Kai POVThe air was tense as we stormed toward Councilman Baylorโs 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 theyโd find something useful. But right now, our focus was Councilman Baylor.Rowan kept glancing at me as we moved through the corridor. โWhat if heโs already done it?โ he asked, low but urgent. โWhat if heโs already summoned them?โI didnโt need to ask who he meant. โThen weโll be too late,โ I said. โBut we canโt think like that. We have to act before they arrive.โRowan didnโt speak again, but his jaw tightened. He knew as well as I did that there was no defense against witchesโnot unless we were prepared. And we werenโt. Not yet.When we arrived at Baylorโs 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
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.โHowโs Lucian doing?โ I asked, not looking at him. I didnโt 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. โHeโs hanging on,โ he said softly.โBut not for long. The disciple told me the only thing that could really save him is complete faithโfrom the three of us.โI
Mira POV Two days laterโฆI woke up before the sun had risen, the castle still blanketed in silence. For once, I didnโt 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 couldnโt stop thinking about the massacreโthe way the blood had soaked into the stone floors, the way the guardsโ lifeless bodies had been carried away one by one. And the familiesโฆ 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 didnโt. When I stepped out, I dried myself quickly and dressed
Mira POV When I arrived at the shrine, I immediately knew something was different.The courtyard was crowded, more than Iโd 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.โWhatโs going on?โ I asked softly, trying not to let the heavy tension around us suffocate my voice.She turned to me with a tired expression. โThe people are afraid,โ she said, clasping her hands together. โSince the massacreโฆ the castle guards, the bloodshedโฆ word has spread.โI frowned. โWord?โThe priestess nodded. โAbout the wit
Mira Point of View. I couldnโt stop shaking. My father, Anton, stood by the carriage with his arms crossed, his sharp eyes daring me to protest.I wouldnโt, though. I never did. He had already made up his mind, and I couldnโt change it.โYouโre going to do this, Mira,โ he said coldly. โYou are my child and Itโs your duty to this family.โDuty.That word stung like a whip. What duty did I owe to a man who had hated me all my life?I swallowed hard, trying to steady my voice. โYouโre selling me like Iโmโฆ cattle. Is this the duty you talk about?โ I asked, holding back not to scream into his face.โYou should be grateful,โ he snapped. โThe Lycan Kings are the most powerful beings in the realm. Youโll live like a queen there, and theyโll want nothing from you except children. Youโll have a purpose in their lives.โPurpose.My nails dug into my palms. I wanted to scream, to fight back, but I held my tongue.โIf you say no, Mira,โ he continued, his voice dropping, โyouโll be condemning you
Rowan, Damien, Lucian, and Kaiโs POVAs soon as the steward led Mira out of the room, silence fell among us.For a moment, no one said a word, but the tension was unmistakable.The air was thick with something we hadnโt felt in yearsโa pull, a connection that ran deeper than anything weโd ever experienced before.Rowan was the first to break it. โDid you feel that?โ His voice was low, but the edge of disbelief was clear.Kai growled, his fists clenched on the table. โFeel it? It was impossible to ignore. The mate bond.โโItโs not just the bond,โ Lucian added, his usually calm demeanor replaced by visible agitation.โHer scentโฆ itโs intoxicating. It took every ounce of control not to drag her back here and claim her on the spot.โDamien leaned back in his chair, his eyes narrowing. โAnd her blood. Thereโs something unique about her bloodline. Itโs unlike anything Iโve come across before.โโSheโs ours,โ Kai said firmly, his wolf grunting in agreement. โWe canโt deny it. Sheโs our mate.โ
Miraโs Pov The first rays of sunlight filtered through the heavy curtains, pulling me from a restless sleep.My eyes fluttered open, and for a moment, I lay still, the events of the previous day replaying in my mind.The Lycans.The mate pull.Sereneโs venomous words. It all felt like a horrible dream I couldnโt escape.With a groan, I sat up and glanced around the room. The luxurious furniture and silk sheets only reminded me that I was in my enemies territory.I swung my legs over the side of the bed and stretched, shaking off the remnants of sleep.The dress I had worn yesterday hung loosely around me, wrinkled and stiff. A frown tugged at my lips as I realized I had nothing else to wear.โOf course, they wouldnโt bother to provide me with anything,โ I muttered under my breath.I straightened my dress as best I could and walked over to the small basin to freshen up.My reflection in the mirror stared back at me, the dark circles under my eyes a stark reminder of my sleepless nig
Rowan, Damien, Lucian, and Kaiโs POVThe throne room was heavy with tension. Each of us stood with a scowl on our faces, fuming with frustration. Our minds were clouded with thoughts of Mira.What sheโd done earlier still echoed in our heads, but it wasnโt just thatโno, it was the fact that she was rejecting something we couldnโt even control.She was trying to ruin everything.โSheโs out of her mind,โ Kai growled, his fists clenching tightly as he paced back and forth.โWho does she think she is? She tried to cut herself, to stop us from claiming her!โโI couldnโt sleep last night,โ Damien said, his voice deep with frustration.โI kept seeing her face in my dreams. Every time I closed my eyes, I felt her presence. Sheโs everywhere, and I canโt get her out of my head.โโI feel the same,โ Rowan muttered, leaning back against the large stone pillar. His eyes narrowed as his mind seemed to drift back to the events of the night before.โShe kept appearing in my thoughts, haunting me like
Mira POV When I arrived at the shrine, I immediately knew something was different.The courtyard was crowded, more than Iโd 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.โWhatโs going on?โ I asked softly, trying not to let the heavy tension around us suffocate my voice.She turned to me with a tired expression. โThe people are afraid,โ she said, clasping her hands together. โSince the massacreโฆ the castle guards, the bloodshedโฆ word has spread.โI frowned. โWord?โThe priestess nodded. โAbout the wit
