LOGINKael’s POV
The commotion in my dormitory was annoying as fuck. Fifty male werewolves were running around my floor like their tails had been set alight, just because the Headmaster, Alpha Leon, called a last-minute mandatory meeting. Thanking the Moon Goddess silently for giving me my own suite so I didn't have to share communal bathrooms with others was a real blessing right now. While they were crammed into one large bathroom, I had a marble ensuite with a shower so large that it could fit three people, and I smiled to myself, remembering how I had brought those three omega girls in here the other night. Shaking my head, I had to focus. We were supposed to be at the outdoor amphitheater in less than an hour, and I was still wrapped in a towel. Looking at my reflection in the steam-fogged mirror, my icy blue eyes stared back at me. My blonde hair was still damp and messy, with droplets of water still dripping off my tanned six-pack. Taking the towel off, I quickly finished drying my damp body. Stepping out of the bathroom, I walked over to my king-sized bed, pulling on my boxers, then the rest of the clothes that I had laid out. After putting on my clothes, I went over to my dresser, where my mirror was, and dipped my fingers into some extra-strength gel, then slid it through my hair to give it a messy, but kept, look. At 6’2, I could have been a model, as the humans used to call them. But yet I was one of three Alpha heirs, I was the future Alpha of the Snow Pack. We all attended Alpha Academy for two years. This was our last year before we took over our individual fathers’ packs. Lucian and Cassian were the Alpha Heirs of the other two packs, the Star and Arrow packs. And we'd all been long-distance friends since we were old enough to talk and walk. There were tons of future Alphas, Lunas, and Betas here, but all of them from much smaller packs that set in the shadows of our packs Not even bothering to put on socks and tennis shoes, I slid on a pair of black slides. Regardless of how cold it got, we were hot-blooded by nature, and just the thought of wearing socks made me shudder. Right as I was putting my hand on the doorknob to leave, my eyes rolled into the back of my head. The guys were linking me: “Kael, where the fuck are you? You know Alpha Leon hates us to be late,” linked Cassian. “Wait until you see all the hot new Luna recruits they have this year,” linked Lucian. Growling through the link, I knew they could both hear it, “I'm fucking coming, you bastards.” Not even bothering to shut off the mind link until they knew I could hear them laughing. They got on my nerves. Ten minutes later, I arrived at the amphitheater, which was carved into the side of a mountain. It was so black, like the color of onyx, as if it had been polished every day for centuries. Snow drifts were still piled up along the sides as students filed up the stairs undeterred. The only time we ever held events indoors was when the heat was sweltering. Snow? Outside. Rain? Outside. Wind? Outside. According to the all-mighty Alpha Leon, we were werewolves, and we could survive every season. Sighing, I climb the stairs two at a time, meeting the guys who had already taken a seat, with Lucian’s legs propped up on the seat in front of him. “Luc, do you know what this is about?” I grumbled, throwing myself next to Cassian, “I could come up with at least ten different things I’d like to do on a Sunday.” When he didn’t respond, that's when I noticed tension written all over him. Standing up, I step over Cassian, who's too busy flirting with the girls behind us to notice that Luc is pretty balled up inside of himself. Stress, anger, and something unhinged is trying to claw its way up and out onto the surface. His hands were clenched at his sides. I put a hand on his shoulder, and as if I had just punched him or something, he jumped five feet out of his seat. “What the fuck, man?” he said, staring holes through me. Holding my hands up, “Easy, Luc, I'm just trying to see what has you so worked up.” Looking at me, he said one word, “Humans.” When it came to him, that explained everything. The Star Pack bordered Aurelia and had the most skirmishes. If you listened to him tell it, they were bugs that needed to be squashed under their boots. “And here I thought the Luna candidates must've rejected your advances,” I smirk at him. He didn't find an ounce of humor in what I was trying to say to lighten the mood. Before another word could be uttered, the crowd went silent for werewolves, which was a feat in its own, as we were known to be pretty social creatures. “Hush,” came a voice over the microphone. Alpha Leon’s voice