Nathaniel's POV My father’s voice left no room for argument. "The mating ceremony must happen soon."This was the kind of Alpha I had always known my father to be. He always had the final say on every issue that was vital to our lives and the development of the pack. He didn't give room for questions. It was on very few occasions that he gave me a chance to tell him what I felt of a particular issue and give my take on it. Most of the time, it turned out that I had a smart idea. But this time, he wasn't about to let me give him one of those smart opinions which will alter his own decision.I sat across from him in his office, my arms resting on the chair’s armrests. He spoke with the authority he had over us. He gave no room for questions. Phoebe stood beside me, silent but tense. I could feel the frustration radiating from her, though she kept her face carefully blank. Once again, I knew the responsibility to speak for both of us was resting solely on my shoulders and that meant I
Nathaniel's POVThe training grounds were packed with wolves from every corner of the pack. The elders stood in a semi-circle, their faces unreadable as they waited for Phoebe to step forward. The air was thick with anticipation, whispers moving through the crowd like a wave.Phoebe stood tall, her expression calm. If she was nervous, she didn’t show it.I crossed my arms, standing beside my father as the first elder spoke.“We will test Phoebe’s strength, intelligence, and leadership,” Elder Marcus announced. His sharp gaze swept over her. “The Luna must be more than just a title. She must be worthy.”Elizabeth, standing with a group of warriors, smirked. “If she even lasts the first test.”I clenched my jaw but said nothing. I wanted to see how Phoebe would handle this. I knew she was strong and I had confidence in her. The first challenge was combat. Phoebe stepped into the sparring ring, facing off against an experienced warrior named Luke. He was skilled but not the best—this wa
Nathaniel's POVThe night was quiet. A soft breeze moved through the trees, rustling the leaves above the garden. I had been inside the pack house, speaking with my father about security, when a strange unease settled in my chest. Something wasn’t right.“We will have the borders strengthened and we'll speak with a few other security officers in the pack so we can know the measures to take for our security….” I heard my father saying, but I wasn't paying full attention to what he was saying. He looked up at me as I got off the chair I was sitting and walked to the window.“We won't be taking chances here.. we've never been attacked and it won't ever happen. That's because we don't even give our enemies a chance to infiltrate our pack. We must keep it that way,” he said.I didn't say anything, but when I turned around and saw that his eyes were on me, I nodded. He was right and I understood what he was saying, but I wasn't exactly paying full attention.“You know, as the next Alpha of
Nathaniel's POVPhoebe hadn’t spoken since Duncan left.She walked ahead of me, her arms crossed, her steps quick and tense. Her shoulders were stiff, and I knew she was trying to avoid this conversation.Too bad.“Let's leave her alone for the meantime, maybe that's what she wants,” my wolf muttered within me. I rejected the idea before it fully made sense to me. I shook my head. She had quickened her pace now and I was still following her, my strides were longer but I didn't want to overtake her.“We don't have to leave her alone simply because she wants to be left alone. There are things that must be dealt with whether or not we want to deal with them.” My voice was almost a hush. Too low for her to hear, but she turned around once and our eyes met briefly. She didn't stop walking.Whatever she'd heard, she didn't want to make it sound like it was any business of hers.Duncan had been in my pack and no matter how hard I wanted to ignore that and act like it hadn't happened, I could
Nathaniel’s POVThe attack came without warning. No one would have guessed that an attack was on its way to the pack. It had never happened in that fashion. Only days back, my father had been talking about the security of the pack and the measures that were to be taken to ensure the pack was constantly safe and at peace as it had always been.One moment, the pack house was peaceful. The next, an alarm howled through the air.I got off my chair in a moment of alarmed surprise. I bolted outside, my wolf thrumming beneath my skin as warriors rushed to their positions. The guards were shouting commands at each other and the pack house moved from a safe haven to a place that was only full of confusion for the next few minutes. And then I got the information of what was going on in the pack house. Rogues. At least twenty of them, maybe more, had entered the pack lands and were now about to wreak havoc on the pack. My wolf was already in action, this was something I couldn't hold back on.
