The morning dawned with the crisp clarity that often follows a storm, the air fresh and cool against the remnants of the previous night’s rain. Nicola woke to the familiar warmth of the triplets surrounding her, their steady breathing grounding her as sunlight filtered through the curtains of their shared bedroom.Today felt different. A blend of relief and uncertainty lingered in her chest. Maddie’s execution had brought justice, but the cost weighed heavily on the pack. Nicola knew healing wouldn’t come overnight, especially for Maddie’s family.She slipped out of bed carefully, trying not to disturb the triplets. They stirred anyway, Dylan catching her hand as she moved toward the closet.“Where are you sneaking off to?” he mumbled, his voice husky with sleep.Nicola smiled. “I’m just grabbing some clothes. Go back to sleep.”Damien stretched, his movements lazy but precise, and opened one eye. “Too late. We’re up.”Dean groaned into the pillow. “Speak for yourself.”Nicola rolled
The haunting howl Nicola had heard the night before echoed in her mind as she stood on the balcony of the packhouse the next morning. The forest stretched endlessly before her, serene in its stillness, yet she couldn’t shake the unease prickling at the edge of her senses.The triplets joined her one by one, their movements unusually quiet. Dylan leaned against the railing, his brow furrowed as he scanned the treeline. Damien and Dean stood close, their expressions mirroring Nicola’s apprehension.“I don’t like this,” Nicola muttered, her arms crossed tightly over her chest.“Neither do we,” Damien replied, his voice low. “But we’ve doubled patrols since last night. If anything moves out there, we’ll know.”Dean placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “We’ll be ready for whatever comes, Nic. You’ve got us, and we’ve got the pack.”Nicola nodded, but the tension in her chest refused to ease.Later that day, Nicola decided she couldn’t sit idle any longer. With the triplets flanking he
Nicola couldn’t shake the unease as she walked through the forest trails near the packhouse the following morning. The tension from the rogue attack hadn’t lifted, and the presence of Lucas complicated everything. His claim of feeling a mate bond unsettled her, not because it wasn’t possible, but because she already had the triplets. How could fate tie her to another?The morning was crisp, with sunlight breaking through the dense canopy above. Birds chirped in the distance, but Nicola’s senses were hyperaware. Every sound, every rustle of leaves, set her on edge. Her wolf growled low, a lingering reaction from the battle.The triplets had insisted on her taking the day to recover, but she wasn’t one to sit idly by. Too many unanswered questions swirled in her mind, and she needed answers.As if summoned by her thoughts, Lucas appeared on the trail ahead. His dark hair was slightly disheveled, and his expression was a mixture of relief and hesitation.“Nicola,” he called softly, stopp
The figure’s piercing gaze felt like it was peeling back Nicola’s layers, probing not just her strength but her very essence. Around her, the rogues moved with newfound ferocity, emboldened by the creature’s presence. The pack warriors struggled to hold the line, their unity tested under this unrelenting wave.For a heartbeat, the world seemed to hold its breath, the eerie silence broken only by the growls and snarls of wolves locked in combat. Nicola’s wolf prowled restlessly within her, every fiber of her being urging her to act.Then, with deliberate steps, the figure began to move forward, each step reverberating with menace. The rogues parted for it like a tide yielding to their master, forming a circle around the clearing.Nicola’s voice, calm yet commanding, sliced through the chaos. “Hold your positions!” she called to the warriors.She didn’t know what this creature was, but one thing was certain - it wasn’t here just to fight.“Triplets,” she growled, her voice low enough fo
The pack’s leadership was gathered in the main hall, their expressions somber. Alpha Marcus stood at the head of the table, his presence commanding as always. To his right were the triplets, their gazes locked on Nicola as she entered the room.“Thank you for joining us,” Marcus said, his tone formal but kind.Nicola took her seat beside the triplets, her curiosity piqued.“We’ve been reviewing the attack,” Marcus began, his eyes scanning the room. “And there’s one thing that’s clear: this wasn’t a random act of aggression. The rogues were organized, coordinated. They knew our territory and our weaknesses.”Layla, one of the senior warriors, frowned. “Do you think they had inside information?”“It’s possible,” Marcus admitted, his voice heavy. “But the real concern is their leader. He’s dangerous, and he’s targeting Nicola.”All eyes turned to her, and Nicola fought the urge to shrink under their gazes.“I don’t know why he’s targeting me,” she said, her voice steady. “But whatever hi
Nicola paced in the Alpha’s office, the heavy oak desk separating her from Alpha Marcus. His usually calm demeanor had shifted into one of concern. The triplets stood nearby, their expressions tense as Nicola recounted her mother’s story.Marcus leaned back in his chair, his fingers steepled. “A man who showed unusual interest in you as a child…” he murmured, his eyes narrowing. “And you say your father confronted him?”Nicola nodded. “That’s what my mom told me. She didn’t remember much about him, but she said his presence always felt… wrong.”Damien crossed his arms, his wolf close to the surface. “If this rogue leader is the same man, then he’s been watching Nicola for years. That’s not just wrong - it’s dangerous.”Marcus nodded, his gaze darkening. “We need to figure out who he is and why he’s targeting you. Did your mother give you anything else to work with? A name, a description?”“She couldn’t remember much,” Nicola admitted. “Just that he spoke in a strange, taunting way. Li
