The forest’s edge was a jagged line between us and the pack’s compound, its smoke curling into a sky bruised with fading violet, the last trace of the fracture’s glow. The mark on my chest pulsed, a steady ache tying me to her—my shadow—and now to the other me, the spark, standing beside me, her blue eyes mirroring my exhaustion, her shard glowing faintly in her trembling hand. The dagger at my hip was warm, its symbols dim but alive, a quiet reminder of the power we’d wielded—and the cost. The bond with Lucian thrummed—his fierce heartbeat, my fraying resolve, our shared determination—but it couldn’t silence the Architect’s voice, "bring them to me", or her laugh, "you’re mine", still echoing in my bones. We’d pushed them back, but the war was closing in, and we were running out of time.Lucian’s hand rested on my arm, his silver eyes scanning the trees, blood crusted on his face, his wounds raw but ignored. “We’re almost there,” he said, his voice low, rough from the fight. “The pac
The pack’s compound loomed ahead, its wooden walls scarred but standing, torches casting flickering light against the encroaching dusk. The forest was quiet now, the hum of the city’s bridge gone, the shadow’s scream—my scream—fading into memory, but the mark on my chest pulsed, a relentless tie to her, to the flame, to the Veil’s trembling heart. The dagger in my hand felt heavier, its symbols faintly glowing, syncing with the shard in Lyra’s grip—the other me, the spark, her blue eyes wide with the same exhaustion and fear I felt. The bond with Lucian burned—his steady resolve, my unraveling certainty, our shared fight—but it couldn’t silence the flame’s words: lock, spark, flame, the Veil’s trinity, to choose. A choice I didn’t understand, but one that held the world’s fate.Lucian led, his blade sheathed but his hand close, blood crusted on his arm, his silver eyes scanning the compound’s gates for threats. “We’re here,” he said, his voice rough, a mix of relief and tension. “The
The Cradle swallowed us whole, the tear’s violet light spitting us onto a plateau of black stone, its surface veined with glowing runes that pulsed like a heartbeat. The air was heavy, charged, not with the city’s metallic tang but something older—earth, blood, time itself. The mark on my chest burned, syncing with the dagger in my hand and the shard in Lyra’s grip, their symbols flaring in unison, tying us to this place, to the Veil’s first node, its forge. The bond with Lucian thrummed—his fierce resolve, my trembling courage, our shared defiance—but it couldn’t drown out the flame’s voice, it’s time, or the shadow’s distant laugh, a cold thread weaving through my blood. The trinity—lock, spark, flame—was here, and the Cradle was waking, its echoes stirring, ready to test us.Lucian stood close, his blade drawn, blood crusted on his arm, his silver eyes scanning the plateau’s edges, where cliffs dropped into a void—not sky, but chaos, stars and shadows churning, the Veil’s raw edge
"Oh my gosh, can you believe it?" Lani's face lit up as she talked about her friend Mathew. "They've been best friends since they were little kids, and now – boom! The Moon Goddess says they're meant to be together!""That's really nice," I said quietly, trying to sound happy. But inside, my stomach felt like it was tied in knots."Hey, maybe we'll find our special someone soon too!" Lani nudged me with her elbow.I wanted to believe her, but the mean voices in my head wouldn't stop. Everyone kept saying I wasn't good enough. Too big, too plain, too weak – even my own brother Michael thought so. Our pack leader just walked past me like I wasn't even there."Come on!" Lani grabbed my hand. "Let's get some lunch. I'm starving!"Just as we stepped into the lunch room, something amazing happened. The most wonderful smell hit me – like fresh cookies and flowers all mixed together.My wolf, Slade, started jumping around in my head. 'That's him! That's our mate! Can you smell him?'I looked
