LIRAWe stayed there for hours.And as I watched Caius, the way the light reflected in his eyes, the way he looked at this place like it was a secret he had finally shared with someone, I knew.This wasn’t just about the mate bond.This was him.I had fallen for Caius.Completely.When he turned to me, his expression soft, I knew he saw it too.He lifted a hand to tuck a strand of hair behind my ear. "Lira."I swallowed. "Yes?"His gaze flickered down to my lips for just a moment, and my breath caught in my throat. The way his eyes darkened, the intensity that simmered beneath the surface of that gaze—it was like he was unraveling me. My heart raced even faster."Do you regret it?" he asked, his voice a low murmur, as if the question had been sitting on his tongue for far too long.I furrowed my brow in confusion. "Regret what?"He took a step closer, and the air between us seemed to crackle with something unspoken, something heavy. He didn’t need to say it for me to understand. He wa
LIRAI was not used to being the center of attention.But it was impossible to ignore the way the entire Grimhowl Pack was staring at us right now.Or rather—staring at Caius.Because their Alpha, their fierce, brooding, terrifying Alpha, was grinning like an idiot.And that grin was directed at me.We had just returned from the hot springs, the steam still clinging to our skin despite the cold bite of the mountain air. The moment we stepped onto the training grounds, Caius didn’t let go of my hand. His grip was warm, possessive, unyielding. Like he was making a silent declaration.Worse?He kept doing little things—tucking my hair behind my ear, pulling me into his side, pressing random kisses to my forehead.I was dying.The warriors of the pack tried to act like they weren’t watching. They swung their swords, flexed their muscles, and practiced their footwork with an intensity that screamed forced distraction. But the omegas? They weren’t even pretending.They whispered and giggled
CAIUSTwo days.That was all the time we had before meeting Elder Aldric.The oldest and most powerful of the Elders.And the only one who could answer the questions that had been plaguing me ever since I met Lira.She should have had her wolf by now.But she didn’t.And yet—she was stronger than any unshifted wolf I had ever seen.I knew there was something about her.Something more.And soon, we would find out what.The thought unsettled me, a deep, gnawing sensation in my gut. I was not a man prone to fear, but uncertainty had a way of burrowing deep, needling at the edges of my resolve. And Lira—Lira was the one thing I couldn’t afford to be uncertain about.I watched her now, standing by the balcony of my office, staring at the moonlit snow that blanketed the mountains. The cold wind ruffled her dark hair, strands dancing across her face, but she didn’t seem to notice. There was something different about her since our return from the hot springs. A softness in the way she held her
LIRAI barely slept.For the first time in a long time, I was afraid of what was coming.What if Elder Aldric told me I was weak?What if he told me I would never shift?What if—?The thoughts circled endlessly in my mind, twisting and turning like a storm I couldn’t calm. I had never let fear consume me before. I had faced battles, endured pain, and survived more than most wolves ever would. And yet, this uncertainty—the possibility of knowing the truth—unsettled me in ways I couldn’t explain.A knock at the door startled me from my thoughts. I froze, the sound echoing in the stillness of the room. My heart leaped to my throat as I quickly wiped away the trace of a tear that had escaped down my cheek. I didn’t need anyone seeing me like this—not now.“Come in,” I called, forcing my voice to sound steady, stronger than I felt.The door creaked open, and Caius stepped inside, carrying a tray of food. His presence was solid, grounding—like an anchor I hadn’t realized I needed. His broad
CAIUSThe air was cold as we prepared for departure. A biting wind swept through Grimhowl, carrying the scent of pine and snow. The sun had yet to rise, leaving the world in a hushed twilight, but my pack was already awake, gathered in the courtyard to see us off.Lira stood by my side, bundled in a thick cloak lined with fur, her golden eyes flickering with uncertainty. Her breath curled in the crisp air as she clutched the edges of her cloak tighter around herself. The tension in her posture was impossible to miss. She had been quiet since last night, lost in thought, and I knew the weight of what lay ahead was pressing down on her.I reached for her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. “We’ll be there by nightfall,” I murmured, keeping my voice low so only she could hear. She nodded, but I could feel the tension in her grip. She was trying to be strong, but the uncertainty of what awaited us at Elder Aldric’s dwelling gnawed at both of us. His invitation had raised more questio
LIRAThe fire crackled in the Elder’s grand hall, the sound filling the otherwise tense silence. The flickering flames danced against the stone walls, casting shadows that seemed to grow larger with every passing second. I sat beside Caius, feeling the weight of his presence, the steady warmth of him at my side. My father sat across from me, his face grim, his usual confidence replaced by something else—something uncertain.Elder Aldric stood near the hearth, his ancient eyes unreadable, his posture stiff as he stared into the flames. The air was thick with the weight of his gaze, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that the Elder could see straight through me, into everything I had ever kept hidden. His age was something I couldn’t ignore—he was old, far older than any werewolf I had ever met, but there was power in his gaze. Even now, in his advancing years, he held a kind of authority that made my skin prickle.And something told me—he knew everything."Before I explain," Elder Aldric
