She mustn't dieNico’s POVThe pieces didn’t fit. at least, not the way everyone else seemed to force them to. Ingrid’s condition, Aegon’s erratic behavior, Vimon’s sudden distrust of Dagna, and the disappearance of the Jewel of Light… all were signs of a puzzle no one wanted to solve. But I couldn’t ignore it. Not anymore.He had been watching and observing from afar for so long enough.It began the moment he saw the haunted look in Ingrid’s eyes after she collapsed in the storeroom. He had been one of the first to find her, though she never saw him. He stayed hidden, watching as her body trembled from an invisible pain no one could understand. That kind of agony wasn’t physical. It was something darker, deeper.Something supernatural.Nico started his investigations quietly. He didn’t trust anyone not even Aegon, who had become increasingly unstable. He dug through old records of magical rituals involving mate bonds and the Jewel of Light. What he found chilled him to the bone. The
The breaking point Aegon’s Reaction Aegon had been carrying a weight he could no longer ignore, though he tried his hardest to bury it under layers of indifference and pride. The moon was rising, and with it, so was the tension that had coiled tightly in his chest ever since he had betrayed Ingrid.The moment he had slept with Dagna the woman who had once been his lover, the woman who was now out for revenge he had convinced himself it was all a mistake. That it didn’t mean anything. But deep down, somewhere far beneath the surface, he knew the truth. It meant something, at least to her. To Ingrid.He’d convinced himself that he was still in control. He was the Alpha and The leader. The one who made the rules. But every time he saw Ingrid every time he felt the pull of their bond. it became harder to keep up the lie.When he had returned that night, his blood still buzzing with the memory of Dagna’s touch, he had expected Ingrid to be asleep, to avoid him as she usually did. He hadn
the confrontation Aegon's POV The air was thick with tension as Aegon stormed through the halls of the pack house, his mind racing, his heart pounding with fury and confusion. Every step felt like a punishment. His thoughts were clouded with the image of Ingrid her hurt, her pain, the betrayal that had cut deep into both of them. But now there was something else consuming him, something that gnawed at the edge of his mind like an insistent whisper.Dagna.Her face, her actions everything about her reeked of manipulation, of a calculated attempt to get what she wanted. And now, Aegon was beginning to piece together the darker truth of her involvement in all of this. He had been blinded by his own pride and confusion but the time for denial was over.He found her in one of the sitting rooms, standing by the window, her back to him as she stared out at the darkening landscape. The moon was rising, casting its eerie glow over everything, a reminder of the night to come, the night that w
preparing for the full MoonNico & Vimon's POVThe air was thick with tension as the days inched closer to the full moon. The scent of magic had grown stronger, more pungent, crawling along the wind like a warning whispered through the trees. Nico stood at the edge of the forest, eyes narrowed on the horizon where the blood moon would soon rise, heralding chaos.Something was wrong. Deeply wrong.Vimon had sensed it too—her instincts prickling like needles beneath her skin, each breath laced with unease. They had both kept watch over Ingrid, noting every tremor in her step, every flicker of unnatural pain behind her eyes. The mate bond was breaking her apart, but more than that, it was as though something more dangerous had taken hold of her soul.And now, they had only days before the full moon. The night when power surged, when darkness stirred from the roots of the earth, hungry for blood and legacy.Nico turned to Vimon, who stood beside him, arms crossed tightly. She wore a cloak
The Calm Before the StormAegon POV The air had changed. It carried a strange pressure, thick like fog yet dry like ash. My wolf stirred beneath my skin, unsettled. I stood by the window, watching the moon slowly climb, not yet full but dangerously close.I could feel it tonight would be different.Theo lay asleep in the other room. For his sake, I hoped nothing happened. But deep down, I knew hope was a luxury none of us could afford anymore.There was something coming. Something ancient and Something dark.IngridI felt the pulse before I saw the moon.It throbbed in my chest like a second heartbeat, louder than blood, louder than breath. I gripped the windowsill, the cold biting into my palms. Something was wrong.I wasn’t just afraid, I was being warned.Whispers curled through the corners of my mind. Not words, not exactly just echoes of pleas Screams. The Jewel of Light hummed from wherever it was hidden, responding to the rise of the full moon. I didn’t know what it meant but
The Shattering ThreadAegon’s POVThe moon had begun its silent climb, inching over the horizon with a dreadful glow, tainting the clouds with shades of blood and silver. Even before I saw it, I felt it. The pull. The pressure in my chest that intensified with every breath. The pack was restless wolves pacing, growling lowly under their breath, instincts sharpening.I stood at the balcony, the stone cold beneath my palms, eyes fixed on the treetops beyond the palace walls. Hoia Baciu was cloaked in fog and shadow, as though it too braced itself for what was coming. The air was thick, electric. And I knew we were out of time.A low knock at the door pulled me from my thoughts. I didn’t have to turn around to know it was Nico.“She’s not getting any better,” he said, his voice quiet but heavy with urgency. “And if tonight really is what we think it is... we might lose her.”My fingers clenched against the stone.“I won’t let that happen,” I said, but even to my own ears, the promise fel