Angel's POVThe large meeting room buzzed with hushed conversations as everyone waited. The dark wooden walls seemed to absorb our whispers, making the space feel even more solemn. I fidgeted in my chair, excitement bubbling up inside me. Alpha Mark never called meetings without good reason."What do you think it's about?" Lea whispered from beside me, her green eyes sparkling with curiosity.I shrugged, remembering our last mission. "Maybe another rogue situation? Like that time we helped the Silver Moon Pack?" The memory of that fight still made my blood sing - the thrill of the chase, the satisfaction of protecting the innocent.'Mark?' I reached out through our mind link, unable to wait any longer.His deep voice echoed in my head, amused. 'Patience, kid. I'm right here.' The heavy doors swung open, and Mark strode in. Even after five years, his presence still commanded respect. His salt-and-pepper hair and battle scars told stories of experience that we could only imagine.The r
The morning air was crisp as we gathered, ready to leave. Kayden and the others were loading up into the car while I swung my leg over my motorbike—a gift from Mark last year on my birthday. It was sleek, powerful, and my favorite way to travel."Angel, all of you be careful," Mark said, his voice firm yet laced with concern. "If anything goes wrong, call me immediately. Keep me updated on the training once you arrive."I smirked. ‘Mark included me in this mission, so maybe he doesn’t really want to send me away,’ I mused."Yes, Daddy!" I teased, revving my engine before giving him a playful salute. He rolled his eyes, but I saw the ghost of a smile on his lips. I motioned for Kayden to follow as I led the way.‘You’re such a handful, Angel,’ Mark said through our pack link.‘Love you, Mark. Don’t miss me too much!’ I replied with a chuckle.---By noon, we stopped at a roadside burger joint next to a gas station. As soon as we walked in, heads turned. It was nothing new—humans and we
‘We’re entering Moon Crescent Pack territory now,’ I informed my team through the mind link.Thirty minutes later, we arrived at the Pack house.The first to greet us was their Beta—and my older brother. Michael Clinn. My heartbeat quickened at the sight of him. Brother."You must be the Wolf Fang Pack members," Michael said, his tone formal and unreadable.Kayden stepped forward, extending a hand. "We are. I’m Kayden, Beta of the Wolf Fang Pack. Are you the Alpha?"Michael shook his hand, offering a polite smile. "No, I’m the Beta. Alpha Gabriel will meet us later—he’s busy at the moment."As if on cue, the Pack house doors burst open, and Gabriel strode out. So much for being busy. More likely, he had sensed my presence. "So, you’re back," he said, his sharp gaze locking onto me.Michael frowned. "Who are you referring to, Alpha?"I had almost forgotten—I was still on my motorbike, helmet concealing my face.Gabriel smirked. "You might not recognize her at first, Michael. She look
Before I knew it, the door swung open.Of course, it was him.Gabriel was standing in the doorway, arms crossed, eyes fixed on me. The tension between us was thick enough to cut with a knife.“I don’t remember inviting you in,” I said, propped up against my desk.He didn’t react. Typical. Instead, he entered, closing the door behind him. He took up space in the room, weighing down on me in ways I wouldn’t admit.“You shouldn’t have returned,” he finally said.I laughed, the sound bitter. “Trust me, this wasn’t my ideal vacation either.”Gabriel’s jaw clenched. "Then why are you here?""Work." I crossed my arms like he did. "Your pack needs training. My pack agreed to help. End of story."His golden eyes deepened, flickering for a moment with something I couldn’t name. “I didn’t request you specifically."Good," I said with a smirk. “Would’ve been hella awkward if you had.”At first, he said nothing. Just stared, as if he were trying to read between the lines of my expression. Then, al
The Cradle swallowed us whole, the tear’s violet light spitting us onto a plateau of black stone, its surface veined with glowing runes that pulsed like a heartbeat. The air was heavy, charged, not with the city’s metallic tang but something older—earth, blood, time itself. The mark on my chest burned, syncing with the dagger in my hand and the shard in Lyra’s grip, their symbols flaring in unison, tying us to this place, to the Veil’s first node, its forge. The bond with Lucian thrummed—his fierce resolve, my trembling courage, our shared defiance—but it couldn’t drown out the flame’s voice, it’s time, or the shadow’s distant laugh, a cold thread weaving through my blood. The trinity—lock, spark, flame—was here, and the Cradle was waking, its echoes stirring, ready to test us.Lucian stood close, his blade drawn, blood crusted on his arm, his silver eyes scanning the plateau’s edges, where cliffs dropped into a void—not sky, but chaos, stars and shadows churning, the Veil’s raw edge
