Caius's POV I arrived at the Shadowfang area with perfect timing. The moon was rising, chaos was brewing, and alliances were about to change. Just as I'd planned. Twenty of my best vampire warriors flanked me as we approached the main gates. I'd dressed for the event in formal Vampire Court attire - midnight blue robes with silver trim that marked me as royalty. "Remember," I told my soldiers, "we're here under the diplomatic banner. No killing unless I command it." The wolves at the gate bared their teeth when they caught our smell. Vampires on werewolf land during a full moon? Unheard of. Yet they couldn't deny entry to a royal foreign envoy. Those were the old laws. "Prince Caius Blackthorne requests audience with Alpha Kieran," I announced, letting my voice carry the weight of centuries. The guards traded nervous glances. "The Alpha is... indisposed." I smiled, showing just a hint of fang. "Then I'll speak with whoever is in charge." Before they could answer, a howl r
Ronan's POV While everyone rushed to fight against the Midnight Queen's attack, I slipped through the shadows of the packhouse. My footsteps quiet, my heart thundering. The chaos was my best cover. Kieran's wolves were scattered, fighting alongside Caius's vampire fighters at the perimeter. I'd caught a glimpse of Caius earlier - the smug vampire prince with his polite smile. He wanted Sienna too. They all did. But she was mine first. Before they took her memories. Before they stole what we had. The bits of memory that had been returning to me weren't just dreams. They were real. Sienna and I had been linked once, our lives intertwined, until someone tore us apart. Tonight, I would find proof. The lower levels of the packhouse were eerily quiet compared to the fight raging outside. I followed the smell of old magic - dust and herbs and something like dried blood. A locked door at the end of a narrow hallway caught my eye. Not just any lock - one inscribed with old symbols
Isolde's POV The moon hung bloated and bright as I reached the edge of Shadowfang territory. Perfect time. Nothing like a good battle to provide cover for a witch with a goal. I pulled my dark robe tighter and touched the amulet nestled in my pocket. Its magic pulsed against my fingers, warm and alive. A safety spell meant for Sienna – if she proved worthy of it. Ahead, chaos raged. Werewolves and vampires clashed with Midnight Syndicate troops. Blood smelled the air, sharp and metallic. They were all so busy killing each other, none noticed the solitary figure slipping through the darkness. Magic shimmered around me, a shielding spell that bent light and attention away. A simple trick, but successful. The fools thought the Midnight Queen was their biggest problem tonight. They had no idea what was coming. I skirted the main fight, moving toward the packhouse where my senses told me Sienna would be. Her ruby power called to me – familiar, like a tune I'd heard in childhood.
Zeke's POV I felt it the moment I crossed into Shadowfang land – a pull in my blood like a hook behind my ribs. Magic hung thick in the air, mixed with the copper tang of blood and the bitter smell of burning wood. The Syndicate attack was in full swing. Perfect cover. I kept to the shadows, my black combat gear helping me blend into the night. The Midnight Queen's orders rang in my head: "Find the Ruby Wolf. Bring her back alive." What she didn't know was that I had my own plans. My improved senses picked up the chaos before I saw it. Werewolves and vampires locked in fight with Syndicate soldiers. Bodies crumpled on bloodstained grass. The moon watched it all, fat and uncaring. I cut through the battlefield like a ghost, avoiding claws and fangs, my twin daggers flashing only when necessary. My goal wasn't out here among the cannon fodder. She would be inside – safe. The packhouse loomed ahead, windows glowing with strange light. Ruby light. A chill ran down my spine.
