Novels by StarsTouch pen

꧁♡ 𝓣𝓲𝓶♡꧂I don’t remember how I got out.One moment I was inside that ballroom, watching people drop like something out of a nightmare, and the next I was running. Just running. My mind couldn’t keep up, everything felt too loud and too fast at the same time. Gunshots started going off behind me, sharp and constant, mixing with screams that didn’t last long enough to matter. The men who had flooded the hall weren’t just containing people anymore, they were finishing it.My head felt heavy, like something was pressing down on it from the inside. My breath came out uneven, each inhale sharper than the last, like my lungs were struggling to keep up with my body. I didn’t even know where I was going, I just knew I couldn’t stop.I kept moving.My shoes were gone. I didn’t even remember when I lost them. My feet hit the ground harshly with every step, rough pavement scraping against my skin, but I barely felt it. My jacket was missing too, probably left behind in the chaos, and the col

꧁♡ 𝓣𝓲𝓶♡꧂I wanted to ask him what he meant by that, but I didn’t get the chance.Because the room erupted into noises.Not loudly, not in a way that would make anyone panic immediately, but enough for me to feel it. The kind of shift that crawls under your skin before your mind even catches up. My eyes moved instinctively, scanning the room, and that was when I saw him.Phil.He walked in like he had every right to be there, like this was just another night out and not a room filled with people who would either kill him or die trying. His entrance wasn’t quiet either, he drew attention without even trying, placing a bid on one of the auction items almost immediately, the amount high enough to make a few heads turn in surprise.Subtle, my ass.I narrowed my eyes slightly and mouthed, Where have you been?His gaze found mine like he had been looking for me from the moment he stepped in. He didn’t hesitate, just mouthed back, Busy.Of course he was.Before I could even process that pr

꧁♡ 𝓣𝓲𝓶♡꧂Kagemoto Kazama.The name alone was enough to tighten my chest, but I didn’t let it show. I kept my expression exactly how it was, calm, polite, almost amused, even though my fingers twitched slightly at my side where the vial Phil had given me rested, hidden and waiting. For a split second, the thought crossed my mind again, quick and sharp, just step forward, close the distance, inject it, end it right here before anything else could go wrong. It would be easy, almost too easy with how close he was standing, how exposed he looked despite the men around him.But Phil’s voice echoed in my head just as quickly, clear and firm, telling me not to make any sudden move, to wait, to let things play out until he got there. So I swallowed that impulse down, burying it under control, under patience, under the thin line that was keeping this entire situation from falling apart.Instead, I offered a polite and measured smile.“It’s great knowing you didn’t die,” I said, my tone smo

꧁♡ 𝓣𝓲𝓶♡꧂With the help of Phil’s stylist—someone I had met barely an hour before being shoved into a chair and told to sit still—I almost didn’t recognize myself when I finally stood in front of the mirror. The suit fit perfectly, like it had been made for me, black on black with just enough detail to make it stand out without screaming for attention. The mask covered the upper half of my face, sleek and dark, blending into everything else while still giving off that air of mystery that seemed to be the entire point of tonight.“You clean up nicely, doc,” the stylist had said, stepping back to admire his work like I was some project he had just finished.“Good,” I replied, adjusting the cuff of my sleeve slightly. “That’s the goal, right?”He smirked. “The goal is to not look like you’re about to commit a crime.”I let out a small breath at that. “We’ll see about that.”By the time I got to the gala, the place was already buzzing with people. Lights, music, soft laughter blending

꧁♡ 𝓣𝓲𝓶♡꧂“Plan A failed.”That was the first thing Phil said when he called, and for a second, I didn’t respond. I just stood there beside Frank’s bed, my eyes on his face while the words settled slowly in my head like something I had already expected but still didn’t want to hear.“How bad?” I asked, my voice low, controlled.Phil exhaled on the other end. “None of them made it back. Except one.”My grip tightened slightly around the phone. “One?”“Yeah. And he barely made it. From what we got out of him… it was like they were expecting us.”Of course they were.I let out a quiet breath, my gaze drifting back to Frank. He was still asleep.“Alright,” I said after a moment.Phil didn’t say anything else. He didn’t need to, we both knew what that meant.Plan A was gone.Which left only one option.I ended the call and stayed where I was for a while, just standing there, watching Frank breathe like nothing had changed, like nothing was about to change. There was something about the w

꧁♡ 𝓣𝓲𝓶♡꧂I had basically locked myself in the restroom like it was the only place in the entire building where I could breathe properly.The door clicked shut behind me earlier, and since then, I haven’t moved much. I just stood there for a while, staring at nothing in particular, my hands resting on the edge of the sink, my head slightly lowered as I tried to calm my thoughts.It wasn’t working.No matter how much I tried to steady myself, my mind kept circling back to the same thing over and over again.The plan.Plan A.Plan B.And how everything could go wrong so easily.I exhaled slowly, dragging a hand down my face before leaning both palms flat against the sink, gripping the edge a little tighter than necessary.“You made the right decision,” I muttered under my breath, the words sounded empty the moment they left my mouth.I didn’t even believe them.Because the truth was simple, if plan A failed, there wouldn’t be much left to decide. There wouldn’t be room to fix anything

