Rowan Pov I watched Kai closely, every muscle in my body coiled with tension as I waited for him to speak. I had pushed him as far as I dared, but I knew that if he didn’t agree, if he shut this down completely, then we would lose Lucian for good. My heart pounded in my chest, tight and unrelenting. He was our brother, our blood. No matter what pride or bitterness we carried, we couldn’t let him slip away. Finally, after what felt like hours of heavy silence, Kai let out a harsh breath and gave a sharp nod. “Fine,” he growled. “We’ll try it. But not until nightfall.” Relief flooded my chest, but I swallowed it down quickly, knowing it was too soon to celebrate. Kai’s gaze was hard, unyielding, still filled with the heat of our earlier fight. His next words, cold and clipped, made it clear. “We cannot do this in the light of day,” he said. “The people must not see Lucian like that. We will move under the cover of darkness. No one can know of this. Not the coun
Rowan Pov Mira’s scream pierced the air as soon as her eyes met mine. Without wasting a second, she dashed behind a small divider in the room, grabbing for anything she could use to hide herself. I chuckled under my breath, folding my arms across my chest, my eyes still resting on the spot where she had stood just seconds ago, bathed in sunlight, her beauty seared into my memory like fire on skin. “Mira,” I called out, my tone laced with teasing amusement. “Hiding is pointless. I’ve already seen everything. Besides, you seem to forget—I’m your mate.” Her voice came back sharp and angry from behind the screen. “That doesn’t mean you’re entitled to see me like that, Rowan!” I smirked. “Oh? But you didn’t seem to mind when it was Lucian, did you?” Silence followed. For a heartbeat, I wondered if she’d pretend not to understand. But then I heard the rustle of clothes and her voice, tight but defensive. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I shook my head s
Kai Pov We arrived at the shrine in dead silence, only the soft creaking of the carriage and the faint rustle of the wind filling the air. The place looked darker than I remembered, older too, like the weight of forgotten prayers had settled into its stones. I climbed down first, my boots crunching against the gravel, and then Damien and Rowan followed, carrying Lucian between them. The moment my eyes fell upon the towering shrine entrance, I felt something bitter rise in my chest. Memories of blood, betrayal, and the fall of our father came crashing back. My fists clenched at my sides, and for a second, I almost turned away. Almost. No. I swallowed the burn in my throat, forcing my feet forward. Whatever history I had with this place, whatever scars, it wasn’t about me now. It was about Lucian. My brother. My blood. And I was ready to face any demon, even if it wore the face of the moon goddess herself. Rowan was ahead, always eager. He stopped one of the dis
Kai’s Pov The first light of dawn stretched across the sky, yet my mind found no peace in its arrival. I stood on the balcony of my chamber, pacing back and forth like a caged beast. I hadn’t slept, not even for a heartbeat. I couldn’t. Every time I closed my eyes, all I saw was Lucian—my brother—helpless, pale, barely clinging to life. The memory of him lying there, weak and bound by forces I could neither see nor fight, gnawed at my heart. I hated it. I hated that I had allowed Rowan to convince me to bring him to that cursed shrine. I raked my hands through my hair, dragging in a sharp breath as the bitter taste of regret coated my tongue. “Damn it,” I muttered under my breath, pacing faster. What if history repeated itself? What if I watched another family member slip away, helpless to stop it? The thought tightened like a noose around my neck. Before my mind could spiral further, I heard footsteps behind me. I turned sharply to see Damien entering, his face c
Mira POV The moment I stepped into their presence, I could feel it—like the weight of a storm cloud pressing down on my chest. The air was thick with tension, and my instincts told me it could only be about one thing: Lucian. I swallowed hard, my throat feeling like sandpaper. My heart twisted painfully inside my chest, a strange contradiction tearing at me. I should have been rejoicing at their misfortune, reveling in their suffering, but all I felt was a deep, unsettling ache. Why did it hurt so much to see them like this? They were my enemies, weren’t they? My targets. The ones who took my mother’s life, the ones my father had cursed since the day I could understand words. I came to this castle with the sole purpose of destroying them, of making them bleed from within, and yet… here I was, feeling my chest tighten at the thought of Lucian’s pain.Why do I have to feel this way towards the people I should hate with all of me? When Kai asked me about the shrine,
Mira Point of View. I couldn’t stop shaking. My father, Anton, stood by the carriage with his arms crossed, his sharp eyes daring me to protest.I wouldn’t, though. I never did. He had already made up his mind, and I couldn’t change it.“You’re going to do this, Mira,” he said coldly. “You are my child and It’s your duty to this family.”Duty.That word stung like a whip. What duty did I owe to a man who had hated me all my life?I swallowed hard, trying to steady my voice. “You’re selling me like I’m… cattle. Is this the duty you talk about?” I asked, holding back not to scream into his face.“You should be grateful,” he snapped. “The Lycan Kings are the most powerful beings in the realm. You’ll live like a queen there, and they’ll want nothing from you except children. You’ll have a purpose in their lives.”Purpose.My nails dug into my palms. I wanted to scream, to fight back, but I held my tongue.“If you say no, Mira,” he continued, his voice dropping, “you’ll be condemning you
Rowan, Damien, Lucian, and Kai’s POVAs soon as the steward led Mira out of the room, silence fell among us.For a moment, no one said a word, but the tension was unmistakable.The air was thick with something we hadn’t felt in years—a pull, a connection that ran deeper than anything we’d ever experienced before.Rowan was the first to break it. “Did you feel that?” His voice was low, but the edge of disbelief was clear.Kai growled, his fists clenched on the table. “Feel it? It was impossible to ignore. The mate bond.”“It’s not just the bond,” Lucian added, his usually calm demeanor replaced by visible agitation.“Her scent… it’s intoxicating. It took every ounce of control not to drag her back here and claim her on the spot.”Damien leaned back in his chair, his eyes narrowing. “And her blood. There’s something unique about her bloodline. It’s unlike anything I’ve come across before.”“She’s ours,” Kai said firmly, his wolf grunting in agreement. “We can’t deny it. She’s our mate.”
