Helena’s POV The morning light filters through the infirmary windows. I try to focus on my work. I crush herbs with more force than necessary. I stitch wounds with sharp, controlled precision.I do everything I can, to drown out the voice in my head.“I care about you.”I shake it off, grinding the pestle harder against the stone bowl. It doesn’t matter. He made his choice. He is my Alpha. I am his Beta’s mother. There is nothing more to this. Then why does my entire body betray me?The infirmary door swings open.A warrior limps inside, muttering about an injury from training, right behind him was Liard.My breath catches.I can't look up, but I feel him.His presence fills the room like a storm rolling in, the warrior speaks, but I barely register his words.I force myself to work, to keep my head down, to pretend that nothing has changed.I can feel Liard’s eyes on me.Watching and waiting. I keep my movements precise, controlled. I don’t falter.Not until Rhider walks in.Rhider
Liard’s POVI pace the length of my chamber, jaw tight, fists clenched. This has to end.Helena is in my head. She is under my skin. She is breaking every damn wall I spent years building.This has to end.I exhale sharply, turning toward the door. “Summon the healer,” I order the guard outside. “Tell her I need to speak with her. Now.”The guard hesitates for half a second, but one look at my expression sends him moving.I sit on the edge of my desk, tapping my fingers against the wood, breathing hard.This will end tonight.She arrives sooner than I expect, stepping inside without hesitation, her shoulders squared.Her eyes meet mine, guarded, waiting.“You sent for me?” she asks, her voice cool, controlled.I push off the desk and close the space between us in two strides.Her breath catches, but she doesn’t move.“Why am I here, Liard?” Her voice is sharper now.I don’t answer. I just watch her, let my eyes take in every detail, her slightly parted lips, the way her pulse flickers
Helena’s POVI cried the entire way back home.Tears slid down my cheeks in angry, silent streams, my chest aching from the weight of humiliation, from the sheer foolishness of what I had let happen.What was I thinking?Liard lifted me like I belonged to him. Touched me, kissed me, made me forget every promise I had made to myself. Then, when he had me right where he wanted, he threw me away.The memory of his voice echoes in my head."Leave."I squeeze my eyes shut as I step inside my home, feeling suffocated by the scent of my own regret.I shouldn’t have let it get this far.I should have known, but I didn’t.Because deep down, some stupid, broken part of me wanted him and now, I am paying the price.I strip off my cloak, my hands shaking, and I head straight for the bathing chamber. I need to wash him off me.The warm water soaks my skin, but it doesn’t cleanse the feeling of him.His hands.His mouth.The way he pressed me against the wall, the way his body claimed mine like it
Helena’s POV I walk out of the Elders’ Hall, my heartbeat hammering against my ribs, my mind racing with the weight of Varyn’s proposition.The Alpha has not chosen a Luna.The words coil inside me like a snake, tightening with every breath I take. This isn’t just an observation. This isn’t just a warning.It’s a move.They are shifting the pieces on the board, and I am one of them.I pull my cloak tighter around my shoulders, the cold night air doing nothing to quiet the fire burning in my veins.It’s not just anger, It’s fear.Because what if they try to force this? What if Liard?No.I shake my head. Liard is stubborn, but he would never let them dictate his choices. Would he?Would I?A bitter laugh catches in my throat. None of this matters. It doesn’t. Because whatever the Elders want, whatever fate is pushing, I refuse.I am done.Done with feeling, done with hoping, Done with him and then I see him.Liard stands near the training grounds, his broad shoulders squared as he spe
Liard’s POV No one spoke for a long moment, but the tension pressed into every corner like a brewing storm.Rhider's sharp gaze burned into Helena before flicking to me, his expression unreadable but tight with barely contained anger. Seraphina, usually quick to make light of any situation, remained still, her gaze shifting between the three of us like she was waiting for someone to set the room on fire.And perhaps we already had.I took a breath, my fists clenched at my sides, willing myself to find the words to make this right. But before I could, Rhider’s voice sliced through the silence."Mother, be careful."His words held layers, ones that made Helena tense beside me, her face paling for a moment. And then, without another word, he turned sharply on his heels and stormed out. Seraphina hesitated only a beat before following him, shooting me a final, unreadable glance.The door closed behind them with a dull thud.And then we were alone.Helena didn’t look at me at first. Inste
Helena’s POV Liard didn’t move, didn’t speak. He only watched me, his golden eyes dark and unreadable, a slow tension rolling between us like a brewing storm.I forced myself to breathe, to steady my racing heart. But the weight of my decision pressed down on me, suffocating in its intensity.I swallowed, forcing my voice to work.“So,” I murmured, barely above a whisper, “now what I ask him again?”His lips curled into a slow, knowing smile, his gaze never leaving mine.“Now,” he said, stepping closer, the heat of his body brushing against me, “we stop pretending.”A shiver raced down my spine.I didn’t move. I should have, but I didn’t.“Is that what this is?” I whispered. “Pretending?”He reached for me, his fingers ghosting over my arm, sending fire skittering through my veins.“Yes,” he murmured. “And I’m tired of it.”My breath hitched as he traced his fingers along the edge of my jaw, his touch both reverent and possessive.“You’re all I think about, Helena,” he confessed, his
