INICIAR SESIÓNNatasha woke to the soft glow of early morning light filtering through the curtains. The bed beside her was empty, the sheets cool where Damien should have been. A flicker of panic surged through her chest before she heard the low murmur of his voice across the room.She turned her head slowly, her body still heavy with exhaustion. Damien stood by the window, their son cradled securely against his chest. His back was to her, his dark hair disheveled from sleep, and he spoke in a quiet voice meant only for the baby."See that mountain out there? The one with the flat top? Your great-grandfather used to tell me stories about how a giant wolf bit the peak clean off during a battle with the moon goddess herself."He paused, his voice dropping to an even softer register."Probably not true, but it makes for a good tale. You'll hear plenty of those growing up."Natasha smiled against her pillow, watching the scene unfold. This was a side of Damien that few ever saw. The ruthless Alpha of Sh
The celebration was muted.Given the night's attack, the pack's joy was tempered by loss. Two warriors remained missing, their fates unknown. Others nursed wounds that would take weeks to heal. The Shadow Wolf had withdrawn, but it remained undefeated.Damien stood at the center of it all, accepting congratulations and answering questions with patient resolve. His eyes frequently found Natasha's across the gathering, his son cradled securely in his arms throughout.When the last of the formalities had been observed, he made his way back to her side."Here," he said softly, lowering the bundled baby into her waiting arms. "He needs his mother."Natasha cradled her son against her chest, feeling the warmth of his small body seep into her exhausted muscles. He stirred slightly but did not wake."Come," Damien said. "You need proper rest."He helped her rise slowly, supporting her weight when her legs threatened to give way. Seraphine had already prepared the recovery chamber, warm and di
The attack stopped.Through the pack bond, Natasha felt the shift in the battle. The shapes in the darkness stopped moving. The pressure against the boundary eased. The unnatural cold that had permeated the air began to lift.Marcus's voice came through, bewildered. "Alpha... the creature has withdrawn. It's just gone."Damien's head snapped toward the northern ridge. Even from here, Natasha could see the enormous silhouette that stood at the edge of the treeline. It was larger than any wolf should be, its form half-hidden by the lingering shadows. But its eyes caught the moonlight, reflecting it back like twin flames.The Shadow Wolf.The creature stood motionless, watching. Its gaze was fixed not on the warriors, not on the boundary, but on the newborn in Damien's arms.Natasha felt her breath catch. The beast was terrifying in its stillness. It made no move to attack, showed no aggression. It simply watched, its massive head tilted slightly to one side, as if studying something it
The Shadow Wolf howled.The sound came from everywhere and nowhere, resonating through the earth itself. It was not merely heard but felt, vibrating through bone and blood and the deepest instincts of every wolf present. The younger warriors dropped to their knees, hands clamped over their ears. Even the seasoned fighters staggered, their weapons falling from nerveless fingers.The protective boundary flickered violently.Natasha watched in horror as the blood line Damien had marked across the threshold began to dim. The luminescence that had held back the darkness guttered like a dying flame. Beyond the circle, she could see shapes moving in the void, shadows that had no business existing in the natural world."The boundary," Thomas gasped. "It cannot hold!"Seraphine's hands moved in swift gestures, her lips forming words in the old language. But even her experience showed cracks now. Her eyes had widened, her calm facade threatening to shatter."Hold the line!" Damien's voice cut th
The silence was absolute.Natasha stared at the small, slick body in Seraphine's hands. The newborn's skin glistened with blood and fluid, his tiny limbs curled against his chest. He made no sound. His chest did not rise.The moonbeam above them flickered, its silver light wavering like a candle in wind. The darkness pressed closer, hungry, waiting."Is he..." Natasha's voice cracked. She could not finish the question.Seraphine's weathered hands moved with practiced urgency. She cleared the baby's airway with gentle suction, her thumb stroking the small chest. A moment stretched into eternity.Then the tiny ribcage expanded.The newborn drew a thin, uncertain breath. Another followed, stronger and steadier. His small body stirred, limbs twitching, but he made no cry. His face scrunched, mouth opening slightly as if preparing to voice his arrival into the world."A boy," Seraphine announced, her voice thick with relief. "Strong and whole. Breathing well."Natasha felt something shatte
The darkness pressed closer.The braziers guttered and died one by one, extinguished by an unseen force. Only the protective blood boundary remained, its faint glow casting eerie shadows across the birthing site. The wolves stationed around the perimeter growled low in their throats, their eyes reflecting the boundary's feeble light.Thomas had retreated to the far edge of the circle, his scrolls clutched to his chest as he muttered prayers to the moonmother. Seraphine remained focused, her hands steady as she guided Natasha through the labour."Good," the elder healer said. "The head emerges. Rest for a moment, then push again with the next contraction."Natasha sagged against Damien, her body trembling with exhaustion. Sweat soaked through the thin shift she wore, plastering it to her skin. Every muscle in her core ached, overworked and desperate for rest."How much longer?" Damien asked, his voice rough."Minutes now. Perhaps less." Seraphine's eyes met his over Natasha's shoulder.
"You're twenty-two and still unmated."The words followed Natasha across the training grounds like an unwanted shadow.She ignored them.With a sharp twist, she caught her brother's wrist and used his momentum against him. Kael hit the dirt hard enough to shake the ground beneath them.A chorus of w
Natasha stood frozen for a long moment after Damien’s silhouette disappeared through the velvet curtain. The cold night air clung to her skin, but the heat radiating from her chest—from the bond she refused to name—made her feel feverish. Her wolf, a restless presence she’d always kept tightly leas
The ballroom no longer felt like a celebration.It felt like observation.Natasha moved through it with controlled precision, each step measured, each expression carefully restrained. The emerald gown made her feel exposed in ways armor never had, not because it was revealing, but because it was des
The carriage stopped beneath the grand estate of the Alpha King, and Natasha immediately understood why warriors preferred battlefields over silk diplomacy.Because battlefields at least made sense.The emerald gown her sister had forced onto her clung like a second skin, elegant in a way that felt







