DAMON’S POVIt felt like my heart was ripped out, set on fire, and then shoved back into my chest like it was no big deal. I was choking really on my own breath like my lungs just forgot how to work. Yeah. I had described exactly how I felt at that very moment. Only that, I wasn't choking on air. I was choking on her.I meant Selena.Her scent was still in my nose, all honey and lavenders and—hell. It was messing with my head. Or maybe that was the bond. I had been right with my suspicions about our past bond not completely severed. I had been surprised when I had felt a squeezing pain in my chest, and when she had come, she felt the same pain. Foolish Kai had stopped the bond breaking process somehow, now that was one thing I was grateful for because I still felt it. It was weak and frayed, but still there. It wasn't completely gone. The remaining bond was just like a string tied between us, holding on by the tiniest thread.“She's ours,” Demon growled, pacing in my head like he wo
SELENA’S POVI was drowning.Not in water. No, not even in blood. But in grief—I was drowning in grief.It was thick and suffocating, wrapping around my chest like chains, and refusing to let go. I couldn't breathe in or out. I couldn't think. I couldn't do anything else except let the tears fall.And Goddess, they wouldn’t stop falling.The smell of smoke was still in my nose. It didn’t matter how many times I washed my clothes or scrubbed my skin roughly. It still lingered—reminding me that the packhouse was gone. Burnt to ashes.Gone, just like them.Alpha. Luna. My parents—not by blood but by bond…they were both gone. They were the only people who ever gave a damn about me when no one else did. They had pulled me in from the streets, given me a home, a purpose to continue living, a family. And now they were dead.I curled deeper into the blanket wrapped around me, pulling my knees closer to my chest. The room was too dark, but I didn’t bother turning on the light. What was the poi
KAI’S POVMy mate was losing it.And I was losing my damn mind trying to keep it together also.She was broken. Not the kind of broken you could fix with a hug or some cheesy promise that everything would be okay. No, this was the kind of broken that sank into your bones, refusing to let go. The kind that made you stare at someone you were were supposed to love and see someone else instead.And that someone else was Damon.Selena had been acting weird ever since she woke up. Not just the crying—although that was bad enough to make me feel like my chest was squeezed tight every time I saw her break down—but the way she looked at me.Like I wasn’t even me.She hadd called me Damon. More than once.At first, I thought I had misheard her. I mean, dark magic does things to people, right? Like twisting their minds, making them unable to differentiate between the past and the present. So, I brushed it off. I told myself it was fine. That it would pass.But then she said it again.And this ti
SELENA’S POVI wasn’t supposed to be here.Like, at all.I was supposed to be halfway to wherever Kai was right now, apologizing for mistaking him for Damon earlier, for losing my damn mind and making things awkward. But instead?I was standing right in the middle of Silver Moon territory—the one place I swore I would never go back to without my mate and savior by my side.“What the hell are you doing, Selena?” Celestia hissed in my head, her voice sharp enough to make my head ache. “Turn around. Right now.”“I’m going,” I muttered, even though my feet were glued to the ground. “I’m turning back.”But I wasn’t. Not really.Because no matter how much I hated this place, how much I hated him too, there was something about it, about Damon, that kept pulling me in like I was some stupid moth and he was the damn light.I hated it. But you know what I hated more? Myself. Yes, I hated myself more.“Selena—”“I said I’m going!” I snapped, spinning around to leave.But then the sight before me
SELENA’S POVI knew she was up to something the second I set my eyes on her.No one with hair that shiny and eyes that innocent could be real—not in this world, not in this pack, and definitely not standing that close to my mate like she belonged there.“Selena, stop staring.” Celestia hisses sharply, her voice ringing my head annoyingly,like she was already tired of me when we had barely made it past breakfast.“I’m not staring,” I muttered, which was a lie, obviously. “I’m…analyzing.”“Analyzing what? The way she’s breathing? The way Kai hasn’t even noticed you’re glaring literal daggers at her back?”I ignored her. Mostly because she was right, but also because Sedna—yes, Sedna, as in some ancient snake-goddess name straight out of a horror movie—was still talking to Kai, and he was still smiling at her like she didn’t make my skin crawl.“She’s suspicious,” I said under my breath, the word curling off my tongue like poison. “She shouldn’t even be here, she should be in her pack.”
