I'd heard enough. I needed to see what I was dealing with before bursting in. Near the ceiling was a ventilation grate. I jumped, grabbed the edge, and pulled myself up. The metal groaned under my weight but held. I peered through the slats.The room beyond was larger than the others, clearly the main lab. Scientific equipment lined the walls—centrifuges, computers, machines I didn't recognize. In the center was a metal table, and strapped to it was Silas.My breath caught in my throat. He was naked except for a cloth draped over his hips, his body covered in fresh cuts and burns. Silver-infused needles pierced his arms and chest, connected to tubes that ran to collection bags hanging beside the table. The bags were already half-filled with dark red blood.Logan stood at a workstation, examining something on a computer screen. He'd removed his suit jacket and rolled up his sleeves, looking like a fucking corporate exec taking a casual Friday. Angela sat in a chair nearby, one hand res
She smiled, a cold expression that reminded me of our father. "I made sure you and Silas never completed your mate bond. I made sure you ran. I arranged everything."A chill ran through me. "What?""The attack five years ago," she said, her voice matter-of-fact. "I arranged it. Aaron, Marcus, Jacob—they were all following my suggestion. 'Teach the wolfless bitch a lesson,' I told them. 'Show her what happens to omegas.'"My vision blurred with rage. Five years of nightmares, of trauma, of struggling to survive—all because my sister orchestrated my assault?"You fucking bitch," I snarled, thrashing against the restraints. "You set me up to be raped?""I set you up to be scared off," she corrected, unperturbed by my rage. "The rape wasn't the plan. That was the boys getting carried away. But your leaving was exactly what I wanted. You were supposed to die in the woods, vulnerable and alone. No one expected you to survive, much less thrive.""Why?" I demanded. "What did I ever do to you?
I couldn't wait any longer. I reached for that building pressure inside me and PUSHED, just as Rona had suggested.BOOM!The power exploded outward from my chest, following the paths of the needles and tubes. The burning silver became a conduit rather than a barrier. The black lines on my skin brightened to silver-white, spreading rapidly across my entire body."What the—" Logan began, but was cut off as the tubes connected to me burst, spraying blood in all directions.The restraints holding me shattered as the power wave hit them. I sat up, ripping the remaining needles from my body. Each extraction point sealed itself instantly, the white-silver lines on my skin concentrating around the wounds."Stop her!" Logan shouted.The human woman backed away, terror in her eyes. Angela rose from her chair, shifting as she moved. Her pregnant form distorted the shift, making it slower, awkward. Logan reached for something under the console—a weapon, probably.I couldn't worry about them. I tu
Three days. Three fucking days, and Silas hadn't opened his eyes.I hadn't left his side except to piss or when Zeta Ruth forced me to eat something. The room stank of sickness, silver poisoning, and my own unwashed body. Dark circles tattooed themselves under my eyes. I didn't care."His temperature's rising again," Zeta Ruth said, checking the digital thermometer. "103.8."The pack's head healer looked as exhausted as I felt. She'd been working around the clock, trying every treatment in the book and some that weren't. Nothing touched the silver poisoning. The black lines had spread across his entire torso now, up his neck, down his arms. Some had reached his face, thin dark veins like cracks in porcelain."More ice," she instructed her assistant, who hurried off to fetch it. She turned to me. "You need to rest, Stella. You're not helping him by making yourself sick.""I'm fine," I said for the thousandth time.She sighed but didn't argue. Smart woman.The door opened, and Bella wad
The elders agreed to my terms, of course. What choice did they have? Silas would die without the ritual, and the pack needed both of us.The ceremony room was deep beneath the pack house, a circular chamber carved from bedrock, walls decorated with ancient symbols of the Moon Goddess. Moonlight filtered in through a shaft in the ceiling, illuminating a raised stone platform in the center. Behind it stood a carved altar bearing ceremonial knives, bowls, and herbs.Zeta Clara, the oldest of the pack elders, supervised the preparations. Pack members laid Silas on the platform, his body covered only by a thin sheet. The black poison lines stood out starkly against his pale skin, like veins of obsidian beneath the surface. I could see how they pulsed with each labored heartbeat."You understand what this ritual entails?" Zeta Clara asked me as I changed into the simple white shift they'd provided."Bella explained it.""Not just physically," she pressed. "Spiritually. Emotionally. You will