Mira POV Two days laterโฆI woke up before the sun had risen, the castle still blanketed in silence. For once, I didnโt 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 couldnโt stop thinking about the massacreโthe way the blood had soaked into the stone floors, the way the guardsโ lifeless bodies had been carried away one by one. And the familiesโฆ 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 didnโt. 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.โHowโs Lucian doing?โ I asked, not looking at him. I didnโt 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. โHeโs hanging on,โ he said softly.โBut not for long. The disciple told me the only thing that could really save him is complete faithโfrom the three of us.โI
Kai POVThe air was tense as we stormed toward Councilman Baylorโs 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 theyโd find something useful. But right now, our focus was Councilman Baylor.Rowan kept glancing at me as we moved through the corridor. โWhat if heโs already done it?โ he asked, low but urgent. โWhat if heโs already summoned them?โI didnโt need to ask who he meant. โThen weโll be too late,โ I said. โBut we canโt think like that. We have to act before they arrive.โRowan didnโt speak again, but his jaw tightened. He knew as well as I did that there was no defense against witchesโnot unless we were prepared. And we werenโt. Not yet.When we arrived at Baylorโs 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
Mira POV I shifted another stack of scrolls and sighed. Damienโs secret archive was packed from floor to ceiling with books, dusty records, and ancient parchments. I could barely breathe from all the dust in the air, but I wasnโt going to stop. Kai and I had been digging through everything for nearly an hour now, trying to find anything about Councilman Benard Sawyerโs executionโthe date, the place, even a small mention of it would be something. The deeper we dug, the more suspicious everything became.I glanced at Kai as he skimmed through a thick record book. โYou really donโt know the date?โ I teased, a half-smirk curling my lips. โDidnโt you grow up as your fatherโs little pet? Always at his feet, watching him rule?โKai looked up sharply. โI wasnโt his pet,โ he said, a bit defensive. โI did more than attend his meetings and parties. I trained with Rowan, built things with Damienโฆ I even tried my hand at hunting once.โโExcept Lucian,โ I said quietly, flipping through a b
Damien POV I stood in my workshop, watching Adela as she sat nervously on the chair placed directly in front of the table. She looked lost, confused, and so much younger than her years. Rowan leaned against the wall by the door, arms crossed, watching with scepticism written all over his face.โI still think this is a waste of time,โ Rowan muttered for the tenth time.โAnd I think youโre not helping,โ I shot back without looking at him. I couldnโt afford distractions. Adela needed to remember, and fast.We had no idea what Councilman Baylor had done to her โ only that her memories of the amulet, of everything she had learned, were gone. But I had a theory. If magic could block her mind, then science could trigger it back.โAlright, Adela,โ I said softly, pulling a few paintings from the nearby cabinet. โLetโs start simple. Do you recognize these?โI spread portraits of the councilmen across the table. Some old, some new. Among them was Baylorโs.Adela leaned forward, squinting at
Mira POV I wiped my face quickly, my fingers trembling. I had cried enough. I knew nowโthere was no running from what the moon goddess had given me. My destiny wasnโt about revenge. It wasnโt about the hatred I carried or the love I feared. It was bigger than me. And no amount of heartbreak could be allowed to break me.I took a deep breath and stood up. My legs felt weak, but I forced them to move. No more hiding. No more letting my pain trap me. If I was truly meant to bridge the worldsโto heal what had been brokenโI had to be stronger than this.When I stepped out of my chamber, the sunlight almost blinded me. It felt foreign against my skin, like I had been locked away in the darkness for too long. I shielded my eyes and headed straight to the courtyard, the place where everyone seemed to gather when something important happened.As I approached, I noticed Kai. He was standing there, as if waiting for me, his arms folded stiffly across his chest. His eyes softened when he
Miraโs POVI couldnโt believe what Iโd just seen.Lucian. My mate. Lying unconscious on a bed hidden in the shrine. All this time, theyโd kept it from meโevery single one of them. Even Damien, who Iโd come to trust more than I thought I would. The sight of Lucianโs motionless body sent something cold and aching straight through my chest. And then to hear themโฆ Damien and the disciple, talking like I was never supposed to know. Like I wasnโt even part of this.The betrayal tasted like ash in my mouth.I stormed out of the room, my vision blurring with tears. I could hear Damien calling after me, his boots slapping the stone floors of the shrine, but I didnโt stop. I couldnโt. If I turned back, if I let him catch up to me, I might break completely.โMira! Please, just listen!โโDonโt!โ I snapped, spinning on my heel just as I reached the carriage. โDonโt you dare speak to me!โHe stopped short, his chest rising and falling with effort. The look in his eyes was softโregretful. But
Mira POV I stood in the courtyard, surrounded by the soft murmurs of the guards and the quiet tension that buzzed in the air like a taut string waiting to snap. Everyone was waiting for Adela to return. The amulet swap needed to happen perfectly, silently. One wrong move and Councilman Baylor would vanish into the shadows like smoke. We had one chance to use his connection to the witches to find them, and I couldnโt shake the anxiety tightening around my chest.Adela was brave, no doubt, but this was different. Dangerous. I tried to keep a calm expression as I stood beside Kai, Damien, and Rowan, but my thoughts were far from steady. My mind kept drifting back to the voice I heard last night. The moon goddess. Her words still echoed in my head like a steady drumbeat.You were born for this.The weight of her voice still lingered in my chest. Heavier than armor. More binding than any promise.If I was truly the bridge between the three factions, then I had to start walking that