The wind howled through the Forgotten Sanctuary, whipping through the stone ruins like a restless spirit. Nicola’s breath came in uneven puffs, her heart still hammering from the shock of seeing Lucas standing before her.He was real. Not a vision, not a trick of the shadows.Lucas.Her childhood friend. Her almost-mate. The one who had vanished without a word.Now, after all these time, he was here - standing in the very place where she was meant to face her fate.The silence between them stretched, taut with tension and unanswered questions.Elias shifted beside her, his golden eyes sharp and assessing. His entire stance screamed distrust, his fingers hovering near the dagger at his waist. He was ready to act at the slightest provocation.Lucas, on the other hand, looked at ease. Too at ease. He stood with his hands resting at his sides, his expression unreadable, but there was something in his gaze - something heavy. He looked to calm, to stedy. He was diffrent than the boy he was
The Forgotten Sanctuary seemed to pulse with something unseen, a presence that stirred beneath the cracked stone and dust-laden air. The deeper they moved into its ruins, the more Nicola felt it - a whisper at the edge of her senses, calling her forward, drawing her toward something she couldn’t yet name.She stood between Elias and Lucas, the weight of Lucas’s words still settling over her like a shroud."Everything you think you know about this ritual is a lie."Nicola clenched her fists, her voice sharp as she demanded, “Then tell me the truth.”Lucas exhaled slowly, his gaze flickering between her and Elias. “I will. But first, you have to be ready to hear it.”She stiffened. “I don’t have the luxury of waiting.”A flicker of something unreadable passed through Lucas’s expression before he finally nodded. “Fine. Then listen closely, because we don’t have much time.”Nicola held her breath as Lucas continued.“The ritual you’ve been preparing for - it’s not what you think. It isn’t
A deep, haunting howl tore through Nicola’s mind, raw and primal. It vibrated through her bones, sending a jolt of electricity down her spine. Her wolf - silent for so long - was awake.Run.The command wasn’t spoken in words, but in instinct, in the frantic pulse of her blood.The figure in the chamber remained still, shifting between shadow and substance, its presence pressing against her like an unseen weight."Nicola…"The way it said her name - it wasn’t a threat. It wasn’t a plea. It was… expectant.Her breath hitched."No."Her own voice sounded distant in her ears, drowned beneath the sound of her wolf's desperate howling. It clawed at her mind, urging her away, away, away.Lucas’s grip on her arm tightened, grounding her. “Nicola, look at me.”She blinked, her vision swimming as she turned toward him.His golden eyes were fierce, unwavering. “We cannot be here.”Elias didn’t lower his blade. His stance was rigid, his muscles coiled, but Nicola knew him well enough to see what
Nicola’s pulse pounded in her ears as she moved toward the faint glow. The pull was undeniable, an invisible thread wrapped around her chest, guiding her deeper into the heart of the Forgotten Sanctuary.“Nicola,” Elias warned, his voice low, tense. “Whatever this is - it isn’t safe.”“I know,” she murmured, but she didn’t stop.Lucas let out a frustrated breath. “You’re walking straight into something we don’t understand.”“I don’t have a choice,” she said, glancing over her shoulder. “She left something here. I need to know what it is.”Elias hesitated, his sharp eyes scanning the corridor ahead, as if he too could sense the shift in the air. His expression was unreadable, but finally, he gave a small nod. “Then we move carefully.”Lucas sighed, clearly unhappy, but followed as Nicola stepped forward.The corridor narrowed, the walls pressing in like the ribs of some ancient beast, and the deeper they went, the heavier the air became. The energy in this place was ancient, woven into
The clock on the classroom wall ticked loudly, its sound amplified by the suffocating silence. Nicola James sat in the back corner, her chair slightly askew to keep her distance from the other students. Not that anyone wanted to be close to her. The fluorescent lights overhead buzzed faintly, flickering every now and then, but no one else seemed to notice. Crescent Moon High was old, the kind of school where the lockers stuck, the cafeteria food tasted like cardboard, and the faint smell of mildew lingered no matter how many times they cleaned.Nicola glanced at the clock again. Two minutes until the bell. Two minutes until she could blend into the crowd, slip through the hallways unnoticed, and finally escape the judgmental stares that followed her everywhere. Two minutes until she could retreat into the safety of her own mind.The teacher’s voice droned on, his monotone explanation of algebra formulas fading into the background. Nicola’s gaze drifted to the window. The late autumn s
The roar of the crowd echoed through the stadium as Nicola followed Chloe and Theo to the bleachers. The air was crisp, filled with the mingling scents of pine and damp earth, a constant reminder of the pack lands that surrounded Crescent Moon High. Nicola pulled her hoodie tighter around herself, as though the soft fabric could shield her from the noise, the people, and the weight of her own thoughts.The field was alive with activity, a kaleidoscope of movement and sound. Cheerleaders in glittering uniforms danced energetically on the sidelines, their pom-poms shimmering under the bright stadium lights. The band perched at the edge of the stands, their instruments gleaming, occasionally bursting into short, triumphant tunes that sent the crowd into a frenzy. Students packed the bleachers, a sea of Crescent Moon High colors waving banners and shouting encouragements. The air buzzed with the collective energy of the pack, an unmistakable pulse of unity that Nicola felt disconnected fr
