Drystan’s POV I clenched my fists when I heard what my Beta had said. I’ve been trying to form an alliance with the Frostbite Pack for months, and now the Silvermoon Pack just suddenly swept in and stole them from us. I’ve been sending gifts and envoys to the Frostbite Pack to convince their Alpha. To be honest, our proposition is a good deal. It is even more beneficial to them than it is to us. I just wanted to have a signed alliance with a high pack like them to stabilize our PackPack and strengthen our future projects. We are just a small Pack who is just starting to establish ourselves in the werewolf community, but we are already getting trampled down without being given the chance for a fair fight. Astrid sighed, making me look at her. I felt bad for her when I saw how her shoulders slumped and how she exasperatedly placed her forehead on her palm. She must be blaming herself for this outcome again. “Astrid—“ I was about to comfort her when my Beta spoke. “Alpha, I think
Astrid’s POV I gripped the steering wheel as my weary eyes scanned the winding road ahead. The rhythmic hum of the engine reverberated through the car, blending harmoniously with the faint music playing on the car’s speaker. It was a long ride travelling from the Nightsong Pack to the Frostbite Pack. Nova and I took turns behind the wheel so we could arrive there as soon as possible before the Frostbite Pack could sign an alliance with the Silvermoon Pack and lose all our chances.Nova lay sound asleep beside me, her chest rising and falling into a peaceful slumber. She drove all night before I took my turn to drive this morning. I shivered when the bitter cold seeped through the car’s window, chilling me to the bone and adding an extra layer of fatigue. Drowsiness tugged at me because of the cold climate. The long empty road, the snowflakes that pattered the windshield, and the snow-covered landscape outside. It made it hard for a pregnant woman like me to keep my eyes open. I ya
Astrid’s POVStella that is my new name for my new identity. My hair, which used to be black, is now bleached into the lightest color just to make sure that no one would recognize me. The cold weather here at Frostbite Pack also helped to make me less recognizable. With the cold weather, I had to wear thick clothes which covered my frame. The Frostbite Pack and the Silvermoon Pack had no relationship before. Not only that, but no one in the Frostbite Pack would be able to recognize me since we hadn’t even seen each other before. It would be impossible for anyone in here to point out that I’m Astrid when they don’t even know that Astrid exists. “Alpha Everest, when we arrived, we noticed your men going around the Pack. It’s hard not to notice. They practically covered the streets. May we ask what’s going on? Did we arrive at the wrong time?” Nova asked respectfully. “No, not at all. Alpha Drystan had informed us ahead of time that you’d be arriving today. You are not interrupti
Astrid’s POVBlood drained my face when I recognized Giselle’s familiar face. All along, the guest that Alpha Everest was waiting for was her. I would have never expected to see her again here. “Alpha Everest, you didn’t say you also have other visitors.” I immediately turned my head around when her gaze fell on us. ‘What is she doing here?’ I wondered as my heart raced rapidly inside my chest. “They have only just informed us that they were coming. I hope you don’t mind, Lady Giselle. Please meet Lady Nova and Lady Stella from the Nightsong Pack,” Alpha Everest pointed to us. I couldn’t turn around my head to face her, in fear that she would immediately see through my disguise. On the other hand, Nova didn’t say a word. She is not the type of person who can fake pleasantries to someone she doesn’t like. “Lady Giselle is here as a representative for the Silvermoon Pack. She would stay here for a few days with us,” Alpha Everest saved the conversation when we showed no interest
Astrid’s POV“Do you like it out here?” I asked Lucinda with a smile on my face as we accompanied her at the garden, but just like usual, she never responded. Still, Nova and I kept asking her questions hoping that she would say a word to us. To grant Luna Crystalia’s request. We agreed to spend time with her daughter to hopefully get her to speak. I’m not sure why Luna Crystalia thought that her daughter would open to us. We are strangers to this Pack, and Lucinda is not familiar to us. I’m not sure why Lucinda would trust us, but I hope that she would. “These are her favorite toys, Lady Stella,” the omega informed me as she brought Lucinda’s dolls and huge doll houses to us. I thought playing with Lucinda would make her comfortable with us. “Thank you,” I muttered to the omega with a smile. After bringing what we have requested, they finally left us alone as we wanted. I believe there would be more chances of Lucinda opening up to us if there are only the three of us. “Oohh! T
Astrid’s POVI pressed my lips tightly, suppressing the pain that radiated from my wounds as the Pack Doctor applied ointment to my deep scratches. “Be careful; do not press too much on the wound,” Alpha Everest commanded the Pack Doctor when he saw my pained expression. The Pack Doctor pauses, then starts to dab ointment on my wound more carefully this time. Alpha Everest never left my side. He called the Pack Doctor and had me stay in his office to receive medical treatment. “It’s okay,” I uttered, knowing that pain is inevitable and the Doctor has to thoroughly cleanse my wounds to avoid infection. “I have high pain tolerance.” As a Pack warrior, I’ve had worse injuries. As werewolves who use our canines and sharp claws to fight, deep scratches like this are expected. It cannot be avoided in a fight. I didn’t even know I was hurt until Lucinda pointed at the blood seeping through my clothes. “I think we need to stitch it,” the Pack Doctor suggests after cleansing
