Whose fault is it that Raven is missing?
Raven's POVCaleb told me to meet him behind the guardhouse once I was let out. I don’t know where that is, but I’ll figure it out, I just need to stay alert.Two days passed faster than I expected, and I’m grateful for that. I’ve been counting the hours, desperate to be free. Locking up a wolf is the worst thing you can do to our kind.The guard who comes to release me doesn’t bother with gentleness. He yanks me forward, his grip tight enough to leave bruises. I grit my teeth but don’t fight back; I can’t fight back; I don’t have the strength.Stepping outside, I take in my surroundings. There are other prisoners, just as battered and restless as I am, some of them looking scary. Guards stand scattered around, but none of them are watching us. It’s not carelessness, they just know we have no chance of escape.Outside the yard, there’s only one building. It has to be the guardhouse.Keeping my steps slow and careful, I move toward the back of the building, doing my best not to draw a
Raven's POVI keep running the moment I realize they aren’t from my pack.But then I notice, they’re running after me.Panic blooms in my chest as they close in, their movements calculated. They don’t just chase me; they slam into me, trying to knock me off balance.I dodge as much as I can, using my speed and agility to stay ahead. Werewolves may be large, but we are fast. Still, they are more experienced with their wolves than I am with mine. It doesn’t take long before they overpower me.A furious snarl rips from my throat as they pin me down. My wolf thrashes, enraged at being restrained again.We shift back to our human forms, and I barely have time to catch my breath before strong hands clamp down on my arms, holding me in place between the two of them.“Who are you?” I shout, my voice dripping with anger, hiding the fear clawing at my chest. I struggle against their grip. “Let me go!”A young man steps forward from the rest of the pack.His eyes were red, a very unusual colour
Raven's POV“The Moon-shade Pack,” he says with a slow smile.I stiffen. The name sounds familiar.I’ve heard it before—in the Crescent Silver Pack. It seems like this is the Pack having issues with the Silver Crescent pack. Knowing the alphas of that park are my mates won’t do me any good .I decided to hide it at all costs.“And why am I here?” I ask, my voice colder now.He leans back, watching me with that same unreadable expression. “Because we thought you needed help. This is a pack for those who have no home… those who feel unwelcome in their own. We saw you running alone, and that’s uncommon for a wolf.”His words linger in the air, but my mind is elsewhere.The Moon-shade Pack.Why does it feel like I’ve just walked into something far more dangerous than I escaped from?“Well, thank you for your help,” I say, my tone edged with sarcasm. “If that’s what you want to call it. But I really must leave now. I have my own home. I am not a rogue.”He doesn’t respond immediately. Ju
Asher's POV I have been frustrated since the day Raven disappeared. My wolf is restless, pacing in my mind, demanding that we find her. I can’t help but blame Ansel, it’s his fault she’s gone. We pushed her too far and let her slip through our fingers. And yet, I can’t bring myself to regret everything. She belongs to us. No matter how far she runs, she’ll never truly escape.I know we treated her harshly. We never gave her a chance, never let her feel safe. Ansel took things further than even I expected, but deep down, I didn’t stop him. I watched her break, watched her crumble under his dominance, and something about it made my wolf stir with satisfaction. Because no matter how much she fought, in the end, she always looked at me like I was her last hope. And I liked that. I liked knowing that after everything, she still saw me as her only escape.But now she’s gone. And that makes me fucking furious.Ansel has been leading the search, and I know he won’t stop until he has her ba
Asher’s povThe search had been going on for more than three weeks now. Everything had been silent—even from the Moon-shade Pack until today.Boom.The ground shook beneath me, and a loud noise echoed through the pack. I was mid-search when a guard mind-linked me, his voice laced with panic.“Your Highness, a part of the prison yard seems to have exploded! We need you here!”My body tensed. What the hell?“Fall back, men!” I ordered my team before taking off toward the prison. After days of nothing, was this finally a move from Moon-shade? My mind raced, but I didn’t have time to think. I ran as fast as my legs could carry me, dodging scrambling pack members as dust began to fill the air.The moment I arrived at the prison yard, chaos greeted me. Dust still lingered in the air; Guards were running around trying to ascertain the situation, barking orders, trying to restore order. The destruction was contained to this section of the prison—nowhere else in the park had been touched.Tha
Rowan's POV I’ve been running for two days straight.I can’t afford to waste any more time; my brothers need me. Asher’s voice sounded tense over the mind link, and that panic still filled me as I crossed the border of our park.But I didn’t stop.Not until I reached the palace, my muscles screaming from exhaustion, my lungs burning. I didn’t bother cleaning the dirt off my body. I stormed straight to Ansel’s office, where I could feel their presence through the bond between us all.The door slammed open, and they both turned to me like they’d been waiting.“Where the hell were you?” Ansel snapped.I wiped the sweat from my brow. “You know where I was.”“We needed you here,” he growled, fists clenched so tight his knuckles turned white.I stepped further into the room; I was so exhausted, but not enough to stop my fury from boiling over. “I’m here now,” I shot back. “Instead of wasting time bickering like idiots, tell me what the hell is going on.”Asher exchanged a tense glance wi
