LOGINThe rescue party assembled in less than an hour. Warriors lined the courtyard in disciplined rows, armor strapped tight, weapons gleaming, their wolves restless beneath their skin. Jason and Liam stood at Ethan’s flanks, eyes red-rimmed from lack of sleep, resolve carved into their stance.Damian lounged against a boulder like a spectator while the men geared up for the most dangerous mission of their lives, his presence a jarring, unwelcome discord in the tense environment.“Nice army,” he drawled, pushing off the stone. “But I’d prefer one that wouldn’t pass out before we get to our destination.”Jason immediately bared his teeth. “Say one more thing, and I’ll personally—”“Enough.” Ethan’s voice cut through the courtyard like a blade, laced with an Alpha command that vibrated through stone and bone alike. Silence slammed into place.He didn’t even spare Damian a glance. He couldn’t. Because if he did, if he acknowledged the man standing there instead of throwing him out like any
Damian received the news of Ethan’s misfortune, the abduction of his human Luna from his own guarded territory, through one of his many gossip channels embedded across the Packs. A slow, excited whistle escaped his lips. The chaos he craved had finally arrived, and better yet, it had been delivered by someone else. He left his pack immediately, not to fight, but to watch how the Almighty Alpha Blackwood dealt with Silas. He had no intention of joining the fight or offering any help.He had always known something like this was bound to happen ever since Ethan started parading his human mate all over the place. Even if Silas hadn't gotten to her, someone more sick and more twisted would have eventually grabbed her, because a human would always be a vulnerability to an Alpha, no matter how strong the Alpha thinks they are.Meanwhile, Ruby was deep within Silas Morrison’s formidable, terrifying den. The first day of Ruby’s captivity was a blur of terror and disorientation.One moment s
Three Months Passed.Three long, deceptively peaceful months.Silas made no move. No attacks. No sightings. No whispers in the shadows.Some packs began to breathe again, to relax, to believe the danger had passed.But Ethan never did for a moment. His instincts were too sharp, his paranoia too justified, and his fear, his bone-deep, mate-shaped fear, never let him loosen his grip on vigilance.Meanwhile, life at Black Moon softened in small ways. Ruby’s belly formed a gentle swell, and her glow according to Shadow grew warmer every day. Whitney hovered around her like a dramatic auntie in a sitcom, alternately marveling at her bump and lecturing her on prenatal snacks despite knowing nothing about wolf pregnancies.Though the world felt unnervingly quiet after three months of fruitless vigilance, responsibilities still needed attention.One day, Ruby's quiet desire suddenly took form as a suggestion: a short trip into human territory. It arrived without warning. Ethan's surprise was
ETHAN I’d never truly pictured myself as a father. Not once. Being an Alpha left little room for daydreams about tiny hands and soft breaths. And yet… with Ruby, everything is different.Ruby, my fierce, stubborn, brilliant mate. The woman who wasn’t destined for me by fate, yet somehow became the center of my universe anyway. We only just sealed our Luna bond, but the truth hit me long before that ceremony: I can’t imagine a world without her in it. I don’t ever want to.With the impending war, facing Silas was something I accepted because I had to. A responsibility I was prepared to shoulder even if I wasn’t sure I’d survive it. I’d go to war for my Pack, every Alpha would. But deep inside, I fear there was a chance I wouldn’t win. That I might fall, and get turned into one of those monsters.But now, Ruby carries my child. Our child. A life so small it barely exists, yet already powerful enough to rearrange the entire landscape of my world.The moment I realized she was pregnant,
RUBYAfter my Luna ceremony, which, nearly turned into a full-blown bloodbath thanks to that rogue ambush, I finally began to settle into the role. In the beginning, I truly didn’t think I could do it. Me? A human Luna? In a world built on claws, teeth, and instincts I didn’t share?But Ethan… gods, Ethan made it easier than I ever expected. He was the sweetest, most patient mate. Walking me through every tradition, every responsibility, every hidden rule I didn’t know existed. He guided, explained, and supported me, sometimes with words, sometimes just by standing behind me with that quiet, immovable strength that said I’ve got you.And it wasn’t just him.Jason and Liam adopted me into the pack structure like I’d always belonged there. The warriors treated me with respectful curiosity rather than suspicion. The Omegas fussed over me like I was a long-lost cousin finally returning home.I wasn’t just tolerated. I was welcomed. Whitney helped too, chaotically, loudly, and unapologetic
While the alphas gathered in the grand hall to discuss strategies against Silas, the Lunas held their own parallel council in one of the sunlit reception chambers. Ruby had expected nerves, expected to feel like an outsider among women who had been born into this world, raised for it, shaped by centuries-old traditions she was still learning to navigate.Instead, she walked in holding her notes and left several seasoned Lunas blinking at her like she’d turned the tables without even trying. Ruby sat at the head of the table, fingers laced, trying not to fidget. Dozens of eyes, sharp, seasoned, and evaluating were trained on her. Lunas from some of the oldest packs were present: austere, elegant, imposing women with confident strides and centuries of pack politics at their backs. Many of them sized Ruby up upon arrival, their expressions strained with polite skepticism.And she was… a former human tech girl who still occasionally mixed up wolf ranks if she spoke too fast.Vanessa gave







