Ava's povThe ride was a bumpy one as the cart jolted on the uneven path. Every bump made my nerves worse, I began to second guess my decision but it was already too late.Heather and Thomas were silent throughout the ride, nothing needed to be said because their presence was calming enough. Looking back, the castle was far behind us, only the spikes of its towers could be seen in the horizon.The cart slowed and came to a stop. The driver— a short, chubby man with sharp eyes, turned to ys. “This is the furthest I can go. The meeting point isn't too far from here, just walk down this path and you'll find it.” He said pointing at a path to our left.“Thank you.” I whispered to him, he gave a nod in return.Thomas helped Heather get down then me. The air was chilly so I pulled my cloak tighter around my body.“Stay close.” Thomas said, his voice low.The driver gave us one last tip of his hat before he kicked the horse and went on his way, disappearing into the forest.I took a deep bre
Ava's povHe then sighed and turned to the fire. He took a seat on one of the logs of wood next to the fire and gestured for me to do the same.Hesitantly, I obeyed and walked towards him. My legs felt weak— like jelly, as I took a seat across from him. He may be my brother but he wasn't the Darius I knew any longer. In the past few years that has has been missing something changed, I could tell.So I wasn't going to trust him easily. He was acting… suspicious. How does he know the things that he does? I needed answers.The fire flickered casting shadows on his face as I watched him.“There’s so much you don’t know, a lot that I need to tell you.” he began, his voice steady but lacking warmth. It was cold and distant, like he was here physically but his mind was elsewhere. “When I disappeared, it wasn’t by choice. I was taken.”“Taken?” I asked.“Yes,” he said, his jaw tightening. “By the werewolves. They thought I was the one the prophecy spoke about, Ava. They know about your blood
Ava's povDarius paused, mid sentence, his green eyes locking with mine as he furrowed his brows in confusion. He was shocked.“You don't know?” He asked voice barely above a whisper, he couldn't believe it.“Know what?” My tone came out much sharper than I had intended. My heart raced as dread pooled in my stomach at what he was insinuating.He ran a hand over his face. “I thought you'd have figured it out by now.”“What are you talking about?” I snapped.“The bond. Don't you feel it? The instant attraction, his scent, the sparks, the tingles. Didn't you see his protectiveness over you? Ava… Xander is your mate.”Silence.I couldn't control it as I burst out laughing. The situation was comical, like he actually expected me to believe that a human could be mated to a werewolf.“What's funny?” He asked.I held up a hand for him to wait whilst I caught my breath. “You are.” I said finally. “Did you actually expect me to believe that?”His expression darkened slightly. “Ava, this isn't a
Ava's povI walked back the path I had come from just like Heather and Thomas had instructed. I found the two waiting for me not far from the clearing. Thomas was pacing and Heather was biting her finger nail, face etched with concern.She was the first to notice me. “How did it go?” Heather asked softly as I approached.I shook my head, unable to find the words. A lot of things had been discovered tonight and I didn't know where to start from. “Let’s just go back.”They exchanged a glance but didn’t press me further. The walk back to the place the cart had dropped us off was a quiet one. The forest was eerily quiet now as if it could sense the tension in me.When we finally reached the rocky path and another cart was waiting for us. We reached the cart and I climbed in without a word, pulling my cloak tightly around me. Heather and Thomas sat on either side of me, their presence brought me a sense of comfort. I wasn't alone at least.I had a lot of thinking to do.The ride back to th
Ava’s POVI searched my brain for a response. “I… I couldn't sleep. My mind kept reeling with everything you told me the other day about Vanessa and the council.” I said, casually. “I went for a walk to clear my head.”“At night?” he asked, looking skeptical. “After everything I told you, you still went on a walk that late knowing that it's dangerous? That’s… not like you.”“You don't know me well enough.” I blurted.He flinched, making me feel bad. I didn't mean to cause him harm but I needed him to drop the matter.I looked away and focused on my bedside table instead. “I just needed some air.”He sighed then took a step closer to me making me look at him once more. He towered over my small figure and his scent washed over me. “Ava,” he said softly, grabbing my hands. “I know that as a human this is all frightening but I want you to know that I'm by your side and always will be. If something is wrong you need to tell me, come find me no matter the time of the day.I stared at him“
Xander's povSomething felt off, I don't know why but the feeling was there. I was walking to Ava's room because I had forgotten to invite her to have dinner with me earlier.I stood outside her door and hesitated for a moment before knocking. I still couldn't shake off the fact that she was hiding something from me. I understood that our relationship was still rocky— very rocky, so I didn't expect her to open up to me so easily.With a sigh, I raised up my hand and knocked.Silence.I knocked again.No response. “Ava?” I called out and was still met with silence.Frowning, I pushed the door open. It was unlocked, surprisingly. The room was empty and her bed was made.Where could she be?Her scent was still faint in the room as I followed it.Where could she be at this hour? Having dinner with the other servants?I followed her scent as I walked through the empty corridors. It led me through different hallways. I had expected it to take me to either the servant's quarters, kitchen or
