Chapter 31: Estelle's might

“ Remember, our objective is simple.”Near Frostveil's western border, a tall werewolf marched at the head of the formation. His voice carried effortlessly across the snow-covered plains, reaching every warrior behind him.“ Inflict as much damage upon Frostveil as possible.”A cruel smile spread across his face.“ Burn what you can. Destroy what you cannot take. And if an opportunity presents itself...” His eyes gleamed with malice. “ Bring back as many women and children as possible. Perhaps even Frostveil's new Luna... if she's here, that is.”"Understood, sir!"The surrounding Betas answered in unison, their voices echoing across the frozen landscape. That last part hadn't been included in the official mission, but Darius had secretly instructed them to do it if the opportunity arose.“ Good. Another grim reminder.... We have at most forty minutes before Frostveil's main forces return."The leading Alpha's grin widened.“ Perhaps if one of the women we bring back catches Lord Dari

Chapter 32: I never wanted to do this

A deafening boom rang out across the battlefield as a Beta crashed violently into the snow. Moments later, another warrior was hurled through the air before slamming into a tree hard enough to knock him unconscious on impact.Minutes passed, accompanied by an endless chorus of pained grunts, breaking wood, and bodies crashing into the frozen landscape.Near the western gates, the Frostveilian soldiers stood rooted to the spot in stunned disbelief. These were men and women who had marched here fully prepared to lay down their lives defending their home, yet none of them could believe what they were witnessing.A single woman was holding back an entire invasion force by herself.No.Holding back was the wrong phrase.She was effortlessly destroying them.One after another, Silvervale's warriors were sent crashing into the snow, trees, and even their own comrades.The werewolves fell, No matter how many charged her, the outcome remained unchanged.The battlefield had become a spectacle of

Chapter 33: A side of her he wanted to protect

The massive black wolf leading Frostveil's forces abruptly slowed.Behind him, hundreds of werewolves followed suit. Snow exploded beneath their paws as they skidded across the frozen plains, carving deep trenches into the frozen ground.The wolf leaped and shifted mid air. It dark fur receded and it's size shrank. Moments later, a man landed upon the snow in human form. His pale blue eyes immediately swept across the snowy plains.Then his steps slowed down.The sight before Adrian wasn't what he had expected when he came rushing back from the south. When the deadly battle with the rogue werewolves had neared it's conclusion, the remainder of them had gleefully told Adrian that they were just a decoy and Frostveil was currently under siege. This made Adrian almost lose control on the spot. After mercilessly finishing them off, he and his pack had rushed back in futile hopes of making back in time. He had concluded that whoever was attempting to raid Frostveil when he was away would

Chapter 34: What are you doing?

Adrian crossed the final stretch between the outer district and Frostveil Castle in a series of tremendous leaps. His entire focus remained fixed upon the woman resting quietly in his arms. The mask had long since been removed from her face, allowing him to see her clearly. At some point during the short journey to the castle, Estelle's shoulders had stopped trembling. The tears that had stained her cheeks had dried beneath the relentless wind, but her eyelashes were still damp. Judging by the slow, steady rhythm of her breathing, she had fallen asleep. The battle had drained her far more than he had initially realized. Both her body and mind had been put under great strain, and now exhaustion had wore her down, pulling her to sleep. Her face rested against his chest while one hand remained loosely clenched around his clothing. Even in sleep, she had not let go of him. Adrian's cold eyes scrutinized Estelle's face. This was the very woman who had once sought to kill him. Th

Chapter 35: Was I wrong about him?

“What are you doing, Adrian?” Estelle's voice emerged little more than a hoarse whisper, dry from hours of silent grief. It was the first time she had spoken to him since morning. There was no anger in her voice like Adrian expected. Just pure exhaustion. Her voice sounded monotone and hollow and there was a slight tremor to it. Adrian met her gaze in silence. His heart ached at the sight before him. The vibrant light that usually danced within her golden eyes were no where to be seen. They stared back at him with an emptiness that reminded him of a dead fish, dull and devoid of emotion. Dark shadows rested beneath them, while strands of her disheveled raven-black hair clung to her damp face. It made her look worn and dead. Just like the day he saved her life in the White Exile. Lifeless and broken. She had saved the lives of several people by just taking one and despite of that, she looked as though she had lost a part of herself. He his thoughts unwillingly drifted to Dharv. H

Chapter 36: Could you keep me warm tonight?

Adrian held Estelle as she cried her heart out, his hand moving slowly through her hair in soothing strokes, never rushing her to compose herself. After several minutes, her sobs gradually died down until only quiet sniffles remained. The violent trembling that shook her body subsided and her breathing slowly steadied. Even so, Adrian didn't let her go immediately. Only when he was completely certain she had completely calmed down did he reach for the cloth resting beside the bath. Without a word, he resumed washing away the dried blood clinging stubbornly to her skin. His movements were filled with care. He cleaned every scrape and stain with quiet patience, making sure not to aggravate the little bruises scattered across her body. Although they would be gone before morning due to Estelle's regeneration, he still treated them with caution. By the time Adrian finished, the bathwater had grown lukewarm. As soon as he finished, the enchantments attached to the bathtub immediately