Kieran’s POV
“What is it, Damon?” I ask, matching his brisk pace down the corridor. “I can’t explain. Just… see for yourself,” he mutters, and opens my office door. Sitting inside like she owns the place is Aubrey. I step in fast and shut the door behind me. “Hi, KieKie,” she greets with that sickly-sweet voice she’s always used when she’s up to something. “Aubrey.” I keep my face blank. “Want to explain the little resurrection trick you pulled?” “That’s actually why I’m here,” she says, all fake innocence and fluttering lashes. “Or maybe I should see how many times you can do it,” I snap, feeling my anger spike and the familiar red haze start to cloud my vision. “Just hear her out,” Damon says, placing a calming hand on my shoulder. I don’t answer. “I know about the war,” she begins. I scoff. “You and eveKieran’s POVMy vision floods crimson.There’s only one thing that triggers the blood-rage this quickly—betrayal."For future reference," I growl, voice clipped with fury, "you inform me before you invite anyone to a council meeting, Elder Cameron. This meeting is adjourned."The room falls into stunned silence, everyone too afraid to move, too wary to breathe wrong. Elder Cameron looks like he might faint."Really? It's like that now?" a voice drawls behind me, oozing insolence. I don't have to turn to know who it is.Maven.I storm out of the temple, and he follows casually like he owns the ground he walks on."What are you doing here?" I grit through my teeth, my body vibrating with fury I barely contain."War's brewing, cousin. Everyone's coming together now, right?" he says with a crooked grin, tossing a glance at Lucien. "Lucien, my man. Long time."Lucien doesn't respond. Smart.My anger sharpens with each step toward the pack house. My cousin hasn't shown his face in over a de
Zoey’s POV“Thank you for joining us on this most joyous occasion,” Anders says, his voice echoing through a room I don’t recognize. A place I’ve never seen before, but somehow it feels familiar in a bone-deep way. The scent of burning herbs and moonflowers wafts through the air, mixing with the electric tension of something sacred.The room is overflowing with people, all beaming, dressed in ceremonial robes. There’s an unnatural stillness to their expressions, their smiles too wide, too perfect—like mannequins in a dream.On the stage with Anders stand Aubrey, Kieran, and Damon.They all wear the same bright, unsettling smiles.But it’s Kieran who nearly knocks the breath out of me. His smile is blinding, radiant. He looks like he’s exactly where he’s always wanted to be. His joy is so palpable it hurts to look at.And his hand is locked with Aubrey’s.“This is the claiming ritual for my daughter, Aubrey, and the Alpha King, Alpha Kieran,” Anders continues, his voice a proud tremor.
Kieran’s POV“Your timing is impeccable,” Ragnar says sarcastically in my head. “You really know how to pick ‘em.”Not now.“You can’t really be upset by her answer,” he adds, his tone sobering.I’m not upset.“Tell that to your clenched fist.”I look down. Sure enough, the muscles in my hand are tight, veins bulging like I’ve just returned from battle. Ragnar retreats quietly, satisfied with the truth he’s unearthed.Zoey’s breaths have evened out upstairs—slow and deep now, like waves lapping against the shore. I linger in the silence a while longer, but eventually force myself down to the kitchen. The floorboards creak beneath my feet, the only sound in the darkened hallway.Behind the counter, Lucien stands hunched over his phone, brow furrowed in concentration. I haven’t seen him this lost in that screen since...well, not since before everything changed.“How did that go?” he asks, not looking up.I don’t respond. I grab a water from the fridge and twist the cap with a little too
Zoey’s POV I don’t know where I’m going as I burst out of the cabin. The air is cold against my skin, sharp like reality slapping me back into the world, but my legs move with a purpose my mind can’t grasp. I’m not running from something. I’m running to something. Raven’s office. My feet lead me there before I even realize it, past guards and staff who stare and whisper but don’t stop me. Maybe they sense the energy rippling off me. Maybe they know better. The moment I reach her office door, I don’t knock. I push it open. It’s empty. Relief washes over me, swift and staggering. I crumble the moment I step inside, the door clicking shut behind me. My knees hit the floor hard, and sobs rip through me like tidal waves. My chest tightens with each breath until I can barely suck in any air. The room spins, the floor beneath me trembling. Then I feel it—my skin glowing again, softly at first, then brighter as my cries intensify. The tremor deepens. Dust dances in the air. Somewhere
Kieran’s POV As she stumbles out of the cabin, I can’t bring myself to follow her. I wouldn’t even know what to say… “She didn’t do that,” Lucien defends. “I know, but if she did, it would be an accident,” Anders clarifies. “She didn’t do it,” I repeat, more firmly this time, like saying it out loud will make it more real, more true. “I’m sure,” Anders says with a shrug, “but without proof, we don’t know anything for certain.” “Guys, what is this?” Raven interrupts, her eyes locked onto the worn out pages of the book she’s holding. She reads aloud slowly, voice full of unease and awe: “Though they walk alone, the Fates sometimes bind them to a Half—a male counterpart bearing only a portion of the divine flame. Yet only one can awaken the full force of the Moonborn. Her true equal. The Supreme Half. When the sacred bond is sealed—marked and
Zoey’s POV “We have two months to the war,” a voice says. The world around me is pitch black, but the voices pierce through the void like beams of light. “Phase One is already in motion. She won’t fail,” another voice answers calmly, coldly. “What about him? Is he ready yet?” “He’s been preparing for this his whole life. He’s ready. We’ll begin the ritual a week before the war.” “Good. Kieran’s downfall is around the corner… and my rise is all but certain.” Suddenly, air rushes back into my lungs like a crashing wave. I jolt upright, coughing, gasping for breath. My surroundings spin and blur, but as they come into focus, I realize I’m in the den of Anders’ cabin. My limbs tremble. My body feels weak—fragile, like it did when I was an Omega at Arrow Heart Pack. I brace myself against the wall, dragging my aching body up the creaky staircase, each step a battle. Voices drift toward me from above. “…she killed her parents during one of her episodes,” someone says. The words s