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
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
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
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
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
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
Helena’s POV The scent of blood was everywhere. It clung to my skin, thick and metallic, mixing with the stench of smoke and burnt flesh. The infirmary walls trembled from the force of battle outside, and my hands shook as I tightened the bandage around a warrior’s gashed chest.“Hold still,” I whispered, my voice low and unsteady.The man groaned, his face pale, but I didn’t stop working. I couldn’t. If I let myself think, if I let my mind drift beyond these walls, I’d break.A deafening roar ripped through the night. The ground quaked beneath me.I froze.Through the shattered window, the sky was burning outside, chaos reigned. Women running to get their pups, our warriors fighting like their lives depended on it because It really depended on it.Crescent Moon Pack had fought wars before. We had defended our lands against rival wolves, stood strong against shifting alliances. But this, this was not a war.It was an onslaught.From the infirmary window, I saw beasts of legend descen
Helena’s POV “This is a mistake.”My fingers curled around the edge of the wooden table, my knuckles white as I watched the warriors gather outside.Across from me, Elara, one of the older healers, exhaled sharply as she tied the last bandage around a wounded soldier’s arm.“You think anyone here doesn’t know that?” she muttered, not bothering to look up. “But it’s not about what’s right. It’s about what’s necessary.”I swallowed hard, my gaze drifting back to the open infirmary doors where the entire pack stood in uneasy silence.The coronation was about to begin.And at the center of it all, Liard stood like a man already carved from stone.It was the coronation of a man without a heart.He wore no ceremonial robes, no crown of silver as tradition demanded. Instead, he was dressed for war. A black armor still smeared with the blood of battles lost.It wasn’t just his clothes that spoke of war.It was his eyes.Hollow. Cold. The eyes of a man who had buried his father and all emotio
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
Liard’s POV I sat at the head of the long war table, my fingers drumming against the wood, barely listening as Elder Garron spoke. The room was thick with tension, the air stale with the scent of burning firewood. Warriors stood around me, their gazes sharp, their shoulders tight. Rhider was seated to my right, rigid with frustration, his jaw clenched."Alpha," a scout spoke up, his voice firm but cautious. "The dragons have been spotted again-closer this time. They are no longer keeping to their lands."A low murmur ran through the room, and I felt my muscles tighten. This wasn’t just another minor border disturbance.Elder Garron exhaled sharply. “This is not a mere scouting mission. They are testing us, watching for a weakness.”Across the table, Rhider’s fingers curled into fists. “Then we should act before it’s too late.”I studied him for a moment, noting the fire in his eyes, the sharp way his shoulders pulled back. He wanted a battle.But war wasn’t about acting on impulse."
Helena’s POV I step deeper into Liard’s secret chamber, feeling the walls closing in around me. The air is thick with something unspoken, something dark and intoxicating. My pulse pounds, my thoughts warring against the emotions clawing inside me.What am I doing?What have I already done?I swore to myself that last night was a mistake, that I would never allow myself to fall into this madness again. But then why am I here? Why am I standing in front of him, my body betraying me with every shaky breath?I lift my gaze, and the hunger in Liard’s golden eyes strips me bare. I don’t need to hear the words. I already know.I’ve lost.Liard doesn’t move at first. He stands still, watching me with an intensity that makes my knees weak."Say it," he murmurs.I shake my head. "This has to stop, Liard. We can’t keep doing this."A slow, knowing smirk tugs at the corner of his lips. "And yet you came back."I swallow hard, my fingers curling into fists at my sides. "I shouldn’t have.""But yo
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