The pack’s compound loomed ahead, its wooden walls scarred but standing, torches casting flickering light against the encroaching dusk. The forest was quiet now, the hum of the city’s bridge gone, the shadow’s scream—my scream—fading into memory, but the mark on my chest pulsed, a relentless tie to her, to the flame, to the Veil’s trembling heart. The dagger in my hand felt heavier, its symbols faintly glowing, syncing with the shard in Lyra’s grip—the other me, the spark, her blue eyes wide with the same exhaustion and fear I felt. The bond with Lucian burned—his steady resolve, my unraveling certainty, our shared fight—but it couldn’t silence the flame’s words: lock, spark, flame, the Veil’s trinity, to choose. A choice I didn’t understand, but one that held the world’s fate.Lucian led, his blade sheathed but his hand close, blood crusted on his arm, his silver eyes scanning the compound’s gates for threats. “We’re here,” he said, his voice rough, a mix of relief and tension. “The
The forest’s edge was a jagged line between us and the pack’s compound, its smoke curling into a sky bruised with fading violet, the last trace of the fracture’s glow. The mark on my chest pulsed, a steady ache tying me to her—my shadow—and now to the other me, the spark, standing beside me, her blue eyes mirroring my exhaustion, her shard glowing faintly in her trembling hand. The dagger at my hip was warm, its symbols dim but alive, a quiet reminder of the power we’d wielded—and the cost. The bond with Lucian thrummed—his fierce heartbeat, my fraying resolve, our shared determination—but it couldn’t silence the Architect’s voice, "bring them to me", or her laugh, "you’re mine", still echoing in my bones. We’d pushed them back, but the war was closing in, and we were running out of time.Lucian’s hand rested on my arm, his silver eyes scanning the trees, blood crusted on his face, his wounds raw but ignored. “We’re almost there,” he said, his voice low, rough from the fight. “The pac
The forest stood frozen in the aftermath, the glowing runes on the ground now ash, their light snuffed out like a dying star. The gate was gone, its collapse leaving only a faint hum in the air, a ghostly echo of the city beyond the Veil. My chest heaved, the mark pulsing with a dull, insistent ache, tying me to her—my shadow—and now to her, the other me, the spark they’d hidden, standing before me with my face, my voice, but blue eyes brimming with fear and a shard glowing in her trembling hands. The dagger in my grip felt heavier, its symbols flickering, as if unsure of the new presence—her shard, my dagger, two pieces of the same fractured whole. The bond with Lucian thrummed—his fierce resolve, my spiraling shock, our shared need to survive—but it couldn’t quiet the truth screaming in my mind: I was not one, but many, split by a ritual, bound to the Veil, and now reunited in a war I barely understood.Lucian’s blade stayed raised, his body a shield between me and her—the other me—
The valley’s stillness was a fragile mask, the air thick with the fading echo of the Architect’s voice and her scream—my scream—still ringing in my ears. The mark on my chest pulsed, a dull ache now, but alive, tying me to her, to him, to the Veil and its war. The dagger lay in my hand, its symbols dim but warm, a silent vow of battles yet to come. The bond with Lucian thrummed—his steady pulse, my fraying courage, our unbreakable tether—but it couldn’t erase the truth: I was the heart of a conflict older than the pack, older than me, and the city beyond the Veil was only the beginning.We stood in the mud, battered and bloodied, the stones behind us dark, their runes extinguished, the spiral’s glow gone. Lucian’s hand rested on my shoulder, his silver eyes fierce despite the blood streaking his face, his wounds untended but ignored. “We need to get back,” he said, his voice rough, cutting through the valley’s quiet. “The pack’s vulnerable, and we need answers—about the nodes, the Arc
