Chapter 98The Moon FireWillow's POVThe chains around my wrists felt heavier than they had yesterday or was it today? Time blurred in this miserable place. My body ached, my head throbbed, and every breath felt like a battle against despair. But I couldn’t afford to give up. My children were here, somewhere in this hellish place, and they needed me. I pressed my back against the cold stone wall and closed my eyes, focusing all my energy on the sliver of hope that I might reach them. Linking to my children wasn’t something I’d ever tried before. We hadn’t needed such a skill; we had always been together. But now? Now, it felt like my only chance to find them. “Daniel. Ella,” I whispered in my mind, trying to project my thoughts through the darkness. “Can you hear me? It’s Mommy.” Silence. I bit back a sob of frustration and tried again, pushing harder, imagining their little faces, their bright eyes filled with joy—or fear. “Ella! Daniel! Please, answer me.” And then I hear
Chapter 99Locks and KeysAsher's POVThe cold night air bit at my skin as we huddled near the border of our pack’s territory, the faint scent of damp earth and pine filling my nostrils. I leaned against the rough bark of a tree, trying to catch my breath. It felt unreal, being here, being free, but the freedom tasted bittersweet. We weren’t safe. Not yet.Kingston had pulled off an impossible rescue, and for that, we owed him our lives. But the weight of what lay ahead pressed heavily on my shoulders. Lilian and her dark forces had taken control of the palace. Our home. Our father’s legacy.The betrayal still stung like a fresh wound. I kept hearing Jason's words echo in my head: "You thought you were untouchable." And now here I was, on the run, fighting to take back what was mine. Our throne, our people, our future. The responsibility felt heavy, but I couldn’t back down. Not now.“We can’t keep running,” I said, breaking the silence that had settled over us. My voice was low but f
Chapter 100Merciless Obsession Willow's POVThe branches clawed at my skin as I sprinted through the forest, the cold night air burning my lungs. Every footfall seemed like it would be my last, but I couldn’t stop, not now, not when the men were so close. The sound of heavy boots crashing through the underbrush behind me was enough to send a chill down my spine. Their pursuit was relentless, merciless. I glanced down at Ella and Daniel, each of them held tightly by one of the men. They were exhausted, faces pale from the constant running, their bodies almost too weak to keep up. But they kept moving, urged on by the knowledge that if we stopped, we wouldn’t survive. I could see the pack’s border now. The outline of the trees that marked the boundary was faint in the distance, barely visible under the moonlight. We had to get there. We had to cross over and make it to safety.But something felt off. The border... it shouldn’t have been here. I was certain that we hadn’t been captu
Chapter 101By a ThreadWillow’s POVWe were so close to the palace, that I could almost feel its looming presence like a weight on my chest. The streets were quiet, too quiet for a pack that was usually filled with life, but I felt a shift in the air, a tension I couldn’t shake. We were making our way toward the palace, but my mind kept racing, spinning around the things that had happened, the kidnappings, the betrayals, and the terrifying realization that we might have walked straight into the heart of the storm. When we arrived at the edge of the palace grounds, the sight that greeted us was nothing short of a nightmare. The pack I had once called home was no longer the place I remembered. The flags that had proudly flown outside the palace gates were now tattered and frayed, their colors faded in the harsh winds. The walls that once held power and pride stood weathered and cracked. It felt as if the entire kingdom had been dragged through the mud, stripped of everything it once
Chapter 102One Last AttemptAsher’s POVThe night had swallowed the world in its silence, and the moon hung low in the sky, a pale witness to the turmoil I felt twisting in my gut. The cold air bit at my skin, but it wasn’t the chill that made me shiver. It was the uncertainty, the gnawing feeling that we were running out of time, out of options. Kingston had just told us we could sneak back into his apartment, but I wasn’t sure it was a good idea. “I don’t know about this,” I muttered, my fingers gripping the fabric of my jacket. “It’s too risky. Your house isn't exactly at the end of the pack from what I remember.” “Or it’s exactly what we need,” Axel countered, his tone light but laced with an edge of concern. “Kingston’s right,” Aiden added, his voice low as he stood by the door, the shadows of the night wrapping around him. “We can’t stay out here forever. But we can’t sit around doing nothing either.” I exhaled sharply, looking between them. “Fine. But we move quickly.
