Alpha Randall stirred lazily on his bed, a searing pain stabbing the side of his head as he blinked his eyes open.He didn't have the time to study his environment when he felt warm arms enveloping him in a desperate hug."Oh, Goddess! I thought I had lost you, Alpha!" Visha's sobbing voice rang in the quiet chamber as she buried her tear-filled face in his broad chest."Ah..." He winced."I'm sorry... I'm sorry... Are you fine? Where does it hurt?" She lifted herself off him, running her soft palms and curious eyes all over his body.Her hands rested on his wounded thigh, "Does it hurt so much?""Visha..." he called weakly, trying to sit up, "What... How did..." His throat felt dry.Visha quickly reached for the water on his table and handed it to him."A lot happened while you were away, Alpha. The pack... We... A lot of people died," she burst into fresh, uncontrollable tears.Fresh strength seemed to have seeped into Randall's bones as he jerked off the bed, trying to sit up at th
Alpha Randall, his broad shoulders slacked due to the heavy weight of grief he felt, stood by the window. The fading tendrils of sunlight cast his face in a gloomy glow, highlighting the worry lines etched on his face by the recent events.He panicked, but he did well to hide it.Vulnerability was a luxury he couldn't afford, especially not in the presence of a woman as brave as Visha.He was proud of her. But he felt a nagging worry for Reyana, his mate. Klara's chamber would be his first stop as soon as Aldric arrived. The very thought of seeing Reyana sent a wave of longing through him.Visha, perched on the edge of the bed, observed him with a predator's keenness. Her theatrics were a masterpiece.She couldn't help the overwhelming surge of excitement running through her.She knew Randall was putty in her hands. She knew how much Randall believed every word that left her lips. She used the opportunity of being the first person to have seen him awake to her advantage.Right now, he
"We would have lost even more people than we did if Reyana hadn't stepped in to save us all. She fought along with everyone else, defending her pack as the Luna she is," Klara began, making Randall turn around to face her."She..." Klara paused, contemplating if this was the best place and time to talk about Reyana's awakening. It might sound ridiculous to the Alpha since he had no prior knowledge about Reyana possessing any special abilities. He might scoff at the notion."Klara?" Alpha Randall called out, his voice laced with a hint of impatience, pulling her out of her thoughts."There is something you need to know, Alpha." She finally said."Isn't that why I gave you listening ears?" Randall countered, his brow furrowing in frustration. He needed clarity, not riddles."I'd like to discuss this with you in private," Klara said, briefly glancing at Aldric and Visha."They are no strangers. You can tell me right here," Randall pressed, curiosity hitting the roof.His attention was dr
The inner court of the Black Moon pack seemed to hold cheer as Alpha Novak drank from his goblet.The sour taste of the wine tingled his throat.He sat at the head of the table on his unique chair with his Beta seated at the right side of the table.Alpha Torress of the Dark Silver pack sat at the left side of the table.They were all in cheerful spirits."Alpha Novak," Alpha Torress began, his gruff voice sounding cheerful, "I can't thank you enough. We owe you a debt of blood! Your warriors were like beasts unleashed, tearing down Randall's army with no mercy!" He drained his goblet in a gulp, a satisfied sigh escaping his lips as his bald head, which was polished to a shine, gave a slight nod of appreciation.Alpha Torress is a man in his early fifties. Still standing strong and running his pack perfectly.He was a man of greed, as people may say. But to him, he always does what's best for his pack. It doesn't matter how he gets it done, even if it means offering his mate to an Eas
A frown creased Reyana's brow as she shook her head, her ebony hair shimmering in the dappled sunlight, "But Father, I have already told you, I don't know any Shota."Her father offered a patient smile, "Think, my princess. Think."Reyana's eyes narrowed in deep thought as she tried hard to recall."Ah... Yes... I have heard the name before now. I recall..." She stated, still trying to remember more details, "It was during the council meeting. She was the witch who hid the four necro keys hundreds of years ago... Isn't she?" Reyana finally remembered.Relief momentarily crossed her father's face."Indeed, my princess. She was the one who hid the keys," at the mention of the keys, a flicker of something Reyana couldn't quite place danced in his eyes, but she waved it off.Reyana's brow furrowed in deeper concentration. "But… but it was said that she mysteriously disappeared, never to be seen again. Hundreds of years have passed."Unease settled in her stomach. Why did her father seem s
Reagan sat on a stool beside Reyana's bed, watching over her. From the day he met her, he felt a certain warmth towards her.He felt the need to protect her. Watch over her. He couldn't tell why.Klara had made them both promise not to tell a single soul about what they had just witnessed on Reyana, and they made the promise.She had also assured them that she'd look for answers about what was truly happening. Reagan was okay with not telling anyone, and since Ria was Reyana's best friend, they were sure she'd keep her mouth shut.Klara had gone out to attend the council meeting Randall had called for. Reagan couldn't bring himself to leave Reyana just yet.After almost an eternity of staring at Reyana and making sure she was sound asleep, his gaze drifted toward Ria, who also sat on the other bed, keeping her gaze on Reyana, too."How are you doing?" He asked just before he could stop himself.Ria slowly peeled her gaze from Reyana's sleeping frame, focusing her soft gaze on Reagan,
