All Chapters of Echoes of the moon: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

Chapter 12 — Aria's POVI couldn't take another second of those judgmental stares from the council members. My feet carried me out of the stuffy chamber before my brain could catch up with the decision. The cool night air hit my face as I ran to the pack's garden, moonlight casting everything in a silvery glow that somehow made the whole situation feel a little less awful.Vivian's words kept echoing in my head: “Sometimes love isn't enough to overcome centuries of tradition.”I sat down on a stone bench, trying to understand what I was feeling. The mate bond hummed with Kane and Zane's concern, but they were still trapped in the council meeting. At least out here, I could have my mini-breakdown in peace.Or not.My supernatural senses picked up footsteps approaching – two people, their movements in perfect sync. Great. More judgment incoming? I braced myself, expecting another…, but when I looked up, I saw the friendliest smile I'd seen since all this drama started.“You look like y

Chapter 14 — Aria's POV“Well, well, well,” a silky voice drifted through the window. “Little Aria. All grown up and playing with wolves.” He muttered.That voice sounded familiar, like I've heard it before.Before I could say anything, the pack courtyard erupted into chaos. The wolves formed a protective circle around me, their muscles flexed and ready for battle. Kane and Zane moved in perfect sync, positioning themselves at my sides like the world's hottest bodyguards. Which, technically they were.Through the gaps between bristling wolves, I caught my first glimpse of the vampire. He was… not what I expected. No black cape or slicked-back hair like some cheesy movie villain. Instead, he looked as if he'd just stepped out of some fancy painting – all perfectly tailored dark clothes with subtle gold embroidery and an actual pocket watch chain glinting at his waist. His face was ageless in that creepy vampire way, but something about his slight smile seemed almost… kind?“Now, now,”

Chapter 16 — Zane's POVThe moon hung low and heavy in the sky as Kane and I tracked Aria's scent through the forest. My wolf was going crazy, picking up traces of her vanilla-and-sunshine smell mixed with something… darker, like midnight and magic.“Something's wrong,” Kane's thoughts pushed through our twin bond. “The scent's changing.”He was right. With each step closer, Aria's familiar scent grew more complex, more dangerous. Like lightning before a storm.Then we saw it – an ancient clearing where massive standing stones formed a perfect circle. Moonlight caught the carved symbols covering their surfaces, making them glow with an eerie blue light. And there, standing at the edge like some creepy supernatural doorman, was Victor.My wolf wanted to tear his throat out. I held back, barely.“Don't interfere,” Victor said softly, not even looking at us. “She needs to do this.”That's when I saw her. Aria – our beautiful, gentle mate – floating several inches off the ground in the ce

Chapter 19 — Kane's POVUgh, Well, that was a night. I mean, don't get me wrong — I'm over the moon that the pack accepted Aria as our mate. But the political fallout? Oof, that's a whole other story.Standing in the middle of that main hall, peering into the faces of my pack-I could have sworn the tension in the air crackled like a storm dying to break. Some were hopeful, others wary, and then there was Vivian's little crew-they looked quite murderous.I caught Elder Morrison's eye and beckoned him over. That old wolf has been around since the dawn of time, it feels like. If anyone knew how to navigate these treacherous pack politics, it would be him."Kane, my boy," he rasped, leaning heavily on his cane. "I see the winds of change are blowing through our humble pack."I nodded grimly. "That's an understatement. I need your advice. How do I make sure this transition goes as smoothly as possible?"He hummed thoughtfully, those ancient eyes boring into me. "Your ancestors faced simila

Chapter 20 — Aria's POV Those images from yesterday would not get out of my mind, like some kind of horror movie: Jaxon's icy stare, his menacing threats, the way he looked at me as if I belonged to him. Even though Kane and Zane had stood up to him, something in my gut told me this wasn't over.Rolling over in our massive bed, I reached out, seeking the comfort of my mates, but found only cold sheets. They must be handling pack business already. Great. Exactly what I needed—more time alone with my anxious thoughts.I pulled myself out of bed, caught my reflection in the mirror, and cringed. I looked just as bad as I felt-which was saying a lot, really. Dark circles under my eyes, hair a mess, and was that actually a leaf stuck in there? Goddess, being a mate to two alphas was seriously doing a number on me. “Get it together, Aria,” I muttered to myself, trying to smooth down my wild hair. “You're supposed to be some powerful mate or whatever, not looking like something the cat drag