KAI’S POVI should have shut her up when I had the chance.No, seriously, Selena had been going on and on about Sedna for days now, and honestly? It was starting to feel like nails scraping against the inside of my skull. It was getting really annoying.At first, it was cute. The way her nose scrunched up whenever Sedna did so much as breathed near me. The way she clung to my arm like she was marking her territory. It was cute, and yeah, I would be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy it a little. It meant she had picked me over Damon, and if there was one thing my wolf loved more than ripping throats, it was winning.But then it stopped being cute.The jealousy stopped being adorable. The way Selena hovered and snapped, narrowing her eyes at Sedna like she would physically tear her apart if I gave her the go-ahead was getting unbearable.She was now obsessive. Because Sedna was now all she talked about.“Sedna is dangerous.”“Sedna is lying.”“Sedna is this, Sedna is that…”“Sedna is secre
KAI’S POVThe second he opened his filthy mouth to speak gibberish, I should have punched him. No, seriously. If there was ever a time to throw fists instead of words, it was now. Because standing in the middle of the training field, surrounded by the rest of my pack—emphasis on my pack—and hearing Jared sneer, “Maybe Selena needs a real mate,” made my fingers fold into a ball and my wolf snapped his teeth like he was seconds away from taking over.But I didn’t punch him despite the need to. It wasn't the right time yet.Because as much as I wanted to wipe that irritating smug look off his ugly face, I needed to keep my head clear. I was the Alpha. I had a war to prepare for. I couldn’t afford to lose control now, not when my pack was already looking at me like I had lost it.“Say that again,” I said in a low voice that sharpened every hearing sense.But Jared didn’t flinch. Of course, he didn’t. He was bigger than most of the pack youths, older than most of the soldiers, the command
SELENA’S POVIf there was one thing I knew for sure, it was that—nobody was going to stop me, not even Kai.No, really. If someone had handed me a big, red, flashing sign that said, “Danger: Do Not Enter This Forest Unless You Want to Die,” I still wouldn’t have listened. Because I was stubborn like that. Stupid too, apparently.But mostly? I was angry.The kind of anger that burned so hot that it felt cold. The kind that made my wolf, Celestia, growl in my head and whisper things like, “Rip her throat out,” and, “End her before she ends us.”So yeah, maybe going back to the exact spot where I got bitten by Sedna The Snake wasn’t exactly the smartest move, but hey—revenge didn’t exactly come with a handbook.“You’re doing this without Kai, we agreed to let him know, Selena,” Celestia said, her voice sharp like my claws. “You’re insane.”“I’m focused,” I snapped back, pushing through the narrow bathe between bushes. Branches scratched at my skin, but I didn’t stop. “I’m done waiting fo
NARRATEDDamon didn’t see it coming at all.His aim was at her because one moment Selena had turned her back, her focus now locked on Elara. But in the next moment, when he lunged forward like an unchained beast with desperation burning in his eyes, Kai met him with a faster energy.Their bodies collided with a bone-crunching impact, and the ground made a thud sound beneath their weights. Damon roared, his dark magic losing its control within him, but Kai met him blow for blow, his claws ripping through Damon's fur and flesh like they were paper.“You’re done!” Kai growled angrily, his voice coming out with a furious thone as he grinded his teeth against each other.Damon grinned despite the blood dripping from his mouth. “Not yet.”He shoved Kai off him, sending him flying backwards, but Kai was already moving again. His wolf surged forward, becoming wild as it slammed into Damon before he could fully recover.Selena turned at the direction of the scuffling sound, her chest tightenin
NARRATED Damon’s face paled on hearing her words. And suddenly, his once handsome face became barely recognizable now.Visible cracks of dark magic split his skin like fractures in glass. His eyes burned with a weird l glow, and now, it was obvious that the power he had stolen from Irene was devouring him. But he still stood tall and mighty, ignoring the greenish cracks that tattooed his skin. Selena’s heart hammered in her chest when she felt the menace he exuded, but she masked it with confidence. She refused to show weakness now.Before she could speak, Damon’s deep voice stole her own voice in her throat.“You were mine once, Selena.” His lips curled into a cruel smile. “You can deny it all you want, but we both know the bond is still there. You feel it too, don’t you?”Selena bit her lower lips, her crimson magic crackling like wildfire at her fingertips. “The only thing I feel is disgust,” she spat, her voice cool as though she had dry ice in her mouth. “Whatever we had was bu
NARRATED“SELENA!”Kai's scream echoed across the battlefield, cutting through the war like a lightning strike on a peaceful island. Every wolf's head turned just in time to see the dagger aiming toward Selena’s back.But then, it suddenly felt as though time became slower.The blade of the knife twirled in the air, its sharp edge glinting under the silver moonlight. But just as it was about to bury itself into her flesh, Selena twisted swiftly, her eyes blazing with a divine fire.With a dash of her wrist, her crimson power surged from her fingertips, slamming into the dagger and sending it spinning away into digging the ground.“Yasmine! The knife—grab it!” Selena shouted, her voice sharp with urgency.Yasmine ran forward toward the direction where the knife fell, her movements so fast and calculated, but before her fingers could close tightly around the handle of the dagger, Elara suddenly appeared out of nowhere.“No!” Yasmine gasped, reaching out to hold the knife but it was too…
