“We will talk about it later okay? Are you fine now?” Lucian asks me. I know he’s asking me to sincerely ascertain if everything is fine but I am still irritated. Serene is still at the back of my head.“I remember I told all of you that I was opening the door so you could grant me something.” I say it again. I have no idea how I’m going to address this with the kind of fierce personality they have,but I’m not one to die in silence.“Is going to see your father not enough? Now what? You’re going to ask us to go with Lucian? Is that it little one?” Damien is asking.To be sincere, I would have been super excited if whatever it is that is draining Lucian would have taken Damien instead.“Damien.” Rowan calls his name but they are all staring at him sharply.“I was basically stating a mere suspicion. Isn’t it my right to say what I want to and where?” He refuses to drop the conversation and is actively steering towards an argument.“That’s enough. What’s the second one Mira? You want to
Mira’s POVI try over and over again to summon my wolf. Nothing surfaces. “If I have my wolf, I should be able to face Serena on my own.” I say to nobody in particular. I try different things just to wake her, to get her to react or something. Nothing at all seems to be working. I inhale and I exhale through my mouth convincing myself that she’s there. I just have to find myself. I take turns calming myself down. I want to hear her, feel her, just be sure that she’s there. If I have no wolf, there is no way I would have felt the bond. Or am I just cursed?I shake my head and I take my mind off it. I wear all of my clothes back again. And I go to see her. I tuck a small pocket knife in my gown just for the purpose of safety. “Luna Mira.” One of the palace maids bows to me. I almost jump in fright with her sudden greeting. She still lays low waiting for me to ask her to rise. I wear a neutral poker face as expected and it hides my fright. “You May rise.” I am taking a proper loo
Serena’s POVI’m quite sure she must have been wondering how on Earth I guessed her emotions. She is as open as a book. It would not take me anything to be able to read her mind even in this obsolete darkness.“Serena,look,I, I’m not here to banter words with you on who is a werewolf and a human. I came here to apologize to you and see how well you are fairing. It seems you are fairing well enough and don’t need my apology visit. But still,I’d like to apologize.”“Rephrase the first word of your sentence before you proceed with whatever it is you want to say. And I hope,it is something that genuinely would make me happy.” Sje chuckles.At this point, I am sure she is starting to regret every decision she made to come down here. She should have just listened to the Alpha brothers when they were trying to convince her.“Queen Serena, accept my humble apologies.” She does a polite bow despite her furrowed eyebrows. I laugh because if I was not a werewolf with good vision particularly
Rowan’s POV“You should not have granted her the permission to go there. Serena could have said something to traumatize her for life. This is not good.” Lucian keeps complaining. “We have all spoken about this before. If you decide to not give her the permission, she would go ahead without our knowledge. I have no idea about the rest of you but me, I’m not ready to lose Mira anytime soon. Something near that would have happened if we had not given her the permission to go to the dungeon herself. You know and you have seen just how stubborn she is.” I massage my knuckles frustrated with the endless explanation. “Did you all feel that?” I rub my chest to ease the pain. “The sharp searing pain?” Kai raises one of his eyebrows. “The last time we felt this was this way, Serena was trying to kill her. Is she at it again?” Damien is the one asking this time around. “Hold on. Let’s leave Mira to see what she can do.”’ I say it to them. “Mira?” Kai asks. “Serena would finish her off in
Mira’s POV“And this time around, I will personally see to it that she gets what she deserves. I pardoned her the last time. And this is what she returns the favor with. She deserves to be punished! Severe ones!” I’m fuming with rage. “But we warned you about all of this,Mira. We tried to talk you that this, this is not a den of sympathetic people and child affairs. Here, you have ti stand your ground firmly else you would fail as the Luna undoubtedly.” Rowan tells me. I finally agree to everything they were saying to me earlier. If I am going to lead this pack as their Luna, I will have to ne strong. “Who are we asking for the evidence and when is the meeting holding? The earlier the better. We have to make sure we cut her tails before they start barking at us with no respect.” “Sadly,you are right. I would suggest the meeting to hold tomorrow. Right now, we are all tired and we still have a lot on our plates to attend to. Plus we cannot call for another council meeting to hold
Serena’s POV“Yesterday night. You tried to talk to me while I was sleepikg or maybe you got people. But that should be the end of it. Stop trying to manipulate features to get to me.” I narrow my eyes as I listen calmly to what she’s saying. “Were they ethereal?” I ask a question from my suspicion. “I just knew you would be a party of it. I’m here to warn you Serena. Stop being so childish. Let me be.” Sje warns me seriously. From the dungeon, I can see clear fear in her eyes. “Why? Why should I let you be?” I ask her chuckling. “Shouldn’t you be lucky I only presented you with a dream that has not rendered you immobile? Are you really that ungrateful? Tch. Maybe next time, I will bring memories that would shut you up for good. What do you say?” “The next time, I would make sure you are killed in that dream or whatsoever you call it. Stop daring me.” The audacity in her eyes. It itches me like I’ve been bitten by some bitter animal. “I would love to see what you can do the nex
