《Husband Hybrid_ Aegis War Saga 1》 Topple 1

Prologue/Prophecy

Whispers of the Old Blood¡­.Told through Elowen¡¯s dream¡­or possibly memory¡­ the spell hides the truth¡­. The world was once whole. Before magic splintered and bled into the earth like spilled divinity. Before the gods and goddesses turned from one another, choosing sides, crafting creatures, whispering power into bone and soul. Now the world stands divided. By species. By blood. By gods. The Werewolves and Lycans were the Moon¡¯s first warriors. Created to hunt in the dark, to protect the bnce between predator and prey.They walk on two legs, but their souls run on four. Lycans walk on two legs.They are strength, loyalty, instinct. They bow to the Moon Goddess, whose silver light awakens their power and binds them to fate. Fated mates were oncemon..one soul born in two bodies. Now? Rare. Faded. Broken by centuries of bloodshed. The Witches and Mages were carved from the roots of the world. Children of the Earth Goddess, their magic pulses with nature¡¯s rhythm. Potions, spells, elementalmands..They wield creation like a de. But they were divided long ago. Male and female. Mage and witch. Pride fractured them.They hide in forests, in ruins, in the old bloodlines of Scond. Fewer are born each year. Their magic is strong, but their hearts are tired and they yearn for connection. The Fae were born from starlight and mischief.Their realm is a living, breathing entity..a magical of its own, ruled by elemental courts and wild ambition.They do not age like mortals.They do not love easily. But when they do, it is eternal. To be a Dragon Rider¡­a fae must survive trials of fire, blood, and soul. Few are chosen. Fewer survive. The Dragon Shifters answer to none but their own gods.They worship the Sky and Treasure.Their power is tied to the elements, to hoarded treasure, and to ancient me.Each dragon bears an element..fire, storm, ice, earth, water, air. The rare ones¡­ hold more than one element. These Dragon shifters rule the others. Then you have your true dragons, who do not shift and speak telepathically. They answer only to their King and a rider if they have one. The Vampires¡­ are cursed gods in mortal skin.They were created by the vengeful Blood Goddess..a dark rebellion against light and purity.Their numbers have dwindled, but their strength remains.One drop of fae blood can give them elemental magic. One taste of wolf blood, and they see your memories. Their Blood Goddess is evil. Deceitful, demanding of constant blood and sacrifice and powerful. She is the rot between the veil. Vampires are fast, ageless, feared by all¡­ and trusted by none. They relish in fear and pain and spread darkness throughout the realms. The Beast Shifters, lions, bears, and foxes were gifted by the Sun God, they are powerful during daylight, tied to instinct and healing.They are rare, peaceful, and private, living hidden in the north.Their packs are ruled by unity, not dominance. The beasts are the true healers and peacekeepers. But even peace has its price. Hybrids were never meant to exist.The gods warned against it.The body isn¡¯t supposed contain two species.The magic fights. The child dies. But sometimes¡­a goddess intervenes. And when she does..a hybrid lives. This content belongs to find?novel Powerful. Hunted. Forbidden. The Aegis Protocol, a human and Vampire run organization wrapped in lies and false peace, hunts down and captures any hybrid it finds. They use their blood. They breed them. They cut them open to see what makes them divine. They are trying to create a super hybrid species, much to the dismay of the Gods. The Hollow Creed are worse¡­ humans who kill for sport, who see magic as disease and a gue. They¡¯ve destroyed entire packs, burned witch covens to ash, captured dragons mid flight and turned them into trophies. They cage and kill with no mercy. Men, women, children. Anything non human. The magical world is dying.. not because of war between creatures, but because they are too divided to save themselves. Separated for thousands of years, growing apart from the Old Ways. But there is a prophecy. One whispered from the bones of the moon, etched into fae stone and buried in dragon me. A child of wolf and fae. Born under a blood moon. Marked by magic and fate. A vessel for the Moon Goddess herself. She will carry five marks. Five mates. Five species. She will burn the cages. She will howl the world back together. If she survives. And somewhere, three days before her 18th birthday, in the body of a girl with sky colored eyes and a wolf too aware..that prophecy stirs. And the hunt begins. Topple 2

Not Slutty Enough

Elowen Skye Thorne POV ¡°Not slutty enough,¡± Lyssira said in my head, her voice full of snark and mischief. ¡°Try that one, the red one that screams breed me under the stars.¡± I rolled my eyes so hard it hurt and threw my phone down on the seat. I had been browsing dresses for mying of age party, and Lyssi and I could NOT agree on what to go with. ¡°You are so dramatic.¡± ¡°And you are so boring,¡± she shot back, tail swishing smugly in the back of my mind. ¡°You turn eighteen in three days, El. The Moon Goddess could drop our mate right in front of us, and you wanna wear a beige sweater? BEIGE?¡± Out loud, I huffed, flipping down the visor in the passenger seat of Taya¡¯s car to re at my reflection. ¡°It¡¯s not beige. It¡¯s¡­cream.¡± From the driver¡¯s seat, Taya Quinn cackled. ¡°Girl, please. Lyssira¡¯s right. We¡¯re going for hot, not homeschool librarian. We need mated up energy, serve that snack tter, bitch!¡± She swerved into the cracked lot of Silver Ridge, our pack¡¯s only real town center, hidden deep in the forest like a secret postcard from a forgotten world. If humans ever stumbled into this ce, their minds would just¡­ skip over it. Magic like that only costs blood, a blessing, and a whole lot of wolf politics. Taya¡¯s purple Volkswagen bug screeched into a crooked parking space in front of Lune & Thread, the boutique run by a retired beta named Marnie Vale. She was older, sharp-tongued, and used moon magic to make clothes that fit you like a damn dream. If anyone could make me look good enough to ignore my anxiety about this whole mate business, it was her. Taya threw the car in park and grinned, snapping a selfie on her cracked phone. ¡°Say howl, bitches!¡± ¡°Wait, my hair!¡± Snap. Toote. She posted it to WolfNet with the caption: ?? ¡°Bout to bless this town with our hotness. If you see us? No you didn¡¯t.¡± ???? Tagged: @ElowenSkye ¡°Ugh,¡± I muttered, grabbing my bag as we hopped out. I nced at the reflection in the boutique¡¯s ss window. Tall. Pale as moonlight. Hair long and deep brown, nearly ck, glossy and straight, currently braided to keep it from getting tangled in the wind. My eyes were my curse and my favorite feature, bright blue, like stormy skies and secrets. I guess I loved my curves too. I hid them mostly, so no one knew how curvy I was. Taya, on the other hand, was a whole walking firecracker. 