Xander's povI thought back to the sick wolves at the castle. We had found a solution for that, I didn't know if the rainville healers had arrived.Then my heart dropped. Poison.“They’re not just using weapons,” I whispered in sudden realization. “They’re poisoning us.”“We need to head back. Fast!” Rowan yelled, his mind instantly going to Lyra.We wasted no time in going back to ironclaw and grabbing our horses. The journey back to blackthorn was fast and brutal, our minds clouded with what we had just discovered. I prayed to the moon goddess that it wasn't true.Ava rode beside me, her hand occasionally brushing against mine, grounding me even as my thoughts spun uncontrollably.When we arrived, the sight that greeted us was worse than I had feared.There were a lot of wolves in the infirmary, it couldn't even hold all of them. Somewhere unconscious, some withered in agony, some were gasping for breath. Both children and adults, their veins were black, just like that of the warrio
Xander's pov“Your majesty.” They greeted us in unison then led us into the pack house. They led us through stone hallways, the best was unbearable at this point but the warriors barely flinched because they were used to it.The walls were lined with ancient runes that pulsed faintly, reacting to our presence as we walked past them. Blackthorn seemed bland in comparison to the other packs.I thought I was handling my position well but it seemed I wasn't because I hadn't visited most packs in decades. I usually send Magnus in my place and I regret that now.“Hold on.” I called out to the guards ahead and they halted. “Is there a place where we can strip off this heavy armor and get lighter clothes?”Ava let out a breath of relief next to me. I turned and saw her drenched in sweat and a deep shade of pink due to the heat.One of the guard's eyes went blank as he mind linked someone before returning. “Yes. Come this way.”They led us down a new hallway and brought us to a set of doors. “
Xander's povShe turned and walked to a shelf that held quite a number of vials. After a bit of searching, she grabbed a couple of vials then mixed them into a concoction which she handed to Kael.She looked at us. “This is a temporary antidote. It's going to slow down the spread of the poison and buy you some time but it won't nullify the poison's effect completely. You need to find the source of the poison or visit rainville for answers.”“We've already been there. They helped us get answers for the warriors that were injured with dark weapons during the attack. They are currently working on healing them whilst trying to heal the ones that have been affected by the poison.” Vanessa explained.“Ingesting a poison and being struck by it are two different things. I can't even begin to imagine how draining it must be for them to get rid of the dark hold from the warriors.” Seraphina said sadly. “Then visit nightshade.”“I said it.” Ava muttered.“What did you mean by ‘the source’” Rowan
Xander's povSuddenly, a figure dropped down from the detached above and landed silently in front of us. The sudden movement startled our horses. More figures emerged from the shadows and fog while some silently dropped from trees.Nightshade warriors.They were unlike any werewolves I had ever seen. They were dressed in dark cloaks with armours underneath, their faces were covered by masks made from vines and bones. Their movements were eerily silent, like their feet were floating above the ground that was completely covered with twigs and leaves. It was unnatural and unsettling.Their presence were like ghosts— they blended into the fog itself. One of them stepped forward, I could tell that it was a female.Her eyes were piercing green beneath her mask. She dropped her hood and I saw her pale hair which was braided back. I scanned her and couldn't see any weapon but I could feel the lethal aura that radiated off her.“Alpha king Xander of Blackthorn.” She said, her voice smooth, col
Xander's pov“They become shadow slaves.”“Shadow slaves?” I asked.“Yes.” Seraphina answered. “Creatures consumed by Zerathos's dark powers. There to do his bidding no matter how messy. His personal foot soldiers.”“What in the world?” Kael muttered.“But there's a cure, right?” Ava's voice became quiet at the end of her question as she was as uncertain as the rest of us.Seraphina's gaze softened. “There is a cure. But it is not easily made.”She turned and gestured for us to follow her into a small opening in the wall that I had failed to notice. The air became colder the further we walked. We came to a dark chamber which had a lot of herbs, vials and strange symbols on the walls.At the center was a large stone basin, similar to the one we had seen at rainville but instead of green liquid, it held dark water.Seraphina stuck her hand into the basin then pulled out a small vial which had a silver liquid that glowed in the dark. Inside I could see a… flower?“This is the essence of
Rowan's povThe night was alive and eerily quiet. The nightshade people were truly strange, not even the sound of kids playing could be heard. It was like they didn't exist, they were just ghosts that popped up once in a while.Fireflies flew around like tiny stars eliminating the place. It was enchantingly beautiful. The sound of frogs croaking could be heard in the distance, it was the only sound that echoed through the pack.The encounter with the warriors at the forest made me understand why every pack avoided them and why even my father said we shouldn't bother them unless it was absolutely necessary. They were like death, they would sneak up and snatch your life.Despite the quietness of the place, my mind was anything but quiet. Lyra's capture and Magnus's betrayal still plagued my mind. I knew that it had all been sorted out but I still couldn't wrap my head around the fact that it had happened.I sighed and got up from my bed and left the chamber I had been given. Sleep was f
