Asher’s POV“We’ve been through this over and over again,” I snapped, my voice echoing off the stone walls. The priestesses speak in riddles no one understands. It’ll be the same this time.”"What's the need ?"Ansel rubbed his temples, jaw tight with frustration. “Then what do you suggest we do, Asher?”"Speak!"I paused. The truth was bitter in my mouth. “We don’t have a choice anymore. "We need answers, and they’re the only ones who might give us something real.”He didn’t argue, but the silence between us was taut, stretched to its limit—until the doors burst open.A guard stumbled in, sweat slick on his brow, eyes wide with alarm.“I—I’m sorry to interrupt, Your Highness, but… there’s something you must see now.”Ansel’s patience snapped. “What? Speak plainly, for God’s sake.”But the guard was already turning, leading us through the halls at a frantic pace. We stepped out into the courtyard—And the world stopped spinning.They stood there like shadows returned from the dead.Ke
The Queen POV Far from the lands of Crescent Silver Pack…The throne was carved from obsidian and bone, jagged like teeth, rising high above a floor of polished black stone that reflected firelight in eerie, flickering shadows. A heavy silence sat over the chamber, broken only by the soft hum of something ancient. At its center, she sat.A woman of such breathtaking beauty that even the torches seemed to bend toward her, desperate for her attention. Her skin was smooth and pale as moonlight, untouched by time. Long, ink-dark hair cascaded around her shoulders, and she combed it with slow, graceful movements, each stroke like a ritual. Her fingers were delicate, but something about them whispered of ruin.Her eyes—green like the heart of a forest in spring—were striking, mesmerizing… and completely dead. No warmth or mercy showed in them. She looked down at the small white flower growing from the stone floor. It was the only sign of life in the darkroom—delicate, its petals just
Raven POV Rowan woke me before dawn.“Leave me alone,” I grumbled, rolling closer to him and burying my face against the warmth of his chest.He chuckled, his breath ruffling my hair. “Little wolf, we have to keep moving. The faster we get the Moonstone, the sooner we find the descendant.”I groaned but forced myself to roll out of bed. “Fine.”“That’s better.” He nudged me toward the bathroom, his lips quirking in amusement.I bathed quickly, the warm water doing little to shake the strange feeling settling in my chest. Something told me today would be more stressful than I expected.When I stepped out, fresh clothes were already folded neatly beside the bed. Rowan had changed too, dressed in dark leather, looking every bit the warrior prince.We packed the few belongings we had and stepped outside.“Raven,” Rowan said, watching me carefully. We’re running the whole way. The faster we get there, the better.”I nodded. “Okay.”Rowan shifted first, his large silver wolf stretching bef
Raven POVWe pressed deeper into the Whispering Woods, the air growing heavier with each step. The trees weren’t just tall—they loomed. Their trunks twisted like writhing bodies, knots forming shapes too close to human faces. Some were frozen in silent screams. Others just watched.Liora swallowed hard. “Rowan didn’t slow, but I saw the way his jaw tightened. “Stay close,” he ordered, his voice low, controlled.I was already sticking close to him, but now, I moved even nearer.Liora took a shaky step back. “We need to hurry. How are we even supposed to find the biggest tree in this—”Then I heard a whisper.A low hissing directly in my ear.I spun around so fast I nearly tripped. But there was nothing. Just trees and darkness.But I felt it. Cold breath against my skin.I turned back to Rowan, my pulse hammering. He was watching me, his expression unreadable, but his hand found my wrist. A grounding touch.“We don’t stop,” he said firmly. “We keep moving.”I nodded. I understand him
Rowan’s POVToday has been one hell of a day.I knew we’d face challenges in the Whispering Woods, but this—this was something else entirely. My hands were still shaking. My mind couldn’t stop replaying what I had just witnessed.Raven’s blood… it did something.And the way we found the tree so easily, almost as if it had been waiting for her.The Moonstone was supposed to be a myth. A story told to pups about a long-lost relic of power. Yet there it was, real and glowing in Liora’s hands. And whatever Raven did… it awakened it.At least now I wouldn’t have to soak the Moonstone in wolfsbane—that was supposed to be the hardest part. Though I still had to meet the priestess, the stone was already reacting. That alone was enough to unsettle me.But none of that matters right now. Because Raven lay limp in my arms.One second she was talking—shaken but alive. The next, she collapsed.I bent down, cradling her. “Raven? "Raven!” I tapped her cheek, but she didn’t move.Rome, my wolf, stirr
Ansel’s POVThe morning air was crisp, the kind that seeped into your bones if you stood still too long. The horses snorted, shifting impatiently as my men secured their weapons. The steady clang of metal and murmured conversations filled the clearing.“Are we expecting a fight?” Elias asked, adjusting the strap of his sword.I finished tightening the buckles of my gloves. “We don’t know what to expect.”Kelvin’s last visit still lingered in my mind—his cold warning, the smug certainty in his eyes. Bow to the Queen, or die. It wasn’t just a threat; it was a promise.Yet he had vanished after that, retreating to whatever wasteland he called home. That was why we were going. Not to fight, but to find answers. If he had turned his back on his people, we needed to know why. And if he was still there… he owed us explanations.“Mount up,” I ordered.The men obeyed without question. Within minutes, we were riding, hooves kicking up dust as we moved toward the lands Kelvin had once ruled.T
