LOGINLana’s P.O.V
My heart pounded fast against my chest as I waited for the eventual snap of the rogue’s jaws around my neck.
This was it. This was where I would finally take my last breath. Before I even realized it, tears had begun to fall down my cheeks.
I didn’t want this to be it. I still had so much I wanted to fight for. I was still yet to get my revenge.
Just when I felt the rogue’s jaws closing in, a loud howl pierced through the forest. Everybody froze.
I dared to open my eyes, wondering who could have made that sound. The rogue that had been about to kill me turned back to see where the sound had come from.
A smooth, commanding growl echoed from the shadows of trees a small distance away from us. All of a sudden, a large dark wolf walked in. His fur was as dark as midnight and his eyes were fixed on us.
The rogues visibly stiffened as they glared at this new wolf. Some of them even whined, slowly backing away.
Only their leader still had that stubborn glare in his eyes. He would not give up so easily.
Before all of us, he slowly transformed into a tall, powerfully built man. He had raven-black hair and approached us with an aura of authority.
His movements were precise and controlled. His presence seemed to press down on the entire forest, making the rogues shrink and submit without a word.
The only one who didn’t submit was the leader. He was still glaring heavily at the mysterious man.
“Still have the gall to act all defiant?” The man cocked his head to the side.
The rogue leader growled in reply. I didn’t need a translator to know what he said. I was his to kill. The mysterious man should fuck off.
“Oh really?” The man laughed, but it didn’t meet his eyes. “I think you’re forgetting whose border’s you’re lurking in.”
The rogue leader froze, his whole body slightly trembling. The man’s lips curled into a smile.
“Red Moon.”
The name rang a bell immediately. I knew who the man was immediately.
Warren Black.
The Alpha and Supreme Commander of Red Moon Pack. He was known across most packs for his ruthlessness and his brutality in destroying his rivals.
When packs prayed to the moon goddess for prosperity, they also prayed to her to never cross Warren or the rest of Red Moon.
I couldn’t believe it. He was standing right in front of me. His gaze flickered to me for a brief moment before he turned back to the rogue.
“You have three seconds. After that, I’ll decide whether to add your bones to my war table or if I should just toss them to the jackals.” Warren’s eyes glistened with a certain malevolence that sent a shiver down my spine.
My body was suddenly cold and I wanted nothing more than to run back home. The rogue leader got the message as he disappeared in less than a second.
The rest of the rogues followed suit, all of them scared of crossing the dangerous Alpha. That left the two of us.
I was still lying on the floor, unarmed, unable to defend myself. When he took one step closer, I scurried to my feet, trying to get as much distance as I could between us.
“Stay back.” I yelled, even though I knew how powerless I was against him.
He cocked his head to the side, an amused smile on his face. “You’re far from home, little wolf,”
I swallowed down, a plan forming in my head. I had to play my cards carefully. This could very well be my chance to take down Callen.
“I came to find you,” I replied, forcing my voice to stay steady.
“Did you now?” His eyes glistened with amusement as he took another step closer. I forced myself to stand still. I had to show him that I wasn’t afraid.
“And what does a pack omega from Dark Silver want with me?” He studied me, clearly waiting for some explanation.
Of course he already knew I was an omega. He must have found out by my scent alone. I cursed internally. Would that make him refuse to help me? If he decided I was nothing but a weak omega, would he decide to kill me?
“I need your help,” I said plainly. “I want revenge against Dark Silver Pack.”
There was a smirk tugging at his lips as he stared at me. “Revenge?”
“Against your own pack?” His voice was laced with intrigue as he stared at me.
“Against Callen Everdeen,” I corrected.
The sound of his name sent a sharp ache through my chest but I swallowed the pain down.
“He rejected me. Humiliated me in front of everyone. And I want to make him regret it.”
Warren’s smirk faded, his eyes narrowing as he continued to study me in silence. I felt my heart racing but I stood my ground, refusing to look away.
“Tell me,” His gaze was unwavering. “Why come to me?”
“Because you’re his rival,” I replied, forcing all my anger and determination into my words. “You know how to hurt him.”
Before I could react, Warren closed the distance between us and wrapped his hand around my throat.
I let out a gasp, clawing at his arm as I tried to breathe all to no avail. He had a look of anger as he glared at me. He was going to kill me.
The more I tried to fight out of his grip, the more he tightened his hand around my throat. Everything hurt so bad and I could see black dots starting to dot my vision.
Then he let go of me. I dropped to the floor, trying to take in all the sweet air I’d missed. I looked up to see him glowering down at me, no hint of remorse in his eyes.
“Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t snap your throat in half.”
I struggled up to my feet, my determination unmoved. “Because I can help you take down Callen and the rest of Dark Silver once and for all.”