The Midnight Queen's POVI watched them through my scrying bowl, fingers holding the obsidian edge until my knuckles whitened. Water darkened with my blood showed me everything – the battle, the chaos, and the final betrayal."Impossible," I whispered, watching ruby light dance between the twins.My sanctuary stayed cold despite the dozen black candles burning around me. Ancient books and papers littered the marble floor. The skull of the first Ruby Wolf – my ancestor – grinned at me from its perch."You find this amusing?" I asked it. "You, who promised me vengeance?"On the water's surface, my troops fell to werewolf claws and vampire fangs. Pathetic. But worse was the sight of Ezekiel – my perfect weapon – standing with his sister instead of catching her.Rage bubbled up inside me, hot and familiar. I welcomed it like an old friend."Commander Vail," I snapped.My second-in-command stepped from the darkness, face half-hidden beneath her hood. "My Queen?""The mission is failing. Pr
Sienna's POV The first rays of sunrise painted the sky pink and gold as I stood in what left of the packhouse's east wing. Broken glass crunched under my boots. The air smelled of smoke, blood, and magic – a terrible mix that made my stomach turn. Last night felt like a nightmare, but the destruction around me showed it was real. The Midnight Syndicate attack. Isolde's admission that she was my aunt. The Queen having Lysandra. And most shocking of all – Zeke, my twin brother, living after all these years. My fingers touched the charm hanging around my neck. After Ronan's arrow hit Lysandra, the dark magic binding us had disappeared. But the Queen's words stayed, echoing in my mind: Blood calls to blood. "Sienna." I turned to find Darius, Kieran's Beta, his face grim beneath quickly bandaged wounds. "How bad?" I asked. "Twelve dead. Twenty-eight hurt." His eyes swept over the damage. "Could've been worse." "And Kieran?" Something flashed across Darius's face – worry? F
Sienna's POV A young girl, barely a teenager, shaking as her newly awakened powers flowed into the crystal. The visions flashed faster. Dozens of Ruby Wolves across ages, all bound by blood and power. All facing the trial. Then one vision remained longer than the others. A beautiful woman with dark hair and recognizable features held the prism, her ruby markings glowing brilliantly. But as I watched, evil seeped into her fire, corruption spreading through her power. I gasped as I recognized her face – younger, unmarked by hate, but unmistakable. The Midnight Queen. Before she became the monster she was now. The vision changed again, showing her crying out in pain and rage as a man turned away from her, rejection clear in his stance. "What happened to her?" I whispered, though I wasn't sure if Isolde could hear me in this vision-state. Blood calls to blood. The Queen's voice seemed to answer from everywhere and nowhere. We are the same, you and I. "No!" I pushed back
Darius POV As I walked to the meeting hall, fear clawed at my chest. How long could I keep this act going? The Queen would expect results after last night's failure. She'd want Sienna – or at least her blood – soon. The council room buzzed with stress. Kieran stood at the head table, his eyes that disturbing new color. Sienna sat nearby, her face worried. Twenty senior pack members filled the remaining seats, all watching me as I entered with Ronan. "Now that everyone's here," Kieran growled, "we need answers. How did they get past our defenses?" All eyes turned to me. As Beta and security chief, this mistake was mine. "The wards were tampered with," I said firmly. "Someone used magic to create a blind spot at the north gate." "Someone inside the pack?" Kieran's new eyes bored into me. "Possibly," I admitted. "Or someone who gained access earlier." Ronan spoke up. "Interesting that you're so quick to point fingers elsewhere, Beta." The room went quiet. I felt sweat be
Caius's POV The old library beneath the Vampire High Court was silent except for the rustle of pages. Dust motes floated in the dim lighting as I hunched over texts so old they crumbled at my touch. "Careful with that one, Your Highness," my elderly librarian warned. "That manuscript predates even your grandfather." I ignored him, my fingers tracing the faded drawings of ruby-colored wolves with glowing eyes. Three days had passed since I'd last seen Sienna, and the image of her fire wings haunted me. Not just for their beauty, but for what they meant. "Leave me," I ordered without looking up. When the door closed, I relaxed my perfect stance. Five centuries of being the perfect prince got tiresome. I rubbed my temples and pulled the oldest book closer – its black cover made from some unidentified skin, its pages yellow with age. The text was written in Ancient Vampiric, a language only royal clans still learned.
Kieran's POVThe great hall of the Shadowfang Pack territory hummed with anxiety. Ten Alpha werewolves sat around the huge oak table, their eyes fixed on me. Each led their own pack, but all recognized the Shadowfang's authority. For now.I paced at the head of the table, my wolf scratching beneath my skin. The silver poison still burned in my veins from the last fight, weakening me when I needed strength most."You've called us here at a dangerous time, Kieran," growled Arlo, the gray-bearded Alpha of the Northern Claw Pack. "With the Blood Moon approaching, we should be securing our territories, not attending meetings."I stopped pacing and put my palms on the table, letting my eyes shift to their wolf form – golden with red flecks."I called you here because of the danger," I said, my voice cutting through the murmurs. "The Midnight Syndicate has made their move. The Blood Moon won't just bring my curse this time – it brings war."Darius sto