Xander's povI reached her door and placed my hand on the door handle but I hesitated.If I go in, what would I say to her?I stood there for a moment contemplating my decision. Leo growled in frustration and urged me to go in but I ignored him as I pulled my hand back. Barging in will not give me what I want, rather, it'll make things worse.Whatever she was doing, whatever she was hiding, I would find out.But not tonight.With a sigh, I turned on my heels and walked away, ignoring the lingering questions at the back of my mind. Avs was keeping secrets, and it was only a matter of time before they came to light.When they did, I wasn’t sure if I’d be ready for the answers.I caught sight of madame Mary as I walked to the dining room. I didn't want to talk to anyone let alone dine with them.“Mary,” I called out, making her turn to me. “Have dinner brought to my room.”“Alright, your majesty.” She gave me a curtsey then walked to the kitchen to do as I had instructed.The walk back t
Xander's pov"Rogues?" I asked, frowning.“Yes. A group of them arrived at the border and they've requested to speak with you.” He continued.Group? Rogues were known to travel alone as wild animals.“How many?” I asked.“About eight.”Eight? Even if rouges move together they do so in small numbers. Something was going on.“How did they manage to get so close to our border without being detected?” That was impossible.Magnus shook his head. “We don't know. It was as if they just appeared. They somehow bypassed the patrols, not just ours but that of the other neighboring packs as well. It was like… I don't know, it's just too coordinated for rogues to pull off.”My body tensed at his words. He was right, this wasn't normal. Rogues were disorganized, scattered and usually too weak to be a serious threat let alone demand an audience with me. But this... this was different.“I'll be there shortly.” I said, Turing to go grab my boots.The air was thick with tension as Magnus and I walked t
Ava's povI always thought pregnancy would feel magical. Glowing skin, cute bump, a sense of purpose, maybe even that mythical "pregnancy glow" everyone swore existed.Instead, it felt like I was being hunted… by my own body.“Move,” I growled at Xander, who stood directly between me and the basket of moonberry tarts I’d been craving since sunrise and asked the cooks to make.He turned slowly, blinking. “You’ve already had three.”I narrowed my eyes. “And?”“And… I love you,” he said quickly, stepping aside and lifting both hands like I was some scary creature.Which I kind of was.Pregnancy had changed me. It was like I had become Ava 2.0—crying over songs with puppies, getting irrationally upset when Xander didn’t refill the honey jar, then five minutes later curling against him like nothing ever happened. The mood swings weren’t just real. They were ruthless.The moonberry tart was cold by the time I got to it, but I didn’t care. I devoured it with all the speed of a starved animal
Xander’s POVThe moonlight spilled through the open balcony, casting soft silver over the sheets tangled at the foot of the bed. The fire in the hearth had died a while back, quiet and tired like the rest of the castle.The day has taken an unexpected turn which I loved so much. A twist that made my heart race and a smile light up my face.She was asleep.Ava.My mate. My Luna. My light.Her hair was fanned across the pillow, her face relaxed and peaceful—something I never took for granted anymore. I didn’t move, just sat at the edge of the bed, eyes watching the delicate rise and fall of her chest.Her unexpected words echoed in my head like a metal being hit by something.She’s pregnant.It should have been a simple announcement. But for me, it cracked something wide open.For weeks, I’d noticed something different in her scent. Not wrong—just new. I hadn’t placed it, not until she stood before me and told me herself. There had been no grand preparation. No expectations. Just her an
Ava's povSunlight spilled through the high windows of the grand hall, gleaming on the silver fixtures and dishware. For the first time in months, the hall wasn't empty. Laughter echoed all around me, mingling with the clinking of cutlery and the smell of warm bread and honeyed meats.I sat between Xander and Vanessa, my fingers curled around a steaming cup of tea. My stomach fluttered—not from nerves, but from something far newer. Something growing.The thought never failed to pull a smile to my face.I glanced around at the faces gathered at the table. Rowan was teasing Kael over a burnt piece of toast, Kaida sat beside him, her hand resting lightly on his wrist. Lyra was at the far end, wrapped in a thick shawl, her expression quiet but calm, a faint smile playing on her lips as she watched them. There was no tension in her shoulders.They were all here.All of them.And that meant more to me than any feast ever could.“Gods,” Vanessa said, stretching back in her seat. “It’s been f
