KATRINAI had been free for only a few days, but already I felt more alive than I had in years. The Luna life had felt like a prison, suffocating me with duties and expectations I never wanted. Now, I was in the wild, rediscovering the parts of myself that had been lost. The road ahead was rough and lonely. My car had run out of fuel miles ago, forcing me to continue on foot. The night was pitch black, the kind of night where the sky was black and starless, with no moon to guide my way. The forest around me was eerily silent except for the crunch of my boots on the gravel road, and the occasional rustling of leaves in the cold wind. I pulled my coat tighter around me, but it did little to chase away the cold chill. I was heading for the Crescent Pack’s camp, deep in the Southern battlefield. It was dangerous, maybe even foolish, but I had no choice. I carried information that could change everything. And I wasn’t going to let anything stop me, not even the fear gnawing at my stoma
ALEXANDROThe moment I saw her, the world seemed to slow. She was standing in the middle of my warriors, bold and proud, more like she didn't fear any of them, but I could see the tiredness in the way she stood. Though covered in dust and wearing clothes that had clearly seen better days, Katrina Snow was still the breathtaking woman I have always known. The soft moonlight did nothing to diminish her beauty, though she likely didn’t realize it herself. I couldn’t look away from her. It had been two years since I last saw her—or rather, since I last tried to claim her as mine. But here she was, flesh and blood, and just as beautiful as the last time I saw her. ****The Snow Pack's house had been quiet that day. I could still remember everything that happened. The somber, the grievances, the tears, it was all that filled the atmosphere of the Pack house. The funeral for Alpha Jonathan and his sons had just passed, and the pack was still reeling from their loss.Luna Elise, Katrina’s m
KATRINA The smell of blood was the first thing I perceived the moment I stepped into the command tent. It had this sharp, metallic, and overwhelming smell that made it difficult for me to breathe. I had to fight the urge to gag as I took in my surroundings. The tent itself was bare, almost disturbing at sight. There was no sign of comfort or personality in here, just some bloody bandages piled in one corner, and pills scattered across a small wooden table, and a large, battered map spread out over a makeshift desk. This wasn’t a place someone could live in. It was the battlefield, deserted, like a mobile bed on the move, without any trace of home. It was hard to even imagine anyone calling this their home. I glanced around the room, taking it all in. Everything about this place screamed war—there was no warmth, no humanity. The emptiness of this place reminded me of just how different this was from what I remembered about Xavier’s time on the battlefield. When Xavier left for
KATRINA I was beginning to feel weak from the weight of the journey and the long hours of standing. I couldn't even get myself to sit down since I had rejected the offer when Alexandro asked me to. Not to embarrass myself, I remained standing, trying not to show any sign of weakness.However, he stood by the map, scanning it again as if the one he had earlier scanned didn't yield any result. The fact that he looked less concerned about anything, as if nothing in the world could shake him, made me wonder if there was more to him than the stories talked about. For a moment, I found myself envious of how composed he seemed. Then he turned to me, it was as if he’d suddenly remembered I was there. “When I was a child,” he began, “I used to visit the Silverfox Pack. Back then, I heard about a very naughty but incredibly talented little girl. They called her Kat. Everyone in Silverfox spoke highly of her. They said she was smart, clever, and, let’s be honest, they said she was always the
CASSIAN I stood on the veranda of the apartment and for a minute or two I was lost in thought while taking in the view of the vast vicinity of the pack house.A soft wind breezed through the room with it a strand of my hair, my attention was drawn again to Beta Xander who had been saying whatever it was for the past minute.He appeared to be adamant on his previous decision. At that moment, I was thinking about another different approach to all that was happening.I thought about it for a second again before asking.‘‘Has Luna Katrina made any recent moves yet?’’ I asked. My eyes were fixed on Xander as I did, I watched as he stifled a smirk.“What is funny?" I frowned.His smirk turned to a chuckle. "Apologies King Alpha, if you’re so curious to know, why don’t you ask her yourself? The last time I checked, your legs were walking perfectly.” I shot him a deadly glare, but it didn't make him any less scared. That was the thing about Xander—he wasn’t afraid to speak his mind, even
