Walter's apology was an undeniable answer, a confirmation of all suspicions. Vione closed her eyes. There was warmth there, but she held on as tightly as she could to keep her tears from spilling."Forgive me, Luna. I had no idea it would come to this," Walter said as he moved closer to Vione. He clung to her legs, his body shaking. "Forgive me.""Forgive you, Walter?" Vione scoffed cynically. Now there was deep hatred in her eyes. "Tell me, Walter. What did the Nimbria Pack offer you?"Walter shook his head. He continued to kneel at Vione's feet. "Forgive me, Luna.""Were you offered a luxury yacht? Great wealth? A large company?" Vione asked, her emotions overflowing. She was breathless as she shouted, "Tell me, what did they give you to make you betray us?!""Luna." Walter trembled even more at Vione's anger. He knew she was truly angry, and he would do anything to win her forgiveness. "I am guilty. I admit it, but please forgive me. Forgive me."Vione remained unmoved. Her face ha
In the end, Walter would indeed die, whether by Vione's hand or his own. After all, Vione had made his choice. A death sentence was the only fitting punishment he deserved. But suicide was another matter. And now the guilt weighed heavily on Vione.I shouldn't mourn what happened to Walter, Vione told herself. She let out a long sigh. He deserved to pay for what he did with his life.Vione pushed the thought of Walter out of her mind. The root of the problem had been dealt with and now she would concentrate on the next step. She needed to quickly come up with a plan to retake Frostholm Keep and defeat the Nimbria Pack.Unfortunately, it wasn't that simple. Even though Vione had discovered the cause of the pack's weakness, it didn't mean that the problem was solved. The pack was still unable to fight, and their only hope now rested with Rowena."Can you heal them, Ma?"Rowena's expression was one of helplessness. Her gaze was somber. "I can, but it will take time," she replied in a low
This time Rowena's face paled. Vione's questions cornered her. The calm expression she usually wore was now gone, replaced by fear and hesitation. Her mouth opened and her lips quivered as if she wanted to say something, but not a word came out. Her hands, cold in Vione's grasp, and the inner turmoil reflected in her eyes told a different story."Vi-Vione." Rowena took a deep breath and finally whispered. Her voice was almost choked by the emotions that constricted her chest. "There are things we shouldn't change, even if we want to with all our hearts." She shook her head, trying to explain as gently as possible. "Fate is not something we can play with at will."Rowena's answer gave Vione a clue. And so, she persisted. She answered Rowena's words with unwavering determination. "I don't want to toy with fate, but I can't accept all this. I..." She bit her lower lip, trying to hold back the storm of emotions raging in her chest. "...just want a second chance, Ma. A chance to save the p
Everything felt dizzying. Everything was spinning so fast that it made Vione's stomach churn. She closed her eyes and clenched her fists. She steeled herself against the waves of magic that swirled around her in the flow of time. She told herself again and again not to give up. She had to keep fighting, and her mind focused on one thing—the time before the war began.Suddenly a force hit her. Vione was thrown and hit the rocky ground hard. Gasping for air, she struggled in the difficult situation. Her body felt battered, shaking so badly that she couldn't get up for a few moments. She crawled and looked around. "The Sacred Land."It wasn't difficult for Vione to recognize where she was. What she didn't know was what time period she had landed in.Vione took a deep breath. Then, even though her knees still felt weak, she stood up. She ran her hands over her body, making sure there were no injuries, while continuing to observe her surroundings.Something caught her attention. She steppe
The time when time did not exist...Everything was quiet and still. The world was like an endless space, free and unbound. Nature breathed in a harmonious rhythm, flowing through an immeasurable eternity. Every sound, whether from the whispering wind or the rustling leaves, became a note in the symphony of life, weaving a melody that echoed throughout the universe.A vast meadow stretched out like a green carpet, adorned with flowers of all colors. They invited the sunlight to play along, as did the butterflies dancing joyfully here and there, accompanied by the cheerful songs of birds. Everything blended together in pure happiness, without the burden or worry of tomorrow.Above, the blue sky gently embraced the earth's contents with full sincerity. It offered a boundless view, symbolizing dreams without limits. There was no room for fear. It promised freedom and beauty until the end of timeTo complete this scene, a river flowed, carrying water in a soothing symphony, like a lullaby
His expression changed. The earth had given him a sign, and he lifted his eyes to the night sky and fixed them on the full moon. "No matter what I do, humanity and its desires will never be truly separated. What I've done today is only a temporary solution. In the end, chaos will return as long as people are ruled by their desires."Ignatius closed his eyes in despair. What use was infinite magic if he couldn't save the world from its inevitable collapse? He couldn't live forever. He couldn't protect the world forever. And so...Ignatius' eyes opened again, now glimmering with a faint hope. Perhaps, if he could store his magical power in something, there might still be a way to preserve peace in the world for the ages to come.Full moon, Ignatius whispered in his heart as a glimmer of hope filled his mind. I entrust to you all that I am.Ignatius prepared himself. He steeled his resolve, took a deep breath, and quieted the thoughts that swirled with endless possibilities.The ritual h
