The midnight breeze carried a chill that seeped into Lylah's skin as she made her way to the Gannar Inn. She had chosen the longer, more concealed route to avoid detection, even though the village was asleep. The risk of being seen on the shorter route, with its wide, open terrain, was too great. She wouldn't make the journey through the bush in her wolf form either, as her mother had the uncanny ability of sensing her whenever she turned into her wolf form on nights other than the full moon. Earlier she had pretended to go straight to bed and had locked her door loudly behind her. But no sooner than her parents gone to sleep had she slipped out of bed, her bare feet making barely a sound on the cold stone floor. She tied up her full hair behind her head and wore a wig. Next she brought out a very old dress at the bottom of her drawer and put it on, and, having convinced herself as she stood before the mirror that she looked nothing like Lylah Vale, she'd slipped out of the house. Th
Lylah woke with a start, her mind foggy from sleep. She looked around the unfamiliar room, where was she, and how did she get here?Thane stirred beside her, and as her gaze fell on him, memories of the previous night came flooding back to her mind - the tears, the kisses, the lovemaking, the promises... The first light of dawn was already creeping into the room, and with it came the weight of reality. Lylah’s heart raced. How could she oversleep this much? And most importantly, how was she to find a way back home before her absence was discovered? "Is it morning already?" Thane's groggy voice came from beside her."Yes," Lylah replied, throwing off the covers. "And I need to get going, my parents are going to discover my absence soon." She started putting her clothes on. Thane sat up, wide awake now, his eyes filled with a mix of sadness and reluctance. "I'll come for you, Lylah," he promised, his voice low and urgent."Don't make promises you can't keep." Lylah said as she pulled
The days after Thane's promise to Lylah, and her expectation of his return saw her in very high spirits. She went about her duties happily, readily availed herself whenever Cormac called in to meet with her, and went along with the wedding preparations as though it was the most important thing for her in the world. Her father was most impressed with this new development. "Now there's my girl!" He hailed her, "This is how happy you should be, you will make the best match of the century!" He went around telling anyone who cared to listen what a proud father he was, and spared no expense in her wedding attires and other neccesities. Lylah was happy that she had everyone fooled, and counted the days patiently until Thane would come for her.A week to the wedding saw her in Shay's house. She had come late in the afternoon, without prior information. Despite her excitement which was reaching its peak, as she was expecting Thane anytime soon, she was deeply troubled by one singular event. H
"Lylah, what did you mean by your last statement?"Lylah had been silent since her careless outburst, thinking about the best way to exonerate herself from the situation, but Shay's skeptical, almost disappointed look, put her in a turbulent conflict within herself. "It's... I... it's nothing..." She stuttered, trying to downplay her previous statement. Shay's eyes narrowed, her gaze piercing as she stared at Lylah. "What is 'nothing'? I'm talking about what you just said." Lylah's heart was pounding furiously now. There was no way of escaping this, unless... "What are you talking about?" she asked, feigning ignorance.Shay's expression was cynical. "Don't play dumb, Lylah. You said the wedding wasn't even going to happen eventually. What did you mean by that?"Lylah hesitated, unsure of how to respond. She couldn't reveal Thane's plan to Shay, not yet. But she also couldn't deny what she had said. "I...I don't know what I meant," she stammered.Shay's eyes flashed with anger. "Lyl
Thane's heart sank as he entered the Alpha's chambers. He had been away for only two days, and had expected to return to a sense of normalcy. But instead, he was met with a scene that made his blood run cold.Alpha Ryker lay on a sick bed, his chest wrapped in bandages. A doctor was stopping over him, making fast the bandages, while a warden - one of the most trusted members of the pack - sat beside him, watching over him with a grave expression.Thane's instincts kicked in, and he rushed to his brother's side, shoving the doctor aside. "What happened?" he demanded, his voice low and urgent.The warden, a grizzled old wolf named Thorne, looked up at him. "He was shot," he said, his voice firm. "He went hunting with his guards yesterday, and...and someone shot him."Thane's eyes narrowed. "Who did it?" he growled.Thorne shook his head. "We don't know. The shot came from a distance, and by the time the wardens got to its source, the shooter was long gone."Thane's mind was racing. He f
Thane sat at the head of the table, surrounded by members of the Lunar Council. The air was thick with tension as the men seated themselves, ready to give their report about the ongoing investigation into the attack on the Alpha. It had been two weeks since the incident, but they seemed to be making very little progress. "Let me hear the latest from the past days." Thane said, his voice firm.Chief Candar, the Chief Warden, was the first to speak. "We have combed the forest again as you requested Sir, however the tyre tracks found near the scene of the crime have led us nowhere especially since the heavy rain that fell two days after the attack washed away the trail."Thane's eyes narrowed. "What about eyewitnesses? I asked for inquiries at the other clans."Aurora, the pack's lead scout, shook her head. "We've questioned everyone in the surrounding Clans, but no one saw or heard anything suspicious."Thane's gaze hardened. He slammed his fist on the table, startling the others. "Tha
