore order.”The room erupted with murmurs and nods of approval
Valeria The cold air of the night brushed against my skin as I made my way to the edge of the packhouse, where Kade had been avoiding me since my announcement. I had been prepared for this—knew it was coming—but the weight of what I was about to do still clung to my chest like a vice. When I reached him, he was standing by the tree line, staring out into the darkness, his back to me.“Kade,” I called softly, but the word felt like it barely made a sound in the night.He stiffened at the sound of my voice, but he didn’t turn around. His silence was more painful than any argument we could have had. I took a deep breath and stepped closer, trying to will myself to find the right words. Words that wouldn’t break him any more than they already had.“I’m sorry,” I whispered, my voice barely audible. “I didn’t want it to be like this.”He turned slowly, his eyes locking with mine. The raw emotion in his gaze hit me harder than I expected—pain, frustration, and something I couldn’t quite pl
ValeriaI watched as Rylan was led toward the holding cells, his hands bound in silver chains, his head hanging low. The once-proud Alpha, who had once stood by my side, now appeared utterly defeated. But there was no sympathy left in my heart for him. The betrayal still burned like an open wound, and I couldn’t find it in myself to offer him any kindness—not after everything he had done.He paused in front of me, and for a moment, our eyes met. There was no defiance in his gaze, no trace of the arrogance he once wore so easily. Instead, he looked resigned, perhaps even remorseful. I had to force myself to stay still, to keep my expression cold and detached. I wouldn’t let him see how much this affected me.“Valeria,” Rylan’s voice was hoarse, barely above a whisper, as if the weight of everything he’d done had finally caught up to him. “I’m sorry.”I clenched my fists at my sides, trying to keep my emotions in check. Sorry? He thought sorry would fix this? After everything he had don
KadeReturning to Shadowfang after Valeria’s coronation was like walking into the coldest, darkest night of my life. The weight of it all pressed down on me—the announcement, the betrayal, the gut-wrenching pain of watching her choose Aiden. My heart still ached, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that she was making the biggest mistake of her life, aligning herself with the wrong man.The ride back was silent, but my mind wouldn’t stop. Valeria—my mate—was supposed to be by my side, not his. How could she throw us away so easily? Every time I thought of her standing there, announcing her decision to marry Aiden, it felt like a blade twisted deeper into my chest. But no matter how much it hurt, I knew this wasn’t just about me. Valeria was putting herself and her entire pack at risk.I clenched my fists as the packhouse came into view. The familiar stone walls were supposed to be my sanctuary, a place where I could clear my head, but today they felt more like a cage. My duty as Alpha pu
KadeThe moment I stepped back into Shadowfang territory, the air felt heavier. The tension, the whispers, the sideways glances—it was all there, hanging over me like a dark cloud. My pack wasn’t the same. Not after the fallout with Valeria. Not after everything that had gone down with the rogues and Jeric’s death. I could feel their doubt, their suspicion, like a pulse in the air. They questioned my leadership. And I couldn’t even blame them.I knew what they were thinking. Some of them probably believed I’d had a hand in Jeric’s death. Others thought I’d lost my edge, distracted by Valeria and the mess surrounding the Luna Queen coronation. They weren’t wrong about one thing—I hadn’t been focused on Shadowfang, not the way I should’ve been. But how could I focus on my duties when Valeria was out there, aligning herself with Aiden and preparing for a war she wasn’t ready for?As I made my way to the packhouse, I caught the whispers—low, barely audible, but there. They didn’t need to
KadeIt was late, and I couldn’t sleep. The familiar pull of my mate bond with Valeria still tugged at me, even though I knew it was a one-sided ache. She had severed it emotionally, distanced herself, but the connection lingered, refusing to be broken entirely. My mind replayed our last conversation on a loop, every word, every moment. I kept wondering if there was something—anything—I could have said or done differently. Maybe I should have fought harder, said more, begged if that was what it took. But Valeria was headstrong, and once she made up her mind, it was near impossible to change it.She had chosen Aiden. My chest tightened every time I thought of it. She was going to marry him. How could she not see the danger she was walking into? Aiden wasn’t to be trusted, and even if he wasn’t the one pulling the strings, there were darker forces at play. And now, she was aligning herself with him, distancing herself from me, from the mate bond, from everything we could have been.I go
