So beautiful.Young Usher was convinced that there were no words that could accurately describe the young wolf, Vione. All man-made words seemed insignificant, unable to visualize the natural beauty that young Vione possessed. This was because every fiber of Vione's body seemed to resonate with the allure of nature, as if she were a manifestation of hidden strength and elegance.Time seemed to stand still. The earth seemed to stop rotating. The world seemed to disappear from young Usher's sight. Only young Vione filled his eyes and heart.Young Usher was spellbound. He was mesmerized by young Vione's silver-white hair and jewel-like blue eyes. He was speechless, hypnotized by the beauty that rendered him unable to utter a word. He was amazed, he could hardly believe that the magnificence and grace he had never seen before was now embodied in real form.His breath caught in his chest and the young Usher felt his heart pounding. His eyes did not blink; he continued to gaze at Vione unti
The young usher hurried away without acknowledging Storm's polite nod. His steps quickened, and he received the greetings of the young wolves with indifference. His gaze didn't leave young Vione for a second. So, he didn't miss the moment when Lewis just walked by, ignoring young Vione.The uncomfortable pounding in young Usher's heart turned into a burning sensation. His chest felt hot. He was sure that Lewis was one of those who looked down on young Vione after the coming-of-age ceremony.The young Usher and Lewis crossed paths. Lewis wanted to greet him, but he didn't give him the chance. He walked quickly, then left the party hall.Young Usher's eyes wandered. At first, he thought young Vione was on the terrace, but she wasn't there. So, he was puzzled."Are you looking for Vione?"The young usher was startled. He turned to find a maid approaching with a tray of drinks. "O-oh, it's you," he murmured in a slightly stuttering voice. He took a deep breath to calm himself. Then he imm
For Vione, time stopped the moment Usher disappeared from her sight. The time portal didn't just suck Usher in, it took half of his soul as well. Her world stopped, everything seemed frozen without Usher by her side.Vione felt her heart empty, as if she had lost an irreplaceable piece. Every step she took felt heavy, as if the gravity of the earth was pulling her down with undeniable force.Emptiness engulfed her, and Vione tried to find peace. But it was all in vain when a black hole in her chest rebelled and swallowed her whole. She found herself buried in darkness, with the only light emanating from the sweet memories of Usher, shining brightly like a star."I beg you, Moon Goddess. Protect Usher."It could be said that Vione never really left the Mystoria Waterfall. She stayed there for a long time, only occasionally returning to Rowena's house when her body was exhausted from waiting.Vione continued to wait for Usher's return. She kept looking at the waterfall, hoping that the
One thing Usher noticed in the brief moment between unconsciousness and consciousness was the gentle grip that held his fingers. With it came the soft exhalation of someone whose scent was all too familiar, Vione's scent."Usher? Are you awake?"A word spun through Usher's mind. Then came the questions that accompanied it. Awake? Have I fainted?Because the last thing Usher remembered was being sucked back into the time portal. After that, everything was dark, and fainting seemed like the most plausible thing that could have happened to him. Then another question came up. What time am I in?That was the most important thing right now. Especially since Usher was sure that it was Vione who had discovered his existence after he had left the time portal."Usher, can you hear me? Are you—"Usher groaned and felt the vibrations spreading through his chest. His eyelids felt incredibly heavy, as if they wouldn't allow him to fully wake up. But he didn't give up and kept trying.Vione's face w
In the end, the tears could not be held back. A single tear fell and trickled down Vione's cheek. She surrendered to the fear that weakened her body and soul."Tell us, Rowena," Vione whispered, looking at Rowena with hope in her eyes. "How great is the risk of crossing the time portal? Because I swear!" This time she met Rowena's eyes. "I've never seen Usher so weak."Usher shuffled out of his seat. "Vione," he whispered, reaching out to grab Vione's hand. "You—"Vione dodged, creating a distance that stunned Usher. "I don't want to risk your safety to change the past, Usher." She shook her head several times and turned back to Rowena. "So, tell us, Rowena."Rowena's eyes closed dramatically. She couldn't bring herself to look at Vione when she had to reveal a truth she had hidden from him from the beginning. "The time portal drains power. Ordinary people can't go through it. Even werewolves, vampires or witches would lose energy. If the energy loss is too great, the most likely outco
Vione closed her eyes. She could feel Usher's presence. There were no footsteps or other sounds, but her intuition never failed to detect Usher's presence, just like now.A moment later, a gentle touch landed on Vione's shoulder. Her breath caught in her chest, and her body tensed instantly. Then she felt the touch turn into a gentle stroke, accompanied by Usher's voice calling her name."Vione."Vione flinched. She let Usher's fingers slip from her shoulder. She recoiled. "Say nothing, Usher. I will never let you go through the time portal again."But Usher didn't give up. He grabbed Vione's wrist. He held on to Vione and would not let go.Vione struggled. "Usher.""Please, Vione," Usher pleaded insistently. He pulled Vione into his embrace. "Please, listen to me."Vione ignored Usher's plea. Instead, she continued to try to break free. She pressed against Usher's chest with both hands, but her efforts were in vain. Usher didn't budge."This is the only way I have, Vione. So please.
The silent night crept on. Nature created a silence that felt soothing, designed to soothe every soul tired of struggling with life's cruelty. Then it hummed a gentle lullaby through the soft waves of the breeze, like a complement to the graceful dance of the tree leaves.Among all the creatures who enjoyed the peace of their slumber, Rowena remained awake. She paid no attention to the night rolling on and touching the wee hours of the morning, instead focusing on the various types of herbs that adorned her wooden table.Rowena picked five different herbs and chopped them into small pieces. Then she placed all the ingredients in a stone mortar. She began to pound, and it wasn't long before all the herbs were crushed and blended into one.Rowena's busyness stopped when she sensed someone's presence. She stopped pounding, then turned. "Luna."Vione stood in the doorway. Her hands were clasped nervously, her face showed uncertainty. "May I come in?" she asked, uncertain. "If I'm not intr
At that moment, a fleeting sense of relief filled Usher's mind. It seemed he had returned to the right moment, though if he could ask, he would surely want to go back even further. At least to a time before everything had become so tumultuous, before he and The Past Vione had their argument."You really have no heart, Usher."The voice of The Past Vione brought Usher back to the present just in time. Fortunately, he was able to assess the situation quickly. He remembered the incident vividly. The Past Vione had left the palace hall immediately after he had strangled her, right after she had insulted him as a heartless man.Usher quickly rose to his feet. With a lingering pain in his chest, he gripped the wall. His eyes scanned the area with growing panic. For the footsteps of The Past Vione were getting closer.Usher's priority now was to hide as best he could. He couldn't afford to be caught, neither by himself, nor by The Past Vione, nor by the inhabitants of the palace. So, he hurr
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