Share

Chapter 61: Shadows

last update Last Updated: 2025-04-21 07:19:18
POV: Rhett

I woke before dawn, a hum of unease crawling beneath my skin. It wasn’t the usual stress of leadership or the weight of politics pressing down on me. No, this was different. This was dread.

I didn’t even make it to the war room before Brandon intercepted me in the hallway. His face was pale, his jaw clenched.

“It’s Jonas,” he said.

Jonas, the emissary from Crescent Ridge. Sharp. Steady. Loyal to the cause, if not to me.

“Where?”

“Behind the barracks. You’ll want to see this.”

We moved through the thick morning mist in silence. The compound was quiet, save for the distant cry of a crow. One for death. Two for trouble. I remembered my grandmother saying that once.

Jonas lay in the clearing, and one look told me everything.

Not just murder. Ritual.

His chest had been carved open with sickening precision. Symbols burned into his flesh pulsed faintly—demonic, like the ones Aurelia had described. There was no blood. No sign of a struggle. As if he’d gone willingly.

Or been taken i
Seraphina Belladona

Hi, are you enjoying this book? Consider leaving me a review or comments. Thank you for reading.

| Like
Continue to read this book for free
Scan code to download App
Locked Chapter

Related chapters

  • Whispers of Frost and Fire   Chapter 62: Echoes

    POV: AureliaI woke up feeling strangely rested, as if the chaos of yesterday hadn’t left its mark. But it had. A warrior from another pack had been murdered inside our borders, and his chest was carved open, a demon mark left behind. And last night, I dreamt again.No, not a dream.The demon spoke to me.It felt too vivid, too real. Like it was no longer bound to the other side but slipping into this world… into mine.And then Rhett showed up. Like a knight in dark armor, he held me through the night. I’d fallen asleep in his arms and somehow ended up in my bed this morning. Ares was home. So was Mom, if the smell of bacon coming from the kitchen was anything to go by.Today, I needed normalcy.Breakfast with the family. Morning practice. After training, I went home, worked on some new jewelry, then walked to Market Street to drop them off at one of the shops that sold my work. I even considered expanding and maybe start selling online or even in human markets. Crazy, right?The sun d

    Last Updated : 2025-04-22
  • Whispers of Frost and Fire   Chapter 63: Survivor

    The demon's grip tightened. The pressure was excruciating. I could not move, and I could not fill my lungs with air anymore.My ribs cracked, at least one of them did. I couldn't scream. Couldn’t move. The heat scorched through me, blistering my skin. I was suffocating, burning, and breaking.This is it, I thought.This is how I die.But just as the world began to fade into nothingnessI heard her.A voice. Fierce. Wild. Mine but not mine.“You will not kill us.”A sharp pain tore through my chest, not from the demon, but from within. It was like lightning cracked open my soul. My head snapped back, eyes wide, and my whole body exploded with a blinding white light.The demon howled.Frost spread across its hand and arm. The cold energized me; it was me as another surge came through my body.All the frustration, the weakness, the fear, it all exploded and dissipated in an explosion. As the demon’s hand shattered into a million pieces. It roared in agony. I fell hard onto the stone ste

    Last Updated : 2025-04-24
  • Whispers of Frost and Fire   Chapter 64: Wolf

    "Hi," I said timidly.She stood before me, tall, radiant, cloaked in fur as white as snow with eyes like garnets, glowing from within. My wolf. She was... like me."I have been waiting for this moment," she said. Her voice was regal, calm, and ancient. "I am Alba, descendant of the goddess Kheimon, first of my kind. High Priestess of Winter.""Is that who we are?" I asked, my voice trembling with awe. "High Priestess of Winter?""Yes, young one. That is who we are. Do you not feel our power?""I do," I whispered. "I felt it... when we attacked the demon."Only then did I look around us. We stood in what looked like the middle of a frozen ocean. Ice stretched in every direction, flawless and glistening, with no land in sight. Above us, the sky was glowing with soft, golden light, ethereal, energizing. Peaceful. Magical."Yes, we wounded that demon," she said."I thought we killed it. It turned to smoke after our attack.""To kill a demon requires more than drawing its blood," she said