I woke to the taste of bile in my mouth and the worst headache of my life. My body felt wrong, like my skin had been removed, flipped inside out, and put back on. Every nerve ending screamed. Every muscle ached. And my mind—my mind was the worst. Thoughts that weren't mine flickered at the edges of my consciousness, emotions I didn't recognize washed over me in waves.I barely made it to the edge of the bed before vomiting violently onto the floor. Someone rushed forward with a basin, but it was too late."Easy," a voice said. Zeta Ruth. "The bond shock is normal. It will pass."I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand, trying to focus through the pain in my head. "Silas?" My voice was raw, barely a whisper."Next door. Recovering, like you."Relief flooded me, immediately followed by a burst of foreign emotion—confusion, disorientation, concern. His emotions, bleeding through the renewed bond."Make it stop," I gasped, clutching my head. "It's too much."Zeta Ruth handed me a cup of
Sleep didn't come easy. I tossed in my bed, thoughts jumping between Marie's silver-eyed baby and whatever the hell we were planning to do tomorrow. Using our bond to find Angela sounded good when I suggested it—now, in the darkness of my room, it seemed like inviting trouble.I woke before dawn, abandoning the pretense of rest. The quiet hours belonged to me anyway, had ever since New York. I pulled on jeans and a sweater, slipped out of my room, and headed for the training grounds. Physical exertion might clear my head.Frost covered the grass, crunching under my boots. My breath formed clouds in the pre-dawn air. Winter was settling in hard, earlier than usual. The cold felt good against my skin, still too warm from the renewed bond. Like I was running a perpetual low-grade fever.I started with basics—stretches, then push-ups, sit-ups, mountain climbers. The routine felt familiar, grounding. In the human world, I'd discovered discipline through training, building strength when I'd
I stood, needing to move, to process what we'd seen. "The Blackwater Resort. You're sure?"Silas nodded. "Positive. My father considered buying it a few years ago. I visited the property with him.""Then we know where they are," I said. "We need to move fast, before they relocate.""We need a plan first," Silas countered. "That place is massive—multiple buildings, underground levels, surrounded by water on three sides and forest on the fourth. And now they know we've found them."He was right, damn him. Rushing in would be suicide, especially against Logan's hybrids and whatever other security they had in place."Reconnaissance," I said reluctantly. "Small team, minimal footprint. Get the lay of the land, assess their numbers and defenses.""I'll lead it," Silas volunteered."No," I said firmly. "You're still recovering from the silver poisoning. I'll go.""Absolutely not," he objected, standing to face me. "You're their primary target. If Logan gets his hands on you again—""I'm not
The bathroom mirror showed the toll of recent days—dark circles under my eyes, fading bruises from the perimeter fight, silver lines visible beneath my skin even at rest now. I looked like what I was becoming—something between wolf and weapon, neither fully human nor fully monster.The hot water helped, washing away blood and tension. I stayed under the spray until my skin pruned, letting the steam fill my lungs, blanking my mind. Temporary peace.It shattered when I stepped out to find Silas sitting on the edge of my bed."What the hell?" I clutched the towel tighter around me. "Ever heard of knocking?""I did. Three times." He didn't look away. "We have a situation.""Serious enough to invade my bathroom?""Pine Valley's pulling out too."That got my attention. "What? When?""Just now. Chen called. Same story as Red River—Logan made contact, offered terms, council voted.""Fuck." I sat heavily beside him, maintaining careful distance despite the emergency. "That's two packs in one d
I showered again, hotter this time, as if I could wash away the implications of what had just happened. The bond had needed release—that much was true. The supernatural tension had been building since the silver integration, threatening our focus, our control.But it wasn't just the bond. And pretending otherwise was a lie neither of us fully believed.I dressed in practical clothes for the briefing, hair still damp, silver lines faded but not gone. The pendant at my throat seems warmer now, responding to whatever changes were accelerating in my blood.The briefing room was crowded—remaining coalition representatives, pack fighters, medical teams. Silas stood at the head of the table, composed and focused as if nothing had happened between us. Only the bond betrayed him, humming with awareness whenever our eyes met."The situation has changed," he began without preamble. "Red River and Pine Valley have withdrawn from the coalition. Shadow Ridge is wavering. We must adjust accordingly.
