Chapter: Chapter 175: Choosing Joy[RHIANNON] The kitchen was chaos in the best possible way. Cora had indeed made breakfast—enough food to feed twice our current number. Lena and Maris were arguing loudly about proper seasoning while Safi rolled her eyes and plated everything anyway. The moment we entered with Lachlan, all activity stopped. Then resumed with renewed energy directed entirely at us. "Sit. Both of you. Now." Cora pointed at the chairs with the authority of someone who'd been running this kitchen longer than I'd been alive. I sat without argument. Kael did the same, settling Lachlan on his lap. Food appeared immediately—eggs, bread, fruit, and meat. More than we could eat. "You need to rebuild your strength," Lena declared, setting down another plate. "Both of you look half-dead," Maris added bluntly. Cora smacked her arm. "What? They do!" I laughed despite myself. This was normal. This was home. Kael ate methodically while keeping one hand on Lachlan, who was more interested in s
Last Updated: 2026-02-26
Chapter: Chapter 174: Peace Reclaimed[RHIANNON]The manor had gone quiet.Healers had come and gone, checking wounds and distributing salves. Patrols had doubled outside. Doors had been reinforced with additional guards posted at every entrance. Orders had been issued, acknowledged, and executed.Now, for the first time since Lachlan was taken—There was stillness.I lay in bed wrapped around Kael; Lachlan nestled between us in the cocoon of blankets and safety we'd created. My arm curved protectively over our son's small body. Kael's hand rested at my waist, solid and grounding.Lachlan's breathing was soft. Even. Safe.I inhaled slowly.And for the first time in days, my lungs didn't burn with fear.Kael's cedar-and-storm scent anchored me more effectively than any words could. My own midnight rain had softened, no longer sharp and electric with barely contained power.Just steady.Peace didn't descend like a blessing from above.It arrived like something fought for. Earned. Scarred into existence through blood and sac
Last Updated: 2026-02-26
Chapter: Chapter 173: Homecoming[KAEL]The manor came into full view as we crossed into Crescent Moon territory properly—stone walls unmarred, banners intact despite everything that had happened beyond our borders.Word spread before we reached the gates.The first howl rose from the watchtower. Long, rising, trembling with relief.Then another.Then dozens.Not a battle cry. A homecoming.Warriors at the front were met with tears, clasped hands, and desperate embraces. Parents rushed forward for children thought lost. Mates collided mid-step, shoulders shaking with sobs they'd been holding back for days.I walked to the center of it all.Rhiannon was beside me, holding Lachlan against her chest as if the world might attempt to steal him again if she loosened her grip even slightly. She hadn't let him go since the ruins. Hadn't faltered once during the entire journey home.She looked pale. Exhausted. Blood dried in her hair and stained her torn clothing.Her spine remained straight.The pack parted for us instinctiv
Last Updated: 2026-02-25
Chapter: Chapter 172: Relief Earned[EMRYS]I watched Kael turn away from Hunter's body without looking back.Simple. Final. Absolute.My Alpha gathered his mate and child, blood-streaked and exhausted but whole. I allowed myself one breath.Not victory.Assessment.Hunter's corpse lay where it fell, throat torn, blood spreading into fractured stone in dark pools that reflected dying firelight. The unstable rune device had gone dark. No pulse. No residual magical surge humming against my senses.Still.I stepped forward and crushed the device beneath my boot.Mechanisms cracked. Crystal shattered into harmless fragments.No risks. Not tonight. Not ever again with this particular threat.Around me, Crescent Moon warriors moved with practiced efficiency through the settling dust.Dust drifted like fog between broken pillars. The ruins groaned occasionally as fractured stone settled.The clearing felt quiet in a way that seemed earned rather than given.But my mind was already elsewhere.Because during the final clash with
Last Updated: 2026-02-25
Chapter: Chapter 171: Finality[KAEL]The blade descended.Perfect angle. Clean trajectory.I registered every detail with brutal clarity—the relic sigils etched into black steel, Hunter's cold satisfaction, and the precise geometry that would separate my head from my shoulders.My thigh screamed. Balance compromised. No leverage to dodge.'Move.'Saen snarled the command, but my body wasn't listening fast enough.Then silver exploded across my vision.Rhiannon slammed into me from the side, her body twisting between mine and the descending blade with absolute precision born from instinct rather than calculation.The sound that followed wasn't a scream.Just a sharp inhale forced through gritted teeth as the relic blade sank deep into her shoulder.Black steel hummed. Sigils flared.She should have collapsed. The weapon was designed to disrupt Alpha force, to weaken, to break.Instead—Her power ignited.Silver light erupted from the wound itself, crackling outward in arcs that made the air taste like lightning and
Last Updated: 2026-02-24
Chapter: Chapter 170: Maternal Wrath[RHIANNON]Lachlan's cry threaded through the distance beyond that sealed passage. Every maternal instinct I possessed screamed to tear through stone with bare hands if necessary.I pressed both hands flat against the cracked floor, silver light flickering across my veins. Not wild now. Focused. Drawing inward and sharpening into something that felt less like healing and more like a weapon.Kael turned toward me. His hands found mine and pulled me to my feet.Our eyes met—both of us vibrating with the specific frequency of parents who'd just watched their child bleed."We find another way through," he said. Not a suggestion. A statement.I didn't waste breath answering. Just moved.We tracked back through the collapsing chamber, following the scent of iron and old magic to where a secondary passage branched off the main corridor. Hunter had built contingencies—plural. That meant multiple exits.Kael paused to listen. I closed my eyes and felt instead.The bond with Lachlan flickered f
Last Updated: 2026-02-24