Rowan's pov“What do you mean?” I asked, glancing back at kaida who was looking at me with a wary expression on her face.The woman signed, making my gaze return to her. “It's a sad and long story but basically, her tongue was cut off by a rogue when she was a child. She hasn't been able to speak ever since.”My heart sank at this. “That's… that's horrible.”The woman nodded. “It truly is. Please be patient with my dear Kaida, she has endured a lot at her young age but one thing is certain, she is strong. She told me that she ran away from you last night because she didn't want you to be disappointed by the type of mate she was.”I shook my head and turned to Kaida. “I'm so sorry about everything that happened to you.” I said softly. “I didn't know.”Kaida’s eyes softened as she considered my words then she gave me a small smile. It was the most breathtaking thing I had ever seen, in that moment I wanted to always be the one to make her smile.I wished we were fully mated so that we w
Rowan’s POVShe left her little rock and came to join me on mine because it was bigger. Her scent filled my nose, it was the most pleasant thing I had ever smelled. She smelt like berries, jasmine, herbs and the earth after it rains. It all combined perfectly.She took the paper from me and started writing. The sun had begun to set at this point and I was a bit hungry but I didn't mind. I didn't want to cut this moment short. The setting sun casted a soft golden glow on the forest, when the light hit Kaida she looked like a myth.A goddess out of a story book. My breath caught in my throat as I stared at her. I truly was the luckiest man alive and the thought made me smile widely.I continued to watch her, the gentle sound of the waterfall washing over us with tranquility. The weight from the past weeks lifted from my shoulders.I realized something. Ever since meeting her— although it hadn’t been long, my mind was consumed with the thought of her and I hadn't once thought about Lyra'
Xander's povI spotted the command post—a black stone tower in the heart of the forge still standing amidst the chaos.“Take the south side!” I shouted to Kaida. “Keep them from regrouping!”She nodded once before leaping into the shadows, other nightshade warriors next to hermI tuned to the rest. “Push forward! Get to the tower! Cut the head off the snake!”We broke into a small unified group, making our way to the gate. More and more of Zerathos' warriors began flooding in from the rear now—those that were not caught in the explosions. Reinforcements. Bigger. Angrier.But it was too late.Too slow.I could feel it.Their fear.Their unraveling.And beneath it all the Forge began to make a groaning sound.Like something buried deep beneath was awakening.We reached the tower. My claws tore through the doors.We stormed inside and then came the scream again.A sound that shattered bone and split stone.The Howling Horror. Another one.It was close.And it was coming.I turned toward
Xander's povWe didn’t stop to breathe.The moment we emerged from the tunnel, I gave the signal and my warriors immediately sprang to motion like blades being drawn.We moved fast. No more room for mourning, hesitation, or mercy. The Forge was right in front of us. The explosives were set. The path to Zerathos lay wide open, and I was done playing on the defensive.No more creeping in the dark. No more lurking behind shadows.The bombs were planted.The path was clear.It was time.I turned to Kael. “Light them up.”One of his enforcers raised a hand, signalling for someone to hand him a torch which he placed on a wire which was connected to the bombs inside. The spark started, continuing down the path of wire, moving with speed towards the bombs inside.There was a brief moment of silence and then—Boom.The ground trembled beneath our feet as an explosion ripped through the forge’s storage rooms, sending fire and smoke into the sky. The sound echoed across the cursed land like a lo
Ava's povWe pressed forward in silence, everyone trying to keep their emotions in check and eyes peeled. As we got closer to the place where the first war took place I could feel the land speaking to me.It was broken and never allowed to heal. It was corrupt, hollow, scorched and lifeless.I could feel the centuries of history.The pain. The blood that had soaked into the ground during the First Great War.The screams that had rang out through the filled.Ahead of us was the tree that had the main door to the forge. The place where he had built his empire of shadows and death.But before we could take another step then a scent hit us.Blood.Old and fresh at the same time.Xander held up a hand, signaling for everyone to stop. His golden eyes scanned the battlefield, sharp and cautious. I could tell that Leo had taken over because he didn't want to take any chances.And then we saw him.A small body. Unmoving.A young werewolf, no more than fifteen, lay dead on the cold, cursed grou
