Connor POV - “You do know that I’ve already been to our rooms, right? I can show Nala the way.” When Nala clocked the Beta on his arm, he had given her a quick shake of his head, warding off any comments, but the longer Inga stayed latched to him, the stranger it felt. The only benefit was the way the lingering Grey Stone wolves parted for them. Connor thought it was to steer clear of him and Nala, but he noticed their attention was on Inga. No one even bothered more than a glance toward him. It was like she shielded them from the scrutiny he had been expecting. However, once they were out of the crowds and headed up to their rooms, he no longer saw a need to be locked together. “I don’t know.” She toyed the words on her tongue. “You seemed rather lost earlier when you wandered the pack. You must’ve gone down every single side street. Twice.” She peered up at him, her false innocence not as charming as she seemed to think. He’d much prefer for her to speak straight to him and
Nala POV - Nala couldn’t help but half-ass the usual warm up routine she did before any bout of training. It would usually take a good thirty minutes of stretching and light cardio to loosen her muscles and get her blood pumping enough to be ready to take on the strenuous exercise that followed. However, she was the only one doing anything. All the other Luna Candidates stood on the training field, clumped together, all dressed in brightly coloured sweat suits and twirling a water bottle on their fingers. It took Nala a lot of effort not to scoff when she first saw them. Never before had she seen such naivety in a group of wolves about to spar. Not even new warriors were that wet behind the ears. Lots of looks were thrown her way as she arrived in some baggy grey shorts and a dark t-shirt. The chill of the afternoon air brushed her skin, but she knew she’d warm up soon. She also knew the other Luna candidates would be burning their asses off as soon as the sparring began. Nala s
Connor POV - Sneaking away from the crowd of Grey Stone wolves was easier than he expected. At every turn he waited for a warrior to spot him, but he seamlessly slipped away from the strength trial without so much as an eye batted in his direction. He had arrived with Nala, but only watched her join the other Luna candidates before leaving. She looked sorely out of place and pissed off to be fighting the other women, but the sight got him moving. He was reminded his priority was to get the three of them out of the territory safely and get them back home. He had to find Lewis to make that happen, however he was also looking for ways to take down the pack. A break in their defences, a way to cause friction between them and Red Dawn, anything to act in their favour when it came to war. Connor moved against the flow of wolves, heading back to the centre of the pack. Though he remained alert of every glance thrown his way or any footstep shadowing his, he was left alone. The freedom was
Connor POV - When Connor first laid eyes on the man in the kitchen, he was pretty sure it was Lewis, the Beta of Silver Night, however he had never actually met the wolf. Though they had both attended the Alpha Games finalist ball, he had spent a long time talking to his brother rather than scoping out the Beta. Then, he had met a pretty wolf who had been more than happy to keep him occupied for the night. By the next evening, Lewis had already been taken to Wild Shore by Daniel, and he hadn’t made it back to Silver Night since, despite two rescue attempts. Connor hadn't been involved in either attempt, and he was confident that he could figure out a way to get Lewis home. They had pre-empted the issue of him not recognising the wolf, and he had Nala give him a full description of the Beta. When she had told him a male, warrior version of Jess, Connor had scoffed, but now he saw the resemblance. The same eyes, the same hair colour, the same features. It was uncanny. If they shaved
Nala POV - The crack of her fist against solid skin felt good. Each strike sent a flash of pain up her arms, but it was a familiar pain. One that grounded her and had saved her many times over the years. She followed the punch with another, then another, then swept her opponent’s feet from beneath him. However he jumped clear of her attack just in time and then retreated out of her reach. Harsh, ragged breaths pulled from her chest, wisps of hair coming loose from her braids and sticking to her forehead. Nala grinned, feeling its stretch through her entire body. That was what sparring should feel like. Not the silly show she had had to put on earlier. Ten minutes. Ten whole minutes, she had to extend her fight in the strength trial waiting for Connor to return to the training field. It must’ve felt pitiful to watch, it was pitiful to do. The only benefit of it was that the young wolf she had been paired with was trying her hardest to land a hit and kept trying new moves to do it
Connor POV - Connor paced before the door, the guard’s eyes watching his every step. He wanted to wipe the stupid smirk off the wolf's face for keeping him out of the hall. Nala was in there, facing whatever bullshit Grey Stone had cooked up for the presentations, and he couldn't shake the unease that had settled on him the moment they parted. He should be in there, supporting her, ready to draw the line and protect her if the heir tried anything. No, he knew she could handle herself. Though she took her assignments seriously, they both had agreed that this one was a lost cause. Aaron wouldn’t choose her to be his next Luna. She was too strong willed, too powerful, not a wolf he could tame to be his submissive mate. Part of him hoped their mission would end there and then. He hoped Nala was cut from the Luna Games. He'd have to find some excuse to keep them on the territory for a couple of days, while he found a way to get Lewis home, but at least then Nala would be free from tryi
