Novel-novel oleh E. ANATE

Scarlett's POV"The personal ownership challenge was filed three days ago," I told Dominic the moment I closed the study door. "And it was not today, and not after the Elder session. It was three days ago. Morrow moved before Baas was even removed."Dominic turned from the window.Then I crossed to the desk and put Zara's information down in front of him. All of it. The three instruments, the timeline, and the subsidiary name from the unknown number's message.He read it standing up without sitting. He picked up each page, read it, put it down, and picked up the next one. No visible reaction while he read. Just his eyes moving across the information, and he was shaking tremendously. And when he finished, he went straight to the map."Tell me the third front again," he directed, his finger moving across the eastern boundary. "The welfare investigation and the timeline.""Twenty-one days from filing," I answered. "Human government inspectors, territory governance review. The community

ZARA'S POV"Baas has been in contact with Morrow's team for four months," I told her. "But before the contact started, there was an intermediary. Someone who introduced Morrow's people to Baas and vouched for the arrangement." I paused. "I heard Baas on his phone six weeks ago. He was not calling Morrow directly. He was confirming two additional instruments to Morrow's team through the intermediary."Scarlett's eyes sharpened but she did not move."The first instrument," I continued, "is a challenge to Dominic's personal land ownership documentation. Not the pack's territorial claim, his personal claim. The original documentation that predates the pack's formal establishment by several years." I held her gaze. "If that documentation can be contested, it creates a gap in the ownership chain that Morrow can use to argue the pack's territorial claim was never properly founded.""And the second?” Scarlett pressed, leaning forward slightly."A welfare investigation," I told her. "Filed thr

ZARA'S POV"Baas has been in contact with Morrow's team for four months," I told her. "But before the contact started, there was an intermediary. Someone who introduced Morrow's people to Baas and vouched for the arrangement." I paused. "I heard Baas on his phone six weeks ago. He was not calling Morrow directly. He was confirming two additional instruments to Morrow's team through the intermediary."Scarlett's eyes sharpened but she did not move."The first instrument," I continued, "is a challenge to Dominic's personal land ownership documentation. Not the pack's territorial claim, his personal claim. The original documentation that predates the pack's formal establishment by several years." I held her gaze. "If that documentation can be contested, it creates a gap in the ownership chain that Morrow can use to argue the pack's territorial claim was never properly founded.""And the second?” Scarlett pressed, leaning forward slightly."A welfare investigation," I told her. "Filed thr

ZARA'S POV"Baas has been in contact with Morrow's team for four months," I told her. "But before the contact started, there was an intermediary. Someone who introduced Morrow's people to Baas and vouched for the arrangement." I paused. "I heard Baas on his phone six weeks ago. He was not calling Morrow directly. He was confirming two additional instruments to Morrow's team through the intermediary."Scarlett's eyes sharpened but she did not move."The first instrument," I continued, "is a challenge to Dominic's personal land ownership documentation. Not the pack's territorial claim, his personal claim. The original documentation that predates the pack's formal establishment by several years." I held her gaze. "If that documentation can be contested, it creates a gap in the ownership chain that Morrow can use to argue the pack's territorial claim was never properly founded.""And the second?” Scarlett pressed, leaning forward slightly."A welfare investigation," I told her. "Filed thr

Zara's POV"I have information for the Alpha," I informed the gate guard.He looked like he didn't expect such an expression to have passed through my mouth. My bag was in my hand, and my hair was down. I had not slept properly in two days, I had been in a car for two hours and whatever I looked like standing at those gates at dawn was exactly what I was: a woman who had run out of better options and had come back to the one door she had not yet burned completely.He kept his eyes on me and picked up his radio.I waited.Dagger appeared at the gate four minutes later.She looked at my bag…Then at my face. She read both without expression and stepped aside without a word, which was both less than I had hoped for and more than I had any right to expect.She brought me to a room on the second floor. Plain, there lies a bed, a chair, a window facing the east garden. The place was neither a cell nor a welcome."Wait here," she told me.The door did not lock behind her.I sat on the edge of

Dominic's POV"Everyone is seated," Cain told me at the hall door. "Including Baas.""Good," I said. "Shall we begin?"I walked in with Callum at my shoulder and the printed communication records in my hand. Well, I did not look at Baas immediately. I looked at every other Elder first, taking the temperature of the room, reading the seven faces around the table, just with the same facial expression I wear when I walk into every room. My face projected uncertainty, tense and waiting….They knew something was coming…They did not know what.I set the printed summary on the table in front of Baas.Then I sat down.I did not explain it nor did I announce it. I folded my hands and waited.Baas looked at the page.Something moved in his face in a blink, small and quickly controlled, . could trace the involuntary flicker on his face l, as if he had just seen the thing he believed was buried standing in front of him in full light. He pressed it back down in under two seconds."This is a commu

