All Chapters of The Last Noctari : Chapter 1 - Chapter 5

The Moonstone Temple sits at the edge of Brightmane territory, its white walls glowing soft and silver under the two moons. I have never been here before.I have never been anywhere outside the Stonefang borders. But tonight, all twelve packs are gathering, and even someone like me can't stay hidden.I press my back against a cold stone pillar and try to disappear.Wolves fill the courtyard around me. They're wearing their best leathers, their fur brushed until it shines. Alphas stand tall with their Betas close behind them.Warriors show off fresh scars like they're trophies. Everyone's laughing, talking loud and sure of themselves. They belong here. I don't.I pull my healer's cloak tighter around my shoulders. The rough brown fabric marks me as low rank — useful, but not important. No one looks at me twice. That's exactly how I like it.Nyssa finds me within minutes. She always does."There you are," she says, her curly black hair bouncing as she rushes over. Her golden-brown eyes

By the time I finish with the fourth wolf, my hands won't stop shaking.Every healing is the same and different all at once. I press my palm to torn skin, and the world tips sideways, and I fall into someone else's pain like it's a river with no bottom. I see a woman drowning in her own memory of a spear through her side.I see a boy no older than twelve, curled around a wound that should have killed him, whispering his mother's name into the dark. Each time, I pull the poison out thread by thread, and each time, a little more of me goes with it."You should rest," Nyssa says, gripping my elbow as I sway on my feet. "You've done six. Voss can wait for the rest.""I don't think Voss waits for anything," I say, and even that small joke costs me more than it should.Two more slabs. Two more wolves gray-skinned and barely breathing. I kneel beside the next one, a woman with braided hair and a jaw clenched tight even in sleep, and I place my hand against her chest before I can talk myself

I don't sleep again after that.I sit by the fire with a blanket wrapped around me, watching the flames, trying not to see the burning palace every time I blink. Nyssa dozes off next to me even though she keeps saying she won't. I tell her I'm fine. I'm not fine. I just don't know how to say what I actually am instead.Morning comes, and there's a knock before I even get a chance to fall apart properly."Come in," I say. My voice is wrecked.A man walks in. Broad shoulders, dark blond hair cut short, green eyes that check the whole room before they land on me. Black and silver uniform. He looks like someone who's used to people doing what he says."Torin Ashveil," he says. "Captain of the guard. I'm handling your protection.""Lucky me."His mouth twitches. Not quite a smile. "You don't sound thrilled.""Should I be? Everybody keeps talking about protecting me like it's a gift. Feels a lot more like being watched.""Could be both," he says, and it's basically what Draeven said last ni