A dull ache pulses in my skull before I even open my eyes. The scent of burnt earth lingers in the air, mingling with something metallic—blood. The weight of exhaustion presses down on me, heavier than before. My limbs feel sluggish, as if I’ve been drained of every last drop of energy. I try to move, but a sharp sting shoots up my arm. A groan escapes my lips, and that’s when I hear it. Voices. Low and urgent. “She shouldn’t be alive after that. Infact, that shouldn't even be possible.” someone murmurs. Elisha.“Yeah? Well, she is. And if she wakes up pissed, we’re all screwed.” I force my eyes open, and the world tilts violently. The first thing I see is a wooden ceiling, the kind built for temporary shelters. My gaze shifts downward, and I take in the space—a small, dimly lit room, more of a cabin than anything else. A cot creaks beneath me as I try to push myself upright. “Maddy?” The voice is familiar, rough yet tinged with something softer. Concern? I turn my head an
"I feel we shouldn't go through with this, my goddess," Cancer muttered, his voice thick with emotion. He tore his gaze away from the pond that reflected the scene below—a lone she-wolf lying battered and broken on the muddy ground, clinging to the last fragile threads of life. He had watched countless trials unfold before bput this... this was different.It took all his willpower not to abandon the heavens and intervene directly. Every instinct urged him to save her, but the weight of the Moon Goddess’s command anchored him in place.She lay in a pitiful state, drenched in a mixture of rain, blood, and mud. Sweat clung to her pale skin, and her breathing was ragged, shallow. There were no more tears left in her, not after the ultimate betrayal—a rejection from her mate and the massacre of her family. It was no small tragedy, and in her condition, the odds of her surviving another five minutes were nonexistent.What the Moon Goddess proposed was unthinkable. If the she-wolf survived t
"On my mark, get set—go!"Before Coach Liaison even finishes the word, I launch forward, leaving behind a trail of dried grass and kicked-up sand. The plan is simple but brutal: sprint from the pack’s main building to a mahogany tree deep in the forest, retrieve the red cloth tied to its highest branch, and race back to Coach. Victory comes with bragging rights and respect, both of which I need more than anything right now.The competition is fierce. I can already feel the thundering footsteps of my six opponents—well, five wolves and me. A quick glance behind confirms it: I’m the only one not in wolf form."Seriously?" I mutter under my breath. "One connection with your wolf, and you all abandon humanity? Who does that?"My golden-brown hair whips around my face as I push myself harder. Beside me, Ken—already shifted into his wolf form—pulls ahead slightly, his dark brown fur sleek and shimmering in the sun. I catch the faint glint of his mischievous brown eyes as he throws me a smug
Before I reach my room, the sharp pain twists in the lower part of my stomach. I crumble to my knees, clutching my belly as waves of agony wash over me.“Madeline, are you alright?” The voices of two pack maids cut through the haze of my pain. I see them drop their trays and rush to my side. Their worried faces tell me they understand what’s happening before I can even muster a reply.“It’s that time of the month,” one of them mutters grimly, earning a gasp from the other.“Oh no!” The second maid shakes her hands frantically, panic seeping into her voice. “I’ll get Luna and the clinic staff!” Without waiting for further instruction, she darts off.I barely register their words. The pain is overwhelming, a fiery grip that refuses to let go. Ever since I hit puberty, my period has been anything but normal. My parents have taken me to every doctor they could find, humans and wolves, but none could explain why my cycle leaves me teetering on the edge of death. The cramps are excruciatin
The blue blanket clings to my shoulders as I snuggle deeper into the pillow, shielding myself from the biting wind.“...line!”The muffled voice barely reaches me over the howling wind. My body protests at the thought of moving. Stupid window. I didn’t shut it earlier, did I?“...adeline!”The wind picks up, colder and more insistent, making my blanket feel useless. I squeeze my eyes shut, trying to block out everything. I’ll fix the window later—maybe. For now, I’m just glad I have nothing urgent to—“Madeline!”I jerk awake, my heart racing. My wolf stirs, groggy yet annoyed at the interruption. A sharp cramp shoots through my lower abdomen, forcing me back down onto the bed with a moan.“Come in!” I half-yell, half-groan.The door bursts open, and Maggie, one of the pack maids, rushes inside, her forest-green eyes wide with panic.“Madeline! Everyone is expecting you! Did you even check the time? It’s 6:57!” Her words tumble out in a flurry, and she starts pacing. “Oh my god, what