    Last Updated : 2025-04-28
  • Whispers of Frost and Fire   Chapter 65: Jerry

    Jerry’s POVI woke up at 4 a.m. The sky outside was still dark and quiet. My body moved through its routine without thought—wake up, hit the gym, spar with one of the warriors. Then breakfast. Then the office. I had to process payroll before the banks opened. Running a pack isn’t for the faint of heart.My lovely mate was still sleeping. She enjoys her mornings slow, and I’m okay with that. Jeremy, on the other hand, was also asleep, and that I wasn’t okay with. He should be up with me, getting his discipline set. Instead, he was still floating in the honeymoon phase with his new mate.A gamma is not a bad match for an alpha. But he gave up a beta-blooded female with high priestess potential. Fated mate or not, he made a political mistake. That kind of bond could have brought strength to the pack—especially with these demon attacks getting worse.My own fated mate died in a rogue attack before we had a chance to mate. I chose another, Jeremy’s mother. Chosen mates are just as good, s

    Last Updated : 2025-05-01
  • Whispers of Frost and Fire   Chapter 66: Beta

    Ares’ POV“Come on, Snow. You gotta get up,” I muttered to my sister, nudging her lightly. Two days. She’d slept for two whole days. Again. And I was over it.A groan came from the bed. I let out a breath. Well, that was better than the coma-like state she’d been in before.“Stop being a sleepyhead. I need you to wake up. We all need you,” I said, softer this time.The door creaked open behind me. “Has she moved or said anything?” Alpha Rhett asked.I didn’t even bother to hide my eye-roll. I didn’t care what anyone said—it was obvious he cared for her way more than any normal pack member. What Alpha spend two days straight sitting in someone’s hospital room?“She groaned,” I replied.“You should take a break. I’m here—I’ll watch over her.”Didn’t sound like I had a choice.“Sure. I’ll go get something to eat. Thanks,” I said, getting up.I stepped out of the room but didn’t walk away. I lingered by the small hallway window, peeking through the gaps in the blinds. I watched as Alpha

    Last Updated : 2025-05-02
  • Whispers of Frost and Fire   Chapter 67: Sister

    Aurelia’s POVLight. Bright, blinding light.I blinked once. Twice. A million times.It took me a while to adjust to my surroundings. The hum of machines. Distant voices. A window overlooking a beautiful stretch of forest. I was in the pack’s hospital.“We don’t need a hospital. We can heal ourselves. We were just sleeping it off.”Wait—who was that? “Are you serious? Alba, hello?!”My wolf. My wolf!“Yes, you do. And you’re lucky, human, to be soul-bound with me.”“Alba! How are we even talking? Do I just... think at you?”“Yes. Like we’re doing now.”I felt sore. “How long have we been in this bed?”“A couple of days, I think.”This wasn’t the first time I’d overslept something major.“Your body’s adjusting. A new wolf, me, and a strong one at that. Beautiful, too. Plus, your goddess-given power.”“Hold up. How do you know you’re powerful and beautiful? And... power?”“I can feel it. And yes, your magic. But first, let’s go for a run.”“Let me get up first, then we’ll see about

    Last Updated : 2025-05-03
  • Whispers of Frost and Fire   Chapter 68: Anxiety

    Aurelia’s POVAs we ran through the forest, feeling the wind rush past us and the soft earth and fine grass under our paws, I felt free, truly, deeply free.Then I heard a shuffle in the bushes. My ears perked up; my body tensed. A rogue? A demon? I scanned the trees.Something large moved to my right, a blur in the corner of my vision. I spun around, but it vanished. Then, behind me. My heart pounded.And then…“Scared?” A voice asked in my mind, but it wasn’t Alba’s.“No. We’re waiting for you to stop your prank and show yourself,” Alba said sharply.“Here I am.”From the shadows, a massive black wolf emerged, Alpha Rhett’s wolf.“Alpha, it is nice to meet you. I am Alba,” my wolf greeted.“I am Rhys,” he replied. So that was his name, Rhys. His wolf.“Is this your first run?”“Yes. The attack left no time to explore. But here we are, finally enjoying this beautiful place.”“Let me not hold you back then.”We dipped our heads in acknowledgment and took off again. I noticed Rhys fa

    Last Updated : 2025-05-04
  • Whispers of Frost and Fire   Chapter 69: Feelings

    Aurelia’s POVEvening brought our usual routine: dinner, cards, then stargazing on the porch with warm tea. It was comforting and predictable. Mom, Brandon, and I had settled into it like clockwork. Alpha Rhett used to join us often, especially after night training, but ever since Ares came to visit, his appearances had slowed.Tonight, the chair he usually took remained empty.And I felt it.“Cards?” Brandon offered, shuffling the deck.“I’ll skip tonight,” I said, rising too quickly. My skin itched with something I couldn’t name—anxious energy that refused to settle. There was a hollowness in my chest, and at the same time, a strange pulling sensation, like something—or someone—was missing.Alba, what is this?I don’t know, she answered softly. But I feel it too. A restlessness. Like our soul is searching for something it already knows.That night, I tossed and turned, lost in icy dreams—blizzards roaring through endless mountains, frost curling across stone like veins, a deep hum

