Rush proved to be a man of his word. As nightfall descended, he returned to Bloodmoon with his formidable army of rogues. Amani and her Betas were left speechless, clearly seeing that Rush had not exaggerated his influence in the Rogue Lands. It was evident he had rallied every capable Lycan from the entire territory. Hundreds of thousands of rogues arrived with Rush, ready to stand against the Alpha King. “Did I deliver or did I deliver?” Rush asked, his smirk broadening as he raised his hands in a questioning gesture. Amani exhaled in astonishment. “I must admit, I am quite impressed. Everyone is aware of the terms required to fight with Bloodmoon?” In response, Rush did not speak. Instead, he knelt on one knee and placed his fist over his heart. A moment later, Kaleb followed suit, kneeling with equal respect. Then, like a ripple across a vast sea, the entire army of rogues dropped to their knees in unison, declaring Amani as their Alpha. Amani never imagined she would see the da
The day started like any other for the two elderly gentlemen lounging by the riverbank, their fishing rods lazily cast into the calm waters. The sun was warm, and the gentle breeze carried the scent of pine and earth. They came here often, always catching a good batch to grill for dinner, the rhythmic ripples of the river a familiar and soothing sight.But this time, the ripples revealed something far more ominous than a fish. The water trembled, and soon the ground beneath them did too. At first, they thought it was a distant stampede, perhaps wild horses rushing through the forest. Yet what burst from the tree line was not hooves, but paws—hundreds, thousands of them—thundering toward the riverbank. Their breath caught in their throats as they realized this was no ordinary stampede. It was an army of wolves, led by a creature of legend—the most formidable she-wolf the world had ever known.Amani steered the charge, her powerful muscles propelling her as she leapt effortlessly over t
The Conference Hall was alive with the clatter of cutlery and the low hum of conversation as the Alphas of the Pack Lands gathered for a hearty breakfast. The air was thick with the scent of sizzling meats and fresh bread, but even thicker was the tension. None of the Alphas dared to object to Malakai's plan to merge his pack with Amani’s—likely due to the silent challenge in his fierce gaze, daring anyone to oppose him.Malakai had just begun to address the growing concerns about the Rogue Lands when the door flew open. Marquis, his father’s head guard, stormed in, his expression grave.“Your Majesty, forgive the interruption, but we have a situation,” Marquis announced, his voice tight with urgency.The King frowned, irritation flashing in his eyes. “Can this not wait? We’re in the middle of an important meeting.”Marquis took a breath, his words heavy with the weight of bad news. “Your Majesty… Blackclaw has been invaded. The entire western border and surrounding cities are under s
“Daniela…” Steven whispered urgently as he pulled her into a secluded tent. “…I wasn’t trying to eavesdrop, but you won’t believe what I just overheard.”“What is it?” Daniela asked, her curiosity piqued.Steven glanced outside, ensuring no one was within earshot. “Amani is pregnant.”“What?!” Daniela gasped, her voice rising in shock.“Shhh… keep it down,” Steven urged, his tone tense. “No one is supposed to know… not even us.”Daniela began to pace the confined space, her hands trembling as she ran them through her hair. “And she’s still planning to go through with this war, knowing she’s with child?” “I overheard her tell Maggie and the Betas that she’d inform Prince Malakai,” Steven said, his voice filled with concern. “He’ll surely do everything in his power to stop it before it escalates.”“But what if that’s not enough for Amani?” Daniela said, her mind racing. “She’s determined to kill the King, Steven. What if she doesn’t tell the Prince? Being pregnant makes her vulnerable,
Amani burst from the tent, collapsing to her hands and knees on the grass as she retched violently. The sight of Terrence’s lifeless body hanging from the chains was a blow to her gut.Malakai rushed to her side, his hand gently resting on her back, his touch a calming presence amidst her turmoil. “Amani…?”She raised her hand, a silent plea for a moment to compose herself. She took a shuddering breath, forcing the bile back down as she tried to regain control. She had never wished death on anyone—except perhaps, the King. But now, as the bile of despair rose in her throat, the notion of killing him felt hollow. It wouldn’t erase the pain in her heart, and it certainly wouldn’t restore what she had lost. She wanted justice, not vengeance; to see the King held accountable for his heinous crimes and to stop the cycle of suffering inflicted by his corruption.“Are you alright, Amani?” Malakai asked gently.“No… I’m not alright,” she replied, turning to face him with a mix of frustration
The moment Malakai entered the Conference Hall, the air grew heavy with tension, every eye locking onto him with consternation. “What’s the verdict, Prince Malakai?” Alpha Dale of the Swiftwater Pack asked, his voice cutting through the silence. “Is she pulling her troops out of Blackclaw?” Malakai’s gaze swept the room before he responded. “No, she’s not.” The King, unfazed, leaned forward, a cold smirk playing on his lips. “Very well then. This won’t be the first time I’ve sent some trifling rogues to their demise, and it won’t be the last. Members of the Council, assemble the army—we’re going to war.” “Not so fast,” Malakai interjected, his tone laced with a quiet, simmering intensity. “There are some serious allegations against you, Father.” The room fell into an oppressive silence, every breath seeming to hold still. “Amani obtained a confession from Terrence Kramer, the head of shipments and trade. He claimed that you ordered him to poison an entire shipment of food meant for
Amani’s mind raced as Daniela laid bare the dark, twisted history of the late Queen Marie’s death. She knew the King was a malevolent man, but to hear that he was capable of murdering his own mate sent a chill through her bones.“Daniela,” Amani’s voice was a mere whisper, laced with disbelief, “are you absolutely certain these accusations are true? How do we know Queen Cara wasn’t just spinning a web of lies?”Daniela’s eyes hardened with conviction. “It’s not just her words, Amani. It’s the burden she carries. You can see it in her eyes—the weight of years spent harboring that dark secret. Queen Cara didn’t just hear about it; she was part of the cover-up. Why else do you think she became Luna Queen? King Zander could have chosen anyone, yet he married a woman he can’t even bear to sit beside. It was a trade—a lifelong alliance between their families, sealed by her father’s help in cleaning up the King’s crime. The price of silence was her ascension to the throne. That’s the truth s
“What does it say?” Amani inquired, her voice taut as Kaleb unraveled the note from the blue jay.“They arrested the Queen,” Kaleb replied, his tone heavy with concern.“Are you kidding me?!” Amani exclaimed, disbelief turning into anger.Kaleb’s eyes narrowed as he added, “Damn it, the entire Council could be corrupt for all we know.”Amani began pacing the tent, her nails biting into her lips as she wrestled with her thoughts. “This is all my fault… I never should have asked her to stand alone. I should’ve had her flee here to me… I could have protected her!”“This isn’t your fault, Amani,” Archer interjected, glancing at the note from Rush. “There’s a standoff between Malakai and his father. Malakai is awaiting our arrival.”“If we step foot in that palace, it’ll be war,” Amani murmured, the weight of the actuality pressing down on her.“Isn’t that what we came here for?” Kaleb raised.“No… I mean yes. But, if I can prevent more unnecessary deaths, I’ll do everything in my power to