There was a moment of silence. Era still didn't speak. She just stroked Oscar's chest from time to time, hoping it would help ease his grief, even if only a little."From that day on, I often wondered. How painful was the grief Papa felt that he really couldn't hold on anymore?" Oscar closed his eyes and shook his head. "But now I won't ask anymore. I don't want my curiosity to push fate and bring about what I fear most."Era's hand stopped moving on Oscar's chest. "Oscar.""I'm not as strong as Papa, Era. You have to know that. I am really nothing compared to Papa. So, if something happened to you, I wouldn't be able to see you in a coffin. I couldn't even bring myself to go to your coffin."Era pulled away from Oscar's embrace. She shifted and sat up slightly to cup Oscar's face. "I haven't thought about sleeping in a coffin. So don't think too far ahead, Oscar."Oscar didn't say anything. He just looked into Era's eyes. Then he felt a peace that was incredibly comforting.Oscar's c
The silence of the night was ominous. Instead of the usual calm, there was a tension in the air that made every muscle tense.There was no peace. No serenity. Comfort and security seemed like distant concepts, forgotten as if they never existed, and the subconscious mind was disturbed by the emergence of anxiety.Era's sleep was disturbed. She tossed and turned in endless restlessness, groaning and writhing, as if trying to free herself from the invisible chains that held her captive.Era became increasingly restless. Her subconscious movements showed genuine concern. Her struggles became uncontrollable, as if racing against the ticking clock that spun time in a thrilling spin.The air grew heavy. The wind stopped blowing. The coolness that had once existed was replaced by a suffocating heat. The temperature rose, creating a heat trap, with gnashing flames igniting into terrifying tongues of fire.Fear loomed. Torment followed. Everything felt overwhelmed by an aura of intimidation th
There were three conclusions Oscar drew after the call ended. First, the situation was getting more complicated. This time, the packs were not just terrorizing the people in Era's life, they had gone further. They dared to kidnap Amias in order to threaten Era.Second, there was a different kind of uneasiness about this particular pack. Oscar could sense that there was something personal in their words, something resembling revenge. The words and tone when his name was mentioned implied as much. It made him think. He tried to guess which pack he was dealing with now, but his mind drew a blank. Besides, he had never been in trouble with other packs before.Oscar held his breath for a moment. He ignored everything as he reached his third conclusion."Whatever happens, I'll never let you go, Era. Especially not alone. Do you understand?"Era closed her eyes. She knew that Oscar was trying to contain his emotions, but she could not help but feel the air around her heating up."Of course,
"Did you take your motion sickness medicine?"Irene turned to see Thad approaching. She decided to postpone her intention to open the car door for a moment. She answered Thad's question with a slight nod. "Of course. I don't want to throw up on the way."Thad grinned at Irene's sullen expression. "Good luck," he said, holding out his hand to open the car door for Irene. "I'll take you to Opulence Bistro for soup."Irene's eyes lit up as Thad mentioned the name of the famous restaurant. She smiled broadly. "I'll hold you to that promise."The short conversation ended there. Then Irene got into the car and Thad closed the door. The car drove off a short time later.Thad waited a moment, at least ten minutes, to make sure he wasn't at a suspicious distance from Irene's car. When he felt that was enough, he put on his helmet, started his motorcycle, and rode off.*Irene clenched her jaw as she gripped the steering wheel. A twinge of anxiety arose in her mind, causing her to quickly calm
Aaron said nothing as he poured chamomile tea for Oscar. The reason was that he could feel the tension in the air, an uneasiness that he couldn't calm, enveloping everyone. So, he decided to remain silent and then left Oscar's office, convinced that there was no point in staying there; the problem at hand was beyond his wisdom.Oscar was not alone in the room; Era, Dom, and Seth were also present. Dom's presence was mainly related to the departure of Irene and Thad; he would report everything that happened to them. As for Seth, it was a different matter. Having just arrived from Celestial City, he had to report all his findings.Oscar listened attentively to Seth's report, although there was nothing surprising in it. Everything was exactly as he had suspected—the packs he had suspected of watching over Era had left."Besides that," Seth said after he finished his report. This time it was something that had nothing to do with his mission in Celestial City, but he was sure that Era need
