Rowan POV “Raven, this is dangerous! Don’t you understand? I did this for you,” I snapped, my head pulsing with a headache. “You could die!”“Well, I don’t care,” she shot back, crossing her arms.Frustration clawed at my chest. “How did you escape Ansel? How did you even follow me?”She bit her lip, looking the slightest bit guilty. “It’s a very long story,” she admitted. “But I waited outside all day for you. I knew you were lying—I saw it in your eyes.”Damn it.“Rowan, we’ll be fine,” she continued firmly. “This journey is something we’re going to make together. You better get used to it.”With that, she spun around, but—“Ouch!”I barely had time to react before she lost her footing, slipping back into the water with a loud splash.I pinched the bridge of my nose, exhaling sharply before shaking my head.How in the world was I going to take care of her?A small laugh escaped me.“Okay, fine,” I relented, stepping forward and offering her my hand. “But listen up. You don’t talk t
Raven POV When I woke up the next morning, Rowan wasn’t by my side.I turned left, then right, my heart picking up speed when I didn’t see him. Sitting up quickly, I scanned the campsite, my pulse hammering in my ears.No. He wouldn’t. He wouldn’t just leave me—would he?Panic started to creep in, my wolf stirring restlessly in the back of my mind. I was about to storm off and track him down when I saw a figure approaching from the trees.Rowan.My breath caught as relief washed over me. His curly hair was damp, falling over his face, drops of water trailing down his sharp jawline.He looked fresh like he had just taken a bath, the early morning sun casting a glow over his bare skin.I swallowed hard and walked toward him. “I thought you left.”He arched a brow, amused. “No, I just went to bathe.” He slung his damp shirt over his shoulder, glancing at me. “Hurry up and bathe as well. We have a long way to go today.”I hesitated for a second before nodding, brushing some of my tangled
Raven POV We fell into complete silence after that, until we came across a vast wasteland, making my mouth fall open.“Goddess help us…” I whispered, staring in shock. “What is this?”Rowan’s hand landed gently on my back. “It’s been spreading throughout the kingdom. I didn’t realize it had come this far.”I turned in a slow circle, taking in the cracked, lifeless earth stretching endlessly before us. The trees were nothing more than twisted husks, their branches brittle and grey. The air smelled stale, void of the usual scents of nature.“What could be causing this?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. A strange sadness settled deep in my chest, an ache that wasn’t entirely my own. It almost felt like the land itself was crying.I forced myself to look away, but the feeling lingered.Rowan’s voice was quiet but firm. “I took this journey to find what’s needed to break the curse… and to figure out the reason for this.”He exhaled slowly, his gaze fixed on the barren land. “The
Raven POV It lunged at me.Fear locked my body in place, my limbs frozen as if the very air around me had turned to stone. My breath came in sharp, ragged gasps, my heart hammering so violently I thought it might burst from my chest. Sweat drenched my clothes, cold against my skin, but I couldn’t move. I couldn’t even think.This was it. I am going to die here.I squeezed my eyes shut, bracing myself for the inevitable—the tearing of flesh, the sharp bite of pain. There was no way I could survive an attack from a creature like that.But the attack never came.Instead, a deep, guttural snarl ripped through the air, followed by the sound of claws tearing through something unnatural.My eyes flew open just in time to see a massive, breathtakingly beautiful wolf launching at the shadowy beast. Rowan.His silver fur gleamed under the moonlight, his muscles flexing as he drove his claws into the creature. But the moment he struck, it disintegrated—vanishing into a swirling mass of smoke
Ansel POV The throne room was eerily quiet, except for the faint crackling of torches lining the stone walls. The air was thick with tension, and the guards kneeling before me could feel it. My patience was razor-thin, and they all knew it.Raven was gone.Not locked away. Not under watch. Not dragged from her room kicking and screaming.She had simply vanished.I sat on the throne, hands clasped in front of me, gaze heavy on the men before me. My voice was calm when I spoke.“Tell me again,” I said, “how an unmarked she-wolf walked out of my palace without a single one of you noticing?”The men stiffened, none daring to meet my eyes.“She was seen walking the halls last night,” one of them answered, voice strained. “She always wandered before bed—no one thought anything of it.”“Then when did she leave?” I asked.A pause.“By morning, she was gone.”A slow exhale left me as I leaned back in my seat. My fingers drummed against the armrest, a measured rhythm that only I understood.Th
Raven POV We kept walking through the town.My heart ached with each step, sinking deeper with every sunken face, every hollow stare that met mine. The air itself felt heavy—grief and hopelessness clinging to it like fog.Children with dirt-smudged cheeks huddled beside shuttered stalls, their eyes too old for their small faces. Women clutched their cloaks tighter, whispering to each other in low, defeated voices. And the men… the men didn’t even look up. Like they had already given up.We turned a corner.A shout rang out, followed by a sharp thud.My eyes snapped toward the alley, where two older boys shoved a younger one against the wall. His clothes were torn, a thin stream of blood trailing from his lip.“Hey!” I yelled before Rowan could stop me. Fury surged up like wildfire as I stormed forward. “Let him go!”The boys froze.They turned slowly, eyes raking over me with something between amusement and disbelief. One of them stepped forward, looking cocky, sizing me up like I