The valley’s silence was a lie, a thin veneer over the trembling pulse of the Veil, still fragile after the core’s destruction. The mark on my chest throbbed, a faint but persistent echo of her—my shadow, my twin—weakened but not defeated, her presence a cold whisper in my blood. The dagger hung at my hip, its symbols dark, its hum silenced, but I felt its weight like a promise of battles yet to come. The bond with Lucian burned—his heartbeat a steady drum, my resolve a flickering flame, our shared defiance a shield against the truths I’d uncovered in the Between: I wasn’t just pack, wasn’t just Angel. I was the Veil’s lock, its key, forged in a ritual I didn’t remember, tied to a city that called me home.We trudged through the muddy pass, the storm’s remnants dripping from jagged cliffs, the air heavy with the scent of wet stone and something sharper, metallic, like blood. Lucian walked beside me, his blade sheathed but his hand hovering near it, blood crusted on his arm, his silve
The tower’s core pulsed like a dying star, its crystal heart casting jagged beams of light across the chamber, each one splintering into visions—her face, my face, the city, the Veil, worlds colliding. The mark on my chest burned, a searing tether to her, my shadow, my twin, whose presence filled the air, not as a body but as a force—her laugh in the walls, her eyes in the crystal, her voice a song that clawed at my soul. The dagger in my hand hummed, its symbols blazing, but its light felt fragile against the core’s radiance, like a candle in a storm. The bond with Lucian was a faint thread, stretched across worlds, his voice—*Angel, fight!*—a whisper I clung to, the only thing keeping me from drowning in her.The chamber was vast, its walls not stone but liquid crystal, flowing, shifting, etched with runes that moved like living things. The floor was glass, reflecting not me but her, her black eyes staring up, her smile taunting. The doors had sealed behind me, trapping me in this h
The bridge swayed under our feet, a fragile thread of light stretching across the chaotic void, where stars bled into shadows and the Veil pulsed like a wounded heart. The city’s black spire loomed behind us, its crystal facets drinking in the light, while ahead, she stood on the platform—my shadow, my twin, her smile a cruel mirror of mine. The cloaked figures flanked her, their faces *mine*, their black eyes gleaming, their chants a low, bone-deep hum that synced with the mark on my chest. The dagger in my hand burned, its symbols flaring, and the bond with Lucian roared—his strength, my defiance, our desperate need to end this—but the city itself seemed to tighten around us, its air thick with her power.Lucian gripped his blade, his body a shield between me and her, blood dripping from his untended wounds. “Stay behind me,” he said, his voice low, taut with fury.“No,” I said, stepping beside him, the dagger’s light cutting through the void’s gloom. “This is mine to finish.”Killi
The valley was silent now, the stones dark, their runes extinguished, but the air still felt charged, like the Veil itself was holding its breath. The mark on my chest pulsed faintly, a lingering echo of her—my shadow, my twin—retreated but not gone. The dagger hung at my hip, its hum subdued but alive, a reminder of the power we’d barely contained. The bond with Lucian thrummed—his steady heartbeat, my restless resolve, our shared need to keep moving. We’d stopped her here, but the glimpses of that city beyond the Veil—its glowing spires, its watching figures—clawed at my mind, demanding answers.Lucian stood beside me, his blade sheathed, blood crusted on his arm, his silver eyes scanning the valley for threats. “We can’t stay,” he said, his voice low, rough from the fight. “The pack needs us, but that city—”“It’s where she’s hiding,” I finished, my voice steady despite the churn in my gut. “And where I came from.”The words felt like a confession, raw and heavy. The flashes I’d se