(Soren)It’s a cold night, but the chill I feel has nothing to do with the weather. Cerelia lies sleeping soundly beside me, but her presence doesn’t calm me the way it usually does. Guilt gnaws at me, festering like an open wound. Hilda. The mere thought of her name is a dagger to my heart, twisting deeper with every breath I take. Where is she sleeping tonight? What’s Damon done to her?I’d made my decision in a moment of desperation and confusion, convincing myself it was the right thing to do. Handing her over to Damon as though she means nothing to me anymore.Hilda had been in a coma for a year, and the mate bond had faded after only a month. I mourned her with every breath I took. When I met Cerelia, it felt like fate was giving me a second chance. Now it seems that I’m more like the villain in a fairy tale.I’m not going to be able to sleep. The image of Hilda’s eyes, filled with pain and betrayal, haunts me. I promised her everything: love, loyalty, and the title of Luna. To
(Hilda)“I have to go out for a while,” Arlo tells me, leaning down to press a kiss to my forehead before pulling on his clothes and heading out the door.The room feels strangely empty without him and I try to shake off the feeling of unease that settles over me. It’s good that I have some time alone, I need to clear my head and think about what just happened between us.Hours pass and still he doesn’t return. Arlo’s servants come and go, bringing food and tending to the fire. They’re efficient and polite, but there’s an undercurrent of tension in their interactions with me. I can’t help but notice the way they avoided eye contact, or the way their hands tremble slightly as they set things down. Curiosity finally gets the better of me and I ask one of the servants, a middle-aged woman with a kind face, what’s going on. “Why do you all seem so nervous?” I ask, trying to keep my tone light. The woman glances around as if checking for eavesdroppers, before leaning in closer. “It’s Kin
(Hilda)Arlo spins me around, his eyes blazing with a mixture of anger and betrayal. “After last night and this morning, is this honestly what you want?” I bite back a sob, trying to summon the strength to defy him. “Let me go, Arlo. I don’t belong to you.” His grip tightens as he shakes his head slowly. “You belong with me. We’re bonded, Hilda. You can’t deny what’s between us.” “Bonded?” I hiss, “Or trapped?” His eyes narrow, and a dangerous edge creeps into his voice. “If you were trapped I’d hardly be finding you all the way out here, now would I? Why are you running, Hilda? Or should the question be, who are you running to?” “Nobody,” I insist, my voice hoarse. “I don’t have anybody to run to, Arlo. I just want to be free and away from everyone and everything that can hurt me.” A flicker of doubt crosses his features, but it’s quickly replaced by suspicion. “Do you think I’m a fool? I know about Soren.” “Soren?” I echo, genuinely confused. “What does he have to do with this?
(Hilda)Standing at the edge of the training grounds, I watch the warriors go through their drills. The sight should bring me comfort, seeing as it’s something familiar in this sea of uncertainty. Instead, it only reminds me of what I’ve lost, and what I’m striving to regain - my sense of purpose and my place in the world. I have to get my strength and confidence back, and this is the only way I know how.Arlo’s pack’s different from Soren’s. The warriors move with a fluidity that speaks of years of disciplined training, but there’s an underlying tension in the air. Right now I need to keep my head down and focus on what I can control.I approached Arlo earlier, my mind finally made up. “I want to stay,” I told him, meeting his piercing gaze head-on. “But as a warrior for now, not as your mate. I need to find myself again before I can even think about being in a relationship.” “You think you can just decide that?” he asked irritably. His voice was low, with a dangerous edge to it. “
(Hilda) The early morning rays of the sun is just starting to cast shadows on the training grounds when I arrive.I notice immediately that Arlo’s already there, deep in conversation with Percy. As if his size isn’t enough to make him an imposing figure, there’s also the raw power he exudes. I swear I’d be able to sense his presence from a mile away.As always, seeing him fills me with clashing emotions. A confusing blend of gratitude and resentment. He’s been nothing but kind to me, but his constant presence is both a comfort and a reminder of my unresolved feelings. It’s easier to breathe when he’s not around.Falling asleep in his arms last night was a torturous blessing. I’d spent long minutes feeling jittery with anticipation, more than half certain he’d make some kind of move. When I finally realized he was really just going to hold me, I fell asleep quickly, feeling more than a little bereft.I have to tune out the noise in my head and focus on my training and nothing else tod
(Soren)The camp is a flurry of activity when I get back, my mind still reeling from the encounter with King Arlo and Hilda. My heart aches at the memory of Hilda’s words and her obvious pain.As I approach the edge of our camp, I see Cerelia waiting for me, her eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Where have you been?" she demands, crossing her arms over her chest defensively."King Arlo summoned me," I reply, trying to keep my voice calm as I explain my absence. "He wanted to talk about Hilda." Cerelia's eyes flash with anger. "Hilda again? What does she have to do with us?""Nothing," I say firmly. "King Arlo's just being paranoid. He thought I was trying to take her back." Cerelia's expression softens slightly, but her eyes still hold a hint of doubt. "Are you?" she asks uncertainly."No," I tell her, shaking my head. "Hilda and I are over. I'm with you now, Cerelia. I made that clear to King Arlo and to Hilda." Of course I don’t add how awful that made me feel.She turns to walk away, bu