Chapter: Book 3 -Epilogue-[This Is Not The End] ARIELLA It took us a while to get there, but it was a pleasant walk. The trees were all in full bloom, and it smelled delightful. As we walked, I started feeling a little better. I felt lighter and happier. He was right, though. I didn’t need to worry about him. He was fine. And if he wasn’t, I would be there to take care of him. We reached the stream, and it was gorgeous, surrounded by a ring of tall redwoods and the sun setting behind them. The water glistened in the light. “It’s beautiful,” he murmured. “Yeah,” I agreed. I sat on the edge of the stream, watching the ripples in the water as the gentle breeze stirred the surface. Malik lay on his back next to me, his eyes closed and a contented expression masking his features. “I could get used to this. The tranquility here is unlike anything I’ve felt in a long time.” I rested my chin on my shoulder, watching him, feeling the butterflies flutter with glee in my stomach. Immediately, I felt better than I
Last Updated: 2022-11-25
Chapter: Book 3 -50-[Memories] ARIELLA “I have a better idea,” I murmured as I studied the guard. “Instead of repeating everything to my father, why don’t you tell him yourself? Or, even better, have my mother look into your memories.” “Look into my memories?” Malik’s brow quirked in question. “How is she gonna do that?” I flashed him a smile, confident in my plan. “Here’s what hunters don’t know about my mom. Unlike the other wolves, my mother was born a witch from another realm. A realm where only witches, wizards, and mages existed.” “That’s, uhm... that’s something,” Malik acknowledged, the wheels in his head clocking overtime as he processed the information. “Yeah, so recently I learned my mom has this cool ability to see people’s memories,” I explained. “Lucky for me, I was born with a similar power. Mine is to see the outcome of major events. At least that’s what I think. Which was how we had known to expect another attack.” “From the moment we met, I knew there was something special about y
Last Updated: 2022-11-24
Chapter: Book 3 -49-[A Favor] ARIELLA “All right, I can do that. I’ll tell you everything once you promise to do something for me in return.” He nodded, continuing to eat. “What will that be?” “I just need to know my family is okay. My cousin Amanda, the one I was here with recently, is pregnant. My mom is sick and—“ “Say no more,” I chimed in, cutting him off. “It is mainly my fault you are in this cell. Had you not been my mate—although you could’ve died in battle—you wouldn’t have been here.” He stopped chewing, looking at me with intense curiosity. “Are you sure you don’t want to know what I need you to do for me or the time to think it over?” I shook my head. “I doubt it’ll be worse than you locked in a cell.” “Okay.” He gave a brief chuckle. “I think this will be the first time I ever requested a favor from a wolf—a favor for a former hunter.” “A favor from your mate,” I corrected, which made him smile. “I will check on your family, Malik. If they’re okay, I’ll come back and tell you, an
Last Updated: 2022-11-23
Chapter: Book 3 -48-[Debatable] ARIELLA Infuriated, hands balled into fists, nostrils flared, and hatred burning in my eyes, I stormed after my father. “Was locking him away seriously necessary?” I called out, trying to catch up with my father’s long strides. “He proved he was a wolf, yet you locked him away anyway, like some rabid dog.” Ahead, my father stopped and turned halfway towards me, leveling a look that said he’d heard enough. I had crossed the line and was making things worse. “I have to be sure he’s not an imposter, a hunter pretending to be a wolf. It’s like Alpha Declan pointed out. Nobody knows what made him a wolf.” I shook my head in disgust. “Malik did nothing wrong. He’s not some test used to see how well we can protect our pack.” “You’ve got no clue what you’re talking about,” Dad said, returning to his earlier pace. “There’s a lot to do. I suggest you focus on that before you join your mate in the cells.” “Ugh!” I let out an angry growl and kicked a small stone in my path, sen
Last Updated: 2022-11-22
Chapter: Book 3 -47-[Not A Threat II] MALIK The moment I saw her face when I awoke after blacking out earlier, I realized how grateful I was to still be alive, even as a werewolf. Not just that. I also understood the severity of this werewolf bond Owen had told me about. The bond was more than just a physical connection. It was also both emotional and spiritual. It sure would take some getting used to. The love and concern in Ariella’s eyes, despite her efforts to hide it, told me she was also thankful I was alive. She was worried about me and hoped I would be okay. Little did she know how much effort it took not to kiss her then and there. Then, suddenly, the world got quiet. The wind rustling trees, the birds tweeting, and the insects chirping all stopped. Her breath was in my ear. I could feel her heartbeat, fast and steady. For a split second, my body froze, and my heart stopped beating. Just for a second, but once my body registered what was happening, it was everything and nothing like I imag
Last Updated: 2022-11-21
Chapter: Book 3 -46-[Not A Threat] ARIELLA I placed my hand on his chest and willed him to wake up. His skin was warm to the touch, but he didn’t stir. I glanced around frantically, trying to find something to help him. My eyes landed on a large tree branch lying on the ground a few feet away. On my feet in seconds, I grabbed it and ran back to his side. I placed the branch under his arm and tried to apply pressure to the wound, but it was gushing blood. I had to do something, and fast. Or he would bleed out. Ripping off a piece of my shirt, I tied it around the branch, hoping it would stem the flow of blood. Thank the goddess, it had the desired effect. The blood slowed to a trickle. “El!” Abby screamed behind me, her heavy footfall letting me know she was running towards me. “Over here.” I shouted, never taking my eyes off my mate. I stripped off my belt and wrapped it around his arm, compressing the wound. “Oh, thank goodness!” she said as she knelt down next to me. “What the hell happened?”
Last Updated: 2022-11-20
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