Liam’s POVA low murmur rippled through the crowd, shock and disbelief mixing with anger. I lifted a hand and the noise died instantly.“She went there for her mother. For her family,” I continued, pacing slowly in front of them, my boots crunching against the gravel. “She did it because she wanted to protect this pack… because she didn’t want any of you to get hurt.”I paused, swallowing hard. “But she’s out there now—alone—in the heart of danger. And I won’t stand here and do nothing while the woman I love, the Luna of this pack, risks her life.”My throat tightened as I said the words, but I didn’t let it stop me. My wolf snarled beneath my skin, full of fire and desperation.“I lost someone once,” I said, my voice softer now, but heavy with pain. “My first mate. I held her in my arms as she died. I swore I’d never feel that pain again. But the Moon Goddess… she gave me another chance. She gave me Katrina.”I stopped walking, turning to face them fully. “And I’ll be damned if I let
Liam’s POVThe elders exchanged looks. Commander Reid’s fists clenched at his sides.“She said not to follow her,” I continued, my voice getting rougher with each word. “She said she had to go—because she wanted to protect me. Protect us. But she’s walking into death.”Aron sighed heavily, rubbing his forehead. “Alpha… Blackclaw is crawling with rogues. Alpha Jacob is unpredictable. You know what kind of man he is. If we send warriors there, it could start a war.”My wolf snarled inside me, and I slammed my hand down on the table so hard that the wood cracked. “She is my mate!” I shouted, my voice echoing in the room. “She’s your Luna! She went into danger for us, for this pack, and you’re telling me to sit here and do nothing?”The elders fell silent. The sound of my breathing filled the room. Johnson placed a firm hand on my shoulder, grounding me slightly. “Alpha,” he said in a calm but steady voice, “we’ll find her. We’ll bring her home. But we have to do it smart. We can’t rush i
Liam’s POVI went straight to find my beta, Johnson. I found him in the pack kitchen, sitting with a cup of coffee, looking half-asleep. The moment he saw my face, he stood up straight, his instincts kicking in.“Alpha?” he asked, his voice tense. “What happened?”“Call an emergency meeting,” I said, my voice rough and barely steady. “Get the elders, the trackers — everyone.”He frowned. “Liam… what’s going on?”My chest tightened as I spoke the words I didn’t want to say. “Kat’s gone. She went to Blackclaw. Alone.”Johnson’s eyes widened in shock. The color drained from his face as he stared at me. “Alone?” he repeated quietly. “Liam, that’s suicide. Jacob’s territory—”“I know!” I snapped, slamming my fist into the counter. The wood cracked under my hand, but I didn’t care. My wolf pushed harder, wanting to break free. “I know what it means.”Johnson swallowed hard and looked at me with sympathy. He’d seen me broken before — the way I’d lost myself after my first mate’s death. He’d
Liam’s POVThe morning light spilled softly through the curtains, brushing against my face and pulling me out of sleep. I stretched my arm out, expecting to feel Katrina’s warmth beside me, the way I always did — her soft hair tickling my skin, her quiet breathing steady and peaceful. But this time, my hand met nothing but cool sheets.My brows furrowed, still half-asleep. Maybe she’d gotten up early again. She’d been training with Anna every morning lately. I rolled onto my side and reached for her pillow — cold. Untouched. That strange ache in my chest started to form, small at first but growing with each second of silence.“Kat?” I called softly, my voice rough from sleep. No answer.The room felt too still. The only sound was the faint rustle of curtains and the ticking clock on the wall. My wolf stirred inside me, restless and uneasy, as if sensing something I couldn’t yet see. I pushed the covers off and sat up, my heart beginning to beat faster.Her scent lingered in the air —
Katrina’s POVAnd so, as the first rays of morning light touched the broken homes of Blackclaw, we slipped deeper into the ruined pack lands — two shadows against a world that had already been swallowed by darkness.We didn’t speak as we walked. There was nothing to say. The once beautiful pack lands that used to be filled with life were now cold and lifeless. The air smelled of burnt wood and blood. My boots crunched softly on the dirt road, and every sound seemed too loud in the eerie silence. The houses we passed were broken, their doors hanging off their hinges. Some windows were shattered, and I could see marks of claws and fire on the walls. It was like walking through a graveyard.I could still remember when I was a little girl, hearing stories about the Blackclaw pack — strong, proud, and loyal. But what I saw now wasn’t a pack anymore. It was a nightmare.Anna walked beside me, her face pale and her eyes sharp, scanning every corner. Her black-dyed hair looked strange against
Katrina’s POVThe long drive felt endless. The forest roads stretched on forever, quiet and shadowy under the pale light of the moon. The only sound was the hum of the engine and the faint whisper of the wind through the trees. My mind wouldn’t stop racing — my mother’s face, Liam’s smile, the letter I had left behind… it all kept flashing in my head.Anna sat in the passenger seat, her hands folded tightly in her lap. She hadn’t spoken much since we left, but her presence was grounding. Every now and then, I’d glance at her and catch her staring out the window, lost in her thoughts. The faint lines on her face looked deeper in the dim light, and I wondered if she was thinking about her sister — my mother — the same way I was.After several hours of driving, I saw the glowing sign of a small gas station just before dawn. The sky was a pale purple, and birds were beginning to sing softly in the distance. I pulled the car over, cutting the engine. My hands were trembling slightly on the