Tiara's POVThe morning air was cool, but I felt no relief from it. My mind was still stuck on last night.The man had returned. He had stood there, silent, watching me, before vanishing again.I didnât know what to think."He wants something," Mia murmured in my head. "Thatâs why he keeps coming back."I wasnât sure what it was. But I felt it too.Still, no one else had seen him. No one else seemed to know anything about these outsiders lurking around the packâs borders.If I spoke up again, would I be ignored?Or worseâpunished?I had no answers.But that morning, I didnât have time to dwell on it.I had work to do.A Familiar PresenceThe pack fields were already busy when I got there. Warriors trained on one side, their movements sharp and disciplined. Workers carried supplies, their hands full with tools and food. The day had begun without me.I grabbed a shovel and started working where I had left off yesterday. My body still ached from the previous dayâs labor, but I pushed thr
Alpha Nicholasâ POVThe ride back to the pack had been long and grueling, but I did not stop. I had ridden through the night, barely giving my horse a chance to rest. I should have still been away, handling matters with the neighboring packs, but something had pulled me back. A deep unease sat heavy in my chest, one I could not shake, no matter how much I tried to convince myself it was nothing.That feeling had only grown stronger the closer I got to the pack.When I finally crossed into pack land, the change in the air was immediate. It wasnât something obviousâthere was no chaos, no outright sign of dangerâbut there was something beneath the surface, something that made my wolf restless. The feeling of tension hung in the air like a quiet warning, one I did not yet understand.As I neared the pack house, I caught the wary glances of a few warriors who had been patrolling. Their surprise at my early return was clear on their faces, but no one questioned me. They simply bowed their h
Tiara's POVThe hallways of the pack house were quiet, but I could hear voices. Low, urgent whispers. My heart thudded as I recognized Luna Victoriaâs voice immediately. The other voice was rougher, older. A pack elder.I was supposed to be outside finishing my tasks, but something about the way they spoke made me stop in my tracks. The tension in their tones sent a chill down my spine.I took a cautious step closer, careful to keep my footsteps light against the wooden floors.âSheâs already seen too much,â Luna Victoriaâs voice was sharp, cutting through the silence like a blade. âWe cannot afford to wait any longer.âMy brows furrowed. Who were they talking about?The elderâs reply was lower, almost inaudible. I moved even closer, pressing myself against the cold stone wall, straining to hear.âIf Nicholas finds outâŚââWe will handle it before he does.âMy breath hitched.Nicholas?What were they trying to keep from him?My pulse pounded against my ribs as I leaned in further, desp
Tiara's POVI jerked awake to the sound of howls.Not the usual howls of my packmates patrolling the borders. These were differentâlouder, more vicious.I sat up, my heart pounding against my ribs. Outside, chaos erupted. Growls, snapping jaws, and the desperate shouts of warriors filled the night air.Mia stirred in my mind. Something is wrong.I scrambled to my feet. The shed door rattled as heavy footsteps pounded the ground outside. I reached for the old wooden plank I sometimes used to keep the door shut, but before I could secure it, the door was pushed open.I gasped, stumbling backward.âTiara!âIt was Nina.Her face was pale, her breathing frantic.âTheyâre attacking!â Ninaâs voice trembled. âRogues. Theyâre everywhere. You have to come with me!âI barely had time to react before another distant howl sent a shiver down my spine.âWhatâs happening?â I demanded.âI donât know! The warriors are fighting, butââ Nina gulped. âSome of them knew exactly where to strike. Itâs like th
Tiara's POVI watched from a distance as Alpha Nicholas spoke to a group of warriors near the training grounds. His stance was rigid, his expression serious as he gave orders. I couldnât hear what he was saying, but I knewâhe was investigating.Since I told him about Luna Victoria, he had wasted no time. Warriors now patrolled areas they never checked before. Border patrols changed shifts more frequently. Guards moved in pairs, watching for anything unusual.Something was happening.And Luna Victoria knew it too.I noticed the way she watched me now. The way she whispered to Phoebe, her lips curled in disapproval.Earlier that morning, I had been passing through the courtyard when I heard them.âShe knows something,â Luna Victoria muttered. âI donât know how, but she does.âPhoebe smirked. âWhat do you want me to do?ââKeep an eye on her. If she makes one wrong move, tell me immediately.âI paused, my breath catching in my throat.Phoebe didnât hide things well.And true to her nature
Tiara's POVMy body ached as I moved through the broken halls of the pack house, my steps careful as I listened to the chaos outside. The battle had spread beyond the borders. Growls and cries echoed through the night, blending with the clash of claws and teeth.I wasnât supposed to be here.But something pulled me in.An instinct I couldnât ignore.Something felt wrong.I stepped over a shattered chair, pressing my back against the cold stone wall as I peered around the corner. My breath hitched.A manâone of our guards.A trusted warrior.Leading an enemy wolf.My stomach twisted.I didnât move.The rogue followed closely behind him, its posture too relaxedâlike it knew it was being protected.I inhaled sharply, willing my mind to process what I was seeing.A traitor.I watched as the guard stopped near a section of the wall. He pressed his palm against it, and to my horror, a hidden passage opened, revealing a dark tunnel leading deeper into the pack house.How long had this been h
