Rhea’s POVAs I made my way through the thick woodland, the night engulfed me in its icy grasp. My limbs were sluggish from tiredness, and my breath came in ragged spurts. My deep wounds from the battle were burning with pain, and every stride sent a new wave of misery through my body. I touched my ribs, feeling the sticky wetness of blood under my ripped shirt. I didn't want to acknowledge how much harm Lilith's power had caused. But I was unable to stop. Not yet. I just needed to keep going; I had no idea where I was heading. I was surrounded by the smell of pine and moist dirt, and my only company was the sound of leaves rustling in the breeze. My vision was fuzzy at the edges, and my head swirled with vertigo. The fight, Kael's rage, and Damon's caution seemed far away now, like remnants of a past existence. Before I could catch myself, my foot slammed against a root and I fell to the ground. I felt a sharp pain that knocked the wind out of my lungs. With a moan, I turned over
Rhea’s POV Standing in the center of the exiles' camp, devoid of all except instinct and willpower, I felt the sharp, biting morning air. The soldiers were already assembled, creating a rough circle around me, even though the sun had just started to rise. They had skepticism and measured interest in their eyes, but no warmth. I was a wolf from a world that had rejected me, an outcast, an unknown. However, I was here to establish myself. To find the real root of my life. I was destined for more, to bring them all together, Mireya had declared. But how could I bring people together when I hardly knew how strong I was? I had lived my entire life adhering to the packs' regimented, regulated, and predictable fighting techniques. That was not the case with the exiles. They battled like shadows, adjusting to the turmoil and combining physical prowess with an almost imperceptible agility. I needed to learn. I also needed to learn quickly. The first obstacle arrived quickly. A man strode
Kael’s POV The wind carried the scent of damp earth and pine as I stood on the balcony of my war room, staring into the dark expanse of the forest beyond. It had been weeks since Rhea vanished, and every passing day ignited something raw and feral inside me. A hunger that I refused to name.I gripped the railing, my knuckles white. "She can't have gone far," I muttered, more to myself than to anyone else.Behind me, my Beta, Dorian, stood with his arms crossed, his expression carefully neutral. "We've scouted every known rogue hideout in the region. She’s a ghost, Kael. If she doesn’t want to be found—"I yelled, cutting off any further statements that escaped his mouth. "She will be found," moving to look at him. "Whatever it takes, I don't care. I want her back.” Dorian's eyes remained fixed. I both respected and despised him since he was one of the few who dared to challenge me. His voice was lower but no less forceful as he said, "Why?" "Why is it so important? You turned her d
Damon’s POV The enormous hall of the Eclipse Coven's secret lair was filled with the smell of blood and burning herbs. The murmuring of dark-robed individuals blended with the crackling of magical candles around the walls, and they moved like shadows. The more I explored this area, the more I realized that this was more than just a group of witches vying for control. This was a destructive cult. As I followed my guide, a wiry man with hollow cheeks and eyes too black to be human, I maintained a neutral attitude. He guided me down the dark hallways until we came to an archway covered in dense purple smoke. Lilith waited outside.With onyx rings adorning her fingers that shone even in the dark, she sat on a throne of carved obsidian. As I got closer, her too-bright silver eyes stared at me. "You stand in front of me unharmed, even though you smell like a wolf." It was a venomous purr in her voice. "Damon, tell me why I shouldn't rip your heart out where it is."An inferior man would
The moon suspended heavily in the blue sky, its silvery reflection shimmering over the ancient stone altar in the middle of the sacred Moonveil forest. The air tensed with power, weighty with the scent of damp earth and jasmine. Shadows of tall iroko swayed as if whispering secrets long ignored. The Elders stood in silent circles, their hooded figures barely detectable in the strange glow of the lunar eclipse.At the middle of the altar knelt a woman worn in a white cloak, her brown hair cascading over her trembling shoulders. Her piercing golden eyes, mixed with silver, held the fate of generations—eyes that premonited the veil of life, into the depths of fate itself. She was Jacqueline, the very first of her kind, chosen by the gods to hold the power of the Lunar Queen.The humming sounds of what seemed to be the summoning of the Moon Goddess was the only thing that filled the already tensed air.Jacqueline hands trembling at her flank. A fate she had never desired had come knocking
Rhea’s POV“Why are you just so stupid and lazy at the same time?”Anita’s voice sliced through the air like a blade, her eyes suffused with irritation.I winced, my fingers clenched to the fabric I had been scrubbing for hours. “I have been doing the laundry for the past few hours now. Pardon my delay.” My voice was barely above a whisper, my heart racing, trying to avoid the land of her palm on my cheek.What looked to me to be a daily routine of chores always was a sting to the flesh. I needed some rest and relax from the twenty hours daily rigorous chores I have been a subject to.“Sorry for that stupid self,” she snapped. “Hurry up. I need you to visit the packhouse for a contracted gardening job tonight.”“But…” The words hidden at the back of my clenched teeth as I couldn't let it on to what seemed to be an added agenda to how my day was always spent.“......But what. You have no objection to my instructions.” Anita's voice dripped with mockery and disdain. I struggled to hold