    Last Updated : 2025-05-07

Latest chapter

  • Whispers of Frost and Fire   Chapter 69: Feelings

    Aurelia’s POVEvening brought our usual routine: dinner, cards, then stargazing on the porch with warm tea. It was comforting and predictable. Mom, Brandon, and I had settled into it like clockwork. Alpha Rhett used to join us often, especially after night training, but ever since Ares came to visit, his appearances had slowed.Tonight, the chair he usually took remained empty.And I felt it.“Cards?” Brandon offered, shuffling the deck.“I’ll skip tonight,” I said, rising too quickly. My skin itched with something I couldn’t name—anxious energy that refused to settle. There was a hollowness in my chest, and at the same time, a strange pulling sensation, like something—or someone—was missing.Alba, what is this?I don’t know, she answered softly. But I feel it too. A restlessness. Like our soul is searching for something it already knows.That night, I tossed and turned, lost in icy dreams—blizzards roaring through endless mountains, frost curling across stone like veins, a deep hum

  • Whispers of Frost and Fire   Chapter 68: Anxiety

    Aurelia’s POVAs we ran through the forest, feeling the wind rush past us and the soft earth and fine grass under our paws, I felt free, truly, deeply free.Then I heard a shuffle in the bushes. My ears perked up; my body tensed. A rogue? A demon? I scanned the trees.Something large moved to my right, a blur in the corner of my vision. I spun around, but it vanished. Then, behind me. My heart pounded.And then…“Scared?” A voice asked in my mind, but it wasn’t Alba’s.“No. We’re waiting for you to stop your prank and show yourself,” Alba said sharply.“Here I am.”From the shadows, a massive black wolf emerged, Alpha Rhett’s wolf.“Alpha, it is nice to meet you. I am Alba,” my wolf greeted.“I am Rhys,” he replied. So that was his name, Rhys. His wolf.“Is this your first run?”“Yes. The attack left no time to explore. But here we are, finally enjoying this beautiful place.”“Let me not hold you back then.”We dipped our heads in acknowledgment and took off again. I noticed Rhys fa

  • Whispers of Frost and Fire   Chapter 67: Sister

    Aurelia’s POVLight. Bright, blinding light.I blinked once. Twice. A million times.It took me a while to adjust to my surroundings. The hum of machines. Distant voices. A window overlooking a beautiful stretch of forest. I was in the pack’s hospital.“We don’t need a hospital. We can heal ourselves. We were just sleeping it off.”Wait—who was that? “Are you serious? Alba, hello?!”My wolf. My wolf!“Yes, you do. And you’re lucky, human, to be soul-bound with me.”“Alba! How are we even talking? Do I just... think at you?”“Yes. Like we’re doing now.”I felt sore. “How long have we been in this bed?”“A couple of days, I think.”This wasn’t the first time I’d overslept something major.“Your body’s adjusting. A new wolf, me, and a strong one at that. Beautiful, too. Plus, your goddess-given power.”“Hold up. How do you know you’re powerful and beautiful? And... power?”“I can feel it. And yes, your magic. But first, let’s go for a run.”“Let me get up first, then we’ll see about

  • Whispers of Frost and Fire   Chapter 66: Beta

    Ares’ POV“Come on, Snow. You gotta get up,” I muttered to my sister, nudging her lightly. Two days. She’d slept for two whole days. Again. And I was over it.A groan came from the bed. I let out a breath. Well, that was better than the coma-like state she’d been in before.“Stop being a sleepyhead. I need you to wake up. We all need you,” I said, softer this time.The door creaked open behind me. “Has she moved or said anything?” Alpha Rhett asked.I didn’t even bother to hide my eye-roll. I didn’t care what anyone said—it was obvious he cared for her way more than any normal pack member. What Alpha spend two days straight sitting in someone’s hospital room?“She groaned,” I replied.“You should take a break. I’m here—I’ll watch over her.”Didn’t sound like I had a choice.“Sure. I’ll go get something to eat. Thanks,” I said, getting up.I stepped out of the room but didn’t walk away. I lingered by the small hallway window, peeking through the gaps in the blinds. I watched as Alpha

