*Starblood Borderlands – Dusk*The air smelled of smoke before anyone saw the flames. Aiden rumbled restlessly inside Ryder’s chest as the wind shifted, carrying the acrid sting of burning pine. Somewhere beyond the ridges, Silver Fang was moving again—bolder now, testing the cracks Alpha Thorne had warned them about.Ryder’s golden eyes swept the gathered warriors… Greenwood’s veterans, Shadow Pack’s grim-faced soldiers under Darius, Starblood’s own—every wolf ready but wary. Crystal stood slightly apart. Even now, after nights of whispered vows, she felt the weight of those stares—the Flame, the prophecy, the weapon. She flexed her fingers against her palms, steadying herself.“Positions,” Ryder commanded. “Hold the line at the river bend. Do not break ranks.”Luca jogged to her side, blades strapped across his back, pride in every stride. He gave her a tight grin. “Stay close to Alpha Ryder. Don’t make me drag the Flame back from doing something reckless.”Crystal arched a brow. “Y
*Starblood Keep – Night*The great hall of Starblood had been cleared for war council again, the long table now scarred by claws and etched with hurried markings from a dozen frantic strategy sessions. Outside, the wind blew around the walls, carrying with it the smell of distant smoke—a reminder that Silver Fang’s reach was growing.Crystal stood at Ryder’s side, shoulder to shoulder with him as more Alphas filed in, their faces taut with exhaustion. Her fingers brushed the edge of the map spread across the table, tracing roads and borders she had memorized but now seemed fragile under her touch. Alpha Thorne entered last. He moved with the same calm gravity that had made him Greenwood’s unchallenged king for generations, but Crystal noticed the faint stiffness in his gait—a wolf who had fought too many battles and carried too many memories. His eyes, bright and wild even now, locked on Ryder before sweeping across the gathered faces.“Another border burned,” he said without preambl
*Starblood Borders – Dusk*Ryder stood on the ridge above Starblood’s western border, Aiden pacing restless beneath his skin. The reports had come in all afternoon… Silver Fang was no longer content with probing raids. They were marching with banners and war drums, forcing packs to swear allegiance or burn.Behind him, the smell of damp pine mixed with the faint copper of blood still drying on the wind from battles fought too close to home.Crystal approached quietly, her boots crunching over frost-bitten needles. Aelira stirred in her mind, uneasy, pressing her closer to Ryder. She touched his arm lightly. “More?”Ryder’s jaw worked. “Three packs in the west. Shadowfang burned the edge of Red Hollow, slaughtered two villages, and left one alive to carry a message… choose Silver Fang or be burned to ashes.”Her heart tightened. These were wolves who had once raised their pups beside theirs, now forced to bow or die. “They are trying to break us before we can gather.”“They’re trying t
*Moonlit Forest — Starblood Territory*Ryder crouched low at the ridge’s edge, every sense sharpened. Around him, his chosen wolves waited; Luca, Ethan, Alia, Thalia, and two Greenwood scouts. Their breath misted in the cold night, the only sound beneath the distant call of an owl.George had been sighted near the eastern borders three nights ago. A scent trail, half-stale but distinct, had wound toward the old hunting grounds. Ryder had followed it relentlessly, fury and duty tangled inside him. Tonight, it will end. The thought of George—once a trusted beta of Moonlight pack, once a familiar scent at Crystal’s side—sent a knife of betrayal through Ryder’s chest. Every step he took tonight carried the weight of promises… to his mate, to his pack, to every wolf George had endangered.He motioned silently, and the group fanned out like shadows. Aiden, restless beneath Ryder’s skin, pushed forward, eager for the chase. Steady, Ryder warned his wolf. We need him alive. The bond between A
*Moonlight Territory — Outer Gates, Night*The forest around Moonlight Pack was supposed to be quiet under the winter moon. But the night cracked open with a single, shuddering howl—low, broken, and wild.Two guards at the outer gates stiffened. One raised his spear, the other sniffed the air. “Did you hear—”The words ended in a wet choke. Something moved faster than their eyes could follow. The crunch of snow was drowned by the snap of bone. A body hit the ground, lifeless, before its partner even had time to shout.The second guard barely turned before claws ripped across his chest. Blood splashed bright against the snow, steaming in the frigid air. The moonlight caught on amber eyes—feral, gleaming with something far more dangerous than rage.George.The Beta who had once walked Moonlight’s halls with a smile was gone. What stood in his place was the ruin of a wolf, taller and more savage than he had ever been, his fur streaked with old scars that told the story of failed bargains
*Starblood Dungeon – Night*The Starblood dungeons had grown colder with the changing of the moon. Water trickled down the stone walls, settling in the rough grooves below. Chains rattled softly whenever Lesley moved—a restless, predatory sort of pacing even though she could barely take two steps before the silver bit her skin.She had counted the hours by those drips. Counted the days by the rotations of guards. Counted every whispered rumor she overheard as they passed, piecing together the mood outside these walls. Wolves were growing uneasy. Silver Fang had been too quiet. The Flame’s power was growing. And Ryder—Ryder was absent more and more, consumed by duties beyond Starblood pack.She smiled faintly to herself. Absence was fertile soil for doubt.From the far corner, Aria watched her, legs curled beneath her like a cat. The maid’s once-soft hands were blistered from menial tasks, but her sharp tongue was as quick as ever. “You are smiling again,” Aria murmured. “Planning anot