Mira’s Pov The first rays of sunlight filtered through the heavy curtains, pulling me from a restless sleep.My eyes fluttered open, and for a moment, I lay still, the events of the previous day replaying in my mind.The Lycans.The mate pull.Serene’s venomous words. It all felt like a horrible dream I couldn’t escape.With a groan, I sat up and glanced around the room. The luxurious furniture and silk sheets only reminded me that I was in my enemies territory.I swung my legs over the side of the bed and stretched, shaking off the remnants of sleep.The dress I had worn yesterday hung loosely around me, wrinkled and stiff. A frown tugged at my lips as I realized I had nothing else to wear.“Of course, they wouldn’t bother to provide me with anything,” I muttered under my breath.I straightened my dress as best I could and walked over to the small basin to freshen up.My reflection in the mirror stared back at me, the dark circles under my eyes a stark reminder of my sleepless nig
Mira POV The moment I stepped into their presence, I could feel it—like the weight of a storm cloud pressing down on my chest. The air was thick with tension, and my instincts told me it could only be about one thing: Lucian. I swallowed hard, my throat feeling like sandpaper. My heart twisted painfully inside my chest, a strange contradiction tearing at me. I should have been rejoicing at their misfortune, reveling in their suffering, but all I felt was a deep, unsettling ache. Why did it hurt so much to see them like this? They were my enemies, weren’t they? My targets. The ones who took my mother’s life, the ones my father had cursed since the day I could understand words. I came to this castle with the sole purpose of destroying them, of making them bleed from within, and yet… here I was, feeling my chest tighten at the thought of Lucian’s pain.Why do I have to feel this way towards the people I should hate with all of me? When Kai asked me about the shrine,
Kai’s Pov The first light of dawn stretched across the sky, yet my mind found no peace in its arrival. I stood on the balcony of my chamber, pacing back and forth like a caged beast. I hadn’t slept, not even for a heartbeat. I couldn’t. Every time I closed my eyes, all I saw was Lucian—my brother—helpless, pale, barely clinging to life. The memory of him lying there, weak and bound by forces I could neither see nor fight, gnawed at my heart. I hated it. I hated that I had allowed Rowan to convince me to bring him to that cursed shrine. I raked my hands through my hair, dragging in a sharp breath as the bitter taste of regret coated my tongue. “Damn it,” I muttered under my breath, pacing faster. What if history repeated itself? What if I watched another family member slip away, helpless to stop it? The thought tightened like a noose around my neck. Before my mind could spiral further, I heard footsteps behind me. I turned sharply to see Damien entering, his face c
Kai Pov We arrived at the shrine in dead silence, only the soft creaking of the carriage and the faint rustle of the wind filling the air. The place looked darker than I remembered, older too, like the weight of forgotten prayers had settled into its stones. I climbed down first, my boots crunching against the gravel, and then Damien and Rowan followed, carrying Lucian between them. The moment my eyes fell upon the towering shrine entrance, I felt something bitter rise in my chest. Memories of blood, betrayal, and the fall of our father came crashing back. My fists clenched at my sides, and for a second, I almost turned away. Almost. No. I swallowed the burn in my throat, forcing my feet forward. Whatever history I had with this place, whatever scars, it wasn’t about me now. It was about Lucian. My brother. My blood. And I was ready to face any demon, even if it wore the face of the moon goddess herself. Rowan was ahead, always eager. He stopped one of the dis
Rowan Pov Mira’s scream pierced the air as soon as her eyes met mine. Without wasting a second, she dashed behind a small divider in the room, grabbing for anything she could use to hide herself. I chuckled under my breath, folding my arms across my chest, my eyes still resting on the spot where she had stood just seconds ago, bathed in sunlight, her beauty seared into my memory like fire on skin. “Mira,” I called out, my tone laced with teasing amusement. “Hiding is pointless. I’ve already seen everything. Besides, you seem to forget—I’m your mate.” Her voice came back sharp and angry from behind the screen. “That doesn’t mean you’re entitled to see me like that, Rowan!” I smirked. “Oh? But you didn’t seem to mind when it was Lucian, did you?” Silence followed. For a heartbeat, I wondered if she’d pretend not to understand. But then I heard the rustle of clothes and her voice, tight but defensive. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I shook my head s
