ALPHA DIMITRI'S POVI leaned back in my chair, fingers steepled as I contemplated my next move. Magnar was becoming a thorn in my side—not because he wasn’t capable, but because he believed himself ready for the Alpha title when he clearly wasn’t. His arrogance and impulsiveness were dangerous traits in a leader. He needed to learn, and if he wouldn’t listen to words, then I’d have to teach him through action.With that thought, I mind-linked him. “Magnar, meet me in my office.”I wanted to see his reaction to the task I had in mind. This wasn’t just about giving him something important to do—it was about testing him. If he wanted the Alpha title so badly, then let him work for it. Let him prove, not just to me but to the entire pack, that he was capable.Fifteen minutes later, Magnar strode into my office, his posture confident but his eyes restless. He took his usual seat across from me without hesitation. Ever since he turned eighteen, he’d started adopting this bold attitude, thin
MAGNAR’S POVIt was clear to me from the moment my father assigned this task that he intended for me to fail. His condescending tone, the way he presented it as a “test,” and the tight deadline—it all screamed of a trap to humiliate me in front of the pack. But I wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction.If this was his way of undermining my potential, I’d show him exactly what I was capable of.The first week was all about clearing the area. I wanted everyone focused on the same task so we could execute it efficiently. Workers and warriors alike were instructed to cut down trees, clear the rocks, and prepare the land for construction. I worked alongside them during the day, earning their respect by showing that I wasn’t above hard labor.By the second week, I split everyone into shifts. Two teams of workers and two teams of warriors were created—one to work during the day and the other at night. The warriors’ role was not just to guard but to ensure resources were being procured and
MAGNAR’S POVIt was my duty tonight, and the forest was silent save for the occasional rustle of leaves in the wind. The chill of the night wrapped around me, but I barely noticed it as I patrolled the third round of the boundary. My focus was unwavering, my instincts sharp. This expansion project couldn’t afford any setbacks, especially under my leadership.That’s when I saw it—a faint column of smoke rising in the distance, barely visible under the moonlight. I froze in my tracks, narrowing my eyes to make sure I wasn’t imagining things.Who would light a fire at this time of night?It couldn’t be rogues; they rarely announced their presence so openly. But then again, rogues were unpredictable. Worse, it could be hunters. Humans had their ways of blending into the forest, waiting to ambush unsuspecting wolves.My heart quickened, but I kept my composure. I immediately mind-linked one of my patrol teams stationed nearby. "Yannis, take your warriors and check the source of that smoke.
MAGNAR’S POVI wasn’t expecting to walk into a standoff between my pack warriors and a ragtag group of scavengers. The tension in the air was palpable, the scent of hostility thick as I approached the clearing.My heart picked up its pace, but it wasn’t from the situation in front of me. Something else was tugging at me, a gnawing sensation deep in my chest. My wolf stirred restlessly, his presence suddenly more forceful.“What is it? We don’t have time for this—stay focused,” I growled internally, annoyed by his behaviour.“Something is here,” he replied, his voice laced with an urgency I didn’t understand. “Someone important.”Important? What was he talking about? I shook my head, pushing the thought aside. My priority was the situation in front of me. I stepped into the clearing, my boots crunching against the forest floor, and all eyes turned toward me.“So,” I announced, my voice carrying authority, “I hear you wanted to meet the Alpha directly.”The warriors immediately parted,
MAGNAR’S POVThe man cocked his head, his amusement faltering for just a split second before he doubled down. “I think we’ll take our chances,” he said.I smirked, letting the predator in me show just enough to unsettle him. My eyes narrowed, my voice sharp and biting. “You can take all the chances you want. But understand this: the second you step out of line, I’ll make an example out of you. Your pack will scatter, and no one will remember your name.”The smirk on his face faltered for the briefest moment, but then he recovered, a glint of defiance sparking in his eyes. “That’s the difference between kids like you and true Alphas,” he said, leaning forward slightly, his voice dripping with mockery. “True Alphas set examples with their actions. Kids like you? You only know how to talk.”I felt the blood rush to my ears, my wolf growling louder in my mind, but before I could react, a scent hit me like a punch to the gut. My breath caught.That scent.It was faint, but unmistakable. My
