LOGINThe silence that settled over the training grounds was suffocating.Only moments ago, the area had been filled with cheers, shouting, and the sounds of combat. Now nobody dared make a sound.Every wolf present could feel Alpha Eugene's anger radiating through the air. It was impossible to ignore.The Alpha King's hand had finally released Jack's wrist, but the memory of that iron grip remained.Jack took a step back while Max stood nearby, still catching his breath after being knocked onto his back.Mira had finally managed to push through the soldiers who had been keeping her from leaving.The Alpha slowly looked around the training grounds and his gaze moved from soldier to soldier then back to Max who immediately straightened.For once, he looked genuinely uncomfortable.Eugene folded his arms."Would someone like to explain what exactly I am looking at?" He demanded. Nobody answered. Max rubbed the back of his neck while Jack stared ahead.Eugene's eyes narrowed."I asked a quest
Max and Jack stood toe to toe, their bodies filled with sweat, breathing heavily, bleeding from several small cuts and neither man showed the slightest intention of stopping.Their fangs were fully extended, their eyes flashed, their wolf instincts surged dangerously close to the surface.Mira stood at the edge of the growing crowd, her arms folded tightly across her chest. Every passing second made her more anxious.This had gone much too far."Stop cheering!" she yelled at the soldiers but nobody listened.A group of warriors laughed then one of them shouted."Come on, Beta Max!"Another yelled,"Take him down, Jack!"The crowd erupted again and Mira groaned."Moon Goddess help me."The two fighters circled each other once more, dust swirling around their feet, neither looked willing to back down.Max wiped blood from the corner of his mouth and a grin spread across his face."You've gotten stronger."Jack rolled his shoulders."You sound surprised" he said."I am" Max replied. Sev
The tension in the garden remained thick long after Tyler had issued his warning.The morning breeze rustled the flowers and trees around them, but it did little to cool the hostility hanging in the air.Tyler stood firmly where he was, Kaelyn stood opposite him with her baby in her arms while Ava remained slightly behind her, watching everything with calculating eyes.For several moments, nobody spoke, the silence itself felt like a challenge, then Kaelyn finally broke it."I think you've forgotten your place" she said.Her voice was cold. Far colder than Tyler had ever heard from her before but he wasn't intimidated."If telling the truth means I've forgotten my place, then perhaps" he replied. Kaelyn's eyes narrowed."You have no right to accuse me of anything.""I didn't accuse you" he said."You practically did" she shot at him. Tyler folded his arms."I told you to stop whatever you're planning."Ava laughed, the sound mocking. She tilted her head."And what exactly are we pla
Mira knew this was a truly terrible idea but no matter how much she argued, neither Max nor Jack seemed willing to listen.The training grounds had transformed within minutes.What had once been a normal morning of drills and exercises had become an impromptu arena. Warriors gathered from every direction, guards abandoned their stations and servants slowed down whenever they passed nearby.Even wolves who had no interest in combat found themselves drawn toward the growing crowd because everyone knew who was about to fight.Max, Alpha Eugene's Beta. One of the strongest warriors in the Blackwood Pack was going against Jack, the former Beta of Alpha Desmond.The man many still distrusted despite everything he had done for the pack.The tension was impossible to ignore.Mira stood between them, her frustration growing by the second."Both of you have lost your minds" she said angrily but none of them responded.Jack was busy removing his outer shirt, while Max was stretching his shoulder
The silence that followed Jack's arrival was unbearable. Mira could practically feel her heart pounding inside her chest.Her mind was racing, her emotions were a complete mess and standing in front of her was the last person she had wanted to witness what had just happened.The sight of him standing there with that unreadable expression made her stomach twist painfully.She had no idea how much he had heard, no idea how much he had seen, what he was thinking and that terrified her.For a brief moment nobody moved. The training grounds seemed frozen. Every warrior present could sense that something significant had just happened."Jack—"Mira immediately stepped forward but Max beat her to it."Yeah, I kissed her" Max said then crossed his arms casually.Mira's eyes widened."Max!"The warriors nearby immediately looked interested again but Jack remained completely still. His face gave away absolutely nothing, which somehow made everything worse.Max wasn't finished."And before you as
The morning sun bathed the Blackwood mansion gardens in golden light. Flowers bloomed along the stone pathways, birds chirped from the trees and a cool breeze drifted through the air.It should have been peaceful, it should have been calming but, Kaelyn felt anything but calm.She sat on a stone bench beneath a flowering tree, her baby resting comfortably in her arms while Ava stood nearby. The child slept peacefully, unaware of the chaos surrounding his existence.Kaelyn gently stroked her son's tiny cheek and a small smile briefly touched her lips before disappearing again.Ava immediately noticed."You're thinking about Alpha Eugene again" she pointed out.Kaelyn sighed."What else am I supposed to think about?"Ava remained silent.Kaelyn looked away toward the mansion, her eyes focused on the upper floors. Specifically, on the direction of Eugene's chambers."He wasn't there" she muttered. Ava already knew what she meant."You went to see him?"Kaelyn looked slightly guilty."On
Dusk descended upon the Blackwood mansion like a veil.Desmond stood by the long balcony of the his chamber, his hands clasped behind his back.Behind him, the soft rustle of fabric announced Luna Seraphina’s entrance. She moved with the grace of a Luna Queen, her red gown trailing behind her. “St
The safe house had fallen into an unnatural stillness, as though even the air feared to disturb what was happening between Max and Mira. From a distance Becca stood frozen, her nails digging into her palms as she watched the scene unfolding. She hated this, every second of it.Becca took a step f
Garran paced the length of the narrow room, his boots scraping against the wooden floorboards that now creaked louder than usual. His two remaining companions stood stiffly nearby, exchanging uneasy glances.Garran ran a shaking hand through his hair. “Where are they?” he hissed, pacing faster. “Y
The crescent moon hung beautifully in the sky, shining down on the chaos that was about to errupt down below in the forest now that Max and Eugene had been seen by one of the tracker unit wolves.For a fraction of a second, no one moved and it was like the forest held its breath.Then the man shout