Connor POV - “What was that?” Connor rounded on Nala as the door closed behind him, shutting all four of them into her room. Though Autumn and Inga were there, he had checked for any nearby guards, but everyone was waiting in the foyer for the results of the first elimination presentation. It was as private as he was going to get for the time being. “She said to make him like me.” Nala jerked her head toward Inga, then shrugged. “That’s what I did.” “Yeah, you did.” The Beta winked. It had been obvious to every wolf in that hall how Nala had made Aaron like her enough to keep her in the Games, despite showing up in her training gear, covered in mud and sweat. Connor didn't like it. The Grey Stone pack was still too unknown to risk piquing the heir's attention like that. “You’re not helping.” He grunted. “I need to keep my place in the Games. I did that. So, what’s your problem?” Nala’s eyes narrowed on him; her arms folded tight across her chest. Connor was all too aw
Nala POV - When a warrior is woken abruptly from sleep, it always sends a rush of adrenaline through their system, readying them for an attack. However, a warrior who had seen battle, who had woken up to the sounds of their pack mate’s howls of pain, it was worse. When the door to her bedroom flew open, so did Nala’s eyes. She jerked awake, took a sharp inhale, and was on her feet before the sleep had left her vision. A blurred mass rushed towards her. She reacted. Instinct took over. She charged forward to meet the intruder. In two strides they collided. Nala watched for weapons and grabbed the wolf by the collar and threw them to the floor. In the next minute she was on them, pinning them to the ground, with her arm firmly pressed across their throat. A sea of orange clouded the edges of her vision as she blinked the sleep from her eyes. “Autumn?” She frowned. It took a few more moments for her body to get the message and realise she was hurting the poor girl. Nala pulled her
Inga POV - There had been few moments in Inga’s life when she had stopped to simply observe the world around her. There had always been something she needed to do, every single action having a purpose towards her goal to liberate Grey Stone of their leadership and break free from Red Dawn. Each step forward she had carried that responsibility, that burden, but it was finally gone. Eleanor was dead, Autumn was the Grey Stone Alpha, and she was no longer a Beta. Well, she was in name, but she was free of the role’s duties during her and Connor’s break. The moment she had recovered from the war, Silver Night had been their first stop to confirm their decision with Alpha Michael, and then they were off. Connor didn’t waste any time taking her away from everything, carving out a small piece of the kingdom just for them. He took her to the one place he knew better than anywhere, a place where they could be alone. Dark Night was beautiful in a tragic way. The years of battle had scarred t
Nala POV - “Do you give up?” Nala growled in Autumn’s ear, nipping the soft flesh beneath it. Her mate squealed and wiggled beneath her. Nala smiled as she managed to squirm her legs free and wrapped them around her waist, giving her the purchase to roll them over. She could’ve stopped it, but why would she when it gave her such a great view. Autumn sat astride her waist, pinning her arms to her side with her thighs, a victorious grin on her perfect mouth. Her chest heaved with each pant, and she watched a bead of sweat fall from her chin and slide into her cleavage. Nala's tongue flicked across her lips, a pang of heat swelling in her core. “Ha!” The Alpha shouted, letting her head fall back, her red hair falling around her in wave after wave of beautiful curls. Nala’s fingers twitched at the memory of their softness. “I did it. I finally pinned you.” She laughed, the sound spreading across the empty training field. Nala took the opportunity to look over her mate’s form, gr
Michael POV - “That could’ve been us.” Nala snorted, elbowing him in the gut with a force that almost winded him. It was almost horrifying to picture being mated to his friend. He thought as much as he rubbed his side, already feeling a bruise forming, but didn't get a chance to respond as she turned back to Alpha Autumn. The Grey Stone wolf leaned in to hear Nala's whispers and immediately bloomed a stark red. She fumbled for something to say and ended up thrusting their pup into the warrior's arms instead. Nala lifted the pup to her shoulders, letting him wave widely at the couple on the stage, though it didn't stop her from leaving a hand on Autumn's thigh.Michael chuckled. It was a good thing she had vehemently denied becoming his mate to broker a stronger alliance between their packs. He shuddered to consider it now, but it was easier to laugh about it when they both sat beside their mates, watching the rightful leaders of the pack take their positions.“Mountain Forest, I giv
