Novel-novel oleh gabrielgladys37

The carriage rolled to a slow stop at the foot of the palace steps. For a brief moment, neither Aria nor the messenger moved. Outside, the sound of boots striking polished stone echoed through the courtyard. The carriage door opened. A royal guard stood waiting, one hand resting over his chest as he bowed. "My Lady." Aria stepped down without acknowledging the greeting. The cold mountain air brushed against her face as her eyes swept across the palace grounds. Guards stood in perfect formation from the courtyard to the towering entrance. Palace attendants moved quietly along the marble walkways, each carrying out their duties with practiced precision. No one stopped to stare or whisper. Yet Aria could feel their eyes following her. She ignored them. There was only one person she wanted to see. She turned to the messenger. "Take me to my daughter." There was no waiting or hesitation. Only a mother desperate to see her child. The messenger met her gaze. "She is safe." "I did

The carriage rolled steadily through the northern mountains. Neither of its occupants spoke. The silence was broken only by the steady rhythm of the horses' hooves and the creaking of wooden wheels against the uneven road. Aria sat with her hands clasped tightly in her lap. Audra's silver bracelet still resting between her fingers. She traced its delicate pattern over and over again, as though doing so would somehow shorten the distance between them. Nova lay unusually still. The white wolf hadn't spoken in hours. Every heartbeat carried the same thought. “Audra.“ The road became steeper. The towering pine trees gradually gave way to jagged cliffs dusted with snow, while thick clouds drifted lazily around the mountain peaks. The farther they traveled, the heavier the air became. It settled over Aria's shoulders like an invisible weight. Nova slowly lifted her head. “We're close.“ The is overwhelming here. Not the overwhelming Alpha aura she was familiar with. The c

The carriage rolled steadily away from Mooncrest. Aria didn't look back. If she looked at the pack one last time, she wasn't sure she would have the strength to keep going. The wooden wheels rumbled over the uneven road, carrying her farther from the home she had fought so hard to build. The home she had lost in a single night. She sat in silence, her hands resting in her lap. In one hand was Audra's tiny silver bracelet. In the other, the leather pouch of fresh milk the messenger had given her. Neither had left her grasp since the carriage departed. Nova lay quietly within her mind. For once. The white wolf had nothing to say. The silence between them was heavier than words. Hours passed. The familiar forests surrounding Mooncrest slowly disappeared behind them, replaced by towering pines whose branches reached so high they swallowed the morning sunlight. The farther north they traveled, the quieter the world became.No birds sang. No rabbits darted through the undergrowth.

The bloodstained cloth lay across Aria's trembling hands. The council of elders remained deathly silent. The crimson stain seemed impossibly bright against the white fabric, stealing every bit of warmth from the room. Aria's fingers tightened around the cloth. Her knees threatened to give way beneath her, but she forced herself to remain standing. The warrior who had delivered the cloth remained kneeling, his head lowered in shame. "We searched the eastern border from dawn until sunrise," he reported quietly. "The scent led us to the river crossing before it disappeared." "We believe they crossed into the northern pass." Rowan's jaw tightened. "The Lycan Kingdom." The warrior nodded. "I'm sorry, Alpha. We couldn't follow them." No one blamed him. Every wolf in the chamber understood why. No ordinary pack crossed into the lands beyond the northern mountains. Those lands had belonged to the Lycan Throne long before the first Alpha claimed a territory of his own. Few who entere

The council chamber had never felt so heavy. The grand room that had once been used to celebrate victories and welcome allies had become a prison of silence. Maps lay scattered across the long oak table, marked with hastily drawn routes leading beyond Mooncrest's borders. Red stones marked every place the scouts had searched through the night. None of them had found Audra. The first rays of dawn filtered through the tall windows, casting long shadows across the stone floor. Outside, the green banners of Mooncrest fluttered weakly in the morning breeze, reminders of the Luna Ceremony that had turned into a nightmare. Every leader in the room wore the same expression. Defeat. Aria stood near the window, her back to the others. Between her fingers rested the tiny silver bracelet that had belonged to Audra. She ran her thumb over the delicate engraving, remembering how her daughter had laughed when she fastened it around her tiny wrist before the ceremony. It still carried faint sc

The nursery fell into chaos. Warriors poured through the doorway, searching every corner of the room. Cupboards were thrown open. Curtains were pulled aside. Every window was inspected. There was nothing. Audra was gone. Aria stood over the empty cradle, her hands trembling as she clutched the tiny silver ribbon left behind on the blanket. Her daughter had been here. Only moments ago. And now. She was gone. Nova's anguished howl echoed through her mind. “We need to find her.” Aria spun toward the door. "Search the borders!" Her Luna command rang through the pack house. “Close every gate! "Send scouts into the eastern forest!" "No one leaves Mooncrest!" Warriors rushed to obey. Within seconds, alarm horns echoed across the entire pack. The celebration had become a hunt. Rowan stepped beside her. "We'll find her." His voice was rough. I swear it." Aria looked at him. For a long moment, she said nothing. Then she pulled her arm away when he tried to steady her