VALERIA’SPOVThe icy cold of the lake wrapped around me like a merciless shroud, pulling me deeper into its embrace. The shock of the water stole my breath, and for a fleeting moment, my body fought against the inevitable. But then, an eerie calm settled over me. The pain, the reality, the wounds — all began to fade as I drifted further away from the surface and from life itself. I didn’t fight anymore, I didn’t want to.The darkness didn’t scare me, the cold didn’t bother me.For the first time in years, there was silence. No taunts, no commands, no screams. Just stillness. The chaos that had been my life receded like a distant echo, leaving behind a void that felt strangely comforting. Floating there, caught between the world of the living and whatever lay beyond, I felt something I hadn’t in a long time: peace.It was comforting and relaxing.I knew what had just happened to me. I knew what it meant. The disgusting sensation of his hands, his weight, and the burning humiliation of
VALERIA’S POVI woke up with a sudden jerk, gasping as if the weight of the lake’s water was still pressing against my chest. My heart pounded in my ears, my lungs desperate for air. When I opened my eyes, I found myself lying on the soft grass on the other side of the lake. The night was eerily quiet, the only sound the gentle lapping of water against the shore.I blinked, disoriented. How did I survive? I was certain I had drowned. I remembered the freezing cold, the overwhelming darkness, and the peace that came with the thought of finally escaping the pain. But here I was, alive. I pressed a trembling hand to my chest, expecting to feel broken ribs or bruises from Magnar’s attack, but my body felt...whole.I pushed myself upright, hesitant, and looked down at my hands. There were no cuts, no bruises—nothing. My skin was unmarred, the wounds I knew I had suffered were gone. How was this possible?A shiver ran down my spine. “Was it all a dream?” I whispered to myself, but even as I
VALERIA’S POVThe snarls grew louder, their guttural menace reverberating through the cold night air. I could feel their eyes on me—hungry, predatory, and full of malice. My breaths came in ragged gasps as I clawed at the dirt, desperate to find anything to defend myself with. My fingers scraped over stones and brittle leaves, but nothing solid, nothing that could stop the nightmare closing in around me.“Stay back!” I croaked, my voice barely more than a whisper. My throat was dry, my terror making it impossible to scream properly.The rogues circled me like vultures, their glowing eyes cutting through the darkness. One lunged suddenly, its jaws snapping so close to my face that I could feel the rush of its breath. I scrambled backward on my hands and knees, the rough ground tearing at my palms and knees, but it was no use. They had me trapped.Tears blurred my vision as my body trembled uncontrollably. I could barely hear my own whisper over the pounding of my heart.“Please, Moon G
VALERIA’S POVI stopped in my tracks, my breath caught in my throat as I turned toward the source of the voice. The air shimmered, and there she stood—a vision of beauty and power. Her form radiated an ethereal glow, a soft, silvery light that seemed to pulsate with an otherworldly rhythm. A delicate halo framed her, and her presence was both calming and commanding, like the serene yet undeniable pull of the moon itself.My lips parted, but no words came. I tried to speak, to understand what I was seeing. “Are… are you… you…” I stuttered, my voice trembling.She smiled gently, a sound like the soft chiming of distant bells escaping her lips. “Shh, child,” she said, her voice warm and soothing, laced with an unearthly grace that made my heart flutter.The rogue closest to her, the one who had attacked me, let out a low, guttural growl. She knelt gracefully, her hand reaching out to touch its head. The moment her fingers brushed its fur, the rogue froze. Then, to my astonishment, it low
VALERIA’S POVThe Moon Goddess stepped closer, her ethereal presence glowing faintly under the dark sky. Her voice, soft yet filled with authority, carried the weight of ancient truths.“You are not just a werewolf, Valeria,” she began, her silver eyes locking onto mine. “You are so much more than that. When Zeus first granted me my powers and named me the mother of all wolves, I was content with my position. My purpose felt clear, my existence fulfilled. But then… I fell in love.”Her gaze softened, a flicker of sadness passing across her serene face.“I fell in love with a mortal,” she continued, her voice trembling ever so slightly. “Even when Zeus and the others warned me against it, I couldn’t resist. Love is unpredictable, even for gods. At first, it was beautiful, everything I thought it would be. But he betrayed me. The pain of that betrayal was unlike anything I had ever known. It broke me.”I could see the raw emotion in her eyes, and it made my chest tighten. She wasn’t jus
MAGNAR’S POV“Hey, you seem quite agitated today. Is everything alright?” one of my friends asked, his tone casual but his curiosity evident.I clenched my fists at my sides, my jaw tight as I tried to suppress the storm brewing inside me. How could I possibly tell them? They can’t know. No one can know that she’s my mate.“Dude, you have been like this since last night. Are you really fine? I have never seen you like this,” Braden said but right now his voice was pissing me off even more.“Yeah, I can feel your wolf man! We can go for another run together if you want,” Loki said and I just shook my head, right now I cannot hand over the control to him, I don’t trust him with the situation right now.What if he goes there and mark her…?The thought of it made my stomach churn. Valeria. A slave. My mate. The Moon Goddess must have lost her mind. She’s a weakling, unworthy of standing beside me as Luna. And yet, every time I think of her, my wolf growls possessively, his voice clawing a
