LOGINYara's POV The silk of Yulia's gown whispered against my skin as I walked through the corridors toward the kitchen. It was a deep emerald green; it used to make me stop and stare when I saw her wearing it. Now it was mine. Her entire wardrobe was mine, actually. Every dress and every delicate piece of jewelry she'd hoarded like a dragon guarding treasure. I ran my fingers along the fabric as I walked, feeling the smooth texture beneath my fingertips. It felt expensive. It felt powerful. It felt like everything I'd ever wanted. The kitchen was bustling when I stepped through the doorway. Steam rose from pots on the stove, and the smell of roasting meat filled the air. Slaves moved back and forth carrying trays and chopping vegetables, their heads down and their hands busy. But the moment I walked in, everything stopped. One by one, heads turned in my direction. Knives paused mid-chop and the entire room went silent as every single person stared at me. I enjoyed their shocked sta
Raven's POV "What are you doing here?" Liam's voice was hoarse and strained as his eyes darted between me and the men standing behind me. "And why are there so many people with you?" "We're here to rescue you from Ramsey," I replied, stepping closer to him. "We're getting you out of here." His face twisted in confusion and he opened his mouth to ask another question, but Leo stepped forward before he could speak. "I don't mean to interrupt, but we're really out of time." One of the other men nodded immediately. "The guards caught the decoy team. We need to move now." I listened closely, straining to hear what was happening above us. I heard the faint sound of battle echoed through the stone walls. Growls, snarls and the snap of teeth. I could smell blood, thick and cloying against my throat. People were getting hurt up there. Quickly, I turned back to Liam. "I know you're in a lot of pain, but we really have to go now. I'll answer all your questions later, I promise." Leo and
Raven's POV When the bell rang for the shift of guards, we were all in position. I lifted two fingers. The decoy unit peeled off immediately, moving north without a word. One of them gave me a look as he passed by. “Fifteen minutes,” he murmured. "We'll be done in fifteen minutes." “Make it count." I replied, and then they were gone. I turned the other way and started to move towards the tunnel, as the tunnel team fell in behind me. Twelve of us. We slipped through the east-side entrance one by one. The stone door that led into the tunnel was already cracked open from earlier, hidden behind a stack of unused crates. The moment I stepped inside, the air became cooler and damp, and I shivered instinctively. Someone behind me pulled the door closed again, slowly, until the light narrowed to a thin blade and then disappeared. “No talking, okay? We need to be as silent as possible” I said quietly, more out of habit than need. Everyone nodded anyway. We moved in pairs just like we
Raven's POV I was still awake when the sky started to pale. I hadn’t slept. Not really. I’d laid there, staring at the ceiling, counting breaths, listening to the pack house settle and creak, waiting for exhaustion to knock me out the way it usually did, but it never came. Every time my eyes closed, my thoughts jumped straight back to Jaxon in a cage somewhere I couldn’t reach yet, to Liam chained underground, to Ramsey sitting in my husband’s seat like he belonged there, and the fear kept my nerves buzzing. I didn’t want to admit it, even to myself, but I was terrified. Even though I already had a plan on what to do to rescue Liam, I was still terrified out of my mind. By the time I stepped out of the pack house, the world felt distant to me. The field was empty when I got there, damp with morning dew, and I just stood there for a moment with my arms loose at my sides, staring at the packed dirt around me. “Luna Raven.” The voice came from behind me, and when I turned, Leo w
Raven's POV Sleep eluded me on the night that Ramsey made that proposal to me. I just couldn't believe my ears, that a man would be so bold as to approach his brother's wife with such a topic. But then, knowing the precedence that he has set with Jaxon's first mate, it all made sense to me. At the crack of dawn, I was already up and dressed, heading towards the training field. If Ramsey and his mother and the Council of Elders were not going to give me what I wanted, then I would go to the warriors of Night Howler's Pack and demand it. The training field looked like a funeral when I walked in. Because it was still early morning, the grounds were half-empty. The weapons were clattering half-heartedly, warriors moving like they’d rather be anywhere else. Ramsey’s stink was all over it. I spotted a kid I used to train: Leo, who was still too skinny for his sword. He nearly dropped it when I called out. “Where is Jude?” He wouldn’t meet my eyes. “He is at border duty. Alpha Ramsey r
Ramsey’s POV "Be my wife." I whispered into her ears. Raven's eyes widened, and for the first time since I met her, she lost her composure. “You can’t be serious,” she whispered. “Oh, I am,” I replied, enjoying the look of horror on her face. “If you want to have any real say in this pack, it must be as my wife. Otherwise, you’re just a widow-in-waiting.” She huffed out an angry breath. “Jaxon is alive. I don’t care what you or your council says. I’ll save him and when I do, you’ll all regret this.” The way she said his name grated at me; it was the same way Rachael used to call his name, with love and devotion. Jaxon. Always Jaxon. I sighed and gave a non-committal shrug. “Well, you’ll find nothing but a grave. And while you chase shadows, the pack will move on with me as their leader. Or with us, whichever you choose.” She laughed bitterly and stepped back. “Us? There will never be an ‘us.’ I’d rather burn than share a bed with you!” Her words annoyed me, but I kept my fac
Raven’s POV The second I did so, I knew I caught the man off guard. He barely blocked the first strike: my palm slammed into his chest, making him stumble backward. His eyes flared with surprise as if he hadn’t expected me to actually go through with it. What did he think I was here for? A chat?
Raven's POV He yanked my frame into his solid chest, digging his hands into my hair to move my head so that he could deepen the angle of our kiss. I wanted to touch every corner of his mouth with my tongue. He slowly pulled back, leaned down and breathed on my neck gently, stirring my hair. I si
Yara's POV My arms were sore as I carted Luna Yulia's laundry down the staircase, but I had no choice but to carry it myself. My body ached from the head down. Marren’s cane har left its marks three days ago. I could still feel every single one of them.By the time I reached the courtyard, I was a
Raven's POV Halfway to my bedchamber, I stopped in my tracks. I could hear voices coming from the linen room. They were low, female and far too familiar. I didn’t want to eavesdrop, but the words floated so clearly through the cracked door of the room that I couldn’t help but hear them. "She doe







