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
Astrid’s POVThe council room was bathed in the golden glow of the setting sun, but there was no warmth in the air. The tension between us was palpable, like a thread stretched too thin, ready to snap. Drystan and Nova sat across from Killian and me, the diary Nova had found lying open on the table between us. Its pages were filled with Liora’s careful handwriting, each word a piece of a puzzle that was growing darker by the minute.“She suspected someone,” Nova said, her voice steady despite the tremor in her hands. “She didn’t name them, but she knew there was a threat within Silvermoon.”Drystan’s jaw tightened, his golden eyes burning with anger. “And that threat cost her everything. It’s time we stop circling around this. Someone in Silvermoon betrayed her, and we need to find out who.”Killian leaned forward, his expression carefully controlled. “We’re already investigating. My warriors are questioning anyone who had close contact with Liora during that time. But it’s not so
Drystan’s POV“No!” Nova gasped, rushing forward, but it was too late. The rogue was gone.I stared down at the lifeless body, my wolf snarling in frustration. He’d been sent here for one reason: to dangle the truth just out of our reach, then snatch it away. My fists clenched tightly at my sides as the words he’d spoken burned into my mind.“The truth will destroy you.”The silence in the courtyard was deafening. Nova stood frozen, her hands trembling as she stared at the rogue’s body.“They’re toying with us,” she said, her voice trembling with anger. “They want us to tear each other apart.”“They won’t win,” I said firmly, my voice cutting through the tension. “We’ll find the truth, no matter what it takes.”Killian stood beside me, his face unreadable but his eyes shadowed with something dark—something I couldn’t quite place.The sharp sound of footsteps broke the stillness. Rowena stepped into the courtyard, her expression carefully neutral, though her eyes gleamed with a calcu
Astrid’s POVThe cool night air felt sharp against my skin as I stood on the balcony of the Silvermoon Packhouse, staring out at the dark line of trees marking the western border. The medallion Rowena had left on the council table earlier still weighed heavy in my mind. The intricate symbol, unfamiliar yet menacing, seemed to pulse with a foreboding energy I couldn’t shake.Killian’s voice behind me broke my thoughts. “They’re too close.”I turned to face him. He stood in the doorway, his expression hard, his shoulders tense. It wasn’t like him to let the strain show, but tonight, even he couldn’t hide it.“Scouts?” I asked.He nodded, stepping closer. “A dozen, maybe more. They’ve crossed into the borderlands.”“That’s not a coincidence,” I said. “Not after the rogue’s little performance tonight. They’re testing us.”Killian leaned on the railing, his jaw tight. “They want to see how far they can push before we snap. We need to make a move, and fast, before this turns into something
Nova’s POVThe library was silent, save for the occasional crackle of the fire in the hearth.A dozen open books surrounded me, their pages filled with old, faded scripts that blurred together in my tired mind.Liora’s journal lay at the center of it all, her precise handwriting guiding me through fragmented thoughts and cryptic hints.The Rogue King. The Forsaken Amulet. The medallion Rowena had presented at the council meeting. All of it pointed to a larger puzzle, but the pieces didn’t fit—not yet.I ran my fingers over one of the pages, my wolf restless beneath my skin. Liora had always been meticulous, deliberate. If she had left clues, they were here for a reason.“Still no luck?” Drystan’s voice broke the silence.I looked up to find him leaning against the doorway, his arms crossed, his expression soft but concerned.“Not yet,” I admitted. “But there’s something here. I can feel it.”He walked over, pulling a chair beside me. His presence was grounding, his steady confidence a
Astrid’s POVThe ruins of Emberwood loomed around us, silent and foreboding. The rogue ambush had rattled everyone, but we couldn’t turn back now. The message we’d found on the rogue’s body made it clear: the Forsaken Amulet was here, hidden somewhere within these ancient stones.Killian’s voice broke the silence as he gestured to the group. “Spread out. Look for anything out of place—symbols, markings, anything that might lead us to the Amulet.”The warriors nodded, fanning out through the crumbling structures. Nova, Drystan, and I moved together, our eyes scanning the moss-covered walls and broken pillars.“This place is ancient,” Nova murmured, her fingers brushing against a vine-covered carving. “Older than any Pack I know of.”“It’s no coincidence the Amulet is here,” Drystan replied. “The Rogue King must have known about this place for a long time.”I nodded, my wolf uneasy as I felt the weight of the place pressing down on me. There was something here, something powerful and da
