Zara’s POV The banner with Mia’s threat still hung at the entrance of the Crescent Moon Pack’s territory, a constant reminder that she wasn’t done. She wanted my son. She was willing to burn everything down to get him. But she would fail. Because I wouldn’t let her win. And she had underestimated one thing—my son wasn’t just any child. He was being protected by forces she could never understand. The moon was high in the sky when I finally allowed myself to rest. The pack had doubled their patrols, warriors were stationed at every corner, and Ryker had personally ensured the borders were sealed. Still, sleep didn’t come easily. I turned in bed, staring at the ceiling, listening to Ryker’s steady breathing beside me. The weight of the pack, the war that was coming, the fear of what Mia might do next—it all pressed down on me. I exhaled, closing my eyes, trying to force myself into sleep. Then, suddenly— A shift in the air. The temperature in the room dropped. And I felt
Zara’s POV The moment Arcturus vanished, a strange silence filled the room. The weight of his words lingered in the air, pressing down on me like an unseen force. "When the time comes… you must be the one to end her." Mia. My own sister. My greatest enemy. I exhaled sharply, trying to steady my breathing. Ryker was watching me, his golden eyes unreadable. “Are you okay?” he finally asked. I wanted to say yes. I wanted to pretend that the knowledge of my fate didn’t shake me to my core. But I was shaken. Because deep down, I knew the truth. Mia wasn’t just going to fall. She was going to take everything with her if I didn’t stop her first. The eerie silence didn’t last long. Because a second later, a deafening boom shattered the air. The walls trembled. The glass windows cracked. Ryker and I exchanged a sharp look before sprinting toward the door. Outside, chaos had erupted. The night sky was painted red with flames. Smoke billowed from the western side of the pac
Zara’s pov I didn't sleep that night. Mia’s face haunted me—her rage, her twisted conviction, the chilling emptiness that had replaced the sister I once knew. Her words echoed in my mind, each syllable a thorn I couldn’t dislodge. By morning, I felt hollow, a shell of nerves and guilt. The sun broke through the window of my cabin, washing everything in harsh, indifferent light. The pack was already stirring outside, but their presence felt distant. I didn't know what to do. Arcturus’s warning weighed heavy on my chest. Mia’s threat was real, and if I didn't stop her, Black Ridge—everyone I cared about—could be dragged into the chaos she was willing to unleash. And yet, the thought of raising a hand against her, of becoming her executioner, twisted my stomach into knots. I forced myself to the training grounds, hoping that physical exhaustion might drown out the conflict in my head. Wolves of all ages gathered in clusters, sparring and practicing, their laughter and banter cut
Zara’s POV The air was crisp as I stood at the edge of the territory, my heart pounding with a mixture of anticipation and nervous excitement. It had been six months. Six months of silence. Six months of peace. No threats, no whispers of Mia, no shadows lurking in the corners of my mind. For the first time in what felt like an eternity, I was free. And I was ready to go home. Atlas stood before me, his golden eyes burning with unspoken emotion. He hadn’t changed—still as strong, still as breathtakingly commanding as the day we met. But there was something softer about him now. Something that told me he had waited for this moment, hoping, yet never forcing me into a decision I wasn’t ready to make. But I was ready now. “I never thought I’d see the day,” Atlas murmured, his voice deep and rich. “Zara, you’re back.” I stepped closer, inhaling his familiar scent—pine, rain, and something uniquely his. “I never should have left in the first place.” His jaw tensed, his hands
Zara’s POV The road back to Atlas’s pack felt surreal. For six months, I had lived in a distant pack, training and healing, away from the chaos of my past. No threats, no whispers of Mia, no enemies lurking in the shadows. But I had been restless. Something inside me ached, not with fear, but with longing. I wanted to belong. And I knew where I belonged. The closer I got to Atlas’s territory, the more my wolf stirred inside me. She had been restless, urging me to return to the man who had once claimed me. Atlas had given me the freedom to leave, never demanding my return, but I knew he had never given up on me. I stood at the border, inhaling the familiar scent of pine, fresh rain, and something uniquely Atlas. A warmth spread through my chest. Then, a deep, commanding voice rang through the trees. “Zara.” I turned to see him. Atlas. He stood there, powerful and unwavering, his golden eyes locked onto mine. My heart skipped. He was the same man I had left behind—broad shoul
Zara’s POV The whisper echoed like a breath across my skin, soft and cold, raising goosebumps along my arms. My eyes snapped open, the velvet shadows of the room pressing in close, and yet… nothing moved. Atlas slept beside me, steady and unaware, his arm draped protectively across my waist. My breath caught. I sat up slowly, careful not to disturb him, and stared into the moonlit darkness that filtered through the windows. No footsteps. No movement. No sign of life beyond these walls. But I had *heard* it. A voice. Not imagined. Not dreamt. Real. Find me. My hands trembled slightly as I swung my legs off the bed, quietly tiptoeing toward the balcony. The breeze outside kissed my skin, stirring my nightgown as I gripped the stone railing. The forest beyond looked as peaceful as ever. And yet, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something—*someone*—was calling to me. Not a threat. Not Mia. Not Selene. This felt… older. Familiar in a strange, bone-deep way. “Zara?”