Lylah sat on her bed, staring blankly ahead, Thane's letter crumpled in her hand. She had been waiting for what felt like an eternity to hear back from him, and now that she finally had, her world was crumbling around her.Having written to Thane about the pregnancy at Shay's urging, she had been so sure that he would come for her, that he would sweep her off her feet and take her away from the arranged marriage that loomed over her like a dark cloud and they would go off and start a life of their own just as they had planned.But now, as she read between the lines of Thane's reply, she realized that he was in no position to rescue her. His brother was dead, and he was now the Alpha, with a whole new set of responsibilities weighing him down. The last straw was his suggestion that she willingly go into the marriage with Cormac, so that when the pregnancy showed, everyone would think it belonged to Cormac. Lylah felt a wave of despair wash over her. She had been so blind, so foolish to
The sun rose brightly over the horizon, casting a warm glow over the bustling courtyard. Alone in her room, Lylah sat on the edge of the bed, her eyes fixed on the floor as she struggled to come to terms with the day ahead. She had sent for Shay, the only person who knew her secret, and her friend's arrival was a welcome distraction. "I'm here, Lyl." Shay announced as she pushed the door open and stepped in. "You've made your hair, it's beautiful!" Lylah remarked as soon as Shay sat beside her on the bed. Shay's blonde hair had been beautifully interwoven at the back, with curls delicately cascading on the sides of it. Shay chuckled, her eyes beaming with happiness at the compliment. "And you've not made yours." She replied. "It appears I'm even more ready than the bride herself. Today's the day, isn't it?" She asked. Lylah forced a smile. "Yep, I guess it is." Shay looked closely at her, stooping low and running her eyes over Lylah's face in her motherly fashion. "You look a bit
Even after Kael left her room, Angela remained frozen in place, his words echoing in her mind like a bell struck too hard. Her stepfather had had Dr. Ganner detained. The idea clung to her like soot, darkening every corner of her thoughts.Even though he was not her biological father, Justine had always been good to her, treating her like the daughter he never had. They'd always gotten along well, even after he and her mother divorced. And though Angela admired and respected him and his brilliance, she had never agreed with him on the idea of eradicating an entire species, no matter how dangerous Justine had painted them. But she’d learned to keep her views quiet, especially around him. He had always been unyielding when his mind was made up.Still, she had never imagined he would imprison his oldest friend. For as long as Angela had known Justine, Dr. Ganner had always been in the picture. They'd known themselves since High school, where Dr. Ganner had been two classes ahead of Justi
Kael sat in the dim stillness of his room, hunched forward on the edge of the bed, elbows on his knees, hands clasped tightly as if trying to hold himself together. The quiet buzz of the bedside lamp was the only sound in the room, but inside his mind, it was chaos. Thoughts darted like startled birds, refusing to settle. His jaw was clenched, and his chest rose and fell in uneven rhythm. He had stood in the boardroom with fire in his voice, resolve in his posture. He had assured Justine of his unwavering conviction—or so he’d tried to convince himself.But now… here, alone… it didn’t feel so resolute.Dr. Ganner... Uncle Peter.The image of him being dragged out of the boardroom flashed in Kael’s mind again and again like a film reel on repeat. His silence, and the resigned look in his eyes, and Justine’s words. “He lost heart. Betrayed the mission.”But Kael knew Dr. Ganner. Knew the steadiness of his judgment, the quiet force behind his ideas. He had always been Justine’s most tru
Kael stood frozen in the hallway, his mind a storm of disbelief. The sight of Dr. Ganner dragged from the floor and escorted out like a criminal, had lodged itself in his chest like a blade. What on earth was going on? “Come in, Kael,” Justine said firmly, as though he had read Kael's confused thoughts. Kael stepped inside, his eyes wide with confusion. “What's happening?” he asked, his voice low but trembling. “Why did you let them treat uncle Peter like that?”Justine let out a slow breath, not looking at Kael at first. “He betrayed me.”“Betrayed you?” Kael echoed, stunned. “What are you talking about? You two have been friends since even before I was born! He practically raised me with you.”Justine turned to face him. His eyes were dark, steady. “That doesn’t change what he did.”Kael stepped closer, struggling to understand. “What did he do? What could he possibly have done that made you punch him and call security on him?”“We’ve come too far, Kael,” Justine said, looking Kae