Inga POV - When one closes their eyes for what they think will be the last time, it’s odd when they open them again. Though everything was blurry and bright, Inga was sure it wasn’t a dream or her imagination playing tricks on her. The pain lancing through her skull could attest for that. Sound came first. The rustling of material beside her, followed by a few sharp shouts that were blaringly loud, as if right beside her ear, but far too muffled for any word to be clear. Her frustration bubbled like hot water beneath her skin, her drive to understand what was going on far greater than her submission to the pain or fatigue trying to pull her back into slumber. She blinked open her eyelids, wincing through the blur of colours that moulded into oddly shaped blobs. One particular blob leaned in close, too close, and her body reacted on its own. Her arm jerked up; her fist semi clenched as her muscles ignored her instincts. She punched the blob, or more like tapped it with her fis
Inga POV - It may have only been two stories, but after the day she had had, the week, hitting the ground felt like hitting a wall that punched the words of giving up to her tongue. Inga swallowed them, her mouth dry, clawing to hold onto her surrender. Every inch of her ached. The impact jarred through her body, making her head ring and her vision dizzy. At least she had managed to push Luna Eleanor off her while they fell. Inga didn’t want to think about the additional pain she’d be in if that bitch had landed on her. If luck was with her, hopefully the Luna had fallen on her face or, better yet, a knife. The night sky was a blanket of black spread out above her, dotted with stars, like glitter threaded into a plush blanket. She was so tired that the paved road at her back felt comfier than her bed back at Grey Stone. Just thinking of that bed made her remember her last night in it, cuddled at Connor’s side, in disbelief and awe that he was there. He made her feel safe, he made h
Inga POV - Inga didn’t so much as flinch when the door cracked hard enough against the wall that it dented the plaster. She didn’t blink when six wolves barrelled inside. She didn’t hesitate as one of the warriors felt gutsy and charged her before the others. She didn’t give him the chance to attack. He had asked for her attention; he had unknowingly drawn the short straw. She lunged. Her body protested as she forced it to shift, but it obeyed. The glare she pinned to the wolf as she moved towards him, made him freeze with the instinct of prey already caught by the predator. It was his lack of discipline to refine his reflexes that was his downfall. The warrior didn’t so much as jerk as her jaws latched onto his arm, her canines digging deep into his flesh. The familiar warm, metallic, taste of blood pooled on her tongue, a wave of feral victory washing through her. With no time to bask in its glow, she twisted her head until she heard the bone snap, before letting the wolf go and re
Inga POV - “Okay. Just stand back, there’s wounded in here.” Lewis raised his voice through the door, then waited, listening for the slow shuffle of feet. Inga listened too, trying to catch any small whispers of deceit among the crowd of Red Dawn warriors waiting for them. “We’re coming out.” The trio shared one final nod, before the Beta twisted the handle and the door swung open. Her stomach was in knots looking out at the wolves watching them, waiting, their eyes predatory. There were at least six; enough to block the corridor that stretched directly from the door towards the stairs, but Inga was certain there were others. She spotted the Red Dawn Alpha and Daniel standing behind their warriors, the leadership safe except for Luna Eleanor. She had the balls to stand at the front. Inga didn’t have to fake the way her face paled as she locked gazes with the Luna. The gleam in her eyes was malicious, her lips lifting as she took in Inga’s hunched form, leaning so far onto Jami
Inga POV - Clawing at Lewis’ arms did nothing. The man was pure muscle and resilience, ignoring her cries for Connor, ignoring her curses, ignoring her pleas for him to stop. Against the Red Dawn warriors, she doubted she’d be much good anyway. Her body felt heavy, like her veins were filled with lead, every muscle protesting her orders. She couldn’t even lift the arm where Luna Eleanor had stabbed her. Even wiggling her fingers sent shooting pains all through her body. Inga had been stabbed before, most warriors had, but it felt different. Her energy, her strength, was sapped. It was like the blade was draining her. However, none of that mattered. Connor was her mate; she couldn’t leave him behind to face all those warriors alone. She had to try and help him. Again, Inga pounded on Lewis’ chest, each impact jarring her, but none of them made the Silver Night warrior even flinch. It was like she was a fly bumping against a window, the force hurting her and not even smearing his s
Connor POV - He was sure his heart stopped, freezing time for the span of a breath, as Inga tipped on the stairs. Her body shifted backward, falling with only the hard stairs to catch her. The silver blade in her shoulder caught the light as she became airborne. Its flash shot through Connor’s mind, jerking him back to his body, forcing a fresh dose of adrenaline through his system. He charged forward, reaching with desperate hands to catch her, to soften her fall, to protect her. He wasn’t sure if it was a miracle, or a divine gift from the Moon Goddess, but the moment he felt her back push against his fingertips, the panic eased, relief chased it away. He was allowed a breath, but the brief moment of calm was crushed as Inga crashed into him. Connor was off balance. His only goal had been to soften her fall, but he didn’t have time to catch her. Her weight pushed him back, forcing him to join her fall, but he wrapped his arms tight around her, curling into her, protecting he