CHAPTER 67THE DAYS BLED TOGETHER.Julian was always gone—on the ridge, in the war room, briefing scouts, strengthening patrols. His scent lingered in our chambers but grew fainter by the hour, like a memory pulling away from the present. Our conversation, argument rather, was the last time we spoke. Trust me when I say I've never been more disoriented.But Lucian… lingered.It has gone past one night, but everyone was too busy with everything else to even acknowledge his presence. It was just me who noticed him, partly because I couldn't help it, but more because I had somehow been left out of the concerning of the pack.Lucian never pushed, never asked. He was just there—in the quiet corners of my day. A shadow at the edge of the garden. A voice behind me as I trained alone. A still figure on the overlook as the wind danced with my hair.At first, I ignored him. Told myself I had better things to do. But the truth was—I looked for him.Today, I found him in the library.I hadn’t mea
CHAPTER 66A VAMPIRE AMONGST WOLVES The sky was dusky violet, bleeding into shadows. Lucian stood just beyond the wards.He was unarmed, and smiling.And arrogant as ever.He wore a dark coat, tailored and sharp, the hem dusted with travel dirt. Theo stood beside him, or rather, leaned against him—weak, pale, but alive.Gasps erupted behind me. The pack parted like torn fabric.Lucian’s eyes—those strange, silvery mirrors—landed on me. “As I said,” he drawled smoothly, “I found him in cursed woods. Figured you might miss him.”“Step back,” Julian growled to the guards. “I’ll handle this.”He stalked forward, shoulders squared, dominance radiating from every inch of him. “Why are you here, bloodsucker?”“Easy,” Lucian said, lifting one hand in mock surrender. “I brought you a gift.”Julian’s jaw tightened. “You never do anything without motive.”“True,” Lucian said, glancing toward me. “But in this case, it’s simple hospitality. He was going to die. I didn’t let him.”I stepped forwar
CHAPTER 65“RAVEN?”I spun too fast, nearly dropping the letter.Julian stood at the threshold, his hair tousled from the wind, dark eyes narrowing just a little as they flicked from my startled face to my hands. “What’s that?”My breath caught. I folded the parchment in one swift motion, slipping it behind my back as casually as I could manage.“Something I was working on.” I forced a crooked smile. “A surprise. You’ll see… after we bring Theo home.”I lied! Damn! I just lied to my mate.He tilted his head, unreadable for a moment. Then a small smile tugged at the corner of his lips, softening the lines around his mouth. “You’re terrible at surprises.”“You love that about me,” I replied, walking over and brushing my fingers against his chest. He kissed my forehead, arms wrapping around my waist, pulling me in.It should’ve felt warm, and safe. Right?But it didn't. ‘Cause I'm a liar, and I have no right to feel safe.It's not too late to come clean, is it? I could just tell him the
CHAPTER 64HE CALLED ME LUNA.I tried to ignore it, tried to focus on the bigger problem at hand, but there was a growing lump in my throat that even I didn't understand. I don't understand why I'm so scared of this title. Will I ever understand it?Julian had risen to his feet. “What's wrong?" He asked."A scout failed to return from the western ridge,” the scout responded, panting.My brows tensed.The western ridge—once a neutral zone, now tense after Myra’s lies fractured nearby alliances. Julian turned to me. “Raven, I have to meet up with a few warriors. I'll join you soon.”I shook my head. "No! I'll join you." He didn't argue, and minutes later, we were in the war room listening to the scouts relay the information they had.I stood silently, facing the map, lines blurring together in my mind.“I’ll lead the retrieval party,” I said suddenly.Julian started to protest. I stopped him with a look. “Let me do this. They need to know I can.”He didn’t argue again.We didn't wast
CHAPTER 63THE MORNING SUN poured gold across the training yard, painting the dirt and stone in warmth that belied the crisp bite of autumn. I had wandered out for some air, to escape the weight of whispers and council reports—but the moment I saw the pups tumbling over each other in a mock sparring match, I paused.They reminded me of us, long ago—before shadows.“Want to try?” the pup instructor, a silver-haired she-wolf named Mere, asked me with a grin. “They’ve been wild today.”I blinked, surprised. “Only if I’m allowed to embarrass myself.”Mere laughed. “That’s part of the charm.”Minutes later, I stood in the circle with six eager eyes on me, each pup practically vibrating with energy. I dropped into a low stance and waved one forward. “Come on, little warrior. Show me what you’ve got.”He charged. Sloppy, overexcited. I let him try to wrap his arm around my neck before slipping out and showing him gently how to counter.“Always remember,” I said, demonstrating. “It’s not abou