Raven POV I walked out of the temple with Rowan still holding my hand.“Rowan?” I asked softly. “Yes?” His brows were still furrowed, deep in thought, his thumb unconsciously brushing against my skin.“I’ve heard that prophecy before.” His gaze snapped at mine. “Really? You have?”I nodded slowly. “I don’t know where exactly… but it felt familiar. "Like an echo from a dream, or something I once read but forgot.” I exhaled, frustration tightening in my chest. “A lot of things are so difficult to understand right now.”Rowan’s jaw clenched, but his voice remained calm. “We can’t do anything just yet." Not until we know more.”He gave my hand a reassuring squeeze. “Let’s stay here for the night. We’ll rest, gather our strength, and continue our journey tomorrow. I’ll make sure someone comes back here to help these people—whatever help we can give.”“Okay,” I said quietly, watching him. “It seems like so many are suffering… and we didn’t even know.” I paused, guilt tightening like a
Raven POV When I didn’t say anything, his hand came up, fingers curling gently—but firmly—around my neck. Not enough to hurt, but enough to make my breath catch.He pulled me closer, his eyes locked onto mine like a challenge.And then he kissed me—rough, hungry, like he was claiming every part of me I’d tried to keep hidden. Like silence was permission.My hands braced against his chest, unsure if I was pushing him away or holding on tighter.But I didn’t stop him.I couldn’t.His lips were on mine, pulling, tugging, stealing the very breath from my lungs. Heat surged through me in dizzying waves, my hands tangled in his damp hair as the sound of the running shower echoed around us like a rhythm only we could hear.“I want you so much, Raven,” he murmured against my lips, his voice hoarse, thick with longing. His hands cradled my face like I was something fragile, precious.My eyes met his, steady despite the storm inside me. “Then take me,” I whispered, the words falling from my l
Queen Gwen POVIt’s been three days since the battle.Three days since blood painted the earth and death hung heavy in the air—on both sides.It hurt to kill them. Those creatures… they were mindless, controlled by Kelvin and that cursed Queen. They were puppets, not monsters. But it was either them or us.And still… we lost.We fell for their diversion. We lost Raven.I’ve been trying—truly trying—to stay strong. I’m a queen. I’m supposed to be composed, logical, unshaken.But the thought of something happening to her…It chills me in a way I can’t explain.From the moment I first laid eyes on Raven, I knew.I don’t understand the feeling, not fully but I knew. I was meant to be near her. To protect her. To fight for her.I was meant to be her sword.And I let her down.“Hey… are you okay?” Loira asked gently, walking up beside me.I tried to force a smile. “Yeah. I’m just… sad, you know?” My voice cracked. “It feels like we were so stupid.”She said nothing, just listened.“She shou
Raven POV “What did you say, Raven?” she asked again, her voice low and skeptical.“I said I’ll join you, Morgan,” I repeated, steadying my voice. “But only on one condition.”She sighed as though she was enduring a headache. “And what is it now?”“You’ll release Mathias.”Her brows lifted. “Who?”Of course, she doesn’t even remember. The disgust rose sharp and hot in my chest, but I swallowed it. I was in enemy territory now. I had to play this smart.“Mathias is one of the prisoners. He was in the same cell I was thrown into.”“Oh,” she said with a chuckle. “That’s all?” Fine. I’ll have him released today.”“And—”She cut me a glare, her patience thinning. “And what?”“You’ll give me the dagger. I need it.”Morgan narrowed her eyes. “I’ll think about it. "Don’t push your luck, little bird.”She turned away, already done with the conversation. “When Kelvin returns, your real training begins. I’ll need you ready.”"But aren’t you scared, Morgan?” I asked, my gaze steady.“What?” she
Raven POV We walked out of the cell, the heavy door slamming shut behind me with a loud clang that echoed down the stone halls.I tried to ignore the gnawing feeling in my stomach, tried to shove the fear deep down where it couldn’t reach me — but it was there, crawling under my skin.Facing that beautiful monster again made my heart pound harder against my ribs.We moved through a large hallway, the stone walls cold and silent witnesses to my march.From what I could tell, it was already dawn — soft light trickled through high windows.Two days.I had been trapped here for nearly two days without food.My legs ached, and my body screamed for rest, but I forced myself forward, step after heavy step.Finally, we entered a large throne room.At the far end of it, sitting on a towering, jagged throne of black stone, was Morgan.She looked… magnificent.Beautiful and terrible, like something carved from nightmares.Her smile, slow and cold, made my skin crawl.I paused, instinctively gla
