LOGINJacob’s snarl tore through the clearing as he lunged again, his claws raised to rip through Draven’s throat. But Draven moved first. He surged forward with a burst of strength that looked almost inhuman, fueled not by pure power but by something far deeper.By love.By desperation.By the need to protect me and our children.He slammed into Jacob with such force that the breath left Jacob’s lungs in a harsh gasp. Their bodies collided, fists flying, claws tearing, their growls vibrating through the chilled night air. Draven’s roar shook the ground itself, raw and animalistic, the sound of an Alpha on the edge of losing everything.Jacob stumbled backward as Draven drove him across the dirt. Blood flew in an arc
The night air turned colder as we descended the mountain path. Leo led us through the narrow trail carved between jagged rocks while I held Amari and Arden tight against my chest, their tiny bodies trembling from my own shaking. The moon hung low, bleeding silver across the forest canopy, as if even the sky sensed the violence waiting below.Every step felt heavier than the last.Every breath felt borrowed.The bond inside my chest pulsed sharply, each throb echoing Draven’s pain. It was like being stabbed from the inside, a burning thread tying my heart to his. My knees threatened to buckle with each surge, but I forced myself forward. I would crawl if I had to. I would bleed if it meant reaching him.“Leo,” I whispered hoarsely as branches slapped against my arms. “Are we close?”Leo looked back grimly. “You will hear them soon.”Hear them.My heart seized because that meant Draven was still fighting.But also meant the monster who wanted me dead was still alive too.We reached the
The stone walls of the mountain fortress hummed with a quiet, ancient magic, but tonight, none of it eased the shaking in my hands. The torches along the corridor flickered as if reacting to the frantic beat of my heart. The air felt heavier than usual, the silence too deep, the shadows too alive. I pressed my back against the cold wall and tried to steady my breathing, but my chest refused to expand.Something was wrong.Really wrong.Leo had been gone for hours. He said he would only step outside the barrier to scout, but the moon had already shifted higher above the jagged mountain peaks, and the dread inside my stomach had grown into a solid, suffocating knot.“Please, hurry,” I whispered to no one as my arms wrapped protectively around baby Amari and Arden, both asleep inside their crib made of carved obsidian.Their tiny breaths were soft, but even they sensed the tension. Arden kept twitching in his sleep, little hands curling into fists. Amari whimpered sometimes as if she cou
Not gently. Not like shifting stone or settling earth. This tremor came with a deep growl that vibrated through the walls of the fortress, making the runes flare brighter in response.My heart leapt painfully into my throat.I rose from the stone bench so fast that my legs nearly gave out, one hand gripping the edge of the cradle where Amari and Arden slept to steady myself. The glow of the ancient symbols flickered along the walls, like veins of gold reacting to danger. Every pulse of light matched the wild, terrified pounding in my chest.“Draven…” I whispered, breath trembling.The babies stirred at the vibration, small bodies shifting under their blankets. Arden whimpered softly while Amari tried to curl closer to his brother, sensing something was wrong even in sleep.I leaned over them, brushing a trembling hand across their tiny foreheads. “It is alright,” I whispered, though the words felt empty and false. “Mommy is here. Mommy is here, my loves.”But was their father?The fea
Leo guided me quickly through the hallway, one hand gripping Arden’s small bundled form against his chest while I held Amari close to mine. My legs felt unsteady, almost boneless, as if every step pulled me farther away from the only person who made me feel safe. The air outside was cold and tense, thick with the rumble of distant growls echoing from the forest edges. The pack was already preparing for battle. Wolves rushed past us, shifting mid-run, their eyes fierce and determined.Every heartbeat felt like a countdown.“Stay close to me,” Leo said, keeping his voice low so it would not carry in the frantic air. “We need to move fast, Luna.”I swallowed the lump in my throat. “Is Draven already on the front line?”“Yes,” Leo said without slowing. “He is organizing the shield formation. The rogues are drawing closer. We cannot risk them reaching the packhouse.”My chest tightened painfully. I clutched Amari tighter, pressing my cheek to his soft hair. He fussed and whimpered, sensing







