Nathaniel's POVThe training grounds were packed with wolves from every corner of the pack. The elders stood in a semi-circle, their faces unreadable as they waited for Phoebe to step forward. The air was thick with anticipation, whispers moving through the crowd like a wave.Phoebe stood tall, her expression calm. If she was nervous, she didn’t show it.I crossed my arms, standing beside my father as the first elder spoke.“We will test Phoebe’s strength, intelligence, and leadership,” Elder Marcus announced. His sharp gaze swept over her. “The Luna must be more than just a title. She must be worthy.”Elizabeth, standing with a group of warriors, smirked. “If she even lasts the first test.”I clenched my jaw but said nothing. I wanted to see how Phoebe would handle this. I knew she was strong and I had confidence in her. The first challenge was combat. Phoebe stepped into the sparring ring, facing off against an experienced warrior named Luke. He was skilled but not the best—this wa
Nathaniel's POVThe night was quiet. A soft breeze moved through the trees, rustling the leaves above the garden. I had been inside the pack house, speaking with my father about security, when a strange unease settled in my chest. Something wasn’t right.“We will have the borders strengthened and we'll speak with a few other security officers in the pack so we can know the measures to take for our security….” I heard my father saying, but I wasn't paying full attention to what he was saying. He looked up at me as I got off the chair I was sitting and walked to the window.“We won't be taking chances here.. we've never been attacked and it won't ever happen. That's because we don't even give our enemies a chance to infiltrate our pack. We must keep it that way,” he said.I didn't say anything, but when I turned around and saw that his eyes were on me, I nodded. He was right and I understood what he was saying, but I wasn't exactly paying full attention.“You know, as the next Alpha of
Nathaniel's POVPhoebe hadn’t spoken since Duncan left.She walked ahead of me, her arms crossed, her steps quick and tense. Her shoulders were stiff, and I knew she was trying to avoid this conversation.Too bad.“Let's leave her alone for the meantime, maybe that's what she wants,” my wolf muttered within me. I rejected the idea before it fully made sense to me. I shook my head. She had quickened her pace now and I was still following her, my strides were longer but I didn't want to overtake her.“We don't have to leave her alone simply because she wants to be left alone. There are things that must be dealt with whether or not we want to deal with them.” My voice was almost a hush. Too low for her to hear, but she turned around once and our eyes met briefly. She didn't stop walking.Whatever she'd heard, she didn't want to make it sound like it was any business of hers.Duncan had been in my pack and no matter how hard I wanted to ignore that and act like it hadn't happened, I could
Nathaniel’s POVThe attack came without warning. No one would have guessed that an attack was on its way to the pack. It had never happened in that fashion. Only days back, my father had been talking about the security of the pack and the measures that were to be taken to ensure the pack was constantly safe and at peace as it had always been.One moment, the pack house was peaceful. The next, an alarm howled through the air.I got off my chair in a moment of alarmed surprise. I bolted outside, my wolf thrumming beneath my skin as warriors rushed to their positions. The guards were shouting commands at each other and the pack house moved from a safe haven to a place that was only full of confusion for the next few minutes. And then I got the information of what was going on in the pack house. Rogues. At least twenty of them, maybe more, had entered the pack lands and were now about to wreak havoc on the pack. My wolf was already in action, this was something I couldn't hold back on.
Nathaniel's POVThe tension in the pack house had grown thick, lingering in the air like an approaching storm. The warriors had seen too much. The elders had seen too much. And I had seen too much.Phoebe wasn’t just a fighter—she was something else entirely. The way she had commanded warriors, moved with precision, and taken down an elite rogue as if it was nothing… It wasn’t something she had learned overnight. I knew this and I also knew that if I tried to press her to give me answers to the question I had in my head, she would shy away.Perhaps, she had not intended to be on the spotlight, but then, for fighting so gallantly, she could not also be ignored. She had been seen by everyone and the reactions were similar.And now, everyone wanted answers.I strode through the halls, my mind racing with questions I didn’t want to ask but couldn’t ignore. The whispers followed me, pack members murmuring about what they had witnessed. I caught words like unnatural, dangerous, and who is s
Nathaniel's POVThe old records lay scattered across my desk, the worn edges curling from time. I wasn’t sure what I had been looking for at first—some explanation, some answer to the nagging feeling that wouldn’t leave me alone.Phoebe had secrets. That much had always been clear. But now, staring at the name in the report, my hands clenched into fists. She didn't care to let me in on her life and how things were going in her life. She didn't care about the opinions of her I had. It didn't matter how many times I told her that she was mine and would always be mine, she was set in her own ways and she didn't cease to let me see just how strong-willed she was.I stared at the name again, my hands running through the pages again.Alec.A name whispered in war stories. A name feared among packs. A name I had once thought belonged to a ruthless strategist, a ghost of battle.Yet here, in these reports, was the truth.Alec was Phoebe. Or was this simply what I had led myself to believe? W
Phoebe's POVThe grand hall shimmered with golden lights, the air thick with the scent of flowers and burning candles. Wolves from every part of the pack had gathered, their eyes fixed on Nathaniel and me as we stood before the elders. The ceremony was about to begin.I stood beside him, hands clenched at my sides. The dress they had given me felt too heavy, the weight of expectations pressing down. This wasn’t how I imagined it. This wasn’t my choice.Nathaniel’s voice cut through the silence. “We stand here today to honor the bond—”The doors burst open.The scent of blood hit first. Then the screams.The room erupted into chaos as warriors poured in, their fangs bared, their claws slicing through anything in their way.I spun just as a wolf lunged toward me. I ducked, slamming my elbow into his ribs before grabbing a fallen sword from the ground. Nathaniel’s growl echoed through the hall as he charged into battle, his wolf bursting free.I had no time to think. No time to breathe.
