Caius POV"I come as an ally, not an enemy," I said, raising my hands. "I have information that could save your Alpha and his Ruby Wolf."Elena's eyes narrowed. "Last I checked, vampires don't offer help without a steep price.""Let's just say I have a vested interest in preventing the Syndicate from succeeding," I replied smoothly. "The balance of power affects us all."A deafening howl cut through our standoff as Kieran partly shifted, placing himself between the twins. Sienna looked torn, her power flaring wildly as Zeke stretched a hand toward her."We don't have time for this," I hissed. "Look at their power signature. Ruby meeting ruby. Do you know what happens when twin Ruby Wolves reunite under a Blood Moon?"Elena paused. "Tell me.""The Celestial Gate opens," I said grimly. "And what comes through won't be kind to wolves or vampires."After a tense moment, she dropped her weapon. "Follow me."We circled around the clearing, coming from behind Kieran and Sienna. The air crack
The Midnight Queen's POVI seethed with rage as Zeke stormed into my underground room, ripping the silver mask from his face. The twin link I'd spent decades crafting had been severed by that arrogant vampire prince."She chose them over me," he growled, hurling the mask against the wall. "My own sister!""Your sister doesn't know what she wants," I said, circling the old stone altar at the center of the room. Blue flames danced in each corner, sending eerie shadows across the cave walls. "She's being manipulated, just as I once was."My fingers traced the carved symbols on the altarsymbols I'd learned over eight hundred years ago when I too had been a naive Ruby Wolf."Sit," I ordered, pointing to the obsidian throne beside me.Zeke obeyed, still shaking with fury. He had his sister's eyesthose same forest green eyes that burned ruby when power rushed through them. Eyes I'd once owned before darkness changed me."Did you know I was once like Sienna?" I asked softly, pouring dark drin
Darius's POVI slipped through the shadows of the Shadowfang area, my heart pounding against my ribs like a trapped animal. The moon hung low in the sky, a silent witness to my betrayal. Three days until the Blood Moon would rise again. Three days until everything I'd worked for would either pay off or fall apart."You're late," Mara hissed from behind a huge oak tree. Her Syndicate outfit blended with the darkness, but her eyes glowed an unnatural bluethe mark of the Midnight Queen's magic."It's not easy sneaking away when the entire pack is on high alert," I snapped, checking over my shoulder. "The vampire prince showing up has everyone jumpy."Mara's laugh was cold. "Caius Blackthorne. Yes, the Queen is quite... displeased about his interference."My stomach twisted at the mention of the Queen's anger. I'd seen what happened to those who failed her."I have the information she wanted," I said, taking a folded map from my jacket. "Kieran plans to move Sienna to the eastern safe hou
Zeke's POVPain shot through my body as I woke up gasping. The silver lines under my skin burned like fire. I stumbled to the mirror in my room and stared at my reflection. The mask had melted into me, leaving shimmering patterns across my face that pulsed with each breath."What am I becoming?" I whispered, pressing my fingers against the cool glass.My dreams had been filled with pictures of Sienna. Not as the enemy the Queen had always described, but as a laughing child with bright green eyes, chasing me through a field. Were these memories or tricks?A knock at the door shocked me."Enter," I called, quickly pulling up my hat to hide my face.Isolde glided in, her white hair floating around her like a cloud. "The Queen requests your presence. The attack on the Shadowfang Pack has begun."My heart jumped. "Already? But she said we had three days until""Plans have changed," Isolde interrupted. "The traitor in their pack moved too soon. We must strike while they're vulnerable."I fo
Isolde's POVI watched Zeke leave the Queen's room, the silver lines under his skin still glowing faintly. Something had changed in him. I'd seen the flicker in his eyes when the basin tipped, revealing the offering page. The Queen hadn't noticed, but I had. I always notice everything."He saw it," I whispered once he was gone.The Queen turned to me, her old eyes narrowing. "No matter. He'll bring Sienna to us, regardless. The blood bond between twins is too powerful to resist."I nodded, keeping my thoughts hidden behind a wall of practiced apathy. For ages, I'd served the Midnight Syndicate faithfully. I'd wronged the Ruby Wolves, helped hunt them to near extinction. All for a promise the Queen had made me long ago – power beyond measure.But power comes with knowledge, and lately, I'd learned too much."I'll go to the Shadowfang territory," I said. "To ensure everything proceeds as planned."The Queen studied me, mistrust dancing across her timeless face. "You've grown... interest
