Xander's povNow, he was using the ghost of my past that had haunted me for so long, to taunt me. I crumpled the paper with a growl.Before I could let the anger consume me, I felt Ava's hand on my arm.“Xander,” she whispered, her voice soft but firm.I turned to her, my chest heaving as I took in ragged breaths. Her eyes—the most striking pair of icy blue eyes, held mine, anchoring me back to reality.“This is what he wants,” she said. “He wants to make you angry. He wants you to lose control so you’ll make mistakes.”I closed my eyes, forcing myself to take deep breaths and calm down. She was right— just like always. Magnus knew me better than anyone. He knew exactly which wounds to poke at and which scars to rip open.I dropped the crumpled note to the ground and crushed it underneath my boot. “Let's keep moving.”****More days passed.The trial was all but gone. Our leads disappearing, lost in the wind. The warriors grew restless. And I was slowly unraveling.Rowan was worse. He
Xander's pov“Talk,” I ordered, my voice hoarse from the strain I put on it barking out orders everyday.Kael responded immediately. “One of our scouts reported sighting some movement near the abandoned ruins at the edge of shadowfang territory so it had been overlooked for years. It has never been reported as rogue territory but upon closer look it seemed heavily guarded so it has to mean something.”My heart raced.Finally, A lead.A real one.Without another word, I adjusted my clothes and walked out of the office.This time, we’d bring Lyra home.Or die trying.*****The rogues have always found a way to outsmart us. After telling Rowan and Ava the latest news, I returned to my office to make some final preparations before we headed out.I stood by my window, staring out unto the pack lands. I hated how much destruction the rogues had made in such little time, how they caught us off guard. How we let our guards down and the once undefeatable and formidable blackthorn pack was use
Xander's povWe decided to leave at night. Using the cover of the darkness to our advantage. Ava ran next to me, she was completely in tune with her wolf sense now. Her sharp electric blue eyes glowed in the dark as it scanned our environment.Rowan was still silent. The guilt still rolling off him in waves. I was too focused on the mission to play the role of a comforting brother at the moment.At first, the trail was easy and simple— animal and werewolf tracks, broken twigs and branches, a sign that there was frequent movement along that path. A good sign.It didn't take long for us to begin to see the traps. The first was a simple tripwire that triggered some arrows. We luckily spotted it in time. The second one was a bit tricker, there was a series of false earth that gave way to home with spikes at the bottom.The layout of the traps were familiar yet foreign. It was the work of Magnus. He was clever, I'd give him that, but not clever enough.We successfully evaded them. Then cam
Xander's pov“A map,” I muttered as I walked towards it.Ava was by my side, she reached out and traced the lines on it. “This could lead us to the main rebel stronghold.”But something was wrong. I slapped her hand away from it. “I'm sorry.” I didn't mean to slap her hand but I had to react quickly.The map was moving, shadows like living… things.“Zerathos’s magic.” Ava whispered, eyes widening.I clenched my fists. Of course.We had Lyra back.Magnus was dead.But the main problem was still at large.****We were in the war room yet again. We had spent a week helping Lyra recover and trying to decipher the map whilst learning as much as we can about the weapons.We had a crucial piece— the map, yet we couldn't understand it. My frustration was beginning to ile up. Kael had called for this meeting today, he said he had found out something. Thankfully, he wasn't badly injured from the blast. It took him two days to recover— he still had a couple of bruises, but I was thankful that he
Xander's pov“I'll get to that.” Kael said. “These were crafted with ancient werewolf knowledge, which I think we need to ask the elders more about. They need to tell us the truth, all of it.”“I'll see to it.” I vowed.Kael gave me a nod before continuing. “The runes are ancient, probably before the great war itself. When this dart meets its target, it leaves nothing more than a little wound— barely a scratch. Then the worse comes, it attacks the victim's soul.”“Soul?” Vanessa walked to the table from her position by the door.“The victim experiences intense pain, hallucinations, and mental breakdowns. In werewolves, it severs their connection with their wolf, making them unable to shift, feel their bond— including mate bond. It’s like tearing the spirit out of the flesh without killing them outright.”“That’s… worse than death for us.” Rowan whispered, face paler than before.I agreed silently. The thought of being cut off from Leo was unimaginable.Then Ava, out mate bond.That wo
