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
Killian’s POVThe tension in the council chamber was suffocating. The Forsaken Amulet sat at the center of the table, its faint glow casting eerie shadows across the room. Nova’s silence was heavy, her jaw tight as she stared at the artifact. Drystan stood to my left, his posture rigid, fists clenched at his sides.Rowena, however, was calm. Too calm. She stood by the window, her back to the room, as though she had nothing to fear.“We can’t ignore the rogue’s message,” Drystan said, his voice sharp, cutting through the heavy air. “They’re coming, and we’re still sitting here debating whether to act.”“We are acting,” Astrid said firmly, her eyes meeting his. “But rushing into this without knowing the full extent of their plan is exactly what they want.”Drystan let out a frustrated growl. “We don’t have the luxury of time, Astrid. Every second we wait, the rogues get closer to taking what they want. And that Amulet…” His voice trailed off, his eyes narrowing at Rowena. “That Amule
Nova’s POVThe weight of betrayal still pressed heavily on my chest as I left the council chamber. My hands trembled at my sides, the urge to destroy something coursing through me. Liora’s face haunted my mind—her laughter, her kindness, the way she had brought light to every room she entered. Now, that light was gone, extinguished by Rowena’s greed and fear.I couldn’t even look at Killian. His silence, his complicity, felt like another dagger in the back. Drystan hadn’t spoken since we left. His rage was simmering, barely contained, but I knew it would erupt soon.We had to keep moving. If we stopped now, the weight of our anger and grief would bury us.“Where to now?” I asked quietly as Drystan and I stepped into the night.He didn’t answer at first, his jaw tight, his gaze fixed on the dark forest ahead. Finally, he said, “We need answers. If Rowena’s betrayal is the beginning of this, the Rogue King is the end. And I know someone who might know how to end him.”“The marked m
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