Shard’s Grasp (Gabriel’s POV)I slipped into Moonveil’s inner sanctum, the high-tech vault humming with laser grids. The shard glowed behind them, a pulsing beacon. My heart raced as Vera hacked furiously, her emerald eyes narrowed. “Almost there,” she muttered, fingers flying. Could we grab it?“Keep going,” I growled, eyeing the lasers. My amber eyes glowed, claws flexing. I lunged, scraping a grid with my claws. Sparks flew, and it flickered off. “Got one!” I shouted.A loud beep—Selene’s traps activated. Lasers shifted, walls closing in. “Move!” I yelled, shoving Vera aside. A guard charged, and I met it, claws clashing. Blood sprayed as I ripped it down.Vera hacked faster, her aura flaring. “Help me!” she called. I nodded, disabling another grid. Metal screeched, but a trap sprang—spikes shot up. I yanked her back, panting. “Close call.”She grinned, brushing my arm. “Still fast.” I smirked. “For you.” Our banter eased the tension, but her face turned serious. “Will you stand b
Raid’s Edge (Vera's POV)I darted into Moonveil’s outer perimeter, the tech-fortified alley buzzing with twilight shadows. Gabriel ran beside me, his amber eyes glowing, pine scent cutting through the drone hum. My heart raced. This was it—time to grab that shard. “Ready?” I whispered, claws out.“Always,” he grinned, slashing a drone. Metal crashed, and I smirked, leading the charge. My moonstone necklace pulsed, guiding me. The raid was on.I hacked my device, targeting Moonveil’s defenses. A beep—then chaos. Alarms blared, and guards poured out, claws gleaming. “Damn it!” I cursed, ducking a swipe. Gabriel lunged, ripping one apart. Blood sprayed, his moves smooth.“Stay close!” he shouted, fending off another. I nodded, syncing with him. My fingers flew, breaking their security, but a counter-attack hit back. “They’re fast!” I yelled, slashing a guard.Max and Dax charged in, my dad’s growl fierce. “Cover them!” he barked, tackling a drone. Dax slashed another, their teamwork s
Alliance Tested (Gabriel’s POV)I paced Nightmoor’s urban loft, the dim light flickering over pack maps spread across the table. Jace leaned against the wall, arms crossed, watching me. Vera’s kiss from last night burned in my mind, her taste lingering. My eyes glowed, at the memory, my heart pounding. Could we pull this off?“Jace, we hit Moonveil together,” I said, tapping the map. “Vera’s in.” He frowned, scratching his stubble. “Starfang hates us, man. They’ll turn.” I growled, slamming a fist down. “We need unity.”He sighed, nodding. “Fine, but if they bite, we’re out.” I grinned, clapping his shoulder. “Deal.” My mind raced—Vera’s trust meant everything. The door creaked open, and there she was, leather jacket tight, emerald eyes sparkling.“Still slow?” she teased, stepping in. I smirked, stepping closer. “Only for you, love.” Her laugh hit me like a punch, easing the tension. Her wildflower scent wrapped around me, and my wolf purred.I pulled her to the table, our hands
Mother’s Silence (Eleanor's POV)I stood in Starfang’s council hall, the torchlight casting eerie shadows across the stone walls. My eyes locked onto the holographic proof Vera sent—Lana’s messages to Selene, clear as day. My chest tightened. Could my niece really betray us? The early morning air felt heavy, my heart heavier.“Eleanor, what’s your call?” Gideon barked, his voice cutting through the silence. I glared at him, then back at the screen. “This could be manipulated,” I said, my voice firm. My maternal instinct screamed to protect Vera, but duty demanded proof.Vera stormed in, her leather jacket scuffed, emerald eyes blazing. “Mom, it’s real!” she pleaded, her voice breaking. I crossed my arms, shaking my head. “I need more than hacks, Vera. Prove your loyalty.” Her face fell, and my gut twisted.The pack murmured, I raised a hand, silencing them. “Enough!” My gaze stayed on Vera, her fists clenched. “You think I’d lie?” she shouted, stepping closer. I stayed silent, my
Betrayal’s Code (Vera's POV)I stormed into Starfang’s war room, my leather jacket still dusty from the fight, my moonstone necklace pulsing with rage. The holographic maps glowed blue, casting harsh shadows over Gideon’s stern face. “What happened out there?” he barked, his gray eyes narrowing. My heart pounded. How could I explain the mess with Lana?“Give me a sec,” I snapped, rushing to the console. My claws dug into the metal as I pulled up Moonveil’s network. Fingers working, I hacked into their files, my aura flaring green. The screen flickered, revealing encrypted messages. Lana’s name popped up. My blood boiled.“Vera, what’s that?” Gideon growled, stepping closer. I ignored him, diving deeper. Selene’s replies flashed—plans, secrets, betrayal. My cousin had sold us out. “Lana’s working with her,” I hissed, my map glitched, but the proof was clear.Gabriel strode in, his pine scent hitting me, his amber eyes steady. “Need help?” he asked, his hand landing on my shoulder.
Confession Under Fire (Gabriel's POV)The vault shook, debris raining down. I lunged, shielding Vera as a chunk of metal crashed beside us. My amber eyes glowed, heart pounding. Her wildflower scent hit me, her body pressed against mine in the flickering underground server room. The shard hologram pulsed ahead. Was this worth the risk?“Gabriel, watch out!” she yelled, pointing at a falling beam. I shoved her aside, grunting as it grazed my shoulder. Blood trickled, but I ignored it, pulling her up. “You okay?” I rasped. She nodded, emerald eyes wide. “Yeah. You?”“Fine,” I said, scanning the chaos. The server groaned, sparks flying. I had to tell her—now. “Vera, listen,” I started, voice raw. She frowned, brushing dust off her jacket. “What?”I took a breath, guilt clawing at me. “Nightmoor stole a shard from Starfang decades ago. My pack’s fault.” Her eyes narrowed, claws twitching. “I didn’t know then, but I’ve carried it.”She stepped back, anger flashing. “You hid this?” I no