Semua Bab THE CURSE OF THE FIFTH MATE: Bab 1 - Bab 10

The morning broke quietly, the sun stretching golden fingers across the treetops outside the Hale cabin. Inside, it was a flurry of movement. Jon Hale buckled the last strap on his chest armor, the leather creaking as he adjusted the fit. His black cloak lay folded on the table, and his weapons were freshly sharpened. Though it was just a patrol mission to the neighboring border near Stonefang Ridge, he treated every assignment with the seriousness of war. That's how their father raised him—prepared, alert, unshakable. Veyra stood near the doorway, watching him with tight lips and folded arms. She hated when he left. The world outside their secluded haven felt sharper, more dangerous, without Jon's calming presence. He always made her feel like no harm could touch her. "You'll only be gone two days?" she asked. "Two and a half, max. We're just checking trade routes, reinforcing some pack-to-pack borders. Nothing serious," Jon replied, though his tone was clipped. "Still, I want y

The scent of roasted meat, pine sap, and crushed wildflowers drifted through the air like an intoxicating perfume. The central clearing of the Moonfang Pack had been transformed overnight into a mosaic of banners, lanterns, and ceremonial fire pits. Wolves from neighboring territories—some bitter rivals, others cautious allies—had gathered for the annual Festival of Unity, a political dance cloaked in smiling faces and carefully chosen words.Veyra Hale watched from the safety of the tree line, her hood drawn low, her heart pounding. She wasn't supposed to be here. She'd promised Jon and her parents she would stay hidden during the festival. The stakes were too high—too many strangers, too many risks. But curiosity had always been her undoing, and the call of the world beyond her isolation had grown louder since her strange encounter with Kael.Now, as twilight bled across the sky, she stood cloaked in anonymity, the festival glowing before her like a dream she'd never been allowed to

The morning sun hung low, spilling gold through the tangled canopy above as Veyra laced her boots. A crisp breeze drifted through the trees, tugging at the edge of her cloak like a whisper, as if the forest itself wanted to speak. She tightened the strap on her quiver and looked toward her brother. Jon Hale, already armed and ready, leaned against a tree, sharpening his blade with quick, precise strokes. His dark hair was tied back, and his sharp jaw was set in concentration—but when he looked up at her, his eyes softened."You good, pup?" he asked, voice low and warm.Veyra gave him a look. "I'm twenty-two, Jon. You've gotta stop calling me that."He grinned, a rare break in his usual solemn expression. "You'll always be my pup. Now let's move. It's just a training hunt, but I want you sharp.""Training hunt" was code. They both knew it. Ever since Kael and Lioren, her body had begun to change. Her senses were heightening, her reflexes sharpening. The bonds were awakening something d

The disease came like a whisper on the wind, silent and unseen. One day the pups were laughing under the trees; the next, they were coughing, burning with fevers no healer could name. The sickness spread with cruel precision through the Moonfang Pack, sparing no den or warrior's quarters. Veyra had watched it unfold from the safety of the outer territory, her heart clenched with helpless fear as her people—though they barely knew her—suffered.Two weeks had passed since the first wolf fell ill. Maelin had been working day and night with the Moonfang healers, pouring through ancient tomes and crushed herbs, casting spells of protection on the borders of their home. Veyra had helped quietly, cloaked and hidden, boiling roots, scrubbing cloths clean of blood and vomit. She had seen children limp in their mothers' arms, warriors too strong to break now collapsed and shivering. It was a strange kind of war, one without a visible enemy—but it was a war all the same.When the Thornswell Pack

The full moon hovered like a glowing sentinel above the Moonfang Pack's territory, casting a silver sheen across the sacred grounds nestled deep within the woods. The trees swayed with a ghostly hush as if whispering secrets to the stars. The air buzzed with anticipation—an unspoken energy that crackled beneath the solemn stillness of the ritual night.Veyra stood cloaked in the crowd, heart pounding, her eyes trained on the flickering fire at the center of the moon-circle. Though she wore a hood that shadowed her features, she could feel the weight of unseen eyes—some curious, some cautious, and one pair...watchful in a way that made her skin prickle.She didn't belong here. Not in the open. Not where whispers could catch fire.But tonight wasn't about her—it was about tradition. The full moon ritual was sacred to all packs. A time of renewal, blessing, and balance. It was one of the few events where even the isolated Moonfang allowed outsiders to enter the fold—under tight supervisi