Kane had gone pale. The implications were hitting him like a freight train. "He's not just attacking us. He's using our relationship to undermine the Alpha King's credibility with the council."The political strategy was brilliant. Manipulative as hell, but brilliant. By portraying me as mentally un
Aurora's POVThe walk back to the Alpha King's stronghold stretched on forever. Kane and I didn't speak much. What was there to say? We didn’t complete the mission, and now Raymond was in worse shape than before.Every footstep felt like we were abandoning him to Giana's claws."We made everything w
"We've been discovered," Kane said tersely. His weapon appeared in his hands like magic.The artifact's glow suddenly intensified. Its dark energy pulsed with renewed strength. Instead of being destroyed by our interference, it seemed to be drawing power from our proximity. Growing stronger rather t
Aurora's POVThe old smuggler's tunnels beneath Blood Moon territory smelled like my childhood nightmares. Damp earth. Rotting wood. That musty scent of secrets buried too long underground.Kane and I crept through the narrow passages like ghosts. Our footsteps were silent on the soft ground. These
The weight of responsibility settled on my shoulders like a lead blanket. But I couldn't abandon the people suffering under Giana's manipulation. And breaking her control over Raymond would transform our entire position."I have to try," I said firmly. "I can't leave my people to suffer. And freeing
Aurora's POVThe war room looked like someone had detonated a paperwork bomb.Maps were sprawled across every flat surface. Intelligence reports hung from boards along the walls, creating a tapestry of threat assessments and political calculations. Empty coffee cups littered the tables, evidence of