Aegon’s POVThe scent of blood still lingered in the air.Not fresh… but recent enough to haunt me.I stood at the edge of the hallway where Ingrid had stumbled into the house just hours ago, shaken, pale, her eyes glazed with a kind of fear I hadn’t seen in her since the war with the rogue packs. And she hadn’t said much not really. Just parts and Pieces.The library.A man.A shadow.A voice she recognized but couldn’t name.She had trembled in my arms, and for once… she hadn’t pulled away.But now, as the full moon drew closer, so did the weight of my failures. The cracks I had put in her. The pain I had inflicted, knowingly and not. It was in the way she winced when she moved. The way her voice wavered when she said she didn’t see his face.And gods help me, it was in the way she didn’t look at me when she passed by.“Alpha.” Nico’s voice snapped me out of the trance. He stood at the end of the hallway, brows furrowed, jaw clenched tight. “We need to talk.”I gave a curt nod and f
Ingrid's POV Protector of the jeweiThe texts spoke of an ancient guardian tied to the Jewel of Light. A protector no, a curse bearer. One who fell from grace when the first pact between humans and wolves was broken centuries ago.And I, somehow, had triggered that story’s next chapter.But why?What made me different?Why had the jewel called to me?The door creaked open behind me.I turned instantly, muscles tense, wolf alert. But it wasn’t an intruder.It was Vimon.She didn’t speak right away. Just stepped inside and shut the door behind her with a soft thud.“I know you’re not okay,” she said quietly.I bit my lip, fighting the urge to cry again. I was so tired of crying.“I don’t want to talk about him.”“I wasn’t going to bring him up,” she said, walking closer. “I came because I found something.”She reached into the folds of her cloak and pulled out a small, jagged shard blue, glowing faintly.My breath caught.“That’s from the jewel,” I whispered.Vimon nodded. “And it reek
Ingrid's POV Protector of the jeweiThe texts spoke of an ancient guardian tied to the Jewel of Light. A protector no, a curse bearer. One who fell from grace when the first pact between humans and wolves was broken centuries ago.And I, somehow, had triggered that story’s next chapter.But why?What made me different?Why had the jewel called to me?The door creaked open behind me.I turned instantly, muscles tense, wolf alert. But it wasn’t an intruder.It was Vimon.She didn’t speak right away. Just stepped inside and shut the door behind her with a soft thud.“I know you’re not okay,” she said quietly.I bit my lip, fighting the urge to cry again. I was so tired of crying.“I don’t want to talk about him.”“I wasn’t going to bring him up,” she said, walking closer. “I came because I found something.”She reached into the folds of her cloak and pulled out a small, jagged shard blue, glowing faintly.My breath caught.“That’s from the jewel,” I whispered.Vimon nodded. “And it reek
Aegon’s POVThe scent of blood still lingered in the air.Not fresh… but recent enough to haunt me.I stood at the edge of the hallway where Ingrid had stumbled into the house just hours ago, shaken, pale, her eyes glazed with a kind of fear I hadn’t seen in her since the war with the rogue packs. And she hadn’t said much not really. Just parts and Pieces.The library.A man.A shadow.A voice she recognized but couldn’t name.She had trembled in my arms, and for once… she hadn’t pulled away.But now, as the full moon drew closer, so did the weight of my failures. The cracks I had put in her. The pain I had inflicted, knowingly and not. It was in the way she winced when she moved. The way her voice wavered when she said she didn’t see his face.And gods help me, it was in the way she didn’t look at me when she passed by.“Alpha.” Nico’s voice snapped me out of the trance. He stood at the end of the hallway, brows furrowed, jaw clenched tight. “We need to talk.”I gave a curt nod and f
The Shattering ThreadAegon’s POVThe moon had begun its silent climb, inching over the horizon with a dreadful glow, tainting the clouds with shades of blood and silver. Even before I saw it, I felt it. The pull. The pressure in my chest that intensified with every breath. The pack was restless wolves pacing, growling lowly under their breath, instincts sharpening.I stood at the balcony, the stone cold beneath my palms, eyes fixed on the treetops beyond the palace walls. Hoia Baciu was cloaked in fog and shadow, as though it too braced itself for what was coming. The air was thick, electric. And I knew we were out of time.A low knock at the door pulled me from my thoughts. I didn’t have to turn around to know it was Nico.“She’s not getting any better,” he said, his voice quiet but heavy with urgency. “And if tonight really is what we think it is... we might lose her.”My fingers clenched against the stone.“I won’t let that happen,” I said, but even to my own ears, the promise fel