(Hilda)My days are filled with a newfound sense of purpose and I immerse myself in training and the packs’ daily activities, striving to carve out my place among them.Arlo is joining our training sessions as frequently as his duties will allow it and there’s no denying the effect his presence has on me. He seems to draw my eyes like a magnet and send my body heat soaring like he’s my own personal heatwave. Worst of all, he seems to know exactly how much his presence affects me, judging by the swagger in his walk whenever he catches me gazing at him.Thank goodness for Percy’s friendship. As determined as I am to guard myself from being hurt again, I haven’t been able to resist letting my guard down around him. Soren isn’t the only person responsible for breaking my heart. Alec’s betrayal hurt nearly as much and I keep telling myself I should be wary of trusting in anyone at all.I’m not made for solitude though and compared to the blistering effect Arlo’s presence has on me, spendin
(Hilda)I can’t sleep and I’m sick of tossing and turning as I replay the conversation I had with Arlo earlier. I can’t deny the frisson of excitement I feel every time he says I’m his, but I’m not about to let him think he can order me around. On top of that, I suspect Percy’s been avoiding me today and that can only mean Arlo had a word with him.I’ve been lying here, hoping he’d come to my room to say goodnight, as he does most nights, but it seems I’m not the only one feeling a little grumpy after our talk.Fine. If he won’t come here, I’ll go to him. I’m not a ‘wait and see’ kind of girl. Taking the bull by the horns is usually far quicker and less traumatic in the long-run.When I reach his door, I hesitate for a moment, gathering my thoughts before knocking. I know exactly what I want to tell him, I just need to make sure the brain fog he always seems to inspire doesn’t get me."Arlo, it's me," I call out when I’m met with a terse, “Go away, I don’t need anything.” We’ll have t
TaraThe pull is impossible to fight tonight. It’s no longer a whisper in the back of my mind or Morgana’s voice slithering through my thoughts. Something in my blood is demanding that I move, go, find it.The moon is high as I slip away from the pack house, casting long shadows on the ground. My heartbeat is steady, but there’s an electricity in the air, a crackling energy that makes my skin hum.The further I go, the less I feel like myself. My body moves with purpose, but it isn’t my own. My feet follow a path I shouldn’t know, weaving deeper into the forest, far past the borders I know it’s not safe to cross.That’s it, Morgana coos, her voice stronger than ever. You’re so close now.The trees grow taller and more densely packed together. I haven’t been following a path for some time now, yet I don’t feel lost. The ground slopes downward, and my breath catches when I see it, more than half-hidden by the forest’s grasp, crumbling stone swallowed by vines and time.I know immediatel
PercyI don’t think I’ve ever enjoyed getting my ass handed to me quite as much as I do when it’s Nixie doing the handing.We’ve been sparring for the past twenty minutes, and while I’d love to say I’ve been holding my own, that would be a lie. A beautiful, pride-saving lie. But the truth is that Nixie fights like she has something to prove. And maybe she does.My biggest problem is that I keep getting distracted by her gorgeous eyes and the fluid movements of her incredible body. How had I never noticed before how spectacularly she fills out her tight, black uniform?Her foot sweeps toward my legs, and I barely dodge in time, stumbling back and grinning at the sharp glint in her gaze. She’s fast and unpredictable, all fluid motion and coiled strength.And I’d probably be faring better if I wasn’t so busy watching her, cataloging every flicker of emotion across her face. "You’re not focused," she snaps, circling me like a predator scenting blood."Oh, I’m focused," I assure her. "Just
DamonHilda was alone. For a moment, I thought the gods had finally answered my prayers as she stood frozen over the body, her face pale in the moonlight, eyes wide with shock.I crept close enough to smell the iron tang of blood in the air, to hear the way her breath hitched in her throat. I had the perfect vantage point, hidden in the shadows, watching her, waiting for the right moment.But then I felt it. A prickle at the back of my neck. The unmistakable sensation of being watched. I retreated before I could be seen, disappearing into the darkness, cursing whoever had ruined my chance.Now, sitting in the depths of our makeshift camp, I replay the moment over and over. If I had been just a little faster, if I had stepped in before she’d noticed the body, she would be dead. The thought sends rage curling through my gut.The fire crackles in front of me, casting flickering shadows on the faces of the warriors who followed me into exile. It still stings that only ten of them stayed l
TaraThe voice isn’t just a whisper anymore. It’s a constant presence, slithering through my mind, wrapping around my thoughts like creeping vines. Morgana doesn’t just speak to me, she presses against me, her will curling around mine, demanding more, more, more.And the worst part is that I’m starting to feel her power calling to me.It started subtly. A tingling in my fingertips. A flicker of something curling in my chest. But then the surges started. Raw bursts of energy that left me gasping, burning from the inside out. It feels wonderful when it happens, intoxicating and limitless.But when it’s over it leaves me empty and hollowed out. Like some integral part of me has been siphoned away.You’re not losing anything, Morgana purrs in my mind. You’re becoming what you were always meant to be.I dig my nails into my palm, trying to anchor myself. No, I think fiercely. I’m part of this pack. This is my home. I’m already who I’m meant to be.She laughs, a sound like crackling embers.