5¡¯3, thicker than a snickers, wild red curls, wearing ripped ck leggings,bat boots covered in glitter, and a cropped hoodie that said Bite Me Harder. She was chaos incarnate. My chaos. We stepped inside, and instantly the air smelled like sage, thread, and magic. Marnie, in a gorgeous floor length navy dress and silver wolf pendant belt, raised an eyebrow as we entered. Her white hair was tied into a loose braid, and her eyes were sharp enough to make grown alphas flinch. ¡°Elowen Thorne. About damn time you came to me. I was about to make a public post calling you a fashion disgrace.¡± Taya snorted. ¡°Don¡¯t tempt her. She¡¯s already been fighting her wolf about how boring she dresses.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± I said, offended. ¡°I have taste!¡± ¡°You have trauma,¡± Lyssira corrected in my head. ¡°There¡¯s a difference.¡± I ignored her and turned toward the racks of enchanted dresses, fingers trailing the soft fabric that shimmered faintly under the boutique¡¯sntern light. The magic hummed beneath my skin, subtle and familiar. My wolf stirred, pleased. The source of th?s content is Find_Novel(. Marnie waved her hand and a dozen dresses floated into the air. ¡°Pick three. Try them on. If none of them make you feel like the sexiest moon blessed bitch in the room, we start over.¡± We emerged an hourter, exhausted and with three bags, two matching nes, and one very smug wolf in my head. ¡°She¡¯s finally getting it,¡± Lyssira purred. ¡°We¡¯re a catch. We need to look like one.¡± Taya slung her arm around my shoulder as we walked to the diner next door. ¡°I¡¯m starving. If I don¡¯t get a milkshake in my mouth right now, I¡¯m going to eat someone¡¯s child.¡± I snorted, pushing open the door to The Hollow Spot, our local teen hangout. Booths, fairy lights, and enchanted menus that floated a few inches off the table. The smell of grease and fries hit me like a hug. But then I saw them. Him. Daxon Stormw and his two douchebag besties..his future beta, Rn, and future gamma, Jace..already seated near the back. They looked up. Daxon¡¯s storm grey eyes met mine like he¡¯d smelled something foul. The smirk that followed made my wolf bristle. He was tall, broad, every inch of him carved from stone and ego, dark hair messy like he styled it by punching a wall. Dressed in a ck shirt and jeans, his pack crest tattoo peeked out from under his corbone. ¡°Ladies,¡± he said with that condescending smirk that made me want to stab him in the thigh. ¡°Cockroaches,¡± Taya replied sweetly, flipping him off as we walked past. Lyssira snarled in my head. ¡°Why does he look like that today? Ugh, the audacity.¡± I gritted my teeth and kept walking. Because Daxon Stormw may have thought he was the heir to the pack. But he was not the main character of this story. I was. We slid into our usual booth near the window, the cracked red vinyl squeaking under us. The diner¡¯s enchantments kept the warmth perfect no matter the season, and the table glowed faintly with silver runes that pulsed as we sat. Before we could even grab the floating menus, our favorite waitress padded over. Mina, a sweet omega wolf with soft golden curls and honey-brown eyes, offered a warm grin that made her feel like family, even if she was barely twenty and shy as hell. She wore a cropped tee with Bite Me, I¡¯m Sweet scrawled across the front and a sparkly moon pin on her apron. ¡°Hey girls,¡± she said, bouncing just a little. ¡°The usual?¡± ¡°Two burgers, extra fries,¡± I said. ¡°And two giant chocte milkshakes with whipped cream and chocte drizzle,¡± Taya finished, kicking her heels under the table. Mina giggled and jotted it down even though she knew damn well what we wanted. ¡°You got it. Coming right up.¡± As she walked away, I leaned back and sighed. ¡°I cannot believe you bullied me into that silver dress.¡± Taya wiggled her brows. ¡°Bullied? Babe, that dress was made for you. It literally shimmered like it wanted to be worshipped.¡± Lyssira howled in agreement. ¡°YESSS. You in that dress? You¡¯re gonna cause so many neck injuries.¡± I groaned, hiding my face in my hands. ¡°It¡¯s so low cut. I feel like I¡¯m one wrong move away from a wardrobe malfunction.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Taya said with zero shame. ¡°El, your tits are legendary. And don¡¯t even get me started on that ass. The slit goes all the way up. If you don¡¯t find a mate in that dress, the Moon Goddess is cking.¡± I snorted. ¡°I¡¯m not trying to find a mate. I¡¯m trying to survive the damn ceremony without a panic attack.¡± ¡°You can do both,¡± Lyssi said smugly. ¡°While looking like a moonlit snack.¡± Taya leaned in, eyes sparkling. ¡°Besides, if I can rock a deep green backless number that shows off every freckle on my boobs, you can handle a little cleavage.¡± ¡°Yours is amazing,¡± I admitted, stealing a peek at her phone where she had the dress saved. The rich emerald green hugged her curves like it had a crush on her. With her wild red hair and vivid green eyes, she looked like a walking sin. ¡°Damn right,¡± she said proudly. ¡°I¡¯m gonna make my new crush pass out on sight.¡± I raised a brow. ¡°Wait, new crush? You moved on from River the tattooed supply guy already?¡± ¡°Obviously. He didn¡¯t like dogs. Dogs, El. He said they drool too much. How the hell are you gonna hate dogs and try to date a wolf?¡± ¡°¡­Valid.¡± We both cracked up, just as Mina returned with a tray of heaven: two tes stacked with double cheeseburgers, golden fries sprinkled with rosemary salt, and milkshakes so thick they bent the straws. ¡°Bless you,¡± Taya whispered to Mina like she was a goddess. Minaughed and disappeared toward the kitchen. We dug in, and for a moment, everything was perfect. No full moons, no whispers, no ¡°what ifs¡± about my lineage or magic or whatever the hell was wrong with me. Just burgers, fries, and my chaotic best friend trying to find the love of her life between milkshakes and mood swings. Of course, that¡¯s exactly when Daxon fucking Stormw decided to walk by our table and smirk. But that¡¯s fine. Because I looked hot. And I had fries. And I¡¯d made it three days from my birthday without stabbing him. That¡¯s what we call progress. Topple 3

Unleashed

Elowen POV The fries were divine. The burger? A spiritual experience. Taya had ketchup on her chin and zero shame about it. ¡°Okay but imagine,¡± she said, mouth full, ¡°what if River the supply guy actually liked dogs but had trauma from being bitten as a kid, and now we¡¯re out here viinizing a traumatized hot man..¡± ¡°I¡¯m not apologizing for your impossible high standards,¡± I replied, reaching for another fry. ¡°You want a man who¡¯s six foot four, smells like cedarwood, and volunteers at a shelter. Pick two.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± she groaned. ¡°I¡¯ll settle for ¡®breathes and owns a tongue.''¡± Iughed, full and real for the first time in what felt like weeks. Until the door opened. And hell walked in on designer boots. Va and Soria Stormw, the alpha princesses from hell, nked by their two minions, Lana and Brielle, clones with matching sneers and fake nails. They looked like they¡¯d just stepped out of a pack social magazine: long, sleek blonde hair, crop tops that defied physics, and the kind of glossed lips that only spoke in venom. The room shifted. Tension thickened like fog rolling off a corpse. And of course, they glided right over to the table beside Daxon and his buddies. He didn¡¯t look up, but I could feel his attention shift. Like a predator noticing a stronger scent on the wind. Soria shamelessly threw herself at Rylen, batting her eyes prettily. Daxon rolled his eyes as his sister Va triesd to get Jace¡¯s attention. Taya rolled her eyes. ¡°Here we fucking go.