ログインElsie's POV
I stepped outside and immediately entered the thick, bustling throng of recruits moving down the dirt paths. The crowd was dense, and I got pushed and shoved every which way by broad shoulders until a large hand suddenly grabbed my wrist.Instinct took over, and I pulled my fist back to strike, but the person immediately shouted, "It's me! Don't shoot!"I dropped the punch I had ready, instantly recognizing Tate’s breathless voice through the noise. I lElsie’s POV The loud, cracking sound of thunder suddenly boomed across the sky outside, breaking both of our intense stares. We automatically looked away from each other. The Lycan King shifted his head toward the cave entrance, watching the dark clouds gather over the river."It will rain tonight," he said, his deep voice cutting through the quiet space. "It rains a lot up here in the mountains, even though we are getting quite close to winter."I simply nodded, my hands still tightly clasped over my knees.He turned his focus back to me, his green eyes assessing. "You ran away from home then."It was a statement, not a question at all.He didn't wait for me to reply before he continued speaking. "I cannot imagine that anyone in your home pack willingly let you leave to come all the way out here. Were you not scared?" He shifted slightly in his seat, leaning his broad shoulders against the rough stone wall. "Even full-grown, seasoned male warriors have reservations about coming to
Elsie’s POVA deep, satisfactory warmth was the first thing I noticed as my mind slowly drifted back toward consciousness. It was an all-encompassing heat, thick and heavy, seeping directly into my frozen bones and chasing away the chill of the river. Smiling slightly into the darkness, I tried to shift my body a bit closer to what seemed to be the primary source of the heat. The small movement instantly backfired. A wave of sharp pain rippled across my torso and limbs, a brutal reminder from my aching muscles of the fight and the cliff dive that had transpired before I blacked out.My brain quickly scrambled into high alertness, forcing me to check my mental checklist. The scent-suppressant.Did I take the herbs? I let out a silent, relieved breath as the memory returned to me. Yes, I had remembered swallowing the concotion right before I left the freezing stream where I took my morning bath. My disguise was almost definitely broken, but my scent was still masked.I had already d
Quinn's POVOne might not have fully known the true meaning of utter uselessness until this exact moment. I was the great and powerful Lycan King, a warrior feared across the territories, but right now, I was about as helpful as a newborn pup. I was supposed to be the one protecting my men from the shadows of the forest, but instead, my scrawny little squire had become my current protector.I had watched the pup fight off two feral rogues entirely by himself, move with unmatched agility, and still somehow manage to drag both of our bodies out of the freezing water.Not many people in this world have ever earned my genuine admiration, but this kid was scarily topping the list right now. The arrow that hit my shoulder must have been dipped in some serious, high-grade numbing agent. Despite my current predicament, I was deeply glad that the arrow had hit me instead of Elias. Between my superior Lycan status and my much bigger body mass, I was in a significantly better position to suffe
Elsie’s POV I knew I mustn't shift into my wolf form. These rogues were far bigger and significantly stronger than my female wolf, due to their massive body mass and feral, unhinged state. In a test of weight, they would crush me in seconds. I had to fight in my human skin—using the small, sharp weapons that I was exceptionally good with.The two beasts came to a skidding stop a few meters away from me on the dirt path. Their low snarls vibrated the cold air. I took a deep, steadying breath, squaring my shoulders just as the first one launched itself at my chest.I waited until the very last second, then rolled out of its trajectory, using the momentum to slash my blade deeply across its front leg. I had to take advantage of my superior speed and natural nimbleness in this form. The second rogue immediately joined the fight, lunging with snapping jaws, and I began to fight like a she-wolf possessed.At some point during the chaotic blur of flashing teeth and claws, my rational mind
Elsie’s POV I loved the thrill of a fight, but this was the brutal, unfiltered reality of war. It was my first time seeing someone on my own side die like that, his body discarded against the stone like a broken toy."Elias!"The King's furious, panicked shout snapped through the clearing, and I realized that I was just standing there, frozen in shock on top of my horse. A large mangy rogue had broken past the perimeter and was silently approaching me from the thick shadows of the forest.Three rogues were already dead on the bloody grass. The Lycan King let out a deafening roar and slashed his spear through another beast's chest. Four dead.The fifth rogue was currently locked in a vicious struggle with both of our shifted guard wolves, which left the approaching beast to me. I quickly crouched low on the horse's back, hardening my posture and getting into a defensive position.I could see the pure malice in the rogue's red eyes; it clearly planned to jump high and throw me down int
Elsie’s POV Two of the guards silently shifted into their massive wolf forms, their thick paws making barely a sound against the damp earth as they flanked the King and I at a respectable distance. The remaining two warriors stayed on horseback, walking their mounts a few paces behind us to give the illusion of privacy. I knew the setup was purely for appearances, though; with their wolf hearing, they could probably still catch every single word we whispered if they truly wanted to.I remained completely quiet on my horse, my knuckles white on the reins. The Lycan King looked around the thick trees, his sharp eyes already fixed in a cold hunting mode."Elias," he said again, his voice dropping into an almost questioning fashion.I cleared my dry throat, forcing the deep, raspy tone back into my voice. "Your Majesty.""Now would be a good time to talk," he stated calmly, not turning his head."Erm, yes, it is," I stammered, my heart doing a nervous flip. I gripped the saddle tightly
Elsie's POV I hit the mud, but my training kicked in before my brain could process the pain. I rolled to the side and recovered fast, getting back onto my feet just as the wolf turned to face me.The rogue snarled wildly, ropes of saliva flying from his bared teeth, and charged directly at me. He
Elsie's POV After hitting the wooden dummies countless times, an exercise that I honestly felt was beneath my skill level, we were finally released for the day. I mapped out a strict plan for the rest of the evening. First, I would eat. Second, I would go on my stealing mission. Third, I would b
Elsie's POVWho knew salvation would come, but in the most unexpected way? Guess today was not my dying day after all.I sprinted through the dark, wet woods, my boots splashing heavily through the mud. My heart was still hammering against my ribs, not from fear anymore, but from pure shock. I hadn
Quinn's POV I really did not know why I was so interested in that young boy. Was it because he reminded me of when I was much younger? At thirty-three, I was still young myself, but the weight of the crown made me feel ancient. It was funny how I hadn’t even seen his face yet. The constant mask j