They say when you accept your mate, you become one. Their joy becomes your joy, their sadness your sadness, and their pain yours to bear. The bond is sacred, unbreakable—a thread tying two souls together in perfect harmony.But bonds can shatter.The truth of this hits me like a blade to the chest as I watch my mother collapse to the ground. Her hands clutch at her chest, her wail of agony raw and unrelenting. She screams for my father, but I know he cannot answer. His twitching body lies still, the spark of life extinguished. The bond they shared for decades has been torn apart.“Dad?” My voice is barely a whisper, strangled and trembling.I should act. I should fight. But I can’t. My feet are rooted to the floor, my wolf clawing desperately for control. Yet my human grief holds me hostage.The room erupts into chaos, and my paralysis costs everything.The Luna of the Shadow Moon Pack appears behind my mother like a specter of death. Her movement is so fast, I don’t even register it
A loud, piercing howl tore through the night as Lucian summoned the other rogues. Not even the relentless rain could drown out its tenacity. The strong, metallic scent of blood—wolf’s blood—hung heavy in the air, making the rogues stir with a wild, primal hunger.Yes, rogues were banished wolves, outcasts deemed unworthy of a pack. Savages who fed on other wolves, thrived in chaos, and craved blood with an uncontrollable thirst. They were also hard to keep in check. Well, that’s what people believed. They weren’t entirely wrong—especially the part about them not being kept in check.Lucian was what many called the leader of the rogues, an alpha of his own kind. But the truth was, rogues had no true leader. They had a commander. And Lucian was that commander."So much blood." Elisha, Lucian's best friend, spoke through the mind link. He was deep in the forest, close to the pack’s borders, his voice tinged with something close to amusement. Like the others, he was in wolf form. Unlike t
A dull ache pulses in my skull before I even open my eyes. The scent of burnt earth lingers in the air, mingling with something metallic—blood. The weight of exhaustion presses down on me, heavier than before. My limbs feel sluggish, as if I’ve been drained of every last drop of energy. I try to move, but a sharp sting shoots up my arm. A groan escapes my lips, and that’s when I hear it. Voices. Low and urgent. “She shouldn’t be alive after that. Infact, that shouldn't even be possible.” someone murmurs. Elisha.“Yeah? Well, she is. And if she wakes up pissed, we’re all screwed.” I force my eyes open, and the world tilts violently. The first thing I see is a wooden ceiling, the kind built for temporary shelters. My gaze shifts downward, and I take in the space—a small, dimly lit room, more of a cabin than anything else. A cot creaks beneath me as I try to push myself upright. “Maddy?” The voice is familiar, rough yet tinged with something softer. Concern? I turn my head an
"Maddy."My eyes snap open as my name echoes through the air. I’m back in the packhouse. Blood stains the wooden floors. The scent of iron clings to the air, thick and suffocating. My father’s lifeless eyes stare at nothing, his body motionless where it fell. My mother’s scream rips through the air—raw, broken—before it’s abruptly silenced. A sickening crack follows, echoing in my ears.I can’t move. I can’t breathe. I watch helplessly as my brother fights, his fury unmatched—but it’s not enough. Tyson intercepts him effortlessly, shoving him back like he’s nothing. Nothing.That’s what I am to him. "Maddy. There you are. I've been looking all over for you."I turn toward the voice and freeze. Kira. Her blonde hair is half-ripped from her head, and a deep claw mark mars her throat where blood won’t stop rushing from. She smiles, but it’s wrong—her once bright, lively eyes are vacant, dull. I take a step back, my stomach twisting. "We've got to go. C'mon," she urges
A loud, piercing howl tore through the night as Lucian summoned the other rogues. Not even the relentless rain could drown out its tenacity. The strong, metallic scent of blood—wolf’s blood—hung heavy in the air, making the rogues stir with a wild, primal hunger.Yes, rogues were banished wolves, outcasts deemed unworthy of a pack. Savages who fed on other wolves, thrived in chaos, and craved blood with an uncontrollable thirst. They were also hard to keep in check. Well, that’s what people believed. They weren’t entirely wrong—especially the part about them not being kept in check.Lucian was what many called the leader of the rogues, an alpha of his own kind. But the truth was, rogues had no true leader. They had a commander. And Lucian was that commander."So much blood." Elisha, Lucian's best friend, spoke through the mind link. He was deep in the forest, close to the pack’s borders, his voice tinged with something close to amusement. Like the others, he was in wolf form. Unlike t
