FAZER LOGIN_Selene's POV_Three days later, the Silver Moon Pack hosted one of the largest hunting festivals we had held in years.From the moment the sun rose, the entire territory seemed alive with excitement. Warriors moved between the large tents that had been erected across the central grounds while servants carried trays loaded with food and drinks. Long wooden tables stretched across the open field and were already overflowing with roasted meat, fresh bread, fruits and desserts.Children ran between the tents laughing while musicians played cheerful music near the center of the festival grounds. Everywhere I looked, people were smiling and talking.It should have been the perfect day. Instead, I spent most of it looking for one person.Kael.The moment several black SUVs from the Voronov Pack entered through the gates, my attention immediately shifted toward them. Warriors climbed out first. Then Alpha Victor appeared. And finally, Kael stepped out.My heart instantly skipped a beat. He l
_Selene's POV_The next morning, I was already in a bad mood.For days, everyone in the pack had spoken about the same thing. Aria's disappearance had somehow become the center of every conversation. Warriors discussed search routes. Elders discussed possibilities. Servants whispered theories whenever they thought nobody was listening.I was completely tired of it.No matter where I went, somebody always found a way to bring her up. I stood near the large windows of my father's study and watched several warriors crossing the courtyard below. Even now, another search party was preparing to leave.My jaw tightened. How much longer was this supposed to continue?The door opened behind me. A moment later, my mother entered the room. She immediately noticed my expression. "You look unhappy."I crossed my arms. "I am unhappy."She walked closer. "Why?"I turned toward her. "Because everyone is wasting time."My mother raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"I released a frustrated sigh. "I m
_Aria's POV_The glowing red symbol flashed once more. My heart pounded so hard that I could hear it in my ears.For several seconds, neither Rowan nor I moved. The room seemed strangely quiet. Even the air felt heavier than before. I couldn't stop staring at the symbol.The crimson light pulsed beneath his skin like something alive. Scars weren't supposed to do that. Nothing about it looked normal. Slowly, Rowan released a long breath.The fear that had briefly appeared in his eyes vanished so quickly that I almost wondered if I had imagined it. Then he rubbed a hand across his face and looked away. He looked very tired.....not physically but emotionally. As though he had been carrying something heavy for a very long time. The change in him immediately made my confusion grow."Rowan..." I said carefully.He remained silent for several moments before finally speaking. "I was hoping nobody would ever ask about that."His voice was unusually quiet. The answer caught me off guard. I had
_Aria's POV_The first time it happened, I barely noticed.Rowan left breakfast early.At the time, I didn't think much about it. Running an estate this large couldn't be easy. People constantly came to him with problems and questions. It wasn't unusual for him to disappear halfway through a meal.The second time, I noticed. The third time, I started paying attention. By the end of the week, I couldn't ignore it anymore.Rowan was avoiding me.Every morning seemed to follow the same pattern. If I arrived first, he suddenly remembered somewhere else he needed to be. If he arrived first, he was already halfway out the dining room by the time I walked through the door.At first, I told myself that I was imagining things. Then I told myself that I didn't care. Unfortunately, neither explanation lasted very long. Because I did care....far more than I wanted to admit. The realization annoyed me.Rowan was free to spend his time however he wanted. We weren't family. We weren't even particula
_Aria's POV_The next morning, I woke up feeling much better.The herbal balm Clara had used the day before had worked wonders. My ankle still felt slightly sore but the sharp pain was gone. After breakfast, I joined the others for training.This time I was much more careful. Jane refused to let me overwork myself and watched me closely the entire morning."You are not allowed to injure yourself again," she informed me."That sounds unfair.""It sounds intelligent.""I preferred it when you were nicer."Jane laughed. "I was never nice."Training ended shortly before lunch. Everyone began heading back toward the mansion. I was drinking water near the training field when someone approached. "Aria."I turned and found Daniel smiling at me. He was one of the younger warriors who lived at the mansion. He was friendly, easy to talk to and always seemed to be in a good mood."Hi.""How's the ankle?""Better.""Good."Daniel looked toward the stables. "I was actually looking for you."I blin
_Selene's POV_Since I was a child, I always got everything I wanted. For years, I had lived with one certainty. No matter what happened, I would become Luna one day. Everyone in Silver Moon Pack knew it. I was beautiful, strong, respected and the daughter of an Alpha. Everything had always pointed toward the same future.Then Aria had been named Kael's mate. Even now, remembering that moment made something ugly twist inside my chest. I had spent years imagining my future beside him. Then suddenly my pathetic younger sister had nearly taken everything from me.Thankfully, fate had corrected its mistake. Kael had rejected her and the bond was broken. Aria was gone. I should have been happy. Instead, I was standing by my bedroom window, staring at the pack gates for what felt like the hundredth time that morning.The search parties had been gone for days. Everywhere I went, people talked about the same thing; Aria was missing. I was sick of hearing her name.My fingers tightened around







