Nova’s POVThe hum of the car engine vibrated through my chest, a soothing constant as the trees blurred past the windows. It had been far too long since our last visit to the Silvermoon Packhouse, but life at Shadowfang had left no room for reunions. Rogue attacks near our borders kept us tethered to home, juggling defenses and strategies.Today was different. Today, we were finally going back.I sighed, my gaze drifting to Leira. She was practically bouncing in her seat, her excitement bubbling over. Too young to understand the weight of what brought us here, she only saw this as a long-awaited visit to her best friend.“Are we there yet, Mama?” she asked, her face pressed against the window, her voice brimming with hope.“Almost,” I replied, my lips curving into a smile. Her energy was infectious, a bright spot in the constant tension.She turned to Drystan, her wide eyes sparkling. “Do you think Elara will be happy to see me?”Drystan, his hands steady on the wheel, glanced at her
Astrid’s POVThe forest around the Emberwood ruins was a tangle of shadows and silence. Every crunch of leaves beneath our boots and rustle of branches above felt amplified in the eerie stillness. My wolf stirred uneasily within me, its senses sharp as if anticipating an ambush.Killian walked at my side, his posture rigid with tension. Drystan and Nova followed close behind, their weapons at the ready, and a small group of warriors flanked us. We’d planned this mission carefully, but the weight of the Forsaken Amulet and the shadow of the Rogue King made every step feel like a gamble.As we approached the ruins, the crumbling stone walls loomed into view, covered in moss and vines. A cold wind blew through the trees, carrying a faint metallic tang that made my stomach churn.“It’s too quiet,” Killian muttered, his eyes scanning the treeline. “I don’t like it.”Drystan nodded grimly. “If the Rogue King knows we’re here, he’s waiting.”“We don’t have a choice,” I said, gripping my
Astrid’s POVThe clearing was unnervingly quiet. The parchment in Killian’s hands seemed heavier than it had any right to be, the words scrawled across its surface burning into my mind like a brand. Elimination Plan. Pack informant. No survivors.It seems that there is something more behind Liora’s death. It was planned, she was targetted. Her death wasn’t a simple accident. And worse, someone from Silvermoon had helped them.I felt the weight of Killian’s silence beside me, and my stomach twisted. I’m sure he is already suspecting his mother. Aside from Rowena, who else could have made a deal with the rogues?If it was Rowena, it would make sense why she made a deal with us in exchange of escaping punishment.I reached for Killian’s hand and squeezed it in comfort. Killian looked at me and I stared back at him with understanding. There’s no evidence yet. All we know is that someone from the Silvermoon Pack had something to do with Liora’s death. We aren’t sure yet if it was Rowen
Astrid’s POVThe Silvermoon Packhouse was unusually quiet as we arrived, the afternoon sun casting long shadows across the grounds. My wolf stirred uneasily within me, sensing the tension in both Killian and myself. nWe hadn’t spoken much on the way back, but the weight of what we’d uncovered hung heavy between us.As we approached the front steps, the sound of laughter broke through the silence. I turned toward the sound and saw Rowena in the courtyard, her face uncharacteristically soft as she knelt in the grass, playing with Ryker and Elara.“Mama! Papa!” Elara’s bright voice rang out as she spotted us.Ryker followed close behind her, his grin wide as he sprinted toward Killian. “You’re back!”I knelt just in time to catch Elara as she threw herself into my arms, her small hands clutching at me as if I’d been gone for days. “I missed you, Mama!”I smiled, seeing her melted all my worries away. Although I wasn’t gone that long it felt like I haven’t seen her in ages upon seeing
Astrid’s POVI stared at Rowena, my heart pounding in disbelief. My wolf stirred uneasily within me, sensing my anger, my sadness, my… disgust. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.“You have no remorse,” I said, my voice trembling, a mix of anger and sorrow. “After everything that happened. After the pain you caused to Drystan and Nova. After taking someone’s mate, someone’s sister, you stand here and act as if it was just… business. Just a means to an end.”Rowena’s cold, detached gaze met mine. “It wasn’t personal, Astrid. It was survival. You have to understand—when you’re protecting what’s yours, you’ll do whatever it takes. Drystan would have taken everything from us.”I took a step forward, my fists clenched, my wolf growling within me. “Do you even hear yourself? You didn’t just take everything from Drystan; you destroyed him. You tore apart a bond stronger than anything in this world. Do you know what it feels like to lose your mate? To live every single day with half of
