LOGINAdrian’s POVThe journey to the royal pack had been long enough to give me time to think, and that alone made it more difficult than it should have been. Normally, I would have used the hours to focus on strategy, on preparation, and on the kind of presence I needed to carry into something as important as leadership training. This was not just another gathering. It was a place where strength was measured in more than physical ability, and where every decision, every word, and every reaction would be noticed.This time, my thoughts did not stay where they were supposed to.They kept returning to Ariana.I had not heard from her in any real way since she left, and the silence had settled into something I could no longer ignore. It was not the kind of distance that came from being busy or distracted. It felt deliberate, though I could not understand why she would choose that. The more I thought about it, the less sense it made, and that only added to the tension I carried with me as we
Ariana POVThe palace had been awake long before I stepped out of my room.By the time I made my way through the corridor, the usual calm atmosphere had already been replaced with movement and quiet urgency. Servants walked quickly but carefully, guards stood more alert than usual, and every corner of the royal pack carried the same energy.Preparation.The leadership training had officially begun.I slowed my steps as I reached the main hall, taking in the sight before me. Everything had been arranged with precision. Banners from different packs had been placed along the walls, each one representing a group that would soon walk through these doors. The space felt larger than usual, not because it had changed, but because of what it was about to hold.Leaders.Future Alphas.People who carried responsibility in ways that were not always visible.And somewhere among them… Adrian.The thought settled quietly in my chest, bringing with it a mix of anticipation and unease. I had spent the
Leah’s POVI had tried to ignore it at first, but the feeling refused to go away.Ariana had been gone for two weeks, and nothing about her silence felt normal. I kept telling myself she was just settling back into her life, adjusting to whatever responsibilities she had left behind before coming to Silvercrest. That explanation made sense in theory, but the longer it went on, the less I believed it.I stood near the edge of the training field, watching a group of students go through their drills. Their movements were steady, though not perfect, and I knew I should be paying attention. Instead, my focus kept slipping, pulled back to the same thought I had been trying to avoid.Ariana would not just disappear like this.“You’ve been staring at the same spot for a while.”Ethan’s voice came from beside me, calm and familiar. I did not turn immediately, but I knew he was watching me, waiting for me to admit what was already obvious.“I’m watching the drills,” I said, though even to me it
Adrian’s POVSomething about the silence had gone on too long to ignore.At first, I allowed it. Ariana had returned to her pack, and I understood that her life there would not be simple. She had responsibilities, people who depended on her, and a past she had never fully explained. I respected that, and I gave her the space she needed.But space was not supposed to feel like this.I stood at the Riverline training grounds, watching as a group of younger wolves went through their drills under instruction. Their movements were sharp, though not perfect, and I found myself correcting them without thinking, my voice steady as I pointed out flaws in their form. Normally, I would have been fully focused, but today my attention kept slipping.No matter what I did, my thoughts returned to her.It had been two weeks since Ariana left, and in all that time, I had not heard from her in any real way. There were no proper messages, no conversations, and nothing that reflected the bond we had buil
Ariana’s POVI did not sleep well that night, even though my decision had felt clear when I made it.Leaving the royal pack had seemed like the only way to fix what I had been avoiding. I wanted to go to Silvercrest, stand in front of Adrian, Leah, and Ethan, and finally tell them everything without holding anything back. The thought stayed with me into the morning, steady but heavy, like something I could no longer ignore.I dressed quickly, already thinking about how I would speak to my father. I had planned it in the simplest way I could manage. I would tell him I needed to leave for a few days, explain that it was something personal, and return before anything important required my presence.It sounded reasonable in my head, but something about it still felt uncertain.As I approached the council chamber, I noticed the voices inside before I even reached the door. They were louder than usual, carrying a sense of urgency that made me pause for a brief moment before stepping in. Whe
Ariana’s POVI had started writing the letter three times already.Each time, I sat at my desk with a blank sheet in front of me, the pen resting between my fingers, and the words sitting heavy in my chest. It should not have been this hard. Writing to Adrian was never difficult before. Even when I did not know what to say, something always came.But now, everything feels complicated.I had been back in the royal pack for two weeks, and not once had I reached out to Adrian or my friends since I arrived. The realization stayed with me, heavier than I wanted to admit, settling deep in my chest.I stared at the paper again, reading the only thing I had managed to write.Adrian,Just his name.Nothing else.I let out a quiet breath and leaned back in my chair, my fingers tightening slightly around the pen. It felt strange how something so simple could suddenly feel impossible. I used to talk to him without thinking. Now, I could not even write a single sentence.I placed the pen down slow
Ariana’s POVNight was the only time Silvercrest truly slept.During the day, the pack was relentless—voices, movement, constant awareness pressing in from every direction. Even when no one was watching me openly, I could feel the weight of attention lingering like a shadow that refused to leave. B
Damien’s POVThe first time I heard her name again, I dismissed it.Silvercrest was always full of rumors. Wolves talked—about training results, about alliances, about who impressed a visiting warrior and who embarrassed themselves during drills. Noise like that blended into the background of pack
Ariana’s POVThe alarm tore through the pack like a wound being ripped open.It wasn’t the sharp bell that signaled class changes or the controlled call that marked the beginning of training drills. This sound was deeper, heavier, vibrating through stone and bone alike. It rolled across Silvercrest
Ariana’s POVSchool resumed the way it always did in Silvercrest—without ceremony, without softness, without regard for what the week before had shifted beneath the surface.The morning bell rang sharp and loud, echoing through the halls as students poured back into the building, laughter and voice







