Mina POV - Mina’s hands worried over her dress, smoothing the pale blue fabric until every non-existent crease was perfectly flat. She liked to think her mother had chosen the dress to match her eyes, but she knew better than that. It was the pack’s colours, and a Legacy Luna must always represent her pack. Just like she should stand tall, she should smile but not too much, she should be feminine but not a pushover. She should be perfect. Mina caught sight of her reflection in a nearby window, and made the small adjustments needed, as if she could feel her mother’s sharp words correcting her form. There. Perfect. Anything less would be used to tear her apart at the Luna court. “Presenting Williamina Skye, future Luna of the Clear Blue pack.” A voice beyond the large oak door called out to the hall of the nation's most powerful wolves. A snort to her left jerked her head as if he had grabbed her chin and yanked it himself. She speared Alastor with a glare that silenced hi

Mina POV - Jitters fanned out from her fingertips to her toes. It took everything in Mina to keep herself still as the Hayre family piled into the packhouse hall, forming an orderly group at its centre. Owen would be among them; the thought stirring her stomach with a bubbling excitement that threatened to release the biggest smile she had ever worn. That feeling had been there since the moment she woke up. Something special had awakened inside her, a light giddy feeling that made her want to rush to Owen and feel the mate bond take root within them. Of course, the Luna had stopped her. This time, even Sam was on their mother’s side, instructing the guards to turn away any wolf until after the choosing event had taken place. They were sticklers for traditions, and there was no greater tradition than the next Luna finding her first mate among the protector family. Though the entire pack already knew who her mate would be, it was an act of honour to officially recognise the mate bo

Mina POV-The silence and peace of her bedroom was welcomed after her birthday party. Despite asking the Luna to cancel it, it went ahead, and her attendance was mandatory. Though it was a small affair, the private celebratory dinner dragged. Its atmosphere was far from joyous. A stiffness hung in the air, centering on the newly mated pair forced together at the head of the table. Alastor hadn’t spoken a word to her the entire evening, but no one addressed the chill between them. The reason was as obvious as the Luna’s attempt to pretend it wasn’t there. Though, Mina wondered if his behaviour was much different from usual. The elder Hayre sibling didn’t often speak to her or spend much time in her presence. They only mingled when he was working, or when she spent time at Owen’s house. She wasn’t sure she had even been alone with the man. There had never been a reason to. He had always just been Owen’s older brother. He had never invited anything beyond that to form between them, no

Mina POV - Dread pooled within her gut. Mina turned to Owen, desperately taking a step towards her friend. He took a step back. “Owen?” Her voice cracked, her hand reaching for him, but he jerked away. He was pale, a sickly colour, his eyes flitting to his father. Oliver must’ve mindlinked him the contents of the letter while she had read it. “It isn’t true. You have to believe me.” She went to take another step towards her friend, but his father blocked her path. “Yet the only wolves who could verify that are either dead or unconscious.” He stepped towards her. There weren’t many wolves that Mina would retreat from, but the head of the Hayre family was one of them. “You got here before everyone else.” He stated, stepping forward again. “I couldn’t sleep.” “You’re covered in the Luna’s blood.” At the mere mention, her fists clenched, her stomach turning at the sticky heat of her mother’s blood coating them. “I was trying to save her.” Mina’s voice shook. “She s

Alastor POV - The late hour made it difficult to find a safe place to stay, so Alastor didn’t take Mina far. Though they were now rogues, he knew the territory around the Clear Blue pack and chose to stay close. On first look, the flat land didn’t leave many places to take cover, especially when he wanted to stay hidden from the pack and the wilderness alike. However, he knew every divot and weave of the land and found a slight hill that would cover their position and give him a wide view of the open space. It wasn’t perfect, but it would have to do until morning. Thankfully, the rest of the evening was quiet, but Alastor moved at first light. Mina was still sleeping, so he carried her again, taking her far away from the place that broke her. As an accomplished member of the Hayre family, he had travelled more than most, accompanying the Luna and his father on trips from the territory. He had made friends in other packs, building his own connections to wolves over the nation. A fe