XAVIER The meeting with the council was concluded early, they all voted to go to war.I took a deep breath, trying to steady my mind from the rage and anxiety that I felt after our brief discussion with the King Alpha. The weight of his Alpha aura was something I haven't gotten over yet.We were going to war again and much as it wasn't what I would have wanted, Bianca had a different feeling about it. I could imagine how happy she was as her eyes are full of anticipation for the war. I know she has always been born for war. Obviously clear that she wanted it more than anyone else.The familiar rush of adrenaline mixed with a sense of dread about what was going to happen and how this would end filled the back of my mind. All through the meeting, I barely listened to all that was being said.As I glanced over at Bianca, I couldn't help but feel a pang of frustration deep in my chest. I could see the obvious smile that crawled up the side of her lips as she was still beaming in excitem
KATRINA The battlefield wasn’t what I thought it would be. I had imagined fear, pain, and chaos, but somehow, it wasn’t as bad as I expected. I adapted faster than I thought possible. Fighting felt natural, almost like I was born for it. The smell of blood, the howls of wolves, and the cries of warriors, all of it had become part of my new life. Though it has been something I'd been hiding, but I couldn't hide that part of me that enjoyed being a warrior.When the battle finally ended that night, I stood there catching my breath, staring at the carnage under the moonlight. The wolves we fought against were scattered on the ground, lifeless with their bloods pooled around them. We had won again. I was wiping my blade on my pants when a warrior approached me. He looked excited with his eyes wide open in awe. “Kat!” he called. “How many wolves did you get this time?” I looked at him and shrugged, trying to hide how tired I was. “Too many to count,” I replied nonchalantly. Another
CASSIAN“Alpha.” Xander called as he walked into the study room. “Kat is truly the daughter of Alpha Snow!” He said almost excitedly, I could tell he was even more proud than I was. “Katrina even burned the supplies of the Crescent Pack with just a small team!” I leaned back in my chair, holding the report from Alexandro in my hands. The corners of my mouth twitched into a smile as I read the details. It was a rare one these days. It wasn’t just pride that I felt, though. There was something more to it.“Has Alexandro informed her already?” I asked after a moment, dropping the report on my desk. “From now on, she’s an official warrior in the army. Make her a first-class captain. Once she helps Alexandro banish the Crescent Pack from the south, she’ll be promoted to a full Pack Warrior.” Xander nodded, clearly pleased with my decision. “Um… I'm not sure, but I'll send him a message as soon as I'm done.” I nodded.“Well, I'm pretty sure Katrina will be happy when she learns of the
KATRINA I thought everything had settled down. I thought the conversation had died off. The last time I checked, it's been more than five minutes since I finished telling him my story, but little did I know the situation wasn't dead to Alex.There was silence for a while, but it didn’t feel uncomfortable. I tried my best not to look at him. Even when I stole glances at him, the expression on his face said otherwise. He was burning in anger, but at the same time trying not to let it out. As if he couldn't hold back anymore, he clenched his fist around the glass in his hand, the loud crack of shattering glass broke the silence. “How dare he!” he growled, his voice filled with anger. “Blackwood is so hypocritical, bullying you like this and putting you through so much misery!” I flinched at his outburst, startled. For so long, I had dealt with this pain alone. I hadn’t expected anyone to feel this strongly on my behalf. Not even him.“It wasn’t that traumatic after all,” I said wit
KATRINA I stood in the middle of the camp with my arms crossed tightly over my chest, trying to stay calm as the questions kept coming at me from every direction. The captains surrounded me, their faces stained with a mixture of confusion and sadness. I could feel their eyes boring into me, demanding answers I didn’t have the strength to give.“Kat, why didn’t you tell us about such an important matter?” one of them asked. It was Captain Thomas, an older man who used to visit my father when I was a child. I remembered how he would sit at our table, laughing with my father, drinking ale, and patting me on the head. Now, his gaze held nothing but pity.I was still processing an answer to his question when another asked. “How could you carry on all by yourself? After everything that happened?”How could I carry on all by myself? What was I supposed to say to that? Honestly, it wasn't easy at all. And just when I had hoped that everything would be alright regardless, it turned out worse.
