Nyra's POVBy the time I got back, my arms were already aching from the weight of the books, the house was silent.I didn't hear any guards, no servants whispering in corners, no soft clangs of armor echoing through the halls. Good. That meant I could breathe for a while—just me and my son.I dropped the bag on the counter and started pulling things out one by one, the way I used to back to our small cabin. Dried elk jerky, bundles of fresh vegetables, tubers with bits of dirt still clinging to their roots, sweet berries I knew Auren loved, and the honey biscuits I almost didn't buy because they were too soft to survive the walk home. But they had.Just like us.The market has been busier than usual today. Vendors calling out prices, children weaving through the crowds, and that persistent feeling of being watched that never quite left me these days. I'd spent more time than necessary at the herb stall, pretending to debate between rosemary and sage while scanning the faces around me.
Nyra’s POVI served the food quietly. The aroma brought back memories of my childhood home, where meals were moments of family connection. The familiar process of serving food had always been thoughtful for me, a process that grounded me even when everything else felt uncertain.Auren had set the table while I cooked. He somehow managed to put the utensils in the right places this time around.The forks rested on neatly folded napkins, and the knives were placed at the edge of each plate.The napkins were slightly arranged, and one of the glasses stood upside down, but it was a sign of significant progress from his previous attempts. Last week, he had placed all the spoons in a stack at the center of the table, saying it was more efficient that way.He looked at me from across the room like he had planned a royal feast rather than simply arrange tableware for our modest dinner."You did well," I said to him with a little smile as I set the last plate down. His attention to detail wa
Draven’s POVThe sun was brutal today. Not in the way it burned the skin, but in the way it illuminated every flaw, every breathless gasp Auren took trying to keep up with me."Faster, shift with the breath not against it," I called out, running ahead before slowing down so he would not lose heart.Auren grunted in frustration, pushing himself harder, his limbs trembling from effort, but his eyes locked onto me like he was chasing more than just a lesson. He wanted to prove himself. He reminded me of Nyra.It was a cruel kind of gift, training with him like this. Day after day, watching him stumble and rise again with grit I had not seen in anyone since her.Every time he shifted, every time he fell, every time he clenched his jaw and tried again, I saw the warrior in him. But I also saw the boy. My boy. Even if he did not know it.Even if he still called me "Draven" like as if I was just a trusted mentor that happens to live next door. And gods, it hurt. Like swallowing broken glass.
Draven’s POVShe stood there framed by the door we used to cross without hesitation. Back then, when I was a fool wrapped in power and guilt, her presence was something I sought. Now, it made my stomach twist.Selene.Gone was the sharp-tongued, cold-eyed woman who had once ruled beside me like a queen carved of marble and steel. In her place stood someone smaller. More fragile. Almost human.But I did not let my guard down."Selene," I said, my voice flat. "Why are you here?"She stepped inside without waiting for permission.The scent of her perfume still clung to my memory—lavender and crushed hibiscus—but tonight it smelled wrong. Like desperation, masked in sweetness."I just wanted to talk," she whispered. Her voice trembled, and she looked down at her hands like she did not know what to do with them. "Please, Draven."I did not answer. I shut the door behind her and crossed my arms, watching. Waiting.She walked a few paces, then stopped. Her fingers traced the edge of the side
Nyra’s POVThe screaming was the first thing I heard. Not Auren's own, though that would have broken me. No, this was guttural. Wild and inhuman.I rushed down the hallway, with my bare feet touching the wooden floor slick with something thick and red like blood. God, there was too much of it.I slipped and almost fell, but I caught myself on the wall, and kept running. My heart was beating fast, but I was eager to know what happened.The walls of the pack house were crumbling. Fire licked the ceiling. Smoke is seen in every direction, curling through the broken windows and shattered door frames. I turned to the corner and I froze.Two pack warriors lay dead, no, slaughtered. Their eyes stared blankly at the ceiling, mouths open in a soundless scream. Their chests had been ripped open like paper."No, no time, Auren!" I shouted, lungs burning. "Draven!"No answer. Only that sound again. That wretched scream, and laughter, soft feminine, terrible voice.A woman emerged from the haze. H