XANDER'S POVWe had decided to pay Rainville pack a visit. They have the best healers, blessed by the moon goddess herself. They would be able to help us find a cure for the effect of the shadow forged blade.There are ten packs in lycara, each having their own specialty. Rainville are known for their unmatched healing abilities, Thornspike is good at setting traps and defenses, Ashville makes bombs, iron claw are blacksmiths that makes most of our weapons, wild heart tame animals and distribute meat to cold packs like silverclaw when their forest lacks animals due to the cold, blood moon have fierce— almost wild warrior, nightshade handle potions and poison, stormfang- navigate the sea, silverclaw have elite tracker's that work well in cold regions then blackthorn governs it all.The journey to rainville pack was exhausting and not because of the distance, but because of the uncertainty that was growing in me. My pack members were slowly dying because their wounds wouldn't heal and I
Xander's povWe already knew this but her confirmation made me tense.Nyssa turned to her healers. “Prepare the purification circle.”I watched as they got to work in preparing what she had asked and they lifted Eiran and placed him. In the center of the hell then placed bowls with herms all around him. They added crystals and vials filled with liquids of different colors. Nyssa knelt down next to him and began to draw intricate designs on his skin with a paste she had made by crushing up some leaves and herbs.Ava squeezed my hand, drawing my attention to her. “Do you think this will work?” she whispered.I shrugged. I didn't know but we had to try something at least.Nyssa began to say some chants. Her voice started off low then began to grow. The healers lit sage and the air grew thick as the scent and smoke filled the room.They fetched a portion of tej green liquid from the big basin and brought it over to her. The glow of the liquid grew as she dipped her hand into it then place
Xander's povWe left rainville at the crack of dawn. We travelled to the east where iron claw pack was located. The lush green environment changed to rocky hills and pointed cliffs. The further we climbed the thinner and dryer the air became, the smell of iron growing stronger.We were all silent as we rode. We had left Eiran back at rainville for him to fully recover. Rowan led the group as he was more familiar with the rough terrain since he often visits the pack.We finally got to the gates and were met by Alpha Drystan. He was a tall aged man with broad shoulders and salt and pepper hair with a beard. His mate, Luna Vira, was next to him, her grey eyes glinting like steel and just as sharp as she watched us.“Your majesty.” The guards greeted in unison with a bow.“You may rise.” I ordered.“Alpha Xander,” Drystan greeted with a nod. His voice was rough like gravel grinding on stone. “To what do I owe this visit? I see you've brought trouble, haven't you?”When I was newly appoint
Ava's povThe air buzzed with excitement.Golden rays of the sun spilled through the leaves above as the clearing beside the Moonstone Falls which glowed with enchantment.I had never seen the sun so bright, it was as if all the gods were watching closely to see what would be revealed today.Long, linen banners fluttered from tree branches, dyed in the traditional white and silver hues of blessing rituals. It was a sacred spot—where our ancestors once received visions from the Moon Goddess herself—and it felt like the perfect place for today.My gender reveal.Or as the werewolves called it: The Spirit Beckoning.Kaida had explained it days ago while wrapping my waist in white silk, her eyes shining with pride as she narrated the ancient tradition.I wasn't surprised that she knew so much because the nightshade warriors were known for holding on to our history very tightly, they even knew far more than even blackthorn but only shared why they deemed necessary.“When a pup grows strong
Ava's povThe day had started like any other.There were meetings with the inner council, light bickering over the upcoming full moon festival, and more parenting advice— that I didn't ask for— than I could keep up with. My mind felt full, my ankles were sore, and despite how much I adored everyone’s excitement, all I wanted was silence, a soft place to lie down, and maybe a jar of pickled mangoes.Xander had been called away to handle a little rogue situation near the southern border, and although I tried not to worry, being apart from him—even just for a few hours—tugged at something inside me.Even after the war,.rogues would still be spotted from time to time. They weren't threatening and tended to run away at the sight of us. They just wandered aimlessly but we had underestimated them once and didn't want to make the same mistake twice.He’d been protective ever since we found out about the baby, even more so since I’d started showing a few weeks ago. My bump was still small, but
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