Phoebe's POVNathaniel was gone again.I sat on the bed, staring at the door he had walked through earlier. It had become a routine now. Every morning, he would leave for those endless meetings, and I would be left behind, waiting. The first few two days, I had tried to convince myself that I didn't mind being alone. But the longer I sat here, the more I realized just how isolated I was.I exhaled, pushing myself up. Sitting here wasn’t going to change anything. It only made me feel weak, like a child waiting for answers I already knew wouldn’t be good.I walked over to the window, pressing my fingers against the cool glass. The Moonfury Pack’s estate stretched far beyond what I could see, enclosed by high walls that kept outsiders away. Pack members moved below, their steps precise, their faces unreadable. There was no warmth in this place, only control.Mia, I called in my mind.For a moment, she was silent. Then, her voice came, steady but cautious. “What is it?”“Something feels
Duncan’s POVI sat in the dimly lit hall, fingers drumming against the wooden armrest of my chair, my mind restless. Antonio stood beside me, arms crossed over his chest, his jaw tight with tension.A scout had arrived moments ago, breathless and covered in dust, bringing urgent news—rogues were gathering near our borders. The situation was worse than we had anticipated.I exhaled sharply. "How many?"The scout wiped sweat from his brow. "At least thirty, Alpha. More could be hiding beyond the hills. They’ve been seen moving in small groups, but they are organizing. If we don’t act soon, they’ll strike first."Silence settled heavily in the room.Antonio turned to me, his expression grim. "We can’t afford heavy losses. Our warriors are strong, but we need a real strategy. This isn’t just a random attack—it’s planned."I clenched my jaw. I had been so focused on getting Phoebe back that I hadn’t given enough thought to our defenses. Now, the pack was vulnerable."Have they attacked yet
Nathaniel’s POVThe meeting had dragged on longer than expected. I sat at the long wooden table, arms crossed over my chest, as Alpha Tommen continued talking about alliances. The room was dimly lit, the glow of lanterns casting flickering shadows over the warriors and advisors gathered around.“The Silverclaw Pack has finally pledged their loyalty,” Tommen said, his voice measured. “They hesitated at first, but I convinced their Alpha that our side is the strongest.”I gave a slight nod. Silverclaw had been cautious for weeks, watching and waiting for any sign of weakness. Their support would give Tommen more influence, but it wasn’t enough. There were still packs hesitating, still others that could tip the balance if they made the wrong decision.“And the Darkrun Pack?” one of the advisors asked.Tommen’s expression darkened slightly. “They’re still weighing their options. Alpha Kieran doesn’t trust us fully.”That was a problem. I leaned forward, resting my elbows on the table. “Da
Phoebe’s POVI folded another tunic, smoothing out the fabric before placing it carefully into the wooden trunk at the foot of my bed. The room was silent except for the soft rustling of cloth and the occasional creak of the old floorboards beneath my feet.This wasn’t how things were supposed to go.I reached for my cloak, draping it over my arm, my movements controlled despite the storm brewing inside me. The sooner we left, the better.A soft knock on the door pulled me from my thoughts. I didn’t need to turn around to know who it was.Shirleen.She stood in the doorway, her expression unreadable. Gone was the polite mask she had worn when we first arrived. There was no forced friendliness now, no need for pretended kindness.This time, she wasn’t pretending.I didn’t speak. I simply waited. If she had something to say, she would say it.Shirleen stepped inside, her steps slow and deliberate, like a predator closing in. “You’re leaving sooner than I expected,” she said, her voice s
Nathaniel's POV The journey back to Moonhowl was quiet. The tension from our last moments in Moonfury still sat heavy on my shoulders. Phoebe rode beside me, silent but alert. I knew she was thinking the same thing I was—something was very wrong.The trees stretched high around us, their branches shifting with the wind. The dirt path was worn from years of travel, but today it felt longer. Every few minutes, I glanced back, making sure we weren’t being followed. The feeling of being watched hadn’t left me since last night.By the time we reached the Moonhowl Pack’s borders, the sun was already sinking. The guards at the entrance recognized us immediately and stepped aside. No questions, no hesitation. But their faces were tense. Word must have already spread that things hadn’t gone as planned with Tommen.Phoebe and I rode through the main path leading to the pack house. Wolves moved about, some stopping to look at us before continuing on their way. There was no cheerfulness, no reli