Words could not express how much guilt Era felt at that moment. Her heart felt heavy, burdened with a sense of sin for what had happened to Irene. Her mind was restless, constantly focused on Irene, so she could not rest even though it was late at night.To be honest, there was a fleeting intention in Era's mind to call Irene so they could talk alone, but the opportunity did not arise. The reason was that Oscar ordered Irene and the others to assemble in the office immediately after identifying the werewolf's body in the autopsy room.On the other hand, concern for her—both physically and mentally—prompted Oscar to tell Era to just rest. Oscar decided not to involve her in further discussion and instructed Aaron to escort her to her room.Era wanted to refuse for two reasons. First, she wanted to know what Oscar's next move was. Second, she wanted to find a way to talk to Irene.Unfortunately, Aaron quickly approached and told Era to leave. Aaron's polite and warm manner made it impos
It was not unusual for Oscar to reassemble Dom and the others after the attack on Irene. He questioned Irene thoroughly, making sure nothing was overlooked. He made sure that nothing was done hastily.Oscar wouldn't keep quiet, that much was certain. Irene wasn't hurt, but the actions of the Lynoria Pack were like a blatant confrontation, an act that shouldn't have happened. Therefore, he made sure there would be a response to any form of threat they faced."Not just intercept and attack," Oscar growled after hearing Irene's full report. His face reddened, indicating immense anger upon realizing that his emissary had been sneakily attacked. "Even a single word of mockery must be answered."If anyone understood the terrible consequences of war, it was Oscar. He had felt the sadness and agony of war, convinced that nothing good could come of it. Loss was an inevitable price to be paid by all parties. So, he vowed to avoid war as much as possible.Oscar hated war, but at the same time he
Philo understood, four in the morning was not a usual time to check out, but that was exactly what he did. All his belongings were neatly packed into a 20-inch suitcase, and then he left the room. He took the elevator down to the lobby and checked out with the desk clerk. Then he left the hotel.Philo's car moved smoothly through the still empty streets. His intention was to reach The Palace as quickly as possible. He had to report his findings as soon as possible.Philo stepped on the accelerator. The car's speed increased and suddenly his phone vibrated. At the same time, the dashboard screen lit up, indicating an incoming call, and the name displayed made him pull over immediately. He pressed the green button on the touchscreen and answered the call."Philo."Philo's brow furrowed slightly as he answered. "Hello, Alpha." Oscar's voice sounded different, indicating tension and anger. So, he asked quickly, "What is it, Alpha?""I order you to go to Ryloston Palace immediately."That
Now in wolf form, Era stood tall and unyielding, her sharp gaze fixed on her attackers. She radiated a powerful aura that was both intimidating and unshakable. With a ferocious growl, she lunged forward and slashed at the first wolf with her sharp, formidable claws.The first wolf howled in pain and was thrown aside. This enraged the others, who roared furiously and charged again.Era didn't falter. She deftly deflected a snap bite aimed at her neck, twisting her body and narrowly avoiding the sharp teeth in a matter of seconds.Their claws clashed, sending sprays of blood into the air. The sound of their struggle tore through the night, a deafening cacophony of snarling and tearing flesh. The battle raged on, brutal and relentless, with no room for mercy.Era moved with agility and precision, meeting each onslaught with fierce resistance. Though surrounded, her fighting spirit remained undimmed. She refused to allow fear to enter her mind.But fending off a pack of trained wolves was
The clash of metal echoed, followed by a violent jolt that almost caused Era to lose control. She growled in frustration and quickly turned the wheel to steady her car, which had almost skidded off the road.Era glanced into the rear-view mirror. There she saw a massive figure with glowing green-yellow eyes running parallel to her car.Era’s body instantly froze. It dawned on her that it wasn't a human, but a wolf, and certainly not an ordinary one. It was much larger than a normal wolf, its dark fur shimmering in the moonlight.Era swallowed hard and gathered her courage. She shifted her focus back to the road, trying to assess the situation, but at the same time more massive shadows emerged from either side of the forest. They moved quickly, bursting through the undergrowth, stalking her car like a pack of hunters closing in on their prey."Damn it!" Era cursed, gripping the wheel tightly. She stepped on the accelerator, deciding that fleeing the pack of wolves was her best option.
