Astrid’s POVKillian shook his head, his tears falling freely now as he rested his forehead against mine. “Don’t be sorry,” he whispered. “You had every reason to believe what you did. I didn’t fight hard enough either. I should have told you the truth sooner, but I was too ashamed. Too afraid.”A sob broke from my chest as I leaned into his touch, my heart aching for him, for everything we had lost. “I blamed you for everything,” I whispered. “But you never blamed me. You carried all of this guilt alone. I should have known.”He held me tighter, his arms wrapping around me as though he could shield me from the pain that had been festering between us for so long. “We were both innocent,” he whispered, his voice cracking. “It was all lies. None of this should have happened.”I pulled back just enough to look into his eyes, my heart still heavy but lighter than it had been in years. “Can we start over?” I asked, my voice small but hopeful. “Can we forget everything and build somethi
Astrid’s POVAs we neared the dungeon, the cold air wrapped around me like a warning, and my steps faltered. The weight of what I was about to do settled heavily in my chest, making it hard to breathe. I was nervous — no, I was scared. Giselle was down there, the woman who had torn our lives apart, and I had to face her alone.Lost in my thoughts, I suddenly felt warm air fanning the side of my face. I blinked and turned, only to find Killian standing so close, his face inches from mine. His breath was warm on my skin, and for a moment, the world narrowed down to just the two of us. My heart skipped a beat. The closeness, the way he was looking at me—it made me forget, just for a second, about the darkness waiting ahead.“Astrid,” he whispered, his voice soft and full of concern. “Are you sure about this?”His eyes searched mine, his brow furrowed with worry, and for a brief moment, I wanted to say no. I wanted to lean into him, let him shield me from everything. He always had a
Astrid’s POVI tried to keep my face steady, but her words struck a chord deep inside me. She did know something.Something about the changes I had felt, the darkness I had sensed lurking within me. The poison. It had been her weapon, and now, I realized it was more than just a means to kill me. She knows something else, something even I hadn’t understood.“You’re lying,” I hissed, my voice shaking with anger, but also with doubt.Her grin widened. “Oh, am I? Why do you think the poison didn’t kill you? It wasn’t meant to. It was meant to awaken something… darker. Something you won’t be able to control. You’re a monster, Astrid, and soon enough, everyone you love will see it too.”I shook my head, refusing to believe her. She was trying to manipulate me, to twist my mind just as she always had. “Shut up,” I whispered, but my voice wavered.“You feel it, don’t you?” she pressed, her eyes gleaming with cruel satisfaction. “The power inside you, the anger. It’s only a matter of time be
Astrid’s POVI tried to focus on the world around me, to drown out her voice with the rhythm of my footsteps, anything to make my mind occupied with something else. But it was no use. My mind kept circling back to the same thing.The book.I hated myself for even considering it, but I couldn’t deny that I was curious. Giselle had said it would explain everything — what kind of monster I was, what I was becoming. And as much as I tried to convince myself that it was all lies, I couldn’t help but wonder if the book held the answers I was so desperately seeking. Maybe it was the key to understanding the darkness that had started to consume me. Maybe it would give me the answers I feared most.But did I even want those answers? Did I want to confront the truth, or would it be easier to turn away and pretend that Giselle was just playing with my mind? I had spent so much time running — from my feelings, from my past, from the wolf inside me — that the thought of facing it all was terri
Astrid’s POVI stared at the book in my hands, my fingers trembling as I continued to flip through the pages. I had always known Giselle was manipulative, a liar through and through, but this time… she had been telling the truth. The truth was here, written in the ancient pages of this book, and no matter how much I wanted to deny it, I couldn’t. My heart raced, each beat thudding heavily in my chest. This book wasn’t just about some random creature. It was about me.The next passage stopped me cold.“Relationships between Alphas and Omegas are forbidden. Such unions are immoral, unnatural, and evil. They go against the natural order of the wolf hierarchy. The offspring of such unions are cursed, born with an inherent darkness that cannot be tamed. They are known as Almegas.”My blood turned to ice. Immoral. Unnatural. Cursed. The words echoed in my mind, each one cutting deeper than the last. My parents… they had been forbidden from loving each other. Their union had never been
Astrid’s POVI stepped outside, the cold air biting at my skin as I tried to clear my head. The sky was a dull grey, and the world around me seemed muted, like everything had been drained of color. Giselle’s execution had already taken place by the time I arrived. Her body had been taken away, and there was no trace of her left—no lingering presence, no echo of her voice. She was gone. And yet, the weight of her words, the darkness she had awakened inside me, still clung to my soul.I should have felt relief. I should have felt free. But I didn’t.I saw Killian across the courtyard, his face lighting up with a smile the moment he saw me. He ran toward me, his expression filled with joy, completely unaware of the storm that raged inside me. I wanted to return his smile, to let his warmth melt away the cold fear gripping my chest, but I couldn’t. I felt… detached. Distant. As if there was a wall between us that hadn’t been there before.“Astrid!” he called, reaching out for me. Hi
