LOGIN"You haven't slept in three days."Rowan's voice was gentle but firm as he entered my study. The candle had burned low, its flame flickering against the darkness outside. I was surrounded by papers—treaty drafts, supply manifests, letters from pack leaders across the kingdom."I'll sleep when the work is done.""The work is never done. That's the point." He crossed the room and gently took the quill from my hand. "You ended a war without a battle. You negotiated peace with a wolf who wanted to destroy you. You've earned one night of rest."I wanted to argue. But he was right. My body ached, my mind was foggy, and the words on the pages were starting to blur together."Fine," I said. "One night."He helped me to my feet, his arm steady around my waist. The bond between us hummed, warm and comforting."The kingdom will survive without you for a few hours," he murmured."It always does. But I worry.""I know. That's what makes you a good Queen."The next morning, I woke to sunlight strea
"You want to do what?"Victor's voice was sharp with disbelief. We stood in the war room, the maps spread across the table, the enemy army visible through the windows. The siege had lasted three days. The wolves were scared. The supplies were running low."I want to negotiate," I said."Negotiate? With the Architect? The wolf who's trying to destroy everything we've built?""Yes.""Selene, that's insane.""Maybe. But it's also our best chance." I looked at the map, at the thousands of wolves surrounding the city. "We can't fight them. We don't have the numbers. We don't have the supplies. But we do have something they don't.""What's that?""Hope."The council chamber was silent as I explained my plan."The Architect is smart. Patient. They've been planning this for years. But they've made one mistake—they've underestimated me. They think I'm weak without the Silver Flame. They think I'm just a Queen with no power.""And you want to prove them wrong?" Helena asked."I want to show the
"The scouts have returned. They found something."Brenna's voice was grim as she entered the council chamber. We'd waited hours, poring over maps and intelligence reports. The eastern territories were still unstable, the rogue attacks continuing despite our increased patrols."What did they find?" I asked."A camp. Hidden in the mountains. It's not just rogues—there are wolves in uniform. Trained soldiers. They're organizing something.""Show me."She spread a map across the table and pointed to a location deep in the eastern mountains. "Here. It's remote. Difficult to reach. But the scouts got close enough to see what's happening.""And what is happening?""They're building an army. Not just rogues—wolves from every corner of the kingdom. Mercenaries. Displaced soldiers. Wolves who've lost everything and are looking for someone to follow.""The Architect," I said quietly."Has to be. No one else could organize something this big this quickly."I studied the map, my mind racing. An ar
"You're pushing yourself too hard. The wound hasn't fully healed."Mira's voice was stern as she examined my shoulder. The bite mark was healing—slowly, thanks to the loss of the Silver Flame—but it still ached. Still reminded me of how close I'd come to death."I have work to do," I said. "The Greymoor villagers need homes. The northern camps need supplies. The kingdom doesn't stop because I'm injured.""The kingdom will survive if you take a few days to rest." She paused. "You're not the Silver Queen anymore, Selene. You can't heal yourself with a thought. You have to take care of your body.""I know." I sighed. "I'm trying.""Try harder."The next morning, I received an unexpected visitor."Your Majesty, there's a wolf here to see you. She says she's a healer from the eastern territories. She claims to have information about the rogue attacks.""Send her in."The wolf who entered was young—barely out of her teens—with dark hair and haunted eyes. She bowed deeply."My name is Sera.
"We need to leave. Now."Rhea's voice was sharp with urgency as she burst into the cottage we'd been using as our base. The morning light was pale, the village still quiet. But her face was pale with fear."What's wrong?" I asked, setting down the bread I'd been eating."Scouts report a large rogue band moving through the eastern hills. At least a hundred wolves. They're heading this way."Rowan was on his feet instantly. "How much time do we have?""A few hours. Maybe less."I looked at Garrick, who'd been listening from the corner. The old wolf's face was grim."We can't defend the village," he said quietly. "We don't have warriors. The walls. We barely have enough food to survive.""Then we don't defend. We evacuate." I turned to Rhea. "How many wolves can we move?""Everyone, if we start now. The pass is clear. We can get them to the capital in three days.""Then we move. Now."The evacuation was chaotic.Villagers grabbed what they could—clothes, food, precious keepsakes. They we
"There's a village in the eastern hills. It's not on any map. The wolves there have been cut off from the kingdom for decades."Ivy's voice was urgent as she entered the garden. I was kneeling among the roses, pruning the dead blooms. The morning sun was warm on my shoulders."Cut off? How?""A landslide blocked the only pass twenty years ago. The village—Greymoor—was declared abandoned. But scouts report smoke from chimneys. Wolves are still living there. Surviving."I set down my shears. "Why didn't anyone tell me?""Because no one knew. The village was forgotten. Your father didn't care. The council didn't care. But the scouts I sent to map the eastern territories found it by accident."I stood, brushing dirt from my hands. "We need to help them.""Selene, it's a three-day journey through rough terrain. And you're not... you don't have the Flame anymore.""I don't need the Flame to help wolves. I need supplies. Workers. Determination." I met her eyes. "Send word to the council. We'