The candle flames in Esmeralda’s chamber burned low, throwing slow shadows across the stone walls. The night had come quietly, but her mind was far from calm. She stood near the tall window that overlooked the Ironmoon grounds, her arms folded across her chest as she watched the guards patrol below. Their footsteps were steady, predictable, and obedient. Everything in this pack moved according to rules she understood. That was why she chose Ironmoon as her base. Order made manipulation easier.Her thoughts drifted again to the council meeting earlier that day. The faces of the elders, their murmurs of concern, their careful words about the Silvermark Alpha’s growing madness and his failure to find Princess Dana’s killer. They all pretended it was only about justice and stability, but Esmeralda knew the truth. Power was shifting, and fear followed power like a shadow. The Alpha was weakening. His curse was consuming him slowly, and the council could see it. They just did not yet see h

The council room had emptied, leaving Esmeralda alone with the lingering scent of ink, wax seals, and old stone. The torches along the walls flickered, casting long, dancing shadows across the maps that sprawled across the table. The maps themselves were her playground, her tools, each line and symbol a potential weapon or leverage point. Her fingers traced the borders of Silvermark’s territory, the minor packs surrounding it, the roads, the rivers, and the hidden valleys. Each line sparked a calculation, a possibility, a plan that only she could see.Her thoughts drifted, as they often did, to her past. She could still remember the night her pack fell. The snow had been thick, muffling the sounds outside until the first screams shattered the silence. Her father’s voice calling her name, the sound of claws and teeth, the fire that swallowed their home… She had tried to protect her mother, tried to shield her siblings, but the invaders were relentless. She had watched as her parents we

The candlelight in the council chamber had long since faded, leaving the room bathed in the faint glow of moonlight spilling through the high windows. Shadows danced over the walls, twisting and stretching like silent observers, as if the chamber itself were listening to the whispered plots that still hung in the air.Esmeralda sat at the head of the table, her fingers intertwined, eyes fixed on the darkened window, but her mind was not on the moonlight. It never was. It was on every move, every player, every thread that could be manipulated to bring Silvermark crumbling into her hands.Her uncle, Elder Herold, leaned against the edge of the table, arms crossed, watching her with the patience of someone who had guided her since childhood. He had raised her after the Silvermark Alpha’s pack had taken everything from her—her family, her home, her life. And now, he remained the one steady piece in the chaos of her plotting. Yet even he could not see the full scope of her mind. She liked

The council chamber smelled of wax and aged wood, a quiet tension hanging over the long oak table where the members had gathered. Candlelight flickered, casting long, wavering shadows across the walls and the faces of the wolves who served her loyally—or at least, who believed they did. Esmeralda’s fingers tapped lightly against the polished surface, her mind moving faster than her lips could ever speak. Every detail mattered. Every expression counted. Every pause was a trap.Her uncle, Elder Herold, sat across from her, hands clasped and eyes calm, though she could feel the anticipation thrumming beneath his composure. He had always been her guide, her advisor, the one who had raised her when the world had abandoned her. And now, like always, he was a pillar she could lean on—but she could not let him see how much she leaned. Not completely. Not yet.“Alpha Vaelthorn is faltering,” she began, her voice low but commanding, carrying easily through the room. “He has yet to catch his sis

Esmeralda stood alone in her chambers, staring at her reflection in the tall bronze mirror beside the window. The light from the afternoon sun crept in slowly, touching her pale skin and the dark silk of her gown, but it did nothing to warm the coldness inside her chest.Her fingers tightened around the edge of the table as memories pressed against her mind like unwanted guests. No matter how many days passed, the image of Princess Dana still lived in the corners of her thoughts, sharp and unforgiving.She did not regret what had happened.Not truly.Regret was for the weak, for those who hesitated. Esmeralda had never been weak. She had learned long ago that power was never given freely, it had to be taken quietly and without mercy. Princess Dana had stood in her way for too long. Always watching her. Always correcting her. Always reminding her that she was nothing more than a lady of the court and not the queen she believed she should be.Dana had seen too much.And that was her gr

Fredrick did not like running errands in daylight.Darkness hid sins better. Darkness made men like him feel less seen, less judged. But Esmeralda had asked him to go now, not later, and when Esmeralda asked for something, Fredrick obeyed without question. His loyalty to her was not gentle. It was sharp. It was dangerous. It was the kind of devotion that did not ask whether something was right or wrong. It only asked whether it pleased her.He pulled the hood of his cloak lower as he left the inner paths of the pack and moved toward the forest road that led away from the main settlement. The path to the abandoned cottage was narrow and forgotten, swallowed by tall weeds and cracked stones. Few wolves traveled that way anymore. It led to nothing but rot and silence.Which made it perfect.Fredrick’s boots crushed dry leaves as he walked. The wind whispered through the trees, brushing against his cloak like curious fingers. His mind, however, was far from the forest. It was with Esmeral