Raven POV Unluckily for me, I was thrown into a cell by Queen Morgan’s hounds.The heavy iron door slammed shut behind me with a sound that echoed like a death knell. I stumbled forward, catching myself on the rough stone wall.I turned around slowly, trying to assess the cell.I’ve been locked up more times than I can count.This wasn’t new.I wouldn’t panic. Panic was the enemy now.First thing first, I needed a way out.But gods, it was dark.The air was thick with rot and something far worse—a sour, metallic scent that made my stomach turn. The walls oozed dampness, and the floor was uneven under my boots. The whole place felt like it had been forgotten by the world.Squinting my eyes, I edged deeper into the cell, ignoring the way the shadows seemed to reach for me.And then I heard a faint cough.It was soft and strained. From somewhere in the darkness.I froze, my heart hammering against my ribs.“Is anybody there?”My voice barely rose above a whisper, but in the stillness,
Ansel POV Raven is the child of the prophecy.And they kept it from us.Rowan and Raven both knew, and yet they chose silence. I don’t know what game the goddess is playing—first binding us all to the same mate, now tying her fate to an ancient prophecy—but I’m sick of being left in the dark. I should’ve seen the signs. The dreams she said she had, the divine visitations… they were all there, and I ignored them.And now, the truth burns in my chest like fire.My son—our child— will carry power in his blood. A legacy. He will be everything. But Morgan, if she’s taken Raven—if she lays a hand on what’s mine, I will tear this world apart.And if my brothers even think of challenging me for the child, for Raven, for the throne—I’ll destroy them too.We ran through the day and into the dusk, not stopping once. Our men were weary, barely holding themselves together, but there was no time for rest. Every second we wasted could mean losing her.When the palace finally came into view, I w
Raven POV Morgan didn’t look back at me. “What do I want? Oh, Raven, that’s the wrong question. What do you want?”The silence stretched out between us, the air thick with tension. My mind raced, trying to make sense of everything I was seeing.Morgan’s cruelty was evident in the creatures that slithered and prowled around us, their eyes cold and lifeless, their movements like puppets on strings. My anger surged, burning through my veins.“Why are you doing this?” I asked, my voice tight with fury. “Why are you enslaving innocent creatures, using them like this?”Morgan’s smile stretched into something far colder, more calculating. She tilted her head slightly, finally turning to look at me, studying me as though I were an insect in need of examination. “Innocent?” she repeated, almost amused. “You call them innocent? These creatures are nothing but tools—tools that help me achieve what is rightfully mine. They’re weak, living in fear. And I’m giving them purpose.”I shook my hea
Raven POV I stood there, with my hand pressed to my chest, heart racing, feeling the weight of the queen’s cold gaze upon me.“What are you doing here?” I asked, my voice shaking despite my attempt to remain calm.She chuckled softly, the sound low and almost mocking. “Oh, so you know who I am,” she said, her eyes gleaming with amusement. “That’s very interesting, don’t you think?”“Very interesting indeed,” I muttered under my breath, not able to stop the bitterness that seeped into my words.She stepped closer, her presence suffocating. “Well, it seems like you haven’t been getting my messages,” she said casually, “So I came to pick you up myself.”“I’m not going anywhere with you,” I snapped, clenching my fists, unwilling to show the fear that threatened to rise in my throat. “You monster.”She raised a single eyebrow, her lips curling into a slow, sinister smile. “Who told you that you had a choice, my sweet girl?” Her words were laced with such venom that it sent a chill dow
Rowan POV The battle raged on with death on both sides, but something felt wrong. I couldn’t see Morgan anywhere. She kept sending mindless creatures at us, but there was no sign of her.Was it a distraction? Was there something else at play?“Behind you!” I heard one of my comrades scream. I spun around just in time to block a strike that would’ve taken my head off. Beside me, one of my comrades fell, lifeless.I turned and squinted into the far corner. From the shadows, Kelvin emerged, with a smirk on his face.Damn, bastard.I charged towards him with everything I had, shifting midair. My claws slashed through the air, aimed directly at him.We collided in a brutal clash, a flurry of strikes. I clawed; he ducked and retaliated with punches, sending invisible strikes that rattled my bones. We were locked in an all-out battle—neither of us giving an inch.“Where is your queen?” I demanded, trying to catch my breath between strikes.Kelvin’s smirk deepened. “Oh, she’s exactly where
Raven POV I watched them go but couldn’t bring myself to say goodbye.The words stayed locked in my throat, heavy with frustration and helplessness.I hated the way they treated me—as if I couldn’t make decisions for myself. Like I was fragile. Like I’d shatter.People were out there dying, sacrificing their lives for me, and I was just… here. Sitting inside like some fucking damsel in distress.A chill drifted through the hallway, brushing against my skin. I lifted my head and noticed it was snow.The first snow of the year.A small smile tugged at my lips despite everything.Snow always reminded me of fresh beginnings. Of the quiet before everything changes.I stepped further inside, warmth slowly replacing the cold that clung to my clothes. Then I saw Loira.She sat alone, her posture tense and her eyes distant.She hadn’t been herself since that day on the training grounds.“Loira,” I called gently.Her head turned; she seemed so slow and unsure, as if pulled from somewhere far a