Star’s POVThe world spun violently as Ravena dragged me through the portal. A sickening cold clung to my skin, the swirling dark magic pressing against my lungs like a suffocating weight. I landed hard, scraping my palms against rough stone. My stomach churned, a fiery revolt of wolfsbane and fear.I coughed, tasting blood, my entire body trembling as the portal snapped shut behind us. Wherever we were now… it wasn’t the attic anymore.The air here was damp, heavy with the stench of ancient rot. Faint blue torches flickered against cold stone walls. A cavern? A temple? I couldn’t tell.Ravena’s smug face hovered over mine. “You should’ve stayed obedient, little Luna,” she sneered. “I should’ve known Helios would find a way to reach you. No matter. I’ll rip you away again. Over and over, until he finally forgets you.”I clenched my jaw, fighting the nausea, the dizziness. “I’ll never stop hoping,” I rasped. “You’ll lose, Ravena.” She laughed, a sharp, hollow sound. “We’ll see who lose
Helios’ POVI stood at the window of the war chamber, staring at the dark line of trees in the distance. The storm clouds above churned like the chaos in my chest. Every instinct screamed at me to tear through the woods, to track her scent, to rip the earth apart until I found her.But Mirelda’s voice echoed in my mind: "Your rage will cloud the bond." Damn it. I turned to my father and the others gathered around the map-strewn table. “She’s on the move again. Mirelda can sense the thread stretching north.”Killian frowned, rubbing his jaw. “North is dangerous. Thick wildlands. Rogue territory.” “I don’t care if it’s hell itself,” I growled. “We follow.”Mirelda stepped forward. “Not recklessly, Alpha. We have one chance to corner her, and I can’t risk her sensing my tether. If she does, we may lose Star forever.” A long, tense silence filled the room.Killian finally spoke. “We’ll split into two divisions. Scouts track the perimeter without closing in. Ayanna keeps feeding us direct
Star’s POVThe night was eerie, filled with the scent of damp earth and dying leaves. The small window in the attic was barely wide enough to let in a breath of fresh air, but I sat beneath it anyway, clutching the leaves I’d carefully gathered from the hidden tree.The fruit had already started dulling the wolfsbane’s poison. My body still ached, weak and feverish, but my senses were sharpening, and my wolf… She stirred. "Hang in there, Star," she murmured faintly, a gentle warmth curling in my chest.I closed my eyes, imagining Helios’ face. The heat of his touch. His voice calling my name. He was coming. I knew it now. I felt the bond spark, stronger than before, a tether of desperate hope.When the old floorboards creaked, I schooled my face, slipping on the mask of weakness Ravena believed I wore. She entered, pale and disheveled, her eyes darting with barely-contained madness.“You’re quieter today,” she murmured, setting down a bowl of thin soup I wouldn’t touch. “I don’t have
Star’s POVThe moment we passed through the portal, nausea twisted my stomach. The world shimmered, then settled, dark, cold, and ancient. A hollow cavern deep within a tangled forest, thick roots clawing along the walls.Ravena threw me to the ground. “Move and you die.” But her voice… it cracked. The iron certainty she once carried was slipping. I stayed down, but inside, my wolf stirred.We’re stronger now and Ravena is slipping. I’d seen it in her eyes before the portal closed, a flicker of fear. Not of me. Of being caught. I carefully palmed a shard of stone, my fingers tight around it. I wouldn’t waste another chance. And I wouldn’t die here.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Helios’ POV“She moved again,” Mirelda said, her eyes glowing silver, body trembling from strain. “She’s in the Deep Glen Caverns, east of the Shadowpine border.”Killian cursed low. “She’s more desperate than we thought. That place hasn’t been used in centuries.” “Is she losing control?” I asked. Mirelda hesitated. “She’s
Author's POV The forest beyond the northern periphery of the academy was a cursed, ancient stretch of land few dared to enter. Trees gnarled like arthritic fingers clawed at the mist-laden sky, and shadows slithered between roots with a will of their own. Helios stalked through the undergrowth, his senses stretched to their limit, Mirelda's instructions ringing in his ears."She's close," Mirelda murmured, her eyes half-lidded in a trance. The silvery tendrils of her magic glimmered faintly in the gloom. "Ravena won't slip away this time."Killian, Helios' father, moved beside them like a phantom. The years had not dulled the former Alphas instincts, nor his unrelenting hatred for Ravena. "She’s never played fair," Killian growled. "This isn't a simple hostage trade. She’s luring us, splitting our focus. That woman has hidden havens in all four directions. This is just one."Helios clenched his fists. "We’re out of time. Star’s dying. I can feel her slipping." Mirelda’s gaze flicked
Star’s POVEverything felt quite different that night. The very air felt heavy, scented with something ancient, earth, rain, and starlight. My body ached as I lay curled on the rough bed, feverish and restless. My mind drifted on the edge of sleep, teetering between agony and unconsciousness. Then I was somewhere else.I stood in a field of silver grass, each blade shimmering beneath a sky woven with endless constellations. The night sang with whispers, and in the distance, the Lunaris Blossom bloomed in soft, pearlescent clusters. The flowers swayed though there was no wind, as though welcoming me.I turned, my breath catching. Two women stood before me. One… Griselda. Fierce as I remembered her, eyes sharp but kind. Her salt-streaked hair was tied loosely, and she wore the leathers of a warrior. She smiled, though sorrow lingered in the corners of her lips.The other… ethereal, otherworldly. Ayana. A woman of impossible beauty, hair like midnight silk, skin glowing like pale moonst
