LOGINThe growl was not entirely his. It was a dual sound, a harmony of man and wolf, of Reign and Bain, finally in accord. The last of his control, the flimsy shield he’d worn for a lifetime, shattered into a million pieces. He crossed the space between them in a single, powerful stride, the scent of her—rosemary, bread, and something uniquely Celeste—flooding his senses and obliterating everything else.His hands were on her, not with the gentle reverence he’d imagined, but with a desperate, possessive need. He lifted her, and her legs wrapped around his waist as if they were made to lock together. Her skin was soft and warm against his calloused hands, a perfect contrast. He claimed her mouth, and it was not a kiss of exploration but of claiming. It was hungry, deep, a conversation they had been denying for months. She met him with equal fire, her nails digging into his shoulders, pulling him closer, silently demanding more.He set her down on the cool stone of the kitchen floor, his bod
They had been given the cabin for privacy.Close enough to the palace to feel the pulse of power, far enough away to feel like a choice instead of a command. Nestled among old trees and stone paths, it sat near Reign’s grandfather and his human mate, Clarise—the palace head cook whose presence softened the sharp edges of royal life.Celeste loved it there.She loved Clarise most of all.She visited often—sometimes with baskets of herbs she’d grown herself, sometimes with nothing more than questions and quiet company. They traded recipes, remedies, and stories. Clarise taught her how to coax warmth from simple ingredients, how to make food feel like safety. In return, Celeste shared old herbal knowledge, small things meant for comfort rather than power.They became, slowly and without ceremony, the parents Celeste had never had.Reign watched it happen with something like awe.And hesitation.They were mated in name, in bond, in every way that mattered to the world—but they had not co
The basement was quiet in the way only old stone could be—thick walls, warded beams, the low hum of magic settling into place.The portal ring glowed faintly at Luca’s feet.He didn’t rush it.Sienna stood at the bottom of the stairs, one hand resting on the railing, the other unconsciously over her abdomen. She watched him the way mates did when they knew something mattered—no panic, no questions yet. Just attention.“I’m opening a portal,” Luca said calmly. “South Dakota.”Her eyes sharpened, but she didn’t interrupt.“The mate link may weaken while I’m gone,” he continued. “Not break. Just… thin. I don’t want you to feel it and think something’s wrong.”Sienna nodded once. “How long?”“Not long,” he said. “Long enough to speak freely.”He stepped closer, lowering his voice. “Do not tell your father.”That landed.Sienna didn’t bristle. She didn’t argue. She understood exactly what that meant.“If Alpha Thomas knows I left the pack without explanation,” Luca said, “he’ll assume defi
Thomas didn’t take Luca back to the war table.He took him down.The stairwell spiraled beneath the stronghold, stone worn smooth by centuries of boots and blood. Torches hissed as they passed, the air growing colder, heavier. The smell hit first—iron, sweat, rot.“The dungeons,” Thomas said lightly. “Where theory meets reality.”Chains rattled somewhere ahead.They stopped before a cell reinforced with iron bars and ward-sigils etched deep into the stone. Inside, a wolf hung suspended by his wrists, silver restraints biting into his flesh. His head was bowed, hair matted with blood. His breathing came in ragged pulls.“Trespasser,” Thomas said. “Caught three nights ago.”He glanced sideways at Luca. “Ever tortured anyone, body-first?”Luca didn’t flinch. “Only my parents, Alpha Thomas.”For a heartbeat, Thomas stared.Then he burst out laughing — full-bodied, genuine, sharp. It echoed down the corridor.“Good one,” he said, wiping his eyes. “Knocked twenty years off me.”The laughter
Luca POVThe hall was colder than it looked.Stone walls, iron braziers, banners heavy with old victories—Thomas’s stronghold was built to remind everyone who entered that power endured. Not kindness. Not mercy. Power.Luca stood at the center of the chamber, hands clasped behind his back, posture relaxed but alert. Every instinct told him to keep his spine loose, his stance adaptable. Predators watched stiffness.Thomas circled him slowly, boots echoing against stone.“You’ve been quiet,” Thomas said at last. “Most young Alphas fill silence with bravado.”Luca didn’t turn. “I listen before I speak.”A pause.“That’s either wisdom,” Thomas said, “or fear.”Luca finally met his gaze. “It’s discipline.”Thomas smiled faintly.“Good,” he said. “Then let’s begin properly.”They sat at a long table scarred with old blade marks. Maps lay unfurled—territories, borders, supply routes. Wolves moved on parchment-like pieces in a game older than either of them.Thomas leaned back. “You know why
The Graves’ territory lay in silence—deep, unbroken, and peaceful. Not the quiet of peace—but the stillness of memory.She hadn’t come for herself.Talia had always felt safe here. She was here to ensure that her son, Luca, and the family he would one day lead would inherit that same peace she and Alina once had—and that she would do whatever was necessary to protect it.Talia stood at the edge of the stone markers, frost creeping across the earth beneath her boots. Names etched in languages no longer spoken. Wolves who had died before the Moon Goddess ever learned to look away.Sera arrived without a sound.No flare.No warning.Just the subtle pressure shift that told Talia she was no longer alone.“You chose to meet here at their graves,” Talia said, not turning. “That’s either respect—or a warning.”Sera’s voice came low. Steady. “Both.”Talia finally faced her.For a moment, neither spoke.The air between them pulsed—old magic recognizing old blood, old debt stirring awake.“You