Justine stared at him, incredulous. “Abort?” he asked. “What on earth are you talking about?” Dr. Ganner didn’t look away. His voice was steady, not pleading—just firm. “This sounds stupid, especially coming me, I know. But we have no choice, we have to abort.”Justine stared at him, unblinking. “Is this your idea of a joke, Peter? Because if it is, you should know better.”Dr. Ganner swallowed, evidently looking for the right words. “We need to abort. I wouldn't be saying this if I wasn't absolutely sure there was no other way.”“And why do we need to do that?” Justine fired, visibly getting annoyed at this new, unexpected development. “Can you even hear yourself? What sort of talk is this?” Dr. Ganner stood up slowly, pushing his chair away as he did. “I've been running some more tests on the Kyrexin-X, Justine, I found out some things, we need to work more on it.”Justine’s jaw tightened. “The Kyrexin-X is ready. Tested. Perfected. You’re the one who helped create it. You approve
NEW YORKThe boardroom lights cast a sterile white sheen across the long transparent table. Around it sat the core of the operation: Commander Harris resplendent in uniform, flanked by his top lieutenants; logistics and transport heads; medical coordinators; and Dr. Ganner, seated near the far end with his tablet idle before him.At the head of the table, Justine stood tall, sharp in a dark tailored suit, a digital schematic glowing behind him.“In five days,” Justine was saying, voice clear and commanding, “we launch the final phase of this mission.”Silence reigned as all eyes locked onto him.“The Kyrexin-X dispersal device is now fully functional. We've confirmed its efficacy across every tested sample. One release—just one—is potent enough to wipe out ten thousand werewolves. We’ve engineered ten additional refills, each safely contained and shielded until needed.”He tapped the screen, cycling through projected maps of the werewolf realm.“Deployment will be centered in the Heart
The Living Room was quiet now. The hearth still crackled faintly, the scent of warm bread still lingered in the air, but the room felt hollow—emptied of voices, of presence.Thane stood alone, arms folded behind his back, staring once more through the tall arched window. Outside, the silver dusk had begun to descend over Lunarville, and the faint sounds of training echoed in the far distance—arrows thudding into wood, warriors barking commands, the occasional howl cutting through the wind.But inside him, there was only silence.He no longer had a Luna to speak with since his two mates got lost to fate and the last ran for her life. Drena, too, hadn’t visited in a while. He’d never minded the solitude before. He’d built his rule on decisiveness, not public opinion. And yet, now… he longed for a voice to complement his own. A physical presence. A confidante. And it was in that yearning that his mind drifted, once again, to Lylah.The ache came softly, like fog curling through the crac
The days that followed the quiet meeting in the strategy chamber were anything but quiet.Thane, together with Alpha Billam and Alpha Cochram, wasted no time. With the alliance now formed—small as it was—they began fortifying Lunarville and their own clans. Patrols were doubled. Old signal towers were repaired and rekindled. Hidden caches of silver-resistant armor were dug up from storage, and training resumed with renewed intensity.Archers were drilled from dawn till dusk, their arrows tipped with sharpened obsidian and infused with wolfsbane extracts in case of ambush. Gauntlets—thick, rune-etched iron bracers designed to deflect both blades and bullets—were redistributed to front-line fighters. Trap-masters, a nearly forgotten order from the First Hunt Era, were summoned back into service to lay intricate trigger snares through the outer paths of the Heartwood.Fire pits laced with scented herbs to mask scent trails were dug near every village boundary. Night sentinels were traine
LUNARVILLE The hearth crackled quietly in Lunarville's strategy chamber, its warmth casting shifting amber light across the stone walls. Afternoon sunlight filtered through high windows, illuminating the maps and war tokens spread across the long table.Alpha Thane sat at the head, jaw tight, eyes on the flames rather than the two Alphas seated with him. The silence between them was heavy—not hostile, but thoughtful.It was Alpha Billam who broke it.“I know it felt like last week's convention was a failure,” he said, his voice calm but firm. “But don’t let that deter you. All isn't lost yet.”Thane didn’t respond at once, but his eyes flicked briefly toward Billam.Billam continued, “For what it’s worth, I stand with you. And you know I mean that fully. Unity is the only way forward, and though the others can’t—or won’t—see that yet, some of us do.” He glanced at the other man across the table. “Cochram agrees.”Alpha Cochram gave a short nod. “I do. After I slept on it, I couldn’t
The sterile air in the lab still shimmered faintly with the heat of success. The scientists’ footsteps had barely faded from the corridor, and the applause they had given still rang in Justine's ear. The moment had felt victorious, but Dr. Ganner's last words were now threatening to throw him off balance. He had remained where he stood, his hands behind his back, eyes fixed on the matte-black weapon at the center of the table. Beside him, Dr. Ganner was no longer smiling.“Well?” Justine asked, his voice low. “What kind of problems?”Dr. Ganner didn’t answer immediately. He moved to a nearby screen, fingers tapping with habitual precision until streams of data and gene sequences rolled into view. His expression was taut.“I’ve encountered challenges with developing the antidote,” he said. “Serious challenges.”Justine’s brow furrowed as he turned toward his friend. “Peter, you’ve had weeks. You've had Kael’s blood for ages, full lab access, state of the art equipment, financial suppo