Star’s POVPain gnawed at my insides. Not the kind that comes from a physical wound , though those existed, too, but something deeper. A jagged ache in my spirit. The revelations from my dream still clung to me like mist, my head pounding from the weight of it all.Princess Ayana. Griselda. My real name. Starlight Ayana. A name meant for a throne, not this damp, suffocating prison. The stale air reeked of wolfsbane. Ravena’s poison lingered in my blood, a constant reminder of my weakening body. My stomach tightened, and a sharp pain shot through me. I gritted my teeth, placing a trembling hand over my swollen belly.Hang in there, little ones. Just a little longer. A sudden burst of shouting echoed outside the walls. My heart lurched. What was that? Footsteps. Heavy, fast. A tremor in the ground.I tried to sit up, but my body protested. My head spun as the pain intensified. Through the
Unknown POVAcross the vast lands governed by the wolf packs, something ancient stirred. A pulse. A tremor in the marrow of every wolf’s bones. A silvery warmth that swept across forests, mountains, and valleys, an invisible wave none could see, but all could feel.The wolves of every rank and pack dropped to their knees as a primal, unfamiliar instinct took over. Heads bowed toward one place, one pack. Moonlit Pack.The air shimmered with an otherworldly hum, thick with power and dominance none had ever felt before. It wasn’t just Alpha authority… it was royalty. Bloodlines older than kingdoms, awakened.The Elder wolves gasped. The Omegas wept. The Betas trembled. "What… what is this?" murmured an Alpha miles away, unable to resist the pull. "A Sovereign presence…?" But in the far north, within the towering walls of the Royal Palace, King Hesperion Solace froze in the middle of a counci
Unknown POV Helios stood on the balcony just outside their private wing. The morning sun bathed the palace in gold, but his mind was a storm. He had seen enemies turned to ash, not by war, not by warriors, but by newborns wrapped in silken cloth.Star approached quietly, barefoot, hair down, a soft robe draped around her as if the cosmos had woven it. Her aura pulsed gently, no longer shy or hesitant, but commanding and calm, a sovereign in spirit. “You’re still thinking about it,” she said softly. Helios turned. “I failed to see it before. Who you really are. What you carry. What they carry.”“You didn’t fail,” she murmured. “You saw me when no one else did. Even when I didn’t see myself.” His throat tightened. “I submitted to you... because it felt right,” he admitted. “Even when everyone mocked me. Even when I thought you were just an omega... I felt your strength. But now...”Star stepped closer, cupping his cheek. “You don’t need to submit anymore, Helios.” He blinked. “I—what?”
Star's POV Later that evening, after the moonlight celebrations quieted and the palace halls glowed with soft amber light, I stood before the High Council in the Star Chamber. It's a vast circular room walled with crystal and etched with lunar glyphs. The King was seated at the head of the crescent table, his expression unreadable. The advisors whispered amongst themselves, still dazed by the roaring approval the public had shown me and the twins. But I was calm. Focused. Changed.“My Queen,” the King began, his voice warm yet formal. “Tonight you have earned the devotion of a kingdom. The people called you Moonborn... and I believe they were right to.” I inclined my head with measured grace. “I am honored, Your Majesty. But before we speak of titles and formalities, I have a request.”The murmurs quieted. The King studied me. “Speak it.” I glanced at Helios, who stood near the chamber doors in silence. Unlike the other alphas, he wore no medals, bore no sigil. Just quiet strength a
Star's POV The days passed in a hush of healing, quiet awe, and growing light. For five full days, I rested, by order of everyone from Helios to my newly found dad to the Oracle herself. The twins never left my side. Their tiny breaths, their moonbeam fingers curling around mine, anchored me to this new reality: I was no longer the girl who once flinched from her own shadow. I was a mother now. A Luna. A sovereign in the making. And on the sixth day, we rose.Hesperion’s jet cut through the sky like a blade of polished silver. We flew above the cloudline, my newborns cradled in my arms, Helios seated beside me, tense but proud. The seats were stitched with ancient sun emblems, embossed with the Hesperion royal crest. Still, nothing felt heavier than the silence between Hesperion and his queen.“She has been kept in isolation,” he said, not looking at me. “No one has seen her since the Oracle’s declaration.” I didn’t respond immediately. I wasn’t sure if I was ready to face the woman