Chapter 18 – The Morning After: Between Love and WarHelena’s POV The room was silent except for the soft crackling of the dying fire.I lay still, my bare skin tangled with the warmth of Liard’s body, my head resting against his chest. His heartbeat was steady beneath my cheek, a sound I should not have found comforting. But I did.And that terrified me.I had told myself this was only for one night. A moment of weakness. A stolen indulgence.But lying here now, my body still tingling from his touch, I knew I had lied to myself.It was never going to be just one night.A lump formed in my throat as reality set in. I had crossed the line and there was no turning back.My breath hitched as I shifted slightly, trying not to wake him. His arm tightened around my waist instinctively, pulling me closer in his sleep, his fingers brushing over the dip of my spine.I clenched my jaw.I had to leave.Slowly, I slipped out from under his arm, moving with careful precision. My body ached in pla
Helena’s POVI don’t stop running until I reach my chambers.The door slams shut behind me, the latch clicking into place, sealing me in. My breath is ragged, my chest tight as I lean against the wood, pressing my palm flat against its surface as if that alone could hold back everything that just happened.My skin burns where Liard touched me. My lips are swollen from his kisses. My thighs ache from the way he took me, possessed me, made me his.I squeeze my eyes shut. What have I done?The memory of Elder Varyn’s knowing gaze flashes in my mind, and my stomach twists violently. Did he suspect? Had he seen something?I exhale sharply, pulling at the ties of my cloak. The scent of him clings to the fabric, the musk of his sweat and the firewood scent of his skin. I tear it off, throwing it across the room like it might erase the evidence.But it doesn’t.Because the evidence isn’t just on my clothes, it’s inside me. Everywhere.I strip off my dress, the fabric pooling at my feet, and s
Helena’s POVThe stillness of morning did nothing to soothe the storm inside me.I sat on the edge of my bed, staring at the pale light seeping through the high windows. My limbs ached from the effort of yesterday’s healing, but it wasn’t the bruises or cuts that haunted me—it was the words of the dragon scout, rasping through the night air like a curse:The prince walks among you.No name. No direct accusation. But the moment I heard it, my heart clenched around a single truth I had buried for years.Rhider.I rose from the bed, palms clammy, and wrapped a shawl tightly around my shoulders. The corridors were quiet. Only the gentle clatter of armor and whispered prayers of the healers echoed through the walls.When I passed by the training yard, I paused.Rhider, there he was. Sword in hand, sweat darkening his tunic, muscles coiled like a predator in motion. He moved like a vision carved from war itself, flawless, fast, impossibly precise.Too fast.I knew the limits of a werewolf’s
Seraphina's POVHis hands were still on my skin, the warmth of his body pressed against mine beneath the tangled furs of the healer's tent. My heart hadn’t settled. Neither had my thoughts. Not even after the way he… oh my God.He fucked me like a man possessed. Like he needed me more than he needed air. It hadn’t been gentle. It hadn’t been slow. It had been rough, desperate, maddeningly perfect. Every thrust, every bite, every growled moan against my throat had carved itself into the marrow of my bones.And I had begged for more.Rhider’s breath was still uneven behind me. His arm lay across my waist, anchoring me to him as if afraid I might vanish if he let go. Part of me still wondered if this was a fever dream. If I’d wake alone, untouched, unloved.But I wasn’t. I was his and he was mine. I turned my face slightly, just enough to feel the soft brush of his lips against my temple."You’re trembling," he whispered. "I’m not cold."No. I was burning.Every nerve in my body still ec
Rhider’s POV The fire was still in my bones.Even hours after the battle, after the blood had dried and the last wounded soldier had been treated, I could still feel it humming beneath my skin, like a second heartbeat.I stared at my hands as I dipped them into the washbasin behind the barracks, scrubbing away the dirt, the ash, the blood. But no matter how hard I scrubbed, the tremble wouldn’t stop. Not from exhaustion. No, something else. Something worse.Because what I’d done today wasn’t natural. I’d moved too fast. Heard things no wolf should have heard. Survived wounds that should’ve split me in two and Liard had seen it.He hadn’t said a word, his expression unreadable as ever, but I knew my Alpha. I knew the way he studied me, like I was suddenly a puzzle with a missing piece he was desperate to find.Seraphina… Gods.My throat clenched as I thought of her scream when that winged beast lunged for her, the wild panic in her eyes, and the way she’d crumpled into me once I caugh
