جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 30

Kaelen’s POVI move through the trees with Thorne and two scouts flanking me, every sense stretched tight. The moon is full above us, bleeding pale light over the pines. The scent of damp earth mixes with something sharp— unfamiliar.Shadow wolves.I don’t need the scouts’ trembling voices to know it. Rael’s elite. The ones who don’t breathe loud, who kill before sound catches up to them.“Tracks lead north,” Thorne murmurs beside me, crouching low. “But they don’t bother hiding their scent. They want to be found.”My jaw tightens. “Then we’ll give them what they came for.”Behind us, the rustle of footsteps catches my ear. I turn.Selene.Wrapped in a dark cloak, face pale under the moonlight, stubborn fire still burning in her eyes despite the exhaustion written all over her body.“I told you to stay in the safehouse,” I said quietly.“I’m not hiding while your pack bleeds for me,” she replies, voice steady though her fingers tremble. “Rael sent them to me, but I won’t let him take

Kaelen’s POV“Kaelen…” Her voice is a broken whisper, ragged and soft. “It hurts… please, I… I can’t—”I tighten my arms around her, holding her close. My claws dig into the fabric of the blanket beneath her, but I don’t care. I’ll endure every scratch, every tear, every second of this if it keeps her from falling apart. “Shh… I’m here,” I murmur, pressing my forehead against hers. “I won’t let him touch you. Not you. Not the child. Not ever.”Her hands clutch at my chest, nails digging into my skin, leaving little red marks. I can feel the heat of the mark through her veins, pulsing violently. My heart aches at the sight—at the knowledge that this is Rael’s doing. That he’s tethered her soul to his with dark, forbidden magic.She gasps, collapsing against me, and I hear her whimper. “Kaelen… if… if you… if you touch me… I might—”“Don’t you dare say that,” I growl, voice low and dangerous. I brush my fingers over her hair, tucking strands behind her ear. “You won’t die tonight. Not f

Kaelen’s POVThe first light of dawn barely touches the horizon when I stand atop the ridge overlooking our territory. The air smells of wet earth, blood, and smoke. Even before the sun rises, the forest trembles with movement — our warriors, Silver Fang and Crimson Moon alike, readying themselves for what I fear will be the hardest battle of my life.I run a hand through my hair, trying to steady the tightness in my chest. My pack surrounds me, armor clinking, fangs bared, eyes sharp. But even this strength feels fragile compared to the fear gnawing at me. Not for myself — never that — but for her. Selene.I can feel her even before I see her. Not in the physical sense, but through the bond that’s always been between us, pulsing faintly under her skin. And I know something is wrong. The warmth I usually feel is twisted now, burning like wildfire.“She’s awake,” I murmur to Thorne, who stands at my side. “How is she holding up?”“She’s insisting,” Thorne says, his jaw tight. “Insisti

Selene’s POVKaelen’s voice cuts through the storm. “Hold the line!”I see him ahead of me—his silver fur streaked with crimson, his eyes wild and bright with command. The Alpha inside him roars with strength that shakes the ground, but I feel something darker moving beneath that strength. It's Rael’s presence pressing against my mind like a shadow creeping through light.Then it happens.A massive Shadow Guard leaps from the fog, claws coated in dark light. Its strength isn’t natural—it moves like a puppet, faster, sharper, possessed. It’s aiming for Kaelen’s throat.“No!”The word rips from me as I run. Power stirs beneath my skin, pulsing like a storm breaking free. My hands glow faintly, a soft silver light that turns sharp and fierce. I don’t think before my instinct takes over, I just throw myself between them.The Shadow Guard’s claws slice through the air. My magic bursts outward, forming a shield of pure energy. The impact sends shockwaves across the clearing, scattering dir

Kaelen’s POVI stand on the ridge overlooking the valley, the sky split open by a bleeding red moon. Its light stains the mist, painting the world in the color of warning. Wolves move below — my wolves sharpening blades, shifting into form, growling low. The air reeks of fear and iron.Rael is coming. I can feel it in the way the ground shakes, in the way the wind tastes of ash. His power stretches like a storm over the horizon.Behind me, I hear footsteps — light, careful, but uneven.“Kaelen,” Aeris whispers, her voice frayed from exhaustion. “The healer says… you need to see her.”I nod once and turn away from the ridge. My chest feels heavier than any armor I’ve ever worn.Inside the safehouse, the air is thick with herbs and smoke. Selene lies on the bed, pale and trembling, her skin damp with sweat. The mark on her shoulder flickers weakly, glowing then fading like a dying ember.I kneel beside her, brushing a strand of hair from her face. Her eyes open slowly, and for a second,