ValeriaAs soon as we stepped into Kade’s study, I could feel the tension radiating from him. The door clicked shut behind me, the sound echoing in the silence that stretched between us. I crossed my arms, narrowing my gaze at him, demanding answers with just a look.“Kade,” I said, my voice firm, “you need to tell me what’s going on. No more secrets.”He hesitated, pacing back and forth across the room like a caged animal. For a moment, I thought he might avoid my question altogether, but then he stopped and faced me, his expression grave.“I don’t know how much you’ve guessed already, but you need to understand how dangerous my father is,” Kade began, his voice low and controlled. “You can’t let your guard down around him. He’ll manipulate anyone, destroy anything in his way. And now, I’m afraid he’s set his sights on you.”I stiffened at his words, my heart pounding in my chest. “Why me? Why now?”“Because of our bond,” Kade replied, his eyes darkening with something I couldn’t qui
Valeria The cool night air hit my face as soon as I stepped outside, a sharp contrast to the suffocating tension that had filled Kade’s study. My heart still sank with anger and hurt, each breath I took feeling shallow and strained. I needed space, needed to clear my mind before I let myself get consumed by emotions. I walked further into the pack grounds, away from the building and toward the forest edge, hoping the serenity of nature might calm me.As I passed the tree line, I spotted a familiar figure near the pack’s healing hut. Eira, the healer, was standing outside, her eyes closed as if she were deep in thought or meditation. The moment I saw her, some of the burden I’d been carrying seemed to lift. Eira has always been kind to me, ever since I arrived here. Her quiet wisdom had a way of soothing even the worst anxieties.I approached her quietly, not wanting to disturb her, but she must have sensed me. She opened her eyes and smiled softly in my direction, her gaze warm and k
KadeThe glass in my hand felt heavy, though it was barely half-full. I swirled the amber liquid inside, watching as it clung to the edges before sliding back down. It was almost hypnotic, the way the whiskey moved, almost as if it had a mind of its own. I took another swig, letting the burn settle deep in my chest. The warmth didn’t soothe the turmoil raging inside me, but for a moment, it dulled the edge of it.I didn’t hear Callan enter the room until he was standing right in front of me, his arms crossed, his expression unreadable. He always had a way of appearing when I least wanted to talk.“Kade,” he said, his voice firm but with an underlying concern, “is this really how you’re handling everything?”I didn’t answer immediately. I wasn’t in the mood to have this conversation, not after everything that had happened. But Callan wasn’t the type to leave well enough alone.“I mean, come on, man,” he continued, stepping closer and eyeing the glass in my hand. “I’ve been with you sin
MalachaiThe room was suffocatingly dark, just the way I liked it. It was easier to think in the shadows, to plan in silence. I sat in my usual chair, a heavy piece of worn leather that had seen more battles than I cared to remember. The only light came from a single flickering candle in the far corner, casting long, jagged shadows that danced across the walls. My mind was a storm, thoughts twisting and colliding like the thunderheads outside.I didn’t stir when the door creaked open. I knew who it was before she even spoke. Only one person had the audacity to interrupt me unannounced. She glided into the room, her movements soundless, her presence cold and calculated.“Malachai ,” her voice cut through the stillness like a blade, “I’ve returned.”I didn’t need to look at her to know who it was. Dorian. She had always been my most trusted ally, perhaps because she was as ruthless as I was… and mostly because she was rogue, without a pack and without an identity. Her loyalty wasn’t som
RylanThe familiar sight of Blackridge pack’s towering trees and the cool mountain air did little to settle the unease brewing inside me. I had returned, but my heart was still in Shadowfang. Valeria. I couldn’t get her out of my mind. The thought of her being there, alone with Kade, filled me with a deep sense of dread. She could take care of herself—she had proven that time and time again—but something about Shadowfang always felt off, like a shadow looming just beneath the surface.As I approached the main packhouse, the usual warmth of coming home was muted by the tension running through me. My family greeted me at the entrance, their smiles wide but not reaching their eyes.“Rylan, welcome back,” my father said, clapping a hand on my shoulder. “We’ve missed you.”I nodded, trying to focus on them and not the whirlwind in my mind. “It’s good to be home.”But before I could even settle into the comfort of familiar surroundings, my mother spoke up, her voice laced with anticipation.
