Laura's fingers trembled as she fastened the silver clasp at her throat, the small thing fighting against her usually steady hands. In the fancy mirror before her, a woman stared back, looking proud but unsure. Her reflection seemed almost like a stranger now, watching her with those blue eyes that once shined with strong spirit but now had shadows of worry."Just nerves," she whispered to herself, smoothing her dress, something she picked so carefully for tonight's gathering.Kieran's gathering. The thought twisted in her heart like a knife. Her mate had grown cold these past months, pulling away more each day. Laura had told herself it was just the weight of being a leader pressing on him, that being Alpha to the Silver Moon pack asked for things even she couldn't understand.She touched her flat stomach, feeling that same old pain bloom inside. Where a baby should have grown, there was only emptiness. Three years as Kieran's Luna, and still no child. Though he never said the words
Something old and forgotten stirred inside Laura's chest. The warrior she had buried years ago clawed to break free, scratching at her insides with growing fury. Her wolf, once quiet and yielding, now howled with a rage that shook her to her core.Fight back! Fight back NOW! Let me tear into the bastard!But the chains of years spent in submission weighed heavy on her shoulders. She had played the perfect Luna for so long. She had been silent, dutiful and never questioning. The role had now become a cage she had built around herself.Her hands shook as she stared at Kieran, his arm wrapped tightly around Elise's waist, his smug smile cutting into Laura's soul like a knife."Is this what I deserve?" Laura found her voice at last, though it emerged softer than she wanted. "After everything I gave up for you?"Kieran's eyes narrowed. The pack hall grew so quiet she could hear the crackling of the hearth fire."You gave up nothing I didn't ask you to give," he said coldly, his voice filli
Laura stumbled through the forest, her hand pressing against rough tree bark as she moved. Her other hand clutched at her chest where the broken mate bond left a burning hole. Each breath hurt like knives in her lungs. Her legs nearly gave out with every step, but still, she pushed on.The pain was worse than anything she'd ever felt. She could handle cuts and wounds just fine - she had been a warrior once. But this? This felt like her very soul was being torn apart."Keep moving," she told herself, her voice rough. "Just keep moving."Her wolf cried inside her mind, a sad, painful sound that shook her whole body. It was the howl of an animal who had lost its other half, who couldn't understand why this had happened. The wolf wanted to give up, to let the pain take over both of them.But Laura said no.A strong wave of pain hit her, knocking her to her knees. She tried to throw up, but her stomach was empty. Cold sweat soaked her dress, the pretty gown she'd worn for the gathering now
The deeper Laura went, the darker the forest became. The Silver Moon Pack's borders faded behind her, leaving her utterly alone. With each step she took, it took her further from everything she had known, everything she had ever been. The mate bond's absence throbbed like an open wound in her chest, an ache that threatened to swallow her from within.The trees loomed over her, looking like they were giving her a sentence. Gnarled branches reached out like bony fingers, catching at her torn dress, as if the forest itself was trying to hold her back. Twigs snapped beneath her shaky steps, but despite all these she pushed forward with grit."Just... keep... moving," she gasped, each word was a battle against the pain she was feeling.The cold of the night seeped into her bones sending a numbing chill that spread through all her limbs. Her bare feet were cut and bleeding, leaving bloody footprints on the forest path. She had begun to feel tired as her body shook with the effort of each st
Through the darkness and pain, Laura saw something move behind the rogues, a shape hidden in the night. At first, she thought death had come for her.Her heart stopped. Was this it? The end of everything?Then a deep, scary growl cut through the air, louder and stronger than any sound the rogues could make. The growl shook the forest, making everything tremble. The leaves rustled, and the very ground seemed to shake beneath them.The rogues stopped, their heads turning quickly toward the sound."What was that?" one whispered, fear making his voice shake.Laura felt Vex's fingers loosen around her throat. Just a bit, but enough to draw in a painful breath. His eyes darted around the darkness, no longer focused on her."Who's there?" he shouted, his voice not as strong as before. "This is our land! You hear me? Our territory!"Another growl answered him, closer now. The sound made Laura's skin tingle. The rogues holding her arms glanced at each other, their grips becoming weak as they l
A loud and bone chilling growl echoed through the air, so deep it shook the ground. The air suddenly turned freezing, like winter had come out of nowhere. Even the trees seemed to stop moving.Laura felt the hairs on her arms stand up. Something was coming. Something very powerful.Vex's hand froze mid-strike, his eyes widening both with fear and knowing. The claw that was about to tear her throat open trembled slightly."No," he whispered, his voice barely audible. "It can't be..."A huge figure came from the shadows, moonlight catching on its black fur. The wolf was massive, easily twice the size of any Laura had ever seen, its shoulders taller than a man's waist. But it wasn't just the size that made the rogues back away.There was something about him. A strong, scary energy filled the air, making it hard to breathe. Laura's lungs felt tight, like an invisible hand squeezed them.The black wolf's eyes glowed silver in the darkness, fixed on the rogues surrounding Laura. A low rumbl
