All Chapters of MOONBOUND SECRETS : Chapter 91 - Chapter 100

Zara’s POV The Architect’s true form looms over the meadow, a writhing mass of silver veins and shattered bone. Its presence is a weight, pressing down on my chest, on my soul. The Veil’s song fractures, its melody discordant, its rhythm faltering. The twins cling to me, their combined light and shadow flickering weakly. Ryland stands at my side, his wolf snarling, but even he looks small against the monstrosity before us. “What do we do?” Silas whispers, his shadows trembling. I don’t have an answer. The shard is gone, the poison in my veins a ticking bomb. The Architect’s voice echoes in my mind, faint but persistent. ***You can’t win***, he croons. ***But you can join me.*** “Never,” I mutter. The Architect’s form shifts, tendrils of silver lashing out. Ryland shoves me aside, taking the brunt of the blow. He crashes into the ground, blood staining his fur. “Ryland!” He shifts back, his face pale but determined. “I’m fine. Focus on *him*.” The Architect laughs, the

Zara’s POVThe air in the room is thick, suffocating, like the weight of every unspoken word between us is pressing down on my chest. Ryland stands in the doorway, his presence as commanding as ever, but there’s something different about him now. His eyes, those piercing gray eyes that once held nothing but cold detachment, are filled with something I can’t quite place. Regret? Longing? Guilt? Whatever it is, it’s enough to make my heart ache in ways I thought I’d buried long ago.“Mommy?” Selene’s voice is small, hesitant, as she tugs at the hem of my apron. “Who is he?”I swallow hard, my throat dry as sandpaper. How do I explain this to them? How do I tell my children that the man standing before us is their father—the man who rejected me, who left me to raise them alone? The man who shattered my heart into a million pieces?“He’s…” I start, but the words catch in my throat. I can’t do it. I can’t say it.Ryland steps forward, his movements slow and deliberate, like he’s afraid of

Zara’s POVThe forest explodes in a cacophony of snarls. Shadows burst from the trees—wolves with teeth bared and eyes glowing like embers. My grip tightens on the silver dagger, its hilt biting into my palm. Ryland shifts beside me, his wolf form towering and lethal, but I don’t look at him. I can’t. If I do, I might forget how to hate him. “Stay behind me,” he growls, fur bristling. “I don’t need your orders,” I snap, but the words die as a wolf lunges at us. Ryland intercepts it midair, jaws clamping around its throat. Blood sprays the grass, metallic and sharp. Another wolf darts toward the cottage, and my heart stops. *The twins.* “Silas! Selene!” I scream, sprinting past the fray. The door swings open before I reach it. Silas stands in the doorway, his small frame rigid, eyes blazing an unnatural silver. Behind him, Selene clutches her stuffed wolf, her curls glowing faintly under the moonlight. “Mommy, the bad men are here,” she whispers. “Get back inside—” A snarl

**Zara’s POV** The camp erupts into chaos. Wolves snatch weapons, children are herded into the center of the clearing, and the air thickens with the sour tang of fear. Ryland barks orders, his voice cutting through the noise like a blade, but all I hear is the roar of my own pulse. *The rogues are coming. The twins aren’t safe.* I grab Silas and Selene by their wrists, dragging them toward the healer’s tent. “Stay here,” I command, shoving them inside. “Do *not* move.” Silas crosses his arms. “We can fight!” “You’re five years old,” I snap. “Five and a *half*,” Selene corrects, her glow flickering defiantly. “Stay. Put.” I slam the tent flap closed, tying it with a shaking hand. Ryland appears beside me, his face bloodless. “The rogues are closing in. They’ve got wolfsbane arrows.” My stomach plummets. Wolfsbane meant for *children*. For *my* children. “Get them out of here,” I say, my voice cracking. “Take them and run.” He grips my shoulders. “They’ll hunt us. The

**Zara’s POV** The northern mountains loom in the distance, their jagged peaks cutting into the sky like broken teeth. The air is colder here, sharper, and the scent of pine and snow does little to mask the underlying tension in the pack. We’ve been traveling for days, following Kael’s lead, and every step feels heavier than the last. The twins walk beside me, their small hands clutching mine. Selene hums softly, her glow flickering like a candle in the wind, while Silas scans the horizon with a seriousness far beyond his years. “Mommy,” Selene whispers, tugging at my sleeve. “Do you think the bad men will come tonight?” I force a smile, brushing a curl from her face. “Not if we can help it, sweetheart.” Silas frowns. “But what if they do? What if we’re not ready?” I kneel, pulling them both into a hug. “You’re stronger than you know. Both of you. And we’ll face whatever comes together.” Ryland approaches, his expression grim. “We’ve set up camp ahead. Kael’s scouts have