ALEXANDRO I really didn’t expect things to turn out like this. The camp was supposed to be a place of focus and strategy, but it had turned into a battlefield of egos. The moment I announced Katrina would command the elite warriors, I knew trouble would somehow find its way to the surface. And it did. Katrina had earned her place, but there were always those who couldn’t see beyond their own pride. Bianca, of course, was at the forefront of this rebellion. She was too proud and too quick to assume she was being slighted.I watched from where I sat as the both women argued among themselves. I knew where this misunderstanding was heading to, but I preferred to observe before I took any action. Katrina stood at her spot, her fists clenched tightly at her sides. She looked calm, but I could see the anger burning behind those eyes. Bianca, on the other hand, was practically trembling with anger, ready to pounce on her.However, she lunged at Katrina like a wild beast. I couldn't let t
KATRINA I marched forward, anger burning through me. My fists stayed clenched at my sides, my nails digging so hard into my palms and it felt like they might break the skin. My chest felt so tight, and my breathing grew heavy, I was so angry. And I was done holding it in.“Alpha Xavier,” I blurted. “If you don’t want your Luna to make a fool of herself like a clown, you’d better take her away now.” I kept my eyes locked on Xavier, but my hand lifted to point straight at Bianca.Bianca’s face darkened, and she rolled her eyes in disdain. “Katrina Snow, I think the only clown here is you." She pointed at me. "Don’t you see? You’re out of place, out of your league.”“You think so?” I asked, tilting my head slightly, a smirk tugging at my lips. “Funny, because I seem to remember the last time you underestimated me, it didn’t end well for you.” Alexandro stood beside me like a silent guard, his arms folded tightly across his chest. He didn’t interrupt, but the look in his eyes was unpred
KATRINA Xavier’s cold eyes bore into mine as he stepped forward, pulling Bianca protectively behind him. It was almost like he thought I was some kind of threat, which was laughable considering the mess they had both made of things.“Why are you even here, Katrina?" He asked. "What are you trying to prove? Or are you just clinging to your father’s old connections, hoping someone will fight your battles for you?” His question grated my skin and I wanted every chance to slap the expression on his face.I knew he was only asking so everyone would assume he wasn't the weak Alpha they all think. Not like I was even surprised at how weak he had become lately, in fact, that was one reason I had to leave him. I've always thought he was a man, he was someone bold and courageous enough to stand his ground and defend those he loves–no. I was wrong, Xavier was the typical opposite. He hasn't even gotten the nerves of a lady. And here he was, trying to sound all mean and… what will I even call
KATRINA I was so vexed that I wouldn't mind causing a scene here. What the hell was she trying to prove right now? That I'm the bad one here? Like she could even sit comfortably with the fact that another woman was going to take her mate?I did what any other woman would have done. I saved myself from getting any further heartbreak, but here she was, trying to prove a point from her own stupidity."You’re the ones who traded war merits for the Luna Duet, leaving me no choice but to accept the rejection and let you two happy lovebirds have your way."All eyes were on us, and I hated the way both my men and Alexandro men stared at me like I was a criminal or something. She had planted the seed of discord, now she seems happy she's won, right?She clasped her hands in front of her, feigning and innocent face. “Why are you so angry? Did I lie? You agreed to the rejection, didn’t you? It was your choice.”“It’s been a while, Bianca, and you’re still so good at twisting the truth,” I added
BIANCA “Alpha Xavier, Luna Bianca, we’ve finally met your reinforcements. Good for you!” The woman who greeted us was Katrina Snow. She looked just as she always did—the confident and unbothered bitch, with a quiet strength that irritated me to no end. And it was clear that even the seasoned warriors around us were drawn to her.I stared at her, taken aback. "Why is she here?" My wolf growled low in my chest, I couldn’t hide the brief flicker of annoyance in my eyes, though I quickly masked it with a smile. "She looks so confident, so comfortable among them." My wolf, Gina, growled low, not liking how her aura seemed to overshadow mine, even for a moment.I glanced at the gathered warriors. They were all looking at her with admiration, some even with awe. Then it hit me. They think Katrina is still Xavier’s Luna? The earlier compliments, they weren’t meant for me, were they? They were for her. The brave and skilled Luna they’d praised wasn’t me, Bianca, Xavier’s fated mate. It
KATRINA "Oh no, it's Xavier! We have to hide!" My wolf was the first to pick up the scent.Xavier and Bianca were here? Why? Could they be the reinforcement?I didn’t need to be told twice. The moment I caught the faint scent of pine and cedar, his scent, I froze for a split second before my instincts took over. Without thinking, I sneaked my way into the crowd, letting the tall features of the men cover me.Alexandro’s eyes scanned the room, and more than once, his gaze landed on me. I knew he wanted me to come out and face Xavier, but there was no way I could do that. Not now. We've had our differences, and nothing about him concerns me now."Don't listen to him, Kat." Jinx echoed in my head. "We aren't going to that betrayal."After the rejection, Jinx had suddenly picked hatred on Xavier. Everything about him pisses her off, and with Bianca by his side, it only made things worse."I'm never thinking of going there, Jinx." I assured her. "We'll remain here until they are gone. So,
Alexandro We were gathered in the pack camp, sitting around the long table in the center of the meeting tent. By this time of the week, we'd always gather to discuss how to go over the strategic plans for the next week.It wasn't an easy one, but it was part of what we do. Without a plan, we wouldn't have conquered the war. Without a plan, we wouldn't have been what we are now. I stared at the map before me, mentally calculating strategies and likewise comparing every strategy my men had offered for the next plan. Somehow, I wasn't buying any of the ideas, they felt weak in a way.I tried so hard to come up with a better idea, but the noises from the brief argument they were having seemed to be making it a lot difficult for me to focus. “That's enough!” I half yelled, but that didn't stop them from yelling at each other.I rubbed my forehead in frustration, fighting the urge to roar, but I had to do something to stop this noise from distracting me or it will definitely turn into a