ValeriaI couldn’t shake the frustration that gnawed at me after my search for Alaric led to nothing. Days had passed, and I had scoured the pack lands and beyond, seeking any trace of the man who had once seemed to have all the answers. He had warned me, given me cryptic advice, and then disappeared without a trace. Now, I was left to face the looming threat of Kade’s father and the second trial alone.Eira found me near the edge of the forest, pacing as my thoughts spiraled out of control. The trees swayed gently in the wind, the sounds of nature doing little to calm the turmoil in my chest.“You’ve been looking for him again, haven’t you?” Eira asked softly, her voice carrying a weight of knowing.I stopped pacing and turned to face her. “I thought I could find him. Alaric. He seemed to know so much, and I… I need answers. But he’s vanished.”Eira shook her head, her expression both gentle and firm. “Valeria, I’ve asked around. No one here has seen or heard of a man like the one yo
RylanStanding at the edge of the balcony, I stared into the distant horizon, where the sprawling forests of Blackridge met the sky. The pressure in my chest was growing tighter by the day. It wasn’t just the constant demands of the pack—it was the relentless pressure from my father and now my mother, too, to marry Seraphina. I thought coming back home would give me some peace, a chance to regain control, but I hadn’t been able to stop thinking about Valeria. She was still in Shadowfang, with Kade, of all people. My every instinct screamed at me to go back and protect her, but my father was not giving me that choice.“Rylan,” my mother’s soft voice broke through my thoughts, pulling me back to the moment. “You need to think about the future, the pack. Seraphina is a good match.”I clenched my jaw. This was the same conversation we’d had for days now, and I was tired of repeating myself. “I’ve already told you, Mother. I’m mated to Valeria. I can’t marry Seraphina.”“You’ve also told u
RylanI stood in the center of my room, staring at the letter in my hand, the official seal still pressed into the wax. The second trial. It had arrived.Valeria’s name was all over the letter, her fate intertwined with the words, and I couldn’t shake the weight that came with it. I had known this moment was coming, but I didn’t expect it to feel so… final. It wasn’t just about the trial anymore. It was about everything that had been set in motion since Valeria came into our lives.“Are you planning to leave without me?” Seraphina’s voice echoed from the doorway, her calm, collected tone pulling me from my thoughts.I turned to face her, my chest tightening. Seraphina stood there, arms crossed, watching me with those sharp eyes of hers. She had this way of making me feel like I was under constant scrutiny, like every move I made was being analyzed.“I need to go to the wolf pack ,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady. “The second trial is happening, and I need to be there for Valer
RylanKade’s hand gripped my arm firmly, his voice a low growl as he pulled me to a corner of the hall, away from the earshots of the people that were gathered there. I could feel the tension rolling off him, simmering beneath the surface. I yanked my arm free, glaring at him.“What the hell is your problem, Kade?” I snapped, already knowing where this was going but not in the mood for another confrontation.Kade’s eyes narrowed, his gaze sharp as if he were trying to peer into my soul and see what I was hiding. “My problem? You’re seriously asking me that? You brought Seraphina here, Rylan. To Valeria’s trial. Why?”I crossed my arms, doing my best to maintain control. “She’s my fiancée, Kade. Why shouldn’t I bring her?”He scoffed, his hands clenched into fists at his sides. “That’s exactly the problem. You’re engaged to an outsider—someone who has nothing to do with us, with Valeria, or this trial. Do you even understand what this looks like? You’re making a statement, and not a go
RylanThe morning sunlight filtered through the cracks in the curtains as I sat in silence, waiting. My thoughts were a jumble, still tangled from the day before—Kade’s accusations, Aiden’s questions, Seraphina’s sharp eyes watching my every move. None of it sat right with me, and yet I couldn’t focus on any of that right now. Today was about Valeria and the trial that lay ahead.I stood up and left the room, walking down the narrow corridor of the pack’s guest quarters. My footsteps echoed off the stone walls as I made my way toward the meeting with Jeric. Seraphina had stayed behind in our quarters, not entirely welcome at the gathering of Alphas. I wasn’t sure how I felt about that—part of me was relieved she wasn’t coming, but another part of me wondered if she might’ve been better off hearing the details firsthand. Whatever this trial was, it sounded like a nightmare.Kade and Aiden were already there when I entered the meeting room. Jeric stood at the head of the long table, his
Valeria The air in the pack house was thick with tension as I made my way through the corridors. The upcoming trial weighed heavily on my mind, but I couldn’t shake the strange energy that had been following me since the moment I arrived. Everything felt… off. Maybe it was the fact that Kade, Rylan, and Aiden were acting on edge, or maybe it was just the pressure of the trial creeping up on me. Either way, something wasn’t right.I turned a corner, lost in thought, when I bumped into someone. The jolt snapped me back to reality, and I stumbled slightly before regaining my balance.“Watch where you’re going!” a sharp voice snapped.I looked up to see a woman with blonde hair and cold, piercing eyes glaring at me. She was beautiful, in a way that made you feel inferior just by standing next to her. But her expression was laced with disdain as she folded her arms across her chest, assessing me like I was some sort of nuisance.“Sorry,” I muttered, trying to sidestep her, but she didn’t