Nathaniel's POVThe tension in the pack house had grown thick, lingering in the air like an approaching storm. The warriors had seen too much. The elders had seen too much. And I had seen too much.Phoebe wasn’t just a fighter—she was something else entirely. The way she had commanded warriors, moved with precision, and taken down an elite rogue as if it was nothing… It wasn’t something she had learned overnight. I knew this and I also knew that if I tried to press her to give me answers to the question I had in my head, she would shy away.Perhaps, she had not intended to be on the spotlight, but then, for fighting so gallantly, she could not also be ignored. She had been seen by everyone and the reactions were similar.And now, everyone wanted answers.I strode through the halls, my mind racing with questions I didn’t want to ask but couldn’t ignore. The whispers followed me, pack members murmuring about what they had witnessed. I caught words like unnatural, dangerous, and who is s
Nathaniel's POVThe old records lay scattered across my desk, the worn edges curling from time. I wasn’t sure what I had been looking for at first—some explanation, some answer to the nagging feeling that wouldn’t leave me alone.Phoebe had secrets. That much had always been clear. But now, staring at the name in the report, my hands clenched into fists. She didn't care to let me in on her life and how things were going in her life. She didn't care about the opinions of her I had. It didn't matter how many times I told her that she was mine and would always be mine, she was set in her own ways and she didn't cease to let me see just how strong-willed she was.I stared at the name again, my hands running through the pages again.Alec.A name whispered in war stories. A name feared among packs. A name I had once thought belonged to a ruthless strategist, a ghost of battle.Yet here, in these reports, was the truth.Alec was Phoebe. Or was this simply what I had led myself to believe? W
Phoebe's POVThe grand hall shimmered with golden lights, the air thick with the scent of flowers and burning candles. Wolves from every part of the pack had gathered, their eyes fixed on Nathaniel and me as we stood before the elders. The ceremony was about to begin.I stood beside him, hands clenched at my sides. The dress they had given me felt too heavy, the weight of expectations pressing down. This wasn’t how I imagined it. This wasn’t my choice.Nathaniel’s voice cut through the silence. “We stand here today to honor the bond—”The doors burst open.The scent of blood hit first. Then the screams.The room erupted into chaos as warriors poured in, their fangs bared, their claws slicing through anything in their way.I spun just as a wolf lunged toward me. I ducked, slamming my elbow into his ribs before grabbing a fallen sword from the ground. Nathaniel’s growl echoed through the hall as he charged into battle, his wolf bursting free.I had no time to think. No time to breathe.
Phoebe's POV I stood at the edge of the training grounds. The wind was light, and the sounds of fists hitting practice pads, swords clashing, and feet moving over the dirt filled the air. I didn't say anything. I just watched. My arms were crossed over my chest, and my eyes followed the movements of the younger warriors. Some of them were still learning how to hold their balance. Others moved with more skill. I didn’t know if any of them saw me standing there, and I didn’t care if they did.Mia, my wolf, stayed quiet in my head. She was calm, but I knew she was watching too. We both needed this quiet moment. The day had already been long, and it wasn’t even close to night yet.I didn’t want to think about Elizabeth. I didn’t want to think about what Alpha Darius had said. I didn’t want to think about anything at all. I only wanted to be outside, where the air was fresh and the noise wasn’t coming from arguments.But of course, peace never lasted long.I heard footsteps behind me. The
Phoebe's POV Elizabeth walked beside me like we were friends. She didn’t say much, only looked ahead and walked with her usual proud steps. I didn’t say anything either. I kept my hands at my sides and focused on the hallway in front of us. The silence between us was tight, but she acted like there was nothing wrong.“She's mastered the art of pretense,” Mia whispered in my head. I shrugged off the thought because I didn't want to settle on it. True, I've come to learn that despite how much Elizabeth had always disliked me, she tried to make sure she didn't show this when Nathaniel was anywhere close, except for the occasions when it became unbearable and she just had to show how much she didn't like me.I'd made peace with the fact that she was never going to like me and I didn't bother to do much to get her to like me. She made it seem like it was Nathaniel that she really loved while she was siding with Alexander. She was the tricky sister indeed and Nathaniel didn't deserve a si
Phoebe’s POVI sat on the edge of the bed with my arms crossed and my legs swinging slightly. The room was quiet, but my thoughts were loud. My eyes stayed on the floor, but inside, I was still hearing the voices from earlier. I could not stop thinking about the way they looked at me when I gave the order. Like I was wrong for speaking.Mia, I called gently in my mind.“I’m here,” she answered quickly. Her voice always made me feel stronger. “You did what you had to do.”I nodded slowly. But they still don’t respect me. I can feel it. They don’t see me as their Luna.“They will,” Mia said. “Respect doesn’t always come fast. But that doesn’t mean you stop doing what is right.”I sighed. It’s hard, Mia. I’m not trying to prove anything. I just want them to stay safe. Why can’t they see that?“They are stubborn,” she said. “And used to old ways. You are not what they expected, and that scares them. But you are stronger than they know.”I let those words sit in my chest for a while. I sto
