ROMAN-------The stench of blood and ash filled my nostrils as I stood at the fortress gates, watching the horizon darken with approaching rogues. My heart pounded against my chest, not from fear, but from rage. Belle stood beside me, her fingers intertwined with mine, the silver necklace glinting at her throat. That necklace was more than just a keepsake—it was a symbol of everything we'd lost, and everything we were about to protect. "They're coming" I growled, feeling my wolf stir restlessly beneath my skin. My claws itched to emerge, my body vibrating with the need to fight. "At least five hundred of them." Belle squeezed my hand, her grip stronger than I expected. "We're ready." Her voice was steel now, so different from the frightened healer who'd first arrived at Shadowfang. The past months had hardened her, shaped her into something fierce and unstoppable. She wasn’t just a healer anymore—she was a warrior in her own right, though she’d never admit it. I turned to her
Through the mayhem, I caught glimpses of my pack fighting with everything they had. Elijah, my Beta, was a blur of motion, his massive gray wolf ripping through rogues with deadly precision. Fenrir, the once-mistrusted rogue who'd proven his loyalty time and time again, stood guard over the infirmary entrance where Belle worked. His hulking form was a wall of muscle and fur, and any rogue foolish enough to approach him was quickly dispatched. I spun, dodging the snapping jaws of a rogue before sinking my teeth into his throat. His gurgled scream was cut short as I tore him apart, my wolf howling in triumph. But there was no time to revel in the kill. More were coming. "ROMAN!!" Cassandra's voice cut through the carnage like a blade. I turned, my eyes narrowing as I spotted her atop a pile of bodies, her silver hair matted with blood, her eyes wild with hatred. She was in her human form, her slender frame deceptively fragile-looking as she surveyed the battlefield with a cruel smi
MIRABELLE ---------I collapsed to my knees as Lucien's body disintegrated, the power draining from me like blood from a mortal wound. My entire body trembled, my hands shaking violently as I tried to steady them. The taste of copper filled my mouth, sharp and metallic, but satisfaction coursed through my veins like a balm to my soul. Adeline had been avenged.The weight of her death, the endless nights of guilt and grief, lifted from my shoulders— if only slightly.But the cost was high. I could barely breathe, barely think, as the energy I had summoned to end Lucien left me hollow. The wind carried the acrid scent of blood and ash, the battlefield around me littered with bodies of rogues and allies alike. It was chaos, pure and unrelenting, but I couldn’t bring myself to look away from the spot where Lucien had stood moments before. There was nothing left of him now— just ash swirling in the cold air."Belle!"Roman’s voice cut through the din, sharp and commanding, but tinged w
The sight of him hurt, bloodied and struggling, triggered something deep and primal inside me. Heat surged through my chest, different from the destructive power I had felt earlier. This was something new....something pure. Without thinking, I raised my trembling hands and reached toward him. Light. Bright and blinding. It flowed from my fingertips, enveloping Roman in a golden glow. He froze for a moment, his head snapping toward me in shock, but I couldn't stop. The light wrapped around him, seeping into his body, and as I watched, his wounds began to knit themselves together. The gashes on his face closed, the blood disappearing as if it had never been there. Roman’s eyes blazed with renewed strength, and he let out a roar— half-wolf, half-man— as he turned back to Cassandra. "NO!!!!" Cassandra shrieked, her voice high and panicked. She lunged at me, her movements wild and desperate, but Roman was faster. He intercepted her mid-leap, his massive jaws closing around
My eyelids felt heavy as consciousness slowly returned, like wading through a. thick fog. The familiar scent of herbs and healing balms filled my nostrils, mixed with something else— something distinctly masculine and comforting that made my heart flutter. Roman. I blinked several times, adjusting to the soft candlelight that illuminated the infirmary. My body ached, but it wasn't the sharp, devastating pain I remembered from channeling my Lunar Soul powers. This was more like the dull throb of healing muscles, a reminder that I was still alive. "Hey there little healer." Roman's deep voice came from beside me, rough with exhaustion but warm with affection. I turned my head to find him sitting in a chair next to my bed, his large hand enveloping mine. Dark circles shadowed his eyes, and his usually neat hair was disheveled as if he'd been running his fingers through it repeatedly. His clothes were wrinkled, suggesting he hadn't changed in days. "You look terrible," I managed to
"It's beautiful." I breathed, leaning against him as we stood among the moonlit flowers. "Stay with me." Roman said suddenly, turning to face me. His eyes were intense, vulnnerable in a way I rarely saw. "Not as my healer, not because of duty or prophecy. Stay because you want to. Because this— us, it's real." My heart thundered in my chest. "Roman..." "I know I fucked up." he continued, his voice raw with emotion. "I know I hurt you, and I'll spend the rest of my life trying to make that right. But Belle," he cupped my face in his hands, his calloused thumbs gently stroking my cheeks "I can't imagine my life without you in it anymore. These past few days, watching you lie there so still... it nearly broke me." Tears pricked at my eyes as memories flooded back, Adeline's sweet face, the anger and pain that had consumed me after her death, the way I'd lashed out at Roman. But I also remembered his patience, his gradual transformation from the cold Alpha to the man who h