Starlight’s POVThey think I’m resting. But how could I sleep when my soul is wide awake? Even in my fragile state, I feel the shift in the air, a hum of reverence outside these walls. As if the land itself recognizes me now. My body aches, my mind swims between exhaustion and euphoria, but I am not broken.I am reborn. Two tiny lives rest beside me, their warmth tethering me to this world. Each pup has my scent... and yet something more. One burns like fire, another shimmers like the sea, and hums with stardust and shadows. Our children are not ordinary. And neither am I.The door creaked open, and I didn’t need to look up to know who it was. His scent always preceded him, cedarwood, smoke, and something deeper now... regret, maybe? Or reverence. “Helios,” I whispered, and he froze mid-step, as if hearing his name from my lips physically struck him.He knelt beside the bed, eyes rimmed red, cheeks stained with silent tears. “Star… I still don’t understand how you survived. How you b
Helios’ POVMy tears soaked the hem of her blanket, and for a moment, I forgot who I was, Alpha of the Moonlit Pack, future High Alpha, ruler of thousands. All I could feel was that I was hers.“I don’t deserve you,” I whispered, voice cracking as I pressed my forehead to her knee. “You almost died bringing life to this world, to give me something I didn’t even know I needed.”Star shifted slightly in the hospital bed, a wince escaping her lips. I immediately sat upright, guilt flooding my chest again. “Don’t move,” I said quickly, brushing her damp hair off her forehead. “I’ll get the healer.” She caught my wrist.“No,” she said softly. “Just stay here… with me. Our babies are asleep. This moment belongs to us.” Her fingers were weak, yet her grip on my soul had never been stronger.I sat on the edge of the bed and lifted one of her hands to my lips, kissing the back of it. “Star, I swear on my life, from this day forward, my only purpose is to protect you. And them.” She smiled gent
Helios’ POVIf someone told me a year ago that I would be kneeling before the same wolf I once called a runt, I would have laughed in their face. But now… Here I am. On my knees. My heart a raw, pulsing thing in my chest.I remember the first time I laid eyes on her. Star. A frail little thing, bones too sharp, eyes too big for her face, always moving around like she didn’t belong. An omega, I believed. The lowest in our pack. I never spared her more than a glance.Why would I? I was Helios Bloodfang, the heir to Alpha Killian. Born into power. Groomed to command. I’d been told my mate would be strong. Respected. A fierce she-wolf that would rule by my side.When the bond snapped into place one cold morning, locking me to Star, that trembling, insignificant omega, I rejected it in my heart before the words even formed on my lips. I hurt her. Damn, I did worse than hurt her. I made her life unbearable. And she… she kept living. Kept breathing. Kept saving me, even when I didn’t deserve
Starlight’s POVThe tension in the hospital room was palpable. I could feel the magnitude of my father’s fury, the suffocating shame of the pack, and the trembling submission of Helios at my side. But more than that… I felt something awaken within me. A warmth, no, a power, older than bloodlines, older than crowns and packs. It pulsed inside my chest.My gaze swept over the room. The warriors who used to shove me aside. The Elders who called me worthless. The Luna who turned a blind eye as my skin bruised and my heart hardened. Even Killian, Alpha in name alone, couldn’t meet my eyes.The beast within me stirred.Not the frightened pup they had raised in shadows. But the wolf born of Ayana’s line, of witches and royals. A true Lunaby right. The ultimate Luna.The power surged, and before I realized it, a deep, primal growl rumbled from my throat. It wasn’t rage, it was command. A sound layered with centuries of dominance, carried in the blood of Moon-Gifted wolves. It vibrated through
Starlight’s POVWarmth. It started in my paw. A strange, tingling warmth that crawled up my limbs like sunlight breaking through the cold, heavy fog of sleep. I wanted to stay there, in the dark, where nothing hurt, where no one could reach me. In that place, the world was quiet. Safe.But something, no, someone, called to me. A tether, gentle yet impossible to resist, tugging me from the depths of nothingness into the harsh, aching light of life.The last thing I remembered was protecting my pups. The pain, sharp and merciless. The voices that followed, Ayana. Griselda. Their words still echoed, filling the hollow places I thought would never heal. You are Starlight. A name, a promise. Mine.I wasn’t sure when my eyelids fluttered open, but when they did, the light was too bright, and my body… my body felt strange. Lighter. Stronger. A quiet hum of something new coursed through my veins, something ancient and powerful that settled beneath my skin like a shield.My fur… gone. I sat up
Hesperion’s POVWhen we touched down, I had barely waited for the door to open before I stepped out, my feet hitting the ground with a purpose I hadn’t felt in two decades. My guards had called after me, but their voices were swallowed by the pounding of my heart.At that time, I couldn’t explain the pull in words. It was a tether, ancient, unyielding, long silent, now tugging with violent urgency. A bond reawakened after twenty long, empty years. It led me like a silver thread through the darkness, through the pack grounds I barely registered, toward her.I remember that as I moved, people parted in silence, falling to their knees. A sea of bowed heads. I didn’t look at them. Couldn’t. My focus was sharp, cutting through the haze of the world. The bond had spoken. My daughter… lived.I hadn’t felt this connection since the night Ayana was stolen from me. A thread of my soul ripped away by treachery, leaving a hollow ache no crown, conquest, or council could ever fill. I had searched