LOGANI hated weddings.Not because of the music or the crowds or the endless barrage of small talk from wolves I’d only ever spoken to once. I hated them because of what they promised—forever. A concept that sounded so clean, so simple when wrapped in white linen and wine glasses, but in reality?F
LOGANThe forest didn’t have a name on any map. Not one you’d find in any official pack ledger, at least. But every wolf who grew up near the Blightwood knew better than to say its name out loud.That was the kind of place it was.My tires crunched over brittle gravel, the road narrowing until the t
I didn’t ask where she got it.I didn’t want to know.“Ready?” she asked, voice flat.I looked past her to the trees—dense, black, and wrong. The shadows between the trunks were too deep. The forest ahead breathed in long, silent rhythms.I swallowed hard. “Not really.”She stepped into the trees wi
ELENAThe morning of the wedding dawned soft and golden, sunlight pooling over the Moonstone gardens like a blessing.I stood behind Erin, steadying her veil as she fidgeted nervously with the delicate lace. “Hold still,” I murmured, smoothing the fabric one last time. My fingers were steadier than
There was no show to it. No posturing.He was just… here.Present. Steady.It was terrifying how much I noticed.At one point, Logan took the microphone, giving a polished, charming toast. His words were smooth as river stones, but something about the way he said, “The best bonds are the ones you fi
DEREKThe Moonstone gardens were bathed in gold and green, lanterns swaying gently overhead. Laughter floated on the cooling breeze, curling like smoke among the trees.It should’ve felt perfect.It didn’t.Above us, the clouds clung stubbornly to the sky, hiding the moon.The longer they lingered,
DEREKThere are threads that weave through a life unseen— Quiet, stubborn things that tie us to the world, to the people who change it forever.Most fray slowly, the work of years and distance, worn down by the everyday erosion of time. But some... Some are burned. Some are ripped away all at onc
DEREKThe bond between us didn’t just hum now—it roared.It flooded my veins with golden heat, a tidal pull that stripped everything else away until there was only her. Elena.Every breath I dragged into my chest tasted like her. Every beat of my heart thundered with her name. It was unbearable and
ELENAThe low fluorescent lights buzzed overhead, washing everything in a sterile, humming glow.Maggie sat across from me, wrists cuffed, the chains on the table between us rattling softly every time she moved. Her eyes were red, her mouth pressed into a thin, trembling line. She looked like a ghos
I gave a dry laugh."Welcome to being the Moonstone Princess," I muttered.He smiled faintly."You need a vacation."I arched an eyebrow at him."Last time I tried to take a vacation, I was held hostage and nearly lost our son."He winced. "Fair point."The corner of my mouth twitched despite myself
ELENAThe car hummed steadily beneath us, eating up the endless miles of asphalt stretching toward the northern border.I sat stiffly in the back seat, arms crossed tightly over my chest, watching the pines blur past the windows in shadowy smears.Derek sat beside me, his presence filling the small
ELENAThe path wound back toward the packhouse, soft and familiar beneath my boots.The sunlight had grown sharper, more golden, but it did nothing to thaw the knot of cold sitting heavy in my chest.I walked beside Derek, every step humming with tension I couldn’t fully name.He didn’t say anything
DEREK"I’ve been expecting you," the Priestess said.She stepped back and opened the door wide, the folds of her silver robes whispering against the stones.The air that spilled out was cool and heavy, scented with sage and damp stone and something older that had no name—something that prickled alon
We walked in silence for a few minutes, the air between us thick with unsaid things.Finally, I broke it."If you wanted spiritual guidance," I said, glancing sideways at him, "why not ask your own pack’s spiritual counselor?"He hesitated.I caught it—the subtle stiffening of his shoulders, the fli
ELENAThe phone was slipping in my sweaty palm, but I refused to hang up."I understand protocol," I said tightly, forcing my voice to stay even. "I’m not asking for full disclosure. I’m trying to ascertain if Maggie is being treated fairly and afforded her right of due process."Static crackled on
Elena followed us inside the packhouse, the three of us moving in slow, heavy silence up the staircase to the family wing.Elena nudged Aiden’s door open with her hip, carrying him inside.We tucked him into the bed together, smoothing the covers over him, brushing his hair back from his forehead.T
DEREKThe door to the Alpha’s office shut behind us with a heavy click, sealing the tension inside.Elena stalked ahead of me down the hallway, her bare shoulders tight with fury and frustration.I caught up to her in three long strides."I want to talk to her," she said, voice low and feral. "Now."