Ronan's POVThe trees blurred past us as I carried Sienna through the darkness. Her golden fire wings had faded, leaving her tired in my arms. The Midnight Queen's revelation still echoed in my mind – the queen was Sienna's grandma. Another piece of the puzzle I hadn't seen coming."Almost there," I whispered, feeling her stir against my chest.The cabin emerged through the trees – small, weathered, but secure. My safe harbor for the past five years. No one knew about this place, not even my old handlers at the Syndicate."Where are we?" Sienna mumbled, her ruby-red eyes fluttering open."Somewhere safe." I kicked open the door, carrying her inside.The cabin was sparse but practical – a bed, a fireplace, basic supplies. I gently laid Sienna down and lit the fire with practiced moves."You've been here before," she noticed, pushing herself up on her elbows."It's mine." I gave her water from my pack. "Built it myself after I escaped. Th
Midnight Queen's POVI stood on the balcony of my refuge, hidden deep within the misty mountains where no wolf pack dared to trespass. Below me, dozens of my hybrid troops trained in the courtyard, their unnatural movements a testament to my power. Some leaped impossible heights, others turned limbs into weapons. My dream army.Five centuries of planning, of waiting, of sacrifice all for this moment."My Queen." My attendant bowed deeply as she neared. "The ritual chamber is prepared as you ordered."I turned, letting my hood fall back. Most feared to look upon my face a face that had once been beautiful, now marked with the cost of dark magic. Silver scars traced patterns around my ruby-red eyes, the price I'd paid for life."And the twins?" I asked."The boy was swept away by the Shadow River. Our scouts search for him now. The girl grows stronger her fire has evolved."I wasn't shocked. My niece had always been special, even as a baby. W
Darius's POVI waited until the pack house was quiet before slipping away. The smell of silver still hung in the air from Kieran's poisoning, making my nose scrunch with disgust. They were all so busy caring about their precious Alpha that no one noticed me leave.Fools.The forest received me with shadows as I changed, my wolf form melting through the trees like a ghost. This was the part I loved the freedom, the secret, the thrill of deception. Being Beta to the mighty Kieran Wolfe had its perks, but serving a greater power gave me purpose.Twenty minutes of hard running brought me to the meeting place an abandoned hunter's shack deep in neutral territory. I shifted back, quickly pulling on the clothes I'd stashed behind a hollow tree.The cabin door creaked as I pushed it open. A hooded person sat at the table, face hidden in dark."You're late," the figure said, voice twisted by magic.I dropped to one knee, head bowed. "Forgive me, Mis
Sienna's POVThe moon lit my way as I ran through the forest, my heart beating in my chest. Caius's last words echoed in my mind. "Even if that cost was Sienna's life. Or her love."I'd heard everything while hiding in the dark of his house. The Vampire Prince wasn't just using me he wanted to take my power, my blood. The truth burned worse than any fire I could summon.The smell of blood hit me first. Then smoke. I slowed my pace as I reached a small area, where a dozen bodies lay scattered on the ground. Midnight Syndicate killers, their black outfits now stained with darker patches.And in the middle of this chaos stood a man I'd recognize anywhere."Ronan," I whispered.He turned, silver eyes catching the moonlight. Blood splattered his face and clothes, but he was alive. The Phantom Wolf my phantom."You shouldn't be here," he said, voice rough. "It's not safe."I stepped over a fallen attacker. "Nowhere is safe anymore."Ronan
Caius's POVI returned to my home as the moon hung high in the night sky. The talk with Zeke had gone perfectly another piece moved on the board exactly where I wanted it.The grand hall of the Vampire Court fell silent as I entered. Fifty of my kind stood at attention, their eyes sparkling with hunger and respect. Unlike the wild werewolves, my court understood order."My Prince," my helper Livia bowed deeply, her platinum hair catching the candlelight. "The scouts have returned with news."I took my seat on the obsidian throne, letting my gaze sweep over the gathered vampires. "And?""The Midnight Queen has revealed herself to the Alpha," Livia said. "Kieran Wolfe is poisoned with silver but alive. The Ruby Wolf remains by his side."I tapped my fingers against the chair, feeling a smile tug at my lips. "And Zeke?""Heading toward his sister, as you predicted."Perfect. Everything was happening according to my plan. Five hundred years of waiting was finally bearing fruit."Leave us,
Zeke's POVThe forest was quiet as I tracked my sister's smell. Not as a hunter this time, but as something else something I wasn't sure I could name yet.I moved quietly between the trees, following the faint trail Sienna had left behind. The Midnight Syndicate thought I was still working for them. They'd be angry when they found I'd gone rogue.But after seeing Kieran's pack house, after watching the Queen show herself wearing Elena's face, something had snapped inside me.A memory hit me so suddenly I had to stop and lean against a tree.Two small children playing in a yard. A girl with bright red hair. A boy me chasing after her."Catch me, Zeke!" she called, laughing as she ran."I'm coming, Sienna!" I yelled back, my little legs pumping hard to keep up.I shook my head, trying to clear it. These memories kept coming more frequently now, breaking through whatever spell the Syndicate had used to hide them.For fifteen years, they'd told me my sister was a monster. That she'd kille
Isolde's POVI stood in the abandoned church, the moonlight streaming through the cracks in the broken roof. My hands shook as I clutched the old grimoire tightly to my chest. For twenty years, I had served a cause I once believed in. Twenty years of lies, of secrets, of serving someone I thought was doing the right thing. But now, everything was falling apart. The truth was coming out, and I didn’t know if I could fix it.The air around me got colder, and I knew she was here. The Midnight Queen. The woman I had served for so long. She stepped out of the darkness, no longer wearing the face of Elena, the kind woman I had once known. This was her true face a face I had known since I was a kid. Her eyes glowed with a power that made my skin crawl."You’re late," I said, trying to keep my voice calm even though my heart was pounding.The Queen smiled, but it wasn’t a kind smile. It was cold and dangerous. "I had business to attend to," she replied. "Kieran knows who I am now. That change