¡± I ignored them. Shoved another fry in my mouth. Smiled at my milkshake like it was a lifeline. That was my first mistake. Pfft. Something wet smacked me right between the eyes. My vision blurred. It was a damn spitball. A goddamn, chewedup paper missile, direct from Va¡¯s smirking lips. Time froze. Lyssira didn¡¯t. Silver fire roared through my veins as she snapped forward in my mind. Before I could even blink, I was standing. No, leaping. Over the booth. Over the next table. Snarling. The scream didn¡¯t even register until I had Va Stormw on the floor, pinned by the throat, nails pressing into her carotid, lips peeled back over my teeth. My eyes weren¡¯t mine anymore. They glowed silver. ¡°YOU WANNA FUCK AROUND¡± Lyssi roared through me, ¡°LET¡¯S FUCKING FIND OUT!¡± People were shouting. Chairs scraped. The smell of panic was everywhere. And then suddenly two strong arms wrapped around my waist and yanked me back hard. I twisted, snarling, teeth snapping inches from Daxon¡¯s face. He didn¡¯t flinch. Neither did I. For a second, we just stood there, two predators caught in a dance older than gods. His storm grey eyes met my silver-lit ones, and something dark flickered in them. Not fear. Recognition? No. Can¡¯t be. I shoved back. Hard. My breath was ragged. Lyssi fought me, wing to stay in control, but I gritted my teeth and ripped her down. ¡°Mine¡­¡± she whispered, low and confused. ?? ??? ???? ?? ???? ???? ???????s, ????s? ??s?? FindN()vel ¡°I SAID STOP,¡± I snarled at her internally. ¡°What the actual hell, Lyssi?!¡± I turned on my heel, grabbed Taya by the wrist¡­who had wisely stayed back with wide eyes and a half finished milkshake, and bolted. We screeched into my driveway ten minutester, gravel flying as Taya¡¯s bug skidded into ce. ¡°Oh my gods,¡± she gasped, ¡°You feral queen, what was that?! I mean, holy shit I¡¯ve dreamed of doing that to Va.¡± ¡°I pinned her to the ground,¡± I choked out, pacing, heart racing. ¡°In a public ce. In front of the future pack alpha. I snarled at him, Taya. I snapped at him. I¡¯m going to die.¡± ¡°Okay but like..she deserved it. And also? You looked hot.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the point!¡± ¡°It¡¯s part of the point.¡± I sat down on the front porch step and covered my face. My fingers trembled. Lyssi was silent. Still sulking. Still stunned. That wasn¡¯t normal. Not for her. And that scared me more than the Alpha King possibly summoning me for attempted princess homicide. My phone buzzed. I looked down. ??@VaAlphaBitch had posted a photo on WolfNet, a blurred shot of me mid snarl, silver eyes glowing, with the caption: ??¡±Guess someone forgot how to behave like a pack wolf. Bet Daddy¡¯s rolling in his grave. #rogueblood #crazybitchenergy #AlphaProblems¡± I didn¡¯t cry. I didn¡¯t scream. I just sat there. Because suddenly, I wasn¡¯t afraid. I wasn¡¯t shaking. I was angry. And deep down..beneath the shame, some part of me was waking up. My whole body burned with leftover adrenaline. Lyssira paced in my chest like a caged animal, silent but seething. I didn¡¯t even say goodbye to Taya. I mmed the door behind me and stomped straight to my room, throwing my shopping bags to the side and yanking my shirt over my head and tossing it somewhere near the dresser. My jeans hit the floor next. I grabbed my training gear, sports bra,pression leggings, torn up old sneakers, and yanked them on with trembling fingers. I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. Silver still flickered faintly in my eyes. My breathing hitched. What the fuck is happening to me? ¡°Elowen?¡± Maria¡¯s voice floated up the stairs. Calm. Controlled. Like she wasn¡¯t watching her foster daughtere unhinged online. ¡°Elowen,¡± Eron¡¯s voice followed. That firm, clipped tone he always used when I was ¡°on the verge of disappointing the Alpha King.¡± I ignored them both. ¡°Just¡­ give her space,¡± Maria said, barely a whisper behind my door. ¡°Let her work it out like she always does.¡± Trantion: let the broken girl break herself in peace. Tears blurred my vision, hot and angry and useless. I yanked my hair into a tight braid, tied it off with a band from my wrist, and stormed down the stairs. I didn¡¯t even look at them. I threw open the front door, feet pounding on the wooden steps as Iunched myself into the trees. The training grounds weren¡¯t far, just across a small creek and up the slope of Moon¡¯s Hollow Ridge. Wolves trained there every day. Sparring circles. Target lines. Strength stations. I didn¡¯t care if anyone was there. I needed to hit something. Now. The clearing was quiet. Good. I stomped across the grass, grabbed one of the heavy punch bags strapped to an oak post, and started swinging. Hard. Over and over. My knuckles burned, even through the wraps. I didn¡¯t stop. I hit until my arms ached, until my ribs hurt from breathing, until my braid stuck to my sweat soaked back and I was half sobbing, half snarling. ¡°How dare she,¡± I gasped, mming my fist into the bag. ¡°How dare he touch me. Like I¡¯m something to be controlled. Like I¡¯m not..¡± Not what? What am I? ¡°You¡¯re more,¡± Lyssira finally whispered. And for once, I believed her. Because something inside me was cracking open. Something old. Something deep. And it was hungry. Topple 4

Alpha Drama

Daxon Stormw POV ¡°She¡¯s feral,¡± Rylen muttered as we stepped into the cool night air, the door to The Hollow Spot swinging shut behind us. ¡°No,¡± Jace added, licking salt off his fingers, ¡°she¡¯s psychotic. That chick looked ready to rip Va¡¯s throat out with her teeth. Hot, but terrifying.¡± I didn¡¯t say anything. Mostly because my jaw was still clenched so tight it hurt. I kept seeing it. Her eyes. That sh of silver. That raw, guttural snarl. Like it wasing from something ancient inside her, not just a wolf. And when I pulled her off Va, when she turned on me, baring her teeth, wild and furious, it felt like getting hit by lightning. My wolf had jumped. Not like, ¡°oh shit, fight iing,¡± more like¡­ we know her. But we don¡¯t. And we shouldn¡¯t. ¡°I¡¯ve seen a lot of rage shifts,¡± Rylen continued, clearly enjoying the drama. ¡°But that? That was some next level divine wrath shit. Like¡­ she had murder in her blood, bro.¡± ¡°She didn¡¯t shift,¡± I said quietly. They both stopped walking. Jace cocked his head. ¡°What?¡± ¡°She didn¡¯t shift,¡± I repeated. ¡°No full transition. No fur. Just her. Her eyes changed, her voice dropped, her energy went nuclear, but she didn¡¯t shift.¡± Rylen looked at me like I¡¯d grown a second head. ¡°Okay, but why are you noticing that?¡± I ignored him. Because I didn¡¯t have an answer. Because my skin still burned where I touched her waist. Because I could still hear her snarl in my ears. Because for a second, when our eyes locked¡­ It didn¡¯t feel like I was restraining her. It felt like I was trying not to fall into her. What the fuck is wrong with me? ¡°She¡¯s not even an alpha,¡± I muttered. ¡°She¡¯s just a¡­ rogue case the Gamma couple took in after Can died.