Noah’s POVThe cold air hit me the second I stepped out of the small store. I didn’t even bother to put the change into my pocket; it sat crumpled in my palm with the water bottle pressed against it. My only thought was River. He had looked pale when I left him by the car, his hands still trembling after everything that had just happened inside that house.I knew he’d never admit how shaken he was, but I could see it in his eyes. The haunted way he stared at walls, the way his fingers rubbed against his jeans like he was grounding himself. He was strong, stronger than anyone gave him credit for but I still wanted to do something, even if it was just to bring him water.I quickened my steps, my heart lighter at the thought of putting the bottle in his hand, seeing that small, grateful smile he gave me even in the darkest moments. For a second, just a second, life felt normal.Then everything shattered.I heard it before I saw it, the screech of tires, sharp and violent, tearing through

Daniel’s POVThe flashing red and blue lights of the squad car washed over the front of the house, painting everything in hard color. Marcus was in the back seat, still yelling, though the closed door muffled his voice. An officer slammed the door shut and walked around to the driver’s side. Another officer gave me a nod, a silent acknowledgment that they’d take it from here.I watched the car pull away, taillights glowing in the dark. My fists were still clenched. My chest felt tight. I could still see Marcus’s face in my mind, the grin, the way his eyes had locked onto River. Even with his hands cuffed, he’d tried to twist toward River like he couldn’t help himself.I turned to where River stood near the porch steps. His arms were wrapped around himself. He looked small under the flickering light, like he was holding himself together by force.I moved to him slowly, not wanting to startle him. “It’s over,” I said quietly. My voice felt rough in my throat.River nodded, but his eyes

River’s POV The whole ride over felt like I was holding my breath. Christian had gotten the trace back faster than I thought possible, one second he was typing on his laptop, eyes flicking across the screen, and the next he was turning to Daniel and Noah with a location. He didn’t say much, just rattled off an address in a clipped tone, like he’d been waiting for this moment. Daniel had grabbed his coat. Noah had given me a look that said he wasn’t going to let me go alone. And before I could even process it, we were in the car. I sat in the back seat, squeezed between Noah and my own thoughts, staring out at the passing streets. The city lights blurred against the window. I tried not to think about the text still glowing on my phone. I know where you are. My hands wouldn’t stop shaking. I kept them shoved deep in my jacket pockets so nobody would see. Noah kept glancing at me, his knee bouncing slightly. Daniel was in the front, arms tight across his chest. Christian drove with bo

River’s POVThe air in the cabin was filled with tension after I said yes. Like the walls had shifted closer, sealing me in with a decision I couldn’t take back. My phone sat on the table between us, harmless in appearance, but my entire chest ached looking at it.Christian gave me a slow nod, the kind that carried quiet reassurance. He wasn’t warm exactly, but there was something steady about him, something that made me feel like he wasn’t just here out of duty.“I’ll need your consent in writing,” he said, already pulling a small form from his bag. “It’s just to confirm you’re aware of what I’ll be doing and that you’re authorizing me to monitor incoming activity.”I stared at the paper like it was heavier than stone. Consent. The word made me pause. Because how many times had I felt like my choices weren’t mine anymore? How many times had someone else pushed me into corners until the only answer was yes?But this time was different. I was still scared, but I was choosing it. I had

River’s POVThe morning light pushed through the curtains, soft and hazy, like it was trying not to disturb me. I sat at the edge of the bed with my hands pressed together, staring at the floor. My body felt heavy, but it wasn’t from sleep, it was from everything weighing down my chest. The message. Daniel’s reaction. And now this meeting with Christian.I rubbed my face and let out a breath. My stomach had been twisting since Daniel suggested it yesterday. It wasn’t that I disagreed. I knew he was right. If someone could trace the texts, if someone could finally put an end to this sick game, then I had to allow it. Still, the thought of giving my phone over to someone else, letting them see parts of me I didn’t even share out loud, it made me restless.The sound of water running in the bathroom pulled me back. Noah had insisted on coming with me today. He didn’t say it directly, but I knew why—he didn’t trust Daniel completely, and he didn’t trust me around Daniel either. That jealou

River’s POVI couldn’t keep still.The apartment was too quiet, too tight, too heavy. I sat on the edge of the couch, elbows on my knees, staring at the wall like it had answers. The lamp cast a weak yellow glow over the room, but it felt dim compared to the storm in my head. My fingers kept twitching, opening and closing, as if my body needed to do something, anything, instead of just sitting there.Noah had gone into the bedroom a while ago, maybe to change, maybe to breathe, I didn’t know. He had this way of pulling back when he was too quiet, and I didn’t want to push him, not tonight. I already felt like I was asking too much of him.I kept hearing Daniel’s voice in my head. The way he leaned across the table earlier, telling me we’d meet someone who could help. Someone who could trace the messages, dig into them, and maybe, finally, give me an answer. His confidence had steadied me for a moment, but now that I was alone, the weight of it all came crashing back.Two stalkers. One