VALERIA’S POV“You did what?” My voice echoed through the trees, louder than I intended, but I couldn’t hold back the frustration bubbling inside me.Elijah stood a few feet away, arms crossed defensively, but his expression remained calm, like he’d anticipated my reaction. “I know I didn’t discuss it with you, but I had to,” he said, his tone steady, almost too steady, as if trying to justify his actions to himself as much as to me.“You had to?” I snapped, pacing back and forth as my thoughts spiraled. “Elijah, you could have just returned! There are plenty of places in this forest to find herbs. You didn’t have to… didn’t have to reveal anything!”My voice cracked on the last word, and I stopped pacing to glare at him. “Do you realize what you’ve done? If Magnar is even half as smart as he thinks he is, he’ll figure it out. He’ll know I&rs
Elijah took a deep breath, his eyes softening slightly as if preparing to explain something heavy. The weight of his gaze settled on me, and I knew whatever he was about to say would change everything. “We’re not going to war—not yet. War is the last resort, and we don’t have the numbers or strength to win a direct fight with Dimitri’s pack. But what we do have…” He paused, his voice steady but purposeful. “…is you.”I blinked, taken aback, the gravity of his words sinking in. “Me?” My voice came out in a whisper, barely audible over the pounding of my heart. “What do you mean?”Elijah leaned forward, his expression as serious as I’d ever seen it. “Valeria, you’re not just another wolf. You’re Moonbound. You have abilities that no one else has, powers that even Dimitri—someone who thrives on control and power—doesn’t know about. That makes you
VALERIA’S POVI woke up earlier than usual, the first rays of the sun barely piercing through the canopy of trees surrounding the camp. My restless mind refused to grant me even a moment of peace, so I decided to go for a run. Perhaps the rhythmic pounding of my feet on the forest floor would drown out the storm inside me.I needed to clear my head before we executed Elijah’s plan. A scenario would be created, a carefully constructed act where it would look like I was being captured again, just to infiltrate Dimitri’s pack. It was a brilliant plan in theory, but it was too much for me to process.I was going to face the people who had tortured me for ten years. The same people who had broken me over and over again, leaving me with scars—physical and emotional—that no amount of time could heal.As I tied my boots and stepped out of my small cabin, the crisp morning air bit at my skin, but I welcomed it. It grounded me, pulling
VALERIA’S POVRiven left, but I stayed.Her words echoed in my mind, a quiet reminder of the truth I needed to accept.I need to change the way I think.All of this was meant to be.Dimitri’s death. The battle. The bloodshed.I had to take revenge. It was supposed to happen one way or another.I couldn’t blame myself—not anymore.But I couldn’t stay here either.This place, these walls, this land—they would always remind me of what happened.Still, I couldn’t just walk away without a final goodbye.I had to make things right. I had to set everything straight.________________________________________By the time I returned to the pack, the battlefield was nearly cleared.The royal traitors had been dealt with.The Alphas who had dared to cross Riven were handcuffed in silver and being loaded into vans. I had no doubt she would deal with them personally.I walked toward the packhouse, my heart steady but my mind restless.I wasn’t sure what I expected, but when I stepped inside, I was m
VALERIA’S POVDimitri was dead.His lifeless body lay still, surrounded by the very people he had tormented and betrayed.And yet—I didn’t feel victorious.I didn’t feel like a hero.Instead, a sharp, twisting knot of dread and guilt settled deep inside me, like a festering wound that refused to heal.I should have felt relief. Peace.But all I felt was…Empty.A murderer.I had taken a life.Yes, it was justified. Yes, it was necessary. Yes, he deserved it.But that didn’t make it any easier.My gaze flickered toward Magnar. His lips were pressed together in a firm line, his golden eyes locked onto Dimitri’s body. I saw the shine of unshed tears, the war between grief and justice playing out in real time.I turned away.I couldn’t look at him.I couldn’t look at any of them.The weight of their stares, their unspoken expectations, was suffocating me.The world blurred as my breathing grew shallow. My heartbeat pounded against my ribs. I had to get out of here.I took a step back—then
VALERIA’S POVThe battlefield was silent.Not because the war was over—But because they were waiting.Waiting for me to finish what Dimitri started.I stared down at him, breathing heavily, my heart hammering in my chest.Riven’s voice sliced through the silence, low and certain.“Don’t show any mercy this time, Valeria. Your friends are safe—he has nothing against you now.”And just like that—My hesitation disappeared.The weight I had been carrying, the fear, the second-guessing—it all vanished.I turned my head slightly, catching sight of Magnar.He stood there, his arms tense at his sides, his jaw locked.His expression was unreadable, but his eyes…They were conflicted.He may have accepted this fate, may have severed the final tie with the man who raised him, but I knew—watching this wouldn’t be easy for him.I exhaled slowly and met his gaze.“You should look away,” I told him. “This is going to be painful for you to watch.”But he didn’t move.Didn’t blink.Didn’t turn away.