Raven povI’ve been here for almost a month, and I’m nothing more than a glorified prisoner.I can walk around the palace, but I’m never alone, guards tail me like shadows, watching my every move. No matter how far I go, there’s no real freedom.And Kelvin won’t let me leave that bastard.I never asked to be his queen, never wanted anything to do with him. But he doesn’t care. In his eyes, I belong to him. And he’s made it very clear: if I step out of line, he’ll kill me without hesitation.But what unsettles me the most isn’t Kelvin.It’s the creatures; well, I guess Kelvin isn’t exactly a werewolf.I’ve seen things here that shouldn’t exist. Things that can’t be werewolves. Shadows that move without a source. Pale figures with elongated limbs gliding through the forest. And one night, I saw something with red eyes sipping blood from a goblet like it was wine.I threw up everything I’d eaten.Moon-shade Park is wrong. It pulses with darkness, with something ancient and foul that mak
Asher’s POVThat morning, we ran with other wolves from our pack, a very small army. If possible, we wanted this to be diplomatic, a simple conversation to settle the tension. But in my gut, I already knew it wouldn’t be that easy.I told myself I didn’t want to find Raven there. That it would be better if she wasn’t trapped in that corrupt pack. But the truth clawed at me like a wound I couldn’t close. I did want to see her. I wanted to know she was alive and breathing even if it broke me to see her in their hands.And at the same time, the thought of her being touched by those lowlifes made my blood boil. My mate, suffering in a place like this? It made me want to tear the entire pack apart with my teeth.We ran hard, the air heavy with tension, until dusk fell and we crossed the border into Moon-shade territory. The moment we did, something shifted.The place made my skin crawl.The trees were twisted. The ground was slick with mud, and the entire forest smelled wrong — metallic,
Raven POV When I woke up the next morning, Rowan was already gone.He’d held me through the night, and I was grateful for that—more than I could ever say. I still felt the echo of his warmth wrapped around me, like his presence had settled into the fabric of the room, anchoring me. Because of him, I felt more grounded today. Steadier.The ache in my chest hadn’t vanished, but it was quieter now. Bearable.I rose slowly and made my way into the bathroom. The hot water soothed the stiffness in my body as I bathed, washing away the heaviness of the night before. I brushed my teeth, combed through my tangled hair, and stood in front of the mirror for a moment, just breathing.The girl staring back at me wasn’t the same as yesterday. I looked more composed. But my eyes—they still held too much.I was almost done dressing when a knock came at the door.“Come in,” I called, tugging at the last strap of my gown.Maria peeked her head in, her usual nervous energy buzzing beneath her calm ex
Raven POV After hours of clothing fittings, dance lessons, and being told how to behave, I was finally allowed to leave. And thank the goddess for that—because I already felt like I was going to explode. Stepping outside, the moon hung high above me, full and bright, casting silver light across the palace grounds.A cool breath of air kissed my skin, and for a brief moment, I was grateful to be alone.I wandered through the gardens, trying to clear my head, to push everything out of my mind. The flowers here were always stunning—vibrant, fresh, and untouched by the decay spreading across the land. It was one of the few things I genuinely loved about this place.I bent down to touch a blossom, its petals soft as it seemed to sway in my hand. I kept walking until I came upon a quiet clearing, the grass smooth and bathed in moonlight. I sat down, and all the emotions I’d been holding in—fear, frustration, sadness—spilt out at once.I didn’t even realize I was crying until I felt the
Raven POV The halls blurred around me as Maria led us through winding corridors. Her arms were full of the fabric, sketches, and pins we picked on the way to the testing room—her words were rushed and clipped. She didn’t ask how I felt about any of it. No one did.The Fae Queen walked beside me, calm and composed, like she already belonged there.They took us to a private chamber. Gold-framed mirrors. Velvet seats. A long platform in the middle surrounded by glowing lanterns. It looked like something out of a dream or a nightmare—I couldn’t tell which anymore.Maria motioned for me to stand. “We’ll clean you up first. Then dress. Then crown fitting.”“Crown fitting?” I muttered under my breath, but I stepped onto the platform anyway.The Queen came closer, reaching up to gently brush a streak of dirt from my cheek. “Let them fuss,” she whispered. “Let them see your power." Even if you don’t feel it yet.”I blinked fast, swallowing the knot in my throat. “I don’t want to be anyone’