Phoebe’s POVThe morning sun touched the edge of the windows, but I had been up long before the light came. The air in the Moonhowl Pack house was quiet, almost too quiet. I walked through the hallways slowly, each step light but steady. I had hoped for a message. A letter. Even a messenger. But nothing had come. Not since Nathaniel left.Mia, my wolf, stirred inside me.“He’s taking too long,” she said. “He should have sent something by now.”“I know,” I whispered back, glancing at the door again. “But he’s careful. He doesn’t like to speak too soon.”“Still,” Mia growled softly, “we should know something. I don’t like the quiet.”Neither did I.I walked out into the open yard where the wind picked up a little. The morning drills had started. A group of warriors was lined up at the training grounds, their swords clashing in short bursts, their feet moving in practiced rhythm. I stood to the side at first, watching them spar. Some of them noticed me and gave short nods. Others barely
Nathaniel's POVThe morning air was crisp as I led our small group away from Star-Rain territory. The sun had just begun its ascent, casting a soft glow over the landscape. The rhythmic clatter of hooves against the dirt path was the only sound accompanying us. My guards rode in disciplined silence behind me, their presence a constant reminder of the responsibilities I bore. I longed for Phoebe's presence even as I moved with my company.As the familiar surroundings of Star-Rain faded into the distance, my thoughts turned inward. I found myself replaying the events of the previous evening, dissecting every word and gesture from Alpha Winston. His warm welcome, the carefully prepared dinner, and the subsequent conversation all seemed straightforward on the surface. Yet, I couldn't shake the feeling that there were undercurrents I hadn't fully grasped.Winston's desire for closer ties with Moonhowl was evident. He spoke of alliances and mutual benefits, his words laced with a sincerity
Nathaniel's POVThe first light of dawn filtered through the curtains as I stirred awake. The events of the previous night lingered in my mind, urging me to seek clarity. Dressing swiftly in a simple tunic and trousers, I decided a walk through the Star-Rain Pack's grounds might provide the solitude I needed.Stepping outside, the crisp morning air greeted me, carrying with it the subtle scents of dew-laden grass and distant pine. The compound was beginning to stir; a few warriors were already engaged in training exercises. Their focused movements and disciplined stances spoke of dedication. As I passed by, I offered them a respectful nod, which they returned without breaking rhythm.Continuing my stroll, I encountered several servants attending to their morning duties. One young woman was meticulously sweeping the pathway, her brow furrowed in concentration. As I approached, she paused and offered a polite bow. "Good morning, Alpha Nathaniel," she greeted softly."Good morning," I re
Nathaniel's POVMy mind would not stop going back to Phoebe back in our pack. I was here, far away from the Moonhowl pack where I could use a car or even use a phone. These parts were interior and it left me without speaking with my Luna. It was unsettling. I didn't like the order of things. “I trust her to be able to hold the pack and make sure everything runs smoothly, but I have to be able to communicate with her,” I told myself severally. Sean, my wolf, was on the same page with me.“She is handling the pack well, they don't see her as the Alpha, but they know better than to openly rebel against the Luna. Besides, she is not giving them a reason to.” I sighed and leaned back into the chair I was sitting on. There was a lot to do in such a small time and I didn't send anyone to have things done this time. It was late into the night when I finally finished reviewing my notes. I sat at the small desk in the guest room Alpha Winston had given me. The lamp beside me cast a soft ligh
Nathaniel's POVThe dining hall was quiet when I entered. The walls were made of strong stone, and golden lamps hung in neat lines along both sides. Their light was soft and steady. A long table stretched through the center of the room. Only a few seats were filled. Alpha Winston stood up when he saw me. His smile was wide, and he opened his arms as if greeting an old friend."Alpha Nathaniel," he said. "You honor us. Please, sit beside me."I gave him a polite nod. "Thank you for the invitation."He gestured to the seat on his right, and I moved to take it. To his left sat his beta, Daniel. Daniel was tall and thin, with short black hair and a calm face. He nodded at me, and I returned the greeting. A little further down was an elder, his white beard reaching the top of his chest. He sat straight and held a cup with both hands.Winston looked toward the young woman standing beside him. Her hair was a rich brown color, pulled into a clean twist behind her head. She wore a gold dress t
Nathaniel’s POVThe sun had already started going down when we finally reached the gates of the Star-Rain Pack. The air was cool, and the sky was streaked with orange and pale gold. I had sent word ahead that I would be arriving, but I didn’t expect the gates to be wide open and a small group waiting right at the entrance.Alpha Winston stood in the center. His back was straight, and his eyes were sharp, even though he looked to be around my father’s age. His hair was more white than gray, and his beard was trimmed neatly. Beside him stood a few of his elders and warriors, all dressed in formal clothing. They made a line behind their alpha, their heads slightly bowed as we approached.I brought my horse to a stop and dismounted. Winston stepped forward and gave me a firm handshake, both his hands gripping mine.“Alpha Nathaniel,” he said with a smile, “your visit honors us more than you know.”“Thank you,” I replied, keeping my voice steady. “It means a lot to be received so openly.”