LOGINCHAPTER 35: UNITED FRONT MIRA'S POV I stood in front of the entire Shadowfang Pack with Dante beside me and made the announcement that was either going to save us or get us both killed. "Dante and I will face the Council together." My voice carried across the gathered wolves, steady despite the fear clawing at my insides. "They want to see if Moonborn are dangerous? We'll show them what we really are. Siblings who protect each other." Alpha Theron's face went carefully blank, which meant he was about two seconds from shouting. "If you both appear together they'll see it as a threat. Two Moonborn standing together is their nightmare scenario." "Good." I met his eyes. "Let them be afraid for once instead of us." The pack erupted in whispers and I felt every eye on me, weighing whether I was brave or just stupid. Probably both. Elric grabbed my arm and pulled me aside hard enough t
CHAPTER 34: SIBLING BONDMIRA'S POV I woke up on a cold stone with my whole body screaming and Dante's voice somewhere close saying oh god oh god oh god on repeat like a broken prayer.My eyes open. The training room floor was scorched black in a perfect circle around us, smoke still rising from the edges. Dante was on his hands and knees next to me, staring at his palms like they belonged to someone else."What the hell was that?" His voice shook. "What did we just do?"I pushed myself up, every muscle protesting. "That was your Moonborn power and mine feeding off each other. We're connected by blood and when one of us loses control it affects the other.""Connected." He looked at me with wild eyes. "You mean this is gonna keep happening? Every time one of us freaks out the other one explodes too?""Not if we learn to control it." I reached for him but he flinched back. The rejection stung but I couldn't blame him. Twenty-four hours ago his biggest problem was probably some angry cu
CHAPTER 33: DANTEELRIC'S POV The apartment door open and I got maybe half a second to take in the guy standing there before everything went to hell.He had Mira's eyes. Same exact amber-gold color that seemed to catch the light even in the hallway. Silver streaked through his dark hair at the temples, just like in the photo Kira had shown us. Twenty-four years old, wearing a faded tech company shirt and looking at us like we were selling something he didn't want."Can I help you?" Dante asked.I opened my mouth to answer but Joseph's hand clamped down on my shoulder, stopping me cold. I followed his gaze down the hallway and saw them. Three Ashback trackers, already half-shifted, claws out and eyes glowing predator-gold."Step away from the Moonborn." The lead tracker's voice came out garbled, his jaw already reshaping. "Now."Dante looked between us and them, confusion all over his face. "What the—""Inside." I shoved him backward through the doorway. "Lock it and don't come out no
CHAPTER 32: THE TERMSMIRA'S POV"You're putting me in a prison." My voice came out flat, drained of everything except disbelief. "I passed your tests, proved I'm not a threat and you still want to control me."Councilor Matthias looked at me like I was a particularly troublesome child who didn't understand basic math. "You're a weapon Mira. A powerful one. We can't allow you to roam freely. These terms are non-negotiable.""Non-negotiable." I repeated the words, tasting how bitter they were. "So I fought your battles, survived your torture, beat three of your champions and my reward is a leash.""Your reward is your life." Matthias's tone didn't change. Calm, measured, absolute. "Accept or we declare you rogue. Those are your options."Alpha Theron surged to his feet so fast his chair crashed backward. "This is unjust! She's earned her freedom, earned the right to live without chains!""Has she?" Another Council member spoke up, an ancient wolf whose name I didn't know. "Or has she s
CHAPTER 31: THE FINAL TEST BEGINSMIRA'S POVBeta Marcus stepped into the arena first and I swear the ground shook under his weight.He was massive even for a wolf, all thick muscle and scarred flesh that told stories of decades worth of fights. His eyes locked on mine with pure hatred burning in them and I knew right then this wasn't going to be a test. This was personal.Councilor Matthias's voice cut through the tension like broken glass. "First opponent, Beta Marcus of Ashback Pack. The rules remain unchanged. Defeat without permanent injury or death. Loss of control means execution."Marcus shifted before Matthias even finished talking. His wolf form was bigger than any I'd ever seen, dark brown fur rippling over muscles that looked carved from stone. He growled low and every wolf in the arena felt it in their bones.I didn't let myself think. I Just moved.He charged and I dropped low, sliding under his massive body as claws raked the air where my head had been a second before.
CHAPTER 30: RAEL'S ARRIVALMIRA'S POVThe words hit me like a physical blow when Elric said them."You have to fight Rael."I stared at him standing in the doorway of my room, his face carved from stone. Behind him I could see Joseph and Elara hovering in the hallway like they were afraid to come closer."What do you mean I have to fight Rael?" My voice came out steadier than I felt."The third test." Elric stepped inside and closed the door. "The Council's announced it. You fight three Ashback warriors without killing them. Beta Marcus, some warrior named Sera and—""And Rael." I finished for him. My hands started shaking so I shoved them under my legs. "Of course. Because why would they make this fair?""It's a setup." Elric crossed the room in three strides and dropped to his knees in front of me. His hands covered mine. "You know that right? Rael will try to kill you and when you defend yourself they'll claim you lost control."I wanted to laugh but nothing about this was funny. "







