Chapter 9Alina’s POV The cold night air bit at my skin as Damien and I raced through the woods, our bodies tense from the fight we had just barely escaped. My breath came in ragged gasps, my heart still pounding from the adrenaline. The sound of rustling leaves and snapping branches filled my ears as we ran deeper into the forest. Damien finally slowed, his sharp eyes scanning the surroundings. He turned to me, his expression unreadable. "We need to regroup," he said, his voice low but firm. I nodded, trying to steady my breathing. My hands were still shaking, not just from the fight, but from the realization that we had almost been captured—or worse. Viktor had been expecting us. That wasn’t a coincidence. Someone had tipped him off. I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palm. "Damien, there’s a traitor. Someone is feeding Viktor information about us." Damien’s jaw tightened, his eyes darkening. "I know." His voice was sharp, controlled, but I could see the fur
Chapter 10Alina's POV The morning light barely filtered through the cabin’s old curtains, casting a dim glow over the small space. My body ached from the previous night—both from exhaustion and the weight of everything that had happened. I pushed myself up on the couch, stretching out the stiffness in my limbs. Damien was already awake, sitting at the small wooden table near the window. His sharp eyes were fixed on something outside, his body tense, like a predator ready to strike. “You didn’t sleep,” I noted, my voice hoarse. He didn’t look at me. “Couldn’t.” I studied him for a moment. Damien Flecker was an enigma—powerful, confident, but burdened with something dark. His rage toward Viktor ran deep, and while I understood his hatred, I still didn’t know the full story. “We need to talk,” I said, moving toward him. “About last night.” He finally turned his gaze to me, his blue eyes piercing. “I know. I’ve been thinking about it all night.” “Then tell me,” I demanded
Chapter 11 Alina's POV The tension in the village was almost suffocating. I could feel the wolves watching me, their stares ranging from curiosity to outright suspicion. Some whispered as I passed, others remained silent, their expressions unreadable. I had expected resistance—after all, I was an outsider, a human—or so they thought. Damien walked beside me with effortless confidence, his hand resting lightly on my lower back as if to remind them that I belonged here. That I was his. That was the lie we had to sell. But as we reached the large, rustic building at the heart of the village, I realized this wasn’t just about pretending. This was about survival. Inside, the air was thick with the scent of wood, leather, and something distinctly wolf-like. A few warriors sat around a long wooden table, their gazes sharp as we entered. Lucas, the man who had greeted us at the border, was already there, arms crossed over his chest. He eyed me again, but this time, his suspicion
Chapter 12 Damien's POV I had barely contained my anger when Alina agreed to Lucas’s challenge. The pack was ruthless when it came to proving strength, and they wouldn’t hold back just because she was human—or at least, they thought she was. As soon as we left the meeting hall, I grabbed her wrist, pulling her aside. “What the hell were you thinking?” Alina yanked her hand free, her eyes blazing with defiance. “I was thinking about survival.” “You don’t need to prove anything to them.” My voice was low, rough. “I already told them you’re my Luna. That should be enough.” She let out a sharp laugh, shaking her head. “Damien, your pack isn’t stupid. They smell deception a mile away. If they don’t see me as strong, they won’t follow me. And if they don’t follow me, they’ll turn on us both the moment things start falling apart.” She wasn’t wrong. That was what frustrated me the most. I had spent years building loyalty, leading with an iron grip, ensuring no one questioned
Chapter 13Alina's POV Pain spread through my muscles the moment I opened my eyes. Every inch of my body ached from last night’s training, but I refused to let that stop me. I had made a choice. A challenge had been issued, and I wasn’t about to back down. If I was going to take my revenge, if I was going to stand by Damien’s side as his Luna—even if it was only for show—I needed to be strong. I pulled myself out of bed, wincing as my feet touched the cold wooden floor. The early morning air was crisp, the sky still painted in streaks of purple and orange. A knock on my door pulled me from my thoughts. “Come in,” I called. The door swung open, and Damien stepped inside. He looked effortlessly composed, his dark hair slightly tousled, his sharp eyes scanning me as if assessing whether I’d make it through the day. “You look like hell,” he said. “Good morning to you too, Alpha.” I smirked, stretching my arms despite the soreness. “I’m alive, aren’t I?” He leaned against
Chapter 14 Damien's POV I had seen many fights in my life—some brutal, some honorable—but none had intrigued me the way Alina’s battle with Lucas had. She was human, yet she fought like a wolf backed into a corner. Her resilience, her unwavering defiance, was unlike anything I had ever seen before. I watched as she stood in the center of the training grounds, chest heaving, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth, yet victorious. The pack had no choice but to acknowledge her. Something had changed in her during that fight. I had felt it. The air around her had shifted, thick with something primal. The way she moved, the way she struck Lucas with unnatural strength—it wasn’t human. And I wasn’t the only one who noticed. Killian had been watching her closely, his brow furrowed as if he, too, sensed that something was off. The warriors exchanged murmurs, but no one dared to question her victory. Alina had won. She had proven herself. But at what cost? She turned to