Thorold’s POV The night air was thick with the scent of pine and damp earth. The only sound was the distant rush of a river cutting through the valley below. I stood at the edge of the cliffs, staring into the darkness, my heart pounding as if it knew something I didn’t. "Sixteen years." That’s how long I had been here, hidden away, trained in secret, raised by those who spoke in whispers and moved like shadows. But the truth was, I didn’t know who I really was. I had no memories of a mother or father—only the cold, watchful eyes of Arcturus and the others who had shaped me into what I was now. A warrior. A weapon. A secret waiting to be revealed. But I wasn’t just any wolf. I was something else. Something... more. The Fortress of Eldoria The fortress where I lived—Eldoria—was hidden deep within the mountains, protected by layers of ancient magic. Few knew of its existence, and even fewer could enter. It was a place for those who didn’t belong anywhere else. The peopl
Chapter 4 Thorold’s POVThe figure moved through the mist like it obeyed him, parting with every deliberate step. Cloaked in obsidian black with a hood pulled low over his face, he looked like a creature conjured from one of the forbidden scrolls in the Eldoria archives. Everything in me tensed—my claws itched beneath my skin, my wolf alert and growling.He didn’t belong here.No one just entered Eldoria.My training screamed at me to shift, to attack, but something—some strange, ancient instinct—kept me rooted.He stopped a few feet away, and even though I couldn’t see his face clearly, I could feel his eyes on me. Studying me. Measuring me."You're taller than I expected,” he said finally, his voice smooth, melodic, and ageless. “And stronger.”I didn’t reply. Instead, I squared my shoulders and lifted my chin. “Who are you? And how did you get past the wards?”A hint of amusement curled in his tone. “Wards bend for those they recognize.”My blood chilled. “What does that mean?”He
Thorold’s POVWhen I woke the next morning, there was something different in the air. It wasn’t the threat that had haunted me in my dreams. It wasn’t fear or battle-readiness humming through the walls of Stormfang.It was... excitement.And it terrified me more than anything else.I found my parents waiting in the war room—not dressed for battle, but dressed like this was a normal day. Zara wore a simple silver tunic, her hair braided back neatly. Ryker leaned against the table, arms folded, wearing dark leathers but no armor.Seris sat in the corner, sipping tea, a faint smile tugging at her lips.Something was up.Ryker straightened. “We’ve made a decision.”I stiffened. “About what?”My mother Zara stepped forward, her hands clasped loosely. “You need more than just fighting, Thorold. More than just strength.”I frowned. “I’m already training harder than most warriors.”“Yes,” she agreed gently. “But that's not all being an Alpha—or the Veilborn—requires.”I stared between them. “
Thorold’s POV Stormfang had welcomed me and my parents had embraced me. The walls I had built around my heart had cracked But peace had never felt heavier. Everywhere I turned, I saw what could have been—the boy I should have been, the life I should have lived. Training grounds where I would have sparred alongside future warriors. The great library where my mother would have read to me beneath the golden banners. The alpha's war room where my father would have taught me about duty and leadership. Instead, I was a stranger here. A ghost wearing flesh. And every time I breathed in Stormfang’s scent—the scent of pine, frost, and pack—I wondered if I could ever truly belong. Training in the Old Ways “You're stiff,” Ryker said, circling me in the empty training yard. The sunrise lit his golden eyes, turning him into a shadow and flame figure. “I'm adjusting,” I grunted, rolling my shoulders. “You don’t have time to adjust,” he snapped—not cruelly, but urgently. “You’re th
Thorold’s POV The gates loomed in the distance—tall, silver-capped, and guarded by two towering stone wolves that glinted in the sunlight. The name had always sounded like a myth to me. A distant place spoken about only in riddles and half-truths. The pack my blood came from. The home I was never meant to see. And yet… here I was. Riding between two legends—my father, Alpha Ryker, his expression unreadable; and my mother, Luna Zara, her presence radiating calm even as her fingers gripped the reins of her horse just a little too tightly. This was the place where I would have taken my first steps. Spoken my first word. Shifted for the first time. Instead, I was returning as a stranger. But not for long. I glanced sideways at them—my parents. Even thinking the word still felt foreign. Parents. I had said it aloud for the first time only days ago, and now it beat through my chest like a new rhythm I hadn’t learned to dance to yet. They were quiet beside me. But not distant. Not
Zara’s POVThe world was silent.Not even the wind dared speak as I stepped toward him—toward the boy who had haunted my dreams, lived in the hollow spaces of my soul, and burned in the back of my mind even when I couldn’t remember why.Thorold.He stood tall, wrapped in leather armor laced with symbols I didn’t recognize. His shoulders were broad, his eyes sharp like the edge of the moon. There was something wild and ancient about him, something that didn’t belong to this world entirely.But when he looked at me—really looked at me—I saw it.The little boy I had held for only moments before he was taken away. The baby I had whispered promises to in the dark. The life I thought I’d never see again.His mouth parted as if to speak, but no sound came.I took another step.Then another.Ryker was beside me, tense but silent. I could feel his heart pounding as loudly as mine.We weren’t Alpha and Luna now. We weren’t warriors or rulers or legend-bound lovers.We were just two broken peopl
