Andrew's POVAs we trudged across the woods, I couldn't help but spear Dorian a quick glance. His expression was unreadable, his movements relaxed, but I wasn’t fooled. Dorian never did anything without a reason, and the fact that he was here, walking beside me as if we were allies, set my nerves on edge.What unfinished business do we have to discuss?The question burned in my mind, but I kept my silence. Instead, I focused on the rhythmic crunch of leaves beneath our boots, the distant sounds of warriors sparring in the training grounds ahead.I couldn't wait to get to the bottom of this.Dorian finally broke the silence. "Your pack must be excelling," he mused, his gaze flickering toward the field where my gammas and warriors were engaged in serious combat drills. "The intensity in their training is… impressive."I didn't bother looking in his direction. "Yes. They are well-trained. But I doubt this level of training is on par with what you subject your own pack to."Word of how he
Elara’s POVI rushed forward, my pulse pounding in my ears, but before I could get any closer, two warriors stepped into my path.What do they want this time?I didn't have the time to start interacting with them. I had Andrew to catch up to and I knew if I didn't get to him in time, I would miss out on whatever Dorian had to tell him.They stood tall, their bodies rigid, blocking my way like a pair of immovable guards. Their expressions were unreadable, but the tension in their stance was clear.I could already smell the sweat they worked up while training with the other warriors. And I was already tired of inhaling it as I wrinkled my nose at them.I narrowed my eyes. They obviously had an issue with me. I really don’t have time for this."Move," I said, my voice firm and clear. I didn't want to get involved with them but if they tried to stop me…The warriors didn’t budge. One of them, a broad-shouldered man with a scar running down his jaw, crossed his arms. His companion, taller
Andrew’s POVThe moment I stepped outside, a sight that made me go blind with rage met my eyes.Elara was on the ground, dirt smeared across her cheek, her lip split, blood trickling down her chin. She didn’t cower, didn’t beg, she just glared up at those who put her in that situation, fury burning behind her eyes.I had already seen what was going on from my office at the top but seeing up close made my blood boil.Max and Tom stood over her, smug and laughing, their fists still clenched from the blows they had landed.My vision went even darker.“What’s going on here?” I asked, my voice slicing through the air like a knife.The laughter died instantly. The gathered warriors stiffened. Even the ones who hadn’t taken part in the attack looked uneasy now.My Scar-jawwed pack member, Max hesitated before stepping forward, clearing his throat. “Alpha, we were just—”The other one, Tom, whose eyes were unnaturally dark smirked, cutting in. “Teaching her a lesson.”A lesson.I felt my hand
Elara’s POVI stood frozen for a moment, watching Andrew disappear into the building with Dorian, Mira, and Michael. His broad shoulders radiated the authority of an Alpha, yet his departure left a hollow space in my chest that I couldn’t ignore.The pack lingered briefly, murmuring amongst themselves. Some looked at me with pity, others with disdain. I didn’t care to what their expressions really was. Max and Tom, still crouched on the ground nursing their injuries, shot me dark glares before dragging themselves to their feet and limping away.I thought they would say something else to me. They knew better.Cowards. That's what they were.When the rest of the pack finally began dispersing, I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. My muscles ached as I straightened, the sharp sting in my ribs and the dull ache of my split lip served as a harsh reminder of the ordeal I've been put through.With a deep breath, I turned toward the packhouse. Each step felt heavier than the las
Elara's POVThe silence that followed was heavy, and loud. Lora’s shoulders sagged, and she looked at me as if she didn’t recognize the person towering over her.“I just… I don’t want to see you hurt again.”Her words were soothing and annoying at the same time but I was tired of her trying to look out for me like I was some helpless kid.That's Lora for you. Always trying to look out for me but right now, it was the least of my concerns.I sighed, trying to rein in my anger. I was tired of talking. “I know, Lora. I know you mean well. But I can’t keep hiding. If I do, they’ll win. And I won’t give them that satisfaction.”She opened her mouth to respond, but I cut her off with a raise of my hand. “No matter how you feel, it doesn't matter if you want me protected from hurt, I will always get hurt.”And that was the truth of the whole matter. She doesn't know how I so much want to protect myself from all the hurt in the world, but that's impossible.“That's a wrong notion and you know
Elara’s POVThe sun was dipping low, casting long shadows across the packhouse as I stepped outside. The air was cool and filled with the earthy scent of the woods. My heart raced as I moved quickly down the stone path, my boots crunching against the gravel.I didn’t bother looking over my shoulder as I had no time to waste. Every step away from the packhouse made my heart beat faster as I set the plan swirling in my mind into motion.As I walked deeper into the woods, it shrouded me in semi-darkness, the tall trees blocking the last rays of sunlight. My fingers brushed the rough bark of a tree as I leaned against it, to take a deep breath and check if I was being followed. I needed to hurry before anyone sees me. What I needed can only be found in the northern borders of the pack.The northern borders weren’t far, but I couldn’t afford to be seen. My movements were fast and sure, rushing between trees, while making sure my steps were quiet.Every snap of a branch or rustle of leaves
