Masuk-Josephine-I have spent my entire life studying the threads that bind our kind together. I know the ancient scripts of the Moors by heart. I know the weight of a bloodline and the absolute finality of a Rejection. A bond, once severed, is supposed to be a dead nerve. It is the one mercy the Moon Goddess allows us—to walk away from a mistake and start over.Or so I told myself while I stood in the shadow of the corridor, the cold stone of the pack house pressing against my back.As I overheard my chosen confide in his best friend, I began to realize that everything that I knew was wrong.“It shouldn’t be possible, Mads,” Colter’s voice drifted through the heavy oak door of the study. It was raw, stripped of the Alpha authority he usually wore like armor. “I felt it. It didn’t just whisper; it roared. Every instinct I have—every part of the wolf—is screaming that she’s in pain. That she needs me. And every ounce of my being needs to go to her.”“Colt, you rejected her.” Madison’s vo
-COLTER-The days had been spent gathering intel on the Moors, but Josephine’s father had things locked tighter than ever.It was clear that he didn’t want anyone in on what he had going on. “I’m sure she’s safe, Colter,” said Josephine. “My father wouldn’t see harm to one of the original bloodline. She’s far too important.”I tried to focus on what Josephine was saying, but there was an ache in my chest, and a pulsing in my head that I couldn’t ignore. I couldn’t put my finger on the feeling, but I knew there was something to it.“Colter, are you even listening to me?” I cut my gaze to my chosen. “I heard your sad attempt at reassurance, Josephine,” I murmured, pinching the bridge of my nose to relieve the pressure.“Sad attempt?” she snapped back with defiance. “You really believe my father would hurt someone as important as she?”“I wouldn’t put it past him.” “Colter!” Josephine chided angrily. “I told you, she is far too important to-”“Is she?” I hissed. “Because you’re strang
[AURELIA]‘What was that?’One moment I was at that door, wondering who was standing outside of that door, whispering incoherently. I lifted my hand to knock, to see what would happen if I made my presence known to them. Sure, they’d already known I was there. Why else would they have been outside the door.But were they aware that I was cognizant? I wasn’t sure, but I was about to find out. When I suddenly felt it. Something that shut me down in that moment before I made my move. It was a sensation that galvanized me now.A shockwave of pure, undiluted pain ripped through my chest, a sudden, crushing emptiness that stole my breath. And I couldn’t shake the feeling that it was connected to mom.It felt like a tether. There was a strong connection between my mother and I. There always had been.I’d always chalked it up to a pure mother-daughter bond, made stronger by the shared loss of someone we truly love; my dad.But this…this was something different. It was a tether made visibl
-Colter-The Sno Wolf Pack’s private meeting room was a stage for a slow-motion disaster. I leaned against the heavy stone fireplace, my fingers digging into the cold mantelpiece, desperate to channel my agitation somewhere, anywhere, but at my father.Luna Charis stood before my father, a frail, fierce silhouette. Her voice was thin, but the fury behind it was sharp enough to draw blood.“You tell me you will ‘take care of this,’ Alpha Connor, but every minute my daughter is with Mason, you only sink deeper into his web,” she clipped, her eyes burning into his. “You talk of diplomatic solutions and political balance, but you are not a powerful Alpha right now. You are nothing more than a pawn being maneuvered by the Moors.”My father’s jaw tightened. He never tolerated insolence, but this was Charis—the mother of the girl I couldn't stop thinking about—a rarity, an Original Luna. He held his tongue, but his silence was a growing storm.It was Kenneth, my uncle and our Delta, who inter
-AURE-The door to the Alpha’s quarters closed with a heavy thud. I winced at the sound that echoed through the torchlit chamber. It was like a final sentence to our conversation.Alpha Mason was gone, leaving me alone in a room that was like a carefully crafted cage. It was a prison wrapped in slick stone and gold and accents. His lingering scent, a mix of pine and dominance, still lingered in the air, a consistent reminder of my predicament.Silence descended, and it was heavy and absolutely suffocating. I took a deep, shaky breath, the furious adrenaline of our confrontation ebbing away. It left a cold pit of dread in my stomach. The fear for my mother, so carefully hidden during our exchange, now threatened to overwhelm me. Fragile. Alone. His words were a venomous echo in my mind. He hadn't just taken me; he had taken the one thing I valued most and dangled it just out of my reach. My mother’s safety, my very freedom, were now tied to his whim.This is a trap for something mo
-AURE-"Well, now," Mason's voice, surprisingly smooth and devoid of the aggression from moments before, reached me from directly in front of me. "That wasn't so difficult, was it?"The rough fabric of the sack scraped against my face as I was unceremoniously dropped, the impact jarring my teeth. Before I could even gasp for breath, it was yanked away, revealing the flickering golden light of what appeared to be a torchlit chamber.Ruffled and irate, I shifted slightly, “I offered to come freely. You didn’t have to cover my head and carry me.”My vision swam for a moment, then snapped into focus. This wasn’t a dungeon. This was….opulence. The air, thick with the scent of aged wood and rich earth, hinted at deep roots. Tapestries depicting ancient battles adorned the stone walls, and furs softened the hard-packed floor. I was in the Alpha’s quarters.I scrambled backward, my back hitting a solid oak desk, my wolf snarling in my chest. Fear was a cold ribbon, yes, but it was quickly ove
-Aure-The click of the lock echoed in the silent house as I closed the door behind Colter. Leaning against the solid wood, I let out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding. Why did he have to be so… decent tonight? So respectful to my mother? It was so infuriating. Hating him was significant
-Aure-I was standing on pins and needles as I stood there against the kitchen sink, watching Colter Sloan.“Uh, I’d offer you a drink but all I have is tea.”He took a step toward me. “I like tea.”“Ah,” I exhaled. “I-well, I…I guess I can make you a cup.” I turned toward the cupboard, and picked o
-Colter-Ever since the rejection, there’d been a miserable pinch in the pit of my stomach. This feeling was new to me, and in ways far more miserable than I could have imagined.“Hey baby,” the melodic voice of my chosen whispered in my ear as she lay next to me in bed.Normally, Jose would have b
-AURE-Moor wolf? How did she know-Before the thought could finish forming, a jittering feeling began to form in the pit of my stomach and rise into my chest. An earthy scent began to follow.The look in my eyes as I stared at Josephine brought a seemingly knowing mirth to her features as she stare