Rylan The cool breeze brushed against my skin as I leaned against the railing outside the packhouse, staring into the forest. My mind was still racing, tangled with thoughts of Valeria and the absurdity of what had just been proposed. How could they expect me to agree to marry someone when I couldn’t even focus on anything but her?The sound of soft footsteps caught my attention, and I turned to see Seraphina approaching. She moved with a kind of grace, her posture calm and composed, but I could see there was something calculating behind her eyes.“I figured I’d find you out here,” she said quietly, stopping a few feet away from me.I straightened, preparing for whatever conversation was about to unfold. “Needed some air.”She nodded, folding her arms and staring out into the distance as if she, too, was deep in thought. For a moment, there was silence, and I wondered if maybe she would let this pass without confrontation. But then she spoke, her voice low and measured.“Why don’t yo
RylanThe next morning, I was in my room, staring out the window at the early morning mist that blanketed the forest. My thoughts were still on Valeria, as they always seemed to be these days. I couldn’t shake the image of her face, the way she had looked at me before I left Shadowfang. How was she holding up? Was she safe? My gut twisted with worry.A knock at the door snapped me out of my thoughts. I sighed, turning to see my father standing in the doorway, his expression unreadable but stern, as usual. He didn’t bother waiting for an invitation before stepping inside.“Rylan,” he began, his voice cold and authoritative, “we need to talk.”I already knew where this conversation was heading. My jaw clenched, but I forced myself to stay calm. “What is it, Father?”He didn’t waste time getting to the point. “You will marry Seraphina.”My muscles tensed at the command. “Father, we’ve already been through this. I told you—Valeria is my mate.”My father’s lips curled into a frown, the lin
Valeria I wanted to believe Kade when he warned me to stay away from his father, to avoid him at all costs, but Kade himself wasn’t being completely honest with me. His warnings were vague, too protective, as if there was more he wasn’t telling me. And I was starting to wonder if he was keeping something from me on purpose. The more I thought about it, the clearer it became—Kade and his father were both hiding something.The unease in my chest wouldn’t settle, even as I paced back and forth in the dimly lit corridor. The air in Shadowfang felt heavy, oppressive, like there were secrets swirling all around me. I couldn’t just sit and wait for something terrible to happen. I needed answers, and I needed them fast.But I couldn’t ask Kade directly. He would either dismiss my concerns or give me more cryptic warnings about his father. No, I needed to figure this out on my own.I slipped out of the packhouse, careful not to draw attention. The cold night air stung my skin as I made my way
Valeria Stepping into the packhouse, I let out a breath I didn’t even realize I was holding. My mind was still spinning from what had just happened. Rogues… they had threatened me, and if that was true, it meant something far more disturbing—Jeric hadn’t been killed by Kade, but by the rogues. The weight of that realization settled heavy in my chest as I walked forward, the packhouse looming before me in the night.Outside, I spotted Rylan. His tall, broad figure was unmistakable, even in the shadows. He was pacing, looking tense and worried, his eyes scanning the darkness as if he were searching for something—or someone. Probably me.I took a deep breath and steeled myself. There was no time to dwell on the fear gnawing at my insides. I had to tell someone, but the pieces of the puzzle still didn’t fit perfectly. Why would the rogues care about me becoming Luna Queen? What was the real reason behind all this?“Valeria?” Rylan’s voice broke through my thoughts as he spotted me. His e
Valeria The rogue leader’s grin widened as he leaned against the stone wall of the small, dark room they had thrown me into. His eyes glinted with amusement, like he was enjoying my confusion. I narrowed my gaze at him, refusing to let fear take root in my voice.“Why should I give up the coronation?” I demanded. “What could you possibly gain from stopping me?”The rogue leader crossed his arms, tilting his head as if considering my question. His features were sharp, hardened by years of living in the wild, away from the structure and protection of a pack. There was a wildness in his eyes that unnerved me, but I kept my composure.“I could ask you the same question, Luna,” he said, his voice low and gravelly. “What’s in it for you? Power? Control? Or is it something more personal?”I kept my face neutral, refusing to let him bait me into an argument. “Becoming the Luna Queen isn’t just about power. It’s about protecting my pack, uniting the wolves against Malachai. You know what he’s
Valeria The morning of Jeric’s funeral came far too quickly. The air was heavy with the weight of loss, and as I stood in front of the mirror, adjusting the simple black dress I had chosen for the day, a dull ache settled deep in my chest. The Beta of our pack—Jeric, my friend and one of my most loyal supporters—was gone. It still didn’t feel real.I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. Today was not about me; it was about honoring Jeric and his service to the wolf pack. But deep down, the growing storm of uncertainty and betrayal gnawed at me. Who could have done this? And why?A soft knock sounded at my door, pulling me from my thoughts. I opened it to find Rylan standing there, his face a mixture of concern and determination. His presence always brought a strange comfort, though today, I couldn’t shake the tension that seemed to hang in the air between us.“Valeria,” he said softly, stepping into the room. “I wanted to check on you before the funeral. Are you alright?”I f
