Chapter 13

Then without warning—my fist collided with his face.

The sickening crunch of bone silenced everyone.

Aldrian flew backwards, crashing into the side of a massive tree.

He didn’t get up.

The Alpha lunged forward in shock, but one look from me had him frozen in place.

“Fear doesn’t excuse betrayal,” I said, low and guttural. “She was your Queen Luna. And you left her in the dark.”

He would live. For now. But barely.

My wolf howled again, pacing.

I stood there in the heart of the clearing, the witches bleeding from their magic, my men too afraid to speak, and the cursed forest whispering secrets I couldn’t hear.

But she was here.

Kyla.

My Luna.

My mate.

I looked up at the treetops, at the thick mist curling like smoke from the past.

“Hide all you want,” I said, to the forest, to fate, to whatever ancient force dared test me.

“But you can’t outrun me forever.”

*****

KYLA – POV

The days passed like lazy clouds—slow, weird, magical. Like a fever dream dipped in sparkles and sarcasm.

At first