MasukShattered Hope (Vera's POV)I stood in the center of the ritual circle. The hidden cave smelled of damp stone and old magic. Torches burned in iron brackets along the walls, throwing flickering light across the carved runes on the floor. The moonstone rested at my feet, glowing bright silver, pulsing in time with my heartbeat. Cee knelt to my right, hands pressed to the ground, murmuring low words. Mom stood to my left, eyes steady, her presence warm and solid.The rift’s energy pressed against the circle like a storm outside a window. I felt it—cold, hungry, trying to slip through the cracks. The air grew thick, pressing on my chest. The stone called to me, urging me to reach deeper.I closed my eyes. Took a breath. “Let’s begin.”Cee’s voice rose—soft, steady. “We call the balance. We bind the light. We seal what was broken.”I lifted my hands. The moonstone rose slowly, hovering between my palms. Power flowed—warm at first, then sharp. I felt it connect to me, to the circle, to th
Heart of Darkness (Gabriel's POV)The heart of Starfang territory felt like a held breath. Pack leaders crowded the open ground outside the main hall. Torches burned in iron stands, throwing sharp light across tense faces. The rift hung above us like a wound in the sky, black veins pulsing slow and angry. Every wolf felt it, the pressure, the dread, the certainty that whatever came next would change everything.I stood near the front with Jace. Vera was at the center, speaking low to her father and Gideon. She looked steady, chin up, but I saw the tightness in her shoulders, the way her hand kept brushing the moonstone pendant. My wife. My alpha. The bond between us thrummed—warm, alive, steady even when the world shook.I watched her move among them. She listened. She nodded. She gave orders without raising her voice. They followed. Not because she demanded it. Because they trusted her. Because she’d earned it over and over.Jace leaned in. “She’s holding it together.”“She always
Heart of Darkness (Gabriel's POV)The heart of Starfang territory felt like a held breath. Pack leaders crowded the open ground outside the main hall. Torches burned in iron stands, throwing sharp light across tense faces. The rift hung above us like a wound in the sky, black veins pulsing slow and angry. Every wolf felt it, the pressure, the dread, the certainty that whatever came next would change everything.I stood near the front with Jace. Vera was at the center, speaking low to her father and Gideon. She looked steady, chin up, but I saw the tightness in her shoulders, the way her hand kept brushing the moonstone pendant. My wife. My alpha. The bond between us thrummed—warm, alive, steady even when the world shook.I watched her move among them. She listened. She nodded. She gave orders without raising her voice. They followed. Not because she demanded it. Because they trusted her. Because she’d earned it over and over.Jace leaned in. “She’s holding it together.”“She always
Breaking Point (Vera's POV)I stood alone in the center of the old training grounds. The moonstone lay open in my palm, glowing soft blue against the night. The air was still, too still, like the world held its breath. Torches burned low along the edges of the clearing, casting long shadows across scarred earth where generations of wolves had fought and bled.The power hummed inside me warm, restless, and waiting. I closed my fingers around the stone. Heat flared up my arm. My pulse quickened. I felt it stir, deeper than before, like a second heartbeat syncing with mine.I took a slow breath. “Okay,” I whispered. “Show me.”I pushed. Just enough. The glow brightened. Energy flowed—slow at first, then faster, filling my veins with silver light. My skin tingled. My vision sharpened. I could hear the wind shift in the pines, smell the distant smoke from the campfires. My alpha aura flared brighter, stronger.I lifted my hand. Light coiled around my fingers like smoke. I focused it—tight
War of Shadows (Gabriel's POV)The borders of Starfang territory looked like a war camp under the bruised sky. Torches burned in rows. Wolves moved fast—sharpening blades, checking wards, stacking supplies. The rift’s power bled down, turning the clouds black and heavy. Every breath tasted like ozone and ash. The calm before the storm had ended. This was the storm.I stood on the ridge, coat open against the cold, watching the packs prepare. Nightmoor wolves stood shoulder to shoulder with Starfang. Jace moved among them, voice low, giving orders. The tension hung thick. Everyone knew what was coming. No one said it out loud.Vera was down at the center, talking to her parents and Cee. She looked small against the dark sky, but unbreakable. The ring on her finger caught torchlight every time she moved. My ring. Our promise. I felt the bond between us—steady, warm, alive. It kept me grounded when everything else shook.Jace walked up beside me. His coat was still torn from the perime
Mastery of the Moonstone (Vee's POV)The private study smelled like old paper and wax. Dust floated in the lantern light. Ancient texts lay open on the table, yellow pages covered in faded runes. The moonstone rested between them, glowing soft blue, calling to me like a heartbeat I couldn’t ignore.Cee sat across from me, fingers tracing lines in one of the books. “This part mentions the first alpha. How the moonstone chose her. How it gave power… but demanded balance.”I leaned forward. “Balance. That word keeps coming up. Your vision. Nyx’s taunts. It’s like the relic was never meant to be held forever.”Cee nodded. “It’s a tool. Not a weapon. The Avatar wants it back because we’ve twisted it. Used it for dominance instead of harmony.”I touched the pendant. Heat flared under my fingers. Power surged through me—warm, wild, hungry. My breath caught. “It’s responding. Like it knows I’m listening.”Cee’s eyes met mine. “Then listen. But be careful. The more you pull, the more it pulls