TOBIASI still remembered the day we met her.The witch.Her name was Morgana Blackthorne, and she was unlike any other.Morgana Blackthorne was feared by many, but she was no monster. No twisted, evil creature waiting to cause harm. There were whispers about her, of course—talk of curses, dark spells, and prices too steep to pay. Some said she could call upon shadows themselves, that she could see the future in the embers of a dying fire. Others claimed she was immortal, an ancient being who had walked the earth long before the first packs had even formed.But when she stepped into our lives, she did not bring death or destruction. Instead, she offered something else entirely.I had been young then, but I still remembered the way she moved—like the wind, silent and certain. Her cloak was black as night, blending with the darkness that surrounded her. Her eyes, a piercing silver, seemed to glow even without the presence of the moon. She was tall and graceful, with an air of mystery th
LIRAThe room had fallen into a heavy silence, the weight of Elder Aldric’s words pressing down on me like an avalanche. My mind reeled, trying to make sense of the prophecy, the war, and the power that supposedly lay dormant inside me. It felt unreal—like a story pulled from one of the old legends, not my life.I clenched my fists, my heart slamming against my ribs."I don’t understand," I whispered, my voice barely audible. "What do you mean the dark lord will come for me?"Aldric exhaled slowly, his piercing gaze locking onto mine. "It is a warning passed down through the generations, child. A child born under the rare lunar eclipse, of Alpha blood, will rise with immense power—power that will tip the scales of war. But it also means…" He hesitated, his expression unreadable.My stomach twisted with dread. "It also means I will be the cause of it."Tobias flinched at my words. "No, Lira, that’s not—""That’s exactly what it means," I cut him off, my voice rising. "If this prophecy
CAUISThe walls of the packhouse felt smaller than I remembered.Every creak in the floorboards, every breath I took—it all sounded louder now without Fenrir’s presence muffling the world. Without him, my senses were mine alone. Just mine. But it didn’t feel like freedom. It felt like a void.Lira walked beside me, silent but steady, her hand wrapped around mine. She hadn't let go since the clearing. I didn’t realize how much I was leaning on her until we reached the edge of the war room and I stumbled slightly.She caught me, of course. Just like she always did.“I’m fine,” I muttered, more for myself than for her.“You don’t have to lie to me,” she said gently, guiding me into the chair beside the long table. “You’re allowed to break, Caius. Just… not alone.”I leaned back, resting my head against the chair. The same chair I used to sit in when planning patrol routes, border meetings, or war tactics. But now I felt like an impostor in my own command.“I used to feel him everywhere,”
CAUISTwo days.That’s how long I’ve been walking around with the weight of a war I can’t even fight properly. Since Morgana’s revelation—since Ysara’s talisman reacted to me—I’ve been carrying more than just the burden of being Alpha.I’ve been carrying him.Malakar.He’s been leaking into my mind, into my instincts, tainting my bond with Fenrir. I’ve heard whispers that don’t belong to me—urges that feel wrong in the marrow of my bones. At first, they were faint. But now… they pulse beneath my skin.I’ve kept it hidden. From everyone.But Morgana knew.She came this morning, not alone—but with Aldric at her side.I was in the clearing behind the packhouse—the only place where Morgana’s wards still muted the noise in my head. It was the only place I could think. Or at least try to. And Lira, my luna, had been by my side through it all.I heard Aldric’s boots before I saw him—solid, slow, and full of purpose. Morgana’s steps were quieter, but the magic she carried always announced her
MORGANAThe scent of rosemary and dried bloodroot clung to my robes as I pored over the fifth tome of the morning. My fingers trembled—not from age, but from urgency. It had been two days since we discovered the truth.Two days since I learned that Malakar had not merely touched Caius’ mind… but had laced himself into his very shadow.A tether. A slow poison.A curse older than most witches alive today.I hadn’t slept. The fire in my chamber barely flickered anymore, kept alive only by the pulse of my magic and the constant rustling of pages. On the table before me, scrolls lay scattered, ink smudged by my hurried notes. I’d summoned wind spirits for answers. Brewed insight draughts. Called on the ancestors through the Oracle’s Mirror.Nothing had given me what I needed.Because this was no ordinary corruption. Malakar wasn’t just feeding off Caius—he was waiting. Waiting for the right moment to seize full control.And that moment was drawing near.Caius hadn't said much in the last t