Warren’s POVThe path narrowed as we climbed, stone giving way to packed earth and old roots that broke the surface like knuckles. I remembered this region only in fragments—a bend in the land, a familiar slope—but not enough to anchor it to a name or a pack. That unsettled me more than I liked to admit.Dark Silver’s territory should have been burned into my memory.Instead, it felt like a blank space where something vital had been ripped out.Rowan walked ahead of me, unhurried as always, staff tapping lightly against the ground. He had insisted on leading, claiming the terrain shifted more than maps ever admitted. I didn’t argue. My focus was already split.“This seer,” I said after a while, breaking the silence, “how accurate is he?”Rowan glanced back. “Accurate enough to still be alive.”“That doesn’t answer the question.”&l
Lana’s POVMoonbathing, I learned quickly, was less mystical ritual and more deliberate stillness.The clearing sat just beyond the houses, a gentle slope of pale grass surrounded by low stone markers that hummed faintly with old magic. Nothing dramatic happened when we arrived. No chanting. No sudden surges of power. Just the moon above us, full and steady, washing everything in silver light that felt oddly intimate, as though it were paying attention.Mara dropped onto the grass first with a satisfied sigh. “I forgot how much I missed this,” she said, stretching her arms over her head. “Actual rest without someone asking me to justify my existence.”Kael sat a little more carefully, folding his long legs and leaning back on his hands. “You say that like it happens often.”“It happens constantly,” Mara replied. “You just aren’t around for most of it.”I lo
Warren’s POVDistance was easier when the road demanded attention.I focused on the terrain, the shift of earth beneath my boots, the way the trees thinned and thickened as I moved farther from home. The farther I got, the quieter everything became—no pack chatter, no overlapping scents, no Lana watching me like she was waiting for something I didn’t know how to give.Traveling alone used to feel natural.Now it felt deliberate.My wolf stirred beneath my skin, restless and alert, not agitated but watchful in a way that reminded me of old instincts resurfacing. Leadership instincts. Protection. The kind that didn’t ask permission before settling into your bones.Alpha.The word still felt heavy, even after everything began to make sense again.I stopped at a clearing just before dusk, the sky bruised with the promise of night. The elder I was meeting had chosen the location deliberately—neutral ground, far from territory lines, where power couldn’t lean too heavily on place.Smart.I
Lana’s POVI found Warren near the stables, already half-packed and tightening the straps on his travel bag like he was afraid standing still might give something away. His movements were precise, efficient—too efficient. The kind of focus people used when they didn’t want to think.“Warren,” I said, slowing my steps as I approached.He didn’t look up right away. “I’m heading out.”My chest sank anyway. “Out where?”“One of the elders sent word,” he replied. “They want to speak to me privately. About Callen.”That name landed between us like a dropped blade.“How long will you be gone?” I asked.“Not long.” He finally turned toward me, his expression carefully neutral. “A few days, at most.”I nodded, even though that wasn’t what I wanted to hear. “You didn’t tell me you were leaving.”“I didn’t think it was necessary.”There it was again. That cool distance, that invisible wall I kept running into no matter how carefully I approached.“Is everything okay?” I asked quietly.His gaze
Lana’s POVI found Warren near the training grounds just before dusk, standing at the edge of the clearing with his sleeves rolled up and his posture locked tight, like he was bracing for something that never came. The air around him felt colder than the rest of the park, sharper, almost clipped.For a moment, I just watched him.He wasn’t doing anything—no sparring, no pacing—but his presence filled the space in a way that made it hard to breathe. Alpha energy, my wolf whispered, faint but insistent. It was strange how obvious it felt now, like my instincts had been quietly catching up to something everyone else already knew.I cleared my throat.“Warren?”He turned slowly. His eyes flicked over me, paused for half a second too long, then shifted away again.“What is it?” he asked.That was it. No warmth. No edge either. Just distance.“I just wanted to talk,” I said. “You’ve been… different.”His jaw tightened. “I’ve been busy.”“With me,” I added softly.Silence stretched betwee
Lana’s POVThe forest air was crisp as I stepped beyond the lodge’s gates, the moonlight painting the path in silver and black. For the first time since we returned, I felt an urge to wander alone—not out of defiance, but out of necessity. The pack had its routines, and I had mine. I needed to feel the earth beneath my paws, to breathe without the weight of Warren’s presence pressing against every thought.The park surrounding the lodge was vast, a mix of dense woods, open meadows, and winding streams. The scent of pine, damp earth, and wildflowers mingled, pulling at memories I didn’t yet fully remember. Wolves lounged in the distance, shifting between forms, their eyes glimmering in the moonlight. I gave a nod to Mara, who was near the lodge entrance, checking on a small group of scouts. She returned it with a brief smile, then disappeared into the shadows herself.I let the forest swallow me, my senses alert. Each sound—the crack of a twig, the rustle of leaves—reminded me th
Lana’s POVSomething had changed since our encounter with the deceptive watcher.The forest itself felt more hostile, more deliberate, as if it were anticipating our every move.Kael’s grip tightened on his sword. “They’re coming,” he said softly. “I can feel it. The watchers won’t let us advance u
Lana’s POVThe deeper corridors of the valley seemed almost alive now, the mist curling around us in slow spirals, thickening in unpredictable patterns. Every step we took felt measured, deliberate, as though the earth itself were aware of our passage. The shard pulsed in my hand, warm and insisten
Lana’s POVThe mist thickened as we entered the narrow corridor, curling around our boots and cloaks like slow-moving smoke. Sunlight struggled through the canopy, splintered into shards that barely reached the ground. Every step felt heavier, as if the valley itself was resisting our progress.Kae
Lana’s POVThe cliffs offered a vantage point we hadn’t noticed from the valley floor.From here, the forest stretched in every direction, twisted and shadowed, the hidden paths barely visible beneath a mist that re







