Sebastian POVAs we sit there together, I realise that this is what I’ve been missing. Not the grand gestures or the fiery passion—though those are important too—but the quiet moments. The stolen minutes where the world fades away, and it’s just us. Moments where I can let down my guard, not as a King or a protector, but as a man who loves her more than anything.She catches me watching her, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips. I know I must look ridiculous, staring at her instead of the screen, but I can’t help it. There’s something about these quiet moments that feels more real, more precious, than anything else. It’s as if I’m seeing her for the first time, noticing every detail I’ve overlooked in my endless quest to protect and lead.She isn’t doing anything extraordinary—just watching a movie beside me. But for me, it’s everything. It’s the way her chest rises and falls with each breath, the slight adjustments she makes to get more comfortable, the way she sighs soft
Celine’s POVI’m still pressed against Sebastian’s chest when the door creaks open, and Dolton steps inside, his movements quiet but urgent.“The Fae’s Royal Guard is here,” he whispers, his voice strained, eyes darting back to the door as though expecting someone to burst through at any moment.Sebastian’s relaxed demeanor vanishes in an instant, replaced by the commanding presence of a King. He straightens, his tone sharp and composed. “Did they say why?”Dolton’s voice is barely above a whisper. “For Celine. Queen Nymia has requested her presence for supper and a discussion.” His gaze flicks to me, his concern evident in the tight line of his mouth.Sebastian and I exchange a glance, and we both move swiftly to get dressed, the urgency in the room palpable.Once we’re ready, Sebastian opens the door, revealing two Fae guards waiting just beyond. Their faces are unreadable, their postures straight and formal.“Queen Nymia has requested that Celine join her for supper,” one of the gu
Celine POVThe covers are worn, the edges frayed, and the pages yellowed with age. These books practically hum with latent power, and I can’t help but feel a spark of hope as I reach out to touch them.“These are from our ancestors,” Queen Nymia explains, her tone solemn. “Within these pages, you may find the key to breaking the curse of the mad wolves. But I must warn you, Celine—your journey will require all your strength. You must harness your power soon, or it may be too late.”Her voice is grave, and a chill runs down my spine. “Why?” I ask, struggling to keep my voice steady. “Why do you think I’ll need to act so quickly?”Her gaze meets mine, piercing and unflinching. “Because there is a dark energy that clings to you,” she says softly, yet her words strike like a thunderclap. “They cannot see it, and they cannot feel it. But I can. And I suspect, deep down, so can you.”A shiver courses through me. Dark energy? Her words stir something deep within me, a shadow I’ve refused to
Celine POVPantheromorph. A form I’ve never encountered, never even imagined. Yet, something about it stirs a deep, unspoken curiosity within me.Queen Nymia continues, her tone tinged with warning. “The future is fluid, constantly shifting with every choice we make. What I saw in my vision is only one possibility—a potential outcome where you are the keystone of this war. The Werewolf King’s betrayal was foretold, yes, but so was your rise. You hold the power to change everything.”The enormity of her words leaves me momentarily speechless. “If you’ve seen this,” I finally manage, my voice barely above a whisper, “then you know how it ends. Do we win? Do we stop him?”Queen Nymia’s eyes grow clouded with sorrow. “The future I saw is filled with both victory and loss. The outcome depends on many factors—the alliances you forge, the choices you make, and the strength you find within yourself. What I can tell you is that the cost will be high. You must be prepared for that.”I swallow h
Celine POVHow can I have another mate?I groan inwardly, overwhelmed and annoyed. His piercing gaze locks onto mine, and I feel utterly exposed. I want to look away, to hide, but I can’t move. It’s ridiculous—he’s already seen me, yet I feel like shrinking into myself, disappearing entirely.“Jonathan,” Queen Nymia says, her voice breaking the spell. I tear my gaze away from him, forcing my eyes to the floor. She chuckles softly, as if she knows exactly what’s happening. “Oh, I see.”“I’m sorry. I need to leave. Thank you for everything,” I mumble hastily, grabbing the journals and practically bolting out of the room. I can’t be here. I need air, space—anything but this suffocating tension.The weight of the journals sits heavy in my arms, but it’s nothing compared to the storm raging inside me. I feel like I’m standing on the edge of something massive, something life-altering. Queen Nymia’s words echo in my mind—about the visions, about my past, about my role in what’s to come. It’s
