Novels by Sera Veyne

The first time I realized that I could be useful without being tolerated, a frightened puppy fell asleep against my lap while I cleaned the wound on its paw.I had spent most of my life trying to earn a place in rooms where nobody wanted me. At Blood Moon, even the simplest task could become an opportunity for Garrick to remind me of my supposed shortcomings, while Rosalie seemed to take personal satisfaction in making sure I never forgot that I was different. At Mara Quinn's clinic, however, nobody cared whether I could shift, whether an Alpha had rejected me, or whether my bloodline was considered worthy. The animals needed help, and I was learning how to give it.The puppy had been brought in that morning by a farmer who found it limping beside the road. It was small enough to fit across my forearms, with muddy brown fur and a white patch beneath its chin. Mara had cleaned the wound and explained how to change the dressing, but the animal kept trembling whenever anyone approached.

The first animal that trusted me was a half-starved dog with a torn ear, and by the end of the morning, even Mara Quinn had begun watching me as though I were a problem she had not learned how to diagnose.I found the dog curled beneath a wooden bench outside the examination room, its ribs visible beneath a dirty coat. When I approached, it bared its teeth and retreated until its injured side pressed against the wall. I stopped several feet away, lowered myself onto my heels, and waited, because I knew what it meant to be cornered by someone larger than yourself, so I had no intention of forcing the frightened animal to accept my help.“Easy,” I murmured. “I'm not going to hurt you.”The dog watched me suspiciously, but after several minutes, its growling faded. I offered my hand slowly, allowing it to sniff my fingers before I touched the matted fur around its ear. It did not flinch when I examined the wound, and when Mara came out carrying a tray of medical supplies, she stopped in

I kept my hand on the door handle and listened to the stranger on the other side, wondering how she had discovered my name and why her warning sounded more like a promise than a threat.“Open the door, Elena,” she said quietly. “If I wanted to drag you back to Blood Moon, I wouldn't be standing here alone.”I hated that her words made sense. After everything I had endured, trusting a stranger seemed foolish, but remaining in the boarding house while someone searched for me was equally dangerous. I unlocked the door without removing the chain and opened it just far enough to see a woman in her late thirties standing beneath the corridor lamp. She wore a dark jacket over a plain shirt, and her brown hair was tied back carelessly. There was nothing particularly threatening about her appearance, although her steady gaze suggested she was accustomed to making decisions without waiting for permission.“My name is Mara Quinn,” she said. “I own a veterinary clinic a few miles from here, near

By the time I reached the roadside settlement, my feet had blistered, my clothes smelled of damp earth, and the last of my strength was beginning to fail me. I had spent the better part of the night walking away from Blood Moon, refusing to turn around even when the distant howl of wolves carried through the trees. Whatever had happened in the forest, whatever strange force had made those wolves bow before me, I could not afford to stop and search for answers. I needed somewhere to sleep before exhaustion made the decision for me.The settlement stood along a narrow road beyond the human borderlands, a collection of weathered buildings, small shops, and roadside stalls clustered around a fuel station. Trucks rumbled past at irregular intervals, stirring dust into the air, while a few early vendors arranged their goods beneath faded umbrellas. The place was ordinary enough to make me feel strangely exposed. In Blood Moon, everyone knew my history, my supposed weakness, and the name o

I had always believed that when wolves surrounded their prey, the only question left was how long it would take them to attack. That night, standing alone beyond Blood Moon territory with my back pressed against a pine tree, I discovered there were exceptions to everything I had ever been taught.The wolves emerged between the trees without making a sound. Their eyes reflected the moonlight, pale gold and amber, while their enormous bodies moved through the undergrowth with a confidence that made my stomach tighten. I counted five at first, then seven, until another shadow separated itself from the darkness behind them. They were larger than ordinary wolves, their shoulders nearly level with my waist, and their coats ranged from charcoal gray to almost pure black.I had no weapon, no protection, and nowhere to run that they could not follow. My legs still ached from the journey, and the fear I had been fighting since leaving Blood Moon threatened to overwhelm the last of my strength.

Seeing Adrian standing at the pack gates was the one thing I had not planned for, which was impressive considering I had spent the entire night planning how to disappear without anyone noticing.I tightened my grip around the strap of my bag and immediately looked toward the road behind me, wondering whether I could turn around without making it obvious that I was panicking, but that idea died quickly because Adrian had already seen me and was walking straight in my direction with the same unreadable expression he always wore whenever he wanted the entire world to leave him alone.I kept walking anyway.Maybe he would let me pass. Maybe he had something else to deal with. Maybe the Moon Goddess would show me a tiny bit of mercy after everything that had happened.Adrian stepped directly into my path.I stopped so abruptly that the bag slipped down my shoulder.“Where are you going at this hour with a bag packed like you're planning to disappear for a month?”I adjusted the strap.“Som