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
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
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
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
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
Malachai I paced back and forth in my chambers, each step more restless than the last. The stone walls, which had always felt cold and unwelcoming, now seemed to press in on me, amplifying the anger simmering just beneath my skin. I couldn’t shake the memory of my encounter with Kade—the defiance in his eyes as he stood his ground, refusing to tell me where Valeria was. That fool thought he could protect her, that he could keep her hidden from me.The thought made me grind my teeth in frustration. It had been days since I’d attacked Shadowfang, and yet, I was no closer to finding Valeria. The idea that she was out there, hiding, slipping through my fingers, enraged me. She was supposed to be by my side, ruling the packs as Luna Queen, wielding her power alongside mine. But instead, she was choosing them—Kade, Aiden, and Rylan—over me. I wouldn’t stand for it.Where the hell was Dorian?I stopped pacing and clenched my fists, feeling the familiar heat of my rage burning through me. Do
Valeria Selene stormed out of my room, slamming the door hard enough to rattle the walls. I let out a long, exhausted sigh, sinking back into the chair by the window. My heart was still racing, a mixture of anger and frustration pulsing through my veins after our heated argument.For days, Selene had been pushing my buttons, sniping at me with snide remarks, and flaunting her connection to Aiden in a way that made my stomach churn. But tonight was the worst. She hadn’t held back—throwing every possible insult at me, from questioning my right to be in Stormclaw to accusing me of using Aiden and the others for my own gain. I had tried to remain calm, tried not to let her get under my skin, but it was impossible. Every word she spoke was like a dagger, aimed directly at my insecurities.I rubbed my temples, feeling a headache creeping in. The moonlight poured in through the window, casting a soft glow over the room, but even the serenity of the night couldn’t calm the storm inside me. S
Valeria The trees loomed around me, their branches swaying in the gentle breeze as I stood in the clearing Malachai had described. The weight of his words from the night before still pressed heavily on my chest. I couldn’t stop my mind from spinning as I waited for him. The morning had passed in a blur, my thoughts entirely consumed by what I might face today.Aiden had asked me where I was going, and I had lied. It made me sick to do so, but I couldn’t involve him in this. Malachai’s warning was clear—come alone, or risk everything. I couldn’t bear the thought of putting Aiden or anyone else at risk because of me. My instincts screamed at me to turn around, to run back to the safety of Stormclaw, but I knew it was too late.I glanced up at the sky, the sun hanging high above, marking the time. Noon. He would be here any minute now.Sure enough, I felt a presence before I saw him. Malachai appeared from the shadows of the trees, his face calm, but his eyes sharp and calculating. He m
KadeI woke up early, a strange sense of unease gnawing at me before my eyes even opened. The air in the packhouse felt wrong, like something had shifted during the night. My first thought was to check on Valeria—she hadn’t been herself lately, and the weight of everything going on was pressing down on her hard. Malachai’s presence loomed over all of us, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that things were about to get worse.I swung my legs over the side of the bed and stood, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. Without wasting time, I headed down the hallway toward Valeria’s room. The closer I got, the more the anxiety in my gut twisted like a knife. When I reached her door, I knocked softly, not wanting to wake her too abruptly if she was still asleep.No answer.I knocked again, harder this time. Still nothing.My pulse spiked, and I shoved the door open. The room was empty. Her bed, untouched. My heart plummeted into my stomach. I stood there for a moment, staring at the emptiness before
ValeriaKade and Rylan arrived at Stormclaw just after dusk, their expressions grim and filled with worry. The moment they walked into the packhouse, I could feel the tension building between us. We had all been through so much together, and now the weight of Malachai’s looming presence hung over us like a suffocating cloud. Aiden greeted them with a tight nod, and they wasted no time gathering in the large sitting room to discuss the situation.Kade’s eyes found mine almost immediately, searching for answers, for reassurance, but I had none to give. I knew he was worried—he always had this way of carrying the weight of everyone’s problems on his broad shoulders. Rylan, on the other hand, paced the room like a caged animal, his energy restless, his focus sharp.“I can’t believe this is happening again,” Rylan muttered under his breath as he stopped by the fireplace, running a hand through his tousled dark hair. “We barely got out of the last attack alive, and now we’re dealing with M
Valeria The cold air bit at my skin as I walked back to the packhouse, my body moving on autopilot while my mind spun wildly, trying to process everything that had just happened. The truth about my past. The deception. My family. The weight of it all pressed down on me, suffocating, squeezing the breath from my lungs. I could still see Malachai’s eyes, the way he had looked at me, as if he had all the answers to the questions I didn’t even know how to ask. My parents, the Alpha King, Prince Darius—it was all a twisted, horrifying reality that I was now a part of.And what was worse, a part of me—no matter how small—couldn’t help but wonder if Malachai was right.By the time I reached the packhouse, I felt as though I were in a daze. I barely registered the familiar surroundings, or the soft warmth of the building as I pushed open the front door. My legs were weak, trembling beneath me, but I forced myself to keep moving.I didn’t expect to see Aiden so soon. He appeared at the top o
Valeria The trees loomed around me, their branches swaying in the gentle breeze as I stood in the clearing Malachai had described. The weight of his words from the night before still pressed heavily on my chest. I couldn’t stop my mind from spinning as I waited for him. The morning had passed in a blur, my thoughts entirely consumed by what I might face today.Aiden had asked me where I was going, and I had lied. It made me sick to do so, but I couldn’t involve him in this. Malachai’s warning was clear—come alone, or risk everything. I couldn’t bear the thought of putting Aiden or anyone else at risk because of me. My instincts screamed at me to turn around, to run back to the safety of Stormclaw, but I knew it was too late.I glanced up at the sky, the sun hanging high above, marking the time. Noon. He would be here any minute now.Sure enough, I felt a presence before I saw him. Malachai appeared from the shadows of the trees, his face calm, but his eyes sharp and calculating. He m
Valeria Selene stormed out of my room, slamming the door hard enough to rattle the walls. I let out a long, exhausted sigh, sinking back into the chair by the window. My heart was still racing, a mixture of anger and frustration pulsing through my veins after our heated argument.For days, Selene had been pushing my buttons, sniping at me with snide remarks, and flaunting her connection to Aiden in a way that made my stomach churn. But tonight was the worst. She hadn’t held back—throwing every possible insult at me, from questioning my right to be in Stormclaw to accusing me of using Aiden and the others for my own gain. I had tried to remain calm, tried not to let her get under my skin, but it was impossible. Every word she spoke was like a dagger, aimed directly at my insecurities.I rubbed my temples, feeling a headache creeping in. The moonlight poured in through the window, casting a soft glow over the room, but even the serenity of the night couldn’t calm the storm inside me. S
Malachai I paced back and forth in my chambers, each step more restless than the last. The stone walls, which had always felt cold and unwelcoming, now seemed to press in on me, amplifying the anger simmering just beneath my skin. I couldn’t shake the memory of my encounter with Kade—the defiance in his eyes as he stood his ground, refusing to tell me where Valeria was. That fool thought he could protect her, that he could keep her hidden from me.The thought made me grind my teeth in frustration. It had been days since I’d attacked Shadowfang, and yet, I was no closer to finding Valeria. The idea that she was out there, hiding, slipping through my fingers, enraged me. She was supposed to be by my side, ruling the packs as Luna Queen, wielding her power alongside mine. But instead, she was choosing them—Kade, Aiden, and Rylan—over me. I wouldn’t stand for it.Where the hell was Dorian?I stopped pacing and clenched my fists, feeling the familiar heat of my rage burning through me. Do
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