Ava's povWe moved forward in silence, our boots pressing into the ashen soil of Ashville’s cursed land. The deeper we ventured, the thicker the air became—dense, humid, tinged with a metallic taste that clung to the back of my throat.But soon enough I noticed that something was wrong.Very wrong.I couldn't quite place what it was.The enemy wasn’t meeting us in open battle.They were watching. Waiting. Hunting. I could feel their eyes on us but I couldn't place where exactly they were.Xander walked ahead, his shoulders tense, his grip on his blade firm. The warriors behind us moved cautiously, scanning every shadow, their ears twitching at every distant sound. The silence was what disturbed me the most. A battlefield should have been alive—full of shouts, the clash of steel, the roar of war.But this?This was like stepping into a graveyard before the bodies had even fallen.What's going on?A shiver crawled up my spine. I kept my magic close, simmering beneath my skin, waiting fo
Ava's povThese chains will not hold me.Never.The shadows wrapped around me like living creatures, chains of darkness slithering over my arms, my throat, my legs—squeezing, burning, consuming. It felt like they were alive, like they were breathing, whispering, coiling into my skin with a predatory hunger.I struggled, yanking against them, but it was like fighting the weight of an anvil. The more I thrashed, the tighter they held me.A cruel chuckle echoed through the darkness."Foolish girl," the General sneered. "Do you think you can fight against your own nature?"This isn't my nature! I wanted to shout but couldn't.I clenched my jaw, refusing to acknowledge the way his words made my stomach twist. I wasn’t one of them. I wasn’t his.Never was and never will be.But the shadows thought otherwise.They hissed in my ear, whispering things I refused to hear.I refused to listen.But my body was betraying me.The cold was sinking deeper, flowing into my veins, making my thoughts slo
Xander's povThe words from its mouth sent a chill down my spine but I clenched my jaw, refusing to show fear. My grip tightened on my blade as I stepped forward, locking eyes with the towering figure that lurked in the darkness in front of us.The red eyes of the Nyx Wraiths burned like embers in the night. The Hellhounds stalker along at the edges of the trees, low growls reverberating through the battlefield. The Revenants stood unnaturally still, their decayed bodies could be seen due to the flickering torches we had lit behind us.Outside Ashville it was day but in here, Zerathos' corruption had seeped so much into the land that it was night.I could feel the tension in my army—thousands of wolves behind me, armed and ready strike justification waiting for my command.The figure in the darkness stepped forward and shadows seeped it off its body like ink on paper or smoke in the wind.It is as a General. I could tell by the way it carried itself that it wasn't a regular foot soldi
Xander's povThe scent of damp earth, ash and frost clung to the air as we neared Ashville’s border. The heat had lessened slightly due to the change in seasons but it could still be felt slightly.The trees stood tall and lifeless, their branches clawing at the sky like skeletal fingers. The land here was darker, heavier—tainted by Zerathos’ growing influence.But we weren’t alone.As we got over the final hill the sight that waited us knocked the breath out of me.Wolves. Thousands of them.They were stretched across the valley in a vast sea of warriors, their bodies gleaming in the dim morning light. They came from all nine packs, their banners flapping in the wind, colors blending into what looked like a tapestry of unity.I recognized them by their crests— rainville, iron claw, blood Moon, silver claw, storm fang, thornspike, wild heart, night shade and lastly, Ashville.Their Alphas stood at the front of each battalion, their warriors behind them, waiting.Waiting for me.Ava s
Xander's povBy the time we reached our camp, the sky had begun to lighten, the first hints of dawn were peeking above the horizon. The rest of our warriors and allies were already awake, their stance ready with their weapons drawn and a hard expression on their faces.Ava was the first to approach us, her sharp eyes sweeping over me, searching for injuries.“You’re okay,” she murmured, relief flickering in her eyes.I nodded. “The attack was successful. We wiped them out.”She exhaled, glancing at the boy we had captured. “And him? Who's that?”“A survivor.” I locked eyes with her. “He’s going to talk.”Ava studied him for a moment, her expression unreadable. Then she turned back to me. “You should rest.”“There’s no time.” I pulled off my bloodied cloak and tossed it aside. “We move at nightfall.”She frowned. “Xander—”“I’m fine.” My voice was firm, leaving no room for argument.Ava pressed her lips into a thin line in annoyance, but she didn’t push further. Instead, she turned to
Xander's povThe night was thick with tension, the air cold against my skin as we moved swiftly through the trees. My breathing was steady and controlled while my heart pounded fast in anticipation of what was to come..The rebel camp was close.Kael moved beside me, silent as a shadow, his bow already drawn. Rowan and Vanessa followed closely behind, their weapons glinting under the moonlight. The rest of our warriors fanned out, forming a perimeter to ensure no one escaped.We had the element of surprise.And I intended to use it.***The rebel camp was in a clearing deep in the forest, it was half hidden between fallen logs and makeshift tents. Smoke rose lazily from dying fires and the scent of burning wood, meat and unwashed bodies filled the air.There were at least fifteen of them, maybe more.Some were seated near the fire, speaking in hushed tones, while others patrolled lazily along the edges of their camp. They seemed like a lowly group in the rebel force because they didn'