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
VALERIA’S POVThe forest was eerily silent, broken only by the occasional rustling of leaves and the distant call of an owl. My bare feet ached from stepping on uneven ground, but I couldn’t stop. I didn’t know where I was going—just that I had to keep moving. I made sure that I didn’t leave any kind of scent behind me so that no one could trace my path, though apart from rogues I hardly feared anything.The hunger gnawed at me mercilessly. My stomach growled again, loud enough to make me wince. I scanned my surroundings, hoping to find something edible. Fruits, berries, anything. But all I saw were wild plants, their jagged leaves and thorns a clear warning not to touch them.Every shadow, every whisper of movement sent my heart racing. I glanced behind me more times than I could count, convinced that rogues were still on my trail. But the forest remained empty, a labyrinth of trees and shadows.My thoughts swirled as I stumbled forward. What are my true abilities? Why haven’t I rece
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