Valeria I was still trembling as I turned away from Rylan, each step feeling heavier than the last. My heart was breaking, shattering into jagged pieces that cut deeper with every breath. I had to leave. If I stayed any longer, I’d lose my resolve. My chest ached with the finality of what I had just done, but I knew it was the right choice. He had already made his decision by binding himself to Seraphina, and I couldn’t compete with that.But before I could reach the door, Rylan’s hand shot out and grabbed mine. His grip was firm, but not painful, as he pulled me back toward him.“Valeria, wait,” he said, his voice thick with desperation.I froze, refusing to meet his gaze. My body tensed as he moved closer, his presence suffocating, but I didn’t have the strength to push him away. Not again. I felt him step in front of me, his hand still holding mine, as if he was afraid I’d disappear if he let go.“There has to be another way,” he whispered, his voice softer now, more tender. “I’m
ValeriaI stormed out of the room, my breath coming in sharp bursts, heart beating like a drum in my chest. I didn’t know where I was going; I just needed to be away from everything. Rylan, Seraphina, all of it. My head was a mess, emotions swirling in a chaotic storm that I couldn’t control. How could he? How could they all?Just as I turned the corner, too focused on my fury to watch where I was going, I crashed straight into someone. Stumbling back, I blinked up and found myself face-to-face with Aiden.“Valeria,” he said softly, his hand reaching out to steady me. His touch was gentle, cautious, like he could feel the anger vibrating off me.“Get out of my way,” I muttered, trying to shove past him, but Aiden didn’t move. He stayed firmly in front of me, his gaze calm but serious.“I know you’re angry,” Aiden said, his voice steady. “You have every right to be.”I narrowed my eyes, my patience already worn thin. “You don’t know anything, Aiden. You have no idea what I’m feeling.”
KadeWhen I opened my eyes, the harsh light of the infirmary made me wince. The smell of antiseptic filled the room, and the dull ache of my injuries reminded me of the fight with Malachai. My chest throbbed with every breath, the bandages tight against my skin, and my head was still foggy from the blood loss. I tried to sit up, but the weight of exhaustion kept me pinned to the bed.“You’re awake,” came a soft voice beside me.I turned my head, and there was Mikaela, sitting in a chair by the bed. Her eyes were red, probably from worry, but there was also something else there—frustration.“Doctor said you’ll be fine,” she added, standing up to pour water into a glass. “But you were lucky. Another few hits from Malachai, and you might not have made it.”I took the glass from her, sipping slowly. My throat was dry, and the cool water was a relief, but I couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling growing in my chest. Malachai had almost killed me, and he was still out there, plotting his next mo
Kade The night was quiet, too quiet. It had been gnawing at me since the sun had dipped below the horizon, leaving the Shadowfang pack cloaked in uneasy silence. My senses were sharper than usual, every shadow in the packhouse casting doubt, every sound making me tense. Something was coming. I could feel it, like a storm brewing just out of sight, ready to tear everything apart.As I moved through the packhouse, making my usual rounds, I found myself thinking about Valeria—again. She was safe with Aiden, but the distance between us felt like an open wound. I hated being away from her, hated not knowing exactly what she was doing, if she was alright. I knew she was strong, capable, but with Malachai lurking around, I couldn’t shake the fear that something could go wrong. And I wasn’t there to protect her.Shaking off the thought, I kept walking. The weight of my father’s earlier warning still hung over me. “Don’t cross any lines,” he had said, but what did he know about the lines I wa
KadeThe weight of everything pressing down on me was almost unbearable as I walked through the corridors of the Shadowfang packhouse. My mind was still on Valeria—on how much she had been through, how her world had been turned upside down, and how, despite all of it, she was still standing strong. She had gone through so much already, and now she was living with the constant threat of Malachai’s twisted ambition looming over her. I couldn’t help but feel helpless.But I had responsibilities here too. I couldn’t let Shadowfang fall apart while Valeria was away. The pack needed me. The pack needed me.As I walked past the pack’s dining hall, the clinking of silverware and low murmurs of conversation caught my attention. It wasn’t the first time I’d heard this particular voice, but it always grated on my nerves just the same. I paused for a moment, glancing into the room. There, seated at the long dining table, was Mikaela.Her eyes met mine immediately, and the smile that spread across
