LOGINElena’s POVThe sound of four powerful wolves running through the forest echoed through the trees.Colin, Caleb, and Cindy ran alongside Julian, as their paws hit the soft earth in perfect sync. Their fur caught the bright morning sun; copper, silver-white, and pure snow. It was a beautiful sight, and standing on the porch beside Nathan, I couldn't help but smile."Look at them," Nathan said softly, wrapping his arm around my waist. "They look so free."Suddenly, the peaceful quiet of the mountain was shattered. A loud horn echoed from the valley below. It was a deep, harsh sound; a traditional warning horn used only by the High Council of Pack Elders.Down on the grass, the four wolves stopped dead in their tracks. Their ears perked up, and they turned back toward the cabin. In a quick flash of light, Colin, Caleb, Cindy, and Julian shifted back into their human forms, breathing heavily as they ran up to the porch."Was that the Elder horn?" Colin asked, wiping sweat from his forehea
Elena’s POVThe morning following our wedding and the triplets' sixteenth birthday began with a solemn grandeur that echoed through the entire Silver-Crest valley. By ten o’clock, the high council elders of the northern packs had gathered in the stone amphitheater overlooking the pine forests. Distinguished men and women in ceremonial cloaks filled the seats, while the crisp morning air carried the scent of dew and mountain smoke.Julian stood at the center altar, flanked by his royal guards. Nathan and I stood beside him, while Colin, Caleb, Cindy, and Leo stood tall behind us."Elders of the northern territories," Julian announced, his deep Alpha voice carrying effortlessly across the amphitheater. "For generations, our bloodlines have been divided by fear, secrecy, and ancient rivalries. But today, the ancestors will witness a rebirth."Julian gestured to Nathan, who stepped forward with calm, dignified composure. Nathan’s newly bound Alpha-Consort mark on his neck glowed with a f
Elena’s POVTwo weeks passed in the blink of an eye.The weather in the Silver-Crest valley was soft and clear. Warm sunlight streamed down between the tall pine trees, and a cool mountain breeze blew off the lake, carrying the sweet smell of blooming white jasmine and pine needles.Today was the day.The wedding took place in an open clearing nestled right beside the ancient Silver-Crest ceremonial stones. Small wooden benches were arranged in neat rows on the green grass, occupied by dozens of smiling pack members and royal guards clad in formal silver coats. Fairy lights hung from the branches of ancient oak trees, glowing softly like tiny stars in the late afternoon sun.In the small wooden cabin behind the altar, I stood before a full-length mirror, taking a slow, deep breath.I wore a soft ivory silk gown that flowed gently around my ankles, embroidered with delicate silver leaves along the train to honor both my heritage and the Silver-Crest pack. My hair was swept into a soft
Elena’s POVThe house was drowned in an agonizing, heavy silence.Upstairs, the doors to the children's rooms were shut tight, but I could feel the anxious energy thrumming through the floorboards. Downstairs, Nathan sat alone at the kitchen counter, his head resting in his hands, staring blankly at a cold cup of tea. His shoulders were bowed and his shoulders slump.I walked over softly, placing my hands on his shoulders and pressing my forehead against the side of his face."Nathan," I whispered, gently running my fingers through his dark hair. "Look at me, my love."Nathan let out a long, ragged exhale, turning in his chair and pulling me into his lap, burying his face into the crook of my neck. His broad arms wrapped around my waist with a desperate, trembling intensity."I broke him, Elena," Nathan choked out, his voice was hoarse and raw with heartbreak. "I spent years protecting him from the world, and in one night, I shattered the only foundation he had. He looks at me like I’
Elena’s POVCaleb looked between Cindy, Leo, and Nathan with a wide, mischievous grin. A heavy pause fell over the table.Nathan’s hand, which had been raised to sip his wine, hesitated in mid-air. He set the glass down slowly on the wooden surface, the pale golden liquid sloshing against the rim. He rubbed the back of his neck, a strange shadow of exhaustion sweeping across his face.“Well, not quite...” Nathan murmured quietly, his eyes fixed on the grain of the oak table.Caleb frowned, his teasing expression fading into genuine confusion. “What do you mean 'not quite'? You’re his dad. Mom’s our mom. If you guys marry, doesn't that legally and practically make us step-siblings?”Beside Cindy, Leo’s posture changed in an instant. The calm, logical composure he usually wore like armor shattered. His green eyes locked onto Nathan, narrowing into sharp, intense slits.“Dad?” Leo asked, his voice dropping into a low, dangerously calm frequency. “What do you mean by 'not quite'?”Nathan
Elena’s POVThe silence in the dining room was heavy and suffocating, thick enough to choke on.Colin’s sudden accusation hung over the table like a dark storm cloud: "You two are acting like secret lovers! If you're not keeping some massive secret from us, why aren't you actually excited for our parents?!"Cindy’s face burned a deep, furious red. Her knuckles turned white as her hands squeezed her glass of water, and her lower lip trembled with a mixture of intense humiliation and rising panic. Beside her, Leo sat unnaturally still, his green eyes fixed on his plate, and his jaw clenched so tight the muscles in his cheek twitched."Colin, drop it," Nathan warned softly, his voice carrying the quiet, protective authority of a father. "You don't need to cross-examine them right now.""I'm not cross-examining anyone, Doc!" Colin insisted, throwing his hands in the air. "I'm just calling it like I see it! You and Mom announce your wedding, and these two act like they just heard bad news.
Elena’s POVThe surgery took six hours. By the time I stepped out of the operating theater, my back was aching and my hands were stiff, but Elder Thomas was stable. I had removed the blackened tissue around his heart. The tissue hadn't just been rotting, but was literally saturated with a dark, oi
Elena’s POVThe interior of the SUV felt like a trap. Outside, the city lights blurred into long, neon streaks as Zack pushed the car to its limits, but inside, the air was stifling.I sat in the passenger seat with my hands folded in my lap. I looked like a calm, professional doctor, but my heart
Elena’s POVThe air in my small front garden felt like it had been sucked out of the world.Zack stood like a statue, his fierce energy, the desperate Alpha who had come to save his dying elder, vanished; it was now replaced by a silence so heavy it made my ears ring. His gaze was no longer on me.
Elena’s POVLife in the West-Wash pack house as "Dr. Willow" was a constant test of my nerves.By day, I was the expert everyone bowed to. It was a bizarre, bitter shift. Warriors who used to shove me aside in the hallways now stopped and dipped their heads as I passed. They were desperate. Their