Nova’s POVThe room was silent, save for the crackle of the fire burning low in the hearth. I sat at the head of the long table, staring at the assortment of documents scattered before me. Each piece felt like a fragment of a puzzle too shattered to put back together.Drystan stood at the far end of the room, arms crossed, his expression grim. His wolf had been on edge since our return from the Emberwood ruins. So had mine.“They planned it,” I murmured, breaking the silence. “Liora’s death wasn’t just a rogue attack. They lured her there, Drystan. And someone helped them.”Drystan’s jaw tightened, his golden eyes glowing faintly in the dim light. “We’ve suspected as much. But we need proof—something that ties this to someone in the Pack. Without it, we have nothing.”I picked up the silver locket we’d found at the ruins, my fingers brushing over its worn surface. Liora had carried it with her everywhere. Finding it there felt like she’d left it as a breadcrumb, a plea for the tru
Astrid’s POVThe Silvermoon Packhouse was quieter than usual, as if the weight of the past few days had seeped into its walls, stifling every sound. Killian had been unusually distant since the discovery of the locket and the ledger, his thoughts turned inward as we both struggled to decide our next move. The secrets we carried were a heavy burden, and the consequences of their revelation loomed over us like a dark cloud.I stood in the courtyard, watching Ryker and Elara chase each other around the garden. Their laughter echoed through the open space, a brief reprieve from the storm brewing within me. My wolf stirred uneasily, sensing the tension that lingered just beneath the surface.“Mama, look!” Elara’s excited voice called, breaking through my thoughts.I turned to see her holding a small bouquet of wildflowers she had picked. Her silver eyes sparkled with pride, and for a moment, the world felt lighter.“They’re beautiful, sweetheart,” I said, kneeling to accept the flowers
Astrid’s POVThe Packhouse felt heavier than ever as the tension between us grew. Despite our united front, I could see the cracks forming. Drystan and Nova were relentless in their pursuit of the truth about Liora, while Killian and I were walking on a tightrope, desperately trying to keep our secret buried.The message from the rogues still lingered in my mind: “Loyalty is fragile. Truth breaks even the strongest bonds.” They weren’t just taunting us—they were succeeding.Killian had thrown himself into the investigation, questioning warriors and reviewing records, but I could see the toll it was taking on him. He was barely sleeping, barely eating, and the strain of carrying his mother’s secret was written all over his face.As for me, I had my own demons to wrestle with. Every time I looked at Nova, I felt a pang of guilt. She trusted me, confided in me, and here I was, hiding the truth about her sister’s death. My wolf growled uneasily, a constant reminder of the betrayal sim
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 alrea
Astrid’s POVThe words on the paper blurred before my eyes, my grip tightening until the edges crumpled in my shaking hands. My breath came in sharp, uneven gasps, my pulse hammering so loudly it drowned out everything else.Killian was speaking — his voice low and urgent — but I couldn’t hear him.All I could see was Elara.Trapped. Alone. Scared.The paper shook violently in my grasp as a sob tore from my throat.My daughter was out there, in his hands. And he wanted me.The weight of it settled over me like an iron cage.This was never about the Pack. Never about a war.It had always been about me.A hand touched my wrist, firm and grounding. “Astrid.”Killian’s voice finally cut through the haze of panic suffocating me. I looked up, meeting his golden eyes—burning with unspoken fear.For me.For Elara.For all of us.I swallowed hard, my throat raw. “I have to go.”“No.” Killian’s grip tightened immediately, his entire body going rigid. “Absolutely not.”I stepped back, wrenching