My footsteps echoed softly in the long corridor of the palace. Each step resonated like the echo of my resolute intent. There was no room for doubt. The cold wind seeping through the window cracks could not shake my resolve this time. I kept walking, letting the clinking of my shoes greet the cold marble floor, whispering to the world that I would not back down.“I must not hesitate. If I do, there’s a chance they’ll target the people I love again, and I’ll find myself in that situation once more,” “Watching helplessly as death takes them from me.” Both my hands clench tightly.I clung tightly to my own feelings, nurturing the flame that had ignited since that day—the day when the voices of the meeting drowned me out, when I was merely an echo of the Moonveil family’s name, not a force to be reckoned with. When they looked at me as the daughter of the pack’s warrior leader, not as an individual with her own will.Then, the poison… that nearly took Father’s life. It opened my eyes
I couldn't feel my feet anymore. Everything felt blurry. My vision was shaking, blurred by tears that were falling too fast. Alpha Aric held my hand tighter without saying anything. He just ran with me, keeping up with my frantic pace."Quick... my father—"I couldn't finish the sentence. It was too painful to say. In my mind, there was only one image—my father with his eyes closed, his body pale and lifeless. As soon as the front door opened, Liora and Tavien were waiting with tense expressions. “Upstairs!” Tavien shouted without further explanation. I ran up the stairs two at a time. As soon as I entered the room, the world felt like it was tearing my heart apart. Father lay on the bed, his body covered in cold sweat and his face contorted in agony. His entire body was convulsing, and his breathing was labored. “Father!” I collapsed beside the bed, gripping Father’s cold, trembling hand. It couldn’t be. Was it because I’d been too relaxed lately?“How could this happen?!”
I slowly stood up from the sofa, took a deep breath, and exhaled slowly. The ticking of the clock on the wall sounded clearer than usual. "Tell him to come into the living room," I said, almost without a sound.But before Liora could turn around, I changed my mind. "No. I'll meet him."Liora turned, slightly surprised. But she nodded quickly and placed the tray on the table. With deft hands, she tidied my slightly disheveled hair, which had become messy from leaning my head back too long. She draped a light jacket over my shoulders with a small smile, then opened the door.“Good luck, Miss.” Liora winked, making me giggle. She had successfully eased the tension on my face.“Nothing happened. Liora, you read too many romantic stories,” I said, still laughing softly.My footsteps sounded soft as I descended the small staircase from the living room to the parlor. And there, in the slanting morning light, Alpha Aric stood waiting for me. He looked the same as always—calm, with an indescri
The evening sky faded behind the large glass window of the meeting room, casting an orange glow on the marble floor. Inside the room, the air, which had been merely cold, now froze with tension that spread from one chest to another. Father stood beside me, tall and straight, his breath long as he held back words that were almost slipping out. His fingers gripped the edge of the table. The ticking of the clock on the wall seemed to mark how long he was weighing his anger. “Have you forgotten,” Father began, his voice low, each word piercing to the bone. “Who kept this border intact when the traitors burned the forests on the western side?”Not a single elder dared to meet his gaze directly. Some simply bowed their heads, as if studying the patterns in the table’s carvings.“Who stood before you when you could only hide in this meeting room? Who lost blood, lost loved ones, so that the name of Gravepine could remain unblemished out there?”One of the elders, Ilyas, took a slow breat
Lyara Moonviel's POVThe morning sky was clear of clouds, as if it knew that today was no ordinary day for us. The main field of the Gravepine Pack was filled with all the pack members dressed in white. They stood in a large circle, surrounding the giant tombstone in the middle of the field—the stone that was the sacred center of the new Alpha's inauguration ceremony.“Father, his expression is more serious than usual. Is he thinking about the meeting later?” I wondered. I stood in the front row, alongside Father and the main warriors. The morning breeze caressed my hair, part of it braided back, the rest flowing softly against my back. The light white dress I wore fit snugly against my body, simple yet clean. The silver in my hair caught the sunlight, and my deep green irises swept the surroundings, sharp and fully aware.Around the upper part of the field, a two-story circular building sheltered the guests from outside the pack. They stood on the second-floor balcony, watching the
Author POV“I have to show myself now.”Lyara’s footsteps emerged from the shadows of the trees without hesitation. Not wanting to add to the list of secrets that had been accidentally revealed, such as what had happened between her and Alpha Aric, she immediately showed herself before the atmosphere became awkward. The air around her trembled slightly with the tension hanging between Rowan and the man in the dark uniform. “Who’s there?” an intimidating voice followed the sound of my footsteps. “Rowan,” Lyara called softly, her voice clear enough to make both men turn simultaneously.“Lyara?” Rowan looked at her for a moment, his expression softening as he recognized who had arrived.Without needing an explanation, he raised his hand and gave a small gesture. The man in uniform immediately bowed respectfully and walked away with measured steps. Not a single word was spoken, but the implication was clear—an order had been given.“I’m sorry,” Lyara said, bowing her head. “I didn’t m