rose louder, with a commanding voice that had us all cowering down under his Alpha tone, “I saiddddd HUSH!” The entire amphitheater stilled, then gave him its undivided attention. “Students, let me first say I am sorry to interrupt your Sunday. I’m sure plenty of you would still be sleeping.” “I sure would have,” muttered Cassian with an air of annoyance. Elbowing him in the side, we turned our attention back to Alpha Leon. “I wouldn't have called you here today if it weren't for an important announcement. As many of you know, we have had cooperation with the Human City Aurelia for the past few years.” Slamming his fist down on the stone seat, “I fucking knew it,” Luc spat out between gritted teeth. “We will be having two transfer students coming in,” a chorus of boos erupted over the crowd. Raising his arms back up, he silenced the crowd and continued, “Regardless of how you feel about them, they will be coming.” It’s like his eyes bore straight into us with that statement. All three of us sat a bit straighter in our seats, unnerved by the stare he was giving us. “As in years past, they will be joining a program that, in the end, will help benefit their future jobs at Aurelia. This year’s students will be in our leadership course.” Before we could think, all three of us were on our feet, but yet again, we were shut down. “I'd advise you to sit down, young heirs. As long as you're in my Academy, you will follow my rules. Or do I need to have a discussion with your fathers?” Needless to say, that reduced us to pups real quick as we slammed our butts back down onto our stone seats. Listening to the Alpha continue about rules and how this school year was going to be the best one yet. All I could hear was “The last rule is to make sure not to claw or eat them.” A resounding chorus of “Yes, Alpha” echoed through the amphitheater. Looking at the other two, I noticed all of our guards were up now. Whether we liked it or not, humans were entering our program of study. Cassian and I watched as Lucian bounded away with not even a parting word. That was probably for the best in one of his moods. Sighing. We had less than 24 hours to prepare ourselves. As the other students left, I sat there feeling the shift come upon me. My bones cracked, and with a bit of pain, my giant gray wolf emerged. Sniffing into the air, I let out a long howl, then ran into the snow-covered forest, leaving Cassian behind.Lyra’s POVThe knock at the door jolted us all back to attention as we listened to the agreed-upon code being tapped out. Taking a deep breath I stood up and strode towards the door clenching a silver dagger in my fist as at this point I’d rather be safe than sorry.My hand hovered for only a second before I opened it.Cold air rushed in first, sharp and cutting through the heat of the cabin.And then Amber stepped inside.She didn’t move further at first.Just stood there for a beat, eyes scanning the room like she was confirming what she was walking into was real.Then her gaze landed on me.Everything in her face shifted.“Lyra.”My name came out like it hurt to say it.Before I could answer, she crossed the space between us and pulled me into her arms.It wasn’t gentle or cautious. It was immediate, tight, and grounding—like she had been holding herself together by force for too long and this was the first thing that let her loosen.I held her back just as tightly.For a moment ne
Amber’s POVThe penthouse had started to feel like a prison.A beautiful prison, admittedly. Most wolves in Star Pack would have considered staying here an honor. The rooms were larger than some family homes. The windows overlooked half the territory. Fresh flowers appeared every morning, meals arrived before I could ask for them, and servants seemed determined to make sure I never lacked for anything.Except freedom.That part seemed negotiable.I sat curled into one corner of the couch with a book resting open in my lap, staring at the same page I had been pretending to read for nearly an hour. Every few minutes my eyes drifted toward the windows overlooking the territory below.Somewhere out there were answers nobody would give me.Every day that passed without news felt heavier than the one before.The academy was gone. Lucian was dead. Richard was tightening his grip on the pack. And Lyra…I squeezed my eyes shut.No.I refused to think like that.Lyra was alive.She had to be.T