Rhea POVI reached the pack mansion, the night air was weighty with the scent of damp earth. I wrapped my arms around myself, nerves surging through my muscles. It was my very first time coming to the packhouse. And now alone.As I approached the gate, a deep, unfamiliar voice cut through the silence that had just the croaks of crickets.“And who are you? What is your business here?” I froze. A guard. His unreadable stare bore into me. “I was sent by Mrs Anita for a gardening job,” I said, forcing the steadiness of my already trembling voice.“Gardening job? We weren’t expecting anyone today, or—” he said with a confused tone. “But since you are coming from Mrs Anita. Then I would just have to play cool.” It wasn't the words of the guard that reeled through my mind, but the event from minutes ago between Anita and her daughter.“I need directions please. Can you take me to the garden so I can get going.” My quivering tone was laced with fear. My hands clenched to the gown stained
Rhea POVThe door shut behind me with a resounding thud. The room was dim, the only source of light coming from the fireplace. Shadows flickered across Damon’s face as he stood before me, his gaze dark and unreadable. My heart throbbed in my chest. I wasn't close to being naive. I knew the meaning of this moment. The Alpha's met with their mate, cementing their bond.But this was different. What suffused his face was coldness. No warmth or concern.Just dominance. The air between us thickened, charged with an invisible force I couldn't fight as he closed the distance between us.Damon's command reverberated in my ears, low and unwavering. “Now take those filthy clothes off.”A shiver ran down my spine. My fingers twitched at the hem of my dress, hesitating. Every part of me screamed to resist, to fight, to run. And yet, something stronger than fear—something ancient, primal—kept me rooted in place. The mate bond was a force beyond reason, beyond my will. A jolt ran down my
Damon’s POV The enormous hall of the Eclipse Coven's secret lair was filled with the smell of blood and burning herbs. The murmuring of dark-robed individuals blended with the crackling of magical candles around the walls, and they moved like shadows. The more I explored this area, the more I realized that this was more than just a group of witches vying for control. This was a destructive cult. As I followed my guide, a wiry man with hollow cheeks and eyes too black to be human, I maintained a neutral attitude. He guided me down the dark hallways until we came to an archway covered in dense purple smoke. Lilith waited outside.With onyx rings adorning her fingers that shone even in the dark, she sat on a throne of carved obsidian. As I got closer, her too-bright silver eyes stared at me. "You stand in front of me unharmed, even though you smell like a wolf." It was a venomous purr in her voice. "Damon, tell me why I shouldn't rip your heart out where it is."An inferior man would
Kael’s POV The wind carried the scent of damp earth and pine as I stood on the balcony of my war room, staring into the dark expanse of the forest beyond. It had been weeks since Rhea vanished, and every passing day ignited something raw and feral inside me. A hunger that I refused to name.I gripped the railing, my knuckles white. "She can't have gone far," I muttered, more to myself than to anyone else.Behind me, my Beta, Dorian, stood with his arms crossed, his expression carefully neutral. "We've scouted every known rogue hideout in the region. She’s a ghost, Kael. If she doesn’t want to be found—"I yelled, cutting off any further statements that escaped his mouth. "She will be found," moving to look at him. "Whatever it takes, I don't care. I want her back.” Dorian's eyes remained fixed. I both respected and despised him since he was one of the few who dared to challenge me. His voice was lower but no less forceful as he said, "Why?" "Why is it so important? You turned her d
Rhea’s POV Standing in the center of the exiles' camp, devoid of all except instinct and willpower, I felt the sharp, biting morning air. The soldiers were already assembled, creating a rough circle around me, even though the sun had just started to rise. They had skepticism and measured interest in their eyes, but no warmth. I was a wolf from a world that had rejected me, an outcast, an unknown. However, I was here to establish myself. To find the real root of my life. I was destined for more, to bring them all together, Mireya had declared. But how could I bring people together when I hardly knew how strong I was? I had lived my entire life adhering to the packs' regimented, regulated, and predictable fighting techniques. That was not the case with the exiles. They battled like shadows, adjusting to the turmoil and combining physical prowess with an almost imperceptible agility. I needed to learn. I also needed to learn quickly. The first obstacle arrived quickly. A man strode
