Ronan arrived at the Blackwood Pack territory with urgency, his body still tense from the lingering pain of Selene’s rejection. The moment he stepped past the borders, Adrian was already rushing toward him, his expression tight with relief. “Alpha Ronan,” Adrian breathed out, his shoulders relaxing slightly as he reached him. “You’re here.” Ronan’s eyes swept across the pack grounds, searching for any signs of danger—any indication of why Adrian had called him back so urgently. But everything seemed normal. No battle scars, no blood, no scent of war in the air. His jaw clenched. “What’s wrong?” Ronan demanded, his voice low and rough. “You mind-linked me like the pack was under attack. But I don’t see anything.” Adrian exhaled sharply, his gaze darting around as if expecting an unseen threat to materialize. “It’s not here yet,” he said. “But it’s coming.” Ronan frowned. “What is?” Adrian’s voice dropped, urgency threading through his words. “A Moonseer came to us. He said
The laughter between us faded slowly, the last of it still lingering in the air like the faintest echo. The forest around us was no longer dark—the sun had risen just enough to cast a dull, eerie glow over everything, painting the trees in shades of gray and muted gold. But as we stepped closer to the Crimson Howl pack’s border, something shifted. The air changed. It wasn’t just the cool morning breeze anymore. It wasn’t the familiar scent of pine and earth that usually surrounded the pack lands. No, this was different. This was wrong. The moment my foot crossed the invisible line that marked the beginning of Crimson Howl territory, the air turned thick. Heavy. Hot. It pressed against my skin like a suffocating blanket, like the very atmosphere itself was choking me. My breath hitched, and my steps faltered. Faye’s voice, which had been teasing and light just moments ago, sharpened instantly. "Selene." I didn’t need her to say anything else. I felt it too. Something was ha
The forest was dark and full of mist as the sky slowly started to brighten. I kept walking, my boots making quiet sounds on the ground. Faye’s voice stayed in my head—warm and steady. I had never had that before. After so many years alone, she was the only one with me now.I’m still deep in the forest, but the Crimson Howl pack’s border isn’t far now. Maybe just a few more hours of walking. The cold doesn’t bother me. The silence doesn’t either.“You really rejected him,” Faye’s voice spoke softly in my mind.“Yes,” I said firmly, out loud, though no one was there to hear. “I meant every word.”The ache in my chest wasn’t as sharp anymore. It had dulled, like a wound already beginning to scar. Now that the mate bond was fully severed, there was a strange emptiness, yes—but also a calm. I wasn’t going back. I wasn’t going to be that old Selene anymore.“Now we can focus on what matters,” I said.“Killing Elias?” Faye asked.“Yes.” My lips curled into something almost like a smile. “En
(Ronan's POV)I was getting close to Blackwood Pack.I didn’t plan on coming to Blackwood right after leaving the Moon Temple.My head was still heavy with everything that happened there. I wanted to take a moment to clear my thoughts. Maybe even find something to vent my anger on.I kept hoping that if I gave myself enough time, I’d finally understand Selene. Understand what she was thinking. What was going on in her mind?Because nothing she’s doing feels like her.None of it makes sense.But Adrian mind-linked me.He said there was something I needed to know—something important. His tone alone was enough. I didn’t ask questions. I left the Moon Temple immediately and started making my way here.I was restless to get there, anxious to learn what was so urgent. Still, a part of me couldn’t shake the worry—what if the pack was in danger? What if something had already happened? … I wasn’t sure I’d be able to forgive myself for leaving the pack just for Selene, since she needed me the m
The forest was silent, except for the sound of my boots pressing softly against the ground. The night wrapped around me like a heavy cloak, but I didn’t slow down. I walked straight, not stopping to rest, not letting the cold or darkness distract me. I was heading for Crimson Howl Pack, and I wouldn’t let anything stand in my way. Because their queen is finally returning, and this time, I’m not weak anymore—I won’t be leaving again.But something didn’t feel right.I felt a strange pull at the back of my mind. A whisper of something I couldn’t see or explain. Like the wind carried a message I couldn’t hear clearly. I frowned, slowing just a little. My steps faltered for a moment.Something’s going on.The thought crept into my head before I could shove it down.But I did shove it down. No, I told myself. Nothing’s wrong. Elias is probably just hiding now. He knew I had my power back, knew I could control it now. He wouldn’t want to show his face so easily anymore. He’d go silent, make