Absolutely! Here's an intense, emotional, and captivating Chapter 10 from Zara (Zara’s POV) Dawn the gates of our pack was opened. I stood between two worlds—the one I had rebuilt from ashes, and the one waiting at the edge of destiny. Every heartbeat whispered the same word through my veins. Thorold. “Are you ready?” Seris asked, her eyes glowing faintly with power. I nodded once. “I’ve been ready since the moment I remembered his name.” Ryker stood beside me, his presence like a shield of steel and fury. He wore his Alpha armor—midnight black etched with silver—but it wasn’t the armor that made him feel so commanding. It was the storm in his eyes. He was holding himself together by sheer force of will. “I want to run,” I whispered. “I want to shift and run until my paws bleed.” Ryker gave a grim nod. “Same.” Seris mounted her mare, white as starlight, eyes fixed on the road ahead. “Then we go. The veil is thinning. The moment is near.” The Journey Begins We run-faster ,
(Zara’s POV I didn’t expect him to knock. Ryker never knocked. Not back then. He used to barge in, all Alpha command and heavy steps, like his presence was both declaration and promise. But this time, he stood silently outside the guest wing door, waiting. When I opened it, I barely recognized him. The same golden eyes. The same powerful frame. But his edges had softened. There was pain behind the strength, and something that hadn’t been there before. Humility. “May I come in?” he asked, voice low and quiet. I nodded. He stepped inside, looking around the room I had claimed since returning to the pack.I hadn’t moved into the Luna’s quarters. I wasn’t ready for that yet. Too much had happened. Too many pieces still scattered between us. But now… now we were preparing to meet the one piece that had never stopped belonging to both of us, Our son. We didn’t speak at first. He stood near the window, watching the wind sweep through the pines outside. I sat on the edge of the bed,
Thorold’s POVThe stars pulsed that night.I couldn’t sleep. My body was too restless, my mind wired with strange energy that wouldn’t settle. Something had shifted. I could feel it in my bones, in the way my heart beat faster without reason, in how my wolf paced under my skin like it was preparing for something ancient.And then, I heard it.Not in my ears. Not in the wind.But in my soul.A howl. Deep. Raw. Echoing across realms and reaching for something buried inside me.It wasn’t a call to battle.My body snapped upright in bed, drenched in sweat. My chest heaved, every breath tight and burning. My wolf surged forward, eyes glowing, claws half-formed.My lips parted before I even knew what I was doing.And I howled back.It was instinct. Bone-deep. Agonizing. Like opening a door that had been locked all my life.And through that door rushed memories that weren’t mine. Not images—feelings. A weighty kind of love. Loss. Regret. Hope so powerful it nearly brought me to my knees.My
Alpha Ryker’s POV I had grown accustomed to silence. Not the kind that comes from solitude or peace. No—the silence that wrapped itself around me like a second skin was different. It was the hollow, gnawing kind. The kind that lived in your bones. The kind that came after losing something you never truly got the chance to hold. Sixteen years. That’s how long it had been since I watched the woman I loved break into pieces to protect a child the world wasn’t ready to embrace. Sixteen years since I felt the brief, flickering warmth of a tiny body against my chest—my son. Our son. And then, he was gone. Taken to protect him. To protect her. Zara chose to forget. The decision had nearly destroyed me, but I let her make it. Because she believed it was the only way to keep him safe. And maybe, deep down, so did I. But the silence never left. Not in my halls. Not in the forests I patrolled. Not in the bed I still couldn’t sleep in without imagining what could have been. The kn
Zara’s POV It started with the wind. Soft at first. Then insistent. I was walking through the gardens behind the packhouse, letting the moonlight kiss my skin, enjoying the stillness. For months, peace had wrapped around me like a long-forgotten lover. No whispers of Mia, no attacks, no shadows clawing at my doorstep. Just the serenity of love—Ryker by my side, my title as Luna sealed, and a life I had finally claimed. But the wind changed that night. It whispered. Not in words, but in sensation. A pull. A tremor in the earth beneath my bare feet. My wolf stirred, her ears perking, her body tense. And then—I heard it. “Mother.” The word didn’t come from any direction I could name. It was within me, around me, threaded through my veins. I staggered, catching myself against the trunk of the moonwood tree, heart pounding. “Mother, find me.” The world faded. The stars above blinked out one by one. I felt my knees give way, my vision blurring as something ancient surged forward.