Elara’s POVIt was late. The whole place was quiet, too quiet. Something felt off. The second Kieran came back from the border, this weight settled in my chest. Nyx wouldn’t stop pacing.“Something is wrong with him.” Nyx said, restless. “He’s too cold over the link. He’s blocking us out, I can’t reach him. “You know what, let’s go see him. At least comfort him… the way he did for you last time.”She was right. I remembered the day after I fainted. I should go.I left my room and moved through the halls. There were guards at every corner. What really happened here? I was halfway up the stairs when I heard two guards talking.“…the oracle just arrived,” one said.“That means the wolf Alpha saw wasn’t just some random incident.”“What if what happened ten years ago repeats itself?”Ten years ago. Kieran’s family...The Oracle? My heart jumped. I know Oracles never left their keep except during sacred ceremonies or when the Moon Goddess had a message or when something serious was happen
Elara’s POVKieran’s room was very different from mine—or should I say, the one he gave me. It was much warmer in here. A big fireplace crackled in the center of the room, filling the space with a comforting heat. His scent was everywhere—that rich mix of amber and wood. The room was huge, easily three times the size of mine, but befitting of an alpha. Soft, dark fabrics draped the walls, thick and luxurious. There were leather chairs by the fireplace, a massive desk, and bookshelves lined with old, worn books. Everything was dark, clean, expensive. No clutter, just perfect. The lighting was soft, golden, like it knew exactly how to set the mood. The bed was huge, made up with dark sheets, and… a spot next to him on the bed was open… like it had always been mine."Do you want to shower? Or did you do that already?" Kieran asked, his voice pulling me from the moment."I showered already," I replied through the link."Okay, but I don't think you'll be comfortable sleeping in those clo
Elara’s POVI woke up to a warmth. Not the kind from the blanket or the fireplace. This one was real. Solid.Kieran.I was still in his arms, tucked against his chest, my ear was right over his heart–I could hear it. Steady, calm. Like everything was okay. The room was quiet except for the soft sound of his breathing. It was… surreal. Lying here, next to him, in his bed, after everything that’s happened. And somehow, it didn’t feel wrong. It felt safe. Like something out of a dream I wasn’t ready to wake up from.I knew I couldn’t stay like this forever, but I didn’t want to move either. I didn't know how many more mornings like this I'd get. I shifted a little, careful not to wake him and slowly lifted my head. He was still asleep, arms around me, face relaxed in a way I’d never seen before. His hair was a little messy, falling over his forehead. He looked… peaceful. Like all the weight he carried was finally off his shoulders for a moment.I caught myself staring. Again.Everythin
Elara's POV We bolted past the border, diving into the vast forest beyond our pack's territory. It was massive, wilder than anything we’d ever known. The trees were ancient, towering over us and whispering secrets in the wind. The scent of damp earth, pine, and wildflowers wrapped around us like a spell, entrancing us.I felt her immediately—Nyx. She surged to the surface, sharp and electric, her energy pressing against mine like a second heartbeat. She was fully awake now, exhilarated.“This,” she purred in my mind, “is why we were born to run.”Beside us, Kieran’s gait shifted—stronger, faster. Fenrir was taking the reins too. I felt him before I saw him: cool confidence, dark and primal, the kind of energy that made everything in the forest still for just a second.“You’re slow,” Fenrir taunted, his voice a low growl wrapped in amusement.Nyx snapped back, her eyes flashing with annoyance. “Want to make this fun?”“Always.”Without warning, Fenrir swerved and nudged us hard, more
Kieran’s POVEverything slowed, she moved faster than I could react. One moment, the assassin lunged and the next, she was there. Elara’s body slammed into mine, knocking me back with more force than her small frame should’ve carried.I stumbled back, heart lurching—then I heard it—the sickening sound of metal sinking into flesh. Her flesh.My heart stopped. I stood there, paralyzed, as blood began to soak her dress.“Elara!” Her eyes locked with mine, and a tremble passed through her lips before she collapsed into my arms. She was bleeding, too fast.Her blood was on my hands. My mate—hurt, because of me. It was happening all over again, someone close to me was getting hurt because of me. Fenrir snapped.He tore out of me with a roar that shook the entire hall. I didn’t stop him. I didn’t try. I gave him the reins. Let him do what I couldn’t.The assassin never stood a chance, Fenrir ripped him apart, bone-crunching like dry wood beneath his paws, he didn’t stop and I didn’t wa
Kieran's POVI didn't even notice when morning came. All night, I'd been hunched over the desk, drawing and redrawing war strategies, scanning the map over and over, until the lines blurred, plotting every possible weak point of attack. I needed to find a way to end this. End Magnus.He took my parents and sister.I won't let him take Elara too–Never.A knock broke through my thoughts. Tobias stepped into the room.“Fuck, Kieran! Why do you look like that?” He rushed over, eyes wide, and pressed a hand to my forehead.I swatted his hand away, jaw tight. “I'm fine. What do you have for me?”He paused, watching me too carefully. “Alex caught a wolf trying to escape this morning.”I snapped my head up so fast, that the room tilted slightly, and Tobias instinctively reached out to steady me. I shoved his hand away again. “Where's he?”“We took him to the dungeon.”“Let's go.”There was no time to waste.We reached the dungeon, and the thick stench of blood slammed into my senses. It was
