All Chapters of Beneath the Winter Moon: Chapter 51 - Chapter 60

Leo was never quiet. Not when they were children darting through the halls, not when he was sneaking into the kitchens at midnight, not even when his pranks earned him hours of scolding from their parents. Silence simply didn’t fit him.Which was why Celeste noticed immediately.She sat between her brothers, Calix leaning against the far wall with his arms folded like a sentry, and Leo on the couch at her side, unusually subdued. His dark eyes studied her face as though trying to solve a riddle, but his mouth, always quick with a laugh or a biting remark, stayed shut.“Leo,” Celeste said softly, nudging him with her elbow. “You’re scaring me. You’ve never been this quiet in your life.”That broke him. He barked out a laugh, shaking his head. “I was just thinking… Our little sister, the chosen heir. And now mated to a king. You know, it almost makes sense. Who else could handle you?”Celeste groaned, swatting at his arm. “Oh, don’t you start.”Even Calix’s lips twitched at that, though

** Be advised this chapter contains contents such as nonconsensual moments**The Winters’ great hall was quieter than usual. The fire in the hearth had burned low, but the tension in the air kept the family awake long after the sun rose. Celeste sat at the long table, her brothers flanking her on either side, her parents across.“I can’t keep hiding here,” Celeste said finally, breaking the silence that had stretched for too long. Her voice didn’t tremble, but the weight behind it carried through the room. “With Silas as my mate, with the power Verena and I hold, I can’t pretend shadows will shield us forever. They won’t. They never could.”Her father, Cedric, leaned forward, his hands braced on the table. “Celeste...”But Calix’s voice cut in first, firm and unyielding. “She’s right. Hiding has only brought us loss. If she’s ready to face the world, then we should stand with her, not against her.”Leo, restless as ever, leaned back in his chair but nodded, his tone more biting. “We’v

They hadn’t been in the apartment more than five minutes, and already Victoria was struggling to keep her composure.The four stood in the living room, quiet, composed, and carrying the kind of presence that filled a room without effort. Victoria paced in front of the fireplace, arms crossed tightly over her chest, trying to make sense of what they’d told her.“So let me get this straight,” she said, voice clipped. “Celeste just...felt something? And vanished?”The younger of the two men nodded. “We were talking. She was quiet, but alert. Then she froze. Said something was wrong. That she had to leave. And then she was gone.”“She didn’t explain what was wrong?”“No. Just said she needed to get back to the city. Fast.”Victoria rubbed her forehead, frustration beginning to bubble up beneath her skin. “She should’ve said something. To me. To anyone. She’s been through too much to go running off alone.”“She didn’t seem afraid,” the woman added quietly. “She seemed… certain.”“That’s no

She woke up face-down on cold tile, her cheek pressed into a smear of wine and blood.Everything hurt.Her arms trembled as she pushed herself upright, the motion jarring pain through her ribs. The dim glow of a broken chandelier flickered above her, casting jagged shadows across the torn remnants of what had once been a carefully arranged dinner.The wine was still staining the carpet. One glass overturned. One untouched.Blair blinked slowly, her vision swimming. Her dress was ruined, torn at the sleeve, the bodice twisted. Her hair clung to her cheek, damp with sweat and shame.Silas was gone.So was the wolf girl.And she had failed.She pressed a hand to her mouth, fighting back the sudden surge of nausea. Her body ached, not from impact, not from magic, but from humiliation. She had come so close. So close to finishing it. To claiming him. To taking what she believed should have been hers.Instead, she’d been left behind like a discarded thing.Her fingers shook as she tried to

The following morning arrived crisp and clear, the weight of what lay ahead hanging heavier than the frost on the windowpanes. The day before had been spent in quiet preparation, planning, reviewing, and sharpening the message they would deliver.The soft calm of the morning held no laughter, only the steady hum of purpose. The Council meeting loomed, and the apartment had fallen into a quiet rhythm of readiness, pressed jackets, reviewed plans, silent prayers. No one had to say it out loud: today could change everything.Silas stood in front of the long mirror near his wardrobe, adjusting the cuffs of his dark jacket with practiced ease. The collar was buttoned high to conceal the mark at his neck, though he could still feel its warmth under his skin. He didn’t dare show it. Not yet.Victoria stepped into the room next, already dressed in her sleek, tailored suit. Her heels tapped against the floor, her expression sharp with focus. She’d been up early, organizing notes, reviewing the