Elder Saska gave a slight nod, her silver eyes gleaming under the moonlight.
She tilted her chin toward Lucas, an unspoken command that needed no words.
Her pack warriors, tall and silent as shadows, immediately stepped forward. Their presence alone was enough to send a chill down a human’s spine.
Lucas growled, baring his teeth, his wolf pushing to the surface as panic overtook him.
“Get your hands off me!”
He barked, claws elongating mid–struggle.
But Elder Saska’s men didn’t flinch.
They grabbed him by the arms, dragging him back as he thrashed violently, half–shifting in his desperation.
His face twisted, somewhere between man and beast, as he roared, refusing to go quietly.
One of the warriors finally struck, delivering a precise blow to the side of Lucas’s neck. He crumpled mid–growl, unconscious before he hit the ground. His body reverted back to human form, limp and still.
The air settled.
I turned back to Elder Saska, my heart steady despite the tension lingering in the air. Her presence radiated power–the kind only an Alpha female could command.
“I just want you to know…
I said softly, keeping my voice even.
“This doesn’t change anything between us. You can reach out to me anytime. If you ever need help–anything–as long as it doesn’t involve the Shadow Walker Pack, I’ll be there.”
She nodded slowly, her expression softening.
“The same goes for you,”
she said.
“You’re part of the Saska bloodline now, Brianna. Our bond is deeper than any name. My door will always be open.”
“I’ll be expecting a visit every full moon,”
she added with a faint smile.
“I will.”
I gave her a small nod before turning toward the waiting vehicle.
Alpha Marcus stood at a distance, his posture tense.
He looked like he wanted to follow me, but the sudden appearance of his brothers, dressed in black, eyes cold and calculating, made him pause.
They emerged from the hospital entrance, their presence impossible to ignore.
Marcus hesitated for a heartbeat too long.
5:02 pm G
Then, masking whatever emotion had flickered across his face, he turned around and walked. back into the building with stiff shoulders, as if nothing had happened.
From the backseat, I watched him disappear through the hospital doors.
Oddly enough, my heart didn’t ache this time.
It felt… still. Almost peaceful.
By the time I arrived home, the moon had already dipped below the horizon.
The morning had begun to break, casting a silvery glow across the forest edge. I packed a small suitcase–just the essentials.
I needed space.
Time to breathe.
Time to remember who I was beyond the chaos of bloodlines, bonds, and betrayals.
Before leaving, I slipped on my mother’s charm bracelet, its tiny moonstone talisman pulsing faintly against my skin.
A warding rune, etched by her wolf’s magic before she died. I clutched it briefly, then stepped out into the early morning chill and caught the first train to Florendale.
The city was a quiet one, nestled near ancient werewolf territory. Some said old blood st lingered beneath its cobblestone streets. I didn’t care. I just needed quiet. Using travel tips found online, I explored the entire day, weaving through human markets and old bookstores that smelled of cedar and ash.
Exhausted but content, I checked into a five–star hotel that overlooked the Florendale Forest and decided to visit the night market to clear my head.
That was when I heard it–halfway down the street, near a crooked alley.
“You told me if I made myself look like Kaela, Marcus would fall in love with me. I kicked Brianna out. I practically threw myself at him with my clothes off, and he still wouldn’t touch me!”
The voice was sharp, desperate, and unmistakable.
Ava.
I froze, my heart racing. What the hell was she doing here?
I stepped into the shadows, my instincts sharpening.
A subtle scent clung to the air–blood magic and wolfsbane.
My wolf stirred, alert.
Another voice spoke–male and low.
“Looks like seduction’s not gonna cut it. Maybe it’s time we try something else. We drug Marcus get you pregnant, and you ride that baby bump straight into the Nightshade legacy.”
Ava’s reply came fast.
“No. That won’t work. The Shadow Walker Pack has sacred rites. Their males can only be mated twice. Even if I have his child, I’ll never be accepted. Neither will the baby.”
The man laughed darkly, the sound carrying a ripple of something not quite human.
*That’s easy. We get rid of Lucas. Once he’s gone and you’re pregnant, the Elders won’t care
5:03 pm G
They’ll be forced to recognize you. The bloodline has to continue.
Then he added, his voice turning hungry,
“But you won’t really be carrying Marcus’s pup. You’re mine. That cub will have my blood.”
Ava’s laugh echoed–high and cruel.
“Of course. I want our child to become the next Alpha. I want to be feared… respected. I want to be Mrs. Nightshade.”
Their laughter turned maniacal, wolfish howls of ambition and madness.
My gut twisted.
I turned and walked fast, heart pounding.
My wolf clawed at my skin, sensing the trap, and urging me to run.
I grabbed my phone and called Marcus.
The line rang, then clicked.
“Brianna?”
His voice was rough, laced with hope.
“Is everything okay?”
I opened my mouth to answer.
But then something slammed into the back of my head.
Agonizing pain erupted. My vision blurred.
My phone hit the pavement.
“Brianna? Brianna, answer me!”
Marcus’s voice crackled.
“Brianna, what’s happening?!”
From the shadows, a hand tipped in blood–red polish reached down, picked up the phone, and
ended the call.
Ava stepped into view, her expression twisted with triumph..
She sneered and slammed the phone against the ground, shattering it into pieces.
“You just had to be a problem,”
she spat. Then she kicked me hard in the ribs.
My body crumpled, pain searing through every bone.
“Trying to rat me out to Marcus?”
she hissed.
“You’ve always been in the way.”
Chapter 23