Phoebe's POVThe night air was thick with the scent of pine and damp earth. The wind whispered through the trees, rustling the leaves as I stood frozen near the riverbank. The moon cast a pale glow over the water, making it shimmer like silver.Duncan stood a few feet away, his golden eyes locked onto mine, unblinking. His presence was suffocating, his stance tense but unreadable.“We can leave now,” he said, voice low but firm. “Just you and me. No more hiding. No more pretending to be someone you’re not.”I swallowed, my hands curling into fists at my sides. “I’m not pretending.”He exhaled sharply, stepping closer. “Yes, you are. This isn’t you, Phoebe. You don’t belong here.”“I belong where I choose,” I said.His mouth pressed into a thin line. “And you’re choosing him?”The question hung in the air, heavy and suffocating.I didn’t answer right away.His jaw clenched. “You think Nathaniel can protect you? That he can understand you the way I do?” He let out a bitter laugh. “I was
Duncan's POVThe day had stretched long, and the news that came from my warriors only made the time feel heavier. No sign of Antonio. No word of Stephanie. I had expected a different report, maybe even a break in the hunt, but what I got was frustration. Over and over, I heard the same thing: “Nothing yet, Alpha.” It was enough to make my blood boil, but I couldn’t show it. Not yet. I had to keep my calm, had to pretend that it was all still under control.I paced the length of my chambers, my mind working through each possibility, each route they could have taken. Had they gone east? South? Were they hiding under my nose? Nothing made sense, and with every moment that passed, the anger inside me grew.One of my warriors dared to speak up. His voice had a tremor in it, like he knew he was treading on dangerous ground. “Alpha,” he began cautiously. “Perhaps we need better informants. Someone who knows Antonio's habits, his movements. Someone who might know where he’s hiding.”I didn’t
Nathaniel’s POVThe wheels of our vehicles crunched against the uneven ground as we pushed deeper into the neutral territories. The air felt heavier with each passing mile, thick with tension. I had hoped we’d be able to find Alexander by now, but the farther we traveled, the more uncertain the trail became. Every stop we made, we questioned locals and travelers, but the answers we got were always mixed, sometimes contradictory.“Did you see anyone who fits this description?” I asked a man who was sitting near the side of the road, sharpening a blade.He glanced at the sketch in my hand and shook his head. “Can’t say I’ve seen anyone like that. But there’s a lot of strangers passing through these parts.”I thanked him and turned to the others. “Let’s keep moving. We’re not getting any closer here.”We continued on, the air growing drier and the landscape more barren as we ventured into the heart of these lawless lands. I could feel the weight of the mission pressing on me. This wasn’t
Nathaniel’s POVThe night was quiet, but I was not resting. I sat near the fire, watching the flames move. They made soft popping sounds as the wood burned. My men were nearby. Some were sitting like me, others were checking supplies. No one was speaking much. We were waiting.Then I heard footsteps. One of my scouts walked toward me. He looked serious, not rushed, but I could tell he had something important to say. He stopped a few steps away from me and gave a small nod.“We got something,” he said. His voice was low. He looked around once before speaking again. “It’s from our contact. The one in the west neutral zone.”I stood up slowly. “What did they say?”He pulled a folded piece of paper from his pocket and handed it to me. I took it and opened it with both hands. The words were written in short lines. I read each one carefully, not skipping anything.“Alexander was seen. Not far from the southern ridge. Traveling through the neutral zone. He has a woman and a man with him.”I
Phoebe’s POVWhen I got back to my room, the door creaked a little as I pushed it open. I stepped inside and closed it behind me, turning the lock without thinking. The room was quiet. I could hear a soft hum coming from outside, maybe the wind or some insects still moving around.I stood still for a few seconds, looking around. Everything was just the way I had left it—my bed neatly made, the blankets smooth, the pillow resting where it always did. My boots were near the wall. A glass of water sat untouched on the table beside the bed.I walked over to the bed and sat down slowly. My hands rested on my knees. I looked down at the floor, at the way the wood had little lines and marks from years of use. I had been hoping to rest, maybe even sleep for a bit, but my body didn’t feel tired. My eyes were open wide, and my mind wouldn’t stop moving.The words Kara had said kept playing in my head like they were on a loop. Duncan wasn’t the same. He was getting worse. People were afraid of h