Vione's footsteps stopped instantly. She blinked, looked around, and found herself in the presence of an old man whose face seemed familiar."I'll ask you again. Who are you?"Vione swallowed. "I am Vione," she replied as she stepped forward again. She approached the old man and asked him in return. "And who are you?""I am Ignatius."Between her still labored breaths, Vione tried to smile. She put on a calm face, even though her mind was now in a panic. She hadn't expected anyone to see her emerge from the time portal. As a result, she was now confused. There was no way she could explain the situation to just anyone."Tell me, Vione. Why did you come out of the time portal?"Vione froze. Her mouth opened, but no words came out. Her mind went blank. She couldn't hide the shock that hit her when Ignatius, the old man she thought was just a random person, turned out to know about the time portal."You..." Vione wiped the water from her eyes. She didn't answer Ignatius' question because
"Are you aware of what you just said?" More than aware, Vione had probably thought about it long before her meeting with Ignatius. She had lost count of how many times she had cursed fate, feeling useless despite the power she possessed. She was strong, capable of fighting hundreds of warriors on her own, but it was all useless if she didn't have the power to protect her pack. All her strength was in vain. "I'm aware of what I just said," Vione replied without hesitation; her gaze was steady and full of hope. "Besides, what's the point of having power if I can't do anything when destruction threatens the people I love?" She winced and shook her head repeatedly. "I don't want to be strong just for myself. Power is meant to protect, and if I can't do that, then what's the point?" Ignatius looked deep into Vione's eyes. For a moment he didn't react to her words. He could sense the bitterness that Vione felt. There was a wound deeper than the physical battle—a wound that lingered in he
Vione couldn't answer Jemma's words. Her heart was truly touched and she fell silent, only able to look at Usher, knowing that everything Jemma had said was the undeniable truth. Pregnancy was always a happy announcement. But Vione's pregnancy was more than joy; it was a blessing. For Usher, Jemma, Rowena and the Frostholm Pack, Vione's pregnancy was the greatest gift the Moon Goddess had given them. So, it was no surprise that when the palace announced Vione's pregnancy, the entire pack rejoiced and celebrated everywhere. Without exception, the news spread to the farthest corners of the Frostholm Pack territory. Smiles and beaming eyes adorned the faces of every member of the pack. They continued to give thanks for all the good things that had happened to the pack—from their victory in the war to Vione's pregnancy—and they didn't forget to pray for Vione's wellbeing. Ayla, the Sacred Elder, made hasty preparations. She arranged for a blessing ceremony for Vione's pregnancy to be h
There was a bright, blinding light. It seemed to be the morning sun, its warmth soothing her soul. Vione wasn't alone. Next to her was Usher, always holding her hand. They were talking, laughing, when suddenly a scene made her eyes widen. "Sylvia, come back! Don't go too far! Oh, God! Silas, can you go after her?"Usher pulled Vione into his arms. "Don't worry, she won't get lost. They're smart kids." "Usher," Vione groaned, pressing her lips together and raising her hand to point. "That's too—" Vione frowned. Something was holding her hand. Something was stroking the back of her hand, squeezing her fingers. "U-Usher." "Vione? Are you awake?" Usher's voice echoed in her head, like the buzzing of a thousand bees, driving that beautiful memory from her mind. It made her slightly dizzy and she moaned softly. "Vione? Can you hear my voice?" Vione frowned and slowly opened her eyes. She saw Usher's face, filled with immeasurable relief. "Usher." "Oh, thank God," Usher whispered, k
The meeting was only ten minutes old—it had only just started—and the first presentation had only just been given, but Usher's concentration was already disturbed. He couldn't concentrate on the data being presented. His mind kept wandering back to Vione. He had tried to ignore it, but suddenly his heart was pounding with an unfamiliar rhythm.Usher held his breath. Vione. Had something happened to her?At the same time, Usher saw Garth reach into the inside pocket of his suit. He watched as Garth stepped out of the meeting to take a phone call and for some reason Usher was certain that the call had something to do with Vione.Usher's intuition was right. Immediately after the call, Garth approached him and whispered in his ear."Alpha, Cora just reported that Luna fainted at a banquet—"Usher immediately got up from his seat. He left and Garth quickly said, "The meeting will be postponed."Then Garth hurried after Usher. They left the office five minutes later, Garth driving as fast
Two days later Rowena was ready. With her was Cora, whom Usher had specially assigned to accompany her on her journey.Rowena cupped Vione's cheeks. "Don't worry, Vione. We'll see each other often. Besides, it's the only way I can make up for leaving you as a baby.""No, Mama." Vione held Rowena's hands. "You did it so I could live with other werewolves. I understand that."Still, Rowena's guilt remained. So, she promised to make up for it with happiness and togetherness in the future."I hope you take good care of yourself, Mama," Vione said, calming her heart. Then she took off the moon necklace she was wearing. She put the moon necklace into Rowena's hand. "Let me know if anything happens."Rowena nodded. "Of course."Vione and Usher watched Rowena leave, certain that this wasn't goodbye. In truth, they were just living apart. They would keep in touch. They would still meet and visit. So, everything would be fine. There was nothing to worry about.That was what Rowena believed too.
