LOGINMax's POVI shake my head, unable to believe what I'm hearing.“You have to find another way. There has to be someone else. She shouldn't have to deal with this on top of everything she's already been through.”Selene's expression softens, and when she speaks again, there's none of the authority I'd heard in her voice moments earlier.“I understand why you're frightened for her.”“Frightened?” I let out a short, humourless laugh. “I'm fucking terrified for her.”The admission leaves my throat tight, but I don't bother trying to hide it. I love Zahra. I've already come far too close to losing her, and the thought of someone deliberately putting her in the path of something this dangerous makes me feel physically sick.
Max's POVI stare at her, struggling to comprehend what she's just said.Kill her? Kill the fucking Moon Goddess? I didn't think that was possible.For a moment, I genuinely think I've misheard her, but she continues before I can say anything.“Without my protection, there will be nothing to prevent him from enslaving the supernatural races. Every wolf, every supernatural being will be forced to serve him.”There's genuine disgust in her voice now. Her gaze drifts towards Medus again, and I remember the affection in her expression when she was stroking him earlier. The thought of anyone enslaving him, or any of us, makes my blood run cold.Selene draws a slow breath before continuing.“And once he has established his rule, he intends to e
Max's POVSelene captured Monvar once before, yet somehow, he's spent centuries weakening the very connections that give her power.And most of us haven't had a fucking clue.“And now he's using that against you?”“Yes.”She lifts her head, her expression becoming serious again.“With my power weakened, there's much less to stop him from doing what he wants to the world.”I turn towards her sharply.“The world?”Selene meets my eyes. There's no hesitation in her expression now.“Monvar's ambitions extend far beyond the supernatural races, Maxwell. What you see here is only part of the damage he's causing.”The certainty in her voice sends a chill through me.I look back at the blackened trees, remembering how quickly that substance destroyed the root.If this is what his fucking monsters can do to the Moon Goddess's home, what chance would an ordinary pack have against them?“But you can hold them back for now?”“I can,” she says, resting her staff against the ground.She glances towa
Max's POVI'd been aware that things were getting worse, but until now, I'd never considered that any of it might be connected.Selene turns towards me, and the sadness in her expression gives way to anger again.“The drugs they've introduced into your communities, the deliberate disruption of pack hierarchies, the dissolution of entire packs. All of it has contributed to the damage.”She gestures towards the ruined forest, the movement sharp with frustration.“Every pack that falls apart weakens the bonds between its members, and every generation that loses faith in me weakens my connection to your world a little further.”I look at her, struggling to take it all in.So those incidents weren't just separate packs having their own problems. Someone had been deliberately stirring up trouble, exploiting every weakness they could find.The thought makes my blood boil. An Alpha's supposed to protect his pack, not stand by while his wolves are abused or driven from their homes. And now I'm
Max's POVMedus snarls, his massive body tensing beside me. His eyes follow the retreating tendril, and I rest a hand against his shoulder, keeping him close.I stare at the place where it vanished. Whatever that stuff is, it seems to react to Selene's magic as though it's fucking terrified of it.She lowers her staff slowly, watching the darkness retreat beneath the roots. Her expression doesn't soften, and I get the impression she's expecting it to come back.“What is that?”“It's a manifestation of the corruption spreading through my realm,” she explains, her voice heavy with displeasure. “For now, I can prevent it from reaching the lake, but it's becoming increasingly difficult to contain.”I look at the blackened roots and the dying trees beyond them. That stuff is destroying everything it touches, and judging by how much of the forest is already affected, it's been spreading for some time.“What's causing it?”“Monvar. The dark forces he's unleashed.”She practically spits the n
Max's POV“Are you all right?”Selene turns her attention back to me, and I notice the slight hesitation before she answers. Her silver eyes study my face, and for a moment, I get the impression she's deciding how much to tell me.“I've been better, but thank you for asking.”Her voice is gentle, and she gives me a reassuring smile, although I'm not entirely convinced by it. I glance at the staff supporting her, then back at the silvery light surrounding her body.It's strange seeing her like this. The last time we met, her presence seemed to fill the entire clearing. I remember feeling almost overwhelmed by the power radiating from her, yet now I can stand right in front of her without having to narrow my eyes.“You don't look quite like you did last time.”Her lips curve slightly, and she follows my gaze towards the staff in her hand.“No, I suppose I don't.”She doesn't seem particularly surprised by my observation, but I notice the way she shifts some of her weight against the pol