Chapter 15 Alina's POV A sharp pain throbbed through my body as I woke. Every muscle burned, every inch of me aching from the fight with Lucas. For a moment, I just lay there, staring at the wooden ceiling, trying to piece together everything that had happened. I had won. I had felt something inside me shift. And for the first time, I had been truly afraid—not of losing, but of what I had become in that moment. That growl, that raw strength… it hadn’t been normal. I pushed myself up slowly, wincing as my ribs protested. The room was quiet, but I could feel it—the lingering tension in the air, as if the pack itself was still trying to process what had happened. They saw me as an outsider, and now, they saw me as something more. Something dangerous. A knock on the door broke through my thoughts. "Come in," I called, my voice hoarse. The door swung open, and to my surprise, it was Killian who stepped inside. His green eyes studied me carefully, assessing. "You'r
Chapter 16 Damien's POV The scent of blood was thick in the air, sharp and unmistakable. It sent my instincts into overdrive, my muscles coiling with tension. Alina stiffened beside me, her eyes wide with alarm. I could feel the uncertainty radiating from her, but there was no time for hesitation. Another howl echoed through the trees, this one laced with unmistakable pain. "Stay close," I ordered before taking off toward the sound. Alina didn’t hesitate. She followed, her footsteps quick and sure, even as the scent of blood grew stronger. The pack warriors were already gathering at the northern border when we arrived. Several wolves had shifted, their hackles raised, their eyes scanning the trees. Killian was crouched beside a fallen body, his fingers pressed against the wolf’s neck. He looked up as we approached, his expression grim. "He’s alive," Killian reported. "But barely." The wolf on the ground was one of our scouts, his fur matted with blood, deep gashes
Chapter 30Damien's POVThe cold, oppressive air of the sanctuary pressed in on me as I stood at the threshold of the ancient chamber, my heart pounding in time with the distant, ominous chanting.Every nerve in my body screamed that something was terribly wrong, yet I could not tear my eyes away from the spectacle unfolding before us. The barrier of shimmering energy had risen suddenly, encasing the entire underground courtyard in an otherworldly glow, and beyond it, the hooded cultists had gathered in a tight circle around a massive stone platform.Their voices melded into a single, unholy hymn that reverberated off the cavern walls and set the very stones trembling. Beside me, I could see Alina’s face set in a determined mask, but beneath that stoic exterior, her eyes betrayed fear and uncertainty.I knew that the power within her, the ancient force that had been awakened, was as much a blessing as it was a curse, and now the prophecy was forcing our hand.My mind raced with possib
Chapter 29Damien's POV The first rays of dawn barely touched the horizon when I stepped out of the packhouse, my senses already sharpened for the day ahead. The air was thick with anticipation, every warrior in the camp moving with purpose. Word of Alina’s victory against the rogue champion had spread like wildfire, but it had done little to ease the weight pressing down on my chest. She had fought well—ferociously, even. Yet, beneath the triumph, I saw the shadow of something else. A force inside her that she barely understood. A power that surged unpredictably, as if waiting for the right moment to consume her. I found her standing near the training grounds, watching the sparring warriors with an intensity that told me she wasn’t seeing them at all. Her mind was elsewhere. Caught between the battle she had won and the prophecy that still loomed over her. “Alina.” I called her name gently, stepping beside her. She turned, and for a moment, the storm in her silver eyes flic
Chapter 28Alina's POVI stood at the edge of the rogue territory, my heart pounding like a war drum, as the early morning light struggled to pierce through the dense canopy overhead. The chill in the air mingled with a palpable tension that clung to every leaf and stone.Damien’s words from the packhouse still echoed in my mind—warnings of a trade and a challenge for the sake of finding the elder. Now, as we faced the roving band of rogue warriors who emerged silently from the shadows, I knew there was no turning back. We had come too far, and the answers we sought lay just beyond this confrontation.The rogue leader, a tall, scarred man with a sneer permanently etched on his face, stepped forward. His eyes, dark and calculating, locked onto mine as he spoke in a voice rough as gravel. “You’re a brave one, aren’t you? Accepting a challenge when you should be trembling in fear.” His words dripped with disdain, yet there was an undercurrent of respect beneath it all.I squared my shoul
