POV: Amara KingsI slammed my attacker against the wall, my hand at his throat. His black eyes opened in shock."Remember me?" I asked, watching fear spread across his face. This guard had once spit at me when I was dragged to the jail cells. Now he shook in my grip."The... the Alpha's daughter," he choked out. "You're supposed to be—""Dead? Possessed?" I smiled. "Sorry to disappoint."I knocked him out with a quick blow and stepped over his body. The Mother's power over me had lasted just minutes before I pushed her out. She hadn't expected me to fight back so hard. But eighteen years of being locked away had taught me one thing – nobody rules me anymore.Now I was back in Blood Moon country, sneaking through the home that had never really been mine.Beside me, Lyra Sinclair checked the path ahead."Clear," she whispered. "But we need to hurry. Elias and his team are making a diversion at the south gate, but it won't last long."Three hour
POV: Celeste MoreauMy hands burned as I tried to push through the unseen wall. I yanked them back with a cry, looking at my red, burned skin."Careful!" I warned Zara, who had almost walked into the same block. "Stay back."My young trainee stopped just in time. Her eyes widened at the sight of my wounded hands."What is it?" she asked, grabbing for her water bottle."Blood magic," I said, letting her pour cool water over my burns. "The best kind. Someone doesn't want visitors in Blood Moon land."This was the third barrier we'd hit since dawn. Each one stronger than the last. Someone was working hard to keep people out—or to keep something in."Can you break it?" Zara asked.I wiped my wet hands on my pants and reached into my bag for a small jar of healing paste. "Not without telling whoever cast it. We need to find another way."As I spread the paste on my burns, I felt a familiar tingle in the air. I'd felt the same energy years ago, whe
POV: Lyra SinclairThe glass vial burst in my hands, sending sharp pieces flying everywhere. I ducked just in time, feeling a few pieces nick my cheek."Amara, stop!" I shouted, grabbing her arm as another wave of power rolled off her body.The small cabin shook. Books fell from shelves. Herbs hanging from the ceiling moved wildly. Amara's eyes glowed bright red, and the air around her seemed to twist and bend."I can't," she gasped, holding her head. "Something's happening. It feels like someone's trying to tear my mind apart."I pressed my hands to her temples, sending relaxing energy into her. This was the third show today, and each one was worse than the last."Breathe with me," I directed. "Focus on my voice."Slowly, the shaking stopped. The glow in Amara's eyes faded. She slumped forward, tired."What's happening to me, Lyra?" she whispered.I helped her to the small bed in the corner of my hut. "Your powers are growing faster than you
POV: Alpha Elias BeaumontAs I hid behind a downed tree, the bullet flew by my ear. It hurt my heart to feel that."They knew we were coming!" Orion knelt down next to me after I yelled at him. The old fighter had mud and blood on his face, but his eyes were fiercely determined.Luther has spies all over the place, Orion growled. "But surprise is still on our side." "They don't know about our hidden weapon."Our secret tool. Amara. My true mate. The woman I had done the worst thing possible to hurt.A howl split the night air – the warning from our eastern flank that they were in position. I nodded to Orion and took a deep breath."Now!" I ordered, and twenty wolves burst from the treeline.The assault on Blood Moon land had begun.We raced through the outer border, my pack members fighting alongside Orion's resistance fighters. These wolves had been exiled by Luther Cain after he took power, and they wanted their home back as badly as I wanted to make things right.A guard jumped out