Astrid’s POVOur conversation ended when someone knocked on the door. “Come in,” Alpha Everest spoke wearily. He walked back to his office table to meet the guest. “Alpha Everest!” I raised my head when I heard Giselle’s voice. “I heard what happened. How is your daughter? Are the guests from the Nightsong Pack all safe?” Giselle asked in an amicable voice as she walked to Alpha Everest’s table. She still hasn’t noticed me here, sitting silently behind her in the corner of the room. “Everyone is safe, Lady Giselle. You do not have to worry. Is there anything I can help you with?” Giselle smiled and placed the papers she was holding on Alpha Everest’s table. “These are the papers for the alliance. I was hoping you could sign it now. Killian had informed me that you’ve already read and agreed to everything.” Alpha Everest forced a smile on his face as he looked up at Giselle. “That’s true, but you’ve only just arrived. I haven’t mentioned it because I was hoping you could go
Giselle’s POVI drummed my fingers an agitated staccato against the steering wheel, my knuckles stark white against my olive skin. With each passing mile, the tension in my shoulders only seemed to coil tighter, a vise of barely contained fury."That bitch," I hissed through gritted teeth, the venom in my words palpable. Astrid's name was like acid on my tongue, burning with a hatred that refused to be extinguished. The moment I saw her at the banquet, I knew it was her. She had dyed her hair blonde and changed her name, but I will always recognize her. I will always know her through her cerulean eyes, which look like peaceful waters, even if she drastically changes her appearance. Her eyes might look calm and peaceful, but she always stirred trouble for me. As I was on my way back to Silvermoon Pack, I couldn’t get my head out of the shame and humiliation that I felt as the Pack guards dragged me out of the Frostbite Pack like I was a piece of trash. As if failing to get Alpha Ev
Astrid’s POVThe private chamber was dimly lit, the flicker of candlelight casting shifting shadows on the stone walls. The air was thick with anticipation as Killian and I stepped into the room. Alpha Damien and Luna Valerie stood by the hearth, their faces somber. Damien’s normally relaxed posture was stiff, and Valerie’s fingers were laced tightly together, betraying her tension.“Damien, Valerie,” Killian began, his voice firm. “We were told you’ve uncovered something about the rogue king. What is it?”Damien exchanged a glance with Valerie before stepping forward, his gaze steady. “Valerie and I had been conducting an investigation—secretly,” he admitted. “Ever since the first rogue attacks began to increase, we’ve been suspicious.”Valerie nodded, her tone soft but urgent. “The rogue king’s moves weren’t random. They were calculated, methodical. He wasn’t just targeting packs for power or resources; he was targeting the foundation of our system—the hierarchy, the unity that bi
Astrid’s POVKillian halted mid-step, his shoulders stiffening as he turned to face me. His brow knitted together, the golden hue of his eyes darkening with unease. “What do you mean?” he asked, his voice low, guarded.I hesitated for just a heartbeat before the words poured out, tumbling over each other in a rush. “Alpha Cedric,” I said, my voice tight with urgency. “At the council meeting—he stood up, questioning us, doubting our leadership, our decisions.”Killian’s brows pinched together as he processed my words. “What if… what if it wasn’t just him being confrontational? What if it was intentional? Designed to sow distrust, to divide us?” I asked him Killian’s gaze sharpened, his eyes narrowing as he digested my words. A flicker of understanding crossed his face, followed by something colder, harder. Slowly, he nodded. “I’ve been thinking the same thing,” he admitted, his tone heavy with thought. “When Andros suggested there could be a traitor, Cedric was the first person w
Astrid’s POVThe words hung in the air, heavy and ominous. I felt my chest tighten, the implications settling like a stone in my stomach. “What do you mean?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.Andros’s gaze dropped again, his shoulders slumping as if the weight of his confession was too much to bear. “If you suspect that someone’s feeding the rogue king information, it wasn’t me. It must be someone close to you,” he answered. “Since they know so much about the Pack, it could be someone in your ranks. Tell me, is there anyone acting weird recently? Anyone you think that is hiding something.”“That’s impossible,” I instantly blurted out. “All of us wanted the rogue king gone. All of us were helping each other to overcome this crisis. Why would someone betray us and work with the rogue king?”“I’m not the one leaking information to the rogue king,” Andros spoke sternly. “Who do you think it is?” The question that escaped Killian’s mouth made me look at him. “Killian, what are y
