Gilly’s pale face was the first thing I saw as I entered the medical wing. She lay propped up against pillows. It was sad to see her usually vibrant energy diminished. Yet her eyes—were open and clear. I was relieved but then quickly as the relief came, it was accompanied by concern. I had waited so long to see her awake, but the shadows beneath her eyes told me her ordeal wasn’t over.Rachel, Ardan, Zone, and I surrounded her, as though we feared she might vanish again if we blinked.His hands shook as he bent closer to embrace her and felt her body safe against his, fragile as delicate glass. “Gilly, you’re awake,” he whispered. “How are you feeling?”Gilly returned his hug weakly. Though her arms were thin, they were steady around his back. “I don’t know,” she answered finally and roughly. “I began to feel like I was imprisoned at a particular place I couldn’t escape from.” Her eyes darted from me to him and back again. “It was my own personal hell. The witches made sure of that.”
The atmosphere in the pack had shifted. Gloria may have escaped, but her presence seemed to leave a never- removable stain.It was no challenge identifying the root of the problem because it lied on the surface. This is how wicked and dangerous the witches are: Gloria’s escape from the dungeon as an insult and a threat. Even though Ardan’s warriors patrolled the borders day and night, there was no comfort in their vigilance.The war room had become our second home over the last few days. Maps, silver remnants of broken chains, and scattered parchments cluttered the table as Ardan, Zone, Rachel, and I tried to piece together how Gloria had escaped.“It doesn’t add up,” Rachel muttered, leaning over the table with her brow furrowed. She held one of the broken chains between her fingers, twisting it thoughtfully. “Silver can’t be broken this way—not without a mix of strength and magic.”Zone, pacing in the corner of the room, snorted. “Strength and magic. That narrows it down to werewolv
The forest was eerily quiet, the kind of silence that made my wolf tense and restless. I led the scouting party deeper into the dense wilderness with my senses on high alert as we made our way between tall pines and underbrush’s. A faint mist clung to the ground, curling around our boots and shifting unnaturally. It felt wrong. The air emitted this weird energy—one I couldn’t quite place, but I’d learned never to ignore.Ardan walked beside me. His presence reassured me. He insisted on coming, of course. I hadn’t been able to talk him out of it, though I knew his presence here made Rachel nervous back at the camp. We couldn’t afford to lose Ardan, and yet here he was with his sword strapped to his back and his eyes scanning the trees for any sign of trouble.“You feel it too, don’t you?” I asked, leaning in and speaking to him in a low tone so that the rest of the scouts would not overhear us.Ardan nodded. “It’s too quiet. Something’s waiting for us.”I glanced back at the group foll
Rachel’s voice echoed through the dim war room with her fingers running through the pages of a tattered spell book.“It’s called a convergence ritual,” Rachel said. “Gloria isn’t just trying to win a war—she’s trying to amplify her power to unimaginable levels. If this ritual succeeds, she could become something far worse than we’ve ever faced.”I sat at the edge of the table, staring down at the sketch she had drawn of the ritual circle. The intricate lines, symbols, and blood markings on the parchment gave off menace. I didn’t have to understand witchcraft to feel its dark purpose.“How does it work?” I asked with my voice quieter than I intended.Rachel pushed her glasses higher on her nose and looked at me. “The convergence ritual draws magic from various sources—rogues, witches, and any magical being tied to them. It channels their collective power into one vessel, elevating the witch who performs it to a level of control over everyone connected to the magic. That’s why Gloria’s
The rogue leader struggled to move in the chains we had him in. He growled for his release but I knew neither Zone nor Ardan were willing to let him go, at least until we got our answer. He sweated along his eyebrows, and his eyes darted around as if searching for any way to escape. His wrists were bound tightly with silver chains, making the room scent of burning flesh.Ardan stood over him and spoke with a cold tone. “We don’t have time for games. Speak.”The rogue spat blood onto the ground and then glared up at Ardan defiantly. “I won’t tell you anything.”“You will,” I said, stepping forward to meet his eyes. I crouched so we were eye level. “Because I know how this works. You follow orders. You’re not a leader—you’re a pawn. And I don’t think you want to die for someone else’s game.”The rogue’s jaw tightened, but his confidence faltered. I could see it&m
Very quickly, we got to the pack house. I feared for Gilly. She had been through enough.“What happened, Rachel?” I asked Rachel as we descended the stairs to the medical wing.Rachel looked at me nervously and unsettled. “I found her talking in her sleep again. But this time… it was different. She was muttering strange words, phrases I didn’t recognise. I wrote some of them down. They sound like witch incantations.”“Witchcraft?” I whispered.Rachel nodded. “It’s not normal, Serena. She’s burning up too, as if something inside her is trying to fight its way out.”We reached Gilly’s room, and I hesitated just a moment before entering. Gilly lay on a small bed, drenched in sweat and her hair plastered to her forehead as she tossed restlessly. Every so often, her lips would move and faint whispers would escape from her mouth like a chant.I moved closer. The sound of her mutterings sent a shiver down my spine. Rachel wasn’t lying—the words were not her own. I didn’t understand them, but