Raven POV I didn’t know how long I had been asleep.The last thing I remembered was the Fae Queen waking up… and then the world going dark. My body had given out, too tired to fight anymore. Even now, my limbs felt heavy—like I was waking up underwater.When I finally forced my eyes open, I blinked at the light filtering through the curtains. It was soft, gentle. Then I saw them—green-silver eyes staring at me, wide with concern.“Hey,” a soft voice said. Her hand slipped behind my back to help me sit up. “Are you okay?”I blinked again, adjusting to the sight in front of me. The Fae Queen. She shifted nervously, her fingers fidgeting with the edge of the blanket. “What do wolves that are… pregnant eat?” she asked, biting her lower lip like a child caught doing something wrong.I stared at her.Was the Fae Queen-who is normally regal, graceful, and mysterious—chewing her lip in confusion over what to feed a pregnant wolf?I was in awe at her softness. At how the world kept flipping
Ansel POV Did the Fae Queen just bow to Raven?My jaw tensed. Something about this didn’t sit right. Not the reverence in her voice. Not the look she gave Raven, like she’d found the moon herself. And not the eerie quiet that followed, like the room was holding its breath.Something was slipping through my fingers. My control, my order and my position.I took a breath and closed the distance between us. My fingers gripped Raven’s shoulders before I could think better of it. She stiffened beneath my touch.“Raven,” I said, turning her to face me, “we’re not done talking.”Her eyes lifted to mine, she looked so uncertain. She opened her mouth like she had something to say.Then she just collapsed.Right in front of me.My hands jerked forward too late, catching nothing but air as her body dropped backwards. For a second, I didn’t move. I stood there frozen, my mind blank and stunned.Rowan rushed past me, fast as hell, catching Raven before her head hit the floor. He cradled her like s
Raven POV My voice cracked at the end, and I hated how uncertain I sounded. I turned slightly toward Rowan. His face was unreadable, but I could feel it—the tension in him, the weight of what he wasn’t saying. He hadn’t told them what my blood had done… and neither had I.Maybe he was protecting me. Or maybe… he didn’t know what it meant either. Ansel’s sharp eyes never left me. The silence stretched, unbearable, as if everyone in the room was waiting for something. Then suddenly something shifted deep inside me. It was almost like a whisper, faint but undeniable. The tug, the pull, it was as if something—or someone—was calling to me.I was tense. The sensation was foreign, yet familiar. It was the same feeling I felt when I saw loira. It was as if a thread of magic had wrapped itself around my heart and was pulling me toward something I couldn’t see. I tried to ignore it, telling myself it was nothing. Just another thing my mind was making up.But no, it was too real.I blinked,
Raven POV We finally crossed the border into Crescent Silver Park two days after finding out about my pregnancy. We would’ve arrived sooner, but Rowan and Liora were so considerate of me, making sure I was as comfortable as possible. I’ve tried to push my pregnancy out of my mind, to ignore the growing life inside me, but it’s always there, lurking at the back of my thoughts.The place looked almost exactly as I remembered it, but the weight of the situation hit me hard. Considering how I’d been treated here—less than a slave, barely a person—it felt surreal to be back. But I was here now, and this time, things were going to change. The moment we crossed into the territory, everything felt different.I could feel determination coursing through my veins as we made our way to the palace.Rowan shifted into his human form beside me, followed by Liora.Before we could take another step, the sound of boots hitting the ground echoed around us as guards swarmed in, weapons drawn and read
Raven POV“I’m pregnant,” I said, freezing as the words left my mouth. “What does this mean for me now?”I turned to Rowan, heart pounding. “Rowan, what does this mean?”He shifted, rubbing the back of his neck like he wished he could take it back. “I— I’m sorry for bringing it up now.I just thought… you needed to know. So you’d take better care of yourself. "And because…” He hesitated, eyes dropping. “You can’t come with me. Not anymore. Not on the rest of this quest.”“No,” I breathed. “No, I—”“Raven,” he said gently, painfully. “Don’t fight me on this. Please.”His eyes—gods, I had never seen them look like that. Distant, aching. Sadder than I’d ever seen.“You don’t understand, do you?” he whispered. “The future of the kingdom is inside you.”“What?” I blinked as if someone had poured ice water down my spine. My mouth opened but no words came.“I didn’t want to say it like that.” Rowan’s voice broke slightly. But… I can’t keep you to myself. We’re your mates, Raven. All three of
Raven POV Frustration curled in my chest. “But—”“There are things you mustn’t know yet.”The surrounding space shuddered.But before it could pull me away, before the vision could collapse, something snapped inside me.I took a step forward, anger curling around my words. “Then tell me this,” I demanded. “Why did you curse Rowan? Why did you punish all of them?”The goddess didn’t move. But the surrounding light flickered, dimming slightly.I pressed on, my voice shaking. “It wasn’t them who forsook their mates. It wasn’t Rowan who betrayed you. It was their ancestors. So why make them suffer for something they didn’t do? Why not just—” I swallowed hard. “Why not just forgive them?”The silence stretched between us, heavy and suffocating.For the first time since she appeared, something shifted in her expression. Something like… regret.Her voice was softer when she spoke again. “Do you think I do not wish that, child?”I froze.She exhaled a sound that echoed like wind through holl