Rowan Pov I watched Kai closely, every muscle in my body coiled with tension as I waited for him to speak. I had pushed him as far as I dared, but I knew that if he didn’t agree, if he shut this down completely, then we would lose Lucian for good. My heart pounded in my chest, tight and unrelenting. He was our brother, our blood. No matter what pride or bitterness we carried, we couldn’t let him slip away. Finally, after what felt like hours of heavy silence, Kai let out a harsh breath and gave a sharp nod. “Fine,” he growled. “We’ll try it. But not until nightfall.” Relief flooded my chest, but I swallowed it down quickly, knowing it was too soon to celebrate. Kai’s gaze was hard, unyielding, still filled with the heat of our earlier fight. His next words, cold and clipped, made it clear. “We cannot do this in the light of day,” he said. “The people must not see Lucian like that. We will move under the cover of darkness. No one can know of this. Not the coun
Rowan’s POV I couldn’t stop clenching my fists as we returned to the meeting hall. The tension between us was unbearable, and if not for Damien trying to hold us together, I might have already lunged at Kai again. I could see it in Kai’s eyes too. He wasn’t any calmer than before. He looked like he was ready to explode, and I wasn’t sure I could blame him. As soon as we entered, Kai barked at the guards to leave us alone. They scattered instantly, not daring to linger under the weight of his furious glare. The doors slammed shut behind them, and it was just the three of us now, standing in the vast room, the air heavy with unspoken words. Kai’s chest heaved as he paced back and forth like a caged beast. His steps were loud against the stone floor, his shoulders tense, and his jaw clenched so tightly I wondered if his teeth would crack. His eyes flicked to me every few moments, burning with accusation. I stayed where I was, my arms crossed over my chest. I wasn’t
Mira POV I stood by the window, my eyes fixed on the chaos unfolding in the training yard below. From here, I could see everything — Kai and Rowan lunging at each other, fists flying, grunts echoing through the castle grounds. They fought like wild animals in human skin, no sign of mercy between them. I should have been horrified, but instead, my heart fluttered with an unexpected thrill. They were tearing into each other over me. Well, not only me — over pride, over old grudges, over Lucian, over their beliefs. But I was still part of it, tangled in the web they had spun with their own hands. I crossed my arms and leaned against the cool wall beside the window, watching closely as they fought in their human forms. Neither shifted into their beasts, not yet. There was still restraint, but I could see it fraying at the edges with every punch and shove. Their faces were twisted in rage, sweat already dripping down their temples, muscles tight and strained. Guards sto
Kai’s POV -Flashback- The smoke still lingered in my mind. The ashes of the past — they never truly leave you. I remembered standing in the ruins of the once-mighty throne room, my chest burning with a pain no healer could soothe. The grand hall where my father, King Alexander Blackwood, had sat so regally on his throne, was nothing but charred rubble. The stench of smoke and death clung to my skin like a second layer. I could still hear the crackling of the flames in my ears, even though they had long since died out. The humans… those cursed humans. They had infiltrated our castle, slipping through like rats in the dark, and they had taken everything from us. Our father… our king… the pillar of our family. They had torn him from us without mercy. I had loved him more than words could describe, respected him beyond measure. And they took him from me. From all of us. I stood there, trembling, fists clenched at my sides until my nails pierced my palms. I di
Mira POV I stared at the high priestess, her words circling in my head like a storm I could not quiet. Me? Chosen? The savior? It sounded absurd. Completely ridiculous. I shook my head, my lips parting to protest before I even thought of the words. “No,” I said firmly. “You must be mistaken. I’m not anyone’s champion. I never asked to be, and I don’t want to be.” The high priestess’s face was as calm as still water, her eyes filled with patience, as though she had heard my rejection long before I uttered it. “Do not fear the destiny that has been placed upon you, child,” she said, her voice gentle, but it only tightened the knot in my chest. I took a step back, my heart pounding. “No,” I repeated, shaking my head again. “You don’t understand. I didn’t ask for this. I don’t want this. I never wanted to be anyone’s savior. I have my own plans… my own goals.” The high priestess raised her hand, urging me to stay and listen. “Mira, remain calm,” she said softly, as thoug