The sky was filled with grey clouds when I first saw him. A lone figure approached the gates of Ardan’s pack with his dark cloak whipping in the wind. There was something unsettling about his presence. The guards at the gate were already on edge and their hands hovered near their weapons.“Who is that?” I muttered, standing beside Ardan as we watched from the pack house steps.Ardan’s eyes narrowed. “Someone who doesn’t belong here.”We descended toward the gates just as the guards stopped the stranger. He raised his hands calmly with a small, disarming smile playing on his lips. “I come in peace,” he said smoothly. “I’ve heard whispers of a girl - witch touched by magic - and I think I can help.”Ardan growled softly. “And who exactly are you?”The stranger lowered his hood, revealing his face. He had a pale skin that was marked by faint scars which ran along his jaw. His hair was a mix of dark and silver strands which gave him an ageless quality. His eyes were green.“My name is Dra
Ardan stood at one end of the war table with crossed arms and a dark face with suspicion written all over it. Zone paced near the fireplace, pacing up and down, clearly frustrated. Across from me, Roman leaned casually against the wall, with his usual composed expression giving away nothing, but I could see it—Ardan and Zone’s distrust was starting to chip away at his calm exterior.“Something’s not right,” Zone muttered for the third time, shooting Roman another glare. “We’re chasing leads, scrambling to keep Gilly safe, and every time something goes wrong, he’s around.”Roman let out a quiet sigh and rolled his eyes as he pushed himself off the wall. “You know, Zone, if you’re going to keep accusing me, you might as well bring some proof. I’ve done nothing but help you all since I arrived.”“You mean since you conveniently appeared,” Zone shot back. “No one knows where you came from. You don’t belong here.”“Enough!” I snapped, standing up from my seat and placing my hands on the ta
Author’s PoVThe battlefield was eerily silent despite the chaos that had blossom minute ahead. Serena stood still amidst the wreckage with her breaths coming in raggedly as she stared at Zone’s lifeless body lying on the ground. Gloria’s laughter still echoed faintly in her ears. Zone was dead, and now, Gloria had let Evelyn see what she had done. She swamped her daughter’s mind with the reality of the bloodshed… especially Zone’s.Serena clenched her fist with anger. Gloria had taken Gilly, her daughter and now Zone—a friend, an ally, and a brother in the pack. The headache was devastating and she knew it had to end now.She turned to Draven, who was trembling from dark energy blast but he was still standing. “Begin the spell, now!”Draven hesitated for only a minute before he nodded. He began muttering incantations under his breath. Serena looked around the battlefield. Ardan knelt beside Zone&rsqu
Serena PoVI walked into the medical wing and the scent of medicine hit my nose. Rachel stayed silently at her workstation blending medicinal salves while Marcus sat alone on his cot, looking determined though he didn't feel well. Luca kept his head down while sitting on a chair, picking at the edges of his shirt.Marcus looked at me right away while holding his injuries despite the pain. He spoke to me quietly, saying, "Serena," while struggling to speak clearly.I moved my chair close to his hospital bed and gave him a warm look. “Marcus,” I said softly. “Tell me everything.”Despite what had happened, Marcus spoke to me calmly about it. He told me how he entered Caden's camp with Luca, tried talking to Evelyn, and how Caden clawed at him.Marcus told me how Evelyn pleaded with our enemy to free them. “She struggled her whole way through to keep me safe.” He said, talking about Evelyn.Instantly, Luca ag
Evelyn PoVMy past choices pressed heavily on me during my walk through the camp. Every move I made was accompanied by the memories of my victims and the people I harmed. Gloria's comments sounded louder than ever in my thoughts with her gentle and convincing tone. She assured me that I possessed the potential to achieve great things.Her pledges started to break down under pressure.As I gazed at the night sky Gloria softly noted "Your power comes from our bond. Without me, you’re nothing. Remember that, Evelyn.”Her words initially, would have provided me comfort and guidance toward my goals. But now it felt like I was in a prison since she held me in her grip and kept me from making free decisions. Gloria took advantage of me just like Caden did.I clenched my fists. Did the pursuit of power need to destroy lives this way?“You didn’t need to scare my mother away. I think I’m getting the hang of it now. My mo