Nathaniel's POVPhoebe and I settled back into our routine, but nothing felt the same. There was a tension in the air, not just between us but throughout the entire pack. We all knew an attack could come at any moment, and there was no room for mistakes. I spent most of my time reinforcing defenses, making sure the warriors were ready, and setting up new patrol routes. Every decision had to be perfect.What surprised me the most was how involved Phoebe had become. At first, I thought she was just curious, but then she started making suggestions—ones that were too good to ignore. She pointed out weak spots in our patrols, suggested different formations for defense, and even spoke about battle strategies that weren’t common knowledge. Some of the things she said were the same ideas I had considered, but others were things I hadn’t even thought about.The first time she corrected one of my plans, I assumed it was a lucky guess. But then it kept happening. She wasn’t just throwing out ide
Phoebe's POVI felt restless. No matter what I did, the feeling wouldn’t go away. It had been there for days, an itch under my skin, a pull toward something I didn’t fully understand. It wasn’t just the tension in the pack or the looming threat of an attack. It was something personal, something deeper. It made my body feel too tight, my mind too loud.Mia, I called out to my wolf, hoping for some kind of answer.Train. Prepare.Her voice was calm but firm, steady as always. She never panicked, never wavered.Train. The thought settled inside me like a decision I had already made. It made sense. I needed to move, to push myself, to let out whatever was building up inside me.The next morning, I stepped onto the training grounds without hesitation. The sun had barely risen, but the warriors were already there, practicing their drills. They didn’t notice me at first, too focused on their sparring. That changed when I walked toward the sparring ring.A few heads turned. The murmurs starte
Nathaniel's POVI moved carefully, my body tense, waiting for her next strike. Phoebe stood across from me in the training ring, her breathing steady, her stance firm. She had already landed a hit to my side, and I could still feel the force of it. She was fast—faster than I expected. I knew she had skill, but this was something different.She didn’t hesitate. The moment I shifted my weight, she moved again, coming at me with a sharp precision that forced me to stay on the defensive. I blocked her first strike, but she twisted around me, trying to take me down. I barely caught her wrist in time, using my strength to hold her back.She gasped, her breath warm against my skin as I pinned her arm behind her back. For a moment, neither of us moved.The scent of her wrapped around me, making it hard to think. Her body was pressed against mine, her chest rising and falling quickly. I could feel every inch of her, the heat between us impossible to ignore.I should have stepped away.Instead,
Nathaniel's POVThe knock came just after sunrise.This time, I was dressed and waiting. I didn’t sleep much the night before. The guard at my door gave a small nod and said, “It’s time.”I followed him without asking questions. We walked down a different hallway today, one that led away from the main rooms. The floor here was older, the stones uneven and darker than the rest. The air felt heavy.We came to a large wooden door. Two guards opened it as we approached. Cold air blew in at once. I stepped outside and found myself standing in a stone courtyard. The sky above was gray, no sign of sun.High stone walls surrounded the entire space. The walls were rough and worn, but clean. Guards stood at every edge. They held their weapons tight and watched the center of the courtyard.There was a platform in the middle.It was raised a few feet off the ground, with wide wooden steps leading up to it. A long block stood near the center of the platform, shaped for one thing. A heavy axe reste
Nathaniel's POV Someone knocked on my door before the sun came up. I was already awake, sitting by the window, watching the sky shift from dark to gray. I stood and opened the door. A young guard stood outside, eyes fixed ahead.“Alpha Throndsen would like to see you,” he said.“Now?” I asked.“Yes. He said it’s important.”I didn’t ask more. I changed quickly, pulled on my coat, and followed the guard through the cold halls. The stones under our feet were wet with morning frost. The silence between us lasted the entire walk. We moved past the sleeping halls, past the main courtyard, and through a set of tall wooden doors. Two more guards opened them without a word.Inside, Throndsen waited.He stood by the long window at the far end of the room. The light outside was still faint, but it spilled in just enough to show his face. This time, he didn’t wear his usual polite smile. His hands were behind his back, and he didn’t speak right away.The guard left and closed the door behind me