¡± Rylen raised a brow. ¡°Dude. She just full body tackled your sister and almost took out a royal table. Pretty sure we can stop pretending she¡¯s a harmless omega.¡± ¡°She won¡¯t submit,¡± I snapped. ¡°She never has. She¡¯s mouthy, stubborn, always thinks she¡¯s smarter than everyone. She¡¯s not..¡± ¡°Y¡¯know,¡± Jace said, smirking, ¡°you say a lot of words for someone who ¡®hates¡¯ her.¡± I red. ¡°I do hate her.¡± ¡°Right. That¡¯s why your voice drops a whole octave when you say her name.¡± ¡°I¡¯m serious. She¡¯s always challenging me. She won¡¯t obey. She never flinches. She gets under my skin like a thorn that won¡¯te out.¡± ¡°Like a mate?¡± Rylen said casually. I stopped walking. Both of them bumped into me from behind. ¡°Don¡¯t.¡± ¡°C¡¯mon, bro. It¡¯s not the worst thing in the world.¡± ¡°She¡¯s not my mate,¡± I growled. ¡°If she were, I¡¯d know.¡± Wouldn¡¯t I? Fated mates were rare and if I hadn¡¯t found her by now I likely wouldn¡¯t. There¡¯s no way. No possible way. I shook my head definitively. Nope. My wolf was quiet. Too quiet. And suddenly, I hated the silence more than I hated her. By the time we pulled into the Stormw estate..less ¡°home¡± and more fortress with mood lighting..I was still chewing on the ghost of Elowen¡¯s snarl. The whole damn drive, Rylen and Jace wouldn¡¯t shut up. ¡°You should¡¯ve let her finish choking Va,¡± Jace said, cracking his knuckles as we walked through the carved obsidian front doors. ¡°Would¡¯ve been the most peaceful dinner this year.¡± ¡°You say that like you wouldn¡¯t have pissed yourself,¡± Rylen snorted. ¡°I would¡¯ve pped, actually.¡± ¡°Both of you shut the hell up,¡± I muttered, stepping into the grand hall. It was dark stone and silver chandeliers. Faint moonlight spilled in from the ss ceiling. My mother¡¯s touch was in every sleek surface, every expensive art piece no one understood. And standing dead center under the spiral staircase, arms crossed, wearing a look that could freezeva¡­was Alpha King Draven Stormw. My father. Of course. ¡°Boys,¡± he said, voice cold as iron. ¡°Out.¡± Rylen and Jace didn¡¯t need to be told twice. They practically vanished, not even pretending to be subtle about it. I didn¡¯t move. Draven stepped forward slowly. No shouting. No drama. Just presence. Alpha to the bone. And for once, he didn¡¯t look like he was ready to rip someone¡¯s throat out. Yet. ¡°I got a call,¡± he said quietly. ¡°From Marnie. And Mina. And half the damn teenagers in town.¡± ¡°Of course you did.¡± He narrowed his eyes. ¡°You gonna tell me what the hell happened with Elowen Thorne¡­ or do I need to pull it from your skull?¡± I rolled my shoulders, jaw tight. ¡°She was provoked.¡± His brow lifted. ¡°By?¡± ¡°Va.¡± A beat of silence. ¡°She spat a wad of chewed paper in Elowen¡¯s face,¡± I added. ¡°On purpose. In front of everyone.¡± He didn¡¯t react right away. Just let the words hang there. ¡°And Elowen responded by¡­?¡± ¡°Launching herself over three booths and pinning Va to the ground.¡± Another pause. Then Draven exhaled through his nose. ¡°Of course she did.¡± ¡°She didn¡¯t shift,¡± I added before I could stop myself. ¡°But her eyes..her energy..¡± I shook my head. ¡°I¡¯ve never felt anything like it.¡± He looked at me closely, studying my face like it held secrets I didn¡¯t know I had. Then he turned and walked toward the staircase. ¡°She needs to be reprimanded,¡± I said, unsure why I felt the need to speak again. ¡°We can¡¯t have wolves attacking royalty in public..¡± ¡°She¡¯s not just a wolf,¡± he interrupted, pausing on the first step. ¡°What?¡± Draven nced over his shoulder. ¡°She¡¯s Can¡¯s daughter. That means something. Even if the rest of the pack forgets, I won¡¯t.¡± I blinked. ¡°That¡¯s not what I..¡± ¡°Va will be dealt with,¡± he cut in. ¡°Quietly. You don¡¯t need to worry about Elowen¡¯s punishment. Not this time.¡± And just like that, he disappeared up the stairs, leaving me in the silence. I stood there, fists clenched at my sides, not sure whether I was relieved or¡­ something else. She wasn¡¯t just a wolf. No. She was a fucking wildfire wrapped in skin and secrets. And I wasn¡¯t done with her. Not even close. Va Stormw POV I barely made it two steps into the manor before I heard it. ¡°Va. Now.¡± My stomach dropped. Draven¡¯s voice wasn¡¯t loud..but when my father spoke like that, it didn¡¯t matter how royal your blood was. You moved. I sighed dramatically and tossed my hair over my shoulder, ignoring the sharp look from Soria at my side as I turned and strutted toward his office. ¡°This better be fast,¡± I muttered under my breath. ¡°I still have to post my side of the story.¡± The door was open. And the second I stepped inside, I realized I¡¯d fucked up worse than I thought. He was standing at the window, hands behind his back, shoulders stiff like a wolf on the edge of snapping. The moonlight made the silver in his hair shimmer¡­and for once, I wasn¡¯t charmed by it. ¡°Sit.¡± I sat. No princess tone. No ¡°my beautiful daughter.¡± Justmand. Alpha to subordinate. And I hated it. ¡°I spoke with Daxon,¡± he said, voice calm in the most dangerous way. ¡°He told me exactly what happened.¡± I crossed my arms. ¡°And I¡¯m sure he left out that she¡¯s a lunatic who..¡± He turned. And the look in his eyes shut me the fuck up. ¡°You assaulted the Beta¡¯s daughter.¡± ¡°She¡¯s not even..¡± N?w ?ovel chapt?rs are published on ?ovelFind ¡°She is Can¡¯s daughter,¡± he growled, mming his fist onto the desk hard enough to make the wood groan. ¡°And that means she¡¯s not just some she wolf. She¡¯s pack royalty in blood if not title, and you disgraced your position by acting like a petty child in public.¡± I flinched. I hated that I flinched. ¡°She started it,¡± I muttered, voice tight. ¡°She thinks she¡¯s better than everyone, and she¡¯s not.¡± ¡°She¡¯s stronger than you.¡± That hit harder than a p. I stared at him. ¡°What did you just say?¡± ¡°You heard me,¡± he said coldly. ¡°She didn¡¯t shift. Didn¡¯t even blink. And still had you on the ground with one hand at your throat before anyone could react. That¡¯s alpha blood. That¡¯s discipline. That¡¯s power.¡± I gritted my teeth, nails digging into the armrest. ¡°She disrespected me!¡± ¡°And you embarrassed this family,¡± he snapped. ¡°This is not a debate, Va. It¡¯s a warning.¡± He leaned down slowly, eyes burning into mine. ¡°If you ever pull a stunt like that again¡­ if you ever put hands, or spitballs, on that girl again¡­ I will make you regret it. Do you understand me?¡± My pride screamed. My wolf snarled. But I nodded. ¡°Yes, Father.¡± ¡°Good,¡± he said, already turning his back. ¡°Now get out of my sight.¡± I stormed down the hall, heels clicking hard against the polished stone, until I reached the top of the stairs. Soria was waiting. When she saw my face, her lips curled into a cruel smile. ¡°Let me guess. Daddy didn¡¯t like your performance.¡± ¡°I hate her,¡± I hissed. ¡°He¡¯s defending her like she¡¯s one of us. Like she matters.¡± Soria leaned against the wall, arms crossed, her golden eyes gleaming in the dark. ¡°He¡¯s wrong, you know. She¡¯s not stronger. She just caught you off guard.¡± I clenched my fists. ¡°She¡¯s not even alpha.¡± ¡°No,¡± Soria said softly, ¡°but she will be.¡± We stood there in silence for a moment, seething. And then Soria leaned in, voice low and razor sharpa as she grinned maniacally. ¡°Let¡¯s make sure she never gets the chance.¡± Topple 5