Jonathan’s POVI’m not sure what I expected when I finally found another mate, but it certainly wasn’t this—watching her walk away without so much as a word. No name, no smile, nothing. If anything, she seemed horrified by the fact that I was her mate.The moment I entered the room, I felt it—an unmistakable pull. But it wasn’t until our eyes met that the connection truly snapped into place. I was ready for questions, perhaps even a warm embrace, or at the very least, an introduction. Instead, she stood up and fled.The Queen was quick to sit me down and explain things.Celine is the Queen Goddess. The realisation floored me. My new mate was someone important to everyone. But before I could fully grasp the weight of it, the Queen dropped another bombshell: Celine already had two mates.I was stunned. I’d heard of people having two mates, though it was rare—three was almost unheard of. The Queen explained that Dolton, a Lycan, was one of her first mates, and then there was Sebastian, t
Celine’s POVWhen Jonathan told me about his previous mate, his words struck a chord deep within me, shaking me in ways I hadn’t expected. I never anticipated him to open up so quickly or so vulnerably, and hearing his story unraveled an overwhelming wave of guilt. Earlier today, I had walked away from him, leaving him in confusion and, likely, pain. To hear what he had endured—losing a mate, someone he loved so deeply, and then enduring the agony of rejection—made my behavior feel thoughtless and cruel.Jonathan had already faced so much, and here I was, treating him with a cold indifference that likely reopened old wounds. As his new mate, the last thing I should have done was make him feel as if he was unwanted. But it wasn’t just him I was thinking about.My greatest fear isn’t Jonathan; it’s Sebastian. When Dolton entered our lives, the shift in our relationship was subtle but undeniable. Sebastian had withdrawn in a way only I could feel. He was still there, still loving, but th
Sebastian’s POVThe air in the room feels charged, almost suffocating, as Dolton and I sit across from Jonathan. For hours, we’ve been deliberating how to integrate him into this delicate web of relationships. It’s not just about making him feel welcomed—it’s about preserving the fragile balance between all of us. Celine’s role as Queen Goddess makes her pivotal to everything, but adding another mate into the mix is a complicated, high-stakes endeavor.Jonathan sits quietly, a composed figure with a solemn air about him. His silence isn’t unfamiliar to me—it’s the same quiet that comes from loss, from a past marred by pain and rejection. I can see it in his eyes, the flickers of doubt and resignation. Celine’s initial reaction earlier today must have stung, reopening wounds he thought were long buried.“Things will need to change as we see fit,” Dolton breaks the silence, his voice steady but contemplative. He glances at me for support. “But right now, the priority is making Jonathan
Jonathan POVI sit alone in the quiet car, the journals spread across my lap. My fingers flip through the pages slowly, frustration building with every page turn. I’d told the others I needed silence to focus, but the truth is, I just didn’t want them to see how much this is getting to me.I’m trying to find answers for Dolton, something that can explain what’s happening to him, but each page I read feels emptier than the last. My heart thuds with a heavy anxiety as I rub my temples.There’s almost nothing here about Lycans. The few mentions I’ve found are vague or useless, and there’s not a single line about the Shadow of the Moon or why there can suddenly be two Lycans. It’s as if the writers deliberately avoided the topic, which only makes me feel more unsettled.I lean my head back against the seat, taking a slow breath, and close my eyes. Dolton deserves answers, he’s struggling with something non
Sebastian POVWe left the Werewolf Kingdom first thing in the morning. I want to get home. I’ve spent far too long away from my kingdom; Helios is restless, and so am I.It’ll take about three days to get back, but since it’s only our group traveling, all my men can drive, which means we won’t be slowed down by walking. Dolton chose to ride in another car with Leif, wanting to spend some time speaking with him alone. Jonathan opted to ride separately, claiming he needed quiet to focus on reading through the journals.I understand why Jonathan turns to the journals for answers, but even I doubt they can solve everything. I know he’s hoping to find something—anything—to help Dolton. Finding out Leif is directly connected to him, even in death, must be overwhelming, especially when severing their bond might risk both their lives.Still, despite the circumstances, I welcome the chance to spend time alone with Celine.