Raven’s POVI felt the burn again. My skin is searing, the heat crawling through every inch of me like fire licking at my insides. I tried to move, but my body was trapped in the fire, locked in place. My vision swam—shadows and light blending together, dark edges forming in the corners of my mind.It was too much. Too much to bear.“Raven?” Rowan’s voice was distant, but I could hear the worry in it, pulling at me. His hand on my forehead felt cold against the heat radiating from me. “Hold on, Raven. Stay with me.”I wanted to speak, to tell him I was fine, but my mouth refused to form words. I barely had the strength to keep my eyes open.Liora’s voice joined the fray, sharp and strained. She’s burning up again. We can’t—”I couldn’t listen to her anymore. The heat was consuming me, swallowing me whole, and everything else faded away.The world around me seemed to collapse, and then there was nothing.I wasn’t sure when I fell asleep, or if I had ever truly been awake. All I knew w
Raven "What!!! My hands trembled as I caught sight of the scene before me, my eyes stung with unshed tears. This must be a nightmare that I need to wake up from. Matt was saying the wedding vows with another woman. The man who once gazed at me with love now stood before another, his eyes shining with adoration. At that moment, I wanted to scream, to run away, but my legs had turned jelly, making my feet rooted to the spot. Matt was the Alpha of a neighbouring pack. We had been lovers since we were teenagers, and we'd officially dated for 5 years, but just last month, he announced that he would be marrying me. I couldn't help but smile when he proposed because Matt was the true definition of a good man, he was caring and very loving. What more could I want? I was happy that I was finally getting married to the man that I had loved for years, there was no better joy than that. He would marry me and make me his Luna and mate, or so I thought.I opened my eyes, hoping to wake from
Raven’s POVI felt the burn again. My skin is searing, the heat crawling through every inch of me like fire licking at my insides. I tried to move, but my body was trapped in the fire, locked in place. My vision swam—shadows and light blending together, dark edges forming in the corners of my mind.It was too much. Too much to bear.“Raven?” Rowan’s voice was distant, but I could hear the worry in it, pulling at me. His hand on my forehead felt cold against the heat radiating from me. “Hold on, Raven. Stay with me.”I wanted to speak, to tell him I was fine, but my mouth refused to form words. I barely had the strength to keep my eyes open.Liora’s voice joined the fray, sharp and strained. She’s burning up again. We can’t—”I couldn’t listen to her anymore. The heat was consuming me, swallowing me whole, and everything else faded away.The world around me seemed to collapse, and then there was nothing.I wasn’t sure when I fell asleep, or if I had ever truly been awake. All I knew w
Ansel’s POVThe morning air was crisp, the kind that seeped into your bones if you stood still too long. The horses snorted, shifting impatiently as my men secured their weapons. The steady clang of metal and murmured conversations filled the clearing.“Are we expecting a fight?” Elias asked, adjusting the strap of his sword.I finished tightening the buckles of my gloves. “We don’t know what to expect.”Kelvin’s last visit still lingered in my mind—his cold warning, the smug certainty in his eyes. Bow to the Queen, or die. It wasn’t just a threat; it was a promise.Yet he had vanished after that, retreating to whatever wasteland he called home. That was why we were going. Not to fight, but to find answers. If he had turned his back on his people, we needed to know why. And if he was still there… he owed us explanations.“Mount up,” I ordered.The men obeyed without question. Within minutes, we were riding, hooves kicking up dust as we moved toward the lands Kelvin had once ruled.T
Rowan’s POVToday has been one hell of a day.I knew we’d face challenges in the Whispering Woods, but this—this was something else entirely. My hands were still shaking. My mind couldn’t stop replaying what I had just witnessed.Raven’s blood… it did something.And the way we found the tree so easily, almost as if it had been waiting for her.The Moonstone was supposed to be a myth. A story told to pups about a long-lost relic of power. Yet there it was, real and glowing in Liora’s hands. And whatever Raven did… it awakened it.At least now I wouldn’t have to soak the Moonstone in wolfsbane—that was supposed to be the hardest part. Though I still had to meet the priestess, the stone was already reacting. That alone was enough to unsettle me.But none of that matters right now. Because Raven lay limp in my arms.One second she was talking—shaken but alive. The next, she collapsed.I bent down, cradling her. “Raven? "Raven!” I tapped her cheek, but she didn’t move.Rome, my wolf, stirr