After the game, Nicola found herself swept up in Chloe and Theo’s relentless enthusiasm. She had protested all the way to Theo’s car, but her friends had brushed off her excuses as if she’d been saying she didn’t like chocolate.“You’ll be fine,” Chloe said for the hundredth time as they drove toward the Blackstone mansion. “It’s just a party, Nic. No one’s going to bite you.”“Speak for yourself,” Theo quipped with a sly grin, adjusting his rearview mirror.Nicola groaned, leaning her forehead against the window. She didn’t belong at a party like this. The Blackstone house wasn’t just any house; it was a symbol of power and wealth, the seat of the Crescent Moon Pack’s Alpha family. Everyone who mattered in the pack would be there. Everyone except her.The Blackstone mansion loomed ahead like something out of a gothic fairy tale. Perched on a hill overlooking the pack lands, the sprawling estate was more castle than home. High stone walls framed a grand entrance, and glowing lights sp
The first scent hit her like a lightning strike - warm, musky, and intoxicatingly familiar. Her wolf stirred, a low growl rumbling in the back of her mind, waking from its deep slumber. The connection was immediate, like a spark that ignited something ancient and primal within her. It was him - them.Her fingers slipped, the glass of punch she had been holding tumbling from her hand and shattering on the floor with a loud crack. Her breath caught, the sound of the glass breaking drowned out by the sudden rush of blood pounding in her ears.“Nic?” Chloe’s voice was distant, a blur against the ringing in her head.Nicola turned slowly, her body stiff, her mind fighting against the instinct to flee - -or worse, to run towards them. Her gaze moved across the room, drawn as if by an invisible force, until her eyes landed on the three figures standing at the edge of the party, barely visible through the crowd.Damien. Dylan. Dean.The Blackstone triplets.They stood as one, their bodies exu
Nicola’s pulse pounded in her ears as she moved toward the faint glow. The pull was undeniable, an invisible thread wrapped around her chest, guiding her deeper into the heart of the Forgotten Sanctuary.“Nicola,” Elias warned, his voice low, tense. “Whatever this is - it isn’t safe.”“I know,” she murmured, but she didn’t stop.Lucas let out a frustrated breath. “You’re walking straight into something we don’t understand.”“I don’t have a choice,” she said, glancing over her shoulder. “She left something here. I need to know what it is.”Elias hesitated, his sharp eyes scanning the corridor ahead, as if he too could sense the shift in the air. His expression was unreadable, but finally, he gave a small nod. “Then we move carefully.”Lucas sighed, clearly unhappy, but followed as Nicola stepped forward.The corridor narrowed, the walls pressing in like the ribs of some ancient beast, and the deeper they went, the heavier the air became. The energy in this place was ancient, woven into
A deep, haunting howl tore through Nicola’s mind, raw and primal. It vibrated through her bones, sending a jolt of electricity down her spine. Her wolf - silent for so long - was awake.Run.The command wasn’t spoken in words, but in instinct, in the frantic pulse of her blood.The figure in the chamber remained still, shifting between shadow and substance, its presence pressing against her like an unseen weight."Nicola…"The way it said her name - it wasn’t a threat. It wasn’t a plea. It was… expectant.Her breath hitched."No."Her own voice sounded distant in her ears, drowned beneath the sound of her wolf's desperate howling. It clawed at her mind, urging her away, away, away.Lucas’s grip on her arm tightened, grounding her. “Nicola, look at me.”She blinked, her vision swimming as she turned toward him.His golden eyes were fierce, unwavering. “We cannot be here.”Elias didn’t lower his blade. His stance was rigid, his muscles coiled, but Nicola knew him well enough to see what
The Forgotten Sanctuary seemed to pulse with something unseen, a presence that stirred beneath the cracked stone and dust-laden air. The deeper they moved into its ruins, the more Nicola felt it - a whisper at the edge of her senses, calling her forward, drawing her toward something she couldn’t yet name.She stood between Elias and Lucas, the weight of Lucas’s words still settling over her like a shroud."Everything you think you know about this ritual is a lie."Nicola clenched her fists, her voice sharp as she demanded, “Then tell me the truth.”Lucas exhaled slowly, his gaze flickering between her and Elias. “I will. But first, you have to be ready to hear it.”She stiffened. “I don’t have the luxury of waiting.”A flicker of something unreadable passed through Lucas’s expression before he finally nodded. “Fine. Then listen closely, because we don’t have much time.”Nicola held her breath as Lucas continued.“The ritual you’ve been preparing for - it’s not what you think. It isn’t
