Special Chapter: Ryker’s PerspectiveThe sun was shining so brightly today that it made the grass sparkle like little stars. I loved running through it barefoot—it felt soft and tickly. I stretched my arms out, pretending I was flying, and ran down the hill as fast as I could.“Ryker, don’t go too far!” Mommy called from the garden bench where she sat with Aunt Nova.“I won’t, Mommy!” I shouted back, spinning around to wave at her. She was smiling at me, and I couldn’t help but smile back.Mommy had the best smile. It made me feel warm inside, like I was wrapped in a big, soft blanket. I loved hearing her laugh, too, which she was doing now because Aunt Nova said something funny. They both had big bellies because there were babies inside. I couldn’t wait to meet them.I ran back up the hill to Mommy and climbed onto the bench next to her. “Why are you laughing, Mommy?” I asked, curious.Mommy chuckled and brushed some grass out of my hair. “Aunt Nova was telling me about how much he
Astrid’s POVThe forest was too quiet. Not the comforting kind of silence that allowed me to think, but the eerie kind that set my instincts on edge. Every rustle of leaves and every creak of the trees felt amplified, like a warning I couldn’t ignore. My wolf paced restlessly inside me, uneasy, as though it could smell something I couldn’t.The crisp scent of pine hung heavy in the air, but beneath it, I caught a faint, metallic tang of blood on the breeze. My stomach tightened. Another attack. I stood at the edge of the Silvermoon Pack’s territory, my warriors scattered behind me. Their silence matched mine, their tense stances a reflection of the gravity of the moment. They waited for my signal, for their Luna to give them direction.The rogues had struck again. That made three attacks this month. The outposts near the borders were easy targets—isolated, poorly defended—but this wasn’t just random desperation. No, this was something else entirely. The patterns were too precise,
Nova’s POVI didn’t dream often, or if I did, I never remembered them. But tonight, the images were vivid and relentless, as if the past had clawed its way into my mind and refused to let go.I was small again, no more than four years old, hiding behind a tree as fire consumed our Pack. The acrid smell of smoke filled my lungs, and the air was thick with the metallic tang of blood. Wolves howled in agony, their cries echoing through the night. My tiny hands gripped the bark of the tree as I peeked out, my heart racing.A shadow loomed over me, massive and terrifying. “Stay quiet,” Liora closely whispered to my ear, her voice steady despite the panic in her eyes.My older sister, Liora, looked young in my dream, still in her early teenage years. We were both just children, but she was forced to act brave to protect me, taking in the role of being the older sister.I stared at her, my heart beating in fear. She crouched beside me, clutching a blade in one hand and shielding me with the
Drystan's POVThe pendant rested in my hand, its weight heavier than the tarnished metal should allow. The insignia stared back at me, an unwelcome ghost from the past, its edges dulled but still unmistakable. The mark of the rogue faction that had haunted Liora’s final days.The pendant was a warning, though I wasn’t sure if it was meant for me or for the Packs. Either way, I wasn’t about to ignore it.I sat in the quiet of my office, the walls lined with maps and old records. Beta Jared stood nearby, his arms crossed and his expression grim. He’d stayed silent since delivering the pendant, but his presence was steady. Reliable.“This can’t be a coincidence,” I said, breaking the silence. “First, rogue attacks close to our borders, and now this. They’re not just testing us” they’re sending a message.”Jared nodded but didn’t speak right away. He was like that, careful with his words. “It’s possible someone wanted you to find it. To unsettle you.”I turned the pendant over in my ha
Astrid’s POVThe council chamber was filled with the low murmur of voices, Pack leaders debating strategies and plans. I sat at the head of the table beside Killian, my hands resting on the smooth oak surface. The tension in the room was palpable—every attack, every loss, had brought us closer to the realization that this wasn’t a rogue problem. It was something far more calculated.Killian shifted beside me, his jaw tight, his body radiating barely contained frustration. He hated these meetings. So did I. But this time, they were necessary. The rogues weren’t just targeting the outposts; they were playing a long game, and we needed to figure out the rules.Just as I was about to speak, the heavy doors to the chamber creaked open. Every voice silenced, and I felt my wolf stir uneasily as the figure stepped inside.Killian’s mother.Her entrance was calculated, her steps deliberate as her sharp eyes scanned the room. She carried herself with the regal air of a woman who had once
Astrid’s POVThe tension in the air was suffocating. Every time I stepped into the council room lately, I could feel it pressing against my chest—the growing divide within the Pack. It was subtle at first, a quiet undercurrent of uncertainty, but now it was undeniable. People were questioning us. Questioning Killian. And Killian’s mother, Rowena, had only made things worse.The council members sat around the long table, their expressions ranging from weary to outright suspicious. Rowena had planted seeds of doubt with her sudden return, and now those seeds were taking root. Some of them believed she was here to help, that her knowledge of the rogues might be the key to stopping this war before it began. Others—including me—weren’t so sure.Killian sat beside me, his jaw tight, his eyes scanning the room like a predator sizing up potential threats. He hadn’t spoken much since his mother’s revelations the night before. I knew he was struggling to process it, to reconcile the woman
Nova’s POVThe attic was darker and colder than I’d expected. Dust floated in the dim light that streamed through a cracked window, and the air carried the faint scent of cedar and time. This part of the Shadowfang Pack house had been sealed off for years—ever since Liora’s death.Drystan had given me permission to look through her things, but stepping into the space felt like crossing into sacred ground. Her scent was long gone, replaced by the mustiness of disuse, but I could still feel her presence here. Liora had always seemed larger than life, unbreakable, but here she was just a collection of forgotten memories, packed away in old boxes.I moved cautiously, my fingers trailing over the stacks of wooden crates and trunks. A soft creak from the floorboards behind me made me turn.“You don’t have to do this,” Drystan said, his voice low. He stood in the doorway, his face shadowed but his concern clear. “I can look through it if you want. You don’t need to carry this.”I shook m
Astrid’s POVThe sun dipped low on the horizon, casting a golden glow over the Pack’s central courtyard. The faint scent of pine lingered in the air as laughter echoed from the grassy clearing near the training grounds. For the first time in what felt like weeks, I wasn’t caught up in Pack meetings, rogue threats, or endless strategy sessions. I could finally spend some time with my children at last. I missed them so much. Ryker and Elara darted around the clearing, their playful giggles warming the heavy ache in my chest. Ryker, now eight, was tall and quick, his movements already showing hints of the warrior he’d one day become. Elara, only four, struggled to keep up but refused to give in, her fierce determination reminding me so much of myself.“Elara, you’re supposed to tag me!” Ryker teased, effortlessly dodging her tiny hands.“I will, Ryker!” she declared, her little face scrunched in determination as she lunged at him.I couldn’t help but smile. For a moment, the world
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