Vione's hope was the promise she had made to Ivan. After so much suffering and sacrifice, there was only one thing she wanted most: to live a peaceful life surrounded by those she loved—Usher, Jemma and Rowena.They were owed many happy days because of the tragedies that had unfolded over the years, along with the war. Now Vione simply wanted to repay that debt by enjoying their time together, especially with Rowena.For countless days, Vione had longed for the loving touch of her biological parents. Despite the fact that her life with Addy and Hilary had been happy and full of love, she could not deny that deep down there was a part of her that longed for the warmth and love of her real parents. And when she learned that Ivan was long gone, all her hopes were placed in Rowena.Vione wanted to experience the affection she had only imagined. She wanted to spend endless days with Rowena in the palace. But it seemed that Rowena had other thoughts than her own."W-what do you mean, Ma?" V
Silence. Ivan and Rowena both stood still, staring at Vione without blinking."I'm meeting Usher, Dad," Vione said again. She pouted as she continued, "We've been dating since the night of the Coming-of-Age Ceremony." Her face flushed, obviously embarrassed. "When we were celebrating at the palace, and that's when we..."Vione didn't finish her sentence, but both Ivan and Rowena understood. They could guess what had happened that night. But one thing was still unclear to them.Ivan cleared his throat. He rubbed his chin, looking puzzled. "Usher?" he asked. "Which Usher are you talking about?""Papa," Vione groaned, feeling even more helpless. She was completely embarrassed. "There's only one Usher I know, the one you both know, Usher Thorne."Ivan's mouth opened, but no words came out. He seemed genuinely shocked and needed a little more time to fully process the name Usher Thorne.Ivan stared at Vione. "Usher Thorne?"The doorbell rang at the same moment. Vione's eyes widened. She lo
A month had passed since the war against the Nimbria Pack, and now normal days were once again colouring the Frostholm territory. Everyone carried on with their activities as before, full of energy and joy. The children played and went to school without a trace of fear, while the adults worked diligently, occasionally breaking into light chatter and laughter.There were no worries. Fear and anxiety about the future had vanished, replaced by happy, vibrant faces. They knew that the danger that had loomed over them for years had been overcome.On the other hand, the peace that now surrounded the Frostholm Pack did not lull Usher into complacency. He refused to become arrogant. Instead, the tragedy that had befallen the Nimbria Pack had taught him many lessons. He would not be careless and would make sure that this would never happen again.As a basis for preventive measures, Berg continued to increase security throughout the territory. Inspections of outsiders became more thorough and r
A heavy silence had fallen over the Frostholm territory since the night before. The area was truly desolate, with no sign of the Frostholm pack except for Berg and the guards stationed everywhere to protect the borders and the palace. The rest of the pack had evacuated to Amerotha Forest, hiding under the protection of Rowena's magic.The tension was palpable. The members of the pack seemed restless, their minds filled with fear, even though their safety was guaranteed within the forest. They knew that this security did not extend to those fighting in the war; there was no guarantee of safety for them.No one could close their eyes. They couldn't even stay in their tents. Instead, they chose to gather together and pray without ceasing.Hope poured from the depths of their hearts. Every prayer was accompanied by sincerity, and many shed tears. Their sorrow ran deep, and the Amerotha Forest could feel it.A blue-golden light slowly emerged, flowing from the ground and spreading everywhe
One thing Usher would remember for the rest of his life was that war never brought anything good. On the contrary, only bad things came out of war—death, pain, loss, suffering. For this reason, he would do everything in his power to ensure that there would be no more wars in the future—at least not in his lifetime—even if it meant making extreme choices.Usher hated war and he hated killing, but this time he put those feelings aside to ensure the safety of the Frostholm Pack. He had learned from experience that Kendrick's compassion could never touch the humanity of the Nimbria Pack. In truth, greed had blinded the Nimbria Pack, causing them to ignore the opportunity presented by the Frostholm Pack. Worse still, the Nimbria Pack saw Kendrick's decision as a sign of weakness, leading them to attack again whenever they had the chance.So, this time, Usher abandoned all compassion and humanity. The Nimbria Pack didn't deserve it. Instead, he would make sure that the Nimbria Pack felt all