RylanThe biting cold of the Blackridge mountains was unforgiving, but I barely felt it. The weight of the occasion pressed down on my shoulders far heavier than any winter chill could. Today was the day my father would be officially crowned Alpha of Blackridge, a position he’d essentially held in practice for years, but this was the formal acknowledgment of his power. I stood just behind him, my breath clouding in the cold air as I observed the pack gathered around us.We were a smaller pack, but Blackridge’s strength was undeniable. Every member was hardened by the unforgiving landscape, disciplined by our strict hierarchy. To outsiders, we might have seemed cold and ruthless, but to us, power and loyalty were everything. No one questioned the strength of my father, Eryx, and no one dared to defy him. He had earned this moment through blood, sweat, and countless battles. But as I watched him, standing tall and unyielding, I couldn’t shake the tension that gnawed at me from within.T
KadeThe dawn came too soon. The faint light filtering through the curtains signaled the beginning of another battle, another fight for survival. But for the first time in a long time, I wasn’t dreading it as much as I usually would. Valeria was still asleep beside me, her body curled against mine, her steady breathing the only sound in the room. It was a rare moment of peace, one I knew wouldn’t last.But I didn’t want to wake her yet. She’d fought so hard to bring our packs together, to show everyone, including me, that she was the Luna we all needed. And I’d fought her at every turn, believing I knew better. But now, holding her close, I realized how wrong I’d been.I’d spent so much time worrying about protecting Shadowfang and keeping it separate that I hadn’t seen the bigger picture. Valeria’s strength wasn’t just in her leadership—it was in her ability to unite, to make people believe in something greater than themselves. Including me. I had to stop thinking that my way was the
KadeThe fire crackled in the pit, casting shadows across the stone walls of the meeting chamber. The air was thick with the tension that lingered after every battle, a kind of pressure that sat heavy on my chest. I could feel the eyes of Valeria’s council on me, their judgment hanging in the balance. It wasn’t just Shadowfang’s future that rested on this alliance—it was my own relationship with Valeria. And after all the mistakes I’d made, I wasn’t sure I had the right to ask for their trust.But I had to try. Not just for Shadowfang, but for her.I straightened in my seat, forcing myself to meet the gaze of the man across from me, Valeria’s Beta, Torin. He’d always been suspicious of me, ever since I’d stepped into Valeria’s life. I couldn’t blame him. I hadn’t exactly been forthcoming, especially when I kept Shadowfang’s independence at the forefront. But that was over now. I needed to show them all that I was committed to this alliance.“Shadowfang is prepared to stand with you,”
KadeThe air was thick with the scent of blood and sweat, the sounds of battle echoing around me as I fought through the chaos. Malachai’s forces had come at us harder than I anticipated. Shadowfang’s warriors, Valeria’s pack—everyone was giving their all. But it wasn’t enough. Not yet.My wolf growled inside me, restless, urging me to push harder, to protect them all. But more than anything, I had to protect her.I caught sight of Valeria at the center of the battlefield, her movements fierce and precise as she took down an enemy rogue with a single, brutal swipe. Even now, she was magnificent—strong, commanding, everything a Luna should be. My heart clenched as I watched her, a surge of protectiveness roaring through me. I’d been holding back for too long, distancing myself under the excuse of duty, of responsibility to my pack. But seeing her now, in the midst of battle, I knew there was no more running.She was my Luna. And I was hers.Another rogue lunged toward her, and before I