Alpha Nicholasâs POVI stood in the great hall, surrounded by power and deception and my own fear. The air was tense.Alpha Nicholas had been quiet for too long. He had been watching, waiting, gathering proof. And now, he was ready to act.Luna Victoria stood tall, her expression carefully neutral, but there was a flicker of unease in her eyes. Phoebe was less composed, arms crossed, irritation clear on her face. My father sat in his chair, his injuries still fresh, a deep frown set into his face.Alpha Nicholas finally moved, stepping forward. His voice was steady, but it carried a quiet force that demanded attention.âI know the truth,â he said.No one spoke.He looked at Luna Victoria. âYou have been working against your own pack. You and those loyal to you have been feeding information to our enemies. The rogue attacks were not random.âA murmur spread through the gathered wolves. Some warriors shifted uncomfortably. Others stood still, waiting.Luna Victoriaâs lips parted, but
Tiaraâs POVThe sun had barely risen when we left MoonCrown. The air was cool, filled with the damp scent of dew-covered earth. My heart felt heavy as I sat behind Nicholas on his large black stallion, gripping the saddle awkwardly.I didnât know where I belonged anymore.MoonCrown had never been home, but it was all I had ever known. Now, I was leaving it behind, stepping into a future I didnât fully understand. The only thing I knew for sure was that Nicholas had chosen to take me with him and in that moment, there couldn't have been a better option.His back was straight, his posture unwavering as he led our small group forward. His scentâsomething deep and woodsyâwas unavoidable this close. Every time the horse moved beneath us, my knees bumped against his thighs, and my fingers twitched as they hovered just above his waist. I didnât dare hold onto him fully, even though the ride was far from smooth.The warriors behind us rode in tense silence. They werenât MoonCrown wolves. Thes
Tiaraâs POV I was still getting myself familiar with the ForestHowl pack house. It was my new home and I didn't want to leave things to chance. Once, Nina and I had had our walk around the pack house and had discovered an old mine within the pack house. There was a small door that led directly to the abandoned mine. We didn't do anything about this knowledge. We were simply satisfied that we knew this. There was a lot more to learn and the presence of Phoebe and my step mother didn't stop my evening tours around the pack house. I walked down the hall, looking at both sides of the far walls as I went. And then suddenly, I came to a sudden halt. Phoebe stood in the middle of the hall, arms crossed, blocking my way. Unlike earlier, there was no fake kindness in her expression. She did not bother with polite smiles or forced sweetness. Her true feelings were on full displayâdisdain, irritation, and something else she probably did not want to admit. Jealousy. I said nothing a
Tiaraâs POV I was still getting myself familiar with the ForestHowl pack house. It was my new home and I didn't want to leave things to chance. Once, Nina and I had had our walk around the pack house and had discovered an old mine within the pack house. There was a small door that led directly to the abandoned mine. We didn't do anything about this knowledge. We were simply satisfied that we knew this. There was a lot more to learn and the presence of Phoebe and my step mother didn't stop my evening tours around the pack house. I walked down the hall, looking at both sides of the far walls as I went. And then suddenly, I came to a sudden halt. Phoebe stood in the middle of the hall, arms crossed, blocking my way. Unlike earlier, there was no fake kindness in her expression. She did not bother with polite smiles or forced sweetness. Her true feelings were on full displayâdisdain, irritation, and something else she probably did not want to admit. Jealousy. I said nothing a
Tiaraâs POV I was still getting myself familiar with the ForestHowl pack house. It was my new home and I didn't want to leave things to chance. Once, Nina and I had had our walk around the pack house and had discovered an old mine within the pack house. There was a small door that led directly to the abandoned mine. We didn't do anything about this knowledge. We were simply satisfied that we knew this. There was a lot more to learn and the presence of Phoebe and my step mother didn't stop my evening tours around the pack house. I walked down the hall, looking at both sides of the far walls as I went. And then suddenly, I came to a sudden halt. Phoebe stood in the middle of the hall, arms crossed, blocking my way. Unlike earlier, there was no fake kindness in her expression. She did not bother with polite smiles or forced sweetness. Her true feelings were on full displayâdisdain, irritation, and something else she probably did not want to admit. Jealousy. I said nothing at first