Ravenna’s POV I sat in the Lunarstrike tech hub with Damon. My heart pounded. Screens blinked in the dim light. Damon hunched over the box at a cluttered desk. His tools lay scattered. My pulse raced. The box’s runes glowed faintly. I clutched my cloak. My arm ached from old wounds. Damn it. I was impatient to see what the box held.Damon twisted a gadget against the lock. He cursed. His hands stayed steady but tense. The runes pulsed. They remained unmoved. He tried another tool, a sleek device with lights that blinked. Nothing happened. The box stayed sealed. The “confidential” sign on it glinted in the lab’s glow. My stomach twisted.“What’s wrong?” I snapped.He wiped sweat from his brow. “This lock’s high-tech. What I have here is not enough.” His eyes met mine. “I can’t crack it here.”My blood boiled. Damn him. I traveled all the way here. I risked so many things. For nothing? “You said you could open it,” I hissed. "Figure it out.”Damon’s jaw tightened. He grabbed the box. H

Ravenna's POVI stormed out of Kael’s room before slamming the door. My hands steadied on my waist. I headed down the hallway as my mind buzzed with thoughts.Magic didn’t work, but technology might. A spark surged in my mind. Damon’s name hit me. Yes, he was tech-savvy and a member of Lunarstrike's tech corps. He could crack anything with his gadgets.Going to him meant leaving Bloodmoon. I would have to sneak past Thalia’s spies, and risk Selena’s wrath. God! My revenge depended on this box, though.I had to try.I walked out of the hallway. Why did I ever trust Kael? I shook the box desperately as if that would help. Karl's unnecessary visions and his obsession with me had already cost me Selena’s trust. I should have known better than to let him ruin this too. He had been useful a couple of times, but overall he was a net negative.Damon was my only hope in this situation.I remembered his clever hands, and sly grin in Lunarstrike. He fixed a broken comms device in minutes. But he

Ravenna's POV Back in the Omega dormitory, I sat on my bed and stared at the box. It was quite heavy in my hands. I was no longer bothered about the horrible state of the room. All I wanted was to find a way to open the box. I needed this open. I twisted the lock and pocket at it with my dagger. Nothing. A blue light blinked on it. I tried again. I still couldn't open it. I sucked my teeth with frustration boiling. I took big risks to search Ronan's room and find this box. I knew it held answers. I only needed a way to open it. The door creaked open and Franka stepped in. She looked tired and I could tell she had been busy at work all day. She collapsed on the bed and yawned. "Oh, my whole body aches.""Sorry, do you need some balm?""I'll be fine. Wait, what's that?” she asked, nodding at the box. I hesitated and my fingers tightened on the box. Should I tell her? I decided there was no problem. “I found it in Ronan’s room and it’s locked. You can see it's marked Confidential.

Ravenna's POVMy heart raced. The potion bottle was cold in my hand. I didn’t show it, but excitement surged through me. I hated how much I wanted it. My body was a traitor. Heat pooled low in my belly.Kael stepped closer. “What do you say? Let’s have some fun first then I can help.”"Fine."Right after I said that, he flicked his wrist. Chains slithered from the shadows and wrapped my wrists and ankles just like the last time. I took in a deep breath and waited.The chains stretched tight and dragged my arms above my head and spread my legs wide. I gasped. I felt exposed and vulnerable.My pulse pounded, I felt caught between fear and want. The chains held firm and their magic hummed against my skin.He moved behind me. I felt his breath on my neck. His hands tugged at my shirt. He pulled down my pants and undid my shirt buttons. Just like that, I was naked. Cool air hit my bare skin. I shivered and swallowed.Kael’s fingers traced my back. My body shuddered with anticipation. Then

Ravenna's POVElder Marcus burst through the door. His gray eyes were as sharp as knives. Carl and I sprang apart as we saw the Elder. My heart slammed against my ribs. I hoped he wouldn't report us. The last thing I wanted was to get thrown out of the academy days after I had been demoted.I put my blade away and pretended to adjust my hair. The Elder passed us and strode to the lecture table. He snatched his forgotten notebook and turned to leave.Carl whispered, “I’ll deal with you, Vexley.”My skin prickled, but I ignored him. The idea of talking to the Elder dropped in my mind and I acted on it.I bolted after the Elder, ignoring Astrid’s warning glance.“Elder Marcus!” I called as I raced up to him outside.He paused. His gaze was cold. “What do you want, Vexley?”I swallowed hard. “I wanted to. . .""Do you realize I knew you were fighting?"I swallowed my words out of shock. I thought he was too distracted to notice!"That was sad to see.""I’m sorry for the fight. It was bene

Ravenna's POVI sat in the cramped Omega dormitory and slowly ate breakfast. I stared straight ahead of me as I shoved vegetables and beef into my mouth. This room felt like a prison.My stomach churned. Damn it! I missed the lodge’s luxury, the soft beds, the warmth, everything! Now I was nothing more than a junior assistant. After I had tasted power, I was back to the ground.Right now, I am bored in the dorm. Franka was off to serve the Luna. I envied her. At least she was close to the Luna. I was stuck here. My title was gone, and my revenge had suffered a setback.Astrid was asleep on her cot. She had been resting more and more these days after her recovery.I munched on my food and let my thoughts roam. How could I win back Selena's trust? Our relationship had gone sour.Astrid stirred on the bed. She sat up and yawned."Did you rest well?""Maybe I'm way too rested.""What do you mean?"“I’m tired of this,” Astrid got off the bed. “I lie here, and do nothing. I want to go back