VALERIA’S POVIt had only been twenty-four hours since I set foot back in this pack, and already, everything felt like it was crumbling around me. Every step I took, every word I spoke, felt like it was being measured, judged, and twisted into something I couldn’t control. My heart was racing, my mind a chaotic storm of thoughts, and no matter how much I tried to compose myself, I couldn’t.I couldn’t pretend that everything was fine. I couldn’t act like I had everything under control. Because the truth was, I didn’t.Things were unraveling, messy and terrifying, and I had no idea how to handle it all at once. Every interaction with Dimitri left me with more questions than answers. Every glance from Magnar felt like a dagger to my nerves. Every breath I took felt heavy with the weight of the past and the uncertainty of the future.I closed my eyes, letting out a deep, shaky sigh as I sat on the edge of the bed. The room around me was quiet, almost suffocatingly so, and the solitude on
VALERIA’S POVBreakfast was tense, to say the least. Every step I took into that hall felt heavy, as if the weight of dozens of stares pressed against me. The pack sat scattered at the long wooden tables, the clinking of silverware against plates the only sound as I entered. Conversations faltered, then died entirely.All eyes were on me.Dimitri gestured for me to step forward. His face was calm, unreadable, but his gaze was sharp, pinning me in place. I hesitated for only a moment before walking toward him. My feet carried me automatically to the place beside Gamma, my mind reeling as I realized this spot was reserved for the head warriors.I could feel Magnar watching me from the far end of the table, his expression a mix of curiosity and something else I couldn’t quite place.Dimitri’s deep voice rang out, commanding attention. “We are all gathered here today because I want to renounce the position of the wolf Valeria from a slave to a wolf. And only when she is ready, she will jo
“Look, Valeria,” Dimitri said, his tone softening. “I’m not going to force you into anything. If you want to stay, you’re most welcome. If you want to leave, that’s also fine. But don’t expect anything from me when it’s already too late.”There was something about the way he spoke, a weight behind his words that made me pause. It wasn’t the commanding tone he often used, the one that made him sound so unshakable and sure. No, this was different. There was a warning buried in his voice, one I couldn’t ignore.I studied him carefully, trying to pick apart his expression, to figure out what game he was playing now. But instead of the cold, calculated Alpha I was expecting, I saw something that caught me off guard—a flicker of vulnerability. It was faint, buried beneath the layers of his authority and power, but it was there. A glimmer of regret, almost like an open wound he didn’t know how to hide.It made me feel... unsteady.I didn’t answer him right away. My mind raced with conflictin
MAGNAR’S POVSo, it was true.Valeria was the Moon Bound.I watched as she walked out of my father’s office, her posture rigid, her steps determined. There was no hesitation in her stride, no uncertainty. She had made up her mind about something, and whatever it was, it didn’t bode well for me—or for my father.A part of me was relieved that I had been in the right place at the right time, overhearing just enough of their conversation to finally understand the reason behind her transformation. The strength she carried, the power radiating from her—it all made sense now. She wasn’t just some ordinary wolf anymore. She was something far greater.And I had been a fool to reject her.“That’s what I’ve been telling you since that night,” my wolf chimed in, irritation lacing his voice. “But you never listen, do you?”I rolled my eyes but didn’t argue. He wasn’t wrong.Now, the real question was—how the hell was I supposed to make things right with her?“She needs space,” my wolf continued.
VALERIA’S POVI wanted to see Elijah, but I knew Dimitri was watching me. I could feel his presence lingering in the shadows, waiting, observing. If I wanted to meet Elijah, I needed to find a way for Dimitri to come along too—there was no sneaking out of here without consequences.But how?I was lost in thought when a sudden shift in the air made my instincts flare. Before I could react, I found myself surrounded by familiar faces—ones I’d hoped never to deal with again.Lily stood at the front, her arms crossed over her chest, her usual sneer plastered across her face. Her little posse flanked her sides, wearing matching expressions of contempt.“Hello, former slave,” Lily mocked, tilting her head with false sweetness.I let out a sigh, suppressing the urge to roll my eyes. I wasn’t in the mood for this nonsense. Without acknowledging her, I changed my route, hoping they’d take the hint and let me be.But, of course, they didn’t.“Oh, come on,” one of her minions cooed in a sickly s
VALERIA’S POVOnce they were gone, an eerie silence settled between us. Magnar didn’t move, didn’t speak. He just stood there, watching me with an expression I couldn’t quite read.I crossed my arms, raising an eyebrow. “What? No ‘you should have let them hit you’ speech?”He let out a low, humorless chuckle. “No. I think you handled yourself just fine.”I narrowed my eyes, suspicious. Magnar never said anything without a reason. “Then why are you still here?”He exhaled, running a hand through his hair. “I saw you leaving Dimitri’s office earlier. I overheard some things.” His gaze locked onto mine, intense and unreadable. “We need to talk.”Something about the way he said it made my pulse quicken. Magnar always had an agenda. I wasn’t sure I wanted to hear whatever this was.“No, we don’t,” I said firmly, turning to leave.“Valeria, wait,” he called after me, but I didn’t stop. I didn’t want to. Did he really think everything was normal now? That we could just talk like none of this
VALERIA’S POV"I need to make my wrongs right."Magnar’s words echoed in my mind, looping like a cursed melody I couldn’t shut off.Did he think a simple declaration of guilt would make up for everything? That a few whispered truths could erase years of torment?His father had played with my life for years. Now, Magnar was trying to do the same. The only difference was, this time, I wouldn’t be their pawn.Why should I even trust him? Why should I believe that all of a sudden both of them grew conscience? I know that Magnar’s weakness is his father, he cannot go against him and he is trying to be responsible to gain the Alpha position.If he wants to help me he will have to go against his own father. But his words were not a complete lie, so its hard completely disregard them.I needed a plan.And I needed Elijah.Elijah was the only person I trusted with every fiber of my being. If anyone could give me an outside perspective—someone who wasn’t tangled in the web of Dimitri and Magnar
VALERIA’S POVBy the time I reached the pack, the sky was shifting from deep indigo to the soft hues of dawn. The journey had been long, my muscles ached from running, and exhaustion clung to me like a second skin. But despite the weariness weighing me down, there was something else—something lighter, something I hadn’t felt in a long time.Relief.Not just because I had managed to sneak out undetected. Not just because I had made it back safely.It was because of him.Elijah.I collapsed onto the makeshift bed in the small cabin I had been given, exhaling a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. My body begged for sleep, but my mind was still tangled in the conversation we’d had hours ago. His words echoed in my head, his warning laced with the unshakable protectiveness that had always been so him.You can’t trust them.He was right. I knew he was right. And yet, my thoughts kept drifting to something else entirely.The way his voice had softened ever so slightly when he saw me at h
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