Magnar's POVThe water from the shower pounded against my skin, scalding and relentless, but it wasn’t enough. I scrubbed at my arms, my chest, my hands—anything to rid myself of her scent. It clung to me like a brand, a reminder of last night. Of her.Her screams echoed in my head, raw and desperate, piercing through the haze of my denial. The memory of her blood, rich and metallic, filled my senses. I clenched my jaw, forcing the thoughts away, but they kept coming. Her pleading voice. The way she looked at me—like I had shattered her entire world.Stop. Just stop.I pressed my palms against the cold tile, breathing heavily. My wolf remained silent, his absence a void I didn’t know how to fill. Since the moment I rejected her, he’d retreated, leaving nothing but emptiness behind. No growls. No snarls. Not even a whisper.I gritted my teeth, shutting off the water abruptly. “Fine,” I muttered, grabbing a towel. “Be mad. See if I care.”But I did care. His silence gnawed at me, a cons
MAGNAR’S POVThe atmosphere in my father’s office was tense. I leaned back in my chair, arms crossed, trying to mask the storm brewing inside me. Braden, Kian, and Mavros sat beside me, their expressions ranging from confused to mildly concerned. None of us knew why my father had summoned us so urgently.Dimitri, my father, stood by the window, his gaze distant yet sharp. Something was eating at him—something he wasn’t sharing. His aura, usually calm but commanding, now felt off. It made my wolf stir uneasily, though he still refused to speak.When my father finally turned to face us, his words knocked the breath out of the room.“Valeria is missing.”“Valeria? That name sounds quite familiar?” Braden said.“Yes, because that’s the name of the slave who serve us almost on a daily basis and she recently turned eighteen,” my father snapped.That name hit me like a blow to the gut, but I forced my expression to remain neutral. She’s just a slave. Why should it matter? And how does my fat
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
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 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 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
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
DIMITRI’S POV6 MONTHS LATERI leaned back in my chair, my eyes fixed on the monitors in front of me. The flickering images from the CCTV cameras displayed the mundane routine of the pack—warriors sparring, workers bustling about, and slaves completing their assigned chores. None of them had any idea they were being watched so closely. I preferred it that way.My fingers tapped idly against the desk as I studied their movements, paying particular attention to the slaves who hadn’t yet shifted. They were the key to everything—though none of them realized it. Their value lay not in their current state but in what they might become.So far, nothing. No changes. No signs. Just the same dull monotony of their existence.Sometimes I wonder if I should finally accept the offers from the other Alphas—the ones who proposed deals for these so-called “useless” slaves. Their words still echoed in my ears: Why hold onto them? They’re dead weight. Trade them, sell them, or let them go. You’d profit
VALERIA’S POVI was relieved that Elijah’s behavior didn’t change after that day. Despite everything, he treated me the same as always, and for that, I was grateful. I had half-expected him to pull away, to distance himself after learning more about me. But no, he remained steady, patient, and unyielding. It was comforting in a way I hadn’t anticipated.We resumed training soon after, and every day I could feel myself improving—getting stronger, faster, more focused. My old pack, cruel as it was, left me with one gift that proved invaluable during my training: my pain tolerance. Years of enduring punishment had hardened my body and mind in ways I hadn’t fully appreciated until now.Each bruise, each ache from Elijah’s rigorous sessions, was a mark of progress, not suffering. I endured it all, letting it fuel me, and over time, I began to see the results. My muscles became toned, my reflexes sharper, and my stamina nearly unmatched. Elijah often pushed me to my limits, and though it wa
VALERIA’S POV“What you’re trying to say is that you met the Moon Goddess, and she told you everything?” Elijah’s voice was calm, but there was an edge to it, a quiet urgency that made my stomach churn.I nodded, twisting my fingers together. “Yes… I-I wasn’t sure if I should tell you at first. I mean, I had trust issues. So I—”“You don’t need to explain,” he interrupted, holding up a hand. His tone softened, though his expression remained serious. “You did the right thing. And it would be best if you didn’t tell anyone else. The more people who know about you, the more danger you’ll face.”I swallowed hard and nodded. He was right. I didn’t feel comfortable sharing this with anyone else—not after what had happened to me at the hands of people I thought I could trust.Elijah’s piercing gaze softened briefly. “You know… everyone thought Moonbounds were just a myth,” he said quietly.“Wait, who’s Moonbound?” I asked, frowning.He tilted his head slightly, studying me as if I’d just ask
MAGNAR’S POV“What happened? Why is he returning so soon?” I asked, my voice laced with frustration.Braden was slightly out of breath as he met me in the hallway, his face shadowed with concern. “I don’t know. I was tracing their location like you asked, but then I noticed their route changed. They’re coming back earlier than planned. I had to alert you immediately.”I nodded, trying to keep my irritation in check. Braden had done his part, and honestly, he’d done it well. He always did. He was good with technology—better than anyone else in the pack—and as my future beta, he was the one person I trusted with my life.Still, this early return threw everything into chaos. I had been counting on more time.“Did you find anything?” he asked, his tone low and cautious, but there was a glint of curiosity in his eyes.“Not really,” I replied vaguely, avoiding his gaze. I wasn’t ready to talk about what I’d found—or what little I understood of it.Braden narrowed his eyes. “What do you mean