The soft ligh of the full moon bathed the gardens in silver light as I stood by the fountain, my fingers trailing through the cool water. six months. Six months had passed since the final battle, since we'd driven Cassandra into exile and brought peace to Shadowfang. Sometimes it still felt surreal, like a dream I might wake from at any moment.I touched the silver necklace at my throat, the one that had belonged to my mother, then Adelne. Though the pain of losing my sister would never fully fade, I'd learned to carry it differently now. The weight of it had transformed from a burden into a reminder of why we fought so hard for peace."There you are." Roman's deep voice came from behind me. Even now, after all these months together, his presence still sent a shiver down my spine.I turned to face him, drinking in the sight of him. He'd foregone his usual battle-ready attire for something softer, a simple black shirt that clung to his muscled chest and dark pants. His dark hair was
ROMAN______I should have fucking known it was a trap. The forest was too quiet, the air too still, like nature itself was holding its breath in anticipation of the bloodshed to come. The ancient pines loomed overhead, their branches casting twisted shadows in the waning daylight. Even my wolf, usually a constant presence in my mind— strong, assured, and steady— was restless, pacing with nervous energy that made my skin crawl. But I was too proud, too damn sure of myself to listen to those warning signs. Too caught up in my own reputation as the undefeated Alpha of the Black Moon Pack to consider that someone might have finally outmaneuvered me. That's always been my problem— pride. Not the healthy kind that comes from genuine accomplishment, but the toxic sort that festers in your soul and blinds you to reality. The kind that makes you think you're invincible, that you can handle anything thrown your way. The kind that makes you ignore the counsel of those who care about you m
The soft ligh of the full moon bathed the gardens in silver light as I stood by the fountain, my fingers trailing through the cool water. six months. Six months had passed since the final battle, since we'd driven Cassandra into exile and brought peace to Shadowfang. Sometimes it still felt surreal, like a dream I might wake from at any moment.I touched the silver necklace at my throat, the one that had belonged to my mother, then Adelne. Though the pain of losing my sister would never fully fade, I'd learned to carry it differently now. The weight of it had transformed from a burden into a reminder of why we fought so hard for peace."There you are." Roman's deep voice came from behind me. Even now, after all these months together, his presence still sent a shiver down my spine.I turned to face him, drinking in the sight of him. He'd foregone his usual battle-ready attire for something softer, a simple black shirt that clung to his muscled chest and dark pants. His dark hair was
"It's beautiful." I breathed, leaning against him as we stood among the moonlit flowers. "Stay with me." Roman said suddenly, turning to face me. His eyes were intense, vulnnerable in a way I rarely saw. "Not as my healer, not because of duty or prophecy. Stay because you want to. Because this— us, it's real." My heart thundered in my chest. "Roman..." "I know I fucked up." he continued, his voice raw with emotion. "I know I hurt you, and I'll spend the rest of my life trying to make that right. But Belle," he cupped my face in his hands, his calloused thumbs gently stroking my cheeks "I can't imagine my life without you in it anymore. These past few days, watching you lie there so still... it nearly broke me." Tears pricked at my eyes as memories flooded back, Adeline's sweet face, the anger and pain that had consumed me after her death, the way I'd lashed out at Roman. But I also remembered his patience, his gradual transformation from the cold Alpha to the man who h
My eyelids felt heavy as consciousness slowly returned, like wading through a. thick fog. The familiar scent of herbs and healing balms filled my nostrils, mixed with something else— something distinctly masculine and comforting that made my heart flutter. Roman. I blinked several times, adjusting to the soft candlelight that illuminated the infirmary. My body ached, but it wasn't the sharp, devastating pain I remembered from channeling my Lunar Soul powers. This was more like the dull throb of healing muscles, a reminder that I was still alive. "Hey there little healer." Roman's deep voice came from beside me, rough with exhaustion but warm with affection. I turned my head to find him sitting in a chair next to my bed, his large hand enveloping mine. Dark circles shadowed his eyes, and his usually neat hair was disheveled as if he'd been running his fingers through it repeatedly. His clothes were wrinkled, suggesting he hadn't changed in days. "You look terrible," I managed to