The bathroom mirror showed the toll of recent days—dark circles under my eyes, fading bruises from the perimeter fight, silver lines visible beneath my skin even at rest now. I looked like what I was becoming—something between wolf and weapon, neither fully human nor fully monster.The hot water helped, washing away blood and tension. I stayed under the spray until my skin pruned, letting the steam fill my lungs, blanking my mind. Temporary peace.It shattered when I stepped out to find Silas sitting on the edge of my bed."What the hell?" I clutched the towel tighter around me. "Ever heard of knocking?""I did. Three times." He didn't look away. "We have a situation.""Serious enough to invade my bathroom?""Pine Valley's pulling out too."That got my attention. "What? When?""Just now. Chen called. Same story as Red River—Logan made contact, offered terms, council voted.""Fuck." I sat heavily beside him, maintaining careful distance despite the emergency. "That's two packs in one d
Blood spattered across my face as I drove my knife into the hybrid's throat. Not a killing blow—these fuckers were resilient—but enough to buy me seconds. I twisted the silver blade, widening the wound, before kicking it back into the trees."Six o'clock," Silas called.I spun, dropping to one knee as another hybrid lunged overhead. It landed awkwardly, and I slashed across its hamstrings before it could recover. The silver blade cut through enhanced muscle and tendon, sending it crashing to the forest floor.The perimeter breach had turned out to be a scouting party—four hybrids, two human handlers with tactical gear. Test run, most likely. Probing our defenses before the eclipse."Clear on the east," Mason's voice crackled through the radio. "Two neutralized.""South perimeter clear," another voice confirmed.I finished the wounded hybrid with a knife through the eye socket—the most reliable way to kill them, we'd discovered. Silver to the brain. Nothing else stuck.Silas approached
A heavy silence fell. The widow studied me, weighing my words against her grief. Finally, she nodded once—not acceptance, not yet, but willingness to listen.The demonstration continued—questions answered, abilities explained, strategy discussed. By the end, the mood had shifted from hostile skepticism to grim determination. Not unity, exactly, but something approaching common purpose.Reeves declared the gathering concluded. The pack dispersed slowly, many lingering to catch glimpses of the silver lines beneath my skin, or to hear fragments of conversation between their Alpha and me."You've made an impression," Reeves observed when we were relatively alone. "Whether good or bad remains to be seen.""As long as you hold to the timeline.""We will. For now." He studied me with that predatory gaze. "You're not what I expected, Luna Stella.""What did you expect?""Someone broken by rejection. Someone defined by her mate bond rather than her own strength." He inclined his head slightly—
The meeting dragged for hours—strategies dissected, contingencies argued, egos managed. By the time it ended, I had barely enough time to prepare for the Shadow Ridge visit.I found Bella in the library, surrounded by ancient texts and modern printouts. The bags under her eyes suggested she hadn't slept much."Any updates on the ritual site?" I asked.She shook her head. "Surveillance shows continued construction, but no major changes to the chamber layout. The central platform appears to be complete." She slid a satellite photo toward me. "They've added these structures around the perimeter—power conduits, possibly, or some kind of containment system.""For the hybrids?""For you." She met my eyes. "Logan's preparing for your capture, Stella. These modifications match historical descriptions of goddess blood containment."Of course. He'd be a fool not to plan for every contingency, including my capture."We need to adjust our approach vector," I said. "Avoid these areas.""Already do
My blood wasn't right anymore.I stared at the vial Zeta Ruth had drawn that morning, watching how it separated—normal red plasma on bottom, silver particulates floating on top, refusing to mix. Like oil and water, except both were parts of me now."The integration is stable," Zeta Ruth reported, studying her microscope. "No cellular deterioration, no rejection symptoms. Whatever you did when you saved Silas, it fundamentally altered your blood composition.""Great," I muttered. "Logan will be thrilled."Three days since the assassination attempt. Three days of tests, meetings, and preparation. The coalition was holding, but barely—territorial disputes and ancient grievances threatening the fragile alliance with each passing hour."Have you experienced any side effects?" Zeta Ruth asked. "Pain, weakness, unusual sensations?"Besides feeling like my insides were made of broken glass? "Nothing significant."She gave me a look that said she knew I was lying. "The silver isn't just in you
The formal dining room hadn't been used in years. Dust sheets covered the long mahogany table, and cobwebs decorated the chandelier. I stood in the doorway, watching pack members clean and polish under Mason's direction."The Shadow Ridge delegation arrives at noon," Silas said, appearing beside me. "Mountain Creek by three. Red River just confirmed—they'll be here before sunset.""Seven alphas in one room." I crossed my arms. "When's the last time that happened?""1962. The Silver Plague outbreak." He glanced at me. "You ready for this?""Define ready."The corner of his mouth twitched. "Able to navigate pack politics without starting a war.""Then no, probably not."He almost smiled—a rare occurrence these days. The approaching eclipse had everyone on edge, humor in short supply."They'll test you," he warned. "Your authority, your bloodline, your right to stand beside me. Traditional alphas don't adapt quickly to change.""I noticed." I gestured to my training clothes. "Should I ch
The council meeting that night was grim. Bella took notes as we described what we'd witnessed, her face growing paler with each detail."Forced conversion," she murmured. "He's found a way to override the rejection response.""At what cost?" I demanded. "That wolf was being torn apart from the inside.""The cost doesn't matter to Logan," Silas said. "Only the result.""We can't let this happen," Mason declared. "The eclipse ritual—if he perfects this process, makes it permanent...""He'll have an army of controllable hybrids," I finished. "Each one as strong as three normal wolves, immune to silver, loyal only to him.""So we stop him," Eliza said, steel in her voice despite her lingering grief. "We hit the quarry before the eclipse. Destroy his lab, free the captives.""It's not that simple," Silas cautioned. "The quarry is a fortress now. We'd lose half the pack trying to breach it.""Then we need another approach," I said. All eyes turned to me. "Logan wants me. My blood. I'm the k