LOGIN
The sky burned crimson as the Blood Moon climbed above the peaks of Moonveil Ridge, casting an eerie red glow over the werewolf lands. Every year, the Blood Moon marked the season of mating, of fated bonds... and this year, it carried a deeper curse.
Aria Moonveil, Luna of the Moonveil Pack, stood at the edge of the ceremonial cliff, arms crossed, jaw clenched. At twenty-four, she ruled without a mate — a rare, almost blasphemous choice in her world. But Aria didn’t care about tradition. She didn’t want to be bound. She didn’t need a man — especially not the one being forced upon her tonight.
Her auburn hair whipped in the wind, glowing like embers beneath the moonlight. Her wolf stirred uneasily beneath her skin, unsettled by the scent of what was coming — change, danger... something ancient.
“I refuse,” she said, her voice cold as steel.
Her father, the retired Alpha, narrowed his eyes. “You don’t have a choice, Aria. The Council has agreed. The vampire prince arrives before midnight.”
“A vampire?” she spat. “You expect me to mate with a bloodsucker? What next — a snake shifter? A ghost?”
He stepped forward. “It’s either that or war. Our pack’s territory borders Nightborne. The vampires are demanding peace through union. And the prophecy—”
“Prophecy, prophecy, prophecy,” Aria snapped. “You’re all so obsessed with dead witches scribbling on cave walls.”
Her father’s eyes softened. “This isn't just politics. Prince Varek has power beyond any wolf or vamp we’ve seen. The elders believe your bond could save both races.”
She laughed — bitter and sharp. “Or destroy us.”
Silence fell. Only the howling wind stirred the trees. Aria felt the weight of the moon pressing on her skin, pulling at the dormant power within her. She was strong. Smart. Stubborn. And she wasn’t going to be some vampire’s pretty little Luna.
“I’ll meet him,” she said finally, “but I won’t play nice.”
An hour later, beneath the burning moon, the vampire prince arrived.
He stepped out of the obsidian carriage in a swirl of black silk and shadows. Prince Varek Damaris, heir to the Nightborne throne, wore no crown — but the air bent around him with quiet authority. His skin was pale like polished marble, his hair jet black, and his eyes... crimson fire.
He looked at her as if he already owned her.
Aria’s wolf growled inside her chest, fur bristling with instinctual dislike. The scent of blood and old magic clung to him like an invisible cloak.
Varek's lips curled into something between a smirk and a snarl. “So. You’re the infamous Luna who would rather die than kneel.”
“And you’re the arrogant bloodsucker who thinks I will,” she fired back, chin raised.
Their eyes locked — and the world shifted.
A sudden pull, raw and primal, snapped between them like a live wire. Their souls touched for a second — terrifying and electric. A scent filled the air, one that neither of them could place but both instinctively recognized.
Mate.
Aria stumbled back, fangs bared. “No.”
Varek blinked, his smirk faltering just slightly. “You felt that too.”
“I fight fate,” she snarled. “I don’t bend to it.”
He stepped forward, voice velvet-dark. “Then this should be fun
He tried to near her with the intention of kissing her but instead of landing of her lip it landed on her face because she turned .
She barked at him"did I give you the permission to that " well you don't need to cause i own she glared at him pervert.
