LOGINThe air in the bedroom smelled like cold pine and electricity, outside, the Council’s big fire cannons made a low grinding sound in the courtyard but inside the room, everything felt frozenSarah looked up at Damian his big, rough hand was still on her cheek, his touch felt warm and safe, pushing away the fear in her chestThere was a strong pull between them, they had been through blood and fire together but Sarah remembered how dangerous this was. She took one step back until her back hit the wooden vanity tableDamian dropped his hand his eyes went from soft for a second back to cold blue ice. "How did you get past the Council’s guards?" Sarah whispered, holding the table. "Silas has 300 soldiers around the wall.""Silas watches the roads," Damian said in a low, calm voice. "He forgets these mountains belonged to wolves long before the Council built roads. My shadow fighters control the old drainage tunnels, you’re leaving now.""I can’t leave my father," Sarah said firmly "If I
The sky above the southern border was bright red, crimson flares hung in the air over the mountain ridge. The red light cast bloody shadows on the pine trees, the quiet night now looked like a war zoneInside the Williams manor, alarms were blaring,Alpha Richard ran down the marble stairs in full armor. A silver sword was on his hip"Double the guards at the northern river! Bring heavy crossbows to the terrace!" he shouted over the noise of running soldiers.Sarah stood at the top of the stairs in a dark cloak, she held the small wooden box with the blue rose. One hand stayed on her stomach to protect the baby she walked down carefully. "Father!" Sarah called. "What’s happening at the southern ridge? Did Christopher cross the border again?"Lord Richard stopped at the big doors, his face was serious"No, Sarah," he said heavily. "It’s not Christopher. It’s the High Council. They brought 4 army groups to our southern gate, they’re under Grand Inquisitor Silas they want to search eve
The morning sun came up over the Blackwood valley, golden light shined through the big windows of the medical wing. The air was cold and the wind whistled through the stone yardsInside the quiet hospital room, the room smelled like herbs, iron, and medicine. Christopher stood next to a wooden bed, arms crossed over his bruised chest his bandages were clean, but his ribs still hurtOn the bed lay Alpha Dennis, his chest moved up and down slowly. The healers had taken the iron arrow out of his side last night, but the wound was bad. He was asleep and looked pale"He lost a lot of blood, Alpha Christopher," the head healer said nervously. "The fever is gone, but he needs weeks of rest, if he tries to fight, his heart will give out."Christopher didn’t answer, his jaw was tight. Looking at his father, the man who ruled for 30 years, he felt heavy and cold inside. He was Alpha now but the job felt bigger than he thought"Put two guards at his door," Christopher ordered in a cold voice
The iron spiral stairs echoed as Christopher and Alpha Dennis ran up through the dark basement of the Blackwood house....In Christopher’s shaking hand, the stolen radio crackled. A mercenary’s voice came through: "Strike Team Alpha has Sarah at the border lodge! Waiting for High Council orders!"Christopher froze on the steps, his heart was pounding. "She’s there..." he gasped. "Vance’s men have Sarah. They’re giving her to the High Council! I have to go to the border!"Alpha Dennis grabbed Christopher and pushed him against the stone wall. "Look at the radio, you idiot!" Dennis growled. "This is a public channel! Vance is leaking her location on purpose to pull you out of here!""She was my wife, Father!" Christopher snapped. "If the Council takes her, they’ll use her to force me to give up!""She has alpha Damien and Logan who do you have?.... Nobody" Alpha Dennis said coldly. "They didn’t mention a baby or an heir, is is just to force a deal! If you run into the woods now, h
The big iron doors of the brick clinic blew open. Wood, dust, and pieces of metal flew everywhere, the yellow emergency lights flickered and then went out. The hallway was dark now, with only cold moonlight coming through broken windowsInside Sarah’s room, the blast shook the floor so hard that trays fell. Medical tools and glass bottles scattered across the floorDoctor Adams fell against the wall, coughing from the smoke, he jumped up and locked the heavy steel door. "Stay down, Lady Sarah!" he shouted in a rough voice. He grabbed a fire extinguisher and stood in front of her bed, his hands shaking. "The guards in the back aren’t answering. They broke in through the front!"Sarah didn’t stay in bedEven though her stomach hurt, she got up, her feet hit the cold floor. She felt dizzy and sweaty She put one hand on her stomach to protect her baby with the other hand she picked up a sharp scalpel from the floor.Her heart was beating fast, but she looked brave. "I’m not going t
Damian’s big military SUV sped down the winding forest road toward Checkpoint Three, Thick fog covered the pine trees and made the road wet and slipperyFive miles behind him, Sarah was safe in the small brick clinic with Doctor AdamsBut up ahead, the mountain pass was about to become a battlefieldDamian hit the brakes when he reached Checkpoint ThreeThe roadblock was made of thick oak logs, iron spikes, and steel plates across the highway30 of Damian’s best Shadow Fang fighters stood behind sandbags. They held rifles and silver tipped crossbows aimed down the foggy roadCaptain Logan ran over as soon as Damian got out. Damian already had his big sword on his back"Alpha!" Logan said loudly over the sound of truck engines. "The Council brought 3 armored trucks and a long-range cannon. They’re waiting at the bottom of the eastern hill, just outside our border."Damian walked to the edge of the wooden barrier, his boots crunched on gravelThrough the thick gray fog, he could see bri