Era stepped out of the Opulence Bistro; her breath ragged. The sound of her sneakers scraping the pavement matched the rapid beat of her heart. The cold night air had no power to quell the fire of anger burning in her chest."Bastard," Era muttered, her lips pressed tightly together. Her frustration was so intense that it felt suffocating. She glanced back at the entrance of the Opulence Bistro for a moment before continuing on to her car. "I shouldn't have met him."You're right, Era. You shouldn't have met him. Didn't I tell you not to go? Oh God, I don't know what will happen if Oscar finds out what you're doing now.Suddenly Era's eyes closed dramatically. She responded to the words of her wolf spirit. Be quiet. I don't want to talk now.Era felt so stupid. How could she trust Freddy? She had been so naive, thinking that meeting him would lead to him releasing Amias.It wasn't that simple. The realization hit Era hard. Even if Freddy had Amias, that didn't mean he would just let h
Freddy was still in the Opulence Bistro. He stood in the corner of the room and stared at the table where he had met Era earlier. His wine glass was still there, its contents untouched.Freddy's breathing was heavy. His chest rose and fell with uncontrollable emotions. He could barely contain himself when Bernard finally arrived, his head bowed."Bernard," Freddy growled, his face flushed with anger. His hoarse voice made the air around them feel sharp and tense. "You really made a fool of me!"Bernard mustered the courage to speak. "Alpha, I—""You said the potion would take effect in ten seconds. But what happened?" Freddy's eyes widened in anger. His jaw clenched as the memory of what had happened earlier rekindled the fire of his anger. "The potion was useless. Era wasn't affected at all."Bernard looked stunned; confusion evident in his gaze. "That's impossible, Alpha. The potion—""Enough!" Freddy snapped, his anger spinning out of control. Reflexively, he grabbed Bernard by the
A grin appeared on Freddy's face. His happiness was written all over his expression. He casually leaned back in his chair and let the satisfaction flow through his entire body.Era's voice still echoed in Freddy's mind, repeating over and over like a victory melody. The wave of satisfaction became almost overwhelming, making it impossible for Freddy to hold back. A small laugh escaped his lips—a soft chuckle, but full of meaning.The plan had gone smoothly, even better than Freddy had imagined. His threats had backed Era into a corner. In the end, she had no choice but to follow his orders. Era had moved exactly as he had wanted.The room seemed to warm up, radiating an air of triumph from every corner. Freddy rose from his chair and walked to the large window that framed the dark night sky. He slipped both hands into his pants pockets while his eyes stared far ahead, brimming with confidence.Freddy had won the first stage of the game. The euphoria filled him with a passionate burst
The voice crept into Era's ears like a sharp knife, slowly slicing, creating invisible wounds that burned every nerve. It made Era's heart pound violently through words that carried an implied threat.A chilling sensation appeared, piercing Era to the bone and freezing her. Her body stiffened completely, unable to move in the face of the terror that gripped her.The atmosphere changed instantly. The air grew heavy, thickening within seconds.The walls of the corridor seemed to close in. They moved slowly, pressing mercilessly against Era, suffocating her with their closeness."Era, are you listening to me?" The voice came back, softer and yet sharper. It brought a wave of fear that crawled over every inch of Era's body, making her breath catch and her blood run cold.Era's hand holding the phone began to sweat, and the perspiration only got worse. That voice was no ordinary threat—it was a certainty of the disaster soon to come.Era’s throat tightened. Her tongue felt numb. Yet she
Oscar lay motionless on the bed. All of his wounds were hidden under layers of bandages. His chest rose and fell slowly, each breath sounding labored, as if his body was still fighting the exhaustion that consumed it. He looked exhausted. A pale hue colored his face, one that usually radiated the strength of an Alpha. Even his once strong fingers now rested limply, as if surrendering to time.Beside Oscar sat Era, who had been at his side the whole time. She sat close to the bed, her fingers lightly stroking the back of Oscar's bandaged hand.The worry inside her was relentless. Fear hovered like a specter, always looming. No matter how many times Landon and Philo tried to reassure her, Era couldn't calm her mind. For her, the only way to get all the dark thoughts out of her head was to see Oscar regain consciousness.For this reason, Era stayed close to Oscar. She wouldn't go anywhere until he woke up. She even refused Aaron and Ursa's pleas for her to rest. It was impossible for her
The darkness of the night began to fade. The glow of the full moon was no longer as bright as it had been. The sky gradually shifted, leaving a gradient of purple that slowly turned into orange streaks on the horizon.The morning breeze carried the scent of damp leaves and fresh dew, soothing the weary souls that had endured the long and harrowing night. Sunlight began to creep through the tall trees, illuminating tired faces now covered in gratitude. The atmosphere, once tense and heavy, gave way to a deep silence filled with meaning.The Lunaria Forest felt desolate. The scent of earth mingled with the metallic taste of blood, leaving haunting traces of the battle that had just ended. Tall trees, usually standing proudly, appeared damaged—some with broken branches from the fury of the brutal clashes.In the midst of all the destruction, Era felt a surge of emotion well up in her chest. Her heart pounded wildly—not with fear, but with an indescribable relief.Era’s tired eyes scanned
Instinct had already sounded its warning. An uneasy feeling clung to Oscar's mind ever since he received Nicholas' challenge to a fight to the death. He knew there would be parties trying to take advantage of the situation, and his suspicions proved correct. Information leaked. No one knew who was behind it, but the supposedly private fight to the death at Riverdale Bluffs had turned into a spectacle that drew a large crowd. Oscar couldn't even keep track of which packs were present.Unfortunately, the problem didn't end there. Bad news arrived just as Oscar was preparing to face Stephen. The palace had been attacked by the Phydaron pack. As a result, Oscar left the arena in a hurry. He ignored Stephen's taunts. It didn't matter if he was branded a coward for leaving the fight. After all, he didn't owe Stephen anything, and what mattered most was Era's safety—his top priority above all else.Oscar jumped effortlessly into the helicopter, followed by Philo, Thad, and the Warriors. As