The fortress hummed with unease. Even as the sun painted the stone walls in soft gold, the air inside was anything but warm. Aria felt it with every step—eyes following her, whispers trailing in the wake of her movements. She had been Luna for only a short time, yet already the weight of the title pressed heavily against her shoulders.And beside her, Varek carried a burden no Alpha should face alone.Their night together still burned in her memory, every touch seared into her skin. She had woken tangled in his arms, his chest rising steady beneath her cheek, his warmth anchoring her like no battlefield ever had. For a few blissful hours, they had been only man and woman, mate and mate. But the world beyond their chambers had wasted no time reminding them of the danger that lingered.“Two raids in one month,” Varek muttered as he strode beside her down the corridor. “And neither left enough survivors to question. Whoever commands them is clever.”“Clever,” Aria agreed, her hand brushi
Chapter Thirty-Five – Bound by FireThe eastern border was still smoldering when Aria and Varek arrived with their warriors. The night air reeked of smoke and blood, the ground littered with the remnants of battle. Broken spears, claw marks carved into the earth, and the faint metallic tang of spilled life reminded everyone that their enemies were growing bolder.Varek’s expression was carved from stone, his jaw tight as he surveyed the ruins. Aria stood at his side, shoulders squared, eyes sharp. She hated this—hated the endless cycle of attacks, retreats, and counter-strikes. But more than that, she hated the shadow she saw flickering behind Varek’s eyes: the weight of leadership, the fear of losing everything.“They’re testing us,” Aria murmured, kneeling beside a fallen warrior’s blade. The steel was foreign, not crafted by any blacksmith of their lands. “Whoever leads them isn’t reckless. They’re planning something.”Varek crouched beside her, close enough that she felt the brush
The fire crackled in the hearth, sending soft amber light across the stone walls of Varek’s chambers. Outside, the moon had reached its zenith, draping the night in silvery mystery. Yet within these walls, the air was heavy—not from the warmth of the flames, but from the silence that hung between Aria and Varek.They stood at opposite ends of the room. She at the window, arms wrapped tightly around herself, her golden hair shimmering in the moonlight. He by the hearth, one hand braced against the mantle, shoulders tense, his every breath carrying the weight of restraint.It had been days since the war council. Days since their arguments about trust, power, and fate had spilled over into words neither could easily take back. They had fought together on the battlefield, side by side, bodies moving in perfect synchrony. Yet when the armor was stripped away, when the war cries faded, they remained two stubborn souls, clashing like flint and steel.“Why do you keep pushing me away, Varek?”
The night after the battle smelled of ash and blood. Smoke still clung to the stones of the courtyard, and the torches burned low, their flames flickering as though they too were weary of fighting.Aria lay in Varek’s arms, her body trembling, her wound searing across her ribs. She hated the weakness, hated the pain that made her cling to him when her pride screamed to stand tall. But more than anything, she hated the look in his eyes—the raw, hollow fear she had seen when he thought he might lose her.“Keep your eyes open,” Varek murmured, his voice frayed at the edges as he carried her through the castle halls. “Don’t you dare close them, Aria.”“I’m not dying,” she whispered, though her lips barely moved. Her wolf stirred inside her, growling at the injury, urging her to hold on. “I promised you, remember? I’m not leaving.”Varek’s jaw clenched, and his grip tightened as though sheer will could bind her to him. He kicked open the doors to the healer’s chamber, startling the attenda
The moon rose over the castle like a pale sentinel, spilling silver light across the battlements. From the high tower, Aria gazed into the distance, her wolf senses tingling with unease. The forest beyond the walls seemed restless, as though every tree whispered warnings. Shadows shifted at the edges of her vision, melting away whenever she looked too closely.Her fingers gripped the stone railing. Ever since the council meeting, her chest had been heavy with dread. She had promised Varek she would trust him, trust them, but the weight of that vow pressed against her ribs with every breath.“Little wolf,” came the low murmur behind her. She didn’t need to turn to know who it was—his voice carried through her like a chord strummed on some secret instrument.“Do you always sneak up on me?” she asked softly, though her lips curved despite herself.“I don’t sneak,” Varek replied, his warmth enveloping her as he stepped closer. “I follow the bond.”When his arms wrapped around her waist, p
The air in the castle was unusually still, carrying with it a silence that both comforted and unsettled Aria. She had barely slept since the night at the moonlit lake, the memory of Varek’s kiss lingering in her veins like wildfire. It left her restless, burning, and conflicted. For every moment she felt like surrendering to him, another part of her still wrestled with the weight of what it meant.Being his mate wasn’t just about passion—it was about duty, responsibility, and a future tied to someone whose life carried shadows as much as light.She stood by the window of her chambers now, watching the dawn stretch golden fingers across the forest. The world seemed deceptively peaceful, but Aria knew peace in their world was fragile at best.The sound of the door opening pulled her from her thoughts. She turned, already knowing who it was.“Couldn’t resist sneaking in again?” she said, arching a brow as Varek stepped inside.He leaned casually against the doorframe, though the intensit