The tension in Crescent Moon territory was palpable the next morning. The howl from the night before had put everyone on edge, and the pack was mobilizing, preparing for whatever threat might be looming. Nicola, however, couldn’t shake a feeling that something deeper was at play.As she walked to the training grounds with the triplets, her thoughts were interrupted by Lucas approaching. His gait was hesitant, and his usual friendly demeanor was replaced with something more guarded.“Nicola,” he said, his voice quieter than usual. “Can we talk?”The triplets tensed at his presence, their protective instincts kicking in immediately.“About what?” Nicola asked, her tone cautious.Lucas glanced at the triplets, then back at her. “It’s… private.”Damien growled softly, stepping forward. “If it concerns Nicola, it concerns us.”Lucas raised his hands in mock surrender. “I’m not here to cause trouble. But this is important.”Nicola sighed, her curiosity outweighing her caution. “It’s fine. L
The air was thick with tension as the pack gathered near the edge of the forest. The howls that had sent chills down Nicola’s spine had faded, but their impact lingered. Every wolf in the Crescent Moon pack stood at the ready, their senses sharp, waiting for a sign of movement.Nicola stood in the middle of the formation, flanked by Damien, Dean and Dylan. Her wolf was restless, pacing within her, demanding action. But her human mind was focused and razor-sharp. This wasn’t just a random skirmish; it felt calculated, deliberate. Elias was testing them, probing for weaknesses.The silence was deafening. Every rustle of leaves or snap of a twig made the wolves flinch, their eyes scanning the shadows. Finally, a low growl emerged from the treeline, and Nicola’s heart sank.A group of rogues stepped into view, their forms lit by the faint glow of the crescent moon. They moved with a predatory grace, their eyes glowing with malice. At the center of the group was Elias.Nicola’s breath caug
The ruins of the Order’s stronghold still smoldered, filling the air with the acrid scent of burnt stone, ash, and old magic. Nicola stood at the edge of the destruction, staring into the wreckage with a sinking feeling in her stomach. The once-imposing fortress was reduced to jagged remains, blackened by fire and laced with deep cracks from the violent collapse.The triplets flanked her, their expressions grim as they surveyed the devastation."Do you think anyone made it out?" Dylan asked, his voice low."Unlikely," Damien muttered, kicking a loose stone from his path as they moved closer. "We barely made it out.Dean exhaled sharply, scanning the ruins with wary eyes. "We should check anyway. Someone might have survived."Nicola nodded, though she wasn’t sure what she was hoping to find. The Order had been both an enemy and an ally in the past weeks. She still hadn’t fully decided whether they could be trusted. Now, it seemed that choice had been made for her.The group carefully s
The ruins still smoldered behind them, the scent of burned stone and magic thick in the air. Nicola’s pulse pounded as she faced Elias, his golden eyes reflecting the flickering embers of the destruction they had barely escaped." This didn’t start with me. " His words echoed in her mind, unraveling everything she thought she knew.She tightened her grip on the worn leather of her father’s book. The triplets stood close, their presence grounding her, but nothing could prepare her for the weight of the truth she was about to hear.Elias took a slow step forward, his movements deliberate. “You’ve been asking the wrong questions, Nicola. This isn’t just about the Order, or Marla, or the altars.”His gaze pinned her in place.“It’s about you.”The air felt too thin.Nicola forced herself to speak. “What do you mean?”Elias exhaled, his eyes flickering to the triplets before settling back on her. “This didn’t begin with me, my son or grandson.”Dean’s jaw tightened. “Then where does it be
The dust still lingered in the air, thick and suffocating, as Nicola stood on the uneven ground outside the collapsed tomb. The night was eerily quiet, as if the world itself was holding its breath.Elias was free.And he wasn’t running. He waited.Nicola’s heart pounded in her chest, the weight of everything they had just uncovered pressing against her ribs. The triplets flanked her, their postures tense, their eyes locked on the man who had once been nothing more than a name in a forgotten book.Now, he was standing in front of them - alive, breathing, and entirely too calm.Dylan was the first to break the silence.“You should be dead,” he growled, his voice edged with restrained fury. “You were supposed to be...”Elias tilted his head slightly, studying him with an almost amused expression. “Supposed to be what?” he murmured. “A ghost? A warning? A lesson in a book?”His golden eyes flicked to Nicola.“No,” he said, as if answering a question she hadn’t even asked. “I was suppose