Astrid's POVThe air in the dungeon was damp and heavy, clinging to my skin like a second layer. The faint flicker of the bright light painted uneasy shadows on the stone walls, casting long, distorted shapes that felt as restless as the questions swirling in my mind. Killian and I stopped outside Andros’s cell, and for a moment, neither of us spoke.Andros sat against the wall, his posture slouched, his gaze fixed somewhere distant, as though we weren’t there. His face was pale, worn, and etched with the weight of regret he had carried silently since Rowena’s death.“Andros,” I said, my voice softer than I intended. It was impossible to ignore how different he looked now, like a man who had already resigned himself to whatever fate we would decide.His dark eyes flicked toward me briefly before dropping back to the ground. “What now?” he asked, his voice hollow, lacking the defiance I used to know.Killian stepped forward, his tone firmer than mine. “We need answers,” he said. “T
Astrid's POVThe warrior’s words hung in the air like a heavy shroud, suffocating and cold. I stared at him, trying to make sense of what I’d just heard.“The fragments… are missing?” I repeated, my voice barely above a whisper. My heart pounded, each beat echoing louder in my ears as confusion and disbelief clawed at my thoughts.The Forsaken Amulet was destroyed. Rowena sacrificed her life to ensure it could never be used again. Why would the rogues come back for it? What could they possibly want with shattered remnants?Killian stood beside me, rigid as stone, his golden eyes locked on the warrior. “Are you sure?” he asked, his voice low, taut with restrained fury.“Yes, Alpha,” the warrior said, bowing his head. “We inspected the area as you instructed, to see if the rogues left anything behind—clues, weapons, anything. But instead, we found the fragments… gone.”Gone. The word echoed in my mind, a drumbeat of confusion. I tried to piece together the rogue king’s motives, but not
Astrid’s POVThe tension in the room was suffocating. The large council chamber, usually filled with calm deliberation, was now a battlefield of words. Alphas and Lunas from across the packs are all gathered around in one room, their gazes heavy with doubt and mistrust. Killian and I decided to call this meeting to inform everyone about the recent events and to formulate another plan for the future. “We heard that Andros is back, that he came back to the Pack with you, was that true?” One of the Alphas asked. I nodded my head. “That’s true. Although he is banned to enter any Packs, I made my decision out of careful consideration. While we are unsure of where his alliances lies, it would be safe if he is here with us where we could monitor him.”“Andros cannot be trusted,” Alpha Raiden of the Thunderclaw Pack said, his voice cold and unyielding. “He betrayed us once—no, twice. Do you expect us to believe he won’t do it again?”Several heads nodded in agreement, murmurs spreading li
Astrid’s POVI studied Andros’s face as he spoke, searching for even the faintest trace of deceit, but there was none. His expression was raw, stripped bare of his usual indifference, and in its place was something achingly human. Beneath the steady timbre of his voice, I caught a faint sadness—not just for Rowena, but for Killian, too. It made my chest tighten.I turned to Killian and felt my heart break at the sight of him. His golden eyes, usually so fierce and commanding, burned with a storm of emotions that threatened to drown him—anger, sorrow, regret. He stood frozen, like a man facing the wreckage of his entire world.“Then why didn’t she?” Killian’s voice, sharp and brittle, sliced through the heavy air. His fists trembled, clenched so tightly at his sides that his knuckles were white. “If she regretted everything so much, why didn’t she just say something? Why didn’t she stop?”Andros let out a quiet sigh, leaning his head back against the damp stone wall. “Because she c
Astrid’s POVThe words hung in the air, heavy and sharp, cutting deeper than any blade. I felt Killian’s tension beside me, the barely contained storm beneath his surface threatening to erupt.“She introduced you… to the Rogue King?” Killian’s voice was low, trembling with suppressed rage. His golden eyes bore into Andros, demanding answers, demanding a reason to justify what was unfathomable.Andros’s gaze flickered, the indifference cracking ever so slightly. He leaned his head back against the cold stone wall, exhaling slowly. “She didn’t tell me why at first,” he said, his tone eerily calm. “She just… showed up. Out of nowhere.”The faint light from the torch above us cast long shadows across his face, and for a moment, I saw something raw in his eyes—something I couldn’t ignore.“She said she wanted to help me,” Andros continued, his voice softening, almost as if he were speaking to himself. “Said she didn’t want me to rot away in exile. That she could… save me.”Killian’s eyes
Astrid’s POVThe dungeon was cold, the air damp and heavy with the scent of mildew and rusted iron. Shadows danced on the rough stone walls as the faint light flickered, casting a dim, suffocating glow. Killian stood beside me, his jaw tight and his arms crossed, every line of his body radiating tension.Across from us, Andros sat slumped against the wall of his cell, his hands loosely bound in front of him. His face was a mask of indifference, his eyes distant and unfocused as if he were a world away. He didn’t look at us, didn’t even flinch as we approached.“Andros,” I said, keeping my voice steady. He didn’t move. His breathing was even, his gaze fixed somewhere over my shoulder.Killian took a step forward, his boots echoing on the stone floor. “Are you working with the rogues?” he demanded, his voice hard, cutting through the silence like a blade.Nothing. Not even a flicker of recognition.Killian’s fists clenched at his sides. “Answer me, Andros. Are you one of them?”I st