Mag-log inFinally, Vickon's tense expression eased.I took his hand, ready to lead him back toward our private chambers—when suddenly—"My Lord, Lady Blackwynd, the Nightvale pack elders have breached the outer courtyard! They claim they have come to beg for forgiveness!" Zyric announced from the doorway.The Nightvale elders? Begging for forgiveness?I arched an eyebrow in surprise, my golden eyes flashing with sudden amusement.Out in the courtyard—"I will not! I refuse to bow my head to Zafira!" Vaelira's face was streaked with blood and tears as she struggled against her father Gabriel's crushing grip.Kneel and beg Zafira for mercy? Never. She would rather be torn apart by boundary rogues!"Are you trying to bring absolute destruction upon our entire bloodline?!" Gabriel's rage boiled over. Without warning, he raised his heavy, clawed hand and struck her across the face—a brutal blow that echoed off the stone walls.Vaelira shrieked, her legs giving out as she crashed onto the flagstones.
"Are you angered by my presence, my Alpha?" I asked, flashing a bright, teasing smile as I slid into the passenger seat of the shadow-transport.Vickon kept his golden eyes fixed straight ahead, his expression carved from stone. But the moment I settled beside him, his massive arm wrapped around my waist, pulling me tightly against his side. "Not at all, my Luna."His gaze flicked out the window toward Thorne standing frozen by the boundary stone.At that exact moment, Thorne felt a freezing shiver race down his spine, his knees locking in absolute terror. He remembered the shattered bones in his leg and wondered how much Alpha Vickon had witnessed from the dark interior.I noticed Vickon's hard stare and leaned closer, my fingers lightly touching his leather-clad sleeve. "My Alpha?"Following his gaze to Thorne, I quickly murmured, "I was merely walking back when he leaped into my path talking absolute nonsense. I handled him immediately, Vickon. We share no past, I swear it. Do not
"Why are you staring at me like that, darling?" I ask, pouting playfully as I dart across the stone floor toward him.I lean into his broad chest and add, "Did Thorne and his line show up at the gates?"Vickon's brutal lips had just begun to curl into a rare, tender smile at my sweet opening, but the instant Thorne's name leaves my mouth, every trace of warmth vanishes from his golden eyes."Are you worried about his fate, my Luna?" he asks, his deep voice terrifyingly even.My inner wolf whined softly at the sudden spike of possessive tension rolling off him. He cannot stand hearing another male's name on my lips—especially not Thorne, the limping fool who once dared to covet my mark."I was merely curious," I say quickly, pressing my body flush against his iron-clad torso to soothe his beast. "I bet his line came crawling here to beg for your mercy. As long as you shield them, they will not have to face the wrath of the Duskwater pack.""Is that what you desire, Zafira? For me to pr
Vaelira'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,
"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
"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
"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
"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







