ValeriaThe night air felt thick as I stood before Malachai, my heart pounding with the weight of his words. Valeria Nightshade. The name echoed in my mind, unfamiliar and unsettling. I crossed my arms, narrowing my eyes at him, trying to keep my composure.“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said firmly. “I’m Valeria Blackthorn. The Nightshades are… they’re dead. The royal family was wiped out… the Alpha King and his entire bloodline.”Malachai’s lips curled into a smile, dark and knowing. His eyes, gleaming with amusement, seemed to pierce through me. “Is that what you think?” he asked, his voice low and mocking. “Do you really think that’s the whole story? Or do you just believe whatever you’ve been fed by those around you?”I clenched my jaw, resisting the urge to snap at him. His arrogance grated on my nerves, but there was something else there, something unsettling, as if he knew more than I could comprehend. He was toying with me, playing on the doubts that had alread
Valeria The moon hung high in the sky, casting a silver glow over the forest as I shifted into my wolf form, my fur rippling under the cool night breeze. The events of the day weighed heavily on me… Mikaela’s incessant jabs, the constant whispers of doubt from those around me, and the looming threat of Malachai’s words still echoing in my mind. I needed space, a moment to breathe away from all of it.The ground beneath my paws was soft, the familiar earth giving me comfort as I ran through the woods. The wind rushed past me, and for a brief moment, I felt free… free of expectations, of doubt, of the burdens that had been placed upon me. It was just me and the wild, a part of me that no one could take away. But as much as I wanted to lose myself in the peace of the night, something in the air felt off, like the shadows themselves were watching.Suddenly, I caught a scent. It was faint at first but unmistakable, Malachai. A low growl rumbled from deep within my chest as I slowed my pac
Valeria The trek back to the packhouse was slow and heavy, my limbs aching with fatigue after the confrontation with Malachai. The adrenaline that had kept me going now seeped away, leaving me drained, both physically and mentally. His threat echoed in my mind, and no matter how hard I tried to push it away, I couldn’t shake the dread creeping into my chest.When I reached the packhouse, the familiar stone walls no longer felt as safe as they once had. The night was still, but it was the kind of stillness that promised a storm. I walked through the doors, the weight of Malachai’s words pressing on my shoulders. His admission of killing the Alpha King and his family played over in my head. The horror of it, the cruelty, was something I couldn’t comprehend. And his determination to destroy me—destroy everything—made it worse.As soon as I entered the main hall, I caught sight of Kade standing near the fireplace, speaking quietly with Callan, his beta. Their faces were drawn, concern ev
ValeriaThe first sign of trouble came with a gust of wind that sent a shiver down my spine, colder than any breeze I’d felt before. I was standing by the window, watching the patrols make their rounds just outside the packhouse. The doubled defenses Kade had ordered were in place, and everyone was on high alert, but somehow, it didn’t feel like enough. There was an undercurrent of unease, a feeling that something was brewing just beneath the surface, waiting to strike.I had barely turned away from the window when the attack began.The ground trembled beneath my feet, a low rumble that quickly escalated into a violent quake. The air filled with a thick, oppressive energy, the kind that made it hard to breathe, as if the very atmosphere had shifted under Malachai’s dark influence. I raced toward the door, my heart pounding in my chest. I knew without a doubt that this was him—Malachai had come.Shouts and snarls erupted outside, and as I threw open the door, I saw chaos unfold before
Valeria The next morning, I awoke to the sound of soft murmurs outside my room. My body ached from the events of the previous day, and my mind was no better—rattled by the lingering darkness of Malachai’s attack and his chilling threats. I dragged myself out of bed, feeling like a weight had settled on my chest, making it hard to breathe, let alone think clearly.As I made my way downstairs, I found Kade, already deep in conversation with his beta, Callan. They were discussing last night’s defenses and the extent of the damage Malachai had caused. But before I could ask any questions, the doors to the packhouse opened, and Jeric walked in, followed closely by Rylan and Aiden.Their presence brought a sense of relief and anxiety all at once. Aiden’s eyes found mine instantly, his face a mixture of concern and frustration, while Rylan looked equally tense. The tension in the room shifted the moment they entered, like everyone was waiting for something to happen.Aiden was the first to
Valeria The night we left Shadowfang, the air was thick with tension. Aiden and I rode in silence for a while, the dark woods surrounding us like a veil, hiding the uncertainty of what was to come. I could feel Aiden’s eyes on me now and then, checking on me, probably trying to gauge how I was feeling, but I didn’t have the energy to offer much.My mind was spinning with thoughts of Kade and his pack—left behind to deal with whatever hell Malachai would undoubtedly unleash.Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Kade standing at the entrance of the packhouse, his strong silhouette illuminated by the dim light from inside. He had tried to be strong, assuring me that everything would be fine, that he and Callan would handle things. But I knew better. I knew that leaving them behind meant putting them in more danger than ever before.“Aiden,” I finally broke the silence, my voice barely above a whisper, “do you really think leaving was the right choice?”He glanced at me, his brow furrowing
MalachaiI returned to Shadowfang under the cover of darkness, the chill in the air matching the cold determination coursing through my veins. I had given Valeria time, allowed her the opportunity to see reason and join me in my conquest to claim what was rightfully mine. But as I approached the packhouse, something felt off. There was no sign of her presence—no flicker of her power lingering in the air, no subtle tug that always drew me to her.I stepped through the doorway, the shadows swirling around me as I scanned the empty hall. The air was thick with tension, but it wasn’t from Valeria. She was gone.Before I could fully process the implications, a voice cut through the silence. “Looking for someone?”Kade’s presence emerged from the shadows like a taunt. His expression was hard, his body tense, and for a brief moment, I considered ripping him apart. But instead, I smiled, cold and calculated.“Where is she?” I asked, my voice low, but the threat clear.Kade crossed his arms ov
Valeria The air in Stormclaw had a different feel to it—less stifling than in Shadowfang, and certainly less tense than I’d felt back in Lycora. Despite the looming threat of Malachai and the chaos in my life, Aiden’s pack had an almost calming effect on me. It was as if, for a brief moment, I could breathe. But still, the weight of what was happening gnawed at me. I couldn’t forget that I had left Kade behind, and that Malachai was out there, searching for me.That night, after settling in for what was supposed to be a quiet evening, Aiden surprised me. He knocked gently on my door, the soft sound breaking through my racing thoughts.“Valeria,” he said, leaning against the doorframe, his usual playful smirk in place. “I was thinking… how about we get out of here for a while?”I arched a brow, curiosity piqued. “What do you mean, ‘get out of here?’”Aiden pushed off the frame and took a few steps closer, his golden eyes shimmering in the dim light of the room. “There’s a place not fa
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