Chapter 27Alina's POV The air in the chamber remained thick with the lingering presence of that shadowed figure. My breath came fast, my skin still tingling with the remnants of the power I had unleashed. My fingers curled into fists, my nails digging into my palms as I struggled to steady myself. Damien stood beside me, his chest rising and falling heavily, his body still tense from the confrontation. His golden eyes flicked toward me, scanning for injuries. “Are you hurt?” I shook my head slowly, even though I wasn’t entirely sure. Physically, I was intact, but something inside me had shifted. That thing—whoever or whatever it was—had spoken of sacrifice, of the price for the Forsaken power I had called upon. My soul. A chill ran through me. “We need to leave,” Damien said, his voice rough. He shot a glare at the remaining cultists, who were still kneeling, too terrified to even breathe too loudly. “Now.” I hesitated, my gaze shifting back to the stone altar where the r
Chapter 26Alina's POV The chamber trembled beneath my feet as the shadowed figure stepped closer, its presence a void that seemed to swallow even the dim flickering torchlight. My breath caught in my throat. The power coursing through me felt raw, unstable, as though I was balancing on the edge of a blade. My decision had set something in motion—something far greater than I had ever imagined. Damien’s grip on my arm tightened. His body was tense, poised for battle, his golden eyes locked onto the figure before us. “Who are you?” he demanded, his voice sharp, authoritative. The figure let out a low chuckle, the sound slithering through the cavern like a creeping mist. “Who I am does not matter. What matters is that the vessel has made her choice.” His voice sent a shudder through me, an ancient whisper curling around my thoughts like vines seeking to ensnare my mind. The cultists around us had fallen to their knees, their heads bowed, their hands trembling as they pressed them
Chapter 25Alina's POVI felt as though I was standing on the very edge of oblivion. The spectral shape’s roar still reverberated in my ears, a monstrous sound that shattered the eerie silence of the courtyard. In that moment, as the cultists’ chanting fell to a trembling halt and their eyes widened with fear, I knew that my destiny was no longer a matter of choice—it was a demand, an implacable force that would force me to decide in an instant whether I would embrace the power within or be consumed by it.For what felt like an eternity, I stood frozen before the stone platform, my heart pounding so fiercely I could almost hear its rhythm. The ancient altar pulsed beneath my feet, its runes glowing with a fierce intensity that illuminated the terrified faces of the cultists encircling us. Damien’s steady hand on my shoulder reminded me that I was not alone, yet the weight of the moment threatened to crush my resolve. I recalled every warning, every whispered prophecy—the seer’s omino
Chapter 24Alina's POVThe ride to the northern sanctuary felt endless, the landscape around us transforming from familiar forests to jagged cliffs and barren stretches of rock. My mind was a whirlwind of emotions—fear, determination, and a desperate longing for answers. I sat close to Damien, the steady rhythm of his horse’s hooves a small comfort against the chaotic beating of my heart. Every step we took toward the hidden sanctuary increased the weight of destiny on my shoulders. I could still feel the raw power pulsing beneath my skin, the strange burning sensation that had emerged during the fight. It was a constant reminder that something inside me was awakening, something both magnificent and terrifying.Damien rode silently for a long while, his gaze fixed on the horizon. Occasionally, I caught a glimpse of concern in his eyes as he glanced in my direction, as though silently asking if I was ready for what lay ahead. I managed a small nod each time, though inside I was anythin
Chapter 23Damien's POVThe weight of destiny pressed down on me as I led our small contingent further into the sanctuary’s hidden depths. The ancient passageway behind that mysterious door had left me with more questions than answers, and the chill of the unknown still crawled along my spine. Every step we took in the narrow corridor was laden with uncertainty; the air grew colder and thicker with every passing moment as if the very stones whispered secrets of a long-forgotten curse.I rode at the head of our group, my senses alert to every sound—a drip of water, the echo of our footsteps, the distant rustle of unseen movements. The dim glow from the altar’s green light had receded, leaving us to navigate by the flicker of our torches and the vague luminescence of ancient runes carved into the walls. I could see my men exchanging uneasy glances, and I knew they too felt the oppressive energy of the Forsaken. Alina rode close beside me. I caught brief glances of her face in the torch
Chapter 22Alina's POVI couldn’t shake the chill that had taken root in my bones after that night of howls and monstrous charges. The events of yesterday—the mysterious markings, the ritual, the formation of cloaked figures, and the ferocious beast that attacked us—had left my mind racing and my heart pounding with a mix of terror and determination. Now, as dawn broke over the eastern forest, I found myself riding alongside Damien and our contingent of warriors toward the northern sanctuary. The air was heavy with anticipation, and every rustle of leaves seemed to whisper secrets of ancient curses and forgotten magic.I sat close to Damien on my horse, our silence punctuated only by the clatter of hooves and the distant murmur of chanting carried on the wind. My thoughts swirled like the dark waters of an endless sea. I recalled the seer’s ominous words and the way the ancient sigil had burned into my mind, as if imprinting itself upon my very soul. I wondered if that power, that ine