Elara’s POVI don’t know when it started—maybe the second my body hit the floor protecting him. Maybe the moment he realized I was willing to die for him. Either way, something shifted. Kieran changed.At first, I thought it was guilt. He never came near the room for days after the attack, and I've been in the room for days waiting for him, asking for him, but by the third day of stiff silence and excuses from Tobias like “He’s training” or “He's in a meeting” I got the message loud and clear.He was pushing me away.And the worst part? I had no idea why.Instead, he built walls. Cold, silent ones.I tried reaching him through the link, but he kept shutting me out. Nyx couldn’t reach Fenrir too. I was much stronger now and I was tired of waiting for him to come talk to me.“Go to his office,” Nyx said. “If he's not coming to the room and is purposely shutting us out, we deserve to know why.” I made my way to his office that night. I knocked and heard no sound but I could feel him in
Tobias’ POVI wake up at 5 a.m. every day, no alarm needed. My body’s been trained to rise with the sun—or before it. Discipline has always been easier than sleep, especially lately.I stretch and loosen up before heading to the simple gym behind my house. It was basic—just some weights, a punching bag, and enough room to work out. I spend an hour lifting and boxing before hitting the road.I run—long laps along the southern border, my usual route. Minimum five miles. It keeps my wolf calm and my mind sharper than my mouth, which, frankly, says a lot.Afterwards, I shower, hit the kitchen and make breakfast. Scrambled eggs, toast, and a coffee strong enough to raise the dead. I cook myself. Always have. I like eating alone. No noise, no conversation, just me and the silence. That’s my routine—quiet, clean, and predictable. Then I go see Kieran.Kieran and I… we used to be close. Practically brothers back when things were simpler, when the world didn’t hurt as much. After he lost his
Elara's POV “Hi, Luna,” Mira greeted me with a warm smile as I entered the kitchen later that evening. I needed fuel.I waved back in response.She served a plate to me and sat down beside me with a serious face. Given the seriousness, I pulled out my phone and typed, –What's wrong? Why the serious face?--“The Alpha mentioned you're leaving for your honeymoon tomorrow.”–Is that what's wrong? Don't you want me to go?-- I typed, holding up my phone.She has always wanted the best for me so I don't understand why she was sad now.“No, no, I'm very happy Luna. I'm happy he's treating you better now. I just got worried about your marks. I recognize them.”-you do?-“Yes, it was female wolves chosen by the moon goddess that bore the mark. The mark is meant to give them extra strength to match their Alpha mate and I'm sure you noticed it today when you were fighting with the warriors.”–is it dangerous?-- I asked.“Not if controlled properly. You mustn't let the power control you, instead
Elara's POV “Whew… that was something else,” Nyx huffed, her voice filling my mind the second I entered the room, Kieran stopped by the office to talk to Tobias. “First it was a hot night with Kieran, now he's kissing you in front of the whole pack.”She was practically vibrating with excitement.“Get lost,” I shooed her away.She just laughed, completely unbothered.“Nyx,” I called her as I remembered everything that happened to me on the training ground, the power, the speed, the raw force that had surged through me… it was beyond anything I had ever felt. “Was that you?”“Not entirely,” she replied, “the heightened instinct came from me but the strength was all you. Kieran is doing something to you, hehe.”“What could be the reason?” I asked, lowering myself onto the edge of the bed, removing my shoes.“We’ll find out in due time, but how do you feel now?” she asked.“I'm fine now. The marks have stopped glowing but… I felt stronger when they glowed like extra strength was added t
Kieran's POV “Ronan. Mason. You’re next.”My voice didn’t waver. If anything, it rang louder now—because at this point, it wasn’t a test anymore. It was a warning. And every ranked wolf in the room could feel it.Ronan, the tank. Mason, the tactician. Both elite. Both proud. Both looked at each other, then at Elara like they weren’t sure if they were stepping into a spar or a battlefield.Ronan cracked his neck, arms crossed. “You sure about this?”Elara just nodded once, already stepping back into that same eerie, steady stance. Balanced. Loose. Dangerous.Mason exhaled, rolling out his shoulders. “Alright, Luna. Let’s see what you’ve got.”The second they entered the circle, she moved.Ronan charged in first, as expected—power and brute strength, aiming to overwhelm her. But Elara met him halfway, ducked low, and twisted, using his momentum to spin him off course. He grunted and stumbled, but she didn’t wait.She slid behind him and kicked the back of his knee, hard enough to drop
