Tous les chapitres de : Chapitre 21 - Chapitre 30

Ryker’s P.O.VI didn’t speak immediately after Zara’s confession. I watched her intently. Measured her. Not as an Alpha assessing a subject—but as a man trying to understand a decision that could either save his life or end it.She had chosen me. Not with words, but with action. And in my world, action was the only truth that mattered. I unfolded the paper again, my gaze lingering on the single line.Deliver this to the Alpha.A simple command but nothing about it was simple.“They want confirmation,” I said quietly. “Confirmation of what?” Zara said with a frown.“That they can reach me.” my golden eyes lifted to hers. “And that you’re still under their control.”“I’m not.” she answered immediately, with a sharp edge.My voice remained calm. “No. You’re not. But they need to believe you are.”Silence settled between us, this time, understanding dawned slowly in her eyes.“You want me to play along,” she said.“I need you to,” I corrected.Her gaze hardened. “That puts me deeper ins

Ryker’s P.O.V The war chamber smelled of ink, steel, and anticipation. I stood at the head of the obsidian table, my hands braced against its polished surface as candlelight flickered across the maps spread before me. Red markings carved through parchment like wounds—false routes, phantom convoys, and strategic choke points designed to lure the Covenant into my grasp. Everything was in place. Everything—except certainty. “They’ll take the bait,” Beta Caden said, his voice steady but cautious. I didn’t look up before ditching a response. “They already have.” Caden studied me briefly. “You trust her that much?” My golden eyes finally lifted, sharp and unwavering. “Yes.” Silence followed—heavy, contemplative. “Trust is expensive, Alpha,” Caden murmured. “And betrayal is cheaper than loyalty.” My jaw tightened slightly. “Zara has had more opportunities to betray me than to prove herself. Yet she stands at my side.” “That doesn’t mean she isn’t being used.” “No,” I sai

Zara’s P.O.V The fortress trembled with the sound of war. Steel clashed against steel. Wolves snarled. The metallic scent of blood seeped into the air, thick and suffocating. Screams echoed across the courtyard as chaos unfolded beneath a sky painted in violent shades of dawn. I stood at the center of it all. Unmoving. Unflinching. Unbreakable. I had opened the gates. Not as a traitor, but as bait. And now, the trap had sprung. “Hold the eastern flank!” Beta Caden roared, his voice cutting through the frenzy. Warriors surged forward, their blades flashing beneath the rising sun. Covenant assassins, once hidden among the pack, now revealed their true allegiance, their serpent insignias glinting like venomous promises. My pulse thundered. This was my doing. This war. This reckoning. A shadow lunged from my left. Instinct took over. I pivoted sharply, my dagger slicing through the air. The blade found flesh, and the attacker collapsed with a strangled gasp. I didn’t hesitate, I

Zara’s P.O.V Grief had a scent. It smelled like old parchment and dried lavender. I sat at the edge of my bed, staring at the worn leather journal resting in my lap. The cover was cracked with age, its corners softened by years of handling. Faint floral notes lingered between its pages—the same scent my sister had always carried. Mia. My chest tightened at the thought. For years, I had been unable to open the journal. It had remained hidden among my few possessions, untouched and sacred, like a relic of a life I had lost. But tonight was different. Tonight, grief had given way to purpose. A soft knock broke the silence. “Come in,” I said quietly. The door opened, and Ryker stepped inside. Moonlight framed his broad silhouette, casting silver along the edges of his dark attire. His golden eyes settled on the journal with quiet understanding. “You found it,” he said. I nodded. “I’ve had it all along. I just didn’t have the courage to read it.” Ryker approached slowly. “You

Zara’s P.O.V The forest did not let us leave easily. Silverwood whispered behind us as we rode through its winding paths, the echo of ancient magic lingering in the air. The sanctuary of Elarion had collapsed, sealing its secrets beneath stone and dust but its truth remained alive within me. Within my heart. Within my blood. And within the prophecy that now pulsed through my mind like a second heartbeat. I tightened my grip on the reins as my horse thundered along the narrow trail. Moonlight filtered through the canopy, painting the world in silver and shadow. Beside me rode Ryker. I could feel him without looking. His presence was a steady flame within my soul—warm, grounding, unyielding. The mate bond stirred with every breath, its pull growing stronger with each passing moment. Alive. Awake. Unavoidable. “Are you all right?” Ryker asked softly. I nodded, though my pulse raced. “I don’t know what I am anymore.” His golden eyes softened. “You’re still Zara.” I glance