Serena’s POV“I’m not bothered Kai.” I draw lines with my toes to ease off the tension weighing heavy on my shoulders. “For someone that has no idea about allegiance. You sure are bold to the person that married you.” Rowan says. The look on their faces tells me I’m in for serious trouble. “Repeat everything you said earlier. Do not omit a single word else your head will roll in front of the members of the clan today.” Lucian says. “Alpha Lucian, my intention was never to bully or oppress anyone. It was Queen Serena. She”“Again, it is Serena. She doesn’t deserve to be a queen.” Mira squints at me. “Serena asked me to gather as many people as possible. She wanted to turn the members of the clan against Luna Mira in every way possible.”“She had used some methods already but they seemed not to be effective. This was one of the patterns with one of the highest rates of success. Please have mercy on me, Alpha Lucian, Alpha Rowan, Alpha Damien, Alpha Kai.” The stupid girl goes to her
Mira’s POV“No! Please! This is enough.” Serena begs everybody. “You do not tell the council the punishment befitting of you. You should have thought about the repercussions of your actions before carrying them out. You have no one else to blame for your situation.” Rowan says. “Alpha Rowan.”“That’s enough. Proceed.” The look on their faces gives no room for arguments. “The second punishment the council has decided to skate out for you is to have the members of the clan escort you round the clan talking about your deeds.”“I refuse. You have already taken my title. This is too much.” She grits her teeth. “Say one more word refuting your punishment by the upper council and we’d make you walk round the entire clan naked.” Rowan is the one talking. “No other punishment?” Kai asks. “No, Alpha Kai. We as a council have decided to restrain her punishment to this two. Hopefully, she will learn a great deal from the both.” The man that has been reading the entire thing says. “She bett
Kai POV The sky was still cloaked in darkness, though the faintest glow of dawn had begun to brush the horizon when our carriage rattled over the rocky terrain toward the Darkfire border. The journey had been long and heavy with silence at times, but inside the double space carriage, we found ourselves deep in conversation once again. The air was thick with anticipation.Rowan sat with his arms crossed, his gaze sharp and unwavering, while Damien leaned forward slightly, elbows on knees, brows drawn as he listened to me lay out the final version of our plan.“We go in under the guise of diplomacy,” I said, my voice calm, but firm. “We are visiting the King and the council to pay our respects. That’s the surface. But our real task—what we must accomplish before we leave—is to uncover the witches.”“Find Benard Sawyer,” Damien added, nodding. “And locate those woods—the site of the executions.”I nodded back. “Exactly. If the Last Witches truly died there, then the secrets of what
Mira POV The wind was soft, yet cold, brushing against my skin as I walked along the stone path leading to the shrine. The sun hung low in the sky, bleeding orange light over the trees that framed the sacred space. My steps were slow. Heavy. But steady.I had walked this path before.And yet, today felt different.The shrine loomed ahead, surrounded by people kneeling in prayer or whispering hushed words toward the sky. It was more crowded than usual, packed with villagers seeking comfort amidst the chaos that had overtaken our clan. Some clutched candles. Others held small, carved totems. Their eyes were glassy, tired. Lost.As soon as I was spotted, a small group broke off from the rest and hurried toward me.“My Queen,” one of them—a man no older than thirty—spoke first. “Please… what do we do now? The clan feels like it’s crumbling. We’ve heard whispers that the Kings have vanished.”“Are we at war again?” a woman asked, clutching her shawl tightly. “Is Blackwood falling a
Mira POV Pressure wrapped around me like a noose.It tightened more with every cry that echoed beyond the castle walls, the angry shouts of the clan members rising like a storm I couldn’t stop. My fingers trembled as I clasped them in my lap, seated on the edge of my bed, staring blankly at the door as if someone—anyone—would walk through it and tell me what to do.But no one came.The throne was mine. The responsibility was mine. For the first time, I was alone to rule.My mates—my kings—were gone. Their decision had been final. They left the castle with nothing but purpose in their stride and the weight of a plan I had no part in. And now, the clan wanted answers. Clarity. Leadership.From me.A pit had formed in my stomach. It felt cold and heavy, like a stone I’d swallowed but couldn’t digest. I wasn’t ready. I wasn’t wise like Kai or confident like Lucian. I wasn’t brave like Damien. I was just… Mira. A girl burdened by a legacy I didn’t ask for and secrets I wished I could