Killian’s POVThe Forsaken Amulet sat in the center of the Silvermoon council table, its ornate carvings shimmering faintly in the dim light. The room was silent, heavy with the weight of what we’d brought back from the ruins.“It doesn’t look like much,” Drystan said, his tone edged with frustration as he leaned back in his chair.“It doesn’t have to,” Nova replied sharply, her gaze fixed on the Amulet. “You felt what it did to us down there. This thing is dangerous, whether it looks like it or not.”I nodded, my eyes narrowing as I stared at the artifact. The power radiating from it was subtle but undeniable, a constant hum that set my wolf on edge.“We can’t keep it here,” Astrid said, breaking the tense silence. “If the rogues find out we have it, they’ll stop at nothing to get it back.”“That’s assuming they don’t already know,” Drystan muttered.The tension in the room was palpable, every word charged with the fear and uncertainty of what lay ahead.The meeting was interrupted
Astrid’s POV“Rowena… sacrificed herself?” Asha’s voice cut through the heavy night air, her words laced with disbelief. She stared at me, her sharp eyes narrowing as though she’d misheard. “You’re telling me Rowena—the same woman who would manipulate her way out of a storm if it meant saving her own skin—gave her life for you?”Her tone wasn’t accusatory, but I heard the doubt threaded in her question. I opened my mouth to respond, but before I could, her gaze swept over our group.Her lips parted slightly as she studied us, taking in Killian’s stiff posture and the unbearable weight etched into his face. His shoulders trembled just enough for someone who knew him to notice, his pain so palpable it seemed to radiate off him in waves.Asha blinked, her sharp demeanor softening as realization dawned on her. “She really did it,” she murmured, her voice quieter now. “She’s gone.”A quiet moment passed between us, thick with unspoken grief, until Nova broke the silence. “Where are the k
Astrid’s POVThe forest was dark, the faint light of dawn barely piercing through the dense canopy above. The weight of what had happened pressed down on us, so heavy it felt as though the air itself had thickened, making it hard to breathe.No one spoke as we began the journey back to the Shadowfang Pack. Even the sounds of the forest seemed muted, as though nature itself understood the gravity of what had occurred.Killian walked a few paces ahead of us, his posture stiff, his hands clenched into fists at his sides. The faint tremor in his shoulders betrayed the storm raging within him. I wanted to reach out to him, to offer some kind of comfort, but the words wouldn’t come. What could I possibly say to ease the loss of a mother who had both scarred and saved us?Nova walked beside me, her arms wrapped around herself despite the warmth of the night. Her usual fire was gone, replaced by a quiet stillness that unnerved me. Drystan, ever vigilant, kept close to her, his expression
Astrid’s POVThe heat of the amulet’s power surged through me, fire and ice clawing at my very core. I closed my eyes, bracing myself for the end, ready to accept the pain that would come. This was it.But before the energy could consume me, a sudden, powerful force slammed into my side, sending me sprawling to the ground.I gasped, my eyes flying open in shock. The world spun for a moment before I steadied myself, and when I looked up, my heart stopped.Rowena stood where I had been, her hands firmly on the amulet, the blinding glow of its energy engulfing her.Our eyes met. For a fleeting moment, there was no coldness in her gaze, no calculation—only peace.“Rowena, no!” I screamed, scrambling to my feet.She closed her eyes, a faint smile tugging at the corners of her lips, and said nothing.The energy erupted from the amulet, a searing light that forced me to shield my face.“No!” the Rogue King’s voice boomed, his fury cutting through the chaos.The light intensified, consuming e
Astrid’s POVThe clearing was chaos. The amulet’s glow grew brighter with each passing second, its pulsating light casting long, flickering shadows across the battlefield. The energy emanating from it was suffocating, filling the air with an oppressive pressure that made it hard to breathe.I reached the altar, my wolf surging forward as I clawed at the ancient runes alongside Nova. Each strike against the stone sent sparks of light into the air, but the runes resisted, glowing brighter and stronger as if mocking our efforts.“It’s not working!” Nova shouted, her voice cracking with frustration.“Keep trying!” I yelled back, refusing to give in. But even as I struck the runes again and again, I felt the futility in my movements.Behind us, Killian and the Rogue King clashed in a violent storm of teeth and claws, their snarls echoing through the clearing. Killian’s golden wolf fought with unrelenting power, but the Rogue King’s speed and cunning gave him an edge, keeping the battle
