LOGINMy face immediately falls into a freezing shadow. My spirit is completely unwilling to continue with this dangerous topic, because my mind still thinks Samuel and Simona have zero connection to Kaelen’s bloodline. "Are there still pack guests lingering downstairs on the rugs?" I deliberately twist the conversation to a new track."Mrs. William has already seen most of the high alphas off to their trucks," Theresa says, following my steps. "My own paws walked the rest of the crowd out to the gravel for your shop. I don't think there are any guests left on the floor now. The cleaners are sweeping the red juice off the wood, and Mrs. William is waiting by the racks for your hug."Theresa can easily tell from my cold scent that my mind hated the baby topic, so her tongue follows my question instead of pushing the baby talk further."I see," I say in a light, quiet tone.When our boots arrive downstairs, almost every single wolf is gone and the display hall looks completely empty. There is
Lyra Nightbane POV"My wrist holds zero metal because our moon wedding never happened," I tell the empty corners of the upper floor. "No pack elder blessed our furs, there was zero ceremony under the stars, and my body never even stood inside the Ironvale City registry hall alongside my so-called alpha husband.""Excuse my boots, Lyra," Theresa says, her soft paws stepping across the high rugs as she hands me the glowing black device. "Your cell phone has been ringing like crazy."Since my dress was busy presenting the new ice gear on the wooden stage downstairs, Theresa kept the plastic device inside her own apron.I take the plastic from her fingers. Theresa tilts her head to add, "It looks like a fresh message track just hit your screen a minute ago."My thumb swipes the glass line to unlock the display. The second my eyes hit the white message box to read the text, every single drop of red blood drains straight out of my cheeks. My inner chest thumps so violently it hurts my ribs,
The hot flames in Kaelen’s eyes look ready to spray straight out of his skull, burning my pink dress into black ash. How could my tongue take Elowen's side? In an arctic, freezing tone, he growls, "Give the green stone straight back to her truck. My claws will buy whatever jewelry your heart desires.""Okay," I agree immediately, my voice softening. My mind had already planned to return the valuable stone anyway because it was way too heavy for our small connection. I just didn't want to break her old spirit inside the lounge earlier.My quiet attitude makes his alpha anger melt away. "From this sun forward, your boots will never meet her form again.""Okay," I promise bluntly. I do not think Elowen Frost is an evil female wolf, and my mind actually thinks she is quite good. But because of Kaelen’s deep pack pain, my soul has zero intention to get close to her lodge. At least, my truck will never take the initiative to seek her out.Kaelen’s chest completely calms down. He reaches his
Lyra Nightbane POV"My mind cannot find the logic behind your past choices, Kaelen," I say, my throat tightening as the old alpha Darius Nightbane stands near the display boards.My memory flashes back to a freezing winter night at Moonshadow Infirmary, where a pregnant female wolf had stood on the roof edge ready to jump into the dark canyon. My own paws had tried to pull her back, and my tongue told her she could take every single resource in my pack bag just to save her life. So inside Kaelen’s big alpha brain, his thoughts assumed my heart had begged him to save Darius Nightbane’s dying hockey company from total ruin six winters ago.In truth, my soul just couldn't watch a pregnant mother end her breath, because my own belly was carrying the twin cubs at that exact moment. My paws just wanted to protect that innocent pup from the dark. Later, Kaelen's truck had driven over to give the female wolf a mountain of resources to settle her debt. Right after that ice storm, his beast dem
Her mother-in-law? Wouldn't that be Kaelen’s real birth grandmother? But didn't the old pack gossip say Elowen used to be a loose mistress wolf before she became the main wife of the old Alpha? My brain feels super confused."Your boots must be super busy with the hockey guests today, so should my fur leave now?" As she stands up on her legs, my pink dress stands up with her. "I will show your boots the way to the door.""Okay," Elowen says, her face turning overjoyed.My chest feels a bit uneasy and ashamed after keeping the valuable green stone. My mind decides I am going to return the bracelet to her lodge the second I get a good opportunity.Elowen’s black truck is waiting right outside the gravel deck, and my paws help open the heavy door for her bones. Elowen sits down on the seat, lowers the glass window down with her finger, and praises my face with a big smile. "You look really beautiful in that pink dress today, Lyra."My face feels a bit awkward as my mouth says, "Thank you
Lyra Nightbane POV"This is a great idea! He can wear that hockey skirt himself! I am telling your ears it suits his fur perfectly," Boyce Shawn chuckles loudly, taking the quick opportunity to dig Armand’s grave right on the shop rugs.Armand glares at his face with hot yellow eyes. "Will your bones die if your mouth does not talk?""Yeah, maybe! What are your eyes looking at over there?" Boyce asks, noticing Armand’s face change fast out of nowhere.I follow Boyce’s sharp gaze toward the glass doors and see the old lady Elowen Frost walk onto the wooden deck. As Kaelen’s closest hockey friends on the ice, both of them know that Elowen is Kaelen’s stepmother wolf. It was because of her presence that Kaelen had packed his bags and left the main manor so early to live alone in his own cave. It was also because of her that Kaelen and his father’s relationship was so strained and icy. Naturally, their snouts do not like her fur at all. And she and Kaelen barely share any real family bond
LYRA NIGHTBANE"The same blood that flows inside your chest is exactly what connects you to that monster," my mother Selene Nightbane snaps, her fingers clamping hard around my wrist as she yanks me away from the fence line. "Do not let his sweet performance blind your inner wolf, Lyra. Let's go rig
Kaelen doesn't look mad at all. A small, dark smile comes over his lips. "I can be much worse than a monster if you run from me."His hand leaves my chin, his fingers sliding slow down my jawline, tracing the soft skin of my throat down to the bone of my collar, his touch burning hot against my col
Kaelen sits back, turns the key, and the big car engine roars like a giant monster as we speed away from the lodge.I lean my head against the cold glass window, thinking for ten minutes before I speak. “I used your name without asking you first. That was wrong of me. How many pack resources do you
Why did he do that?” I ask.I know wolves should not speak bad about dead family, but Terry looks ashamed of his brother's bad choices. They had the same mother. Terry stays quiet for a long time.I wait for three minutes, but he keeps his mouth shut.“If you keep secrets, I cannot helper you. You







