LOGIN“And Sophia?” Her smile stayed bright, even through the tears.
“Be happy. That’s all I ever wanted for you. To be happy. To be free. To live.”“Enough!” Seraphine’s voice sliced through the moment.
Dark magic lashed out, trying to snap the connection.But Mara’s will held firm.
“You can’t stop this,” she told Seraphine in a calm voice.
“This is shaman mMarcus was nothing but a dangerous loose end from the start. That was how Aldric framed it, his voice dripping with cold calculation even while bound in glowing Moonbane chains. He knew far too much about the old Moonbane rituals—the ones our circle still clung to like sacred relics from a forgotten age. He had sniffed out the first hints of corruption long ago, back when Aldric was still quietly testing scattered loyalties among the pack. It had been far easier, Aldric claimed with a twisted smile, to simply remove him than to attempt any futile conversion.Marcus had voiced vague suspicions several months earlier, but he had dismissed them as lingering paranoia born from his scarred history of betrayal and loss. Now those scattered pieces clicked together into a grim, coherent picture that chilled me to the bone: the delayed supply runs that dragged on without explanation, the odd, strained silences that hung over council meetings like uns
I left Alaric in the trusted care of Liana and Helena—their vigilance far outstripped my own frayed and exhausted nerves. The weight of leadership and motherhood pressed heavily on my shoulders, but some burdens could not be delayed.Kael met me precisely at the tunnel’s guarded entrance, handing over a fresh Moonbane dagger with steady hands. The blade gleamed with faint silver runes, its presence a cold reassurance in the face of what awaited below.“You’re sure about confronting him directly like this?” he asked, his face set in familiar resolve mixed with concern. “He’s family by blood, but poison to everything we’re trying to build.”“He’s your brother still, and he owes us raw truths,” I countered while strapping the blade securely to my thigh. “We can’t hope to rebuild anything solid on shifting sand and hidden lie
“He would have cherished the chance to meet him fully,” Erica murmured, standing close by my side, her voice barely rising above the crackle of unlit pyres.My daughter had grown noticeably quieter since Marcus’s passing. The loss had drawn her inward, into a withdrawn reflection that mirrored my own hidden fractures. They had shared a closeness built on mutual deep respect—he had taken on her training with the dedicated focus of a true warrior, imparting essential skills to forge her into genuine strength. Now that devoted teacher rested forever beyond our reach.“Yet he did meet the child,” I replied softly, adjusting the wrap slightly to settle Alaric more comfortably against my chest. “Your brother draws breath today solely because of Marcus’s final act.”“Does that supposed comfort truly ease the sharp sting at all?” Her voice cracked under the weight of raw, unresolved pain. “He traded his life so that ours could continue onward. But such unfair exchanges tear at the soul withou
I did not need every move to be flawless. I just required enough strength to spring the trap.Kael fought me hard on the plan from the start. His burns caused constant pain, but I overruled his objections without hesitation.“You do not have to fight hand-to-hand,” I told him. “You only need to look exposed and half-dead. Aldric has to believe you pose no threat.”“What if he comes straight for me?”“Your royal command voice still works, right?”He gave a tight nod. “Yes. It still works.”“Then that is your real weapon. Not claws. Not strength.”The camp looked like a graveyard. A few dying fires flickered. Groaning, wounded lay on makeshift beds. Every detail was staged. The truly injured, along with baby Alaric, stayed safe deep in the tunnels. Everyone else played their part.I sat in the main medical tent, clutching the decoy bundle to my
Three days after the battle, we gathered to honor our dead.Seventeen pyres.Seventeen lives lost to Aldric's betrayal and ambition.Marcus's pyre stood at the center.The largest.Not because he was more important than the others—every life was precious.But because he was Beta. Because his sacrifice had saved us all.I stood before it, with Alaric bundled peacefully against my chest in his wrap.Three days old.A relentless three days of vigilance, scanning every shadow for lurking threats.Just three days, and sleep had become a distant memory.“He would have loved to meet him,” Erica said softly beside me.My daughter had been quieter since Marcus's death.More withdrawn.They'd been close—he'd been training her, teaching her to be a warrior.Now that the teacher was gone.&ldqu
He didn’t stop.Aldric finally understood what Marcus planned. “Fool! That will kill you!”“I know!”Marcus reached the rune. He planted both paws on it. Poured everything into it. His life force. His magic. His soul.The rune exploded.The explosion stayed contained. Marcus had forced it inward. Shielding the rest of us.And yet he did exactly what he meant to do.The ritual circle collapsed. The control shattered.Warriors gasped as their minds snapped back to their own.Marcus’s body fell. Smoking. Broken.“No!” I ran before I even realized it. Kael is right beside me.We reached Marcus together.He was still breathing.His wolf form had already shifted back to human. The wounds were far beyond anythin
Later, in a quiet corner of the yard, Erica showed up with her sketchbook and zero chill.“Mom said you’re good with patterns,” she told Lena, plopping down and already drawing.Lena lifted an eyebrow at me.“Hunter thing,” I said. “Same idea as reading runic flows.”Erica didn’t look up, just kept
Ten minutes later, the war room filled up fast. Drake's words lingered like smoke.Kael and Marcus recapped everything: dawn attack, four hundred enemies, Seraphine in charge, and that nightmare beast."Everybody get the main points?" I asked, eyeing tense faces.Nods. No meltdowns yet."Building-s
"What plans?" Marcus demanded."I don't know! I swear! She doesn't tell grunts everything!""What do you know?" Kael cut in. The temperature dropped further.Drake shivered violently. "She said... once she has
The scout made a mistake.Marcus spotted him first—a shadow in the northern trees, watching the pack house with too much focus. Amateur hour. Real scouts knew better than to stare.Or maybe he wanted to be seen. Wanted to be caught. Some cultists were fanatics. Others were just desperate.Marcus wo