Nyra’s POVCold sweat clung to my back, and my hands shaked as I tightly held the sheets. And then. Warmth.Soft breath against my arm. A tiny hand was placed around my nightshirt. Auren.I turned to the other side to find him beside me. He was still asleep, his little chest was rising and falling in a gentle rhythm.I pulled him into my arms, holding him near to me, hiding my face in the curve of his neck as I tried to slow down my heart, which was beating fast.He is safe. He is here. But the dream. No. The nightmare.Even till now, I could still smell the burning wood and feel the pack house shaking under my feet.I could still hear the distant screams, the sound of wolves falling one by one under the attack of something that is unnatural.And then her. Zaira Blackthorn. A name I did not recognize. A face carved into my memory like a curse, long black robes that billowed like smoke, eyes silver and bottomless, her voice a lullaby soaked in poison.She moved through the destruction
Draven’s POVThe knock on my door resembled a striking ram. I jumped to my feet in seconds.Survival instinct activated immediately, only for me to discover that it was my Beta, Jareth. He was standing there, breathing heavily, as if he had run across the entire compound.His normally composed behavior had vanished, replaced by an urgency that instantly put me on alert.The muscles in his neck were tensed, his posture was rigid despite his obvious effort. Whatever brought him here before dawn could not wait."The Elders' Council awaits you in the Great Hall," he said briefly. "They indicated that it was urgent." Naturally they did.The Elders Council rarely assembled before sunrise unless something threatened our territory.Their summons carried the weight of generations of tradition, a call that no Alpha could ignore regardless of personal inconvenience.I looked towards the window where the first hints of daybreak painted the sky in muted colors.I ran my fingers through my hair, h
Nyra’s POVThe scent of sizzling eggs and roasted herbs filled the air, warm and familiar. I was not the best cook, but after everything Auren had been through, I figured he deserved a real breakfast. Something made by me. Something that said, you are safe now.The kitchen has become something of a sanctuary these past few days. The simple act of cracking eggs into a hot pan, watching the whites spread and solidify while the yolks remained perfect golden circles, brought me a peculiar peace that had been absent elsewhere in our lives. I seasoned the eggs with dried herbs I had found in ceramic jars lined neatly on the shelf—rosemary, thyme, and a pinch of something unfamiliar but pleasantly aromatic. The woody scent mingled with the richness of the eggs, creating a homely atmosphere that seemed almost foreign after weeks of survival mode.I arranged the food on mismatched plates I had discovered in the cupboards—simple ceramic dishes with faded blue patterns around the edges. They we
Nyra's POVThe forest was stretched out ahead of us, a never-ending puzzle of dark green and dry earth.The tall trees covered the light, and every snap of a twig underfoot echoed through the air.Draven walked ahead, silent and annoyingly composed, like he had not just dragged me away from my son with only a half explanation.I followed him, boots stamping on the ground, my heart was pounding with every step we further took away from the pack.I looked at the back of his head, willing for him to turn around. "Are you going to tell me where we are going, or do you just enjoy hearing me walk after you like some lost child?"He did not answer. Of course, he did not. "Draven," I said again. "This is not funny, I left my son there, you owe me some answers." Still nothing.The path we went along was not the one we used to take. It twisted and changed into parts of the forest that felt older and heavier.The trees were thicker here, twisted and dark with age, their branches pointing at the
Nyra’s POV"I have to take Auren along," I said immediately, my voice sounding low and urgent. "I am not leaving him alone, Draven."His eyes became wide, the tension in his body tightened. I could see the way he was trying so hard to maintain his composure."Where we are going is not a place for children," he said, his voice clipped.I crossed my arms tightly over my chest, the documents from his desk were still burning my mind.The names, the dates, the secret locations, all of it spells out betrayal. Distrust coiled around my heart like a living thing. "I do not care, I do not trust anyone here, I can not risk anyone.""You will have to," he simply said, with patience that only made me more angry. He stood there, without moving, his hands placed behind his back. "Not everyone here is against you. Some are still loyal and some are still good."I gave a short and bitter laugh that scratched my throat. "Forgive me if I am not eager to gamble my son's life on your judgment."The words
Nyra's POVI swallowed thickly, throat dry as parchment. My fingers were still pressed onto the pages, as if letting go would somehow make this entire moment disappear.I looked up at him, he was caught in the act, he had no lie to cover up quickly, no excuse was clever enough."I uh!" My voice caught in my throat, it was embarrassingly weak. "I was just..."Just what, Nyra? Snooping? Breaking the one unspoken rule between us? He stared at me, without blinking. Waiting."I should not have," I finally admitted. Draven did not move. He stood still looking so guilty."I am sorry," I added, even though I was not really sure if I was. The truth was that I was angry too. No. Scratch that. I was furious.The guilt that had gripped me was clear. Because why should I feel bad? He had kept this from me.The deaths. The drought. The fractures in the land are magic. He had known all along. And he did not say a word.I stood up slowly from the chair, every inch of my body tensed as I looked at me.
