The full moon night had ended. The pale moonlight finally sank behind the thick canopy of Gloomwood Forest, leaving behind a thin mist that floated like a dreamy veil over everything.
The festivities were over. Raven had sobered up after a night of wild, mindless abandon. Looking at the naked she-wolf lying on the bed, eyes closed, her body still marked with traces of passion, a storm surged within him.Unlike the night before, his mind was now clearer than ever. And the details he had once brushed aside suddenly came into sharp focus. The pleasure Cara had given him felt strangely familiar, as if they had been intimate like this many times before.Raven knew there was a gap in his memory, those two months when he had suddenly left the pack. And if Cara had been a part of that lost time, then everything started to make sense.His gaze stayed on her peaceful, sleeping face. A strange mix of emotions stirred inside him, ache, fury, and confusion. Why had Genaro’s daughInside the private chamber, only Raven and a tall warrior remained. The man was Noah, the leader of the expedition to the eternal snow peaks of the Arvani Mountains.Noah bowed slightly before him, his eyes calm, his demeanor respectful as he presented a stack of aged parchment, its edges weathered and frayed, as though corroded by frost and time.“Alpha, during this expedition, aside from retrieving the Glacialis Herba, our forces also discovered the remnants of a long-lost civilization.” Noah paused, his hoarse voice tinged with solemnity. “It lies deep within the heart of the Arvani range, buried beneath the eternal ice.”A flash of curiosity sparked in Raven’s eyes, an interest for a world unknown to him.Noah continued, “We thoroughly searched the entire area. There were no signs of life. No bodies, no remains of any kind. But the architecture still stood, ancient ruins scattered across the ice. Though broken and worn, it was clear this had once been the territo
A heavy silence fell over the room, as if even the air itself had frozen.Raven's sharp eyes fixed on her, unwavering yet patient, waiting for her response. But Lyra remained silent, neither admitting nor denying his words. Her gaze lowered, long lashes veiling the storm in her eyes.After a brief moment, she slowly stepped forward, placing the steaming bowl of medicine into Raven’s hand.He said nothing more and obediently drank it all.When he finished, Lyra spoke, her voice soft as a whisper, yet each word cut like a blade,“Whether that bond exists or not… does it even matter anymore?”Before Raven could reply, Lyra's voice interrupted him, calm, but layered with undeniable pressure,“I’m no longer a lone rogue… nor am I the lowly servant from your pack.”She lifted her head, her eyes meeting his directly, unwavering and resolute,“Raven, I am the Luna of Ivyshade.”Her words drifted through the air, light as a breeze, yet each syllable cr
In the days that followed, the tense, chaotic atmosphere within the Blood Moon pack gradually stabilized. The primary reason was Raven's steadily improving condition, his complexion grew rosier by the day, his breathing became steady, and though his body had not fully recovered, the imminent danger had passed.The affairs within the pack were also swiftly reorganized by Callen and the elders. Despite the turmoil left behind by the recent incident, the sense of unity within the pack began to rekindle.The news that the Blood Moon warriors had successfully returned from Moonshade Valley further fueled everyone’s hope. They brought with them Sylverleaf, a rare herb essential for crafting an antidote to suppress the Thanorite toxin.Under Lyra's meticulous guidance and the aid of Ivyshade's healers, the precious medicine was quickly brewed. In no time, doses of the suppressant were distributed to every warrior and civilian affected by the poisoning. The most severe symptoms
Time passed in suffocating silence, every second stretching endlessly. The room was filled with the bitter scent of medicine. Gradually, Raven's faint breathing became more stable, the sickly pallor on his face faded slightly. Under careful care, the fragile pulse on his wrist grew steadier, each rhythmic beat declaring his stubborn will to survive.Seeing that the situation had finally stabilized for now, Lyra allowed herself to relax slightly. She slowly stood up, carefully entrusted Raven to Healer Elric's care, then walked over to the desk in the corner of the room, cluttered with herbs and alchemy tools.Without wasting a second, Lyra got to work. Her slender hands glided across drawers, swiftly pulling out rare herbs, her mind calculating as she scribbled notes and precisely listed the necessary items.Seeing this, Healer Elric frowned and approached, eyes filled with worry,“Luna, you should rest. You’ve only just survived Nightfang's Curse, your body hasn't f
The moment the cold blade was about to slice through the air, barely a hand's breadth away from Lyra, her voice rang out, calm, yet sharp as a knife slicing directly into Callen's ears.“Raven is still alive.”Her words hit like a boulder crashing into a still lake, stirring violent ripples, freezing Callen in place, his entire body stiff.His eyes widened, filled with fear and doubt, but beneath it all, hope flickered. Instinctively, his gaze drifted to Raven's motionless body on the bed.Lyra didn’t give him time to process. Her steady voice rang out again, cold and commanding,“If you still want your Alpha to survive, then stay out of the way.”Her eyes were like icy blades, devoid of hatred or provocation, merely stating a brutal truth.Callen’s grip on his sword tightened, his throat constricted, fingers trembling slightly. But the rationality of a Beta forced him to retreat. He knew, even if the hope was slim, he couldn’t afford to lose it.Lyra
Lyra slowly awoke, her consciousness drifting like it was lost in a thick fog. Her entire body felt cold and numb, her breathing as fragile as a thread about to snap. But suddenly, a familiar warmth brushed against her cheek, jolting her back to reality.Before her lay Raven, his tall frame collapsed over her, his body limp, his face as pale as a sheet of paper. His brows were furrowed, and yet at the corner of his lips lingered a gentle, heart-wrenching smile.Lyra stared blankly at the scene before her, her mind unable to piece together what had happened.At that moment, Healer Elric rushed over like a gust of wind, unable to hide the overwhelming joy on his face. He completely ignored Raven, who lay unconscious beside her, and quickly grabbed Lyra's wrist to check her pulse.His aged hand trembled as he felt the steady, rhythmic thump beneath her skin. His expression brightened as if a thousand-pound weight had been lifted from his chest."It’s stabilized… Lun