VALERIA’S POVI had never seen a vampire in my life.Not in person.Not until now.And suddenly, we were surrounded by them.Their presence was undeniable—an eerie, otherworldly force that sent shivers down my spine. Their sharp features, their glowing red eyes, the way they moved so effortlessly, like shadows given form.Riven is associated with vampires?Wow.I had heard whispers about her, of course. Rumors that she had ties beyond the werewolf realm. That she had even visited the fae kingdom.I never believed it.But now?Nothing seemed impossible when it came to Riven.And honestly… good for her.If anyone could command respect across different species, it was the woman standing before us with that annoyingly confident smirk.Dimitri, however, didn’t share my thoughts.His face twisted in pure rage, his lips pulling back over his teeth as he snarled at the newcomers.“Vampires are abominations! They are not allowed on my land! This is exactly why you should never have been queen,
VALERIA’S POV“No—”I lunged forward, my heart slamming against my ribs like a war drum.But I was too late.Dimitri’s fingers slammed down on the button, his smirk widening as if he had already won.For a split second, my world froze.I braced myself, every muscle in my body tightening. I knew what was coming—poison.A gas so lethal it would seep into the lungs of everyone around us, burning them from the inside, turning them into lifeless corpses before they could even scream.The end.I squeezed my eyes shut, waiting for the sting, the suffocating burn, the chaos—But…Nothing happened.I snapped my eyes open, my breath catching in confusion.The arena was still there. The ground hadn’t turned into a graveyard.The warriors, the royals, everyone was still standing.For a moment, even Dimitri looked stunned.His hand trembled over the button, his eyes darting wildly across the battlefield as if expecting bodies to drop at any second.Nothing.No poison.No death.No victory for him.
VALERIA’S POVThe battlefield still burned with chaos, but in this moment, my world narrowed down to only three people—Dimitri, Riven, and myself.Dimitri stood a few feet away, blood dripping from his nose, his fury barely contained. He was no longer the composed, manipulative mastermind. No. I had managed to push him into desperation.And Riven?She was watching me intently, her violet eyes sharp as she slowly began to understand what I was about to do.I turned my gaze back to Dimitri and smirked.“You know, Dimitri,” I called out to him, my voice clear over the noise of the battle, “you missed one crucial detail about Moonbound wolves.”Dimitri clenched his jaw. He wasn’t in the mood for games.But Riven, oh, she was.“I would love to know what it is,” she drawled, amusement flickering across her face.“I don’t care,” Dimitri snapped at the same time.I chuckled darkly. “Oh, but you should, Dimitri. You see, you’ve spent so much time obsessing over your revenge, your plans, and co
VALERIA’S POVI don’t know what came over me.One moment, I was staring at Riven, knowing Dimitri’s command had sealed my fate.The next, I was turning against him.All the energy I had been gathering, all the rage, the frustration, the helplessness—I redirected it.Not at Riven.At him.A blinding surge of power exploded from my hands, aimed straight at Dimitri.It hit him dead center.The force of my attack sent him flying backward, ripping him from the ceremonial platform. He crashed hard onto the stone floor below, a thunderous impact shaking the entire arena.Gasps echoed around me.A thick cloud of dust and debris rose from where Dimitri had landed, swirling in the air like a storm brewing around us. The weight of my attack had thrown him back with such force that the ceremonial platform itself trembled from the impact.For a heartbeat, all I could hear was the ringing in my ears and the shallow gasps of those who had witnessed what I had just done.Then, movement.I wasn’t give
VALERIA’S POVThe moment the signal came, I ran.The battle raged around me, the air thick with the scent of blood, smoke, and something far more sinister—Dimitri’s victory.His forces were overwhelming, tearing through the opposition like a wildfire, precise and merciless. The royals who had sided with him played their part well, cutting down anyone who dared to challenge their authority.This was his battlefield.His game.And I was just a piece he had moved into place.By the time I reached the throne, I expected to see panic, desperation—fear.But Riven sat there calmly, her posture regal, her gaze surveying the chaos below with a detached sort of curiosity.As if she were merely watching a performance rather than witnessing the fall of her kingdom.“So, you’re here to kill me.” She stated with a sigh.She didn’t sound afraid.Not even surprised.I faltered for a moment. She knew?“You knew?” I asked, disbelief coating my voice.She turned her head slightly, her golden eyes meetin
MAGNAR’S POVThe Queen followed my gaze.She saw it too.The fear in Valeria’s eyes.The helplessness clinging to her like a shroud.Riven’s expression remained unreadable, but something flickered in her gaze—understanding.“Hmm… interesting,” she muttered under her breath, her tone thoughtful, calculated. Then, without missing a beat, she turned her attention back to the gathered audience.She took a single step forward, commanding absolute silence.“As the reigning Queen, I declare the trials complete,” her voice rang out, powerful and unshaken. “Magnar has proven himself worthy through strength, strategy, and wisdom. He has shown that he is capable of leading not only his pack but making the hard choices necessary for the greater good.”The crowd erupted in cheers.Pride swelled in my chest, but a weight still pressed against me. Something wasn’t right. I could still feel Valeria’s gaze, though I couldn’t find her in the sea of people.Queen Riven turned to face me once more.“I ho