Seraphina’s POVThe sound of the warning horn ripped through the skies, sharp and urgent. I froze for a second on the stone balcony, my heart thudding like a war drum in my chest.“They’re here,” Kaelion said grimly behind me.I turned slowly to face him. His long silver hair was tied back, his armor dark as obsidian and etched with the runes of his bloodline. In the crimson twilight, he looked like a storm waiting to break.I hated that this was happening.“Mobilize the eastern flank,” I called to the guard at the gate below. “Double line the border with archers—anyone who breaks rank without my order is done.”The guard bowed and vanished.Kaelion stepped closer. His eyes—those glowing, infernal emeralds—searched mine.“You don’t have to fight,” he murmured, barely above a whisper. “We can hold them off. You can stay behind the shield walls.”My laugh was bitter. “You’re joking.”He didn’t respond. Just stared at me, jaw tight.“I was born for this,” I said, softer now. “You know th
Seraphina POVThe walk back was quiet. Too quiet.Even with Kaelion beside me, his hand warm around mine, I couldn’t shake the cold crawling beneath my skin. The cursed river had taken something from me—scraped it raw—and left a crack wide enough for the dark to bleed through.Nyra was still quiet. Watching.But I felt her—like a shadow pressed just beneath my bones.Not separate anymore.Just waiting.We passed the edge of the southern ridge when Kaelion slowed.“Wait,” he said. His nostrils flared. “They’ve sent a scout.”I stiffened, instincts flaring with alarm.Sure enough, a flash of movement caught my eye. A young wolf—barely more than a pup—darted between the trees, stopping short when he saw Kaelion.“Alpha,” the boy said breathlessly. “The Elders demand your presence. They said… it’s urgent.”Kaelion’s jaw clenched. “What now?”The boy shifted uneasily. “It’s about her.” His gaze flicked toward me like I was a loaded weapon.I took a step back.Of course it was.It was alway
Chapter 38: Kaelion’s POV The coppery tang of blood hung thick in the air. Rogues tore through the trees, their snarls savage, but I didn’t stop moving. Couldn’t stop. My jaws clamped down on another throat—hot, wet, final. Bones cracked beneath my weight as I slammed one to the ground. “Left!” Dan, my Gamma, growled beside me, his grey wolf leaping just in time to intercept another rogue charging through the underbrush. I spun, claws raking deep into the side of the next attacker. The forest floor was chaos—growls, howls, and the sharp cries of pain mixed with the scent of sweat, fur, and blood. The earth was soaked with it. We were outnumbered. Vastly. But not outmatched. “Push them back!” I roared in the mind link, my voice iron. “Protect the borders! The young ones come first!” A chorus of replies echoed in my head. Yes, Alpha. But even as I tore through the enemy, a shadow clung to the back of my thoughts. Seraphina. Was she safe? I saw her earlier, just for
Chapter 38: Kaelion’s POV The coppery tang of blood hung thick in the air. Rogues tore through the trees, their snarls savage, but I didn’t stop moving. Couldn’t stop. My jaws clamped down on another throat—hot, wet, final. Bones cracked beneath my weight as I slammed one to the ground. “Left!” Dan, my Gamma, growled beside me, his grey wolf leaping just in time to intercept another rogue charging through the underbrush. I spun, claws raking deep into the side of the next attacker. The forest floor was chaos—growls, howls, and the sharp cries of pain mixed with the scent of sweat, fur, and blood. The earth was soaked with it. We were outnumbered. Vastly. But not outmatched. “Push them back!” I roared in the mind link, my voice iron. “Protect the borders! The young ones come first!” A chorus of replies echoed in my head. Yes, Alpha. But even as I tore through the enemy, a shadow clung to the back of my thoughts. Seraphina. Was she safe? I saw her earlier, just for a moment.
Chapter 56 – “All of Me” Seraphina’s POV The fire had burned low, just embers now. A soft, steady crackle filled the silence between us. I sat cross-legged on the floor, my back against the cabin wall, my bowl of food long forgotten beside me. Kaelion was across from me, legs stretched out, hands resting loosely on his thighs. He hadn’t pushed. Hadn’t asked a single question. But his eyes… they were patient. Waiting. And something about that—about the quiet way he looked at me like he saw me, like he wanted to see everything I kept hidden—made the weight inside my chest shift. I stared at the fire for a long time. I wasn’t sure why my mouth opened. I didn’t plan it. But once the words started coming, they didn’t stop. “You remember last night… the dream I had?” Kaelion nodded silently. “It wasn’t just a nightmare. It happened. That’s how it all started.” I took a deep breath. My fingers twisted the edge of the blanket around me. “My first shift… I was young. Stupid
I didn’t tell Kaelion. Not that night. Not when he came into the room, his brows drawn tight, concern shadowing the fire in his eyes. Not when he stepped closer, hesitating, like he wasn’t sure if I’d pull away. “Seraphina,” he said softly, reaching out to tuck a strand of hair behind my ear. “You’ve been quiet since the border patrol returned. Did something happen out there?” I shook my head too quickly. “No. Just… tired.” He didn’t believe me. I could see it in the crease of his jaw, the flicker of frustration he tried to smother. But he didn’t push. Instead, he leaned in and pressed a kiss to my forehead, his arms wrapping around me like they could keep all the truths from leaking out. “You’re shaking,” he murmured, drawing me tighter. “I’m fine,” I whispered into his chest, my voice hollow. “Just cold.” He brushed his fingers down my spine. “You can tell me anything, you know that, right?” I nodded. But the blood-smeared sigil still glared at me from behind my ey