Laura drifted in and out of sleep, lost in a fog of pain and tiredness. Time meant nothing. Shadows grew and faded. Sometimes, she heard voices, quiet whispers she couldn't make out. Other times, hands touched her skin, hands which felt cold and distant, caring for her wounds. But the darkness always pulled her back. Then, suddenly, it was gone. Her eyes opened wide, with her body going stiff right away. A gasp escaped her lips as she tried to focus. The smell of blood and smoke filled the air, but under it was something stronger. Something powerful. It stuck to the walls, heavy and choking, pressing against her senses. "Where am I?" she whispered to herself, her throat dry and scratchy. This wasn't Silver Moon land. The scent was all wrong. Laura tried to sit up, but the moment she moved, a sharp pain burned around her wrists. She made a hissing sound, looking down. Silver cuffs. Thick, magic-filled, and glowing softly with strange marks. A heavy chain tied them to t
Laura's breath caught at his words "Mine." It wasn't a question. It wasn't a claim she could just brush off. It was a fact, said as simply as the sky being blue or the moon pulling the water. Her heart beat fast against her ribs like a trapped bird. The sound filled her ears, drowning out everything else in the cold room. Her body still hurt from the broken bond, from the marks all over her skin, but anger burned stronger than pain. It rushed through her veins like fire, making her forget the ache for a moment. She pulled at the cuffs, not caring how the silver cut into her skin. "I am not your anything, you fucker." The words came out sharp and hot, filling the cold room. She expected him to react, to show anger or at least surprise at her defiance. Lucian didn't jump back. If anything, the side of his mouth went up a bit, a small smile showing in those hard-to-read silver eyes. The kind of smile that made her stomach flip in ways she didn't want to understand. "Strange," he
Laura's lungs burned as she pushed through the dense forest. The wound on her leg throbbed with each step, but she couldn't slow down. Not with Dante so close behind.The trees thinned ahead, and Laura's heart sank as she burst into a clearing. She skidded to a stop, pebbles scattering beneath her feet.A cliff edge. She'd run right to the edge of a cliff with a waterfall thundering down beside it. The drop was at least fifty feet to the churning river below."No, no, no," Laura whispered, turning to find another path.Too late.Dante emerged from the trees, his chest rising and falling with steady breaths. Unlike her, he wasn't even winded. His golden eyes locked on hers, and that infuriating smile spread across his face."Nowhere left to run, little wolf."Laura backed up, feeling loose stones shift beneath her heels. "Stay back.""The hunt is over," Dante said, taking a slow step toward her. "You did well—better than anyone ever has. But it's time to surrender."Laura glanced at t
By midday, Laura was deep in unfamiliar territory. The forest had grown denser, the trees taller and more ancient. Strange sounds echoed through the underbrush—snaps and growls that made the hair on the back of her neck stand up.She wasn't alone out here.A low growl froze her in her tracks. Slowly, Laura turned to face three massive wolves with matted gray fur and yellow eyes. Not werewolves—just regular wolves, but much larger than any she'd seen before."Nice doggies," she whispered, taking a step backward.The lead wolf snarled, baring teeth as long as her fingers.Laura's heart hammered in her chest. She knew enough about wolf behavior to understand running would be a death sentence. But standing her ground against three predators didn't seem much better.The lead wolf lunged forward. Laura dodged, but not fast enough. Pain seared through her leg as teeth grazed her calf."Shit!" she hissed, stumbling back against a tree.The wolves circled her, closing in. Laura looked around d
Laura ran into the forest, her heart pounding against her ribs. The cool morning air filled her lungs as she pushed herself harder, putting as much distance between herself and the Crimson Fang pack as possible.Ten minutes. That's all the head start she had.She couldn't outrun an Alpha wolf—especially not in his own territory. Her only chance was to outsmart him.Laura paused to catch her breath, scanning her surroundings. Back when she was a warrior, before Kieran had taken her as his luna, she'd learned tracking and evasion. Those skills had gathered dust since then, but they weren't forgotten."Think, Laura," she whispered to herself before coming to a realization. "Water. I need water."Rivers masked scent. Even an Alpha's nose couldn't track through running water.She listened carefully, then smiled when she caught the distant sound of rushing water. Picking up speed again, Laura headed toward it, being careful to leave as few tracks as possible.---Dante stood at the edge of