HildaSomething isn’t right. I don’t know what it is, but I can feel it, coiled in my chest like a serpent, just waiting for the right moment to strike. And there’s no way Damon is causing this kind of anxiety in me.My bond with Arlo is indestructible. His touch anchors me and his love fortifies me. Our pack is united. They’re all giddy with excitement about the baby and no hidden whispers of dissent linger in the air. They love Arlo now and as conceited as it sounds, they adore me. Crediting me with saving their King.Despite all of this, the sense of dread won’t let go of me. I want to spend every day out on patrol with the warriors, but not even my stubborn streak trumps the swollen feet brought about by my current condition when I stand for too long.Then the dreams start.I’m standing in an endless field of snow, the silence so thick it presses against my ears. I want to reach for Arlo, but I know he’s not there. Then, suddenly, the snow shifts and dozens of wolves rise from the
ArloThe war room hums with tension. Warriors and Alphas from our neighboring packs fill the space, their scents a mixture of dominance, unease, and simmering aggression.Maps are spread across the long table, marked with recent rogue attacks. It’s happening more frequently now.I press my palms against the wood, levelling my gaze at the gathered leaders. "We all know why we're here. Rogue activity has increased, and we have every reason to believe Damon is behind it."A low murmur runs through the room. No one looks surprised. "We've been tracking their movements," I continue. "They're circling, probing for weak points, but they haven't made a direct move yet. That tells me one thing, Damon is hunting."The room falls silent, eyes swivelling to my lovely wife. Everyone knows who he’s hunting.Hilda sits beside me, her expression unreadable. She’s listening intently, but I can feel her impatience, the barely restrained urge to be out there fighting instead of talking. I admire her for
TaraThe voice starts as a whisper. A distant hum threading through the edges of my thoughts. At first, I think it’s just exhaustion. Too many restless nights, too much tension hanging in the air like a storm waiting to break. But then I start losing time.I wake up in places I don’t remember going.The first time, I brush it off. Maybe I was just distracted, walking on autopilot. The second time, I feel a twinge of unease, but I push it down. But by the third, when I come to, standing in the middle of the hallway with no memory of how I got there, my fingers curl so tight they ache and I know something is wrong.And the voice. Gods, the insidiously whispering voice. It’s stronger now. Familiar and foreign all at once. Come, it calls, gentle as a lover’s breath against my ear. I’ve waited so long.I tell myself I’m imagining it, that it’s stress, that I’m unravelling after everything that’s happened and the constant worry about Hilda and her pregnancy. But then, one night, my body mov
HildaThe knife strapped to my thigh feels like a lifeline. It’s a comforting weight, pressing against my skin as I move through the halls of the pack house. I haven’t stopped there though. I now have one at my back and each of my inner arms.It’s ridiculous. I know it is. I’m surrounded by warriors, by my mate, by the safety of our home, but I can’t shake the feeling that something, or someone, is watching me.And I don’t think it’s Damon. Undoubtedly he’s out there too, but this feels seriously malevolent. Making the hair stand up on the back of my neck all day level of evil. Damon is a piece of shit, but I can’t believe his gaze would do this to me.Arlo notices, of course. He always does. “Is there a reason you’re suddenly carrying weapons everywhere?” he asks one evening as he leans against the bedroom doorframe, arms crossed over his broad chest. His tone is light, teasing, but his sharp gaze watches me closely.“Have you seen Damon?” he asks in concern. I sigh, tugging my sweat
ArloPacking up the few belongings we took with us to the mountain cabin takes less than a minute.“I don’t want to leave,” I tell Hilda, eyeing the wonderfully inviting bed again. She laughs, wrapping her arms around my neck. “Our people need us to come back. The only real difference is that we’ll be wearing clothes back home, nothing else was all that different here.”She’s not completely wrong. We do fuck a lot at home too, but not whenever the mood strikes. Which is every minute of every day.I shouldn’t complain. Leading our people is a privilege, even more so now that I have my incredible Luna by my side and our firstborn on the way.The moment we cross the border into our territory, I can feel it. The air is thick with expectation, the weight of responsibility settling back onto my shoulders like an old, familiar cloak.Hilda runs alongside me in her wolf form, her sleek coat brushing against mine as we cross the final stretch home. We haven’t spoken much since leaving the moun