Valeria Sitting on the stone ledge of the balcony, I watched the sky above me, dark and heavy with clouds that threatened rain but never delivered. The stars were barely visible through the blanket of gray, and it felt as though the world was mirroring my internal turmoil. The night air was cool, biting against my skin, but I didn’t care. I had too much on my mind to even notice.Jeric was dead. Kade was being accused of his murder. And now, just days before I was supposed to be crowned as Luna Queen, everything felt like it was falling apart.I rested my head in my hands, my chest tightening as the weight of it all pressed down on me. This wasn’t how things were supposed to go. Jeric was supposed to be by my side, helping me navigate the political minefield, guiding me through the challenges of leadership. And Kade—how could anyone think that Kade would kill him? It didn’t make sense. Kade and Jeric had been brothers in everything but blood. To believe that Kade would betray him, be
KadeJeric’s body had barely gone cold, and already I felt the weight of the world pressing down on me. My heart was shattered, and my mind spun in chaotic loops. Jeric—my best friend, my brother in arms—was gone, ripped from this world by an assassin’s blade. I hadn’t been able to save him, and that failure sat heavy on my chest like a boulder.But even in my grief, one thing was clear: this wasn’t just an attack. It was a deliberate, calculated strike meant to unravel everything we’d been working for. The timing, the location, the swiftness of the blow—it was all too perfect. Jeric’s death was designed to stop Valeria’s coronation and plunge us into chaos. And I could already feel the noose tightening around my neck.The moment I stepped foot back into the pack’s territory, the whispers began. Eyes followed me with suspicion, and the once-familiar faces of my pack members now seemed hostile, accusing. I gritted my teeth, trying to hold it together as I made my way to the heart of th
The night air was thick with anticipation as I made my way to the meeting point. The moon hung low, casting a pale glow over the forest clearing. The coronation was less than twenty-four hours away, and every muscle in my body was coiled tight, ready to spring at the slightest hint of danger.I hated this feeling—the gnawing uncertainty that had settled in my gut over the past few days. I tried to push it down, but the closer we got to Valeria’s coronation, the louder that inner voice became. Something wasn’t right. I could feel it.As I approached the clearing, I spotted Jeric standing by the fire we’d set up for these late-night strategy sessions. His silhouette was tall and steady, the flames casting shadows across his face as he rifled through some papers. Jeric, ever the politician, ever the confident leader, always looked so damn composed.“Kade,” he called out, not looking up from his notes. “You’re late.”“Had to check on security,” I replied, coming to stand beside him. “You
KadeThe sun was setting as I stood by the window, staring out at the training grounds below. Pack members moved with purpose, preparing for Valeria’s coronation. Despite the outward display of unity, I could feel the tension simmering beneath the surface. It was subtle, but it was there—whispers, side glances, moments of hesitation when Valeria’s name was mentioned. Some still doubted her, questioning whether she was strong enough to lead us, to unite the packs and face Malachai’s growing threat.I shook my head, pushing those thoughts aside. Jeric and I had come too far to let doubts derail our plans now. We had the support of most of the key leaders, and once the coronation was done, Valeria would have the authority she needed to solidify her position. Still, something gnawed at me. Seraphina’s presence lingered like a shadow, always on the edge of things. She was no longer openly defiant, but I knew better than to trust her sudden silence.“Something’s not right,” I muttered to my
KadeThe room was quiet except for the soft scratching of pens on paper. I glanced at Jeric across the table, his brow furrowed in concentration as he scribbled notes in the margins of the coronation agenda. His dedication to Valeria’s future as Luna Queen was unwavering, a quality I both admired and relied on. He believed in her, just as I did. Her ascension was not just about securing the future of the pack—it was about standing strong against the threat Malachai posed to all of us. If Valeria could unite the packs under one banner, we’d have the strength we needed to crush him.“We need to make sure the northern pack leaders are on board,” Jeric said, not looking up from his notes. “Without their support, it’ll be hard to get the others to fall in line.”I nodded, leaning back in my chair. The coronation was less than a week away, and the opposition was growing. There were those who still questioned Valeria’s capability, who whispered that she wasn’t ready to lead. But I knew bette
RylanThe night was thick with shadows as I moved through the dense trees, the silence broken only by the soft crunch of leaves beneath my boots. It had taken time to make the necessary arrangements, to ensure that no one would notice my absence from the packhouse. This was a dangerous meeting, one that would raise too many questions if anyone found out. But I didn’t have a choice. The stakes were higher than anyone realized, and I had to take control of the situation before it spiraled beyond our grasp.The rogues had agreed to meet me at the edge of the forest, far from any patrol routes or prying eyes. It was neutral ground, but there was always an underlying tension when dealing with rogues. They weren’t bound by the same rules or codes that governed the packs. They thrived on chaos, on breaking the very order I was sworn to uphold. But tonight, I needed them.As I stepped into the clearing, I saw them waiting. Three rogue leaders, each with their own reputation for violence and c