FAZER LOGINBefore dawn, Lucien sat hunched over the map, candlelight flicking across the paper. Pins marked the borders, threads ran between outposts, and his thumb traced the western ridge where the young Alpha men had attacked. Every now and then his mind snagged on the image of the captive general… the way molten lava had seared beneath that man’s skin… the image gnawed at him. He pushed the memory down and returned to the map. Strategy did not wait for horror to be understood.The tent flap snapped open. The General of the Western Central Borders stepped inside, bowed sharply, and announced, “Alpha. The healer of the Western Border brings his report on your request.”A narrow-shouldered man in plain robes followed, bowed. Lucien stopped, lifted his head slowly. His gaze locked on the healer… a look sharp enough to strip away every lie.The healer’s voice was calm, but underneath it carried the weight of something unsettled.“Yes, my lord,” the healer began, his voice low. “I did all that wa
Lucien sat in his Alpha’s tent at the Central Borders, the candlelight flickering across a vast map spread before him. Pins marked territories… red for brief battles, black for troop depositions, a single white pin where the young Alpha’s movements had clustered. Lucien’s hand hovered over it, thumb tracing a border line along the western ridge, where recent scouts had reported movement. He was thinking three moves ahead when the flap slammed open and the general of the Central Borders came in, head low, breath ragged from the run. The general’s mouth worked; a single sentence pushed out. “Western Central… under attack, Alpha. They… they breached the outer watch.”Lucien’s head lifted, his eyes flashing with cold fury. For a heartbeat, he said nothing. Then the muscles along his jaw hardened until a line stood at his temple.“How many?” he asked quietly.“Over a hundred, led by one of the young Alpha Riven’s generals.”Lucien rose to his feet, the wooden chair scraping back on the di
The clasp of their hands felt colder than either had expected… a contract sealed with pressure and intent. For a long second the two alphas held each other’s gaze, and the chamber seemed to shrink around them until only the echo of their breath and the lamp flames remained.Riven sank back into his chair as if nothing had changed. Kade turned to go, boots echoing against the stone floor. Halfway to the door, he stopped. He had one last thing to ask… one last edge of doubt he would not swallow.He looked back over his shoulder; his voice was quiet but carried the weight of command. “One last question,” he asked, “What if you lose control of this beast you've awakened in your blood? If it does not answer to you, what then?”Riven’s silhouette was a shadow against the lamplight. He had been leaning, casually, one arm on the table; now he straightened. The light cut deep into his face, throwing his cheekbones into hard relief. For a breath he let the silence answer Kade’s concern. Then hi
Riven’s expression hardened. “My ancestor, Kaelthorn, once wiped out an entire pack… erased them from history. When I was young, I asked why we couldn’t do it again.” A bitter smirk touched his lips. “Every time I asked, I was met with the same warning: The cursed blood beast must never be awakened. That was Kaelthorn’s decree. No wars with gods, wolves, or witches. No bloodshed to stir the beast that sleeps beneath our veins.”He leaned forward slightly, his eyes gleaming with a feral glint. “But during my uncle’s war against Lucien… something did awaken,” Riven murmured, his voice carrying the weight of both revelation and madness. “I felt it… burning inside me. A hunger that wasn’t mine. Something ancient, savage… alive. The cursed blood beast is awakened in my veins.”Kade’s brows furrowed, his tone dropping into a wary growl. “The cursed blood beast?”Riven’s lips curved into a cold smile. “Dormant for generations,” he said softly. “But after the war, it stirred. From the marrow
Alpha Kade mounted his horse and rode out from the Crescent Moon Pack.His cloak whipped in the wind as he crossed valleys, and wild forests. What began as a single day’s ride stretched into four relentless days. The path wound through shadowed woods and barren hills, where the air grew colder and the silence heavier. Each night, he camped beneath strange skies, haunted by the cries of unseen beasts and the scent of blood lingering in the earth.By the fourth day, the forests thinned into harsh, jagged terrain. The horizon bled red beneath a dying sun as the Red Moon Pack’s territory came into view. Home of the young Alpha who had dared propose an alliance against Lucien.By the time Kade reached the territory, the sun had sunk lower. The scent of iron and ash clung faintly to the air. Soldiers in red armor guarded the gates, their eyes sharp and disciplined. This was not a pack that played with peace.Kade reined his horse at the foot of the great fortress, its towers rising like jag
Elia sat cross-legged on the chair, arms folded, watching as Anana rummaged through her little wooden chest of cosmetics like a crazy artist preparing for battle.Elia raised a finger sternly with an exaggerated sigh. “Before you begin, just so you know… I’m fragile. Both emotionally and facially.”“Oh, don’t worry,” Anana said sweetly, gathering her small chest of cosmetics on the table. “I won’t bruise your pride. I’ll just paint over it.”That earned a snort from Elia, who leaned back and shut her eyes as Anana began.Within moments, the room was filled with giggles, muffled laughs, and the faint clinking of brushes and jars. Every time Anana leaned in, her hand trembled from her trying so hard not to laugh.“Hold still!” Anana said through fits of suppressed laughter as she dabbed an extremely bright color across Elia’s cheeks.“I am holding still!” Elia protested, her voice half-muffled by laughter. “What in the goddess’s name are you putting on my face? It smells like… fruit and