Mira POV I ran through the fields barefoot, the wind lashing my face. I was younger—perhaps thirteen—and the soft warmth of sunset bathed the skies above our small village.Laughter echoed behind me, the sound of teenagers playing a game I’d barely understood but tried to join. I had always watched them from the window of our cottage, envying their joy, their freedom. That day, for the first time, I had dared to approach.I remember how hesitant I was when I stepped into their circle. They looked at me, puzzled, surprised. I was the Chief’s daughter, the one who never spoke to anyone, the one who always looked distant. But they smiled, awkwardly at first, then welcomed me with timid warmth. I laughed—really laughed—for the first time in a long while as I tried to keep up with the game. It was clumsy and imperfect, but I had finally felt…human.Then he came.“Mira!” his deep, sharp voice split the air like a whip. Everyone turned.My heart dropped.My father stood at the edge of
Mira POV I stared at them, mouth slightly parted in disbelief. “You’re what?” I asked, even though I’d heard Kai’s words clearly the first time.“We’re going to the Darkfire clan,” Rowan said calmly, standing beside Kai with arms folded across his broad chest.My heart skipped. “Just like that? Without warning?”Kai’s voice was steady, resolute. “We’ve exhausted all our options, Mira. We’ve sent spies, scouts, even attempted magical tracking. Nothing’s led us to Baylor or any of the witches. It’s as though they’ve vanished from the realm.”“So, you’re going straight to the source?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.Kai nodded. “Yes. To Benard Sawyer. He started this. Somehow, he brought them back from extinction. He knows something… and we intend to find out what.”“But why go yourselves?” I argued, stepping closer to them. “Why not send messengers? Or councilmen? Even your generals? You’re the rulers of this kingdom. Your lives aren’t just your own to gamble.”Rowan gave
Mira POV When I arrived at the shrine, I immediately knew something was different.The courtyard was crowded, more than I’d ever seen it. People were pouring in through the arched gates, their footsteps fast yet quiet, their heads bowed as though afraid to lift their eyes. Some clutched prayer beads, others held burning candles. A few sobbed quietly as they moved toward the inner sanctum.I stepped aside as a woman passed me, dragging two small children behind her. One of them looked up at me, his eyes swollen from crying. My heart twisted painfully.I made my way inside and found the head priestess, her wrinkled face lined even deeper than usual.“What’s going on?” I asked softly, trying not to let the heavy tension around us suffocate my voice.She turned to me with a tired expression. “The people are afraid,” she said, clasping her hands together. “Since the massacre… the castle guards, the bloodshed… word has spread.”I frowned. “Word?”The priestess nodded. “About the wit
Mira POV Two days later…I woke up before the sun had risen, the castle still blanketed in silence. For once, I didn’t wait for Adela or any of the handmaids to come in. I slipped out of bed, walked barefoot to the bath chamber, and poured myself a cold shower. The icy water hit my skin like a slap, but I welcomed it. I needed the numbness. My mind had been anything but still for the past two days.I couldn’t stop thinking about the massacre—the way the blood had soaked into the stone floors, the way the guards’ lifeless bodies had been carried away one by one. And the families… Gods, the families. They had gathered outside the castle gates yesterday, their wails cutting through the air like blades. Some had thrown stones, others had just fallen to their knees, begging for answers. Begging for justice.I stayed in the shower longer than necessary, hoping the water would wash away the unease churning inside me. It didn’t. When I stepped out, I dried myself quickly and dressed
Mira POVI sat quietly in the carriage beside Damien, the steady rhythm of the wheels rolling over the rugged trail doing little to ease the storm brewing inside me. The sun was still rising in the sky, casting golden beams through the trees, but my heart felt too heavy to appreciate any of it. We were heading to the place where Benard Sawyer was meant to be executed years ago. Damien sat across from me, flipping through an old parchment from the archives, but I knew we were both thinking about more than just the past.The silence stretched between us until I finally broke it.“How’s Lucian doing?” I asked, not looking at him. I didn’t know why I needed to know so badly. Maybe because the thought of losing him clawed painfully at the inside of my chest.Damien looked up at me, his expression shifting to something solemn. “He’s hanging on,” he said softly.“But not for long. The disciple told me the only thing that could really save him is complete faith—from the three of us.”I
Kai POVThe air was tense as we stormed toward Councilman Baylor’s chambers. I walked beside Rowan with six guards behind us, all alert and on edge. Damien and Mira had taken off earlier to the execution site where Benard Sawyer was once meant to die. I hoped they’d find something useful. But right now, our focus was Councilman Baylor.Rowan kept glancing at me as we moved through the corridor. “What if he’s already done it?” he asked, low but urgent. “What if he’s already summoned them?”I didn’t need to ask who he meant. “Then we’ll be too late,” I said. “But we can’t think like that. We have to act before they arrive.”Rowan didn’t speak again, but his jaw tightened. He knew as well as I did that there was no defense against witches—not unless we were prepared. And we weren’t. Not yet.When we arrived at Baylor’s chambers, they were eerily quiet. The guards took position at the doors while Rowan and I pushed inside. The room was dim, the curtains drawn, the fire out. It felt li