The Calm Before the StormAegon POV The air had changed. It carried a strange pressure, thick like fog yet dry like ash. My wolf stirred beneath my skin, unsettled. I stood by the window, watching the moon slowly climb, not yet full but dangerously close.I could feel it tonight would be different.Theo lay asleep in the other room. For his sake, I hoped nothing happened. But deep down, I knew hope was a luxury none of us could afford anymore.There was something coming. Something ancient and Something dark.IngridI felt the pulse before I saw the moon.It throbbed in my chest like a second heartbeat, louder than blood, louder than breath. I gripped the windowsill, the cold biting into my palms. Something was wrong.I wasn’t just afraid, I was being warned.Whispers curled through the corners of my mind. Not words, not exactly just echoes of pleas Screams. The Jewel of Light hummed from wherever it was hidden, responding to the rise of the full moon. I didn’t know what it meant but
preparing for the full MoonNico & Vimon's POVThe air was thick with tension as the days inched closer to the full moon. The scent of magic had grown stronger, more pungent, crawling along the wind like a warning whispered through the trees. Nico stood at the edge of the forest, eyes narrowed on the horizon where the blood moon would soon rise, heralding chaos.Something was wrong. Deeply wrong.Vimon had sensed it too—her instincts prickling like needles beneath her skin, each breath laced with unease. They had both kept watch over Ingrid, noting every tremor in her step, every flicker of unnatural pain behind her eyes. The mate bond was breaking her apart, but more than that, it was as though something more dangerous had taken hold of her soul.And now, they had only days before the full moon. The night when power surged, when darkness stirred from the roots of the earth, hungry for blood and legacy.Nico turned to Vimon, who stood beside him, arms crossed tightly. She wore a cloak
the confrontation Aegon's POV The air was thick with tension as Aegon stormed through the halls of the pack house, his mind racing, his heart pounding with fury and confusion. Every step felt like a punishment. His thoughts were clouded with the image of Ingrid her hurt, her pain, the betrayal that had cut deep into both of them. But now there was something else consuming him, something that gnawed at the edge of his mind like an insistent whisper.Dagna.Her face, her actions everything about her reeked of manipulation, of a calculated attempt to get what she wanted. And now, Aegon was beginning to piece together the darker truth of her involvement in all of this. He had been blinded by his own pride and confusion but the time for denial was over.He found her in one of the sitting rooms, standing by the window, her back to him as she stared out at the darkening landscape. The moon was rising, casting its eerie glow over everything, a reminder of the night to come, the night that w
The breaking point Aegon’s Reaction Aegon had been carrying a weight he could no longer ignore, though he tried his hardest to bury it under layers of indifference and pride. The moon was rising, and with it, so was the tension that had coiled tightly in his chest ever since he had betrayed Ingrid.The moment he had slept with Dagna the woman who had once been his lover, the woman who was now out for revenge he had convinced himself it was all a mistake. That it didn’t mean anything. But deep down, somewhere far beneath the surface, he knew the truth. It meant something, at least to her. To Ingrid.He’d convinced himself that he was still in control. He was the Alpha and The leader. The one who made the rules. But every time he saw Ingrid every time he felt the pull of their bond. it became harder to keep up the lie.When he had returned that night, his blood still buzzing with the memory of Dagna’s touch, he had expected Ingrid to be asleep, to avoid him as she usually did. He hadn
She mustn't dieNico’s POVThe pieces didn’t fit. at least, not the way everyone else seemed to force them to. Ingrid’s condition, Aegon’s erratic behavior, Vimon’s sudden distrust of Dagna, and the disappearance of the Jewel of Light… all were signs of a puzzle no one wanted to solve. But I couldn’t ignore it. Not anymore.He had been watching and observing from afar for so long enough.It began the moment he saw the haunted look in Ingrid’s eyes after she collapsed in the storeroom. He had been one of the first to find her, though she never saw him. He stayed hidden, watching as her body trembled from an invisible pain no one could understand. That kind of agony wasn’t physical. It was something darker, deeper.Something supernatural.Nico started his investigations quietly. He didn’t trust anyone not even Aegon, who had become increasingly unstable. He dug through old records of magical rituals involving mate bonds and the Jewel of Light. What he found chilled him to the bone. The
She mustn't dieNico’s POVThe pieces didn’t fit. at least, not the way everyone else seemed to force them to. Ingrid’s condition, Aegon’s erratic behavior, Vimon’s sudden distrust of Dagna, and the disappearance of the Jewel of Light… all were signs of a puzzle no one wanted to solve. But I couldn’t ignore it. Not anymore.He had been watching and observing from afar for so long enough.It began the moment he saw the haunted look in Ingrid’s eyes after she collapsed in the storeroom. He had been one of the first to find her, though she never saw him. He stayed hidden, watching as her body trembled from an invisible pain no one could understand. That kind of agony wasn’t physical. It was something darker, deeper.Something supernatural.Nico started his investigations quietly. He didn’t trust anyone not even Aegon, who had become increasingly unstable. He dug through old records of magical rituals involving mate bonds and the Jewel of Light. What he found chilled him to the bone. Ther