NARRATEDThe silver full moon shone brightly in the sky, and that could only mean one thing—The long awaited war had arrived.Whoever was on the battlefield could also feel the thick, choking tension in the air, and the copper scent of blood even before a single drop had been spilled. The blueish-green field was wide, its grassy plain already scratched with claw marks and footprints from both packs preparing for battle. The swollen moon, casted its silver light that turned the wolves’ fur into a sea of shining beauty.On one side, Kai stood tall in his alpha form—his jet-black fur standing so stiff and his gold eyes burning with a fire that could set the whole world ablaze. At his right hand side, Selena radiated in her divine form, her aura glowing faintly like a goddess ready to rain down her anger. Renn’s brownish-orange wolf growled dangerously beside her, his long claws digging deep into the dirt. And the commander? Jared’s silver fur.and sharp eyes darted around in circles imp
SILAS’ POVThe silver dagger I would be using gleamed under the dim candle light of my secret lair. Its silver edge was sharp enough to split even the thinnest strand of hair into two. I turned the dagger slowly, letting the metal shine under the light as I traced the tip with my palm. Blood seeped out of the cut I had induced on myself, the color dark and rich, but in no time, the wound closed as quickly as it had opened. Yeah, those were the kind of perks I would fully have access to when I become Immortal.I would no longer age, pain would not last longer than half of a second, when my names got mentioned, the whole word would bow with respect. I could really go on and on about what would be in store for me if I became permanently everlasting.I rose to my feet and paced the length of the lair in slow steps. The air in the chamber was filled with the scent of burnt herbs and dried blood, which were my own satisfying oxygen.Shelves lined the walls, filled with piles of grimoires,
KAI’S POVEvery time I inhaled, I could perceive swear, leather and the desperation that overtook the largest percentage of the air in the war room we gathered in.My arms were folded over my chest as I leaned against the edge of the map table, my eyes scanning the faces of my people—the leaders of my warriors. The shaman—or should I say my uncle, stood to my right, his hands still glowing faintly with whatever mystical energy he had been flexing earlier. And Selena was directly across from me, her arms folded too. I could see her wolf practically leaking authority through her eyes.But despite the determined looks plastered on everyone’s faces, I knew deep down, we were all worried about what was to come. “Alright,” I started, clearing my throat to reduce the hoarseness in my voice. “We don’t have time for speeches. Damon’s men are closing in as we all know, and if we don’t act smart, they’ll rip us apart before we even see the damn full moon.”Yasmine leaned forward, her claws tap
SELENA’S POV“I told you, you were the chosen one.”His voice cut through the chaos like thunder splitting the sky.I turned around, my eyes locking with the gaze of the shaman as he kneeled beside another weak warrior, his hands glowing with that eerie, silver light. It was impossible. He was supposed to be dead—buried six feet under with nothing but dirt and roots to keep him company.Yet, here he was. Very much alive and breathing well, performing real time miracles.“What the hell?” My words slipped out before I could stop them, and Celestia stirred awake from her sleep within me. “Language,” she warned.I ignored her. “How… how are you even here?”The shaman glanced up, his eyes resembling that of molten gold. “Two wolves dug me out of my grave.”I blinked thrice, trying to picture his words. “Excuse me, what?”He stood still for a while before stepping closer, his gaze practically pinning me in place. “The moon goddess sent them.”Oh, of course. That explained everything.I cros
KAI’S POVI was standing at the edge of the training field with my arms crossed, watching the trainees form uneven lines.They all looked so fragile under the silvery glow of the moonlight. They were like glass that hadn’t finished hardening. I knew these trainees were too young and unfit for the job—most of them being teenagers—but they were all we had.I clenched my jaw, forcing the belittling thought down my throat and away from my head. Weakness wasn’t an option at this moment. Especially not tonight.“Again,” I barked at them, pacing along the row of each pair. “Keep your stances steady. If you fall now, you’ll die later.”One of the boys flinched at my words, his nerves making him start to fidget. I stopped beside him and knocked his sword aside with my own, sending it clattering to the ground.“Pick it up,” I ordered.He scrambled for it, his cheeks red with fright, but I didn’t let him pick it. I stepped on his weapon, and it was almost impossible to lift the sword under my s
SELENA’S POVHonestly, guilt tasted worse than food poisoning.Standing there like a fraud while everyone pukes their guts out and you’re perfectly fine was really the worst kind of feeling. Everywhere I turned, someone was either puking, groaning, or cursing us under their breath—not that I blamed them. If I were in their shoes, I would hate myself too.Because there I was, standing in the middle of the chaos with Kai at my side, perfectly fine like we hadn’t been the ones shoving greasy meat sticks into everyone’s hands last night. I mean, Kai and I might as well have walked around with flashing signs that said, ‘We’re the assholes who did this.’I hated it. The guilt was living in my stomach, like all those skewers we ate decided to come back and haunt me. Celestia, my wolf, wasn’t helping either.“They’re suffering because of us,” she whispered in my head. “Look at them, Selena. Look.”I did. And instantly regretted it again.People were everywhere—curled up in blankets, moanin