The Alpha felt a slight discomfort at the mention of Reagan. They still hadn't settled their differences yet, especially their most recent clash before he embarked on this cursed war, but that wasn't important now.Personal grievances could wait. They had other pressing threats at hand."How so?" He asked Gwyneth, who stood, waiting for approval to continue speaking."He had examined the attackers," she began, "their armor, their weaponry - none of it belonged to any pack we recognize." Her gaze swept across the room, "It was unlike anything we've ever seen, far more lethal.""And, logically, the Dark Silver pack is a small pack. They wouldn't dare attack us in this manner with their limited forces. They can't afford the luxury of extra warriors to carry out an attack on our pack while the rest of them face our army out there," Gwyneth explained vividly her observations with Reagan.The hall went silent, reasoning out all she had said."They could be from Novak's pack, since he helped
Klara paced her inner chamber, anger evaporating from every pore on her skin. She had tolerated Visha enough, but today... Today, Visha, that viper, had finally pushed her too far, spewing venomous accusations in front of the entire pack.Alpha Randall, bless his oblivious heart, had adjourned the meeting earlier. The turn of events had taken even him by surprise.Alpha Randall knew Klara too well, and he knew there was no way in hell she could be a traitor. He knew Visha had overstepped her boundaries, too, but of course, he was too in love to scold her.Klara had walked out of the hall in hurt and humiliation. Visha had ridiculed her in the presence of everyone.Shame, a bitter pill on her tongue, burned alongside the sting of betrayal. Hot tears welled in her eyes, threatening to spill over, but she held back. Visha would never be the reason she'd shed a tear.A sharp knock on the oak door startled her from her maelstrom of emotions."Who is it?" She called out, her voice rough wit
The war was over. The long awaited and anticipated war was finally over. The warriors cleaned up the battlefield as they mourned their fallen warriors.Rashka had ordered his Ashkais to return to the Green Oasis. He was left with a few of his top warriors.They were inside the fortress. Rashka, Randall, Novak, Reyana. All inside.Reagan hurriedly scanned the area. He hadn't seen his pregnant Ria. He was worried. He had looked everywhere. His heart was racing really hard."Ria!" He called desperately but didn't get a response. When no reply came, panic set in, tightening its grip around his chest.Suddenly, his eyes caught sight of her familiar frame among the fallen warriors somewhere around a hidden area, almost outside the battlefield. She was struggling to stand up when she heard Reagan's voice.Ria slowly pushed herself up from the ground, her body aching from the ordeal.Reagan's heart skipped a beat as he saw Ria attempting to rise, her movements sluggish and pained. He sprinted
The name rang a bell. A very negative bell. Kasiri was an ambitious witch who always wanted to associate herself with everything good and prestigious.People wondered why the Alpha hadn't thrown her out of his pack those years. It was even suspected that the Alpha was having an affair with her, which made him unable to take a stance and exile her."How?" Rashka asked with a broken heart. Everyone knew Kasiri. He wondered why his brother fell for her tricks. He had expected his brother to be smarter than that.Randall's voice was thick with remorse as he spoke, his eyes never leaving Rashka's. "Kasiri knew how to manipulate my feelings, how to twist the knife of jealousy deeper into my heart. She convinced me that the only way to gain our parents' respect and the pack's recognition was to outshine you—to take the leadership from you."Rashka's face hardened as he processed the information, the history of deceit unraveling before him. "She played on your insecurities, pushed you to betr
With a sickening crunch, Rashka's paw connected with Randall's side, sending him crashing to the ground. The pain was excruciating. He coughed blood as he gasped for air.Randall lay sprawled on the blood-soaked earth. His breath came in ragged gasps. His vision blurred at the edges, and the world seemed to tilt and sway.His gaze traveled in the direction of Reyana. He watched in dread as Reyana unleashed the full extent of her abilities. It was as if she was a goddess descending upon the battlefield to deliver righteous judgment.His warriors were clearly outnumbered. A lot of them were already dead.He stood up weakly, trying to raise his sword, his arm heavy and trembling. He could barely hold the weapon, let alone defend himself. He was bleeding profusely from all sides of his wounded body.It was almost as if his healing abilities were no longer there, even before he lost connection with his wolf. Rashka came prepared with dark powers that no one could ever imagine.Rashka raise