Rhea’s POVAs I made my way through the thick woodland, the night engulfed me in its icy grasp. My limbs were sluggish from tiredness, and my breath came in ragged spurts. My deep wounds from the battle were burning with pain, and every stride sent a new wave of misery through my body. I touched my ribs, feeling the sticky wetness of blood under my ripped shirt. I didn't want to acknowledge how much harm Lilith's power had caused. But I was unable to stop. Not yet. I just needed to keep going; I had no idea where I was heading. I was surrounded by the smell of pine and moist dirt, and my only company was the sound of leaves rustling in the breeze. My vision was fuzzy at the edges, and my head swirled with vertigo. The fight, Kael's rage, and Damon's caution seemed far away now, like remnants of a past existence. Before I could catch myself, my foot slammed against a root and I fell to the ground. I felt a sharp pain that knocked the wind out of my lungs. With a moan, I turned over
Rhea’s POVPain. It was a harsh, persistent reminder of how near death I had been, and it throbbed through my body like a second heartbeat. My breath was ragged and shallow, and my limbs felt like stone. My senses were dimmed by the lingering effects of Lilith's black magic, and darkness that clouded the cage and my vision. The struggle inside of me had just begun as I looked through my blurry vision. Every clang of steel that fell on Lillith's scaly skin was a resistance to her pain. The fight was just between Lillith and Damon as my eyes caught Kael who stood at one end, his hands crossed across his chest, resting his eyes on Lillith. It was evident that despite the darkness Lillith exuded, Kael still had something for her. Something that gleamed like love.But on Damon's side was that of war and blood as every of Lillith’s hit were fluid and heavy on his skin, flinging Damon to the pillars of the coven. “Kael, what are you doing there?” Damon called out to Kael, blood flowing down
Rhea’s POV"Your entire existence is a mistake, Rhea." Through the chilly room, Lilith's voice crept like poison into my flesh. I did not flinch. I wouldn't let her feel satisfied. "You’re lying," I spat, battling the restraints. With each movement, the magic-infused metal that burnt against my wrists depleted my strength. Lilith merely grinned, a hint of amusement glimmering in her violet eyes. This was fun for her. She whispered, "Oh, Rhea," and paced me like a predator circles its victim. "You really don't know, do you? You've thought of yourself as unique your entire life. Selected. Foreordained to oppose me.”She stopped and cocked her head. "But tell me… who gave you that idea that you were able to stand Lillith the great leader of the Eclipse Coven." I tightened my jaw. "The prophecy—" "The prophecy was never about you." The chamber's air appeared to be motionless. "You’re lying," I said again, but the words didn't have the same bite. Lilith grinned more
Rhea’s POV It was too quiet at night. The first caution was that. Damp dirt, ash, and something wrong. Something twisted was the second scent. With no more than a breath, I muttered, "Do you feel that?" Beside me, Kael's body tensed, and he reached for his blade's hilt. A few steps ahead, Damon froze in mid-step. I could feel the same apprehension creeping down my spine as his piercing golden eyes flashed. Damon uttered the humble words, "We need to move," "Now." I gave a nod. However, when we walked for the first time— The earth below us moved. The earth split in two, surrounding us in a perfect, unavoidable circle as runes erupting in eerie violet flames. The magic tightened like a noose around my ribcage as it throbbed in the air. It was a trap. "MOVE!" yelled Kael. However, it was too late. As soon as I turned, the shadows appeared. Darkness shrouded the forms of figures that emerged from the trees. Lilith's instruction was evident in their eyes, which
Rhea’s POV The darkness seeped into the night. Before I saw it, I sensed it. A painful weight pushing down on my chest, a chilly pulse ripping through the air. Magic. Old magic. The type that consumed rather than merely seized power. The move was Lilith's. A wild wind blew through the trees, and the fire in the middle of our war camp flared fiercely. After a moment, the sky grew darker. From something much worse—an eclipse — not from storm clouds or the impending dawn. Kael whispered next to me, "No," his voice tinged with something that sounded like terror. I felt my breath catch as I followed his eyes. Across the valley, in the distance, a ring of violet light blazed against the darkness. The Eclipse Coven's insignia, a proclamation of war, burnt into the sky. "This is it," Damon said, squeezing his fists. Power dynamics had changed. Lilith had come out of hiding. They were responding when she called her forces to her—Damon paced the perimeter of the camp a
Rhea’s POV I was plagued by the name. Lilith. Long after the strange spy's body had become still, it continued to reverberate in my thoughts. For a long time, I thought that name was buried—forgotten. We were all unprepared for the storm that it brought with it when it battled its way back into reality. My thoughts were far away as I remained still and gazed at the fire that was flickering in our war camp. The one he lost. Kael's mate. The one he'd never mentioned. And the person who was now in charge of the Eclipse Coven, tugging the strings that had brought us to our destruction. I gently turned and looked directly at Kael. His normally keen face was dulled by something I couldn't quite put my finger on as he stood apart from us. Astonished? Pain? Fear? I had never before witnessed him in this state—unraveled. "Tell me the truth," I murmured, lowering my voice a bit. "Did you know?" Kael's jaw tightened. "Do you think I would have let this happen if I had?" T