CAUISWe scoured the halls until our feet ached and our patience thinned.Every wall, every crack, every space in the packhouse was searched—twice. The talismans Ysara gave us were sensitive, humming lightly in our palms whenever they neared even the faintest trace of cursed energy. But for hours, they offered nothing but silence.Until Kora stopped dead in her tracks."Wait… the old stone hearth," she said, her voice sharp with realization. "The one in the original east wing kitchen. No one uses it anymore, but it's still there."The east wing. Of course.No one cooked there now. The kitchens had been rebuilt on the other side after the fire years ago. But the room remained accessible—used occasionally for storage, sometimes by pups playing hide-and-seek. A forgotten relic of our home’s past.And the perfect place to hide something no one was meant to find.We rushed to the hearth, the talismans growing heavier with each step.As soon as we crossed the threshold, the symbols on the t
MORGANA I didn't walk. I ran. The vision still echoed behind my eyes like lightning that refused to fade. I had no time to waste, no room for caution. I clutched the edge of my cloak and stormed through the halls of Grimhowl, the weight of destiny—and dread—pressing down on my shoulders like an avalanche ready to fall. Caius. Lira. They needed to know what I saw. The future was still uncertain, a thread split in two. One path led to fire, ruin, and death. The other—hope. But both required a choice. A sacrifice. A weapon. And time, we had little of that left. I reached the dining hall, heart thudding in my chest, relief washing over me as I spotted them all inside. Lira stood beside Caius, her hand resting gently on his. Tobias and Thoren sat nearby, deep in conversation with Seraphina and Dain. Deanna and Elowen were seated next to Ronan and Kora, who looked up the moment I entered. Elias stood at the far end, arms crossed, eyes alert. Even the Elders Council had g
MORGANA The moment I stepped out of the war room, scroll clutched tight to my chest, I felt the weight of centuries settle on my shoulders like a cloak spun from memory and magic. The Map of the Bloodseer. I had heard of it in whispers—in forgotten tomes and fragmented chants. A myth, they claimed. A tale told by seers too old to trust and too mad to be believed. But it was real. Right in my hands, pulsing faintly with the tangled threads of fate itself. This could be the turning point in the war. Or a trap we were too desperate to ignore. I moved quickly through Grimhowl’s stone halls, ducking into the small chamber I’d claimed as my study. Candles flared to life with a flick of my fingers. Runes on the walls shimmered, reacting to the old magic now saturating the space. I laid the map out carefully across the old table, heart pounding not with fear—but with urgency. Because this time, it was personal. My hands hovered over the parchment, and I whispered an incan
CAUIS I stood at the head of the hall, my hand resting lightly on the back of Lira’s chair, listening to Ronan speak. His voice echoed just enough to remind us all why we were really here. "Alright, as beautiful as all these long-lost family moments are,” Ronan began, flashing a small grin, “we didn’t come back just to cry and sniff each other’s hair.” A few chuckles rumbled through the hall—Kora rolled her eyes, Seraphina smirked into her cup, and even Tobias cracked a grin. But I could feel the shift in Ronan’s tone even before the humor faded from his face. “We come bearing news from the Village of Enomenos,” he said. Just like that, the air changed. I straightened. “Then we need to meet. We’ll keep this here brief and move to the war room.” “Thoren, Tobias, you and your daughters stay,” I added, catching my mate’s gaze and brushing my fingers across her hand. “You deserve the time to catch up.” “But unfortunately for Elias,” Ronan smirked over his should
ELIAS The warmth of the dining hall clashed with the tension humming beneath my skin. We’d only just returned—Thoren, Ronan, Kora, and I—bringing news from the nearby village. We hadn’t been gone long, but in war, every hour stretched thin. Every moment was weighted. And yet, in the middle of it all, I found myself rooted in place—not by dread, not by urgency—but by a scent. I froze near the entrance, my breath catching. It drifted through the air, cutting through the aromas of roasted meat, earth, and fire. This scent was different. Unmistakable. Fresh rain on wildflowers. Sweet… and wild. Mate. My head snapped toward the far end of the hall. And that’s when I saw her. She stood beside Dain, half-shielded by the curve of his arm. Her gaze was already on me. Wide-eyed. Curious. Like she felt it too. No—she knew. The world narrowed. Sounds dimmed. I took a step forward before I even realized I was moving. My heart thundered in my chest as I closed
SERAPHINA The warmth of familiar arms still lingered on my skin. I was wrapped in it—reunion, laughter, tears. The scent of my mother, the comforting cadence of Tobias’s voice, even Morgana’s sharp, dry wit—it all created a fragile kind of joy, stitched together by disbelief. I was home. Somehow. Even though the walls were different, the ground colder, and the people scarred by what had come before, I was here. After so long, I let myself breathe again. Because suddenly, something cold twisted in my gut. My father. The joy faded from my face like ash on the wind. I turned sharply, searching the faces around me—Tobias, Morgana, Dain. Dain. He stood near the fire, his arms crossed, face half-cast in shadow. “Dain,” I said, stepping forward. “Valenwood… what happened to it? Where’s my father? Is he still—” I couldn’t finish the question. My voice cracked, and the unspoken horrors hung between us like smoke. His jaw tightened, lips pressing into a thin l