Mag-log inCALEB’S POVThe room was suffocatingly quiet.I stood near the edge of the bed, my eyes locked on Ragnar. He returned my gaze with a hard, unreadable expression, his chest rising and falling slowly. The scent of Thalia’s fresh mate mark still hung thick in the air between us, mocking me, burning my throat with every single breath I took.“Why did you ask for her forgiveness, Caleb?” Ragnar asked, breaking the silence first. His deep voice was remarkably calm, almost conversational, which only made my blood boil even hotter.I took a slow step toward him, my jaw clenched so hard my teeth ached. “Why did you dare to mark Thalia forcefully?”Ragnar didn't flinch. He didn't even blink. “It wasn't forceful,” he said smoothly, staring straight into my eyes. “And she is my mate.” Something inside my head snapped.Before my mind could even process the action, I lunged forward, grabbing Ragnar by the collar of his leather shirt and slamming him hard against the stone wall. The heavy thud ech
THALIA’S POVAs I walked down the quiet corridor toward Miss Lyra’s private chambers, I spotted Jamie and Eileen walking side by side. Their fingers were loosely interlocked between them. The moment Eileen caught sight of me, her face flushed red and she violently yanked her hand away from Jamie’s grip. I quickly looked straight ahead, pretending I hadn't seen a single thing to save her from the embarrassment.“Hey, cousin!” a loud, mocking voice called out from behind me. My jaw clenched tight. I didn't even need to turn around to know it was Devon. He had spotted me from down the hall, and I could only grit my teeth in frustration, knowing very well that he would stop at nothing to hurl another insult at me.Quick steps echoed on the stone floor, and before I could speed up, Devon came forward and clutched my shoulders, forcing me to a complete stop. “Quit running away, cousin,” he drawled with a lazy smirk.I instantly slapped his hands off my body, glaring straight into his eyes
THALIA’S POVShock surged through my entire body the second Ragnar’s lips crashed against mine. My mind went blank, every thought freezing in place. But I didn't pull away. Underneath the heavy, crushing weight of the humiliation I had suffered in the courtyard, my defenses dissolved completely. I melted right into the warmth of his large, calloused hands.When Ragnar finally pulled back just a fraction of an inch, his hot breath fanned against my lips. “I want you, Thalia,” he growled, his voice thick and rough. “I need you.”“Ragnar... what do you mean?” I whispered, my voice trembling. He didn't look like himself. He wasn't the calm, stoic Alpha who carefully measured every step. His eyes were wide, glowing with a dark, unhinged energy, as if the wild beast beneath his skin had completely ripped off its chains and taken control.“Please,” he choked out, ignoring my question as he leaned down and resumed the kiss with a desperate, frantic intensity. His hands gripped my waist, pul
THALIA’S POVThe mortification was so thick I could barely breathe. Hearing Devon’s loud, echoing laughter slice through the quiet courtyard cut deeper than any physical blade ever could.I couldn't stay there. I couldn't bear to let Miss Lyra, Ragnar, Caleb, or any of the others see me like this, a helpless, tiny puppy standing in the dirt while the world burned around us.Unable to hold my form under the crushing weight of the humiliation, I turned and bolted toward the edge of the courtyard. I scrambled behind the tall, overgrown hedges, hiding my naked human body the exact second the forced shift dissolved and the fur vanished from my skin.I fell onto my knees in the damp soil, my heart hammering against my ribs like a trapped bird. Tears of pure, hot frustration spilled over my lashes, pooling on my cheeks. I began thrashing at the soil with my fists, tearing at the damp grass as the helpless anger poured out of me. Why couldn't I do it? Why was my body completely betraying me
RAGNAR’S POVThe mark on my waist was glowing a violent, burning red.It seared into my skin like a white-hot iron, sending sharp spikes of agony straight through my side. I gripped the edge of the stone sink in the communal washroom, my knuckles turning bone-white as I fought to keep a roar of pain from escaping my throat. I didn't need a scholar or an elder to tell me what this mark was. It was the physical branding of the ancient soul bond I shared with Thalia.Every single second that passed without me claiming her fully, the magic burned hotter, punishing my body for delaying the natural pull of our fates. My lycan was thrashing beneath my ribs, furious at my restraint. But how on earth was I supposed to tell her? How could I step forward and claim her as my mate without making her feel trapped, overwhelmed, or uncomfortable, especially with everything falling apart around us?I forced a deep breath, shoving the agonizing thought down into the dark, and pulled my heavy leather
THALIA’S POVI jolted awake, my heart hammering against my ribs as the remnants of a disjointed nightmare clawed at my mind. The images were chaotic and broken. First, I saw Ryker. I recognized him instantly by the distinct, jagged 'N' mark branded onto his skin. Then, the scene shifted violently, and I was surrounded by a shadowy crowd. Their voices echoed in a terrifying, rhythmic chant that shook the very ground beneath my feet. “Separate the moonclaw. Separate the moonclaw.”I gasped for air, drenched in a cold sweat. The room was dark, but a gentle, cool pressure on my forehead made me blink. Eileen was sitting right beside my bed, pressing a wet cloth against my skin to cool my burning body.“Easy, Thalia,” Eileen whispered, her voice laced with deep concern. “You had a terrible night fever. You were thrashing around so much. What was the nightmare about? What did you see?”My throat felt like sandpaper. I swallowed hard, the chilling words from the dream echoing in my ears. I
THALIA [ONE WEEK LATER] The leather trunk sat by the door, packed with everything 'Lucian Ashen' would need for his first semester at The Howling Spire. Formal uniforms, training clothes, books on wolf history, combat theory, and some hidden necessities of my own. I stood in front of the mirror
THALIA Lucian lay sprawled at my feet with wide lifeless eyes. The party was in full swing and I was outside. But this already happened. I had already lived this moment, I chased the assassin, I fell…My fingers instinctively went to my head, there was no injury and no single drop of blood. “Ok
THALIA I was going to fall.My fingers slipped against the wet stone ledge, the rain making everything slippery and far more treacherous. This was insane. This was absolutely insane.But I didn't let go.Instead, I gritted my teeth, adjusted my grip, and jumped down. The grey servant's dress I h
THALIAThe one on the left was easily six foot two. He looked fit, and lean—an athletic warrior’s build. He had platinum blonde hair, and a book in his hands, and… he looked like he wore his heart on his sleeve. Beautiful was the word to describe this porcelain skinned man. He reeked of Alpha, and