Astrid’s POVNova and I was finally able to separate ourselves from the others, after a long catch up between all of us. Killian stayed to talk with his Uncle, whom I’m sure both would ask a lot of questions to each other.Nova and I excused ourselves to finally talk together in private. I was planning to tell her everything — about the book, about what I’d read, about the curse that was my life.Nova and I finally managed to separate ourselves from the others after what felt like hours of catching up with everyone. Killian stayed back to talk with his uncle, and I could see from the way they were engaged that both had a lot of questions for each other. It was a good moment for Nova and me to slip away, and we excused ourselves to find somewhere quiet, somewhere private.I had been carrying this weight on my shoulders, the secret of what I’d read in the book, for what felt like an eternity, even though it had only been a short time. The fear of what it all meant — of who I was bec
Astrid’s POV“I’m so sorry,” I whispered, my voice breaking as tears streamed down my face. “I’m so, so sorry. I never wanted this. I never wanted to hurt you.”Nova’s eyes widened in shock. She had expected anger, maybe even disappointment, but not this. Not tears. Not this kind of raw emotion. She quickly reached out, grabbing my hands, her own eyes shining with unshed tears. “No, Astrid, don’t do this,” she said urgently, her voice shaking. “None of this is your fault. Don’t blame yourself.”“But it is my fault!” I sobbed, unable to stop the flood of guilt that consumed me. “You’ve been hurting because of me. Drystan rejected you because of me. You ran away for three years because of me. I caused all of this—”“No!” Nova interrupted, her voice firm, though her hands trembled as they held mine tightly. “None of this is your fault, Astrid. You didn’t cause any of this. You didn’t know, and even if you did, it doesn’t change anything. Drystan and I… we had our own journey. Please
Astrid’s POVThe morning sun spilled over the horizon, bathing the Silvermoon Pack in golden light.It felt like a dream.Like I had woken up from a nightmare and stepped into something softer, something real.The wind was cool, crisp, carrying the scent of pine and earth, untouched by war, by fear. Peaceful.Something I never thought I’d feel again.But here I was.And my children—my heart, my soul—were safe.I looked down at Elara, her tiny fingers curled around mine as we sat on the balcony of the Packhouse. She was staring out at the trees, her expression calm but distant."Are you cold?" I asked softly, brushing her hair behind her ear.She shook her head. "No."She was quiet these days.Healing.Like all of us.I glanced over my shoulder, where Ryker sat cross-legged on the floor, watching Killian with furrowed brows."You're doing it wrong," Ryker grumbled as Killian attempted to braid his sister’s hair.Killian gave him a mock glare. "Excuse me? I was an Alpha before you were
Killian’s POVThe night smelled like blood and fire.I couldn’t stop moving.Every rogue in my path fell before they even had a chance to react. I didn’t feel them fall. Didn’t care.Because she was here.Astrid.And I would burn this entire place to the ground to get her and Elara back."Killian! We need to push back toward the main entrance!" Ryder shouted over the chaos."Then do it," I snarled, my claws slashing through another rogue’s throat. "I'm getting Astrid."The camp was collapsing around us, rogues scattering in terror. But I didn’t care about them.I cared about one thing.I slammed through the wooden doors, my wolf roaring inside of me, scenting her immediately.Astrid’s POVThe walls shook.The sounds of battle grew louder, closer.I knew what that meant.Killian was here.I forced myself to remain still, though my wrists ached from where they had been tied.The rogues had been restless since nightfall. They hadn’t expected an attack so soon. Hadn’t expected Killian to
Killian’s POVThe night air was thick with tension as we stood outside the war tent, the flickering lanterns casting long shadows over the gathered warriors. We had our plan.It wasn’t enough.Not for me.Not for the rage clawing at my chest, the desperation gripping my every thought.Astrid was out there. Alone. Surrounded. And every second we waited was another second she was at that bastard’s mercy.I paced the length of the clearing, my hands clenched into fists, my wolf snarling just beneath the surface. Patience was never my strength. And right now, I had none."Killian."Ryder’s voice was firm, grounding.I stopped, exhaling sharply, forcing my breathing to even out."We’re ready," Ryder continued, stepping beside me. "The scouts confirmed Astrid’s trail—it leads straight into the rogue king’s stronghold. But we still don’t know exactly where they’re keeping her and Elara."I turned to him, my golden eyes burning. "Then we force them to tell us."Ryder nodded, but his gaze flic