The first chain snapped.The sound ripped through the underground chamber, deep and unnatural, like the snarl of a beast awakening after centuries of restless sleep.Nicola's breath hitched as the vibrations from the broken links rippled through the stone floor, unsettling the dust that had settled over the tomb for generations. The triplets reacted instantly - Dean and Damien stepping in front of her, Dylan pulling her back by instinct.But it was too late.Another snap.And another.The chains, thick as an iron-forged prison, began to unravel, each link breaking apart as if an unseen force was unbinding them.The inscriptions on the sarcophagus pulsed, the word "Condemned" flickering between visibility and something far darker.Then the whispers began.Low at first. Crawling through the cavern like a rising tide, seeping into the cracks between the stones, the edges of Nicola's mind.Words she couldn't understand.But felt.Felt like a storm gathering on the horizon.Like a prophecy
The silence was suffocating.Dust still hung in the air, swirling in the dim torchlight like restless spirits. The collapse above had sealed them inside the hidden chamber, trapping them in a tomb of ancient stone.But it wasn’t the darkness that unsettled Nicola.It was the altar.Half-buried beneath rubble, carved from black obsidian, and marked with a name that shouldn’t have existed anymore.Elias.The name whispered through the chamber, even though no one had spoken it aloud. A name that carried weight, history, power - the root of everything that had led them here.Nicola swallowed, taking a slow step forward. The triplets stood close behind her, their eyes scanning the ruins, their bodies tense.“This place…” Dylan’s voice was low, cautious. “It wasn’t on the Order’s maps.”“No,” Nicola murmured, her fingers brushing against the rough surface of the altar. The stone was cold - not in the way stone should be, but in a way that made her fingers feel numb as soon as they touched i
The darkness didn’t disappear.Even as the necklace shattered in Nicola’s hands, even as Marla’s scream echoed through the Archives, the shadows remained.And then - they moved.Like something alive.A suffocating force pressed against Nicola’s chest as she stumbled back, her breath coming in sharp, uneven gasps. The triplets were near, but she barely registered them. The room felt smaller, the air thicker, as if the very walls were closing in.But Marla wasn’t fleeing.She was laughing.A sound that sent a deep, primal unease skittering up Nicola’s spine."You think this was a victory?” Marla’s voice was sharp, raw, filled with something unhinged. “You think breaking the link would stop me?"Nicola’s pulse thundered. The shattered remains of the necklace lay at her feet, but instead of diminishing, the shadows were growing.Something wasn’t right.She severed the link. She cut off Marla’s hold.Then why did it feel like they had just made everything worse?The shadows surged.Not tow
The hallway outside the council chamber felt colder than before, as if the very walls carried the weight of her decision. The torches flickered against the dark stone, but they did nothing to push away the looming dread curling in Nicola’s chest.She had time until sunrise.Until then, she had to decide:Bind herself to the Order to sever the link with Marla… or walk away and risk staying in her enemy’s grasp.But as much as she hated the idea of becoming part of the very institution that had manipulated her bloodline, she knew one thing:Marla wasn’t going to wait for her decision.The triplets walked in tense silence beside her. Their bond was full of unspoken words, emotions tangled in frustration, protectiveness, and something dangerously close to fear.Nicola barely noticed when they reached the room the Order had given them for the night. The door slammed shut behind them, and the moment it did, Dean turned on her.“You can’t do this,” he said, his voice sharp, eyes blazing.Dyl
The ride to the Order’s stronghold was silent. Tension coiled in Nicola’s chest, pressing against her ribs like an iron vice. She sat in the backseat between Damien and Dean, their bodies warm at her sides, but it did nothing to stop the cold weight of uncertainty pressing down on her.Dylan drove, his hands gripping the wheel tighter than necessary. No one spoke. Not even through the mate bond.Marcus had refused to accompany them. "This is your battle to fight," he had said. But Nicola had seen it in his eyes - the weight of the past, the knowledge that returning to the Order meant stepping into a world of secrets, manipulations, and carefully spun webs of power.Nicola exhaled sharply, her fingers grazing the necklace resting against her collarbone. The very object that had linked her to Marla. The very thing that might be her downfall.When the Order’s fortress finally came into view, her stomach twisted.It looked exactly how she remembered - cold, imposing, filled with ghosts of
Marcus’s office was heavy with silence, the air thick with unspoken thoughts. Nicola sat at his desk, her fingers pressed against the worn cover of her father’s book. The triplets stood close, their presence grounding her, yet doing little to ease the storm brewing inside her mind.Marla had orchestrated this from the very beginning. Every step they had taken, every discovery they had made - it had all been within her plans."You were never in control."Her last message burned in Nicola’s mind. A challenge. A taunt.Or worse - a truth.Marcus paced behind his desk, his sharp gaze fixed on the rune that Nicola had traced in her father’s book.“If this was just a threat,” Damien began, arms crossed tightly over his chest, “she wouldn’t have needed the rune. A threat is a statement. This - this was something more.”“She’s been watching us,” Dylan said, his voice grim. “That rune wasn’t just a warning - it was a tracker.”Nicola clenched her jaw. “But why? If she was already playing us, w