Liard’s POV The war horn shattered the silence before dawn.Its echo rolled down the mountainside like thunder, stirring the warriors in their tents, the beasts in the woods, and the ghosts in my mind. I stood at the edge of the cliff overlooking the eastern ridge, where smoke bloomed like a dark omen across the trees. The dragons had finally moved.They were here.Rhider stood beside me, armored and silent. His jaw was tight, his eyes sharp, golden and glowing faintly beneath the rising sun. My sister stood further back, trying to hide her fear. I didn’t blame her.“Mount up,” I said, voice low but firm. “We ride.”Within minutes, the camp transformed into a war machine. Horses stomped, blades gleamed, and the wind carried the crackle of fire magic already burning in the east. The dragons weren’t waiting. They wanted a message sent. And I would answer them with steel.We rode hard, Rhider and I at the front. Warriors fell in formation behind us like the spine of a beast ready to bar
Liard’s POV The war table was crowded, yet the silence was deafening.I stood at the head of it, arms crossed over my chest, jaw clenched, my gaze darting across the map. Red markers littered the borders, burnt villages, missing scouts, fallen posts. Every hour, more came in. Every one of them a threat I was meant to stop.Rhider was at my side, silent, unreadable, but I could feel the tension rolling off him like heat from flame. Across the table, my generals exchanged uncertain glances. The atmosphere in the tent was heavy, thick with nerves.And yet, all I could think about… was her.Helena.Her face in the candlelight. Her breathy whispers against my neck. The way her body trembled when I touched her. The way she looked at me like I was still worth saving, even when the rest of the world wasn’t sure.I hadn’t slept. Not properly. My body had collapsed in the early hours from sheer exhaustion, but my mind hadn’t rested. My dreams had been filled with dragon fire—and her screaming
Helena’s POV The fire had long since burned down to embers, but the heat in my chest had not cooled.I sat alone in the quiet of my chambers, my hands resting in my lap, the tips still stained with blood that wouldn't wash out,no matter how hard I scrubbed. It wasn’t the soldiers’ wounds that haunted me tonight. It wasn’t even the distant rumble of drums signaling troop movements or the scouts returning from the outer woods with grim news of dragon skirmishes.It was the silence after. The silence when I was left with my thoughts-dangerous, treacherous thoughts.I hadn’t gone to Liard.He had summoned me again, a quiet knock at my door earlier that evening, followed by a messenger who said, “He waits for you in the old stone passage.” The same place we had once made love. The same hidden chamber that still smelled of fire and skin.But I never left my room, because this time… I couldn’t. The danger wasn’t just from outside the walls-it was inside my blood.Seraphina’s words earlier s
Helena’s POV The air was still thick with ash and smoke, though the flames from the scouting battle had long since died down. I stood at the window of the infirmary, my hands trembling around a jar of salve I hadn’t even realized I was holding.The war had finally arrived. And with it came chaos.The door creaked open, and I didn’t have to turn to know who it was. Rhider always had this presence about him, steady, grounded, and entirely too observant for his own good.“Helena,” he said, voice quiet but firm.I looked at him over my shoulder. His golden armor was dusted with soot, and a fresh cut marred his cheek. Yet, he stood tall, Alpha-born and battle-tempered.“You need to be ready,” he said. “It’s time.”I turned fully now, setting the jar down. “Ready for what?”His gaze met mine, steady and unflinching. “For the worst. The dragons won’t send another warning. They’ll strike fast. If you’re needed to heal warriors on the frontlines, you’ll be sent.”My heart tightened.I knew th
Liard’s POV The letter was still clenched in my fist. “Leave your land. You are not strong enough to keep it.”The parchment crinkled beneath my grip as I stood at the war table, surrounded by my generals, every one of them looking to me for answers I didn’t have.“We fortify the northern ridge,” Garrik said. “It’s the most vulnerable now that the dragons have crossed.”“No,” I snapped. “We let them think the ridge is exposed. We draw them in, then strike from the eastern flank.”Murmurs of approval rippled through the room, but I barely heard them. My thoughts weren’t here-not entirely.They were back in the silence of my chambers, where the scent of her still lingered on my sheets. Helena.She had haunted every moment of my restless night, and even now, the echo of her voice warred with the sound of battle plans.I dismissed the council with a nod, letting them argue amongst themselves.I needed air, space and her.Later that dayThe sound of laughter caught my ear as I crossed the
Liard’s POV The training grounds echoed with the sharp clash of steel. My muscles burned as I swung my blade, each strike harder than the last, each movement more precise. I needed this. The distraction. The pain. The mind-numbing repetition that kept my thoughts at bay.Because last night, I didn’t go to her.And I knew she would find me.I felt Helena’s presence before she spoke. She didn’t rush in, didn’t demand my attention. She just stood there, watching.I forced myself to continue sparring, blocking a warrior’s strike, countering, pushing forward."You didn’t come," her voice finally broke through the morning air, quiet but sharp.I didn’t respond immediately.I wanted to tell her I couldn’t, that duty held me back, but the truth was much worse. I was afraid. Afraid of how much I wanted her. Afraid of what she did to me.Instead, I deflected. "More warriors were injured in last night’s ambush. We need to focus on the war ahead."Her silence was loud."You made a promise," she