MasukThe sound of fists hitting skin echoed through the training ground. Kendrick moved fast, blocking and striking, sweat glistening on his chest. All around him, young werewolves sparred and practiced, some with crude weapons, others in wolf form.
He landed one last hit, and his opponent dropped to the ground with a groan.“Good fight,” Kendrick said, reaching to help the young man up.The young wolf nodded, panting. “Thank you, Prince Kendrick.”Kendrick turned toward the edge of the field, wiping his forehead with a towel.Then he saw his brother standing there.He was near the trees, arms crossed.Kendrick’s eyes narrowed, but he stayed still.Rowland walked forward slowly. “Can we talk?” he asked.Kendrick looked around. “Here?”“No,” Rowland said. “In private.”Kendrick dropped the towel. “Fine.”They walked side by side into the nearby shed used for weapon storage. It wasThe pack gathered before the court at first light.The air was heavy. Wolves stood shoulder to shoulder. No one spoke loudly. Even the wind felt careful as it passed through the open space.Rina stood beside Kendrick on the raised platform. Her hands were clasped tightly in front of her. Her face was pale, but her back was straight.The babies were safe inside, guarded and watched. Still, her chest felt tight as she looked at the crowd.Two men were dragged forward.Their faces were bruised. Their clothes were torn. Their hands were bound behind them. They could barely stand on their feet.Kendrick’s voice cut through the silence.“Kneel.”The guards forced them down.Kendrick stepped forward. His eyes were cold.“You entered my house,” he said. “You touched my sons.”The men lowered their heads.“You will speak,” Kendrick continued. “Or you will suffer until you do.”One of the men shook. “We will speak.”Kendrick said nothing.A guard stepped forward and struck the ground with a sta
The night stretched on without mercy.Torches burned across the Crystal pack. Guards moved through halls, paths, and outer grounds. Doors were opened and searched. Voices called out names. Footsteps echoed again and again.Inside the pack house, Rina could no longer stand still.Her hands shook. Her chest felt tight. Her breath came uneven. With each moment that passed, her agitation and fear deepened. If someone hurt her precious little babies, she would not stop. She would give them the same measure of torture that their kind deserved. “They were here,” she kept saying. “They were right here with Beatrice. How someone must have snuck into the royal wing is beyond me.”Elara stood close, holding her arm. “Luna Rina, breathe.”Rina shook her head. “I cannot.”Neri watched quietly, her eyes distant. Beatrice stood apart, her face pale and hollow.Kendrick had already left with a group of men.He had not wasted time. He had taken only those he trusted most. His face had been hard, his
Night settled over the Crystal pack in slow layers.The pack house was quiet. Most had gone to rest. The halls were dim, lit only by wall lamps and the moonlight that slipped through the windows. Guards stood at their posts, steady and alert.Inside Kendrick’s chambers, the mood was tense but calm.Rina sat on the edge of the bed. Kendrick leaned back against the headboard, his arms crossed. Neither of them slept.Rina broke the silence.“Kendrick,” she said softly.He looked at her. “Speak.”She took a breath. “Neri came to see me earlier.”Kendrick straightened a little. “What did she say.”“She had a vision,” Rina replied.His eyes sharpened. “About what.”Rina said, “About the pack.”Kendrick did not interrupt.“She said she saw danger,” Rina continued. “Not the kind we already watch for.”Kendrick asked, “Be clear.”Rina nodded. “She said the pack would face an attack.”Kendrick’s jaw tightened.“She said it would come from an enemy we did not know we had,” Rina added.Silence fi
Lucas’ had come with both information for the pack and one that left Elara rattled inside. She wanted a good life. She wanted life with him, the man she had come to love. But she was not sure she was ready to be a Luna, much less among a pack she didn't know. She didn't grow up with the Howlers pack. She had seen how tough Rina had had to be. She had fought to stand alive in the place that's now hers to stand. She sighed. Today, Alpha Lucas would be making his way back to his pack. The air was calm, and the pack house moved at a slow pace. Word had already spread that Alpha Lucas would be leaving that day. Servants prepared his things, and guards stood ready at the front grounds. Nothing felt rushed, yet nothing felt light.Lucas stood outside with his cloak settled on his shoulders. His posture was firm, his face calm, but his eyes moved with care. He had spent the night in thought and the morning in silence.Kendrick walked toward him first.“You travel safely,” Kendrick said.L
Elara did not return to her chamber after Lucas left. She couldn't return there. Her heart was beating too fast. Her thoughts were tangled. The words he had spoken kept repeating in her mind, steady and calm, yet heavy with meaning. She walked quickly through the halls, barely noticing the servants who greeted as she passed. Her steps carried her in one clear direction.She needed to see Rina.She reached Rina’s door and knocked without slowing. Before the second knock could fall, the door opened.Rina stood there, surprise flickering across her face. “Elara.”Elara stepped inside at once. “I need you.”Rina closed the door gently behind her. “Come. Sit.”They moved into the room. The space was quiet. The babies were asleep nearby, their breathing soft and even. Elara stood for a moment, then sank onto a chair as if her strength had left her all at once.Rina watched her closely. “What happened?”Elara lifted her eyes. They were bright and restless. “He came to see me. Alpha Lucas.”
Alpha Lucas was led through the quiet hallway by a guard who walked a few steps ahead of him. The pack house was calm, but his thoughts were not. He had come for duty, but his heart had pulled him in another direction the moment he crossed the gates. There was no way he would not see the woman he loved before leaving the pack. He had missed her terribly and he didn't plan to keep that to himself. The guard stopped before a door and bowed. “This is Lady Elara’s chamber.”Lucas nodded. “You may leave.”The guard stepped away.Lucas lifted his hand and knocked once.Inside the room, Elara had already heard of his coming earlier. Word had reached her that he was in the pack. She had taken her time to dress, choosing a simple gown that fit her well. She had brushed her hair and sat waiting, though she pretended to herself that she was calm.When the knock came, she rose at once and opened the door.Her smile was bright and full. “Alpha Lucas.”For a moment, Lucas forgot every careful thou







