LOGINLUCIANI don't know how long I was out. The first thing I registered was the cold. Not the sharp bite of winter air, but the deep, seeping cold of stone that had never seen sunlight. It had sunk into my bones, into my marrow, until my own blood felt like ice water. My cheek was pressed against it, the rough texture biting into my skin. A dull, throbbing ache pulsed behind my eyes, and my limbs felt like they belonged to someone else—heavy, distant, useless.I tried to move my fingers. Nothing. Just a phantom twinge, like my nerves were sending messages through wet sand. The poison. Eya's poison. It was still there, a sluggish sludge in my veins, keeping me chained to the floor.Then the light. It filtered down from somewhere high above, thin and grey and weak. Morning. It had to be morning. Which meant hours. Hours I’d been unconscious, sprawled on the cold dusty floor like a discarded corpse. Hours Eya had on me. Hours Darius had on me. Hours they had on Isla.Isla. The name sent a
PRESIDENT RYDERThe healer's chamber in the Sanctum was sterile and white, a stark contrast to the blood and dust of the courtyard. I lay on a stone slab, my ruined clothes cut away from me. Three healers, their faces obscured by white hoods, stood around me. Their hands hovered over my body, and from their palms poured a soft, golden light. It sank into my skin, knitting muscle, fusing bone, chasing away the worst of the agony. My eardrums itched as they reformed, sound slowly returning to the world in a dull rush. The light was warm, comforting, but it couldn't reach the cold dread that had settled in my chest.I stared at the ceiling, watching the light play across the stone. My mind raced, refusing to be soothed by the healing magic. Level 200. He was Level 200. The elder in red robes. And if he was 200, what of the others? The yellow-robed elder who smiled like he knew every secret? The blue-robed elder whose amusement felt older than empires? The green and black-robed elders
PRESIDENT RYDERThe blade kept descending."Y-yield," I choked out, the word tasting like ash and defeat. "I yield! Please!"For one eternal second, nothing changed. The **Heaven-Splitting Judgment** continued its slow, merciless descent. The cuts in the air deepened, slicing through my clothes until they hung in tatters, scoring fresh lines across my skin. I squeezed my eyes shut, waiting for the annihilation, for the moment that blade of condensed judgment would bisect me from head to heart.Then it stopped.The hum vanished. The pressure lifted. The terrifying weight that had pinned me to the shattered marble courtyard evaporated so suddenly I nearly collapsed forward into the pool of my own blood.I forced my eyes open, gasping. The colossal blade of light was gone. The tear in the sky above the Sanctum was sealing itself, the jagged crimson rift stitching closed until only the normal night and the real moon remained. The red half-moon that had hung behind the wolf dissolved like
PRESIDENT RYDERI bowed my head, trying to placate the elder. "I don't dare," I said, my voice shaking. "I would never presume to challenge you, elder. Please, forgive me."The silence that followed was worse than his rage. It stretched, taut and suffocating, until the elder in red robes finally moved. It wasn't a step. It was a lunge.His human form blurred, shredding apart in a flash of crimson light. Where the elder stood, a monstrous wolf erupted into existence. Not the grey or brown or black of normal packs. This one was red. Deep, arterial red, like fresh blood poured over muscle and sinew. Its fur seemed to drink the light from the chamber, its eyes two molten gold furnaces burning with ancient, unforgiving fury. Each claw was the length of my forearm, black and hooked. Its hackles rose, and a low, guttural snarl vibrated through the stone beneath my feet.Then it threw its head back and howled.The sound wasn't just noise. It was a physical force. It slammed into me, tore t
PRESIDENT RYDERI grunted, the pressure of the elder's domain making it hard to speak. "The academy... was under attack," I managed to get out.The elder in red robes leaned forward, his eyes narrowing. "And?" he prompted, his voice cold and unforgiving.I sighed, feeling a weight of guilt and responsibility. "I failed to protect the students... and Lucian was taken."The elders' faces were shocked, their eyes wide with surprise and concern. They exclaimed in unison, their voices overlapping as they spoke.The yellow elder stopped his domain, and I was able to breathe again. "How is this possible?" he asked, his voice laced with incredulity. "What origin is the beast that attacked the academy? Was it one of Darius'?"I hesitated, knowing that the truth would not be easy to hear. "It was a level 200 and counting omega wolf," I replied, my voice steady. "And yes, I believe it was sent by Darius."“An omega wolf?” The elders' faces turned grave, their expressions darkening with anger and
PRESIDENT RYDERI nodded, my expression serious. The pack elders didn't summon me lightly, and I knew that this meeting would be important."I'll go with them," I said to Jace and Elias, my voice firm. "Let's see what the pack elders want."The pack slaves straightened, their movements fluid and synchronized. They gestured for me to follow them, and I nodded, falling into step behind them. We left the room, heading towards the pack elders' chambers.The pack elders' chambers were located in a remote area, far away from the school. It was a journey that would take about a day on foot, so we had to take a carriage to get there. As we set off, I couldn't help but feel a sense of worry and unease.Had the pack elders already known about the incident with the beast? Had they heard about how it had almost destroyed the whole school? I wondered if they would be angry with me for not telling them immediately.As we rode in the carriage, I couldn't shake off the memories of the fight. I kept s
I looked up at Lucian, confusion etched on my face. "Who is Elara?" I asked.Lucian's expression changed, and he realized whom he had just called me. "I'm sorry, I meant to say Isla," he said, trying to cover.But I shook my head. "No, I want to know who Elara is. Because my wolf name is Elara," I
LUCIANI stood frozen, my mind reeling from Isla's words. She couldn't be serious. She was saying that she was my mate, that she was a wolf, and that her wolf's name was Elara. It was impossible. I should have known she was my mate. Oh wait, I knew but, We had tested her with the sphere, and it ha
LUCIAN "I love you, Isla," I whispered, my voice filled with emotion. "No, It’s Elara now," she replied, her voice firm. I looked at her in shock, wondering what she meant. "What do you mean?" I asked, my mind racing with questions. She smiled, her eyes shining with tears. "After the kiss, I
The sound of rushing footsteps and urgent voices filled the air as more pack guards arrived to quench the fire. The flames were getting higher, casting a golden glow over the surrounding area.The guards worked swiftly, their movements practiced and efficient. Some used powerful spells to douse the







