A voice startled Era. She widened her eyes. "Seth.""Good afternoon, Era," Seth greeted with a bright smile and took over the cart. "Let me push it. Um. Where are you taking this?"Era shook her head at Seth's antics. "Of course, I want to take it to the library. I want to check it out.""Ah! You're right!" Seth's smile widened even more, then he gestured for Era to lead the way. "Let's go! Up front."They walked to the library desk. Seth placed all the books on the table, and the librarian quickly and efficiently scanned the loan."Thank you. Oh, can we borrow the cart for a moment?" Seth asked, looking at the badge hanging around the librarian's neck. "I hope you understand, Miss Lewis. These books are very heavy.""Oh, of course. You may borrow them, Cooper." Helma Lewis nodded enthusiastically with sparkling eyes. "No need to hesitate."Seth smiled. "Thank you, Miss Lewis. I'll return it soon."Era was amazed at Seth's attitude. Seth chuckled as they walked down the aisle, leaving
For a moment Era didn't react. She didn't respond to Oscar's words because her mind was filled with various question marks of disbelief. Did I hear it wrong? Did Oscar just allow me to leave without Seth?Oh, damn it, Era. It seems that Oscar loves you.Era blinked. She asked her inner wolf soul. W-what? What did you just say?Oscar loves you.Era's face turned pale. Unconsciously she murmured, "That can't be."
The village of Runevale was one of the villages on the outskirts of Celestial City that was well known to the wider community. Situated in a valley protected by hills and surrounded by exotic forests, it was an enchanting wonder. It exuded an aura of peace and elegance that was hard to find elsewhere. In addition, in the center of the village was a town square that served as the social and economic hub that was the pride of its residents.The town square boasted historic buildings with stunning rural architecture. There was a decorated square filled with colorful flowers. In addition, the traditional market filled with vendors selling fresh vegetables, fruits, and local handicrafts created a lively and colorful atmosphere.
Era groaned as her body landed on the ground in a pitiful state. Her bones felt shattered and she could barely stand up.At that moment, another thought crossed Era's mind: these men were no ordinary people. In other words, they were not ordinary people. No ordinary person could throw someone like that.You rogue scum. I'm going to pounce on you and tear you apart.Era braced herself on her hands and knees. Her hair tie broke, leaving her hair in disarray. What did you say? Rogue? What is this?Before her wolf spirit could answer, Era remembered the lessons she had learned from Ursa. She got the answer to her question and froze.You mean werewolves do not belong to any pack?Era's wolf spirit growled. Yes, they're rogue werewolves. They have no rules, no ethics. They're disgusting. Willing to do anything for money. Completely lacking in dignity.This explanation made Era wonder even more. Why ar
When she regained consciousness, Era found herself in an ambulance. A paramedic accompanied her and helped her to sit up."Relax. You're safe and not badly hurt. You just have a few scratches. Everything will be fine in a few days."Era felt her body as the medic explained. Then she nodded. "Thank you.""You're welcome. Now, please get some rest."The paramedic wanted to get out of the ambulance, but something made Era hold his hand back. She asked, "What about Officer Phillips? Is he okay?""I'm not sure," the paramedic replied. "He's been taken to the hospital. Hopefully nothing serious happened to him."The medic left, leaving Era alone. She thought for a moment, trying to remember everything that had happened earlier. Her eyes widened as she remembered the man who had helped her.Era shuffled carefully. She made sure the IV needle on her wrist didn't move at all. Sitting in the back of the ambulance, she finally noticed that the a
Dree was drawn to something, so she narrowed her eyes. Her gaze became more focused to make sure she wasn't mistaken, and indeed, she was right.Dree sighed heavily as she continued her work with the cash register. "Poor guy. He must have come here just to see Era." Her fingers paused on the number keys. Her forehead wrinkled vaguely. "Should I tell him that Era is on vacation for a week?""I know."Dree had just thought about it when Seth suddenly stood in front of her with a wallet in his hand. She was stunned for a moment, which made Seth smile a little."Era."Dree blinked, then looked over. "Oh.""Thank you for your good intentions, but I already know that Era is on leave," Seth continued. He nodded briefly and sighed. "She's doing research in the Runevale village. Probably for about a week.""Ah." Dree smiled awkwardly. She hadn't expected Seth to know that much. "So, you knew.""It's understandable. We're from the same c
Philo had tried desperately to keep Oscar at bay. The same went for Seth. Both gave many reasonable reasons why Oscar should wait in the hotel lobby instead of following Era directly into the Arbora Forest."Sorry, Alpha, but it seems better if we wait in the hotel. I'm sure Era will be back soon," Philo said.Oscar stood up. He couldn't wait any longer. He put his hands on his hips and looked at Philo. "Can't I just sit here quietly and wait?"Philo and Seth held their breath. Oscar's question and glare silenced them. They remained motionless, seemingly afraid to move. They also realized that Oscar had not been sitting quietly the whole time.Oscar almost smashed the coffee cup the hotelier had provided. The newspaper was not spared either. He clenched it tightly and would have torn it apart if Philo hadn't stopped him.Oh, dear. Philo realized that his skills as a Beta were useless if the problem Oscar was facing was related to Era. There was not
Era was confused. Her eyes blinked repeatedly and her breathing began to slow. Her body shook from head to toe, accompanied by a slowly creeping heat that made her feel flushed."Os-Oscar."With all her strength, Era tried to stay conscious. But her consciousness was hanging by a thread. The focus of her eyes began to fade and everything seemed to disappear from her world one by one. Slowly, everything became empty, leaving only her and Oscar.They shared a passionate kiss. Accompanied by touches that felt like they were burning all over her body. Sweat was slowly streaming everywhere and her heart was beating faster
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
Throughout her life, Era had witnessed and endured countless chaos. Her life had never been peaceful. More often than not, problems would come crashing in and leave her life in shambles. But of all the turmoil, none was more terrifying than what she was about to face.Era was shaken. The chaos wasn't just the physical destruction or the deafening noise—it was far more than that. It carried with it the threat of death everywhere, a fear so palpable and overwhelming that it felt like invisible chains wrapped around her entire body.The air grew heavy. Pressure from all sides. Amidst the relentless cacophony, Era felt small, fragile and utterly powerless.The Palace of Xylvaneth, long a symbol of strength and protection, was on the verge of collapse—both literally and symbolically. The tremors that rippled through the ground, emanating from the battle in Lunaria Forest, seemed like a harbinger of the disaster that was about to unfold there.The rumble of wolf paws pounding the earth in t
The sound of a heavy thud echoed as a brown-maned wolf was violently thrown to the arena floor. It whimpered quietly, but a second later it rose quickly. Strengthening its initially wobbly legs, it then leapt, intent on retaliating against the golden-maned wolf that had made it the object of ridicule for the past ten minutes.The golden wolf dodged effortlessly, as if the brown wolf's attack was nothing, completely harmless. It showed no fear and instead continued to attack with bold courage.The golden wolf's movements were very agile and nimble, causing its mane to flicker and shed shafts of light everywhere. It seemed to light up the dimly lit battle arena. Its attacks were precise, full of accuracy and power. As a result, the brown wolf was cornered, and the spectators were filled with awe.The golden wolf's claws sliced through the air with incredible speed. The brown wolf could not dodge. It chest was ripped open. It blood vessels burst.But the golden wolf didn't stop. It contin