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
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
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 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