POV: Ingrid DevereauxThe ground shook as I sped through the tunnels with Viktor. I never thought I'd fight alongside my enemy, but here we were, running to save my son."This way!" I shouted, pulling Viktor down a tight passage. "There's a shortcut to the sacred pool."The walls trembled again. Dust and small rocks fell from the roof. Something big was happening above us.My phone buzzed with a message from Marcus: "Where are you? Elias needs you."I stopped so suddenly that Viktor crashed into me."What now?" he growled.I showed him the message. "It's Marcus. He says Elias needs me."Viktor's face darkened. "Marcus is the one who just told me Elias was caught. He's lying to one of us."My heart sank. Marcus had been Elias's best friend since youth. I had trusted him with everything after Alexander died."No," I whispered. "Marcus wouldn't betray us.""Open your eyes, Ingrid," Viktor snapped. "He's been working against you this whol
POV: Viktor BeaumontI watched Dorian follow the illusion like a lovesick dog. So easy to manipulate—just show him his dead mate, and he'd forget all about our plan. Fool.The moment he disappeared down the hallway, I moved quickly toward the Heart Chamber. With Dorian preoccupied, I could finally put my real plan into motion. The plan I'd waited five years to finish.I slipped into an empty room and pulled out my phone. Three quick texts to my allies in the Artemis Pack—the ones who had stayed true to me even after my brother banished me."In position. Begin Phase Two."My phone buzzed almost instantly with responses: "Guards at the north entrance eliminated." "Ingrid spotted heading your way." "Elias situated near the sacred pool. Shall we intercept?"Perfect. I sent one last message: "Stay hidden. Wait for my signal."Tucking the phone away, I moved through the shadows toward the tunnel opening. I knew this pack house better than most—I'd spent ye
POV: Alpha Dorian GravesBlood dripped from my mouth as I pulled myself up from the ground. My ribs screamed in pain. Elias had beaten me badly, but I wasn't finished. Not by a long shot."Get up," I growled to myself. "Alphas don't stay down."The forest around me was quiet now. Elias and Amara were long gone, running toward the Blood Moon pack house, leaving me behind like yesterday's trash.My wolf howled inside me, angry and hurt. We had failed to take Amara—the one person who might help me bring back my mate. But loss wasn't the end. It was just a reason to try harder.I spat blood and checked my bruises. Three broken ribs, a twisted shoulder, and cuts everywhere. Nothing that wouldn't heal."You look terrible," a voice said from the dark.I spun around, ignoring the pain, claws extending automatically. "Show yourself!"A tall man stepped into the moonlight. His face looked a lot like Elias's, but older, harder. I knew who he was without bei
Chapter 50: POV: Rowan Kingsley"Get down!" I shouted, grabbing Amara and pulling her behind a fallen tree. Bullets slammed into the bark above our heads.Elias dropped beside us, breathing hard. "How did they find us?""Luther has eyes everywhere," I said, looking through a gap in the tree. "They've been tracking us since we crossed into Blood Moon territory."Three of Luther's hunters moved through the trees, guns ready. They weren't trying to kill us—just slow us down. The real danger waited at the pack house."We can't stay here," Amara whispered. Her eyes glowed with power that still made me nervous. Half Harbinger, half Luna magic—a mix that shouldn't exist.I nodded. "On my signal, run for the river. Don't stop, don't look back."I pulled out the small leather pouch I always carried. Inside were five black stones marked with old symbols. Magic older than the packs themselves."What are those?" Elias asked, eyes narrowed."Something my
POV: Orion BlackwoodI ducked as the guard's claws cut where my head had been a second ago. Too close. I spun and drove my fist into his throat. He dropped without a sound."Sorry, brother," I mumbled, dragging his body behind the bushes. "You'll thank me when this is over."The wooden bird Elder Thalia sent had found me just in time. Luther had Seraphina. The Mother was awake. And Amara was walking into a trap.I needed to move fast.I slipped across the grounds of the Blood Moon pack house, staying in the darkness. Luther's guards were everywhere, but they were young and scared. They checked the obvious places but missed the hiding spots only an old fighter would know.I'd been gone five years, banished by Alpha Charles for questioning his choice to hide Amara. Now Charles was dead, the pack was under Luther's control, and I was sneaking back in like a thief.Funny how life works out.A light flashed from the east window—the signal. Maya, the p