Nathaniel's POV The next morning, I stepped outside the guest quarters. The wind was colder than the day before, and the sky was gray. The ground was hard under my boots, and the cliffs stood far in the distance like stone walls. I walked slowly through the Silver-Coast Pack’s territory, taking in everything. The people I passed did not smile. They did not seem to have any message in their eyes. And even if they did, they didn't seem eager to share it to the alpha who had come to them for want of information. They simply moved in directions that they had business in.Most of them did not even look up. They moved quickly and quietly, as if they were afraid of being watched. Or even caught.The guards stood straight at every corner. Their eyes didn’t move unless I spoke to them first. Even then, they only answered with short words. No one joked. No one laughed. It wasn’t like the Star-Rain Pack, where people tried too hard to impress. Here, everything was quiet. Too quiet.I kept walki
Nathaniel's POVThe road leading to the Silver-Coast Pack was silent. I rode slowly, my eyes fixed on the cliffs in the distance. The wind blew colder here. Even my wolf, Sean, didn’t speak much as we approached the gates. The guards stood in a straight line, quiet and still. Their faces gave nothing away. No movement, no expression. It was like they were made of stone.The gates opened with a heavy sound. No one gave an order, but the guards moved in perfect steps. I stayed on my horse until I saw the man coming toward me. He was tall, his steps slow and steady. He had grey hair at the sides and sharp eyes. I knew right away who he was.“Alpha Throndsen,” I said as I got down from my horse.He didn’t answer at once. He looked at me for a long time, as if he was reading something written on my face.Then he spoke. “Nathaniel. Welcome to Silver-Coast.”His voice was quiet but firm. He nodded to a man beside him, who stepped forward and took the reins of my horse.“Come,” Throndsen said
Phoebe's POV The next day, I sat at my table, flipping through the records again. The papers were old in some places, newer in others. Some had Nathaniel’s handwriting, and others were mine. There were notes on supplies, guard shifts, and patrol reports. I tried to focus on them, but my head ached from reading too much. I leaned back in the chair and rubbed my forehead slowly.The knock on my door came all of a sudden. I didn’t expect anyone.I frowned. “Come in.”The door opened, and Kara stepped inside. Her hair was tied back today. Her clothes looked cleaner than the last time I saw her. She had a strange look on her face—like she had something important to say. I didn’t trust her. I never did.I sighed and didn’t bother to hide my frown. “What do you want, Kara?”“I need to talk to you,” she said. Her tone was calm. “I found out something. I think it’s important. I came to share it with you. It’s for the good of the pack.”I crossed my arms. “Really? You suddenly care about the p
Phoebe's POV The next day, I sat at my table, flipping through the records again. The papers were old in some places, newer in others. Some had Nathaniel’s handwriting, and others were mine. There were notes on supplies, guard shifts, and patrol reports. I tried to focus on them, but my head ached from reading too much. I leaned back in the chair and rubbed my forehead slowly.The knock on my door came all of a sudden. I didn’t expect anyone.I frowned. “Come in.”The door opened, and Kara stepped inside. Her hair was tied back today. Her clothes looked cleaner than the last time I saw her. She had a strange look on her face—like she had something important to say. I didn’t trust her. I never did.I sighed and didn’t bother to hide my frown. “What do you want, Kara?”“I need to talk to you,” she said. Her tone was calm. “I found out something. I think it’s important. I came to share it with you. It’s for the good of the pack.”I crossed my arms. “Really? You suddenly care about the p
Phoebe's POV The next day, I sat at my table, flipping through the records again. The papers were old in some places, newer in others. Some had Nathaniel’s handwriting, and others were mine. There were notes on supplies, guard shifts, and patrol reports. I tried to focus on them, but my head ached from reading too much. I leaned back in the chair and rubbed my forehead slowly.The knock on my door came all of a sudden. I didn’t expect anyone.I frowned. “Come in.”The door opened, and Kara stepped inside. Her hair was tied back today. Her clothes looked cleaner than the last time I saw her. She had a strange look on her face—like she had something important to say. I didn’t trust her. I never did.I sighed and didn’t bother to hide my frown. “What do you want, Kara?”“I need to talk to you,” she said. Her tone was calm. “I found out something. I think it’s important. I came to share it with you. It’s for the good of the pack.”I crossed my arms. “Really? You suddenly care about the p
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