Ava's povThe morning sunlight filtered in through the tall windows, casting soft golden glow across the stone walls of our chambers. The fire from last night had burned down to glowing embers, but I still felt warm—safe in the memory of the stars and the enormity of the secret I’d carried all night.I smiled, rubbing my tummy even though it didn't have a bump. It all still felt like a dream to me. I couldn't believe that I was carrying my child— out child— and would soon be able to hold him or her in my arms.This was like a reward from the gods for taking down zerathos. It was the most perfect gift.Xander’s scent hit me before I heard his footsteps. Woodsy. Earthy and a hint of citrus.He pushed the door open with ease, stridijg in, he was already halfway out of his ceremonial coat, his black shirt clinging to his chest beneath it. His eyes found me immediately—still seated at the edge of the bed, half-dressed, barefoot, lost in my thoughts.“There you are,” he said, his voice soft
Ava's povPregnant.The word sat on my tongue like a secret not yet ready for the world to know. Heavy and new. Sacred. My hands trembled as I exited the healer’s wing, the soft glow of lanterns lining the path doing little to light the darkness within me.It wasn't a bad darkness, it was just confusion.The corridor behind me felt like it belonged to another world—a place of certainty and whispered truths. Healers always knew things, some that we wanted to hear and the ones that we didn't want to hear. Out here, beneath the dark sky things felt more real.Too real.I walked slowly, aimlessly, not ready to return to the castle after what I had just learned. Not ready to face anyone. Especially not Xander.Not yet.The gardens were quiet this time of night. Peaceful. A hush had settled over the grounds, as though the very earth was holding its breath. The petals of Kaida’s cherry blossom tree glowed pale pink in the moonlight, and I found myself drawn toward it. Toward the spot we alwa
Ava's povSunlight streamed through the tall windows of the Blackthorn castle, warm and golden as it spilled across the newly polished floors. I stood at the balcony just outside the council chamber, my eyes tracing the distant tree lines. Smoke no longer rose from the hills. Screams no longer echoed through the valley.Peace.It was strange how something we fought so long and hard for could feel so… quiet.I placed a hand over my stomach. That now familiar queasiness cane again, subtle but persistent. I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply, grounding myself the way I’d been practicing since taking on the Luna title. Calm. Poise. Grace.“Luna Ava?” A voice called gently from behind. One of the omegas.“Yes?”“Lady Vanessa and the others are waiting in the courtyard. You said you wanted to walk with them today?”“Yes. Thank you.”I smiled and nodded, but the moment I turned my back, the nausea returned—like it never left. I gritted my teeth and blinked back the faint dizziness. I've been
Xander's povThe night was quiet, save for the faint crackling of the fire still burning at the center of camp.But Ava… she had curled up beside me, her head on my shoulder, her fingers gently tucked against my arm. Her breathing slowed sometime between Rowan’s quiet jokes, Vanessa blushing with Kael teasing her and Lyra sitting in silence after her brief confession.She fell asleep there, in the circle of firelight and friends and whispered memories.I couldn’t bear to wake her.So I carried her.Her warmth pressed against my chest as I walked us to the chambers we’d been assigned in the temporary Ashville pack house. The bed was a bit small but clean, sheets tucked in and blankets folded. I laid her down carefully, brushing a stray strand of hair from her cheek before covering her with the blanket.I wanted to stay awake and watch over her. Zerathos may be gone but he has left a lasting trauma and fear of the shadows. I was scared that if I closed my eyes and opened it I would real
Rowan's POVLyra’s breathing had finally evened out beside me, a soft, steady rhythm that showed that she was finally at ease and I was glad. She didn’t say another word after I wrapped the blanket around her and sat by her side. She didn’t need to.I looked at her, really looked.Her face had lost weight in the past months, the edges sharper now—grief had carved out the softness she once had so effortlessly. The dark, sunken circles beneath her eyes told me she hadn’t been sleeping much. And even now, in the calm after the war, her body was tense beneath the blanket, like she was ready to spring awake at any given time if someone so much as touched her. .But she had opened up.That alone made something in my chest unclench for the first time in weeks.I tilted my head back, let my eyes gaze up to the stars, but even their beauty felt muted tonight. Everything felt… dulled. Like we’d survived the fire, only to emerge into the ashes.But she talked. She talked.And I’d take that over
Lyra’s POVThe fire had burned down to little fire, and one by one, they drifted off to sleep. Ava had fallen asleep curled against Xander’s chest. Vanessa and Kael were tangled up on a blanket near the edge of the camp, whispering and grinning like the war had never happened and they were in some sort of fairytale. Like they’d known peace all their lives.I was happy and envious of them so I forced myself to look away.Rowan had stayed with me.He always did.By the time the last bit of fire was snuffed and silence had settled over the camp, he rose, wordless, and offered me his hand. I took it, letting him guide me away from the others, deeper into the shadows where the weight of their stares couldn’t follow.We walked to a place in Ashville that we liked. It was a little hill above the camp where the entire land could be seen and the sky felt so close. The stars were particularly bright on that night, I just stood there and took a deep breath.The night air was cold, crisp, almost