Winter’s POVI knelt beside my father, my chest heaving, hands trembling as I pressed them against the open wound across his side. His dark fur was slick with blood, his breathing shallow but steady. My heart twisted painfully in my chest. I could barely hear anything beyond the roar of my pulse in my ears and the distant clash of teeth and claws.But the moment of quiet was ripped away when a dark shape burst through the smoke and chaos.Tyron.His massive gray wolf form launched straight toward me like a streak of lightning, eyes burning, teeth bared in a snarl. His paws barely touched the ground as he closed the distance between us.I barely had time to think.Instinct took over.I threw my palm out, power bursting from my chest, wild and violent. A shockwave of raw energy slammed into him mid-air, throwing him backward into the charred earth. Dust and rocks exploded around his crashing form.But I wasn’t relieved. Not for a second.Because as I lifted my head, I saw the chaos unfo
Tyron’s POVThe wind was sharp tonight. Cold against my fur as I crouched in the thick branches of the oak, watching the chaos I helped create unfold beneath me.I should’ve been down there. Ripping them apart.But no. I waited. Like a predator in the shadows, calculating every move.Below, my father—the chief of the rogues, the monster they all feared—led the first assault. His massive wolf form crashed through the Crescent Moon pack’s defenses, blood staining his fangs, his roar shaking the earth. The others followed, wild and merciless, tearing through the border guards like paper.But this wasn’t victory yet.It was only the beginning.I adjusted my stance, claws gripping the bark, tail twitching once.Where are you, hybrid?My eyes scanned the battlefield, sharp and unforgiving.And there.There she was.A flash of white lightning against the dark. Winter.Her wolf form was unlike anything I'd ever seen. Large and sleek, fur like fresh snow under moonlight. A single jagged thunde
WinterI jolted awake.Heart pounding. Skin clammy.It wasn’t a dream this time. No lightning, no howling, no shadows chasing me through the woods.Just this… deep, bone-deep dread I couldn’t shake.I stumbled out of bed, throwing on a hoodie over my tank top and slipping into sweatpants. My bare feet slapped against the cold wooden floor as I rushed downstairs.Mom and Dad were in the kitchen, talking in hushed voices. Louis was at the back door, checking the locks, and Asher and Aria were already arguing over breakfast like it was any normal day.But it wasn’t.I could feel it in my blood.“Mom, Dad,” I said, louder than I meant to. Everyone froze and looked at me.Dad’s brow furrowed. “What is it?”I swallowed hard, trying to find the words that didn’t sound insane.“There’s something coming. I don’t know when. I don’t know how many. But something’s coming for us. I feel it.”Mom exchanged a look with Dad—quiet but sharp. That silent language they always spoke when things were bad.
Tomorrow.It all comes down to tomorrow.Weeks of strategy meetings, sleepless nights, and brutal training sessions—finally, it’s time to strike.I sat on the edge of my bed, sharpening my arrows with steady hands, letting the rhythmic scrape of the blade quiet my thoughts.Ares was already leading his scouting team toward the Crescent Moon Pack’s outer borders. They’d lay low tonight, waiting for the signal.Basec? He was probably swinging his axe at the training post as we spoke, getting ready to lead the first wave—the distraction force.And me?I’d be the shadow slipping through their chaos.While they fought, I’d find her. Capture the hybrid girl. End this.The tent flap rustled softly.I didn’t need to look up to know it was her."Do you need anything, Mom?" My voice came out lower than I intended. Tired. Worn.She sat beside me, her gray eyes so much like mine. “No. Just… wanted to see you.”I paused my work, setting the arrow aside. “Stop worrying. I’ll be fine. I’ll come back
By the time we all sat around the dining table, the sun had fully set.The house smelled like roasted chicken, garlic potatoes, and Mom’s homemade bread—the kind she only makes when we have guests she actually likes.Casma sat on one end of the table beside Mom, her dark brown skin glowing under the kitchen lights, her silver-blonde hair braided back neatly. She laughed as Aria gave her a play-by-play recap of every single thing she and Asher had done that week—including the prank they pulled on Louis that nearly broke the ceiling fan.Ruine sat across from Dad, a little slouched, looking like he belonged in a leather war council rather than at our dining table with floral placemats. His gold eyes skimmed the room lazily, but I knew better. He was taking in everything. Every word. Every shift in body language.Louis sat beside me, shoveling food into his mouth like the world might end tomorrow. Casey—his mate—perched quietly at his side, picking at her plate and keeping her head down
The Oracle’s words still sat heavy on my chest like a stone I couldn’t shake off.I stood at my bedroom window again, staring out at the forest, arms wrapped around myself like that could somehow quiet the noise in my head.The trees swayed with the wind. Somewhere in the distance, a bird chirped.Normal things.But I didn’t feel normal.The air felt… thick. Like something was brewing just beyond my line of sight.I closed my eyes and took a long, shaky breath."Go and prepare, for a great battle awaits you."The Oracle’s voice replayed like a broken record, sinking its claws deeper every time I tried to ignore it.And then there were the dreams…The forest.The crack of thunder overhead.And those haunting gray eyes with the jagged lightning scar.The same wolf. Night after night.I’d told Mom about it once. She got quiet real fast and said she’d speak with the Oracle again if they continued.But it wasn’t just dreams anymore.I could feel it. Even now… standing here… like eyes burni