  • Whispers of Frost and Fire   Chapter 65: Jerry

    Jerry’s POVI woke up at 4 a.m. The sky outside was still dark and quiet. My body moved through its routine without thought—wake up, hit the gym, spar with one of the warriors. Then breakfast. Then the office. I had to process payroll before the banks opened. Running a pack isn’t for the faint of heart.My lovely mate was still sleeping. She enjoys her mornings slow, and I’m okay with that. Jeremy, on the other hand, was also asleep, and that I wasn’t okay with. He should be up with me, getting his discipline set. Instead, he was still floating in the honeymoon phase with his new mate.A gamma is not a bad match for an alpha. But he gave up a beta-blooded female with high priestess potential. Fated mate or not, he made a political mistake. That kind of bond could have brought strength to the pack—especially with these demon attacks getting worse.My own fated mate died in a rogue attack before we had a chance to mate. I chose another, Jeremy’s mother. Chosen mates are just as good, s

  • Whispers of Frost and Fire   Chapter 64: Wolf

    "Hi," I said timidly.She stood before me, tall, radiant, cloaked in fur as white as snow with eyes like garnets, glowing from within. My wolf. She was... like me."I have been waiting for this moment," she said. Her voice was regal, calm, and ancient. "I am Alba, descendant of the goddess Kheimon, first of my kind. High Priestess of Winter.""Is that who we are?" I asked, my voice trembling with awe. "High Priestess of Winter?""Yes, young one. That is who we are. Do you not feel our power?""I do," I whispered. "I felt it... when we attacked the demon."Only then did I look around us. We stood in what looked like the middle of a frozen ocean. Ice stretched in every direction, flawless and glistening, with no land in sight. Above us, the sky was glowing with soft, golden light, ethereal, energizing. Peaceful. Magical."Yes, we wounded that demon," she said."I thought we killed it. It turned to smoke after our attack.""To kill a demon requires more than drawing its blood," she said

  • Whispers of Frost and Fire   Chapter 63: Survivor

    The demon's grip tightened. The pressure was excruciating. I could not move, and I could not fill my lungs with air anymore.My ribs cracked, at least one of them did. I couldn't scream. Couldn’t move. The heat scorched through me, blistering my skin. I was suffocating, burning, and breaking.This is it, I thought.This is how I die.But just as the world began to fade into nothingnessI heard her.A voice. Fierce. Wild. Mine but not mine.“You will not kill us.”A sharp pain tore through my chest, not from the demon, but from within. It was like lightning cracked open my soul. My head snapped back, eyes wide, and my whole body exploded with a blinding white light.The demon howled.Frost spread across its hand and arm. The cold energized me; it was me as another surge came through my body.All the frustration, the weakness, the fear, it all exploded and dissipated in an explosion. As the demon’s hand shattered into a million pieces. It roared in agony. I fell hard onto the stone ste

  • Whispers of Frost and Fire   Chapter 62: Echoes

    POV: AureliaI woke up feeling strangely rested, as if the chaos of yesterday hadn’t left its mark. But it had. A warrior from another pack had been murdered inside our borders, and his chest was carved open, a demon mark left behind. And last night, I dreamt again.No, not a dream.The demon spoke to me.It felt too vivid, too real. Like it was no longer bound to the other side but slipping into this world… into mine.And then Rhett showed up. Like a knight in dark armor, he held me through the night. I’d fallen asleep in his arms and somehow ended up in my bed this morning. Ares was home. So was Mom, if the smell of bacon coming from the kitchen was anything to go by.Today, I needed normalcy.Breakfast with the family. Morning practice. After training, I went home, worked on some new jewelry, then walked to Market Street to drop them off at one of the shops that sold my work. I even considered expanding and maybe start selling online or even in human markets. Crazy, right?The sun d

  • Whispers of Frost and Fire   Chapter 61: Shadows

    POV: RhettI woke before dawn, a hum of unease crawling beneath my skin. It wasn’t the usual stress of leadership or the weight of politics pressing down on me. No, this was different. This was dread.I didn’t even make it to the war room before Brandon intercepted me in the hallway. His face was pale, his jaw clenched.“It’s Jonas,” he said.Jonas, the emissary from Crescent Ridge. Sharp. Steady. Loyal to the cause, if not to me.“Where?”“Behind the barracks. You’ll want to see this.”We moved through the thick morning mist in silence. The compound was quiet, save for the distant cry of a crow. One for death. Two for trouble. I remembered my grandmother saying that once.Jonas lay in the clearing, and one look told me everything.Not just murder. Ritual.His chest had been carved open with sickening precision. Symbols burned into his flesh pulsed faintly—demonic, like the ones Aurelia had described. There was no blood. No sign of a struggle. As if he’d gone willingly.Or been taken i

Explore and read good novels for free
Free access to a vast number of good novels on GoodNovel app. Download the books you like and read anywhere & anytime.
Read books for free on the app
SCAN CODE TO READ ON APP
DMCA.com Protection Status