Serena PoVThe room was filled with tension. On the table, the map was spread with Ardan and Alpha Joachim facing each other while arguing about their next military move. I rested my back against the wall with my arms folded while my head itched from the mounting stress.“I think we should make our first move from this area.” Ardan proposed, circling an area on the map. “Striking this location will split the the red blood moon pack’s military divisions.”Joachim shook his head. “Ardan you fixate solely on using power in your approach. Caden's wolves learn to handle strife during physical confrontations. Our strike must be slow and deliberate to reach Evelyn since moving too quickly would cost us many wolf lives.”Evelyn. I remembered how our last conversation went. My love for her hurt deeply but I couldn't find a way to be with her. Gloria took complete control of Evelyn's mind and every time I thought about her
Evelyn PoVI stood in Caden’s war room with tension thick in the air and my hands shaking at my sides. Territory maps of various packs, slashed through in red to show how many we’d been able to bring under our control, were spread across the table. At the head of the table, my father, Caden gripped the map with his shining bionic arm as he laid out our next move.“After we claim the Eastern moon pack,” Caden said coldly, “we will have power over all major territory in a hundred-mile radius. The rest will be compelled to fall in line.”I couldn’t take my eyes off him; I was disgusted. “And if they don’t?” I asked, though I knew the answer.Caden turned to me, narrowing his eyes. “Then we crush them. No one defies us, Evelyn. This is what it takes to unite the wolves and ensure peace.”“Peace,” I repeated bitterly. “Is this what peace feels l
Evelyn’s PoVI was standing at the forefront of Caden’s soldiers, with my father staring me down from across the battlefield. His words from earlier rang in my ears: “This is not just another battle, Evelyn. It’s about sending a message. We have to make them understand that whoever dares to side with Ardan cannot withstand us.”I realised that it was not merely a matter of asserting one’s authority - it was much more personal. And now, I was leading the charge.I was afraid. My hands shook slightly and I had to hide it. Gloria’s whispers had decided to take a break but I know I was doing this on my own accord. Her whispers or not, Gloria was forever present.“Ready, Evelyn?” Caden asked in a commanding tone.I simply bowed my head, swallowing the disgust that rose from deep within my heart. “I’m ready.”The attack started off as being vicious and unrelenting. Wolves foug
Evelyn’s PoVThe night was dark, and the atmosphere was rather oppressive, as if everyone was expecting a fight. I was by my father side, Caden, at the forest and across from us was the rogue pack which we were enemies with. We had encroached their territory and we wanted war. I felt my pulse quicken, but it was not due to any kind of apprehension. It was something else—a feeling of anxiety intertwined with adrenaline and Gloria’s spirit was all I needed to charge up.“Are you ready?” Caden asked.I could not escape the doubt I felt but I attempted to mask with a nod. Was I truly ready? Is this the road I am to travel?“This isn’t just about war. It’s about making sure our pack is going to be safe from threats that may exist in the future. If left unaddressed, ‘they’ will be a constant thorn in the side of everything we are trying to construct here.”I forced myself to believe him, a
Serena PoVI had learned about the changes that took place in Evelyn and the revelation was eye-opening for me. My daughter—the one I had wanted to shield from the reality of the world—was now a part of an immeasurable force. But it was not only power, it was power stained with blood. Caden had manhandled her and had exploited her strength for his own gain. Worse still, the spirit of Gloria had successfully taken over Evelyn and is determined to finish her off as well.I sat in my room, with the curtains drawn and my mind tormented by guilt and sorrow. How had it come to this? Evelyn was meant to be protected, enveloped in affection, but what I had offered her was anything but that. Now she was beyond my reach, entangled with Caden and manipulated by Gloria.I tried to reach her. With my eyes shut tight, I focused on our connection and communicated with her via my wolf mother link.“Evelyn,” I said through our telepathic connection. “It’s me, your mother. Please, talk to me.”At that
Evelyn’s PoVThe change that happened in me was not sudden like a snap of the fingers; it was a slow process like the encroachment of night over day. At first, it was subtle: was always accompanied by a keener sense of presence, a liveliness that surged through me, making me feel as though I were unstoppable. But as days turned into weeks, I began to know other things.Although, when I concentrated, I realised that I could control the wind. I could also feel with my mind the thoughts and intentions of people around as if they were exposed to me like an open diary… something akin to what my mother can do. It was rather daunting, but at the same time, it was liberating.I first felt this transformation while going through an attack with pure wolves like my mother and me. We were caught off guard while patrolling the outskirts of the territory. Caden had taken me along with a group of his pack to check on my commitment and ability to survive in his pack, which was a pack of killers.Our