LOGINPoV AlaricThe inner council chamber feels smaller than usual.Not because of how many people are here—only those closest to the core of SilverFang’s power—but because of the truth that is about to be dropped into the center of this room. I stand at the head of the stone table, Russel at my side, a sealed folder resting in his hands. Cassian and Alan sit opposite us, both trying to mask their unease with forced, rigid posture.“I called you here,” I say, my voice flat and precise, “because these results must not leave this room until they are fully understood.”Cassian crosses his arms. “If this is about the rumors—”“Silence,” I cut him off sharply. “You’ll speak when it’s your turn.”The room goes still. Russel steps forward and places the folder on the table. The metallic snap of the seal breaking sounds too loud in the quiet.
PoV AlaricThe SilverFang Council Hall was full.Not with noise—but with tension hanging thick in the air, heavy, unseen, and hard to breathe through. The Elders sat in a circle of stone seats, their robes falling neatly, faces I had long known as the pillars of Pack stability now watching me with equal caution.I stood at the center of the circle. Without my Alpha cloak. Without symbols of authority.“This internal hearing is called without a public agenda,” I said, my voice echoing clearly. “Because what we are about to discuss is not a personal matter. It concerns the safety and integrity of SilverFang.”Several heads turned. Suppressed murmurs rippled through the hall. Cassian sat to the right side of the circle, his back rigid. Alan on the left, fingers laced too tightly together.“Is this about Lyra?” one of the Elders asked.“No,” I answered shortly. “
PoV LyraIt feels like my body no longer belongs to me.That morning I woke up to pain I couldn’t even name anymore. It wasn’t just pain—it was something gnawing from the inside, slow but relentless. My breaths came short. My chest felt tight. Every time I tried to move, the world tilted.“Water,” I whispered.The nurse hurried closer, but her hands hesitated. I saw the fear on her face—not of me, but of what might happen if I lost control again.“Now,” I snapped, even though my voice was hoarse.She handed me the glass. I swallowed once—and vomited instantly. Liquid mixed with bile soaked the sheets. My head throbbed violently.“Call the healer,” I gasped. “Now.”Not long after, the old healer arrived. His face was ashen. His steps were heavy. He looked at me like someone who already knew how the story ended, yet still hoped he was w
PoV CassandraIris woke with a muffled cry.Not the loud sob of a child who had fallen, but a small, swallowed sound—one she tried to keep inside. Somehow, that hurt my chest far more. I was already sitting on the edge of her bed before her eyes fully opened.“It’s okay,” I said softly, stroking her back in slow, steady motions. “Auntie’s here.”She shifted closer, pressing her head against my chest. Her fingers clutched the fabric of my clothes, as if afraid I might disappear the moment she let go.“Is Daddy angry?” she asked in a small voice.The question was simple. Too simple for the weight it carried.“No,” I answered without hesitation. “Your father isn’t angry.”“Then… why did he look sad?” Iris lifted her face slightly, her eyes searching mine. “I saw it.”I drew a slow breath. I cou
PoV AlaricI left NightFang without looking back.The iron gates closed slowly behind me, their weighty clang sounding like a decision finally sealing itself shut. The air outside felt colder—or maybe my head was simply too full to register anything except the pressure bearing down on me. Iris’s face flickered through my mind for a moment—calm, unafraid, asking for nothing. A painful contrast to what I had left behind in SilverFang.“I don’t deserve this,” I murmured, more to myself than anyone else.Russel was waiting by the vehicle. He didn’t ask questions. He simply opened the door and sat across from me, a black folder resting on his lap—thick, far too thick to be a routine report.“Let’s move,” I said.The engine came to life. NightFang disappeared behind us.Several minutes passed in silence. I let my thoughts reorder the fragments I had forced in
Lyra’s POVI knew Alaric had gone to NightFang even before Cyan said a word.My body always knows first—as if a thin thread is pulled from deep inside my chest every time, he steps away from me. That morning, before the sun rose, my head was already throbbing. Nausea came in waves, leaving my throat raw. I forced myself upright, but the world spun too fast.“Water,” I rasped.A nurse rushed over, her hands shaking as she offered the glass. I took a small sip, then vomited it back up. The bitter liquid burned my tongue.“Lady Lyra—”“Quiet,” I snapped. “Leave.”They left. They always do. Afraid of my voice. Afraid of my anger. And today, I didn’t care. The only thing that mattered was this: Alaric chose NightFang.Vania arrived with a pale face she tried—and failed—to hide. She sat on the edge of the bed, her hand cold as it clos