The sight of him hurt, bloodied and struggling, triggered something deep and primal inside me. Heat surged through my chest, different from the destructive power I had felt earlier. This was something new....something pure. Without thinking, I raised my trembling hands and reached toward him. Light. Bright and blinding. It flowed from my fingertips, enveloping Roman in a golden glow. He froze for a moment, his head snapping toward me in shock, but I couldn't stop. The light wrapped around him, seeping into his body, and as I watched, his wounds began to knit themselves together. The gashes on his face closed, the blood disappearing as if it had never been there. Roman’s eyes blazed with renewed strength, and he let out a roar— half-wolf, half-man— as he turned back to Cassandra. "NO!!!!" Cassandra shrieked, her voice high and panicked. She lunged at me, her movements wild and desperate, but Roman was faster. He intercepted her mid-leap, his massive jaws closing around
MIRABELLE ---------I collapsed to my knees as Lucien's body disintegrated, the power draining from me like blood from a mortal wound. My entire body trembled, my hands shaking violently as I tried to steady them. The taste of copper filled my mouth, sharp and metallic, but satisfaction coursed through my veins like a balm to my soul. Adeline had been avenged.The weight of her death, the endless nights of guilt and grief, lifted from my shoulders— if only slightly.But the cost was high. I could barely breathe, barely think, as the energy I had summoned to end Lucien left me hollow. The wind carried the acrid scent of blood and ash, the battlefield around me littered with bodies of rogues and allies alike. It was chaos, pure and unrelenting, but I couldn’t bring myself to look away from the spot where Lucien had stood moments before. There was nothing left of him now— just ash swirling in the cold air."Belle!"Roman’s voice cut through the din, sharp and commanding, but tinged w
Through the mayhem, I caught glimpses of my pack fighting with everything they had. Elijah, my Beta, was a blur of motion, his massive gray wolf ripping through rogues with deadly precision. Fenrir, the once-mistrusted rogue who'd proven his loyalty time and time again, stood guard over the infirmary entrance where Belle worked. His hulking form was a wall of muscle and fur, and any rogue foolish enough to approach him was quickly dispatched. I spun, dodging the snapping jaws of a rogue before sinking my teeth into his throat. His gurgled scream was cut short as I tore him apart, my wolf howling in triumph. But there was no time to revel in the kill. More were coming. "ROMAN!!" Cassandra's voice cut through the carnage like a blade. I turned, my eyes narrowing as I spotted her atop a pile of bodies, her silver hair matted with blood, her eyes wild with hatred. She was in her human form, her slender frame deceptively fragile-looking as she surveyed the battlefield with a cruel smi
ROMAN-------The stench of blood and ash filled my nostrils as I stood at the fortress gates, watching the horizon darken with approaching rogues. My heart pounded against my chest, not from fear, but from rage. Belle stood beside me, her fingers intertwined with mine, the silver necklace glinting at her throat. That necklace was more than just a keepsake—it was a symbol of everything we'd lost, and everything we were about to protect. "They're coming" I growled, feeling my wolf stir restlessly beneath my skin. My claws itched to emerge, my body vibrating with the need to fight. "At least five hundred of them." Belle squeezed my hand, her grip stronger than I expected. "We're ready." Her voice was steel now, so different from the frightened healer who'd first arrived at Shadowfang. The past months had hardened her, shaped her into something fierce and unstoppable. She wasn’t just a healer anymore—she was a warrior in her own right, though she’d never admit it. I turned to her
His kisses continued downward, his hands sliding over my hips as he hooked his fingers into the waistband of my pants. He paused, looking up at me for permission, and I nodded, lifting my hips to help him pull them off. His eyes burned as they roamed over me, now nearly bare before him."You're perfect," he said, his voice thick with emotion. "Every inch of you."Heat coiled low in my belly as he pressed a kiss to the inside of my thigh, his stubble scraping against my sensitive skin in a way that made me gasp. He kissed his way higher, his hands gently parting my legs, and when his lips brushed against the thin fabric of my underwear, I couldn’t stop the moan that escaped me."Roman..." I whispered, my voice shaky with both nerves and anticipation."I’ve got you," he said softly, his hands stroking my thighs in reassurance. "Just let me take care of you."He pulled my underwear down slowly, his gaze never leaving mine as he bared me completely to him. I felt vulnerable, exposed, bu
MIRABELLE_______I stood at my bedroom window, watching the storm clouds gather overhead. The prophecy echoed in my mind, each word feeling like a physical weight on my chest. My fingers traced Adeline's necklace, remembering her smile, her laugh, her final moments.A knock at my door broke through my thoughts. I knew who it was before he even spoke."Belle" Roman's voice was rough with emotion. "Please let me in."I considered ignoring him, but my feet moved of their own accord. When I opened the door, he looked wrecked. His usually perfect hair was disheveled, like he'd been running his hands through it repeatedly, and his eyes held a desperate intensity that made my heart clench."You can't do this," he said immediately, stepping into my room and closing the door. "I won't let you sacrifice yourself.""It's not your choice to make." I replied softly, turning back to the window. "You heard Kieran. It has to be my decision.""Fuck the prophecy!!" He grabbed my arm, spinning me to f