Wild Dreams & Nipple Drama

Elowen POV By the time I stumbled back through the front door, my knuckles were bruised, my legs ached, and I was still seething. I didn¡¯t say a word to Eron or Maria, who were sitting on the couch like two uptight gargoyles pretending not to eavesdrop. I just stomped upstairs and mmed my bedroom door behind me. Safe. For now. I peeled off my training clothes, tossing them into the hamper, and pulled on an oversized hoodie that smelled like cedarwood and sweat. I was halfway through wiping the dried blood from my knuckles when my phone buzzed violently on the nightstand. 7 missed calls ¨C Taya Quinn. Shit. Right as I grabbed the phone, it lit up again¡­FaceTime. I hit ept. Her face filled the screen instantly, wild red curls tied up in two messy buns, eyes wide. ¡°Oh my GOD, are you alive?!¡± she shouted. ¡°You ghosted me and the whole pack is talking about ¡®The Alpha Princess Choke m of the Century.¡¯ You¡¯ve gone viral, babe!¡± I dropped onto the bed, covering my face with one hand. ¡°Kill me.¡± ¡°Nah. Too iconic. I¡¯m making you a sticker for it. Says ¡®Don¡¯t spit at wolves unless you wanna die tired.''¡± Despite everything, I snorted. She paused, eyes narrowing. ¡°Wait¡­ you okay?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± I whispered. ¡°Something happened, Tay. I felt like I cked out but also like I was more awake than ever. I could feel Lyssi in every inch of my bones. It was like¡­ she wasn¡¯t just pissed. She was awakened.¡± ¡°Because she¡¯s a bad bitch,¡± Taya said. ¡°And so are you. The princesses had iting.¡± Before I could answer, a soft knock tapped against my door. ¡°Come in,¡± I called out, expecting Maria with another tight lipped warning. But it was Eron. He carried a small, ancient looking chest with ck wood, silver hardware, glowing faintly with runes. ¡°Leave your phone,¡± he said. ¡°This is important.¡± I raised an eyebrow but did as I was told, holding the phone away from my face. ¡°Tay, I¡¯ll call you back.¡± ¡°Ooooh mystery box. Don¡¯t die. Love you.¡± Click. Eron ced the chest on my desk like it might bite him. ¡°It was left for you by Can. Strict instructions to only open it on your 18th birthday. No sooner.¡± My breath caught. ¡°You¡­ kept this from me?¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t my choice,¡± he said. ¡°The Alpha King himself reinforced the seal.¡± My heart thundered. ¡°What¡¯s in it?¡± ¡°No idea. But the enchantments are still intact. Do not open it early, Elowen. I mean it.¡± He left without another word. I stared at the box. It stared back. And even though my fingers itched to pry it open, I didn¡¯t. I couldn¡¯t. Not tonight. Not when my soul still felt like it was unraveling. So I crawled into bed, pulled the nkets up to my chin, and let exhaustion win. The dreams came fast. Fire. Screaming. Cages. Wolves muzzled in silver chains. Syringes. Steel walls dripping blood. A girl with my eyes..strapped to a table, screaming for a father who couldn¡¯t save her. I ran through hallways of smoke and shadow, chased by white masked men with des and needles. Behind them, a symbol burned¡­a ck de, a silver cage, a white mask. The Aegis Protocol. A voice echoed in the darkness. ¡°You were not born to survive. You were born to end it.¡± Then light. Blinding. Moonlight pouring like a river of silver. A woman stood before me, tall, radiant, eyes glowing like gxies. The Moon Goddess. ¡°Find the others. Unite them. Or all will be lost.¡± I screamed, and sat bolt upright in bed, drenched in sweat, heart hammering like a war drum. ¡°Shit,¡± I whispered. ¡°Shit, shit, shit.¡± I scrambled out of bed and checked the time. 7:32 AM. ¡°SHIT.¡± Ten minutester, I flew down the road in my rusted out blue Chevy pickup, the windows down, wind tangling my hair into chaos. Silver stars swayed from my rearview mirror, dancing with every bump and turn. I cranked the volume on my ylist, punk rock screaming through the speakers. This was my morning chaos ritual. It always helped. Until I pulled into the school lot, jumped out the truck and sprinted into the building¡­ And mmed right into Daxon Stormw. Like, physically. Felt like mming into a tree and he didn¡¯t even move. I narrowed my eyes and growled. We both froze, inches apart. I was holding a textbook. He was holding a protein bar. Neither of us moved. ¡°Watch it,¡± he said, voice low and venomous. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t want you tackling anyone else this week.¡± I red. ¡°Funny,ing from the guy who had his sister¡¯s ego in a headlockst night.¡± He smirked. ¡°You¡¯re lucky I pulled you off.¡± ¡°Oh, trust me,¡± I said, shoving past him, ¡°you are.¡± I didn¡¯t wait for a reply. I stormed down the hall and into Wolf Pack Politics, sliding into the seat beside Taya. She raised a brow. ¡°That bad?¡± I dropped my head onto the desk. ¡°You have no idea.¡± I hardly had my ass in the seat before Mr. Halden, our eternally cranky Wolf Pack Politics teacher, nced up from his tablet and raised an unimpressed brow. ¡°Miss Thorne,¡± he said with a sigh like he¡¯d been waiting his whole life to be disappointed in me. ¡°You¡¯rete.¡± ¡°Yeah, I know, sorry..¡± ¡°That¡¯s minus ten participation points.¡± I blinked. ¡°Seriously?¡± ¡°You want to make it twenty?¡± I gritted my teeth. ¡°No, sir.¡± Behind me, a snort sounded like nails on a chalkboard. Va. Of course. ¡°Rough morning, Thorne?¡± she cooed, voice like poisoned honey. ¡°Looks like someone forgot how to set an rm.¡± Soria coughed from the next row over, followed by Brielle muttering, ¡°Slut,¡± behind her hand. I clenched my jaw. Taya muttered, ¡°I will maul them.¡± And that¡¯s when I felt it. The breeze. The very cool breeze. Against my stomach. And my boobs. Checktest chapters at f?ndnovel I looked down¡­and nearly died. In my panic this morning, I¡¯d grabbed a thin white shirt from the cleanundry pile. No bra. Slightly sheer. Full moon on full disy under the goddamn fluorescent lights. Kill. Me. Now. A whistle rang out from two rows behind me. Then another. ¡°Nice top, Thorne!¡± someone called. ¡°Where¡¯s the rest of it?¡± ¡°I volunteer for mate duty!¡± Laughter broke out like wildfire, and my face went up in mes. Taya¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°If I had a knife right now¡­¡± Va coughed again. ¡°Desperate much?¡± And that¡¯s when Lyssira let out a low, rolling growl in the back of my skull. ¡°Let me at her.¡± No. ¡°Just one lunge.¡± No. ¡°One w to the face, it will be very educational.¡± ¡°Stop,¡± I whispered under my breath, gripping the edge of my desk so hard it creaked. ¡°El.¡± ¡°I said stop!¡± Mr. Halden didn¡¯t even look up. ¡°Miss Thorne,¡± he said tly, ¡°unless you¡¯d like to spend the rest of ss in detention, I suggest you stop talking to yourself.¡± I inhaled slowly, pressing my thighs together, grounding myself before Iunched over another desk and ruined my entire life. Taya reached over under the table and gave my hand a squeeze. I squeezed back. ¡°Breathe, babe,¡± she whispered. ¡°You made it through the Choke m of Va 2025. You can survive a little nipple drama.¡± I snorted under my breath and shook my head. But inside me, Lyssira didn¡¯t let go. She was still pacing. Still watching. Still waiting. Topple 6