Kieran's POVThe veins under my skin burned like fire. I stared at my image in the small pool of water inside the cave, watching the dark lines crawl up my neck. The curse was getting worse. Much worse.I splashed cold water on my face and took a deep breath. My pack needed me now more than ever.When I turned around, Elena stood watching me. My loyal second-in-command since Darius left us."You look terrible," she said bluntly.I almost smiled. "Always honest.""The pack is scared, Kieran. They need their Alpha."I nodded, pushing away from the pool. "How many lost in the last attack?""Seven dead. Twelve wounded." Her eyes softened. "It would have been worse without Sienna. Her fire kept the north entrance secure."The mention of Sienna made the veins on my arm pulse. Since she'd arrived, the curse had gotten both stronger and weaker. I could feel the rage growing inside me, but somehow, I could also control it better when she was near."We can't stay here," I said. "Gather everyone
The beast's voice in my head was louder than ever."Kieran!" Elena's words cut through the haze of rage. "The south tunnel! There are pack members trapped!"I dropped Darius, who scrambled away, and ran toward the fallen tunnel. Smoke and dust filled the air. Frantic pack members were trying to dig through the rubble."Sienna?" I called, fear rising in my throat."She's in there," a young wolf cried. "With the children!"I pressed my hands against the fallen rocks, feeling the weight, the support. There was no way to dig through without causing another fall.The dark lines on my skin pulsed, and suddenly I knew what to do. I placed both hands flat against the largest boulder and let the curse flow through me, into the stone.The rock cracked, then split apart. Not crumbling, but breaking into perfect halves that rolled aside, leaving an opening.Gasps rose from the pack members watching."Get them out," I ordered, maintaining my attention on the rocks, keeping them stable with my newf
Sienna's POV Zeke looked at me with new understanding. "This is why she wants us both. Together, we can amplify each other's abilities."A shout from the caves stopped us. We turned to see a young wolf running toward us."Sienna! Kieran needs you now!"When I reached the cave entrance, chaos ruled. Pack members rushed back and forth, collecting weapons and supplies.Kieran stood at the center, his face grim, the dark veins still noticeable along his neck but more controlled than yesterday."Syndicate scouts," he explained when he saw me. "They've found us."My stomach dropped. "How many?""A small group for now. Just testing our defenses." His eyes met mine. "But they'll report back.""What's the plan?" I asked."We can't run again. Too many wounded." He lowered his voice so only I could hear. "I need you to help me create a defense they won't expect."I thought of what I'd just learned with Zeke. "I might have something."I quickly explained about sharing my power. Kieran's eyes wid
Sienna's POV"He's out here somewhere!" I yelled, pushing through the thick underbrush. Dawn light streamed through the trees, painting the forest in gold. My heart raced as I followed the path of disturbed leaves and broken twigs.Ronan kept pace beside me, his face tight with worry. "Sienna, we don't know if it's really him. It could be a trap."I clutched the wooden wolf carving tighter. "It's him, Ronan. I feel it."Ever since finding the carving on our porch last night, I'd been looking. My twin brother alive, not dead as I'd believed my whole life. The notebook page he'd left proved it. The writing matched the letters in my locket, the one thing I had from my mother.A flash of something dark caught my eye. I froze, then rushed forward, falling to my knees beside a folded form half-hidden among fallen leaves."Zeke!" I gasped.My brother lay motionless, his skin covered in strange black veins that looked like spider webs under his pal
Isolde's POVMoonlight streamed through the cracked window of my secret workroom as I stirred the bubbling pot. The potion glowed blue-green, sending strange shadows across the stone walls. My hands moved with practiced skill, adding pinches of rare herbs and drops of crystal water."Almost there," I whispered.This wasn't just any potion. This was memory magic – dangerous and illegal. But Sienna needed it if she was going to survive what was coming.I dropped crushed moonstone into the mixture, watching it fizz and spark. The final part waited beside me – a small vial of ruby-red liquid. Blood from the Nightrose family. My own blood.Yes, the secret I'd kept for ages. I wasn't just any witch serving the Midnight Syndicate. I was a distant cousin of the Ruby Wolves, with just enough of their old power to make this spell work.As the mixture simmered, my mind went to the past. To better days.I remembered little Sienna, just five years old,
Zeke's POVBlood dripped from my fingers as I crouched on the rocky outcrop above the small cabin. My enhanced eyes pierced the darkness, focused on the two figures moving inside. One was a tall man with silver-streaked black hair – Ronan Voss, the Phantom Wolf. The other was a woman with bright red hair that seemed to glow in the lamplight.Sienna. My younger sister.My chest tightened with a strange ache. For forty years, they told me she was the enemy. The Midnight Queen – our grandma – had raised me to hate her, to hunt her. But now, watching her through the cabin window, something felt wrong."You look just like Mom," I whispered.The words surprised me. I had no memories of our mother. Or at least, I thought I didn't. But seeing Sienna's face, something sparked inside me – flashes of a woman with the same fiery hair, the same determined jaw.I touched the metal plates beneath my skin. The Midnight Syndicate's "improvements" to make me the
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