KadeThe weight of the prophecy hangs over me like a shadow I can’t shake.It’s a prophecy that warns of a “dark king,” a figure who will bring ruin and devastation to those around him. It doesn’t name anyone outright, doesn’t point to me specifically—but I can’t help but feel its claws digging into my conscience. Every decision I’ve made, every step I’ve taken away from Valeria, away from fully embracing our bond, has begun to feel like a pathway toward that destruction.And I’m the one walking us straight into it.I’ve always been devoted to Shadowfang, to my pack. My life, my entire being, has revolved around protecting them, making sure that we stand strong no matter what threats come our way. But as the days go by, as tensions mount and the threat of Malachai grows more pressing, I’m starting to wonder if my loyalty to the pack has been misplaced—if, in my pursuit of keeping them safe, I’ve been dooming Valeria to struggle alone.I’ve failed her.I should be the one standing at h
KadeI didn’t mean for it to get this bad.I stared at Valeria, her eyes ablaze with fury, her fists clenched at her sides. The tension in the room was palpable, thick enough to cut through, and I knew—I knew—that I had crossed a line. But I couldn’t take back the words I had said. Couldn’t undo the damage they had caused.“This isn’t about control,” I snapped, though even as the words left my mouth, I knew they weren’t entirely true. “This is about keeping us safe. Keeping you safe.”Valeria’s laugh was sharp, bitter. “Don’t try to spin this into something noble, Kade. This is about you thinking I can’t handle my role. That I can’t lead without you micromanaging every decision I make!”I winced at the bite in her voice, but I held my ground. “I’m trying to protect Shadowfang. The pack is my responsibility.”Her eyes narrowed, and she took a step closer, her presence commanding the space between us. “Our responsibility. I’m the Luna, or have you forgotten that?”I hadn’t forgotten. Of
KadeThe air was thick with tension as I stood in the center of the war room, staring at the map in front of me. Every detail had been meticulously planned—our defenses, the patrols, the routes we’d take to safeguard Shadowfang from Malachai’s rogues. And yet, something felt off. I couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling crawling up my spine.I trusted my warriors, every single one of them. They were brothers and sisters to me. My lieutenants had fought alongside me for years. We’d faced countless battles together, survived countless threats. The idea that one of them could be a traitor… I didn’t want to believe it.But I couldn’t ignore the reports. There had been small signs, whispers of strange behavior, subtle shifts in communication patterns. Information we should have kept tight within our pack had been slipping through the cracks. Someone was leaking details—strategic details—to Malachai. And now, it was clear that the ambush was more than just luck on his part.I gritted my teeth, g
Kade The report in front of me felt like a weight pressing against my chest, each word sinking deeper into my thoughts. Malachai’s presence was growing, his rogues testing our borders more frequently, and his attacks becoming bolder. This wasn’t just a random series of strikes—he was probing, searching for our weak spots. Every time we fought them back, they retreated, but I knew it was only a matter of time before he found the chink in our armor.Shadowfang had always been prepared, always vigilant. It was my job to ensure we stayed that way. The safety of the pack was my first and only priority, and Malachai was becoming an ever-present threat I couldn’t afford to ignore.I scanned the intelligence report again, noting the details—movements near the eastern border, rogue sightings near our supply routes, a pattern in their retreats that suggested they were mapping our defenses. I clenched my fist, the muscles in my jaw tightening. We couldn’t let this go on much longer.“Alpha?” Ro
Kade The sounds of training filled the Shadowfang camp as I watched my warriors spar under the midday sun. The rhythmic clang of steel on steel, the grunts of exertion, and the sharp commands of our combat instructors were a familiar comfort to me. This was where I belonged—leading, strategizing, ensuring that Shadowfang remained the powerful force it had always been.My pack looked to me for leadership, and I gave them everything I had. Every decision, every battle plan, every word spoken at council meetings was weighed with the same question: how does this protect Shadowfang? I couldn’t afford mistakes. Not with Malachai’s forces lurking in the shadows, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.But lately, the tension between Shadowfang and Valeria’s pack had been growing, and it was weighing on me more than I wanted to admit. My bond with Valeria should have made things easier—two powerful packs standing united, with their Alpha and Luna stronger together than apart. Yet, the real