บททั้งหมดของ The Prophecy of the Golden Wolf : บทที่ 41 - บทที่ 50

Kieran's Perspective The remainder of the dinner passed in a haze of barely controlled agony. Every laugh from Venus, every smile she directed at Derek, every moment of their easy conversation felt like a knife twisting in my chest. The mate bond, which I'd been successfully suppressing, now blazed through my system with relentless intensity, making it nearly impossible to focus on anything else. "This is what you chose," Dominion said with cold fury, his mental voice cutting through my attempts at diplomatic conversation. "This pain, this loss—all of it could have been avoided if you had simply acknowledged what the Moon Goddess gave us." I managed to nod at something Alpha Sebastian was saying about territorial agreements, but my attention was entirely focused on the table where Venus sat with Derek. She looked radiant, animated in a way I'd never seen her before. Derek was lean

Kieran's Perspective I hadn't slept. Not even for a moment. I'd spent the entire night pacing my guest quarters, replaying every word of my conversation with Alric, every moment of watching Derek court my mate while I sat paralyzed by my own choices. The mate bond pulled at me relentlessly, a constant ache that made it impossible to find any peace. "We must act," Dominion said for the hundredth time since dawn. "Every moment we delay, she slips further away from us." "I know," I said aloud, running both hands through my hair in frustration. "But what am I supposed to say to her? How do I explain why I've been such a coward?" "With honesty. With humility. With the acknowledgment that we have been fools." Through my window, I could see the morning sun casting golden light over Moonveil's territory. Somewhere in this p

Venus's Perspective The morning walk with Derek and Aidan had been exactly what I needed—light, pleasant conversation with no underlying tension or hidden agendas. Derek had asked thoughtful questions about my interests, my thoughts on pack dynamics, and my impressions of Moonveil, treating me like someone whose opinions actually mattered. "He is kind," Aphrodite observed as we approached the packhouse. "Respectful. Everything our mate should have been but was not." "Thank you for showing me around," Derek said as we reached the main entrance. "I enjoyed our conversation immensely." "So did I," I replied, and meant it. Derek was easy to talk to, genuinely interested in what I had to say rather than just going through the motions of polite courtship. "Perhaps we could continue our discussion over lunch?" he suggested. "I'd love to hear more

Venus's Perspective The afternoon with Derek had been exactly what I needed—easy, comfortable conversation without the weight of mate bonds or pack politics pressing down on us. We'd walked through Moonveil's gardens, sat by the small stream that ran through the territory, and talked about everything from his pack's fishing traditions to my favorite books from the Howling Ridge library. "I have to admit," Derek said as we settled on a bench overlooking the valley, "I wasn't expecting to enjoy myself this much when Aidan first asked me to help with his plan." "He speaks honestly," Aphrodite observed. "His interest has grown beyond mere assistance." "The plan," I said with a slight smile. "You mean the scheme to make Kieran jealous?" "That was the original idea," Derek admitted, his expression growing more serious. "But Venus, I want you to

Calla's Perspective A few weeks into what had become the most intensive diplomatic period in Moonveil's history, I found myself grateful for the routine that had finally developed. The dramatic mate bond situation between Venus and Kieran had kept everyone on their toes, but now, with Venus thoughtfully navigating between Derek's respectful courtship and Kieran's belated attempts at redemption, and successful network meetings with Silverpine and Northwind, there was a sense of cautious optimism in the air. "Today brings the mysterious ones," Lyra observed as I made my way to the main hall for breakfast. "The pack that speaks to no one." Mystic Fang Pack was scheduled to arrive this afternoon and the tension of our most omnious guests upcoming arrival had everyone around us more tense than usual. "Good morning," I said, settling into my usual seat at the family table