I sank to my knees, my hands clutching my chest as the mate bond burned like a fire that wouldn’t stop. Ronan’s words echoed in my head, sharp and cruel: “I regret the day I found out you were that girl… I reject you as my mate.” The pain was worse than anything I’d ever felt, like my heart was being ripped apart. The temple’s cold stone floor pressed against my legs, and the silence after Ronan stormed out was so heavy it felt like it was crushing me. He was gone. My mate—my destiny—was gone.Lyria stood a few steps away. Her eyes were hard, and a mocking smile curled her lips. “Well, Selene,” she said, her voice dripping with scorn, “you’ve really done it now. You chased him away. Your mate. Your helper. The one person you could always turn to. Gone, because of your own stubbornness.”Her words hit like a slap, and anger flared in my chest, hot and fierce. I stood, glaring at her. “Don’t you dare talk to me like that,” I snapped, my voice trembling but strong. My power sparked at m
I stood there, frozen, my breath catching in my throat as I stared into Ronan’s eyes. The man before me wasn’t the Ronan I knew. His face was harder, his golden eyes burning with something I couldn’t quite place—anger, hurt, maybe both. His skin was back to normal, no longer red from the heat of my power, but the way he looked at me made my heart twist. I’d hurt him. I’d unleashed my power on him, my mate, and the regret was already clawing at me. The mate bond pulsed in my chest, heavy and aching, like it was begging me to fix this. But I didn’t know how.“Ronan,” I whispered, my voice shaky.He didn’t respond right away. Instead, he stepped closer, his broad frame towering over me. His scent—woodsy and strong—hit me like a wave, and for a moment, I wanted to reach out, to touch him, to take back what I’d done. But the look in his eyes stopped me cold.“What the hell was that, Selene?” he snapped, his voice low and rough. “You attacked me. Your own mate. Do you even realize what you
“What the hell are you doing, Selene? Have you completely lost your mind?” Lyria shouted, fury blazing in her eyes.“I haven’t lost my mind!” I snapped back, my voice trembling with rage. “He deserved this. He’s my mate—my destiny! He has no right to stand against me, not now. Not ever.”My chest heaved as I glared at Ronan, still writhing in pain. The mate bond burned through me, echoing his agony in every nerve—but I didn’t care. Not now.“I can see it now, Selene,” Lyria said, her voice sharp with anger and frustration. “You’re becoming exactly like the evils the Moon Goddess sent you to destroy. This power—it was meant to purify you, not corrupt you.”She shook her head, glaring at me. “You don’t even care about your mate.”“I’m not evil,” I snapped, my voice low and tense. “Watch what you say, Lyria.”I took a shaky breath, trying to steady the chaos inside me. “This isn’t about power anymore. It’s about what I feel. I thought I could handle it—I thought I could keep going—but I
"I've made my decision," I said suddenly, my voice firm and my expression resolute. Ronan's eyes lit up with hope. "What decision?" "I'm taking you with me," I replied. "You want to come, don’t you? I know you wouldn't want to go alone—so let’s just go together." I heard Lyria gasp in surprise, and Ronan stared at me in stunned silence for a few moments. Then his expression shifted, a flicker of confusion crossing his face. "What nonsense are you talking about, Selene? You can’t take him with you—and you know it. It’s far too dangerous. Ronan’s powers aren’t like yours; he won’t survive in a place like that. The Moon Goddess wouldn’t want this, and you need to understand that..." Lyria said, and for the first time, I saw genuine fear and desperation in her eyes. She was trying to sway me, but I was resolute. No matter what she said, I was taking Ronan with me—whether the Moon Goddess approved or not. "The Moon Goddess doesn’t take kindly to her heir defying her," Lyria continued,