LOGINThe assassins were already inside my chambers.For one terrible second, I could not move.There were too many of them.Their faces were covered, their weapons drawn, and every one of them was watching me.Then my wolf growled.Run.No.Fight.The first assassin lunged.I moved before I even thought.His blade passed beside my face.I caught his wrist and twisted hard.He cried out.I drove my shoulder into his chest and sent him crashing into the wall.Another attacker came from behind.I turned just in time.His sword stopped inches from my stomach.I stepped aside and struck his arm.
The moment the gate broke, I knew everything had changed.The heavy wooden doors crashed inward with a deafening roar.For one second, everyone froze.Then the Council warriors flooded into Moonfall.“Hold the line!”“Protect the wounded!”“Do not let them reach the inner halls!”The courtyard exploded into chaos.I tightened my grip on my weapon and looked toward the broken gate.There were too many of them.Far too many.“Nyra!”I turned.Kael was already fighting through the crowd, his eyes fixed on me.“Stay inside the fortress!”I shook my head.“I can't.”“Nyra, this is not a request.”“And these warriors aren't going to stop attacking because you ordered me to hide.”His jaw tightened.“I need to know you're safe.”“I'll be safe if I help you win.”For a moment, he stared at me.Then another group of warriors rushed between us.“Kael!”He looked over his shoulder.One of his guards pointed toward the eastern wall.“They're breaking through!”Kael cursed under his breath.“I hav
The first arrow hit the wall before I could even breathe."DOWN!"Kael's voice thundered across the fortress.I dropped just as dozens of arrows flew over us.They struck the stone wall, the wooden shields, and the ground around our feet.Then the Council army charged.The sound was deafening."Hold the line!" Kael shouted.Ironfang warriors rushed forward."Do not let them reach the inner gate!"I stood and looked over the wall.There were too many.Far too many."They're coming from the east!" a warrior shouted.Kael turned immediately."How many?""At least two hundred!""Send fifty warriors there.""They won't be enough!""They don't need to be. They only need to slow them down."The warrior nodded and ran.I looked toward the western side.Something felt wrong.The Council army wasn't attacking randomly.They were moving toward specific points."They know where our weak points are," I said.Kael looked at me."What?""Their attacks."I pointed toward the eastern wall."They are a
The first thing I saw when I stepped onto the fortress wall was the army.Thousands of wolves stood beyond Moonfall.Their weapons caught the light as they waited for the order to attack.For a moment, my legs felt weak.Kael stepped beside me."You don't have to do this."I looked at him."Yes, I do.""Nyra, there are thousands of them.""And there are thousands of us."His eyes searched mine."You are not afraid?""I am terrified."He stared at me.I took a slow breath."But I'm more afraid of what will happen if I run."Below us, the Ironfang warriors waited.Some looked at Kael.Then their eyes moved to me.I could feel their uncertainty.They had seen what happened during the ceremony.They had felt my power.Some feared me.Others were beginning to believe in me.A warrior stepped forward."Luna."I looked down."What is it?"He swallowed."What do we do?"My heart stopped for a second.He was asking me.Not Kael.Me.I looked at the warriors around him."What would you do if th
The moment the Council's declaration was read aloud, something inside Moonfall broke. Kael stood in the center of the courtyard, staring at the messenger. "You are stripping me of my authority?" The messenger did not move. "By order of the Elder Council." Kael's voice dropped. "I do not recognize their authority over my pack." A murmur spread through the warriors. Some stepped closer to Kael. Others stepped back. I saw the change immediately. Kael's presence, which had always filled the fortress, seemed to weaken around us. One of the warriors lowered his head. "Alpha..." He struggled to speak. "I cannot feel your command anymore." Kael's jaw tightened. "I know." Another warrior stepped away. "My wolf won't answer." My heart hurt. This was what the Council wanted. They were not just taking Kael's title. They were tearing away the bond that held his pack together. The messenger lifted another document. "The Council has also ruled that the woman known as Nyra is
I had never seen Ironfang so quiet before. Not even during the worst nights. The silence lasted only a few seconds, but it felt like the whole fortress was holding its breath. Then the Council army raised its weapons. "Alpha Kael Draven," a voice called from beyond the gates. "By order of the Elder Council, surrender the fortress." Kael stepped forward. His face was calm, but I could see the anger burning in his eyes. "You crossed my borders with an army," he said. "And you expect me to surrender?" The Council messenger lifted his chin. "You have been given a lawful order." Kael laughed once. "Lawful?" His voice hardened. "You attacked my home. You turned my warriors against each other. You surrounded my fortress. Do not stand there and speak to me about law." A murmur moved through the warriors behind us. I looked around. Some were standing beside Kael. Others had stepped away. My heart sank. They were Ironfang wolves. People Kael had protected. People who had onc
CHAPTER 20Nyra’s POVThe first thing I feel is anger, and it rises so fast and so strong that it almost burns everything else away, because seeing him like that on the ground, weak and bleeding, is something my mind still refuses to accept, and yet it is real, it is right in front of me, and it ch
CHAPTER 5Nyra’s POVThat night, everything changed again. I woke to a sound so soft it could have been mistaken for nothing at all, but my instincts screamed at me, sharp and urgent, a warning too loud to ignore. My body moved before my mind fully registered, rolling just as a blade slammed into t
CHAPTER 4Nyra’s POVThe moment I step into the Ironfang Pack, I know one thing immediately: I do not belong here. Every pair of eyes follows me, sharp and cold, filled with judgment that crawls along my spine like ice. I can feel their hatred, palpable, almost alive, whispering through the air. So
CHAPTER 3Nyra’s POVI laughed and I could not stop it, it came out sharp, bitter, almost broken, and it startled me even as I did it because it was not a laugh I wanted to feel inside me but it was the only thing I could do, and when I looked at him again I realized he was completely serious, his







