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
His hand gripped my wrist so tightly that I instinctively jerked away. The touch felt like a thorn piercing back into the past—all the wounds I had buried, reopening. “Let go,” I growled, roughly pushing my body backward. My voice was sharp, my gaze no less piercing. My chest and shoulders tensed, ready to attack him if he came any closer. Kaelen looked surprised, as if he hadn’t expected me to react so fiercely. His brow furrowed, his breath quickened, but he remained standing tall. “Lyara, I was just—” “Miss Moonveil,” I corrected his habit of addressing me so familiarly. My eyes blazed with anger. “I made it clear before, in front of you, and in front of the late Alpha Gareth. I am not your intended mate. So don’t touch me as if you still have any claim over me.” He clenched his jaw. His face hardened. “I have a claim. The elders chose you for me.” “And I refused. Long ago,” I replied firmly. My voice was low but firm. “Did you forget? I withdrew. And your silence at
My gaze remained fixed on the ring in the open black velvet box in his hand. My heart was beating too fast. His voice echoed in my head.Alpha Aric proposed to me?I knew I shouldn't be too surprised. His attitude had been clear all along. All his actions, his gaze, the way he called my name—everything pointed to this. But I still denied it. I thought he was just being polite. I thought he just wanted to help me as an ally. I thought his nature was simply friendly toward colleagues. “Alpha Aric...” My voice was barely audible. His eyes looked at me softly, full of hope. But I couldn’t return that gaze.“I...” My voice trailed off. My tongue was tied. My head was filled with noise. “I don’t know what to say.” He remained kneeling. No anger, no pressure. Only calmness and patience radiated from him. “If you’re not ready to answer now, that’s okay,” he said softly. His voice held no disappointment. There was no pressure. Only such genuine kindness, as if he had prepared himself f
Father's desk was covered with files, and we had been sitting side by side behind it since morning. The atmosphere was intimate, yet serious. I reviewed a report with furrowed brows, while my father underlined several notes on another sheet. Amidst the piles of papers, the world seemed to fade away. Only the sound of pen scratches and our soft breathing could be heard."Twenty-five warriors have been deployed to the western region, but I feel their distribution is too dense," Father muttered, turning slightly toward me.I looked up from my documents. "The western region was indeed a hotspot. But the intensity of the threat has decreased in the last month. We can shift some of them to the east, to the river sector, especially if the latest patrol report is valid."Father nodded slowly in agreement. “And what about the reconnaissance unit? They’ve been going back and forth without concrete results.”I took a breath. “Because they were sent without a clear objective. They need more speci