Novels by StarsTouch pen

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

The forest pressed close around them, shadows crawling over every branch, every broken root. Alvar’s chest rose and fell like a bellows, each breath thick with smoke and sweat. His eyes flicked to every movement, every rustle in the undergrowth, but his mind refused to let him think about the attackers alone. It was Caierre. Always Caierre. The healer who had stood behind him one moment and vanished the next, swept away into the chaos of smoke and fire, leaving only the memory of his sharp, distant eyes.Alvar’s fingers tightened around the hilt of his sword, leather biting into his palms. “I cannot… I cannot let him—” His teeth ground together. He stopped the words before they could escape. The council’s rules, the laws of Silvermark, all the duty and honor he had wrapped around himself like armor, did not matter now. Nothing mattered except the image of Caierre standing on that cliff edge, cornered, surrounded by enemies. Alive, or dead. He could not know. And that uncertainty

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

☾♡ Eric ♡☽Hatred has always come easily to me.People liked to say brothers should love each other, protect each other, grow up side by side like two trees from the same root. But Frank and I had never grown like that. From the moment we were children, he stood taller, brighter, louder than me. He was the one teachers praised. The one elders smiled at. The one girls whispered about in class. Even on Valentine’s Day, when everyone was supposed to get the same cheap chocolate from classmates, Frank’s desk would be buried under gifts while mine stayed almost empty.I learned early what it meant to live in someone else’s shadow.Frank didn’t even need to try. He was just… better. Better grades. Better at sports. Better face. Better voice. Better luck. When he laughed, people listened. When I spoke, people compared me to him. “Why can’t you be more like your brother?” was a sentence I heard so often it became part of my bones.So I learned something else instead. I learned how to smile

𝓣𝓲𝓶I stared at the ceiling for a long time before I finally spoke.“Thank you.”The word came out small, almost weak, but it carried everything I had been holding inside. Frank turned his head slightly and looked at me.“For what?” he asked.I swallowed and forced myself to look at him. My heart beat faster, not from fear this time, but from the weight of what I was about to admit. “I know it was you who saved me. In that situation… it could only have been you.”He straightened from where he had been leaning and shifted fully into the chair, resting his arms on the armrests like he was settling in for a serious talk. His expression didn’t change much, but I could see something sharp behind his eyes.“How can you be so sure it was me and not someone else?” he asked.“I know Eric very well,” I said slowly. “He…” My voice caught in my throat and I had to pause. “…he is not the kind of person who would do something like that.”Frank raised one eyebrow. “Oh? Are you saying it’s imposs

𝓣𝓲𝓶I dreamed of a park.It was strange, because I had not been to a park in years, and yet the place felt familiar the moment I saw it. The sky was pale blue, the kind of blue that only existed in childhood memories. The trees were tall and thin, their shadows stretched long across the ground. There was a sandbox in the middle of the park, and the sand looked warm and soft, like it had just been touched by sunlight.I stood there, but my feet did not touch the ground.It was like I was floating above everything. In the sandbox, there was a little boy.He sat alone with his back bent forward, both hands busy shaping a small sandcastle. He worked carefully, slowly piling sand into a fragile tower. His clothes were old and dusty, and his hair was too long, falling into his eyes. No one sat near him. No one spoke to him.He looked very lonely.Not the kind of loneliness that came from being quiet or just because you want to, it was the kind that came from being pushed aside.A group o

꧁♡ 𝔉𝔯𝔞𝔫𝔨 ♡꧂I stood in the hallway longer than I meant to after Tim told me to get out.For once, I didn’t feel like laughing it off. I leaned against the wall with my arms crossed, staring at the pale green tiles like they had personally offended me. A man shouldn’t argue with a patient, I told myself. He was hurt. He was tired and he was emotional. I had pushed him too far and I knew it.Still, the image of his flushed face and the way he looked at me before yelling wouldn’t leave my head.There was something in his eyes then, something close to fear and anger mixed together, and for reasons I didn’t want to examine too closely, it bothered me more than it should have.I exhaled slowly and straightened. Fine. I would go back in. I would check on him properly and then leave. No teasing, no more games. Just make sure he was settling in okay and don't have any more complaints.When I reached the door of his ward, I saw Laura.She was standing directly in front of it, as if guard

𝓣𝓲𝓶“Get out,” I said suddenly.Frank looked at me as if he hadn’t heard me correctly. “What?”“I said get out,” I repeated, louder this time. My voice shook, but I forced myself to sound firm. “You should leave.”He studied my face for a moment, his eyes sharp and unreadable. “You’re kicking me out now?”“Yes,” I said. “I need to be alone.”Frank didn’t move right away. He leaned back in the chair and crossed his arms, looking far too relaxed for someone who had just been told to leave. “Is this because of what I said about Eric?”“No,” I snapped. “It’s because you never take anything seriously.”He laughed softly. “That’s not true.”“Everything with you feels like a joke,” I said. “Even when it shouldn’t be, especially when it shouldn’t be.”For a moment, neither of us spoke. I could hear the faint sound of machines from the hallway and the distant voices of nurses. Frank’s gaze stayed on me, steady and intense, like he was trying to see through my anger.“Fine,” he finally said.

𝓣𝓲𝓶Frank leaned against the wall near the window, one leg crossed over the other, like he had all the time in the world. The room was quiet again after Eric stormed out. My heart was still racing from everything that had happened, from the shouting, from the touching, from the way Frank acted like this was all some kind of joke.“You look confused,” Frank said.“I am,” I replied honestly. “What car accident were you talking about?”He raised an eyebrow. “That’s what you’re stuck on?”“Yes,” I said. “Since when did I get into a car accident with you?”Frank let out a short laugh and walked closer to my bed. “Obviously, I couldn’t tell people you were in the hospital because you were kidnapped. Do you think that would end well?”My stomach twisted at the word kidnapped.“So I made something up,” he continued. “A small car accident. Nothing major, people understand accidents. They don’t understand warehouses and knives.”I stared at him. “So Eric thinks I was injured in your car?”“