Tiaraâs POVI was still getting myself familiar with the ForestHowl pack house. It was my new home and I didn't want to leave things to chance. Once, Nina and I had had our walk around the pack house and had discovered an old mine within the pack house. There was a small door that led directly to the abandoned mine.We didn't do anything about this knowledge. We were simply satisfied that we knew this. There was a lot more to learn and the presence of Phoebe and my step mother didn't stop my evening tours around the pack house.I walked down the hall, looking at both sides of the far walls as I went. And then suddenly, I came to a sudden halt.Phoebe stood in the middle of the hall, arms crossed, blocking my way.Unlike earlier, there was no fake kindness in her expression. She did not bother with polite smiles or forced sweetness. Her true feelings were on full displayâdisdain, irritation, and something else she probably did not want to admit.Jealousy.I said nothing at first, simpl
Tiaraâs POVNina and I had not talked about Luna Victoria and Phoebe again after she'd left us. She didn't ask me what they'd talked about after she left. Knowing Nina, she had probably guessed correctly on what they'd talked about.The pack was at peace, yet, despite the peaceful surroundings, my attention was drawn to something far less pleasantâPhoebe.She had spent the entire morning lingering near Nicholas, her presence as persistent as a mosquito that refused to be swatted away.Everywhere he went, she was there.She followed him through the training grounds, standing just outside the sparring ring as he observed his warriors. She loitered near the pack house, pretending to admire the grand structure while stealing glances at him. During meals, she made sure to sit as close as possible, her voice sugary sweet as she tried to pull him into conversation.It was obvious what she was doing.She was trying to win him over.She laughed at things that were barely amusing, her voice lig
Tiaraâs POVPhoebe and Luna Victoria were in ForestHowl as unexpected guests.I had not seen them yet, but I knew they were here. Their presence was not something that could go unnoticed. Even without meeting them, I could already feel their intentions.They had come with smiles, with carefully chosen words, but I knew the truth.They wanted to see me. And they wanted to see Nina.When Nicholas called for me that morning, I had already expected it.âThey asked to see you both,â he said, standing near the large window of his office. His voice was steady, calm. âThey claim they want to make sure you are at peace.âI did not react immediately, letting the words settle.Nicholas watched me, his expression unreadable. âI told them they could.âA part of me wanted to scoff at their sudden concern. I had lived in MoonCrown for years. Not once had they ever looked at me with kindness. Now, after all that had happened, they wanted to check on me?But I did not let my emotions show.Nicholas le
Phoebeâs POV The journey to ForestHowl was exhausting and I clung to my mother all through the journey. I was weaker alone than I thought. It was different from MoonCrownâless refined, less structured. But there was a certain strength in it, a quiet but undeniable power. As the pack house came into view, I took a slow breath. It was large, though not in the same way as ours. MoonCrownâs pack house was elegant, built for nobility. This one was built for warriors. Strong, sturdy, and meant to last. The guards at the entrance were already expecting us. Their eyes held no curiosity, no hesitation. They were disciplined and well-trained, standing firm as we approached. One of them, a tall man with sharp features, stepped forward. âLuna Victoria. Phoebe. Alpha Nicholas is expecting you.â His tone was polite but distant. No warmth. No hint of welcome. My mother gave a small smile, her expression perfectly arranged to show humility. âThank you. We appreciate his hospitality.â The guard
Phoebeâs POVI walked beside my mother through the quiet hallways of the pack house, my steps light against the polished wooden floors. The air carried the scent of burning wood and freshly brewed tea, but I barely noticed. My thoughts were elsewhere, focused entirely on what lay ahead.Everything depended on this meeting. If we failed to convince my father, Alpha Darius, all our efforts would be for nothing. Our plans would crumble before they could even begin. We had rehearsed our words repeatedly, ensuring that we sounded as genuine as possible. If there was even a hint of dishonesty, Alpha Darius would catch it. He was sharp, and he was not easily deceived. But then, I trusted my mother. Over the years, I'd seen how she easily manipulated him. Sometimes it was glaring that she was manipulating him, but he would let her have her way. I'd always loved that my mother was constantly on the winning end. There was nothing she ever asked of him that he didn't do for her, or simply give
Phoebeâs POVI stormed into my motherâs room, barely holding back my frustration. My chest felt tight with anger, and I could feel my nails digging into my palms as I clenched my fists. The very thought of Alpha Nicholas taking Nina away made my blood boil, bud I was living that reality. She had been whisked off to go and be with Tiara in their new paradise and I couldn't think of anything more disgusting and annoying. I had worked too hard, endured too much, only to watch things slip from my control. More than ever, it seemed my mother was doing nothing to change how things had suddenly gone. My mother sat in her chair near the window, dressed in her usual elegant robes, her expression unreadable. She was always calm these days, always composed, but I knew she was just as furious as I was. She hated losing and this was our loss. "I canât believe this!" I blurted, pacing the room. "How could he take Nina? How could father, of the MoonCrown pack allow it? She belongs in MoonCrown!"