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 forest stretched out before me, every tree and shadow carrying memories that I both longed for and dreaded. The familiar scent of pine and earth filled my lungs as the car rode towards the heart of the pack’s territory. The sun dipped low in the sky, casting golden light on the path ahead, but I knew the real celebration would begin when the full moon rose. The pull of the wolf pack had been growing stronger with every mile, tugging me back to where I belonged, yet a strange apprehension settled deep in my chest. After my painful rejection by Prince Darius, the Alpha Prince, I had been away from the wolf pack for years—long enough for things to change, long enough for me to change. As the border came into view, the feeling of crossing into the wolf pack’s territory washed over me, a sense of relief mixed with the uncertainty of what lay ahead. I wasn’t the same girl who had left; I had seen the world outside, and now I was returning to face whatever destiny awaited me he
Valeria “Enough!” His voice was a low growl, and even though he was several yards away, the power in his tone sent a chill down my spine. As he closed the distance, I could feel the gravity of his authority settling over me like a heavy cloak. The pack members who had been bustling about preparing for the celebration stopped in their tracks, all eyes turning toward the Alpha King and to me. My heart pounded in my chest as the Alpha King’s gaze swept over me, then shifted to the three Alphas standing beside me. His lips pressed into a thin line, his displeasure evident. I didn’t know what he had heard, but whatever it was, it had drawn his attention, and I could sense that this confrontation was far from over. “Valeria, you are not done with serving your banishment terms. Returning to the wolf pack without my permission is strictly forbidden. And worse still,” the Alpha King’s voice was echoing in the large room. “You’ve disrupted the balance of this pack. Your presence here has c
Valeria The moment the words left my mouth, declaring Kade, Aiden, and Rylan as my mates, the weight of the entire council’s judgement fell on me like a crushing wave. Every eye in the room turned to me, wide with disbelief and silent condemnation. My heart raced, not from fear, but from the certainty that what I had just done was right. I had known, even as I stood before the Alpha King’s throne, that this decision was more than just about love. It was about power. It was about rewriting the future of the wolf pack. The air in the council hall was thick with tension, the silence stretching on for what felt like an eternity. Then, like a thunderclap, the Alpha King’s voice rang out, shattering the silence. “Unacceptable!” His roar reverberated through the stone walls of the hall, and the council members flinched at the fury in his tone. I forced myself to meet his gaze. His eyes were blazing, not with disappointment or disbelief, but with pure, unbridled rage. “You dare to defy m
ValeriaThe burden of the accusing eyes feels like a physical blow. I can hardly breathe as the Beta’s voice echoes through the hall, his finger pointed directly at me.“Valeria,” he snarls, his voice sharp and cold. “You’re the reason the Alpha King and his family are dead.”What the…?I stand frozen, the words crashing into me. My chest tightens as disbelief floods my veins. How could they possibly think I had anything to do with this? My heart pounds, but I keep my head high, refusing to show the fear bubbling inside. I open my mouth to speak, but Aiden is faster.“That’s ridiculous!” Aiden’s voice cuts through the tension like a blade. “Valeria didn’t do this. She couldn’t have. We all saw what happened—their deaths were unnatural.”Rylan steps in next, his tone dangerously low. “There’s no proof tying her to any of this. Accusing her without evidence is reckless.”I glance at them, relief softening my shoulders. At least I’m not alone in this. But as my eyes shift toward Kade, ho
KadeThe chaos in the hall still hums in my ears, a deafening roar of accusation, disbelief, and fear. The Alpha King and his family—dead. I can’t wrap my mind around it. The sight of them collapsing, one after the other, their bodies convulsing in pain before falling still—it plays on a loop in my head, and my chest feels tight, like I can’t get enough air.I’m still frozen, standing in place as if my feet are anchored to the floor. I remembered Valeria’s eyes as they looked at me, the pleads in them. Pleading for something, for belief, for trust, for me to step forward and say something, anything. But my throat was dry, and the words had to stick to the back of my tongue. I just watched dumbly as she was dragged away by the guards. But what was I to do? Defend a murderer?‘She isn’t a murderer… yet,’ my wolf, Kenny, reminded me.Valeria was innocent until proven guilty, but why was I convinced that she was already guilty of the crime?“Are you just going to stand there and do nothi
Rylan The tension in the room was suffocating, like a thick fog I couldn’t escape. I paced back and forth, my boots scuffing against the wooden floor. Every time I tried to sit down and think clearly, my wolf, Rue, stirred restlessly within me, urging me to act.A death sentence.The words rang in my head like a death knell, louder and louder with every passing second. Valeria was facing execution for something I was certain she didn’t do, and I couldn’t sit here and let it happen. I couldn’t just watch her be torn from this world while the real culprit likely walked free.I clenched my fists, trying to contain my rising fury. Rue’s voice growled in my mind, sharp and insistent.“Enough pacing, Rylan. You know what we have to do.”“And what’s that? Start a war?” I muttered under my breath. “You want me to challenge the entire council and get myself killed in the process?”Rue’s growl rumbled low, sending a shiver down my spine. “If it means saving her, yes.”I sighed, rubbing the bac
AidenThe cold night air bit into my skin as we crouched in the dense shadows near the pack’s prison. I kept my breathing even, forcing myself to stay calm despite the storm raging inside me. The moonlight filtered through the treetops, casting long, shifting shadows over the hard-packed ground. The prison loomed ahead, dark and imposing, its walls a reminder of the judgement Valeria didn’t deserve.Rylan crouched beside me, his fists clenched so tightly his knuckles were pale. “The guards shift positions every fifteen minutes,” he whispered. “If we move now, we have a window.”Kade was on my other side, silent and still. He hadn’t spoken much since we agreed on this plan, and I wasn’t sure if it was anger or guilt that kept him quiet. Maybe both.“Are you sure about this, Aiden?” Kade finally asked, his voice low but sharp.I turned my head slightly, my eyes locking with his. “I wouldn’t be here if I wasn’t.”“She’s our mate,” Rylan growled softly, his tone laced with frustration. “W
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
RylanThe moon was high, casting a cold glow over the trees as I slipped out of the packhouse at midnight. My steps were quiet, deliberate, as I made my way through the shadows, avoiding any attention. It had become routine to meet in secret like this, but tonight, something felt different. The weight of the decision we were about to make hung heavily over me, even as I tried to shake the unease that had been building.When I arrived at the clearing, Kade, Aiden, and Jeric were already there, their figures barely visible in the dim light. Kade gave me a nod, and Aiden leaned against a tree, arms crossed as he always did when he was lost in thought. Jeric, however, was pacing, his hands shoved deep into the pockets of his jacket.“We need to move fast,” Jeric said the moment I stepped into the clearing, not wasting any time with pleasantries. “I’ve already started the campaign for Valeria’s coronation as Luna Queen. There’s strong opposition, of course, but I’ve handled worse. People a