Tous les chapitres de : Chapitre 21 - Chapitre 30

The afternoon sun hung over the village, casting lazy shadows through the lace curtains of the modest kitchen. Lunch had been a hurried affair—simple stew with fresh bread, the kind that filled the belly but left the heart yearning for more.Selena scraped the last bits from her bowl, her mind already racing ahead, a whirlwind of excuses and secrets churning in her gut. Lydia, her mother, hummed softly as she wiped her mouth, oblivious to the storm brewing in her daughter's eyes.No sooner had the plates clattered into the sink than Selena was on her feet, water splashing as she attacked the dishes with frantic vigor. Her hands moved like lightning, scrubbing, rinsing, stacking—then darting to the dining table to fold napkins and align chairs with military precision.The kitchen counters gleamed under her assault, every spice jar placed back into place, every crumb banished. Time was her enemy, ticking away with each second she lingered.In her haste, she rushed past Lydia, who was ri

Lydia lingered by the door after Ryker's left, her fingers twisting the hem of her apron. The evening sun shines through the windows, casting warm pools on the wooden floor, but a chill of unspoken worry clung to her.She turned to Selena, who was already moving toward the kitchen, and paused. 'Wait, love—before we dive into lunch. You asked for that scent-masking herb earlier, didn't you? For your... Hunting herbs or whatever you called it.'Selena froze mid-step, her pulse quickening at the reminder. 'Oh, right. Yeah, Ma. Thanks.' Lydia pressed the small clay jar into her hand, the earthy aroma wafting up—clover and pine, strong enough to dull even the sharpest trails.'Be careful out there,' Lydia murmured, her eyes searching Selena's face. 'The woods can play tricks on a young wolf's mind.'Selena nodded, forcing a casual smile as she tucked the jar away. They settled at the table, the spread of bread, cheese, and stew steaming invitingly. But as Lydia reached for the ladle, Selen

In Elian’s room—a modest space in the guest wing, far from Kael's opulent quarters—and barred the door. The bed beckoned, linens crisp and smelling faintly of lavender from the castle's laundresses. Elian sank onto it, staring at the ceiling's carved vines. The full moon loomed tomorrow night, the Blood Moon trial waiting to test him. And somewhere, in their village home, his mother and sister fretted over letters and scents. I hope the herb holds, he whispered to the empty air, before fatigue dragged him under—or so it seemed.Meanwhile, in the king's solar, Kael paced like a caged wolf. Ryker had returned from his errand to the silvermist home, the beta's broad frame filling the doorway as he handed over a sealed parchment. 'From the village, sire. Lydia's reply, swift as promised. The scent mask is enclosed—strong brew, by the smell.'Kael snatched it, breaking the wax seal without a word. Elian's mother's script flowed across the page: reassurances of health, prayers for the trial

The weight of the castle's stone walls pressed heavier on me with each passing hour, the full moon's approach like a distant drumbeat in my veins. I couldn't shake the ache for home—not the opulent chambers Kael had given me, but the simple wooden hut where Ma's herbs dried by the hearth and Selena's laughter echoed through the rafters. The letter from them had been a lifeline, but reading their words only deepened the longing. I needed to see them, to feel their arms around me before the Blood Moon trial tore everything apart.I found Kael with Ryker, discussing his voice a low, steady rumble that commanded attention. He spoke with an unnerving calm, his posture radiating controled.The air smelled of his musky scent, which always made my pulse stutter. 'Kael,' I said softly, stepping closer despite the knot of nerves in my stomach. 'I... I want to visit my family. Just for a little while. Before the moon rises.'His red-tinged eyes snapped to mine, sharp as the edge he honed. 'No.' T

The afternoon sun shines through the thatched roof of our hut, casting warm, dappled patterns on the worn wooden floor. Time slipped by in a haze of shared stories and quiet laughter, the kind that mended the frayed edges of my heart. Ma recounted tales of my childhood mischief—how I'd once tried to 'rescue' a squirrel from the river only to end up soaked and sputtering—while Selena teased me about my clumsy attempts at weaving baskets. For those precious hours, the looming full moon felt distant, a silver specter I could almost ignore. But beneath the surface, nervousness coiled tight in my stomach, a constant hum that made my fingers tremble as I stirred the pot of stew. The full moon nights were upon us, each one a trial by fire for someone like me, marked and bound to a king whose world was as vast and unforgiving as the night sky.My thoughts wandered, unbidden, to Kael. What was he doing now, in that echoing castle? Pacing the throne room with that restless energy I'd glimpsed in