Alpha Randall was proud of his warriors. At the same time, he was thankful for Alpha Parthe's warriors. But at this point, he saw a very difficult situation facing them. The war seemed impossible to win.His warriors were totally outnumbered, and Alpha Parthe's warriors, despite their skills, were acting based on their Alpha's order: 'Leave the battle the moment one hundred of his men are down.' Alpha Parthe likes his warriors the same way he likes his women. He doesn't tolerate losses. And if it isn't his own battle, he doesn't see why his men should risk their lives saving another pack, no matter what the deal was.A cold dread washed over Randall as he watched Alpha Parthe's warriors begin their retreat. The signal was clear: one hundred of their men had fallen, and as per their agreement, they were withdrawing.Randall's heart raced, and his mind scrambled for a solution. He couldn't blame Parthe for protecting his forces under his stringent rules of engagement, yet the sting of
Randall's vision blurred with pain and anger. He could barely process Rashka's words, his mind struggling to reconcile the reality before him. "Reyana," he called out, his voice strained. "What has he done to you?"Reyana's eyes glinted with mischief and darkness, "This is who I am, Randall," she replied, her voice devoid of emotion. "Rashka has shown me the truth. Our destiny is to rule, not to serve."Randall's heart shattered at her words, but he knew he couldn't afford to lose himself in grief. He gritted his teeth against the pain and forced himself to stand. The wound in his side burned, but he refused to let it weaken him further.Randall tightened his grip on his sword, his resolve hardening. "I won't let you destroy everything we've built," he declared. "I will fight until my last breath.""Your last breath is all I desire, brother," Rashka said with a cruel smile and walked back to the warriors he had come with.Reyana followed him behind.Randall's vision blurred with a mix
The war was a maelstrom of steel and blood, tearing through the heart of the Blood Crescent pack.The war had begun in full force. The chaos was heart-wrenching. It seemed Rashka's army had one assignment - destroy everything that made up the Blood Crescent pack.They were not soldiers fighting for honor or glory; they were instruments of destruction, their eyes burning with a cold, inhuman light. They tore down buildings with savage glee, their laughter echoing through the chaos.Women and children screamed, fear consuming them.The Ashkais barely had the time to fight. It was almost like they weren't scared to die.Of course, they weren't. Not that they were actual wolves. They were just Rashka's twisted creations."Protect whatever you can! We can't lose all our homes!" Randall yelled into the air as he lounged at one of the Ashkais who was headed toward the homes for the elderly.Alpha Parthe had sent about a thousand warriors. His armies could never be killed by mere blades, which
"Make sure every able-bodied warrior is armed and ready. We can't let them breach our borders." He ordered Xular, the new Head of his warriors, as he dished out orders to his men."Alpha! Xular!" Two men ran breathlessly toward the warriors who were warming up for the war ahead. They looked troubled."What happened?" Xular stepped forward."The armory! The armory is on fire! It's been set ablaze!" One of the men said almost breathlessly."What?" Randall asked, "Armory ablaze?" he repeated, disbelief and a growing sense of dread washing over him. The armory was their lifeline, their teeth against the world. Without it, they were defenseless pups facing a hungry wolf pack. His eyes widened in shock as his legs propelled him towards the armory without a second thought.As they hurried toward the armory, they saw the women and children coming from the direction of the Shelter."Where are you all going? You should be at the Shelter..." Randall began, but his voice was drowned out by the ch
"What?" Randall said, holding her by both arms, "How did you know?""He told me. Last night." She replied, getting Randall even more confused."How? Did he come here? How did no one see him?" Randall almost panicked, but he had to be calm."No, Randall. The Sigil. With the Sigil of possession, I am never far from Rashka. Prepare for what's to come, Randall." Reyana said, walking away into her chamber.Since she woke up that morning, she had been feeling strange. The feeling of hatred and pain she felt while at the Oasis seemed to intensify after her encounter with Rashka last night.As Reyana moved through the dimly lit corridors of the fortress, a wave of nausea washed over her. The Sigil on her back throbbed with a dull, insistent pain, its faint glow pulsing in rhythm with her heartbeat.She stumbled into her chambers, closing the door behind her with trembling hands. The room seemed to close in around her, the shadows elongating and shifting as if they were alive.She felt utmost
Visha was dragged from the dungeon, her wrists bound in iron shackles that rattled with every step. Her heart raced. She knew this was the end for her.Memories of how she had lived her life and how she was meant to live came flooding her. Regrets had become her best companion throughout her stay in the dungeon, but there was nothing she could do to save herself.Her sister had warned her. But she was blinded by stupid feelings. Feelings that they had been taught never to let get in their way.No one is coming to her aid. Not Novak. Not the Master. Not even her sister. Because she had gone against everyone just to be with Randall. The same Randall who was going to be her executioner today.Reyana stood beside Randall in the middle of the crowd, her gaze fixed on Visha. A cold satisfaction crept into her heart as she watched her former tormentor face her ultimate fate. The woman who had caused her so much pain was finally going to pay the price.A cruel smirk played on her lips.Randal