MasukAimee's POVThe castle was recovering slowly, and pack members were starting to return to their homes. The healers stayed working through the night on the injured warriors, while the maids scrubbed every room the oracle had cleared, and by the second morning back, it almost smelled like the old days again.Almost.I wanted to hold onto the warmth of what we had won, to stay present in it, but Reine's absence was like a bad omen I couldn't just ignore.The third morning back in Moonstone, I took a walk on the castle grounds and found myself in the garden. It was the only place in the castle that looked as if the dark forces hadn't touched it at all. The roses were overgrown from neglect for weeks, but at least they were still there. I was pulling weeds out from around the base of the closest bed when Sera appeared at the garden entrance.She looked better than the last time I had seen her. The healer had kept her for a full day and released her just that morning. She was still pale and
Lucien's POVReclaiming the pack wasn't what I thought it would be.I had spent nights in the forest camp imagining what it would feel like to walk back through these doors, but now, as I stepped into the main hall, I just felt quiet and numb.The castle was still structurally sound, but the war had left its mark. The furniture was destroyed, and it was a mess everywhere. The smell of those devilish watchdogs still clung to the walls, making Shadow's nose curl.The maids emerged slowly as word spread that the pack had returned. Some were tearful. Some stood very still in the hallways as though they needed a moment to believe it. I recognized most of them and told each one directly that they were safe.But one maid I did not recognize.She appeared in the corridor outside the dining hall while Alec and I were going over the status of the grounds. Young, slight, dark hair pinned back from a face that carried a weird expression. She bowed immediately."Alpha. I am glad you have returned.
Lucien’s PovThe forest blurred past me in streaks of dark and silver.Shadow ran with full force and I didn't bother to hold him back. This battle was too high staked to hold anything back right now. The future of my pack was at stake, and I would not fail them as their alpha, and Shadow understood this too.Menae ran beside us.I had never seen anything like it in all my years. She moved through the dark forest like lightning, white and fluid and utterly silent, her paws barely disturbing the ground beneath them. Every time Shadow glanced at her the bond between them flared, it was like they merged and moved together like something combined. Something the dark lord had never had to contend with before.The warriors spread out behind us in a wide formation. Damon held the left flank with six of our strongest fighters. Isaac anchored the right. Alec ran closest to me on my left, his brown wolf keeping pace without effort, as steady as he had always been in every battle we had fought t
Lucien’s POVAfter Cassandra disappeared, I stood behind that tree for a long time, long after the sound of her footsteps faded and the forest claimed her. I allowed her walk away. I did not move. I just stood there seething with anger with that single image burning behind my eyes.Cassandra.I've known her since we were kids. I trusted her like I would trust my own sister, and I knew she loved me, but even though I never returned the feelings, the familiarity between us should have commanded some form of loyalty, but she destroyed even that.She had given them everything. The battle documents, the maps of our weak points, the hidden routes through the pack's outer walls that only those closest to me knew about. I had spent weeks wondering how the dark forces had known exactly where to strike, exactly which pressure points to press and which warriors to target first. Now I knew.It was her.Shadow growled low in my chest, a slow and dangerous sound like a tremor building beneath the e
Lucien's POV I knew she was scared for our well-being. I too was scared as to what might be waiting for us when he got close to the pack. With each step we took, I could feel the dark aura of the dark forces all around the forest.It was thanks to the moon goddess that it did not spread to where we were able to camp. I knew what we were about to do was risky and we could not bring everyone with us so we did not gather much attention from anyone if any attack ensued, it meant we would not be able to protect ourselves very well.We walked a distance before we finally decided to stop. Our present location was at the peak of the aura of the dark forces. The aura was sucking up most of our energy. We had not worked for a while but it felt like we did and that was not good.So this was the plan. This was a way to weaken us so we would not be able to attack and defeat them. The dark Lord knows that he is no match for us. Our wolves were strong and with just a single bite they would die. Th
Aimee's POV A part of me told me I had made a mistake by using my powers to heal him when I was down but another part of me questioned why I would sit and watch my mate die. I could not sit and watch Lucien die.He was my life. Even if I died, he needed to live for his people, for Reine. With me, I doubted we would be able to save them. Lucien was the alpha. He had trained most of his life for this so if I could save him I took that chance.For two days, my entire body felt like I was hit and was under a truck. I could not move nor could I open my eyes. I was conscious but still, I could not do anything. I could still remember what I did last before falling unconscious and wanted to see him. I wanted to be sure that it worked but I could not do that.When I finally opened my eyes, I jumped out of bed and instantly regretted it. I still felt really weak. When I was finally able to move and taken to him, he was still unconscious. I waited for days for him to wake up but he was growing
Aimee’s POV“Wake up, sleepyhead,” I heard Reine’s voice say, making me groan in frustrationI turned to the other side as I muttered, “A few more minutes”I heard her chuckle. “Should I call Lucien here? I’m sure he can easily get you out of bed,” she joked, and I fluttered my eyes open and then turne
Lucien’s POVThe moment I set my eyes on her after so long, Shadow and I could not contain ourselves. It had been weeks since we saw her. I was almost losing my cool when the Oracle informed us of her being ready to come back home.It was everything and I was happy about this. I wanted to come then an
Aimee’s POVMy head ached as I turned to the side. It felt like I had strained myself, but the only thing I did was a little practice. The memory of meeting the Moon goddess flashed in my head, making me snap my eyes open and sit up almost immediately.I regretted doing that because it felt as though
Aimee’s POVI stared at her for a couple of minutes after she spoke without saying a word. “How did his parents die? I know they died, but no one has said anything else about their death,” I told her“Not many had healed from what happened, but that’s not my story to tell,” she told meShe stared at me