They say when you accept your mate, you become one. Their joy becomes your joy, their sadness your sadness, and their pain yours to bear. The bond is sacred, unbreakable—a thread tying two souls together in perfect harmony.But bonds can shatter.The truth of this hits me like a blade to the chest as I watch my mother collapse to the ground. Her hands clutch at her chest, her wail of agony raw and unrelenting. She screams for my father, but I know he cannot answer. His twitching body lies still, the spark of life extinguished. The bond they shared for decades has been torn apart.“Dad?” My voice is barely a whisper, strangled and trembling.I should act. I should fight. But I can’t. My feet are rooted to the floor, my wolf clawing desperately for control. Yet my human grief holds me hostage.The room erupts into chaos, and my paralysis costs everything.The Luna of the Shadow Moon Pack appears behind my mother like a specter of death. Her movement is so fast, I don’t even register it
The blue blanket clings to my shoulders as I snuggle deeper into the pillow, shielding myself from the biting wind.“...line!”The muffled voice barely reaches me over the howling wind. My body protests at the thought of moving. Stupid window. I didn’t shut it earlier, did I?“...adeline!”The wind picks up, colder and more insistent, making my blanket feel useless. I squeeze my eyes shut, trying to block out everything. I’ll fix the window later—maybe. For now, I’m just glad I have nothing urgent to—“Madeline!”I jerk awake, my heart racing. My wolf stirs, groggy yet annoyed at the interruption. A sharp cramp shoots through my lower abdomen, forcing me back down onto the bed with a moan.“Come in!” I half-yell, half-groan.The door bursts open, and Maggie, one of the pack maids, rushes inside, her forest-green eyes wide with panic.“Madeline! Everyone is expecting you! Did you even check the time? It’s 6:57!” Her words tumble out in a flurry, and she starts pacing. “Oh my god, what
Before I reach my room, the sharp pain twists in the lower part of my stomach. I crumble to my knees, clutching my belly as waves of agony wash over me.“Madeline, are you alright?” The voices of two pack maids cut through the haze of my pain. I see them drop their trays and rush to my side. Their worried faces tell me they understand what’s happening before I can even muster a reply.“It’s that time of the month,” one of them mutters grimly, earning a gasp from the other.“Oh no!” The second maid shakes her hands frantically, panic seeping into her voice. “I’ll get Luna and the clinic staff!” Without waiting for further instruction, she darts off.I barely register their words. The pain is overwhelming, a fiery grip that refuses to let go. Ever since I hit puberty, my period has been anything but normal. My parents have taken me to every doctor they could find, humans and wolves, but none could explain why my cycle leaves me teetering on the edge of death. The cramps are excruciatin
"On my mark, get set—go!"Before Coach Liaison even finishes the word, I launch forward, leaving behind a trail of dried grass and kicked-up sand. The plan is simple but brutal: sprint from the pack’s main building to a mahogany tree deep in the forest, retrieve the red cloth tied to its highest branch, and race back to Coach. Victory comes with bragging rights and respect, both of which I need more than anything right now.The competition is fierce. I can already feel the thundering footsteps of my six opponents—well, five wolves and me. A quick glance behind confirms it: I’m the only one not in wolf form."Seriously?" I mutter under my breath. "One connection with your wolf, and you all abandon humanity? Who does that?"My golden-brown hair whips around my face as I push myself harder. Beside me, Ken—already shifted into his wolf form—pulls ahead slightly, his dark brown fur sleek and shimmering in the sun. I catch the faint glint of his mischievous brown eyes as he throws me a smug
"I feel we shouldn't go through with this, my goddess," Cancer muttered, his voice thick with emotion. He tore his gaze away from the pond that reflected the scene below—a lone she-wolf lying battered and broken on the muddy ground, clinging to the last fragile threads of life. He had watched countless trials unfold before bput this... this was different.It took all his willpower not to abandon the heavens and intervene directly. Every instinct urged him to save her, but the weight of the Moon Goddess’s command anchored him in place.She lay in a pitiful state, drenched in a mixture of rain, blood, and mud. Sweat clung to her pale skin, and her breathing was ragged, shallow. There were no more tears left in her, not after the ultimate betrayal—a rejection from her mate and the massacre of her family. It was no small tragedy, and in her condition, the odds of her surviving another five minutes were nonexistent.What the Moon Goddess proposed was unthinkable. If the she-wolf survived t