The wind howled through the Forgotten Sanctuary, whipping through the stone ruins like a restless spirit. Nicola’s breath came in uneven puffs, her heart still hammering from the shock of seeing Lucas standing before her.He was real. Not a vision, not a trick of the shadows.Lucas.Her childhood friend. Her almost-mate. The one who had vanished without a word.Now, after all these time, he was here - standing in the very place where she was meant to face her fate.The silence between them stretched, taut with tension and unanswered questions.Elias shifted beside her, his golden eyes sharp and assessing. His entire stance screamed distrust, his fingers hovering near the dagger at his waist. He was ready to act at the slightest provocation.Lucas, on the other hand, looked at ease. Too at ease. He stood with his hands resting at his sides, his expression unreadable, but there was something in his gaze - something heavy. He looked to calm, to stedy. He was diffrent than the boy he was
The Forgotten Sanctuary loomed before Nicola, an ancient ruin carved into the mountainside, its jagged silhouette barely visible beneath the pale moonlight. The air was thick with an eerie stillness, broken only by the distant howl of the wind. The stone walls, cracked and weathered by time, pulsed faintly with traces of old magic - power that had long since faded but never truly vanished.She took a slow breath, inhaling the scent of damp stone and something deeper, something familiar yet unsettling. This was where she had been born. Where her mother, Lyra, had brought her into the world.It didn’t feel like a place of beginnings.It felt like an ending.Elias walked ahead of her, his golden eyes scanning the ruins with an intensity she had come to recognize as something between reverence and calculation. He moved like a shadow, his presence blending into the ancient magic, as if he belonged here in a way she never could.Nicola’s steps faltered as she reached the entrance. The tower
Nicola’s mind reeled as the cavern around her trembled, the echoes of the vision still thrumming through her veins. Her breath came fast, shallow, as she tried to process the truth laid before her.The ritual wouldn’t destroy the darkness. It never had.It had only contained it, delaying the inevitable.She clenched her hands into fists, the phantom sensation of blood on her palms still lingering from the vision. The First Lycan Queen - her ancestor - had given everything to trap the darkness before. But time had weakened the chains. And now, it would fall to her to decide whether to do it again.Or to find another way.A hand on her shoulder grounded her.Elias."You look like you're going to be sick," he observed, voice calm but watchful.Nicola swallowed hard, shaking her head. "I just..." She exhaled sharply. "I don’t know what I was expecting, but it wasn’t this."The Keeper stood motionless beside the altar, their silver eyes unreadable beneath the hood. "You came seeking answer
They walked out of the rocks formations. Nicola followed Elias through the dense, mist-shrouded forest, the ancient trees towering above them like silent sentinels. The night air was thick with the scent of damp earth and moss, a strange stillness settling over the world around them. Every step she took felt heavier, as if unseen forces in the ground beneath her feet were pulling her deeper into something far older than she could comprehend.Elias moved with an ease that unsettled her, his steps sure and unhurried. The glow of the moon barely touched his silver-streaked hair, and his golden eyes shimmered in the darkness like a predator perfectly at home in the shadows."Where are we going?" Nicola finally asked, breaking the silence."You'll see soon enough," Elias said, his voice calm but firm. "This is not just a place. It is… a memory of something long forgotten. A part of your story waiting to be reclaimed."Nicola frowned but kept walking. The air around them grew heavier, tinge
Nicola’s breath came fast and uneven as she staggered to her feet. The ground beneath her was rough, uneven stone, cold enough that it sent a sharp chill up her spine. The air here was different - dense, thick with something she couldn’t name. It pressed against her skin like an unseen force, tingling at the edges of her senses.Her pulse pounded as she turned on Elias, anger and confusion swirling together in a volatile mix.“You took me,” she hissed. “Without warning. Without my consent.”Elias met her fury with unwavering calm, his hands clasped behind his back. “Because you wouldn’t have come willingly.”Nicola clenched her fists. “Damn right I wouldn’t have.”She took a step toward him, rage crackling in her veins like live electricity. “You severed my bond with them.” The words tasted bitter on her tongue, fear laced beneath the anger. “Do you have any idea what you’ve just done?”Elias tilted his head slightly, studying her like she was a puzzle he had already solved. “It is no
Nicola's POV Nicola’s pulse was still hammering in her ears, her breath uneven as Elias’ words settled over her like a suffocating weight.To the place where you were born.The implications clawed at the edges of her mind, demanding attention she wasn’t ready to give. She had never known her true birthplace.“You’re wrong,” she muttered, shaking her head. “I was raised in the Pack. I was made there, in the Order ground .”Elias exhaled slowly, his ancient eyes watching her with quiet patience. “You were forged there, child, but you were not born there.”A chill ran down her spine, despite the warmth of the night.Elias took a step closer, his presence a looming force even in stillness. “You feel it, don’t you?” His voice was softer now, less of a command and more of an invitation. “Something is calling to you.”Nicola clenched her jaw. He wasn’t wrong.Ever since the talk of the ritual had begun, she had felt it - that gnawing pull in her gut, a whisper in the depths of her mind that