LOGINVaelira's face turned deathly pale in an instant.What in the Goddess's name was Thorne doing at the academy gates? And at this exact moment, no less!Thorne, too, had spotted Vaelira, along with Mirelle and me. A cold, sinking feeling crept into his chest—something was deeply wrong.He stopped in his tracks, dragging his crippled leg, and turned to Zyric Fenwolf, the Enforcer who had escorted him from his quarters. "Zyric, did you not state that my Alpha wished to speak with me?"Half an hour earlier, Zyric had found him in his private chambers, stating that Vickon demanded his presence. When the shadow-carriage brought him straight to the entrance of the Wolfsbane Lunar Herbarium, Thorne had felt a sudden twinge of suspicion, but brushed it aside. After all, he had seen Vickon drop me off at the archway earlier. It made sense the Alpha might be nearby.But now, instead of Vickon, Thorne stood face-to-face with the three she-wolves who absolutely should not be in the same space.His
After her daily training at the Wolfsbane Lunar Herbarium, I went straight back to Rosewood Manor and immediately called for Zyric, pulling him aside to whisper a few instructions into his ear."What are you two whispering about?"Vickon appeared out of nowhere, his golden eyes narrowing with dark suspicion as his gaze lingered on Zyric for a couple of seconds.He did not look pleased at all.Zyric stiffened, quickly taking two steps back to put a safe, respectful distance between himself and me."My Lord... Lady Blackwynd merely gave me a brief errand to run," Zyric stammered, bowing his head."Is that so? And what kind of errand must be kept hidden from your Alpha?" Vickon turned his towering frame toward me, his deep voice smooth, but his meaning possessive and absolute.I blinked in surprise, my inner wolf stirring at his reaction. I had not expected my terrifying Alpha to grow jealous over something so minor! He could be so... fiercely territorial over his female.Biting back a l
"If you dare whisper another line of that filth, I will have Vickon strip the Westfall lands from your father before nightfall," I growled, my wolf clawing at the inside of my ribs in pure disgust.Shirley Westfall sneered, her fingers digging into her leather tunic as she took a step closer, completely oblivious to the shadow creeping up her neck. "Threaten me all you want, Zafira! Thorne still carries your mark on his collar—a fresh, bleeding bite from last night. We will see how High Alpha Vickon responds when he learns his precious Luna is still sneaking into the woods to mark other males!"She spun on her heel and stormed toward the main gates of the Wolfsbane Lunar Herbarium, her boots heavy on the stone path."What in the Goddess's name is that crazy she-wolf babbling about?!" Nythra Ravencrest snarled, her golden eyes flashing as her claws extended, ready to lung after her.I thrust out my arm, catching Nythra across her leather-clad chest to hold her back.My blood ran cold,
"The Duskwater line clearly lacks the discipline to govern its females. I shall instruct the Enforcers to conduct a thorough audit of Lord Duskwater's borders," Vickon’s voice cut through the cavernous grand hall, cold as frosted iron. The absolute, predatory threat in his rumble was enough to freeze the blood in Mirelle’s veins.Then, he turned his dark head toward me. The terrifying aura in his golden eyes softened in a heartbeat, replaced by a deep, possessive warmth as he growled softly, "Are you ready to return to our sanctuary, my Luna?"I flashed a sharp, victorious smile, threading my slender arm through his heavy leather brace. "I am ready."I had achieved every single target I set out to hit tonight—there was no longer any reason to linger among these bowing wolves.Well... except for one final victory lap.Catching sight of the pale, ruined faces scattered across the hall, especially Isolde’s look of utter devastation, my wolf purred with wicked delight. I pressed myself ti
"Ninth bloodline, Elder Malgrin... I—"Mirelle’s voice trembled wildly; the terrifying pressure of the High Alpha had clearly shaken her core, yet her aristocratic pride refused to crumble completely. Why shouldn't she speak to me this way? After all, she was the prospective mate of Thorne Blackwynd and the daughter of the Duskwater pack! No matter how things appeared, could a fallen Nightvale stray really outrank her standing?But as she opened her mouth to protest, a sudden wave of primal realization hit her. Mirelle remembered, with chilling clarity, that when she had mocked my bloodline earlier, Nythra Ravencrest had stepped forward, boldly declaring that my 'master' was actually my legally bound mate under the High Council.Mirelle's pale face froze into an ashen mask.Could it... could it actually be true?I caught the flicker of sheer panic and confusion across Mirelle's features, and my wolf purred with dark satisfaction. I smiled smoothly, turned my face into Vickon's muscula
Nythra Ravencrest looked at me with deep concern, her ears twitching in anxiety. "Zafira, why did you not arrive with him? The high-born wolves are already mocking your lineage!""I have no idea." I took a delicate sip of sweetened moon-nectar, my expression calm as a dormant volcano. "My Alpha never explicitly gave his word.""What?!" Nythra's face changed in an instant, shock flashing across her features as her claws nervously unsheathed.Elira and Sorelle, standing near the carved pillar, turned to stare at me with wide, panicked eyes.High Alpha Vickon turned down my invitation? If the ruler of the Blackwynd Moon Dominion failed to show up tonight, my standing at Moonhollow Ridge would be entirely destroyed!"It is fine. There are still ten minutes left in the solstice hourglass. Let us wait." I remained completely unruffled, keeping my posture steady.That morning at Rosewood Manor, I had used every weapon in my arsenal—sweet-talking, rubbing against his broad chest, purring agai
"Zafira, whose ceremonial pelt are you tracking into this council hall?"Vaelira’s eyes flashed with a calculated, lethal gleam. Unlike her weak pack-sister, she was no stranger to the inner workings of the Blackwynd Moon Dominion; she had spent moons trading pack secrets with Thorne. One look at t
"Elira Stormveil, guide Lady Blackwynd to the upper den."My racing pulse instantly steadied when Vickon gave the command.A sudden, overwhelming instinct surged through my veins, and before my rational mind could stop me, I lunged forward, wrapping my arms tight around Vickon's broad, powerful sho
"Hold her down!"My face slammed into the freezing mud of Darkmere Crossing. Heavy paws crushed my shoulder blade, forcing me to look directly into the icy glow of the twin moons."Rip her throat out and let's go.""Wait, look at her face! Half of it is completely mangled by silver burns. I'm going
"No need."I grew anxious at his refusal. "But the silver poison...""Let Zyric Fenwolf inside."Relief flooded my chest. "Alright!"I was just glad his inner wolf was willing to let someone tend his wounds. What I feared most was him getting angry and refusing help, letting the toxic infection rot