Drystan’s POVThe forest was eerily quiet, a suffocating silence that wrapped itself around us as we regrouped near the Rogue King’s camp. My wolf stirred restlessly within me, sensing the tension that rippled through our ranks. The remnants of the earlier attack were still fresh—blood staining the ground, the air thick with the scent of burnt wood and iron. Yet, there was no time to grieve or falter. The rogues were waiting.Nova stood beside me, her eyes scanning the horizon. Despite the exhaustion etched into her face, she radiated a quiet determination. I knew she was thinking about Liora—about the lies and betrayal that had stolen her sister’s life. And now, with Rowena’s guilt looming over us, the questions weighed heavier than ever.Killian and Astrid approached, their expressions tense. Killian’s golden eyes were shadowed, a flicker of something unreadable passing through them.“We need to strike before the ritual is completed,” Killian said, his voice cutting through the
Drystan’s POVThe battlefield was a cacophony of snarls, howls, and the clash of steel. Blood mingled with the damp earth beneath my feet, and the air carried the metallic tang of death. My wolf surged within me, urging me forward, but I held steady. We were pushing the rogues back, but something about their movements didn’t sit right with me.“They’re retreating too easily,” I growled through the link to Nova, who was fighting nearby. Her lithe wolf danced around a rogue before sinking her teeth into its neck with precision.“I noticed,” she replied, her tone sharp, even in the heat of battle. “This isn’t a retreat. It’s a distraction.”I snarled, driving my blade into the side of a rogue that lunged at me. It crumpled to the ground, lifeless, as my gaze swept over the battlefield. The rogues were falling back, but their movements were too coordinated, too deliberate.“Hold the line!” I barked to my warriors. “Don’t chase them. They want us to follow.”Killian’s voice cut through t
Killian’s POVThe camp was alive with activity, warriors moving like clockwork as weapons were sharpened, armor adjusted, and strategies refined. The tension in the air was suffocating, pressing down on all of us like an invisible weight. The final confrontation was drawing near, and every wolf here knew it.Astrid approached, her steps light but purposeful, her face shadowed with exhaustion. “Drystan and Nova haven’t sent word yet,” she said softly, her eyes searching mine.“They will,” I replied, forcing certainty into my voice. “They know what’s at stake.”But deep down, doubt gnawed at me. The alliances we had built, the fragile unity between the Packs—it all felt like it was hanging by a thread, ready to snap at the slightest provocation.Astrid’s gaze shifted to Andros, who stood near the edge of the camp, guarded by two warriors. He leaned casually against a tree, his sharp eyes scanning the camp with calculated precision.“I still don’t trust him,” Astrid muttered, her voic
Killian’s POVThe camp was a flurry of activity, every wolf preparing for what could be our last stand. Weapons were sharpened, armor repaired, and scouts came and went with grim updates on the Rogue King’s movements.I stood near the center, watching the warriors train in the clearing. Their strikes were fast, their stances solid, but the tension in the air was unmistakable. Everyone knew what was coming, and the weight of it was crushing.Astrid approached, her expression as resolute as ever, though her eyes betrayed a flicker of exhaustion. “Drystan and Nova haven’t sent word yet,” she said quietly.“They will,” I replied, my voice firm. “They know what’s at stake.”Astrid’s gaze flicked toward the edge of the camp, where Andros was being guarded by two warriors. He sat on a fallen log, his posture relaxed but his eyes sharp, scanning the camp as if calculating his next move.“I don’t trust him,” Astrid said, her voice low.“Neither do I,” I admitted. “But right now, he’s a nec
Drystan’s POVThe council chamber at the Silvermoon camp was more crowded than usual, but the air was heavy with unease. After everything we had learned from Rowena and Andros, tensions ran higher than ever. Wolves from allied Packs whispered among themselves, their voices sharp with mistrust.Killian stood at the head of the chamber, his presence commanding as always, but even he couldn’t mask the strain on his face. Astrid sat to his right, her eyes dark with fatigue. Nova was beside me, her hand resting on her thigh, her tension palpable.Andros and Rowena sat on the far side of the room, their backs straight despite the weight of every glare in the room directed at them. Andros leaned casually against the wall, but Rowena remained composed, her sharp eyes sweeping over the gathered wolves with quiet authority.“We’ve heard what they’ve told us,” one of the elders said, his voice echoing through the room. “But how can we trust anything that comes from the mouths of traitors?”M