Nyra’s POVThe scent of sizzling eggs and roasted herbs filled the air, warm and familiar. I was not the best cook, but after everything Auren had been through, I figured he deserved a real breakfast. Something made by me. Something that said, you are safe now.The kitchen has become something of a sanctuary these past few days. The simple act of cracking eggs into a hot pan, watching the whites spread and solidify while the yolks remained perfect golden circles, brought me a peculiar peace that had been absent elsewhere in our lives. I seasoned the eggs with dried herbs I had found in ceramic jars lined neatly on the shelf—rosemary, thyme, and a pinch of something unfamiliar but pleasantly aromatic. The woody scent mingled with the richness of the eggs, creating a homely atmosphere that seemed almost foreign after weeks of survival mode.I arranged the food on mismatched plates I had discovered in the cupboards—simple ceramic dishes with faded blue patterns around the edges. They we
Draven’s POVThe knock on my door resembled a striking ram. I jumped to my feet in seconds.Survival instinct activated immediately, only for me to discover that it was my Beta, Jareth. He was standing there, breathing heavily, as if he had run across the entire compound.His normally composed behavior had vanished, replaced by an urgency that instantly put me on alert.The muscles in his neck were tensed, his posture was rigid despite his obvious effort. Whatever brought him here before dawn could not wait."The Elders' Council awaits you in the Great Hall," he said briefly. "They indicated that it was urgent." Naturally they did.The Elders Council rarely assembled before sunrise unless something threatened our territory.Their summons carried the weight of generations of tradition, a call that no Alpha could ignore regardless of personal inconvenience.I looked towards the window where the first hints of daybreak painted the sky in muted colors.I ran my fingers through my hair, h
Nyra’s POVCold sweat clung to my back, and my hands shaked as I tightly held the sheets. And then. Warmth.Soft breath against my arm. A tiny hand was placed around my nightshirt. Auren.I turned to the other side to find him beside me. He was still asleep, his little chest was rising and falling in a gentle rhythm.I pulled him into my arms, holding him near to me, hiding my face in the curve of his neck as I tried to slow down my heart, which was beating fast.He is safe. He is here. But the dream. No. The nightmare.Even till now, I could still smell the burning wood and feel the pack house shaking under my feet.I could still hear the distant screams, the sound of wolves falling one by one under the attack of something that is unnatural.And then her. Zaira Blackthorn. A name I did not recognize. A face carved into my memory like a curse, long black robes that billowed like smoke, eyes silver and bottomless, her voice a lullaby soaked in poison.She moved through the destruction
Nyra’s POVThe screaming was the first thing I heard. Not Auren's own, though that would have broken me. No, this was guttural. Wild and inhuman.I rushed down the hallway, with my bare feet touching the wooden floor slick with something thick and red like blood. God, there was too much of it.I slipped and almost fell, but I caught myself on the wall, and kept running. My heart was beating fast, but I was eager to know what happened.The walls of the pack house were crumbling. Fire licked the ceiling. Smoke is seen in every direction, curling through the broken windows and shattered door frames. I turned to the corner and I froze.Two pack warriors lay dead, no, slaughtered. Their eyes stared blankly at the ceiling, mouths open in a soundless scream. Their chests had been ripped open like paper."No, no time, Auren!" I shouted, lungs burning. "Draven!"No answer. Only that sound again. That wretched scream, and laughter, soft feminine, terrible voice.A woman emerged from the haze. H
Draven’s POVShe stood there framed by the door we used to cross without hesitation. Back then, when I was a fool wrapped in power and guilt, her presence was something I sought. Now, it made my stomach twist.Selene.Gone was the sharp-tongued, cold-eyed woman who had once ruled beside me like a queen carved of marble and steel. In her place stood someone smaller. More fragile. Almost human.But I did not let my guard down."Selene," I said, my voice flat. "Why are you here?"She stepped inside without waiting for permission.The scent of her perfume still clung to my memory—lavender and crushed hibiscus—but tonight it smelled wrong. Like desperation, masked in sweetness."I just wanted to talk," she whispered. Her voice trembled, and she looked down at her hands like she did not know what to do with them. "Please, Draven."I did not answer. I shut the door behind her and crossed my arms, watching. Waiting.She walked a few paces, then stopped. Her fingers traced the edge of the side
Draven’s POVThe sun was brutal today. Not in the way it burned the skin, but in the way it illuminated every flaw, every breathless gasp Auren took trying to keep up with me."Faster, shift with the breath not against it," I called out, running ahead before slowing down so he would not lose heart.Auren grunted in frustration, pushing himself harder, his limbs trembling from effort, but his eyes locked onto me like he was chasing more than just a lesson. He wanted to prove himself. He reminded me of Nyra.It was a cruel kind of gift, training with him like this. Day after day, watching him stumble and rise again with grit I had not seen in anyone since her.Every time he shifted, every time he fell, every time he clenched his jaw and tried again, I saw the warrior in him. But I also saw the boy. My boy. Even if he did not know it.Even if he still called me "Draven" like as if I was just a trusted mentor that happens to live next door. And gods, it hurt. Like swallowing broken glass.