Chapter 103Tweaked RealitiesWillow's POVI had barely managed to pull the blankets up over Ella’s tiny form when I heard the faint shuffle of feet outside the apartment. My heart skipped a beat. I had been on edge all day, not knowing what would happen next. But hearing the soft noise of someone creeping around outside sent my nerves into overdrive. It was them. Axel, Aiden, and Kingston had finally made it to his apartment. I couldn’t believe it. After everything that had happened, everything that had changed, I never thought I’d find myself facing them again, especially not here, not like this. It would have been easier if it was just Kingston but Axel and Aiden were the main problem, especially since I had not told them about the kids yet. I should have been happy to see them. After all, we had once been really close, hadn’t we? But after everything I had learned, after what Alpha Thane had done to me and my children, it felt like there was a chasm between us that couldn’t be
Chapter 104Surviving DoomAsher’s POVI’d told the boys to leave Willow alone about the kids. But truth be told, I wasn’t convinced by her story. Not entirely. Maybe I should have let it go, but I couldn’t stop the gnawing suspicion in the back of my mind. The boy? He looked exactly like us. They both looked like Axel, Willow, Aiden, and me, with the same sharp features, and the same rebellious spark in their eyes. And the girl? She had our mother’s eyes, the same haunting green and specks of gold around them.Maybe it was because of all the lies we’d been fed growing up, but something felt off. I’d seen Willow’s distress, the way she crumbled when she spoke, the way her eyes turned glassy whenever we tried to push for answers. She was broken, and I couldn’t blame her for lying. I couldn’t blame her for wanting to protect herself, and her children, even if it meant shielding us from the truth. But I knew better than to think it wasn’t true, her kids, whether she wanted to admit it
Chapter 105Face to Face with the DevilAsher’s POVThe house Willow led us to was a secluded haven, tucked far enough from the main roads that even the most determined pursuer would have to stumble across it by accident. It was quaint and modest but had enough space for all of us to breathe. More importantly, it felt safe, something we hadn’t experienced in what felt like forever. That night, the air inside was thick with tension. None of us said much after arriving, just quietly settling into our respective corners of the house. Axel and Aiden immediately took up watch at the windows, while Lina busied herself checking on Ella and Daniel. Willow disappeared into one of the rooms, her face pale and unreadable. As for me, sleep was the last thing on my mind. I sat by a small window in the main room, staring out at the moonlit forest. My mind churned with thoughts of my father and the revelation that Jason, a man Willow had once trusted might be connected to him in ways none of us
Chapter 114Plans on the WrongJason's POVThe sound of my boots echoed in the empty hallway as I made my way to the dungeon. Each step felt heavier than the last, but I kept moving. My chest burned with anger, humiliation, and something I couldn’t quite name. Asher’s words from earlier replayed in my head, each one sharper than the last. “Illegitimate bastard.” I clenched my fists, the memory of his taunt making my blood boil. He had said it so casually like it was a fact everyone knew but dared not voice. Not in front of our father. He wasn't scared of the old man and I wondered how he was able to do that. Knowing that my mother had been nothing to my father unlike the rest of the woman in his life hurt me deeply. It was almost like I had made a mistake and for years I thought that. Not until my father had reached out to me to claim me as his son out of the blues. Asher had mentioned that father was not someone who does anything without something else behind it. But Asher had
Chapter 113The Ultimate FusionWillow’s POVThe first thing I felt was the pressure. The weight of the earth above me pressed against my chest, making every shallow breath a struggle. I opened my eyes to total darkness, the realization sinking in that I was still buried. For a split second, panic clawed at my mind. My instincts screamed to thrash and claw my way out, but I forced myself to remain calm. I wasn’t the same Willow who had been laid in this grave three days ago. Closing my eyes, I drew in what little oxygen I could and reached out with my mind. Before the moon realm, connecting to anyone via mind-link had always been a challenge for me, requiring intense focus and effort. Now, it felt as natural as breathing. Lina. Her response was immediate, her voice clear and steady in my head. "Willow! You’re awake! Hold tight; we’re coming to get you." I could feel the ripples of excitement emanating from her wolf and I could only imagine how worried she must have been before
Chapter 112Truth UnfoldingAsher's POVRegret settled deep in my chest, as heavy as a mountain. I stared at the cold stone floor of the dungeon, my arms bound tightly behind me. The air was thick with despair and the coppery scent of blood. I should never have come here. My impulsive decision to confront my father had not only put my life at risk but had also escalated his wrath to levels I hadn’t anticipated. Six-pack members were already dead. I flinched as another agonized scream echoed through the chamber, cutting through the silence like a blade. My father, Alpha Thane, stood tall and imposing, his silver-streaked hair glowing in the dim torchlight. Beside him was Elana, his loyal, sadistic partner-in-crime, a twisted grin etched on her face. Each scream ended the same way, an abrupt, eerie silence that signified another life extinguished. “Asher,” my father said, his voice dripping with mockery as he turned to me, “do you enjoy the sound of their suffering? It’s all bec