Nachos & Rumors

Elowen POV By the time lunch rolled around, I was so done with today that I could¡¯ve thrown myself in front of the delivery truck bringing fresh venison to the cafeteria. ¡°Eyes forward,¡± Taya muttered as we wove through the crowd toward the food line. ¡°Ignore the whispers.¡± ¡°I¡¯m trying,¡± I hissed back. ¡°But they¡¯re not even whispering anymore.¡± We passed a table of juniors who all went suspiciously silent as we walked by, only to burst into giggles and mock howling as soon as my back was turned. ¡°I heard she tackled Va like a rabid omega.¡± ¡°Did you see the shirt?¡± ¡°Bet she shifts with her tits out.¡± ¡°Fucking charming,¡± I muttered, grabbing a tray. ¡°High school wolves,¡± Taya growled. ¡°Nothing but hormones and half a brain.¡± We loaded up our tes at the build-your-own-nacho bar, me with extra cheese and jpe?os, her with so much sour cream it looked like a snowstorm, and made our way to our usual table by the window. It wasn¡¯t private, but it was ours. The moment I sat down, I felt Lyssira stir again. ¡°They think we¡¯re weak,¡± she rumbled. ¡°Let me show them we¡¯re not.¡± I shoved a chip in my mouth to keep from snapping out loud. ¡°You¡¯re not helping,¡± I mumbled into my te. Across from me, Taya raised a brow. ¡°Still brooding?¡± ¡°She¡¯s pacing,¡± I said. ¡°She wants blood. I want nachos. We¡¯re working through it.¡± ¡°Well, tell her to chill. It¡¯s lunch. No one ruins nachos on my watch.¡± I smiled despite myself. Taya took a dramatic bite of her tower of torti goodness. ¡°Okay, so¡­ aside from being pack gossip legend today, you mentioned somethingst night, the chest?¡± I swallowed, the moment sobering me fast. ¡°Yeah. Eron brought it up to my room. Said Can left it for me. I¡¯m not allowed to open it until my birthday.¡± Taya¡¯s eyes lit up like it was Yule morning. ¡°And it¡¯s sealed with magic?¡± I nodded. ¡°He said the Alpha King himself reinforced the lock.¡± ¡°Holy shit, El,¡± she whispered. ¡°That¡¯s not just a keepsake box. That¡¯s like¡­ plot twist in a box.¡± I nced around the lunchroom¡­eyes still on me, whispers still circling like vultures. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I want a twist,¡± I said quietly. ¡°I just want to survive the ceremony without setting someone on fire.¡± Taya¡¯s smile softened. ¡°You¡¯ll be okay. Whatever¡¯s in that chest¡­whatever your dad left you¡­it¡¯s yours. Not Va¡¯s. Not the pack¡¯s. Yours.¡± I looked down at my tray. I wanted to believe that. But somewhere in my gut, the truth twisted. Because my dreams were only getting darker. And I had the horrible, gut-churning feeling that when I opened that chest¡­..nothing would ever be the same again. ¡°So¡­¡± Taya said, licking nacho cheese off her finger with no shame whatsoever, ¡°you ready for tomorrow night?¡± I nearly choked on my soda. ¡°Mentally? Emotionally? Spiritually? Absolutely not.¡± Taya grinned. ¡°Cool, cool. Total breakdown energy. We love that.¡± I groaned and dropped my head to the table. ¡°I can¡¯t do it, Tay. I want to run. Like, shift and vanish into the fucking trees.¡± She reached across and flicked my forehead. ¡°You could, but you won¡¯t. You¡¯re not a runner. You¡¯re a fighter.¡± I scowled. ¡°Sometimes I think running is smarter.¡± ¡°Only if you¡¯re wearing hot boots and a smoky eye. Otherwise? No.¡± Before I could tell her how much I hated that she was always right, the lunch bell rang like a damn funeral chime. ¡°Ugh, training hour,¡± I muttered. ¡°I brought extra hair ties. Let¡¯s go snap some egos.¡± We hit the training grounds behind the school five minutester. It was warm for Minnesota, and the air smelled like dirt and arrogance..aka, every alpha¡¯s sweat. And speaking of¡­ Va and her clones were already there, flipping their glossy ponytails andughing like they¡¯d just discovered new ways to ruin my life. They didn¡¯t even try to hide it. Th? link to the orig?n of this information r?sts ?n find?novel ¡°She probably thinks the Moon Goddess chose her,¡± Brielle snorted. Soria smirked. ¡°More like cursed her with delusions.¡± Taya rolled her eyes so hard she almost sprained something. ¡°I hate everyone here except you.¡± ¡°Feeling¡¯s mutual,¡± I said. We started warmups, and I tried..really tried..to block them out. But as I jogged past the line of cones, a foot ¡°identally¡± slid into my path. I stumbled hard, catching myself just before I hit the dirt. Theugh that followed was unmistakable. Va. Something inside me snapped. Lyssira rose fast and hot. ¡°Let me break her jaw.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°One w. One swipe. She deserves it.¡± ¡°No.¡± My hands were shaking. My vision shimmered at the edges. ¡°Excuse me,¡± I gasped, backing away. ¡°El..¡± Taya started, but I was already sprinting for the trees. I hit the forest line and shifted mid stride. Fur burst over my skin in a wave of silver fire. Bones cracked. Breath caught. And then I was running on four legs, muscles stretching, heart hammering, wind whipping through my fur like moonlight made real. Lyssira roared with freedom. She bolted through the woods, dodging trees and leaping fallen logs with ease. We weren¡¯t running to escape¡­ we were running to breathe. But then¡­ I remembered something way toote. I¡¯d forgotten to dye my fur. The blue and silver tips at the ends of my otherwise snow white coat gleamed in the sun. Shit. I skidded to a stop, panting. And then I smelled him. Daxon. I whipped around and saw him, maybe fifty yards back, near the treeline, watching. His expression was unreadable, and I groaned inwardly. Was he fucking stalking me!? What the fuck? I didn¡¯t wait to find out what he thought. I shifted back, behind a thick tree, yanked on the emergency leggings and tank I stashed under a root, and ran. By the time I reached the parking lot, I was halfway dry and fully pissed off. I jumped into my truck, mming the door shut, and threw it into reverse. But before I could pull out, He was there. Leaning against the driver¡¯s side door, arms crossed, looking like the exact brand of trouble I did not need today. I rolled down the window just enough to re. ¡°Move.¡± ¡°Where were you?¡± he asked tly. ¡°My business.¡± ¡°I saw your wolf.¡± I froze. My pulse spiked. He stepped closer. ¡°That wasn¡¯t the mutt you pretend to be. That was something else. I¡¯ve never seen fur like that.¡± I swallowed. ¡°You¡¯re mistaken.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not.¡± His voice was calm, but his eyes burned. That same flicker from the diner. That same confusion. Like something in him recognized me¡­ but didn¡¯t know why. ¡°I don¡¯t know what your game is, Thorne,¡± he said. ¡°But whatever you¡¯re hiding, it¡¯s bleeding through.¡± I met his stare head on. ¡°So what? Gonna tell Daddy Alpha on me?¡± He smirked, but it didn¡¯t reach his eyes. ¡°Not yet.¡± And then he stepped back. I mmed the gas, gravel flying behind me. But even as I tore away from the school, his voice echoed in my mind. ¡°Whatever you¡¯re hiding¡­it¡¯s bleeding through.¡± Topple 7