Laura spent the rest of the day trying to avoid Dante's burning gaze. Everywhere she turned, he seemed to be there, watching her with those golden-flecked eyes that made her stomach do weird flips.The Crimson Fang territory was truly nothing like Shadowfang's fancy halls.As Laura followed Kade through the settlement, she couldn't help thinking about Zephyr's gentle smile, the way his eyes softened when he looked at her. Then her traitorous mind would flash to Dante's knowing smirk, the heat of his hand on hers.What is wrong with me? She kicked a stone, sending it flying into the bushes. I'm not here for romance. I'm here for...But even her purpose seemed foggy now. Be a free person? Escape Lucian's control? All of it felt distant compared to the chaos in her heart."You look like you want to murder someone," Renn commented, falling into step beside her."Maybe I do," Laura muttered. Renn laughed. "Let me guess—our charming Alpha?"Laura shot him a glare that just made him laugh h
Laura woke to sunlight streaming through the cabin's small window. Her body ached from yesterday's climb, but that wasn't what made her cheeks burn as she opened her eyes.Dante sat across the room, watching her. His dark eyes never left her face, his expression unreadable yet somehow too knowing. Last night's dream rushed back, making her stomach flip.She looked away first, busying herself with folding her blanket. Did he know? Had she made noises in her sleep? The thought made her want to crawl under a rock and die."Sleep well?" His deep voice carried a hint of something that made her pulse jump."Fine," she snapped, not meeting his eyes."Interesting dreams?" The question hung in the air between them.Laura's head shot up, eyes wide, panicked. "What the fuck is that supposed to mean?"A slow smile spread across his face. "Nothing at all, little wolf."She wanted to slap that smirk right off his stupidly handsome face. Worse, deep down she wanted to kiss it off. Both thoughts made
The next morning dawned clear, but Laura could see dark clouds gathering in the distance. She packed her tent quickly, her muscles still aching from yesterday's river rescue. Dante approached, his eyes sweeping over the horizon. "We need to cross Ravenstone Pass before that storm hits," he announced, his voice leaving no room for argument.Laura knew of Ravenstone Pass. It was steep and dangerous even in good weather."Is that wise?" she asked quietly. "Those clouds look heavy."Dante's jaw tightened. "Afraid of a little climb, little wolf?"That nickname again. Laura's spine stiffened. "I can handle anything you throw at me, Alpha."A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "We'll see."As they rode toward the mountains, Laura couldn't help studying Dante's broad back. The way he sat tall in his saddle, confident and powerful. His dark hair curled slightly at his nape where it had grown too long. She caught herself wondering how it would feel between her fingers and quickly looked
The weather had turned just as Laura predicted. Rain poured from the sky for hours, soaking through their cloaks and turning the path into slippery mud. By noon, they were all drenched and miserable, but Dante pushed on without complaint, so no one else dared mention stopping. Laura pulled her wet hood tighter, watching Dante's broad back as he led them forward. Two days of traveling together had done little to ease the tension between them. If anything, each night around the campfire only made her more aware of him in ways she didn't want to be. The valley path had been the right choice—they'd made good time despite the weather. But now they faced a new challenge: crossing the Silvermist River that cut through the valley floor. Laura felt uneasy as they approached the riverbank. The normally gentle Silvermist had transformed into a churning, angry beast, swollen with rainwater from the mountains. Dante dismounted, studying the rushing water with narrowed eyes. His warriors—Renn a
The rhythmic sound of hoofbeats had been Laura's only companion for hours as they traveled farther from Shadowfang territory. The mountains she'd grown familiar with over the past few days were now just a hazy outline behind them.Alpha Dante rode ahead, his broad shoulders tense as he scanned the horizon. His two warriors flanked them, silent and watchful. No one had spoken much since they'd left, which suited Laura fine. The hollow ache in her chest made conversation impossible anyway.As dusk approached, Dante raised his hand, signaling a stop. "We camp here tonight," he announced, dismounting in one fluid motion.Laura looked around. They'd reached a small clearing surrounded by thick pines. A stream trickled nearby, its gentle sound almost soothing against the heavy silence that had followed them all day."Why here?" she asked, her voice rough from disuse. "We could make it to the valley before nightfall."Dante turned to her, one eyebrow raised. "Questioning me already, little w
Kieran lounged on his throne, one leg thrown carelessly over the armrest. The meeting with the pack elders had dragged on too long, and now all he wanted was the comfort of his new consort.As if summoned by his thoughts, Elise sauntered into the room, her hips swaying with each step. She slid onto his lap, her fingers tracing the sharp line of his jaw."You look tense, my Alpha," she purred. "Let me help you relax."He was about to respond when the doors to the hall burst open. A young scout rushed in, clutching a folded piece of paper. The boy's face was pale, his eyes wide with fear."Alpha Kieran," the scout stammered, bowing low. "A message was delivered to our borders. The messenger wouldn't say who sent it."Kieran frowned, irritation flickering across his face. "And this couldn't wait?""It's marked urgent, sir."With a heavy sigh, Kieran motioned the boy forward. He snatched the paper from the scout's trembling hands and unfolded it.The moment his eyes scanned the first line