Chapter 111Ethereal Willow's POVI woke slowly, the weight of the world lifting from me as I blinked open my eyes. Except...these weren’t my eyes. They were sharper, keener. The colors around me were dazzling, the world a canvas of ethereal light and shifting hues. Streaks of gold, blue, and lavender rippled through the air, blending into shapes and patterns that seemed alive. I tried to move and realized I wasn’t in my human form. My paws pressed against the soft ground beneath me, my silver fur shimmering like liquid moonlight. My wolf senses were heightened beyond anything I’d ever experienced. The air hummed with energy, and every sound and scent was more vibrant than I thought possible. Where was I? Looking around, I realized this wasn’t the world I knew. This place wasn’t earth, it was something else entirely. It hit me like a thunderclap: this was the Moon Realm. The stories I’d heard whispered since I was a pup, were the eternal resting place for wolves like me, where
Chapter 110Held HostageAxel’s POVI hadn’t slept. Not properly. The grave where we’d buried Willow loomed in my mind all night like an unspoken challenge. Every time I closed my eyes, I imagined her struggling beneath the earth, reaching out, needing us, and we weren’t there. The hours dragged by and even the soothing light of the moon did little to quell the storm inside me. The others didn’t seem much better. Aiden stayed awake sharpening his knife, over and over, his face an unreadable mask. Kingston sat with his back against the oak tree, pretending to be calm, but his eyes betrayed him, they flicked toward the burial site every few minutes. And Lina? She hovered like a shadow at the edge of the clearing, muttering under her breath as if running through a list of problems I wasn’t privy to. I was desperate for movement, a sign, anything to indicate that Willow was okay. “Lina,” I said sharply, louder than I intended. She stopped pacing, turning to me with an annoyed expr
Chapter 109The Beginning of the EndAsher’s POVThe firelight flickered in the corner of my vision, but my eyes stayed locked on the shallow grave. None of us spoke. We’d all decided to stay outside, camped out beside the ritual spot where Willow lay buried under the moonlight. Each of us carried a weight that grew heavier with every passing second. Daniel and Ella had woken up earlier to ask for their mother. They were asleep now but it had taken a lot of convincing to get them to believe that Willow went to get them something and had not been captured by their father.Axel paced a few feet away, his boots crunching against the frost-covered grass. Aiden sat cross-legged, absently tracing patterns in the dirt with a stick. Kingston leaned against a tree, his arms crossed, watching the grave like a sentinel. I was seated on the ground, knees pulled to my chest, trying not to let the gnawing worry consume me. What if something went wrong? What if she needed us and couldn’t call ou
Chapter 108The Moon RitualLina's POV The fire crackled low in the hearth, casting flickering shadows on the walls of the living room. Everyone had gone to bed hours ago, but sleep was the last thing on my mind. My hands clenched the edges of the blanket draped over me, the voices of doubt from earlier replaying in my head.“Half-baked plans,” Axel had said. “Do you even know what you’re doing, Lina?” Asher’s voice, though softer, was just as sharp.It wasn’t the first time they had questioned my abilities as a wolf seer, but today, it had cut deeper than ever. I wasn’t just a part of this pack, I was their guide, their protector. To hear them doubt me made me feel smaller than I ever had before. I leaned forward, staring into the embers as if they held the answers I sought. The truth was, I didn’t have all the answers, not yet. But I would. I threw the blanket aside and rose from the couch, determination swelling in my chest. If they didn’t trust me to lead, I would prove to
Chapter 107A Call Out Willow’s POVThe house was unnervingly quiet, the kind of silence that made every creak of the floorboards and whisper of the wind feel amplified. The faint light of the television flickered across the room, illuminating the tense faces of those around me. It felt like we were waiting for something inevitable, something we couldn’t stop even if we wanted to. Asher sat closest to the TV, his arms crossed and his jaw set in a tight line. Aiden leaned forward, elbows on his knees, his usual calm veneer cracking under the weight of the situation. Axel placed near the window, restless energy radiating from him like a storm waiting to break. Lina and I sat together on the couch, her steady presence a comfort I didn’t know I needed. We were waiting for the broadcast. Waiting for Thane. The children were upstairs, blissfully unaware of the danger looming over us. I envied their innocence, and their ability to sleep soundly while the rest of us were drowning in u
Chapter 106Warrior LunaWillow’s POVThe silence in the house felt heavier than the walls pressing in around us. Everyone seemed lost in their own thoughts, weighed down by the uncertainty of what was to come. As the day dragged on, I found myself sitting cross-legged on the floor with Lina in a quiet corner of the house. Her eyes were intense, her voice steady, but her words were like sharp arrows aimed at my heart. “You know this isn’t something you can avoid, Willow,” Lina said, her tone leaving no room for argument. “The longer you wait, the stronger Alpha Thane becomes. He’s not just going to stop at the pack. He’s aiming for complete dominance. You heard him, he won't stop, once he was down here, he would be moving on while Jason took over from him.” I sighed, leaning my head back against the cool wall. “You make it sound so simple like I can just wake up one day and decide I’m ready to fight an evil Alpha who’s backed by dark magic. Lina, I don’t even know what I’m doing.