The Wolf Knows

Daxon Stormw POV That wasn¡¯t a normal wolf. And that sure as hell wasn¡¯t the Elowen I thought I knew. I stood there in the shadows, heart still hammering like I¡¯d juste out of a fight. My eyes burned, my skin buzzed, and my wolf was wing at the inside of my skull like he wanted out. ¡°Say it,¡± he growled. ¡°You saw her. You felt her.¡± No. I shoved the thought down. Shut it out. That wasn¡¯t her. It couldn¡¯t be. Her wolf was supposed to be brown. Small. Forgettable. Beta bred and raised by gammas. Wait, wasn¡¯t her father an Alpha? What the fuck. Not that¡­ thing. That glowing, silver-tipped, snow-drenched goddess is bolting through the woods like moonlight in motion. I ran a hand through my hair, pacing the edge of the forest like a man possessed. What the fuck is happening to me? ¡°She¡¯s ours,¡± my wolf snarled again, more insistent this time. ¡°Shut up, Talon,¡± I snapped out loud, and instantly regretted saying his name where anyone could hear. Talon. My wolf. He was older than me. Stronger than me. More sure of things than I ever wanted to be. And right now, he was absolutely convinced that Elowen Skye Thorne, the girl who tackled my sister and snarls like she wants to rip my throat out for existing, was our true mate. Fated. Bound. No fucking way. I hopped into my cyber truck with ease and started the engine. ¡°She¡¯s obnoxious,¡± I muttered, storming toward my car. ¡°She doesn¡¯t listen. She never submits. She¡¯s chaos wrapped in attitude.¡± ¡°She¡¯s ours.¡± ¡°She¡¯s not!¡± I mmed my palm into the steering wheel hard enough to make the horn st. People turned to look. I didn¡¯t care. My skin was crawling, my instincts were rioting, and worst of all¡­ I could still smell her. That stupid scent, like wildflowers and storms and danger, was everywhere. Talon growled low. ¡°You¡¯re lying to yourself. You felt the bond start to stir.¡± ¡°It didn¡¯t stir. It hupped. Glitched. Had a fucking seizure. That wasn¡¯t a bond. That was an ident.¡± ¡°That was fate.¡± I punched the dash. Silence. Then Talon whispered something that chilled me deeper than any storm had ever managed. ¡°You¡¯re scared of her.¡± That one hit too deep. Because he wasn¡¯t wrong. I wasn¡¯t scared of her strength. Or her mouth. Or the fact that she could take my sister down with one hand. I was scared of what she did to me. I was scared of what it meant when I looked at her and felt something twist, something ancient and primal and permanent. If she were mine¡­ everything would change. And I wasn¡¯t ready to admit I wanted it. Not yet. Elowen POV I drove like a bat out of hell. Gravel spun behind my tires, punk rock ring so loud it should¡¯ve burst my eardrums, but it didn¡¯t do a damn thing to calm me down. ¡°That smug asshole,¡± I growled, gripping the wheel tighter. ¡°Following me. Cornering me. Acting like he¡¯s entitled to answers just because his dick has a crest.¡± Talon, his damn wolf, probably thought that smug little speech in the parking lot was sexy. Well, guess what, Daxon Stormw? Th? link to the orig?n of this information r?sts ?n find(?)ovel You¡¯re not the hero. You¡¯re the reason I need therapy. The road blurred past as the trees opened up to the gravelne that led to my house, and Lyssira had been dead quiet the entire drive. Which was weird. Suspicious. Unsettling. I narrowed my eyes. ¡°What?¡± Silence. ¡°Lyssi,¡± I snapped. ¡°You¡¯ve been screaming about wing faces all week, and now you¡¯ve got nothing to say? After that?¡± She sighed. Sighed. What in the actual lunar hell? ¡°I¡¯m¡­ thinking.¡± I mmed the brakes. The truck jerked to a stop on the shoulder, tires crunching. ¡°You don¡¯t think,¡± I hissed. ¡°You snarl, you threaten, you chew on intrusive thoughts like rawhide. So spit it out.¡± Another pause. Then, timidly..so soft I almost didn¡¯t hear it.. ¡°¡­I think he might be our mate.¡± The silence that followed was not peaceful. It was apocalyptic. ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°Just a whisper. A pull. When he grabbed us¡­ when our eyes locked¡­ it felt like fate was moving inside my bones.¡± ¡°LYSSIRA.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t yell at me, I didn¡¯t make the bond!!¡± ¡°HE IS A WALKING RED FLAG WITH A SIX-PACK. He treats us like we¡¯re some rabid mutt he stepped on!¡± ¡°Maybe that¡¯s his trauma talking.¡± ¡°He tried to alphamand me in trainingst month.¡± ¡°Okay, yes, that was toxic as hell, but¡­ he smells really good.¡± I banged my head gently on the steering wheel. ¡°No. Nope. Not doing this. We are not imprinting on a misogynistic royal prick with Godplex energy and a jawline sharp enough to cut emotions.¡± ¡°But what if he is?¡± she whispered. ¡°What if he¡¯s ours?¡± I started driving again. Fast. Reckless. Like I could outrun fate if I just hit the gas hard enough. Because the idea of Daxon Stormw being my mate wasn¡¯t just inconvenient¡­ It was the most terrifying thought I¡¯d had all year. By the time I got home, my blood pressure was still somewhere in the stratosphere. Daxon fucking Stormw and my wolf¡¯s emotional betrayal had me on edge, and walking into the kitchen to find Maria and Eron already seated at the table did not help. ¡°Food¡¯s still warm,¡± Maria said, not looking up from her tea. ¡°Sit.¡± I muttered something that could¡¯ve been thanks or a curse and dropped into the chair across from them. The scent of roasted venison and herb potatoes filled the room, but my stomach was still doing backflips. I poked at my te. Eron cleared his throat. ¡°We heard about what happened today. With Va.¡± Here we go. I took a slow breath. ¡°She tried to trip me during training. I didn¡¯t attack her. I walked away.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what people are saying,¡± Maria said tly. My jaw clenched. ¡°And what exactly are people saying this time? That I turned into a dragon and burned the gym down?¡± Eron gave me a look. That Beta looks. The one that said Watch your tone, girl. ¡°Regardless,¡± he said, ¡°you need to be careful. The princesses aren¡¯t your equals. Don¡¯t provoke them.¡± I stared at him, fork frozen midair. ¡°Did you just tell me not to provoke someone who¡¯s been bullying me since I was thirteen?¡± Maria set down her cup. ¡°It¡¯s not about fairness. It¡¯s about survival.¡± I shoved my chair back and stood. ¡°Right. Of course. Keep your head down. Don¡¯t make waves. Pretend I¡¯m not a threat even when I clearly am.¡± Eron raised an eyebrow. ¡°Are you saying you are a threat?¡± ¡°I¡¯m saying,¡± I snapped, ¡°that maybe I¡¯m done pretending I¡¯m not.¡± And with that, I turned and stormed upstairs, ignoring the sharp sting of tears that I refused to let fall. The shower helped. A little. The hot water hit like a blessing and a curse, soothing my sore muscles, calming the chaos in my head, but also making space for thoughts. About Daxon. About Lyssira, still curled in the back of my mind, quiet and pensive like a predator waiting for something to snap. I dried off, threw on a worn tank top and sleep shorts, and crawled into bed. The room was dark except for the soft blue glow of the runes etched around my window. Peaceful. For now. I nced at the glowing numbers on my nightstand clock. 