Killian’s POVThe room was suffocating.The walls pressed in around me, and my wolf howled inside my chest, clawing to be free, to run, to fight, to kill.I couldn’t breathe.Astrid was gone.Elara was still missing.They were both in his hands.The war room blurred as I stormed through the Packhouse, my mind a whirlwind of fury and desperation. My steps were too fast, too sharp, but I couldn’t slow down. Not now.Not when I had already lost so much.The moment I stepped into the war room, all eyes snapped to me.Ryder was there, arms crossed, watching me carefully. Warriors stood around the table, tense, waiting for orders. Waiting for me to do something.But I wasn’t thinking.I couldn’t think.I could barely see past the red haze of rage.“She left a trail,” Ryder said before I could even open my mouth.I froze.The room around me seemed to still, my mind catching onto his words like a drowning man clinging to a lifeline.“What?” My voice came out sharp, dangerous.Ryder motioned t
Astrid’s POVElara’s blue eyes locked onto mine, wide and glistening with tears, her small frame trembling in the grip of the rogue holding her.“Mommy!”Her voice cracked, breaking something inside me.I lunged, the burning pain of the wolfsbane shackles forgotten, my body driven by nothing but instinct.I barely made it a step before rough hands grabbed my arms, yanking me back.A snarl ripped from my throat. “Let her go!”Ardan’s smirk deepened. He raised a hand, and the rogue restraining Elara tightened his grip.She whimpered.A sound so small—so fragile—that it shattered every ounce of restraint I had left.“I swear with my own life, Ardan,” I growled, my voice raw with fury, “if you so much as touch her—”He laughed.Actually laughed.Like this was amusing. Like he wasn’t holding my world in his filthy hands.“My, my,” he mused, pacing toward me with slow, deliberate steps. “You really do have a soft spot, don’t you?” His gaze flickered to Elara. “I wonder… does she share your
Astrid’s POVThe journey to Ardan’s stronghold felt longer than it should have.They forced me to walk.Through the forest, over uneven terrain, my wrists bound in iron shackles laced with wolfsbane, burning against my skin with every step.I didn’t fight them.Not because I couldn’t.But because every second I stalled, every moment I made them think I was truly broken, brought me closer to Elara.That was all that mattered.The rogues surrounded me in a loose formation, their laughter and whispered taunts filling the night air.They didn’t see me as a threat.Not anymore.They saw a woman who had given up, a mother who had walked willingly into the lion’s den.That was their first mistake.Their second?Letting me breathe.As we moved deeper into rogue territory, my thoughts remained sharp, focused. I counted our path, memorized the turns, the landmarks, the scent markers.If I survived this, if I found a way to get Elara out, I needed to know exactly how to escape.If I didn't… then
Astrid’s POVThe rogues had been waiting for me.They lingered in the shadows, motionless, like predators poised for the perfect moment to strike. Their eyes glowed eerily in the dim light of the moon, flickering with something sinister—anticipation.They knew I was coming.My stomach twisted, but I forced my expression into something unreadable, my shoulders squared as I stepped forward. I came alone. No weapons. No resistance. Complete surrender.It was the only way.If I fought back, if I hesitated for even a second, Ardan might change his mind. He might keep Elara. He might hurt her.And that was a risk I wasn’t willing to take.I took slow, deliberate steps into the clearing, my heartbeat steady despite the way my wolf clawed at the inside of my skin, urging me to turn back, to fight.Not yet.I exhaled, tilting my chin upward as I finally stopped before them.The group of rogues—at least a dozen—remained silent for a moment, assessing me. Then one of them, a tall, lean man with
Killian’s POVThe omega’s words rang in my ears like a warning bell."Alpha! Alpha! It’s Ryker! He’s awake and looking for you. He won’t calm down!"My entire body locked up.Ryker had always been tormented with nightmares ever since Elara was kidnapped. He often woke up in the middle of the night, demanding to see us and he would always look so terrified. I stood at the Packhouse entrance, my wolf raging to break free, my warriors prepared to track Astrid before she got too far. Every instinct inside me screamed at me to run, to chase her down, to drag her back before she made the biggest mistake of her life.But my son needed me.For a single, agonizing moment, I hesitated.Then I turned on my heel and strode toward the infirmary, my boots pounding against the floor, my fists clenched so tightly my nails cut into my palms. My lungs burned with restrained fury, my thoughts a storm of frustration and helplessness.First Astrid. Now Ryker. I was losing control of everything.When I
Astrid’s POVThe night stretched on, endless and suffocating. The dim glow of the bedside lamp cast long shadows against the walls, but the light felt hollow—cold. The Packhouse was eerily quiet, the usual hum of distant conversations and footsteps replaced by an unbearable stillness.I sat on the edge of the bed, my fingers twisting the fabric of my shirt, my thoughts a hurricane raging inside me.Elara.Her name was carved into every thought, every breath, every aching second that passed. She was out there, in the dark, in the hands of the man who wanted nothing more than to see me broken.And I was still here. Waiting.I had tried. I had tried to listen to Killian, to hold on to the logic that we could save her together, that there was a plan, a chance. But how could I gamble my daughter’s life on a chance?What if they were wrong? What if we weren’t fast enough? What if she needed me now?My throat tightened, the guilt curling around me like a noose. I had waited too long alread