MasukWeeks rolled into months, and with each passing day, Damon’s love seemed to grow deeper, and steadier. My pregnancy changed everything. I tired easily now, sleeping more than I ever had before. Damon watched over me like a hawk, letting me eat whatever I craved and forbidding me from training unless it was absolutely necessary. He worried constantly about the baby, sometimes more than I did. The pack doctor, however, insisted that regular exercise would make delivery easier. So Damon adjusted. Before the sun rose, while the world was still cool and quiet, he trained me gently with slow movements, careful breathing, never pushing too far. He never raised his voice. Never rushed me. It was the only time I saw him completely unguarded. Today, though, was meant for rest. I had planned a tea party in the garden for the omegas and me. No titles. No duties. Just women talking, laughing, and breathing for a while. Damon had even invited one of the pack’s most respected nurses to give a
A few days passed, and slowly, I began to feel like myself again. The dizziness faded. My strength returned in small pieces. Damon watched me closely through it all, hovering more than usual, but I could tell he was relieved when color finally returned to my face. One morning, after breakfast, I spoke my mind. “I want to visit the wives of the warriors who died,” I said gently. “They shouldn’t grieve alone.” Damon studied me for a long moment. “Only if you go with Aria,” he said firmly. Then added, “And Antonio.” I nodded. “That’s fair.” Arrangements were made quickly. Consolation gifts, food supplies, blankets, coin, and herbs were packed into the carriage. By midmorning, we left the pack house, Aria seated beside me, Antonio riding ahead. The visits were… heavy. One by one, the widows welcomed us into their homes, their faces drawn, their eyes hollow with loss. Some cried openly. Others spoke with frightening calm, as if the world had already ended for them. “He was everyth
When we crossed into Red Moon territory, the silence finally broke. It began with a howl. One voice, strong and clear, rose into the air, then another, and another, until the sound swelled into a chorus that shook the trees. Wolves poured from their homes, from the fields, from the training grounds, rushing toward us with smiles, tears, and raised fists. Songs followed. Old victory songs, ones I had only ever heard whispered during festivals. The pack trailed behind us as we walked, voices lifted in celebration, relief pouring out of them like a long-held breath finally released. By the time we reached the pack house, the entire household staff stood outside waiting. I barely had time to react before Aria broke from the crowd. “Luna Lena!” she cried. She wrapped her arms around me tightly, sobbing against my shoulder. I hugged her back, patting her hair, my own eyes burning as her tears soaked into my cloak. “You’re alive,” she whispered over and over. “The goddess be praised
The witch screamed. Not in pain, but in fear. The cave shook violently as shadows twisted around her feet, curling up her legs like smoke. Her eyes locked onto mine one last time, wild and furious. “This is not over,” she hissed. Then she vanished. The fire snuffed out instantly. The pot cracked and split, its green contents spilling across the stone floor. The air grew still, and unnaturally quiet except for her laughter. It echoed. Fading, and lingering a promise. My knees buckled. Before I could fall, strong arms caught me. Damon. He pulled me into his chest, holding me so tightly it felt like he was afraid I might disappear too. I pressed my face against him, breathing him in, grounding myself in his warmth. Neither of us spoke. We didn’t need to. His heart thundered beneath my ear. My own beat just as fast. In that silence, everything was said. fear, relief, love, regret, gratitude. I felt his hands move, gentle now, brushing my back, my hair. Then o
The witch waited. Her dark eyes roamed over me slowly, sharply, as if she could peel my skin back with her gaze and see what was happening inside me. She tilted her head, listening not to my breath, but to my body, to the magic she believed should already be taking hold of me. I felt dizzy. The cave spun gently at first, then harder. I rubbed my eyes again and again, forcing them open, terrified that if I slept, I wouldn’t wake up. The stone floor felt colder now, seeping into my bones. “Don’t fight it,” the witch said irritably. “Let it work.” I swallowed thickly, my stomach churning, but there was no sharp pain. No tearing. No warmth. No blood. Minutes dragged by. One. Two. Five. Nothing happened. The witch’s fingers tightened around her wand. Her lips thinned. “Impossible.” She strode back to the pot, anger sharp in every movement, and poured another portion of the dull liquid into the calabash. This time, the smell was stronger, more bitter, and more violent. She turne
The witch laughed. Not a soft laugh. Not even a cruel one. It was manic, sharp and echoing, bouncing wildly off the cave walls as she stepped closer to Damon. She lifted her wand and jabbed it against his chest, right over his heart, as if testing how much pain she could draw from him without killing him outright. Damon growled, low and furious, his muscles straining against the silver cuffs. The metal burned into his skin, smoking faintly where it touched. He fought it with everything he had, but the magic was too strong. “Easy now,” the witch mocked. “You’ll tear yourself apart before the curse does.” I took a step forward without thinking. “Don’t,” the witch snapped sharply, her head whipping toward me. Her eyes flashed. “Come any closer and your punishment will be far worse than his.” I froze. Damon’s eyes locked onto mine. “Lena,” he said through the mind link urgently. “Don’t listen to her.” The witch sneered. “Oh, she’ll listen.” She turned fully toward me now, her wa







