LOGINThird Person's POVPaisley closed her eyes, slowly calming her wolf.***Lance and Craig didn't immediately return to New York with the team. They stayed behind in the tent Germain had been using. As Lance inspected the tent, he noticed a small, charred hole near the frame.The edges of the hole were visibly burned, and the surrounding fabric had already hardened.He pinched some of the remaining black powder between his fingers.Lance brought his fingertips to his nose and sniffed. The faint smell of gunpowder lingered on them.His expression shifted slightly. "This is a bullet hole from a gunpowder weapon."Craig walked over and glanced at it. "Like an old-fashioned single-shot pistol?""Very close." Lance checked the size of the bullet hole again."Our legion doesn't carry weapons like this. Could Germain's people have brought it?"Old-fashioned gunpowder pistols had obvious flaws. They could only fire o
Third Person's POVRaven could no longer worry about protecting Germain's reputation and spoke anxiously, "No, we absolutely did not attack the garrison!"Alpha Germain was just interested in a young she-wolf and wanted to spend the night with her here. What he did was inappropriate, sure, but this was a personal matter, not an attack on the capital's garrison!"A cold, faint smile finally touched the corner of Lance's lips.Raven lowered his head in frustration. He knew his words were destroying Germain's reputation, but he had no other choice.Compared to armed rebellion, kidnapping and attempting to sexually assault a young she-wolf would at least not get Germain executed by the king immediately.From that moment on, the reputation Germain had painstakingly maintained for years was completely ruined.However, the reality was even harsher than Raven had imagined.Germain was too badly injured and had to be sent back to New Yo
Third Person's POVWendy pulled Ampelio and the others aside, quickly explaining what had happened that night and why Lance and Adelaide were temporarily refusing to admit that the one they had rescued was Paisley.They could only swallow their anger and followed Lance's plan. The Royal Patrol and the Ironthorn soldiers quickly seal off the camp, with special attention paid to the mercenaries of unknown origin.Not a single one could be allowed to escape.Alfred was the last to learn what had happened.He had always been careful to protect his position and his future. Under normal circumstances, he would never have involved himself in the conflicts unfolding in New York.But after he heard Wendy's account, his canines pushed down against his lower lip, his wolf thrashed restlessly inside him, and his furious pheromones surged into the air.Alfred pushed aside the people in front of him and lunged straight at Germain."The she-w
Third Person's POVGermain's children were still hiding in the car, none of them daring to get out. They had known nothing about what Germain had planned for tonight.Germain had kept them well protected, never letting them witness real bloodshed or the treacherous undercurrents beneath New York's glittering surface.They had never seen werewolves like Adelaide, Lance, and Paisley—the kind who could strike an enemy dead with a single blow.Raven remained where he was, silently assessing the balance of power.The Capital Guard could arrive at any moment. Eugene's troops were stationed farther away, and even if they received word immediately, it would take at least half an hour for them to get there.If they wanted to escape, they had to deal with Lance and the others within that half hour, then get out before the two forces could close in and trap them.As long as they made it back to Hudson City, the situation would once again b
Third Person's POVPaisley was still breathing hard, securely held in Adelaide's arms, yet she still managed to kick Germain a few times.One kick landed squarely on his ribs. The sickening crunch of breaking bones echoed through the clearing, loud enough for everyone to hear.Paisley's face was livid, her fangs still bared, refusing to retract.She had never been humiliated like this in her life.Tears burned in her eyes, but she forced them back.She would not shed a single tear in front of these bastards.Adelaide deliberately raised her voice, making sure everyone could hear."Thank goodness you and Lance arrived when you did. Otherwise, I'm not sure Wendy, Rachel, and I could have held them off."Paisley still remembered Adelaide bursting into the tent to rescue her.She immediately understood that Adelaide was giving everyone a completely different version of the night's events.Tonight, Paisley wasn't the victim who had escaped from Germain's tent.She was a reinforcement who h
Third Person's POVPaisley threw up until every last bit of strength drained from her body, collapsing backward onto the grass right beside Alistair's horse.As she forced her eyes open, the stallion was already lowering its head, stretching out a wet muzzle to sniff at her face.Startled, Paisley scrambled backward in the dirt. As the dense fog in her mind slowly parted, fragments of her memory began to fall back into place.She remembered riding alongside the supply wagons on her way to the Independent She-Wolf Center.The cargo wagons carrying fabrics and daily necessities had pushed ahead, and to save time, they had opted to cut through a secluded alleyway.The second they entered that narrow stretch, her limbs had suddenly turned to lead.She'd toppled right off the saddle, plunging headfirst into total blackness.When she finally dragged herself back to consciousness, two unfamiliar he-wolves were dragging her up a mounta
Third Person's POVHe coughed, and the scarf around his neck bounced. Adelaide turned her head, not wanting to look directly at it. The knitting was really bad. The pattern wasn't a bird or a bee—it was all wrinkled."Does he even remember who gave him that scarf?"No way. She had to find a chance
Third Person's POVAt the sound of Adelaide's name, the pheromones of those present suddenly grew chaotic.A mix of mockery, gloom, hostility, and covert delight flickered across their faces.There was Melinda, who had been seething at the insults hurled at Adelaide but had held her tongue out of d
Third Person's POVSome Lunas present had previously visited the Frostfang Pack with the intention of arranging a bond between their sons and Adelaide.After all, a union with her could secure a seat on the Royal Elder Council—why wouldn't they leap at such an opportunity?But after hearing Madison
Third Person's POVTamara sat exhausted in the chair, staring at the empty conference room.Dim light streamed in, illuminating lonely tables and chairs, making the entire Bloodmoon Pack feel like a tomb.She was happy for Adelaide—not for any grand reason, but for the care Adelaide had shown her d