CHAPTER 62MOON FESTIVAL, HERE I COME.I was brushing down my training gear, thinking of nothing and everything at once, when the knock came.I opened it slowly, and there he was—Father—standing tall and quiet in the hallway, arms full with a long, covered bundle wrapped in deep velvet.His eyes crinkled at the corners, like he was trying to smile but didn’t quite know how.“I thought you might need help getting ready,” he said.I blinked at him, stunned for a breath. “Help?”He lifted the bundle slightly, revealing just a hint of shimmering moon-silver fabric beneath the velvet. “This… belonged to the Luna before you, and the Luna before her.”My chest clenched.He stepped inside as I backed up to let him through, my throat tight.I reached out, fingers trembling slightly as I brushed the velvet away. The dress was breathtaking—flowing moon-white silk laced with faint silver embroidery that shimmered only when it caught the light just right. A carved moonstone sat at the collar, a si
CHAPTER 61HE HOSTED THE ENTIRE PACK.Later that day, the pack gathered for a family dinner at Father’s modest estate. The atmosphere was warm and casual—the kind of setting that reminded me that even in loss, love could persevere. The dining hall was rich with laughter, soft chatter, and the clinking of cups filled with spiced water. Father sat at the head of the long table, his eyes twinkling with memories as he looked around at the assembled pack members.Over dinner, stories flowed freely. Father recalled when I was a small pup, chasing my own tail and laughing as the wind carried my excited barks into the crisp evening air. He told a tale of a mischievous child who once tried to sneak away during a storm—and was found huddled in the barn, shivering but full of defiant spirit. I blushed at the recollection, a mixture of embarrassment and deep, abiding love warming me from within.“You were born of fire, Raven,” Father said softly during a lull in the conversation, his voice filled
CHAPTER 60MORE PEACE.The next afternoon brought more laughter—this time in the training yard.Julian clapped his hands once, loud enough to draw attention. “Alright, who’s ready to watch your future Luna wipe the floor with me?”The warriors hooted.I groaned. “You’re impossible.”The scent of churned earth and worn leather filled the air as I stepped into the training yard. The sun was high, glinting off steel practice blades and the slick shoulders of sparring wolves. Laughter drifted across the space like music—young warriors teasing one another, elders watching with fond amusement. The energy wasn't tense, it was peaceful.Julian was already waiting for me at the center ring, barefoot, arms folded, his grin entirely too smug.“Ready to be humbled, future Luna?” he called out, his golden eyes glinting like a dare.I rolled my eyes, suppressing a smile. “You talk like you’ve ever beat me before.”Chuckles rose from the watching pack. Someone from the side called, “Get him, Raven!”
CHAPTER 59PURIFIED, SANTIFIED, CLEANSED—I needed to be all of these things.This was the only way I could regain myself, I needed to do it for the pack too.The cleansing fire crackled at the heart of the ceremonial ring, casting golden sparks into the air. The entire pack stood around it—shoulders brushing, hands clasped, eyes trained on me. Some still looked hesitant. But most… most looked hopeful.The sigils that had once marred our land, woven into corners of halls, etched in stone behind our gates—all had been marked for purging. Myra’s shadows were being burned from the roots up. But the bond she had tried to fracture needed something more. Something sacred.Callen—the pack's sorceror—stood before me now, tall and radiant, his silver robes whispering against the ground. The moonstone staff in his hand pulsed gently, humming with ancient magic."Raven," he said softly, "will you receive the light willingly?"I nodded, throat tight. “I will.”He reached forward, dipping his finge