LOGINCharlotte's POVSnowflakes drifted gently from the dark sky, covering the ground in a thin layer of white as we gathered beside the riverbank. The entire pack had come to say goodbye to the werewolves we had killed in ragebane. They stood along the shore, their heads bowed as the elders prepared the bodies for cremation.The deceased were placed carefully on raffia beds, each one wrapped in white cloth. Once the bodies were set ablaze, the beds would be pushed into the river and allowed to drift downstream, carrying the remains away from the pack.I stood beside Michael, my fingers intertwined with his as we both stared at the dead bodies. He hadn't said much since we arrived. Although he was silent, I could clearly see the grief weighing heavily on him. He must be feeling really bad for failing to protect the members of his pack. He may have lost members in the past, but that didn't necessarily mean he wanted it.An elder, a grey-haired man, stepped forward and said a short prayer fo
Michaelson's POV Jase stood beside the counter in the hospital room, carefully preparing the remedy while the rest of us watched in silence. Skyler remained unconscious on the operating bed, his wrists secured to the sides in case the Ragebane took control of him again. Charlotte leaned her head against my shoulder, her body still tense from the night's chaos. I could feel the weight of her exhaustion in the way she rested against me. Instinctively, I shifted closer, allowing her lean more comfortably. Corey stood on my other side, his arms folded across his chest as he watched Jase with anticipation.Jase placed the dried mooncap mushroom into a small wooden mortar and began crushing it with a pestle. The repeated grinding filled the room with a dull, rhythmic sound. He worked patiently, reducing the mushroom to a fine powder before adding the dried moonwort. He crushed the mixture again, then added small amounts of mugwort, yarrow, and devil's club.The herbs released a sharp, ear
Michaelson's POVThe courtyard had gone eerily quiet after my Alpha howl. Moments earlier, the whole place had been filled with snarls, screams, and the sounds of wolves tearing into one another.Now, the infected werewolves lay motionless across the blood-stained grass, while the surviving members of the pack slowly emerged from behind overturned tables and broken furniture.I looked across the disaster, my chest rising and falling heavily as I tried to make sense of what had happened. The Feast of the Moon had been meant to bring the pack together, yet someone had turned it into a battlefield. Charlotte came to my side, her gaze moving over the unconscious werewolves."We can't leave them together.I looked at her."What do you suggest?""They're infected, and we don't know what they'll do when they wake up. If they regain control and attack each other, we could have even more wild werewolves," Charlotte explained brilliantly.Her reasoning was sound.I glanced toward the fallen wo
Michaelson's POV Adrianna was moving through the gathering like a wild creature, attacking anyone who came close enough to trigger whatever remained of her instincts. Werewolves shifted around her, some defending themselves while others attempted to protect their families.Elmira stood by the huge door, gathering the pups and teenage werewolves."Everyone into the pack house! Move!"She hurried from one group to another, directing parents toward the building while some warriors formed a protective barrier around her and wolfless members of the pack.One infected werewolf leaped toward a group of aging pack members. A warrior intercepted him and ripped his arm away before he could bite anyone.Another wild werewolf attacked from behind but the warrior turned too late. Skyler, however rushed in and knocked the creature away."Get them inside!"Skyler roared.He fought with everything he had, striking down one infected wolf after another. But while he was grappling with one of them, ano
Michaelson's POVThe Feast of the Moon had reached its liveliest point, when a strange disturbance began spreading through the crowd. They were whispering about someone. At first, I paid little attention because I was still admiring my sweet mate's beautiful face.As we were about walking back our seats, I saw a woman standing at the entrance. It was Adrianna. She was dressed in a spaghetti-strap top and skimpy red skirt, a clothing completely inappropriate for a formal pack gathering in the cold night. Her hair was completely disheveled, with strands hanging messily around her face. Dirt covered portions of her exposed skin, and scratches marked her legs and arms. I didn't suspect anything because I had thought she looked tattered after undergoing torture in the asylum. However, the haunting look in her eyes and dead silence made me anxious. She simply stood there, watching me."Isn't that Adrianna?""She escaped from the asylum.""What is she doing here?""Why would she come to th
Morgan's POVI had been standing in the shadows for several minutes, watching the Feast of the Moon take place from between two thick trees at the edge of the Winter Moon Pack. From where I stood, the open gate of the pack house gave me an unobstructed view of the celebration beyond. The bonfire burned at the center of the grounds, throwing restless orange light across the tables and chairs, while the blue moon shone bright enough to reveal the faces of the werewolves, who seemed to be enjoying themselves.My fingers tightened around the chain in my hand in fury. Adrianna stood beside me with her wrists shackled, her mouth sealed with the gag I had tied around it earlier. She kept protesting, her breathing coming out harder through her nose, as she unwillingly watched the celebration.I gave the chain a small tug."Stay still," I ordered, watching her struggle against it. "You'll get your chance soon enough."Heavy footsteps suddenly sounded behind me.The vibration traveled through