Andrew’s POVThe tension in my office was almost a tangible thing, thanks to the presence of another Alpha. Dorian reclined in one of the leather chairs opposite my desk, his posture casual, but his eyes were anything but amused. Mira sat next to him, her legs crossed and her smirk sharp enough, it rubbed me off the wrong way. Behind me, Michael stood like a guard, his arms folded across his chest.The confrontation outside had left a bitter taste in my mouth. My wolves disobeyed me, Elara took a beating and probably hates me—though it’s the least of my concerns. Now, I had to deal with Dorian's smug face in my territory.I didn’t bother with pleasantries. “What’s so urgent that you had to discuss it in private?”Dorian’s smirk widened as if he’d been waiting for me to ask. “Ah, straight to the point. I like that about you, Andrew.”I didn’t respond. My patience was already at its last stretch.“Well,” he drawled, leaning forward, “some weeks ago, you came to my pack and... let’s say,
Andrew’s POVI didn’t answer immediately. Dorian’s smug grin and hidden threats still remained in my mind, but it was Mira’s sharp words about Elara that stuck with me the most. Her malicious tone, the way she spat out the word “Omega” like it was a curse—it had grated against at my very core like nothing had in a while.Michael’s voice broke into my thoughts. “You noticed Mira was the one doing most of the talking, right? Dorian barely had to say a word. She’s like his mouthpiece, stirring the pot while he stays clean.”I nodded, my jaw tightening. “I noticed. It’s a calculated move, as always. Keeps his hands clean while the rest of us are left dealing with the fallout.”Michael shifted in his seat, leaning forward slightly. “Speaking of fallout… why did you let her get under your skin like that?”I frowned, my gaze snapping to his. “What do you mean?”He leaned back again, his tone consciously casual. “I’m talking about Mira and her little comments about Elara. You were ready to bi
Elara’s POVThe first breath I took was like drowning in light.Not air—light. Thick and sharp and everywhere. It filled my lungs, my veins, my mind.Then I came back.And everything hurt.My eyes snapped open. The world rushed in too fast. The ruins. The silence. The blood on my hands. The echo of Andrew’s voice still whispering my name.He was holding me.His arms were wrapped around me like he was afraid I’d disappear again.“Andrew,” I croaked. My voice didn’t sound like mine. It was softer—richer. Like something else had laced itself through me.He jerked back just enough to look at me, his face streaked with blood and ash and tears. His lips parted in a shaky breath.“You’re awake,” he whispered. “Elara, you’re awake—”“I’m okay.” I wasn’t. But I had to say it for him.He exhaled and pressed his forehead to mine. “You scared the hell out of me.”I touched his jaw. “You offered your life.”“I’d do it again.”He kissed me, quick and desperate. It wasn’t gentle. It was real.I clun
Lora’s POVThe world cracked.Not metaphorically. Not in the dreamy, nice and poetic way people say when things fall apart.I mean the altar—centuries old, cursed by blood and time—split down the middle with a sound like the earth itself had screamed.I flinched as shards of stone flew past my face. One grazed my cheek, warm blood sliding down before I could even register the sting. But I didn’t stop moving.“Elara!” I shouted, weaving between the broken stones and bodies. I saw her in Andrew’s arms, limp and deathly still, and something in me nearly shattered too.Not her. Please, not her. She was my best friend and the last thing I wanted was for her losing her life in this wretched place.Then Greg—no, the thing that had been Greg—turned toward me. His eyes weren’t his anymore. Red and empty. His smile too wide, very wrong and completely twisted.My heart pounded, fists clenched. The god had taken him. It had used him.But now?Now even that thing was looking like it wanted to devo
Andrew’s POVThe moment Elara expended her power trying to keep the god locked, it seemed like everything had stopped to focus on this particular moment. I stood screaming her name as she tried to do the impossible. But when I watched her falling, I couldn't take it anymore."Elara!" I tore through the red-glowing haze that had blanketed everything. My feet slammed hard into the ancient steps, sliding as I reached her. She was limp. Her skin had gone pale, almost gray, and her eyes fluttered like she was on the edge of leaving me. “Stay with me, dammit. Elara, breathe.”She didn’t respond. Her lips trembled, breath catching in shallow bursts.The air cracked above us—the sky splitting as the Blood Moon hit its peak. I looked up.And saw it.The gate was open. Not just some door or portal. This was ancient, raw, and alive. It was jagged light framed by black mist, spinning slowly in the heavens above the altar. And from it, something moved, a hand reached out.The forgotten god.Did