Kieran's POV The sun was already creeping through the curtains, and Elara was curled beside me, still asleep. She looked soft. Peaceful, even. I stayed still, not wanting to ruin the moment. Everything was quiet, just the sound of her breathing and the occasional sound of birds chirping outside. It was the kind of quiet that felt rare, like the kind that only showed up when the world finally decided to slow down.My arm had gone numb under her weight, but I didn’t mind. There was something grounding about having her here. After everything, the chaos, the fights, the moments I wasn’t sure I’d earned her trust, this felt... good.Better than good. It felt like something was finally settling.I stared at her lips for too long, then leaned in and kissed her, gently and slowly.She stirred eventually, eyebrows scrunching a little before she blinked up at me. There was a second where she just stared like she was making sure I was real. And then her eyes shifted and I mean literally. They g
Elara's POV His mouth crashed against mine, tongue deep and demanding, and I kissed him back like I was starving. Our breaths tangled. Lips slick and swollen. His hand gripped my jaw, tilting my face as he deepened the kiss like he couldn’t get enough.I didn’t want him to stop.I loved every second of it.Kieran groaned against my lips, his hands gripping my waist, sliding under my tank top, fingers trailing fire across my skin. I arched into him, craving more—craving him. I gasped when his fingers brushed under my breast, and he froze.“You okay?” he asked, breathless.I nodded.I was more than okay.“I need you,” he murmured against my lips. “But not here. Inside. You deserve your first time on a bed. Not in the damn forest.”I blushed and grabbed his hand, pulling him toward the house. I didn't hesitate a bit which was unlike me.Damn him for making me bold.Once we were in, he kissed me again but this time he was gentle. Like... overly gentle, which threw me off for like half a
Kieran's POV I heard the door creak open. It was the same sound Elara made whenever she came back after training. I’d gotten used to it by now—her quiet, steady footsteps, the soft shuffle of her clothes, the small sigh she always let out when she entered the packhouse. It was a familiar sound, one that told me she was back.I didn’t think much of it at first. She was just settling back in after training, probably needing some time to herself. The minutes passed, and I got back to work, my thoughts on the pack, on the tasks at hand. Time slipped by—an hour, maybe two.But then, the door creaked open again, much later than usual. This time, she was leaving.I didn’t even hear her footsteps anymore. The packhouse was eerily quiet. I glanced up at the clock—an hour and a half had passed since I’d last heard her. My heart skipped a beat. Something wasn’t right.The weight of silence in the house was suffocating. My mind, usually calm, now swirled with unease. I tried to push the thoughts
Elara’s POV“Again.”Astrid tossed me a dagger and smirked like she was enjoying this way too much.“I swear, you’re not normal,” she said. “You were flailing last week and now you’re flipping midair like you trained with the Moon Guard.”I shrugged. Nyx was pacing in my head, smug.“Don’t look at me like that,” Astrid warned. “We’re not done.”We weren’t. We’d been at it since dawn, and my limbs were jelly, but the second I saw movement at the edge of the field, everything sharpened.Kieran.He was standing near the training ground, arms crossed, eyes locked on me. He looked tense, but not in the usual way an Alpha would be.–more like his insides were screaming.“Focus, Luna,” Astrid teased, spinning her blade. “Unless you want me to kick your ass in front of your very emotionally constipated mate.”I rolled my eyes and lunged.We sparred for another half hour. My moves felt faster, sharper. Like my body had been waiting to be pushed this hard. Nyx was fully awake now, nudging me, f
Tobias’ POVI wake up at 5 a.m. every day, no alarm needed. My body’s been trained to rise with the sun—or before it. Discipline has always been easier than sleep, especially lately.I stretch and loosen up before heading to the simple gym behind my house. It was basic—just some weights, a punching bag, and enough room to work out. I spend an hour lifting and boxing before hitting the road.I run—long laps along the southern border, my usual route. Minimum five miles. It keeps my wolf calm and my mind sharper than my mouth, which, frankly, says a lot.Afterwards, I shower, hit the kitchen and make breakfast. Scrambled eggs, toast, and a coffee strong enough to raise the dead. I cook myself. Always have. I like eating alone. No noise, no conversation, just me and the silence. That’s my routine—quiet, clean, and predictable. Then I go see Kieran.Kieran and I… we used to be close. Practically brothers back when things were simpler, when the world didn’t hurt as much. After he lost his
Elara’s POVI don’t know when it started—maybe the second my body hit the floor protecting him. Maybe the moment he realized I was willing to die for him. Either way, something shifted. Kieran changed.At first, I thought it was guilt. He never came near the room for days after the attack, and I've been in the room for days waiting for him, asking for him, but by the third day of stiff silence and excuses from Tobias like “He’s training” or “He's in a meeting” I got the message loud and clear.He was pushing me away.And the worst part? I had no idea why.Instead, he built walls. Cold, silent ones.I tried reaching him through the link, but he kept shutting me out. Nyx couldn’t reach Fenrir too. I was much stronger now and I was tired of waiting for him to come talk to me.“Go to his office,” Nyx said. “If he's not coming to the room and is purposely shutting us out, we deserve to know why.” I made my way to his office that night. I knocked and heard no sound but I could feel him in