Lyra’s POVThe cabin was small, but it was dry and hidden.At that point, dry and hidden felt dangerously close to luxury.There was a narrow kitchen, a worn table, a hearth full of old ash, a cot near the wall, and a second room barely big enough to hold another mattress. Someone had already left supplies inside. Folded clothes sat on the table in rough stacks. Towels. Soap. A comb. Tooth powder. A chipped basin. A few blankets. A lantern with enough oil to burn through the night.Clean clothes.Soap.A real roof.I stared at it all like an idiot.After four days in the wilderness, those little things felt so painfully normal that I didn’t know what to do with them. My throat tightened in a way that made me angry because it was absurd. I could stand in front of armed wolves without crying, but apparently soap was where I lost my mind.Mara brushed past me and grabbed a towel from the stack. She didn’t look at me, but her voice softened just enough for only me to hear.“Don’t you dare
Lyra’s POV“Well,” the young man said coldly, his bow still trained on us, “this is either the stupidest invasion I’ve ever seen, or somebody better start explaining why two Alpha heirs are carrying a dying human across my border.”The woods stayed silent after that, except for Rowan’s breathing.That was the sound I couldn’t stop hearing. Not the creak of bows drawn tight around us. Not the shift of boots in the pine needles. Not the low growl rumbling from one of the Star Pack wolves half-hidden behind a tree.Rowan.Each breath scraped out of him like his body had to drag it up from somewhere too deep. Kael held him carefully, but there was no making Rowan look anything other than broken. His head rested against Kael’s shoulder, his skin pale beneath the dirt and fever, one hand hanging limp near Kael’s arm. Mara stood close enough to touch him, her backpack still slung over one shoulder, her fingers flexing like she wanted to check his pulse again but knew one wrong move might mak
Lyra’s POV Four days had gone by with Mara, Rowan, Cassian, and Kael following me through the wilderness toward Star Pack, all of us chasing the same fragile hope. Amber. That name had become the only thing keeping me moving. We were dirty, injured, hungry, and I was pretty sure we were all partially dehydrated at this point. My mouth felt like sand, my muscles ached with every step, and every breath tasted like pine, dirt, and exhaustion. I was also pretty sure I heard Kael and Cassian grumbling more than once that if we were all wolves, this would’ve gone by much quicker. Sadly, I agreed with them. Not that I would ever admit it out loud. We followed the river as much as we could, using the water to cover our tracks whenever the ground allowed it. It slowed us down, but it also kept us just one step ahead of literally everyone tracking us. Aurelia’s soldiers. Wolves loyal to the Snow Pack. Whoever else had decided we were worth hunting through half the damn territory.
Amber’s POVWe both moved without looking rushed. Miri returned to the towels. I sat at the vanity and lifted my hair away from the mark, exposing it in the mirror just as Richard walked in. He wore black, because of course he did. Mourning suited men who liked people watching them suffer. His dark hair was tied back, his jaw clean-shaven, his Star Pack ring gleaming on his hand. He looked powerful. He looked calm. He looked like a man who had never once considered the possibility that the woman he locked away might be thinking. “Amber,” he said. His voice made my stomach turn. I lowered my eyes because survival was sometimes uglier than defiance. “Alpha.” His gaze went straight to the mark on my neck. Satisfaction softened his mouth. “You look better.” “I rested.” “You needed it.” I almost told h
Amber’s POVAlpha Richard had kept me locked in his penthouse since the night he marked me. That was the plainest way to say it. No pretty words. No softened edges. No pretending the silk sheets, polished floors, and silver trays of untouched food made this room anything other than a cage. He ha
Lyra’s POV You do not get to make yourself disposable,” Cassian said. Rowan’s sarcasm faltered. Just for a second. But I saw it. “I was born disposable,” Rowan said quietly. The words hit me so hard I forgot how to breathe. Because I knew that voice. I knew that wound. Aurelia had carved it
Lyra’s POVWe tore through the trees toward the east side, branches whipping my face, mud sucking at my boots, the roar of water and soldiers crashing behind us. Kael stayed close enough that I could feel him at my back, his power lashing out in sharp bursts whenever a soldier
Lyra’s POVThe soldier looked straight at me.“Lyra Vale,” he said, voice muffled behind the mask. “You have been compromised.”I lifted my dagger, even though my hand shook. “You say that like it’s a bad thing.”“You were given a mission.”“I was given a lie.”“A mission does not require truth. It







