LOGINElara’s POVIt had been weeks since Kael left with Michael, Rowen, and some of his most trusted warriors to the location Jasmine had described, the journey taking him far from our borders in search of the warlock’s hideout and the truth about his mother. Our link through the bond had grown weak, the connection fading into a distant hum that made communication impossible for days now, leaving me with only silence where his voice and emotions used to reach me clearly. I did not trust Jasmine’s information, the words forced out under threat still felt too convenient and laced with potential deceit, yet there was nothing I could do but hold the pack together in his absence, managing affairs and ensuring that daily life continued without disruption despite the uncertainty gnawing at my chest every waking moment. The weight of leadership pressed heavily on me, especially with the visible swell of my belly now in full display, a constant reminder of the life growing inside me that demanded I
Elara’s POVThe feast kept on going but we left sooner because I was weak to continue, the weight of the long day and the emotional storms finally pressing down on me until my body demanded rest. Kael carried me the moment we stepped away from the clearing, his arms strong and steady as he held me in bride style, my head resting against his chest while the distant sounds of drums and laughter faded behind us. The walk back to our room felt both short and endless, the night air cool against my skin as I let myself lean fully into him, trusting him to bear every part of me. Was that really necessary? I asked Kael immediately we stepped into our room, my voice soft but laced with the exhaustion and quiet judgment I could no longer hold back.He gently placed me on the bed, setting me up against the pillows with careful hands that lingered a moment longer than needed, as if he needed the contact to steady himself too. “I have known Jasmine for years,” I continued, watching his face closel
Elara’s POVThe tension in the clearing had already thickened into something almost suffocating when Jasmine’s voice cut through the heavy silence like a jagged blade. “You tyrant,” she spat, her weakened voice still carrying raw hatred that made several pack members shift uncomfortably in their seats. “I knew it. You killed my brother. Dad, Rhode is dead. I saw his clothes in the secret dungeon with this.” She lifted her bound hands as much as the chains allowed, revealing a silver bracelet that caught the torchlight with a cold gleam. Elder Marcellus recognized it instantly. His face crumpled with visible anguish, the color draining from his features as he stared at the piece of jewelry that confirmed his son’s fate. The entire pack seemed to hold its breath, the festive atmosphere from moments earlier now shattered beyond repair.I sat frozen in my seat, utterly awed because it had never occurred to me that Rhode was dead, much less that he was Jasmine’s brother. The revelation lan
Elara’s POVThe ceremonies proceeded soundly and alive with the kind of vibrant energy that only a pack freshly pulled from the brink of destruction could summon. Fire dancers emerged from the shadows of the clearing, their bodies painted in glowing patterns that caught the flickering torchlight as they spun and leaped with breathtaking precision, flames trailing from their hands like living extensions of their will. The rhythm of the drums pulsed deep and steady, vibrating through the ground and into my chest until it felt as though the entire pack moved as one breathing entity. Some of the pack members shifted right there in the open space, their wolves sleek and powerful under the moonlight, racing around the high piles of wood set for the late-night bonfires with wild, joyful abandon. Their howls rose into the night sky, mixing with the cheers of those still in human form, creating a tapestry of sound that celebrated survival as much as it honored tradition. I sat beside Kael at t
Elara’s POVI was outside with Ava watching the pack members as they continued the setup for the festival, their movements purposeful and filled with the kind of quiet determination that came after surviving an attack on their own soil. Banners of deep crimson and silver hung from newly repaired posts, tables were arranged in wide circles around the central clearing, and the scent of roasting meats and fresh herbs already drifted through the air, mixing with the earthy smell of turned soil where blood had recently stained the ground. The pack worked with focused energy, as if turning the site of conflict into a place of celebration could somehow soften the memory of what had happened here. Ava stood beside me, pointing out small details and chattering about how the Moon Festival would feel different this year, her voice light but carrying an undercurrent of relief that we had all returned safely. Yet even as I nodded along, my mind kept drifting to the heavier things that lingered ben
Elara’s POVWe went outside ready to go back to our pack, the morning air crisp and carrying the faint scent of pine from the surrounding forests as the convoy stood waiting in the courtyard of Thunderhowl Pack. I would have loved for us to stay longer, to linger in the warmth of the newly rebuilt family bonds and the gentle conversations that had begun to heal old wounds, but we had a pack to take care of and the need for their Alpha at tomorrow’s feast in the Moon Pack could not be ignored. The warriors who had fought beside us were stronger now, even those who had been wounded moved with steady confidence, their injuries healed enough under the careful attention of the pack healers to make the journey without concern. Jasmine had proven stubbornly silent during her treatment, refusing to give any information about Kael’s mother despite the pressure, and surprisingly Kael remained so calm about it that his composure almost worried me more than open anger would have. I placed my hea
Elara’s POV “Send Ava to bring her meal upstairs. She is too tired to come down.” The voice reached me through the haze of sleep, firm but quiet. For a moment, I thought I was dreaming. Then I opened my eyes. The ceiling above me was unfamiliar only for a second before memory returned. Ka
Kael’s POV“In line. Face your partner and attack.”My voice carried across the training grounds with enough force to silence the scattered murmurs of warriors adjusting their stances. The early sun glinted against metal as swords were raised in unison. Dust rose beneath boots shifting into positio
Kael’s POVWe remained within the stone circle long after the air had settled.The ancient pillars still glowed faintly around us, reacting to the promise I had spoken aloud, and the truth that lived inside my chest. The ground no longer trembled beneath our feet, but the energy of the place linger
Kael POVThe clang of steel against steel rang sharply across the empty morning field. The sound made my chest tighten with a mixture of discipline and frustration. I welcomed it. Training was the only thing keeping the whirlwind of thoughts in my mind from spilling over, though even now, it was ba