Phoebe’s POVKara and I had another walk when she talked and I listened.As I followed, Kara glanced back at me, then looked forward again. She didn’t smile or frown. Her face was still. We moved toward the trees at the edge of the camp. A few steps more, and we were out of sight from everyone. No guards, no other pack members. Just us.“Is this far enough?” she asked, stopping near a small patch of grass. A few flat stones were nearby.I looked around, then gave a short nod. “Yeah. This is fine.”She sat down first, brushing leaves away from the rock before resting on it. I stayed standing for a moment longer, unsure. I didn’t feel that tightness in my chest like I usually did when she was near. My hands weren’t curled into fists. My thoughts weren’t racing. I slowly sat down on a rock across from her. It was cool and smooth under me.“I didn’t think you’d agree to this,” she said after a long pause. Her voice was low and even.“I almost didn’t,” I replied. “But I guess I’m tired of
Phoebe's POV I stood outside Alpha Darius’s office, my hands by my sides. The hallway was quiet, but my thoughts were not. Someone had come to find me a few minutes earlier, saying the old Alpha wanted to see me. No explanation, no message, just a request to come now. After everything that happened during the attack, I wasn’t sure what this meeting would be about.I knocked once, firm and clear.“Come in,” came his voice from inside, steady as always.I pushed the door open and stepped in.Alpha Darius was standing behind his desk. His face, strong with age but still sharp, looked directly at me. His hair had more grey in it than before, but nothing about him had softened. He didn’t sit down. He stood tall, his arms resting on the desk, like he had been waiting.“Phoebe,” he said, his tone calm.I gave a short nod. “Alpha Darius.”He gestured for me to come closer. “You did well.”I blinked. “Sir?”“During the attack,” he said, folding his arms, “you kept things steady. You helped th
Duncan's POV I couldn’t sit still. I had to move, had to find the answers. The weight of everything pressing down on me was unbearable. Antonio, Stephanie, the sorceress—everything felt like a lie. I needed to confront the source of it all, and for that, I had to find the sorceress.She had been the one who planted the seed in my mind. She had been the one to tell me about Phoebe’s importance. And now, after everything I overheard, I couldn’t let it go. I had to know the truth.I stormed out of my office and made my way through the pack house with hurried steps. The hallway stretched ahead, but nothing felt as familiar anymore. The more I thought about it, the more I realized how little I actually knew. How easily I had been manipulated.I reached the stables quickly, where my horse was kept. I didn’t need anyone’s help; I didn’t care for the usual formalities. I grabbed the reins and mounted with swift movements, the saddle creaking under me. My heart burned with frustration and ang
Duncan's POV The hallways of my estate were quiet as I walked through them, the silence pressing in around me. I had not slept much since the confrontation with Antonio. Too many thoughts ran through my mind.I paced slowly, my mind still locked on Phoebe. The anger, the determination, they felt as sharp as ever. But there was also something else creeping into my mind now: doubt.What if Antonio was right? What if I was letting my emotions cloud my judgment?The thought was maddening. The whole reason I kept pushing forward was for Phoebe. She was my focus, my everything. Without her, nothing mattered.I reached the end of the hall and paused, hearing a low murmur coming from a nearby room. It was coming from Antonio’s office.Curious, I stepped closer, listening carefully.It wasn’t long before I realized the voices were of Antonio and Stephanie. They were speaking in hushed tones, too low for me to understand fully.I paused, just out of sight, and pressed myself against the stone
Duncan's POV The war room was quiet except for the crackle of the fire burning in the corner.I sat at the large wooden table, staring at the map spread out before me. My fingers drummed slowly against the table’s edge.The map showed the territories of the nearby packs, the old paths between them, and the places where battles had been fought long ago.But I was not really looking at the map.My mind was full of other thoughts.Thoughts of her.Phoebe.I clenched my jaw and forced myself to focus.I knew Antonio would come soon. I could feel his anger in the air, even before I heard his heavy footsteps outside the door.The door swung open without a knock.Antonio stepped in, his face tight with frustration.I leaned back in my chair and watched him silently.He crossed the room in a few long strides and stopped at the other side of the table."You made a mistake," Antonio said, his voice low but sharp.I raised one eyebrow but said nothing."You let Nathaniel walk away," he went on.