All Chapters of Marked By Midnight : Chapter 41 - Chapter 50

Lunessa’s POVI walked through the night until my legs could barely carry me. My feet throbbed, every step away from him felt like I was peeling off a piece of myself.The veil that once hid my face now lay crumpled in my bag. I shifted into wolf form, and Due took the bag between her teeth, her silent presence grounding me as we moved through unfamiliar woods.By the time dawn broke, we had reached the outer edges of a small pack. Due shifted behind a cluster of trees, and I dressed in a plain simple gown from the bag, nothing that hinted at royalty or Lunahood.I wandered into the town’s open market and found a lonely bench near a bakery. I sat with my arms wrapped tightly around myself, the early morning chill sinking deep into my skin, right down to my soul.I hadn’t slept or cried. I just existed.By morning pack members began to emerge, traders, vendors, elders. I kept my head down, hugging myself tighter. I stood eventually and found a small grocery stall. With shaking hands, I

Lunessa’s POVAfter my bath, I changed into one of the dresses I had packed, simple and soft, nothing elaborate. Just as I was brushing out my damp hair, the door creaked open and a woman stepped in.She wore a faded grey shirt neatly tucked into a forest-green flared skirt. A weathered apron hugged her waist, and atop her head sat a slightly crooked chef’s cap that looked like it had seen years of flour and love.She gave a polite nod, a warm smile resting on her face as she walked in with a wooden tray balanced gracefully in her hands.The sight of her made my heart ache just a little, I missed Mira. Her precision, her quiet elegance, but this woman had something else: home. She radiated calm, the kind that didn't need to impress.The food was simple but nourishing, fragrant soup, fresh-baked bread still warm to the touch, slices of juicy fruit, and a thick, tender piece of steak. This wasn’t the refined cuisine I was used to, but it tasted good, like something made without haste or

Lunessa’s POVTwo weeks passed, and though the ache in my chest hadn’t dulled, I’d slowly begun settling into my new environment.My uncle, Alpha Thorne Alaric, as I’d come to know, had been treating me with nothing but gentle kindness. No doubt, he felt more like the father I never had than just a relative.I found him in the courtyard weaving a mat by hand, fingers working the straw with steady ease. One would never think he was an Alpha. He bore no crown of arrogance, no air of entitlement. Though he wasn’t a royal Alpha, his humility set him apart.“Can I help you?” I asked, approaching.He looked up with a warm smile. “Sit, dear. But this work is for me. The straws are thick and stubborn, wouldn’t want you hurting those soft hands.”I giggled and sank down beside him, plucking a ripe fruit from the woven basket near his feet. One thing about this pack, they had the freshest fruits in abundance, growing wild and sweet in every corner.“I spoke to the pack’s doctor,” he said as he

Lunessa's POV Life had settled into a rhythm, gentle, almost too quiet, but I often caught myself staring at the photos on my phone. Pictures of Azrik and me.For what it’s worth, those moments felt real and genuine. Some of the best days of my life, even now. I had discarded the number tied to that life, there was no way for him to reach me anymore, even if he tried.The only reason I powered the phone was to look at the photographs, my mother’s smile, Azrik’s gaze, frozen in time. A memory I both clung to and tried to forget.I had a new number now, but no one to call. I wasn’t a social media person to begin with. Isolation had always been my comfort, long before it became my sentence.The following month, the Kaerwyn Line began to arrive, one by one.It wasn’t quite the ritual I imagined. My uncle had called it a ‘family ritual,’ but it was more of a gathering, a quiet reunion of a dwindling bloodline. Still, they came, more than I expected. A handful, yes, but warm and vibrant,

Azrik’s POV“No, it doesn’t make sense,” I muttered, pressing my fingers against my temple.“It actually does,” Draven countered. “You said your wolf was fighting you that night. What else could make Dowen that aggressive?”I buried my face in my hands, frustration thick in my chest. I reached out to Dowen through the mind link.‘Dowen, what else can you tell me about that night?’ I asked.‘Oh, now you want to listen?’ he sneered.‘I don’t have time for games,’ I snapped.‘I only see through your eyes, Azrik. When you black out, I do too. All I remember is her energy was dark. I felt repulsed,’ he explained.‘Damn it. I should’ve listened,’ I hissed.‘Then stop sulking and start figuring out who did it, and why she left,’ he said sharply.He was right. I opened my eyes and turned to Mira.“Mira,” I said slowly, “you’re certain you saw me alone that night? And no one came into my room at midnight?”“I’m sure, Alpha,” she answered with a slight bow. “After the full moon, every staff mem