Valeria The soft rustle of pages turning was the only sound in the library, my eyes scanning the text before me, desperate to uncover anything that might give me some insight into the Nightshade family. I had found the book myself, tucked away in the far corner of the packhouse’s library, one that had piqued my curiosity. It had an old, worn leather cover, its pages yellowed with age, and the scent of dust and parchment filled the air as I flipped through it.The book wasn’t like the others I’d come across; it wasn’t just about history or magical theory—it was a lineage book, a collection of stories and records about the Nightshade family. My heart beat faster with each page I turned. The further I went, the more details I uncovered about the Nightshades’ legacy. They were no ordinary family. This was no mere royal bloodline. This was the family that had been at the center of everything—controlling not just packs, but holding unimaginable power and magic. They weren’t just royalty—t
ValeriaSelene took a seat at the dining table, her eyes flicking between Aiden and me with an air of entitlement. The tension in the room was suffocating, a quiet storm building in the spaces between us. I could feel her gaze burning into me as she delicately placed her hands on the table, giving a sweet, mocking smile.“You know, I’ve always found it amusing,” Selene began, her voice light and casual, “how some people think they’re so special just because they’ve been labeled with a title.” Her eyes darted toward me, thinly veiled venom in her tone. “Being called the Luna Queen doesn’t make you royalty, Valeria. It doesn’t change the fact that you’re still… well, let’s just say, inexperienced in a lot of things.”I clenched my hands under the table, willing myself to stay calm. I wasn’t going to let her rattle me, no matter how hard she tried. But her words still stung, especially with Aiden sitting right there. He remained silent, his eyes flicking between us, clearly trying to avo
ValeriaThe moonlight streamed through the large windows of the packhouse, casting a soft glow across the room as I sat on the bed. My mind was still reeling from my encounter with Selene earlier in the day. It was hard to shake off the tension her arrival had caused, but I knew I needed to focus on more important things—like Aiden. He had been quiet, his face tight with worry ever since Selene showed up, and I could sense the turmoil brewing inside him.I heard the door creak open and glanced up to see Aiden stepping into the room. His brows were furrowed, his shoulders tense. He had been on edge since our conversation with Selene, and I knew it was eating away at him. He paced the room for a moment before sitting down heavily beside me, running a hand through his hair.“I can’t believe this is happening,” he muttered, his voice low and strained. “Selene… of all people, she shows up now. After all this time, when I thought she was—” He broke off, his jaw clenching as if the words wer
Valeria The morning air was crisp as I made my way down the hall, lost in my thoughts. Aiden had been doing everything he could to make me comfortable here at Stormclaw, and for the most part, it had been working. But ever since that woman—Selene—had shown up, I felt a tension in the air, one I couldn’t ignore. It wasn’t that I feared her, but I knew she wasn’t here without reason. People didn’t just come back from the dead without some agenda.As I turned the corner, I wasn’t surprised to see her standing there, leaning casually against the wall. Her blonde hair fell in perfect waves down her back, and she had this smug expression on her face like she was waiting for me.“Valeria,” she said, her tone dripping with false sweetness. “I was wondering when we’d have a chance to talk. Alone.”I kept my expression neutral, refusing to rise to whatever bait she was trying to dangle in front of me. “Selene,” I replied, keeping my voice calm, though I could feel the heat simmering just benea
Aiden I stood in the hallway, watching as Selene unpacked her things, her old room slowly coming back to life around her. It felt surreal, like stepping into a memory that had long since faded, but was now being forced back into focus. She moved around the room with a certain ease, as if no time had passed at all, like she hadn’t been gone for months and everything was still the way it had been before. But things had changed—I had changed.She glanced over her shoulder, catching me watching her. “What? You’re just going to stand there?” she asked, raising an eyebrow with a hint of a smirk.I didn’t respond immediately. I was still trying to wrap my head around all of this, the fact that she was here again, alive and unpacking as if she planned on staying. I leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, my mind running in circles.Selene turned back to her suitcase, folding a shirt neatly before placing it in the drawer. “Well, I guess it’s my turn to ask questions now,” she said, her v
Aiden The moment Selene’s name left my lips, I knew it was going to be a long night. She was standing in the dining room like a ghost from the past, a figure I never thought I’d see again, let alone here, in Stormclaw. My muscles tensed, the familiar scent of her filling the air, though it was tinged with something darker now—something I didn’t recognize.“Aiden,” she said again, her voice smooth and dripping with mock sweetness, “Didn’t you miss me?” Her words were accompanied by a coy smile, one that used to have a hold over me, but now? It just made me wary.I couldn’t respond right away. I didn’t even know where to start. The last time I’d seen her—no, the last time anyone had seen her—she was dead. Or at least that’s what I’d been told. The rumors of her death spread like wildfire, consuming everything in its path. I hadn’t even known how to feel about it back then, but now… standing here in front of her again, I felt like the ground was shifting beneath my feet.Before I could