Raven POVWe pressed deeper into the Whispering Woods, the air growing heavier with each step. The trees weren’t just tall—they loomed. Their trunks twisted like writhing bodies, knots forming shapes too close to human faces. Some were frozen in silent screams. Others just watched.Liora swallowed hard. “Rowan didn’t slow, but I saw the way his jaw tightened. “Stay close,” he ordered, his voice low, controlled.I was already sticking close to him, but now, I moved even nearer.Liora took a shaky step back. “We need to hurry. How are we even supposed to find the biggest tree in this—”Then I heard a whisper.A low hissing directly in my ear.I spun around so fast I nearly tripped. But there was nothing. Just trees and darkness.But I felt it. Cold breath against my skin.I turned back to Rowan, my pulse hammering. He was watching me, his expression unreadable, but his hand found my wrist. A grounding touch.“We don’t stop,” he said firmly. “We keep moving.”I nodded. I understand him
Raven POV Rowan woke me before dawn.“Leave me alone,” I grumbled, rolling closer to him and burying my face against the warmth of his chest.He chuckled, his breath ruffling my hair. “Little wolf, we have to keep moving. The faster we get the Moonstone, the sooner we find the descendant.”I groaned but forced myself to roll out of bed. “Fine.”“That’s better.” He nudged me toward the bathroom, his lips quirking in amusement.I bathed quickly, the warm water doing little to shake the strange feeling settling in my chest. Something told me today would be more stressful than I expected.When I stepped out, fresh clothes were already folded neatly beside the bed. Rowan had changed too, dressed in dark leather, looking every bit the warrior prince.We packed the few belongings we had and stepped outside.“Raven,” Rowan said, watching me carefully. We’re running the whole way. The faster we get there, the better.”I nodded. “Okay.”Rowan shifted first, his large silver wolf stretching bef
The Queen POV Far from the lands of Crescent Silver Pack…The throne was carved from obsidian and bone, jagged like teeth, rising high above a floor of polished black stone that reflected firelight in eerie, flickering shadows. A heavy silence sat over the chamber, broken only by the soft hum of something ancient. At its center, she sat.A woman of such breathtaking beauty that even the torches seemed to bend toward her, desperate for her attention. Her skin was smooth and pale as moonlight, untouched by time. Long, ink-dark hair cascaded around her shoulders, and she combed it with slow, graceful movements, each stroke like a ritual. Her fingers were delicate, but something about them whispered of ruin.Her eyes—green like the heart of a forest in spring—were striking, mesmerizing… and completely dead. No warmth or mercy showed in them. She looked down at the small white flower growing from the stone floor. It was the only sign of life in the darkroom—delicate, its petals just
Asher’s POV“We’ve been through this over and over again,” I snapped, my voice echoing off the stone walls. The priestesses speak in riddles no one understands. It’ll be the same this time.”"What's the need ?"Ansel rubbed his temples, jaw tight with frustration. “Then what do you suggest we do, Asher?”"Speak!"I paused. The truth was bitter in my mouth. “We don’t have a choice anymore. "We need answers, and they’re the only ones who might give us something real.”He didn’t argue, but the silence between us was taut, stretched to its limit—until the doors burst open.A guard stumbled in, sweat slick on his brow, eyes wide with alarm.“I—I’m sorry to interrupt, Your Highness, but… there’s something you must see now.”Ansel’s patience snapped. “What? Speak plainly, for God’s sake.”But the guard was already turning, leading us through the halls at a frantic pace. We stepped out into the courtyard—And the world stopped spinning.They stood there like shadows returned from the dead.Ke
Raven POV When I didn’t say anything, his hand came up, fingers curling gently—but firmly—around my neck. Not enough to hurt, but enough to make my breath catch.He pulled me closer, his eyes locked onto mine like a challenge.And then he kissed me—rough, hungry, like he was claiming every part of me I’d tried to keep hidden. Like silence was permission.My hands braced against his chest, unsure if I was pushing him away or holding on tighter.But I didn’t stop him.I couldn’t.His lips were on mine, pulling, tugging, stealing the very breath from my lungs. Heat surged through me in dizzying waves, my hands tangled in his damp hair as the sound of the running shower echoed around us like a rhythm only we could hear.“I want you so much, Raven,” he murmured against my lips, his voice hoarse, thick with longing. His hands cradled my face like I was something fragile, precious.My eyes met his, steady despite the storm inside me. “Then take me,” I whispered, the words falling from my l
Raven POV I walked out of the temple with Rowan still holding my hand.“Rowan?” I asked softly. “Yes?” His brows were still furrowed, deep in thought, his thumb unconsciously brushing against my skin.“I’ve heard that prophecy before.” His gaze snapped at mine. “Really? You have?”I nodded slowly. “I don’t know where exactly… but it felt familiar. "Like an echo from a dream, or something I once read but forgot.” I exhaled, frustration tightening in my chest. “A lot of things are so difficult to understand right now.”Rowan’s jaw clenched, but his voice remained calm. “We can’t do anything just yet." Not until we know more.”He gave my hand a reassuring squeeze. “Let’s stay here for the night. We’ll rest, gather our strength, and continue our journey tomorrow. I’ll make sure someone comes back here to help these people—whatever help we can give.”“Okay,” I said quietly, watching him. “It seems like so many are suffering… and we didn’t even know.” I paused, guilt tightening like a