Celine POVI watch Dolton carefully. He wouldn’t have turned bad, I know it. He wasn’t alone, he had me, Sebastian, and Jonathan. We wouldn’t have let him become something evil.Stepping closer, I gently slip my hand into Dolton’s, trying to calm him. He turns slightly, offering me a faint smile, but the worry in his eyes is unmistakable. He shouldn’t be worried; he has us.“You once mentioned feeling like part of you was missing, like something wasn’t fully there,” his father says from behind the bars, his gaze unwavering. “Do you remember when that began, Dolton?”“No, I don’t,” Dolton snaps sharply.From the other cell, Wes chuckles darkly. “It started when Leif was born. Come on, Dolton, catch up.”Turning sharply, I glare at Wes, and the twisted, evil man mockingly blows me a kiss. My stomach churns with disgust.“Leif is part of you,&
Dolton POVAs I go to leave the cells, Celine walks in. It's pointless, I know she wants to know how things are happening but my father isn't about to speak.“He won’t speak,” I mutter before glancing back to my father. “At least not truthfully.”Celine smiles softly at me and nods. She looks back to my father and steps around me going toward the cells. “Then let’s make sure he can’t lie.”What? I stare at her and realise what she means. She reaches my father and his gaze turns cold. She doesn't hesitate she reaches through the bars and grips his hand, her grip tightens even more. I watch as his eyes widen, and a sharp breath escapes him as her magic pulses through him, I know what she's doing. She's going a truth spell and ensuring it's weaving into his mind, binding him to honesty. The moment the spell settles, I watch as she releases him and steps back, nodding toward me.“He can’
Dolton POVI stare at the moon, trying to understand what Leif is talking about. To me, it’s always been just a moon, something distant, powerful in its way, but never something I thought would speak to me. Yet Leif’s words linger in my mind, urging me to look deeper, to truly see.At first, I don’t notice anything unusual, just the pale glow of the moon standing oddly bright against the daytime sky. But the longer I stare, the more the edges of my vision blur, pulling my focus sharply toward the moon’s surface. Something shifts there, a subtle movement, a ripple of darkness.I blink, thinking it’s my imagination or fatigue from the battle. Yet the shadows don’t vanish; instead, they sharpen, becoming clearer, more defined. My breathing slows, and my heart quickens as I focus, straining to understand exactly what I’m witnessing.Then I see it, the shadows aren’t just vague, dark shapes. They’re detaile
Celine’s POVThe moment Dolton speaks, everything inside me stills. A heartbeat?My hand instinctively moves to my stomach before I can even process the thought. I don’t know why I do it, as if touching the skin there will somehow confirm what I already feel creeping into my mind.For the past few hours, I’ve felt different, not just exhausted from the battle, but off in a way I couldn’t explain. I thought it was the weight of everything we had endured. The stress, the adrenaline, the overwhelming chaos of the fight and its aftermath. But now, as I focus, as I truly listen to my own body, I feel it.My heartbeat pounds in my ears, but beneath it, softer yet just as strong, is another. Smaller, lighter, but carrying a strength all its own. The realization hits me slowly, sinking into my bones, spreading warmth through my chest.I press my fingers to my stomach, the weight of Sebastian’s hand still cover
Dolton POVWe leave the palace and travel to the pack in silence, not the kind where no one is speaking, but the kind where something lingers in the air, heavy and unspoken. Conversations happen around me, but the weight of everything we’ve been through presses down on all of us.Sebastian looks lost in thought, still trying to piece together what happened with Helios. I feel the same way, my mind circling back to the shadow thing. It wasn’t something I had done before. I don’t even know how I did it.“Did you know last night was a blood moon?” Leif suddenly speaks up, breaking through the murmur of conversation.Everyone turns to him, including me. “How did you know that?” I ask, confused.“I could feel the difference,” he says with certainty. “It might have been hidden, but it was a blood moon.”I nod slowly, unsure of what to say to that. “Okay.”“Y
Jonathan POVEveryone is different now, and I know it’s because of the battle. We all tapped into something we didn’t fully understand, unlocking pieces of ourselves we hadn’t even known existed. Then there was Celine, so close to dying, and Sebastian nearly died as well. Standing on the edge of death leaves a mark, one that doesn’t fade easily.But it’s Dolton who concerns me the most. Something about him feels… off. He looks lost, distant, like he’s trying to make sense of something bigger than just the battle. I can sense his unease even from the other side of the palace, something stirring within him that he hasn’t spoken about yet.The other royals have left, tending to their own, but I decide to stay and find Dolton. I walk through the halls until I spot him sitting alone, a glass in his hand. Leif isn’t here, which is unusual. The kid has been at his side constantly since they met, bu
Sebastian POVThe air in the palace feels heavy, like the walls are pressing in, suffocating me. I shift on my feet, glancing around the grand hall that once belonged to the Werewolf King. There’s too much history here, too much bloodshed. Staying in this place doesn’t sit right with me.I turn to Dolton. “Would your pack be able to take us in?”Dolton tilts his head, studying me. “You don’t want to stay here?”“No,” I admit, running a hand through my hair. “I don’t like this place. It belonged to him. It’s… tainted.” I exhale sharply. “I need to be somewhere that feels like neutral ground.”Dolton doesn’t hesitate. “It won’t be an issue. My pack will accept us.”That’s a relief. The last thing I want is to stay in this palace any longer than necessary. I can’t explain it, but the idea of sleep