Elara's POVThe scream that tore from my throat didn’t feel like mine.It came from somewhere deeper—bone-deep, soul-deep. My back arched against the pulsing altar, and the red light crashing down from the Blood Moon carved through me like I was paper. Everything inside me felt like it was breaking apart. Shattered pieces of a girl who used to be Elara.Then I heard him."Elara!" Andrew’s voice cut through the chaos.I clung to it.The pain was still there, like I was being ripped from the inside out, but I clung to the sound of him. It grounded me. Reminded me of who I was. Of the nights we used to spend togetger as a couple. As mates. Of the way he whispered my name when no one else was listening.I blinked through the red haze and found him kneeling beside me, hands cupping my face. His eyes wide. Terrified. His thumb brushed the tears off my cheeks, and I leaned into the touch like it was the only thing keeping me alive."You’re still here," I choked out."I’m not going anywher
Andrew’s POVThe world went quiet.It shouldn’t have. There was chanting all around me, the sky roaring with thunder, cultists pacing like wolves ready to tear the altar apart. But all I could hear was the sound of her heart breaking.Elara’s eyes were locked on me—pleading, desperate, furious.And I’d faltered.Fates, I’d faltered.The girl beside her—the replacement—was glowing now. Not metaphorically. Literally. The altar pulsed under her knees, and I could feel the magic reaching for her like it had once reached for Elara.This was the moment.One path ended in her survival. The other? Salvation for the rest of the world.I didn’t move.My chest felt like it was splitting in half. The prophecy I didn't know much about seemed not to care who she was. It just needed a vessel. And now it had one.But she wasn’t Elara.“You said you loved her,” Michael’s voice tore through the tension, sharp and shaking. “So act like it.”I blinked.“She’s dying,” Dorian said again from behind me. Cal
Elara’s POVI couldn’t feel my hands.Not because of the chains—they’d long since numbed my wrists. It wasn’t even the dark magic humming through the stone under me, or the pulsing weight of that fake moon bleeding into the sky.It was the woman.Her.The one Dorian dragged in like an offering. The one who looked like me. I didn't know how he managed to do something this sick all on his own but it had my hackles rising.She stumbled, dirt in her hair, blood down one arm. Her eyes met mine—and I saw myself.I froze.My mouth went dry.No.No, no, no. I have to get to the bottom of this.“What is this?” I croaked. My voice was rough, scraped raw from screaming earlier. “Who is she?”Dorian smiled, cold and smooth. “Insurance,” he said. “A vessel the altar will accept willingly.”“She’s not me.” I pointed out trying to figure out exactly was going on.“She’s enough,” he said. “The Blood Moon doesn’t care for names. Only bloodlines. Only sacrifice.”Behind him, Harrow stood silent, arms f
Michael’s POVI’d seen hell before.I’d seen blood-soaked battlefields, the ruins of old packs cursed by forgotten gods, and the aftermath of hunts gone sideways. But nothing—nothing—prepared me for the madness that unfolded once Elara vanished into the altar.One second she was there, blood burning on the stones. The next, the ground split and swallowed her like she’d never existed. Andrew dove after her, but the crack sealed fast—too fast.We stood frozen. Just for a beat.Then the sky changed.A deep rumble rolled across the clouds—slow and hungry. The black above us began to shift, bruising over with a sickly red hue. The true Blood Moon was still weeks off, but what rose above the mountain now? That was no moon. That was an imitation. Something summoned.Kieran raised his hands, shouting incantations in a language I’d only ever know can be found in hidden scrolls and dark books.The cultists around him echoed the words. Voices rising, and twisting like one. If it wasn't for sac
Andrew’s POVI didn’t look at Elara. Not when I heard Kieran say it. Not when that thing that looked like her stepped into the firelight with dead eyes and a mocking smile.Because if I looked at her right then, I might’ve lost the control I’d been holding onto since we stepped into this cursed clearing. And right now, she needed me steady. Not broken.The Gatekeeper. That’s what he called it.But that wasn't Elara—not really. It was a lie dressed in her skin. Some unholy mimic summoned to rattle us before the real bloodbath began.Greg cursed softly behind me, low and venomous.“We need to move,” he muttered. “Now. They’re baiting us.”Kieran was already turning, robes sweeping the earth as he walked back toward the rise of the altar behind him. “Follow,” he called. “Or run. The outcome doesn’t change.”He was right. If we decided to back down, it won't change anything. His men will give chase and he could use some other means to capture Elara.I didn't want to be away from her.I st
Elara’s POVAfter what happened in tombs, Andrew and I managed to escape that place and made it back to our friends.“Are you ok?” The words hadn’t even fully left Andrew’s mouth when a message hit me. Not through the air, not by any messenger, but inside my head, cold and direct.“Join us willingly, and we’ll spare the rest of your pack.”Kieran.I stood frozen in the middle of the shattered cemetery, my boots soaked from the broken ground that still bled magic. Smoke curled in lazy spirals from the scorched edges of the broken seal behind us. The earth trembled, subtle but steady, like it was breathing beneath our feet.I didn’t move. I didn’t speak.Andrew’s hand brushed mine. “What is it?”I met his eyes, hating what I was about to say. “It was Kieran. He’s offering a deal.”Michael spun around from where he was guarding the broken archway behind us. “What kind of deal?”Greg, who hadn’t spoken since we’d forced the cultists back into the tunnels, just narrowed his eyes. I didn’