10:30 PM. I stared. Swallowed. Holy shit. Midnight. At midnight, I¡¯d be eighteen. Officially of age. Old enough to find my mate. Old enough to shift at full strength. Old enough to open the chest sitting in the corner of my room, like it was breathing. Two hours until my life changed forever. And I had no idea if I was ready for it. Topple 8 Chapter 8 Elowen POV 12:00 AM. A 65 The clock clicked over, and my eyes snapped open like someone had dumped ice water straight into my soul. My skin tingled. The air shifted. I sat up in bed, heart thudding loud and fast, and then the dream mmed into me like a freight train I¡¯d already survived once tonight. shes of needles. Cages lined in silver. Blood. The symbol again¡­white mask. ck de. Silver cage. The screams weren¡¯t strangers this time. They were mine. And then¡­ Moonlight. Soft. Warm. Calling. My breath caught in my throat as the glow intensified in the corner of the room. Something shimmered¡­.Took shape. And there..glowing like the night sky wrapped in stardust, her silver eyes ancient and burning with knowledge..stood a woman cloaked in lunar light. Selene. The Moon Goddess. My goddess. ¡°Oh, I whispered. ¡°Shit.¡± She smiled softly, and somehow it made everything worse. ¡°Elowen,¡± she said, her voice velvet and thunder. ¡°My vessel. My wild one. You were born for more than this pack. More than this forest.¡± I couldn¡¯t move. Couldn¡¯t breathe. ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± I whispered. ¡°Why me?¡± Her eyes glowed. ¡°Because you are both. Fae and Wolf. Moon and Magic. You are the bnce they tried to erase.¡± I blinked. ¡°Who¡¯s they?¡± Her face hardened. ¡°The Aegis Protocol. They¡¯ve hunted your kind for centuries. They believe power like yours should not exist.¡± My stomach dropped. ¡°But¡­ I¡¯m just a wolf.¡± ¡°No,¡± she said gently. ¡°You are thest hybrid born of a true union. A child of love, not experimentation. That makes you the most dangerous creature in existence to them. And the only hope for everyone else.¡± I couldn¡¯t speak. Couldn¡¯t think. ¡°You must prepare. You must awaken.¡± And then she was gone. Moonlight faded. Silence fell. And all that remained was the chest in the corner, glowing softly with silver runes. I didn¡¯t hesitate. 465 65 For original chapters go to find[f]ovel I slid out of bed and crawled to the chest like it was a damn altar. The lock clicked open with a pulse of warm magic, and inside¡­two envelopes rested on top of folded cloth and ancient scrolls. One from my father. One from my mother. My hands shook as I opened the first. Elowen, If you¡¯re reading this, it means you¡¯re eighteen. It means I didn¡¯t make it to tell you the truth in person. I¡¯m sorry for that. Your mother and I¡­ we weren¡¯t supposed to be together. Fae and wolves are forbidden to bond. But we did. And we made you. You are more than a girl with a strong wolf. You are the Moon¡¯s Chosen. The bnce. The key to ending the war that¡¯s . You¡¯ve been spelled to keep your fae side dormant. Not to harm you¡­but to protect you. When the time , find the witch in Scond. Her name is Morrigan. She will remove the spell and awaken who you truly are. They will for you, Elowen. But you are not alone. Trust your instincts. And when the time ¡­ trust your mates. I love you more than this world could hold. -Can- Your Father I didn¡¯t even realize I was crying until the second letter blurred. This one was written in flowing, delicate script, perfumed faintly with something wild and floral and ancient. My darling daughter, Forgive me. For the silence. For the spell. For every day I wasn¡¯t able to hold you. The fae realm imprisoned me for choosing love. For choosing your father. For choosing you. But you are not a mistake. You are a miracle. 65 I named you Elowen for the elm tree..strong, graceful, enduring. But you are also Skye..the storm, the moonlight, the power. Seek the witch. Awaken your magic. And never forget: your bloodline was made to unite what others fear. Find
  1. me.
I am always with you. -Your mother, Aerya of the Starborn Court The third held a sheet of paper with only a name¡­ Morrigan Lairch. And an address in Scond. Scond!? Wtf!? I stared at the chest until I couldn¡¯t anymore. My whole body buzzed like lightning lived under my skin. And then everything went ck. When I woke up, the sun was rising. Chapter Comments Kitty W 7 days ago wow it totally draws me in, d one of her parents still alive 16 SHARE 2 Reviews > 1 Topple 9 Hunted Hybrid ¨C Aegis War Saga 1 Chapter 9 My nkets were tangled, my chest tight, my head pounding with too much truth. I stumbled to the mirror..and froze. Holy fuck. My hair. It was no longer just deep brown. ??)) 65 It was ck as night, tipped in shimmering silver and icy blue, glowing faintly like moonlight caught in ink. My tits felt bigger. My muscles and body were definitely more defined and firmer. My senses were way sharper than they should be. I could hear the crickets in the grass for fucks sakes. ¡°LYSSI?!¡± She didn¡¯t answer. Too stunned. Too still. I threw on a hoodie, yanked a cap over my head, and flew out the door in my truck. I got to school by the skin of my fangs. The second I stepped into the hallway, I knew something was off. I kept my head down. Made it all the way to my locker. And then¡­ ¡°Nice hat, Thorne,¡± Va purred behind me. I didn¡¯t turn. She did it for me. In one swift motion, she ripped the cap off my head. My hair tumbled down, dark, silver and blue tipped, glowing faintly in the morning light. The hallway went silent. Va and Soria¡¯s sneers could curdle milk. Gasps. Whispers. Wide eyes. One girl dropped her hydrosk. I stood there frozen. No more hiding. No more pretending. The whole pack was staring. And for the first time in my life¡­ I felt like myself. Even if I had no idea what the hell that me was about to be. A 65 ¡°Keep walking. Don¡¯t look back. Keep walking,¡± Taya muttered as she yanked me through the hall like I was a grenade she had to smuggle out of enemy territory. People were still staring. Phones were out. Whispers followed like smoke on my heels. ¡°Is it dyed?¡± ¡°Is that moonlight?¡± ¡°She looks like a damn slut fae.¡± Soria snorted inughter. ¡°I heard she killed someone.¡± Va shouted. ¡°I should kill someone,¡± I hissed under my breath. 11:55 Mon, Sep 22 ¡°Not before third period,¡± Taya snapped. ¡°Come on.¡± ?? 64 We slid into our seats in Wolf Pack Politics just before the bell. I could still feel eyes burning into the back of my head. Va red like she was going to manifest a murder charge. Mr. Halden hadn¡¯t looked up from his tablet. And then out of nowhere. it hit me. A scent. Not just any scent. Something insanely intoxicating. Warm, sharp, heady, like the woods after a thunderstorm. Like¡­ I don¡¯t even know. My whole body froze. ¡°What the hell is that?¡± I whispered, eyes wide. Taya turned. ¡°What¡¯s what?¡± ¡°That smell.¡± She sniffed the air. ¡°You mean cafeteria reheat beef stew? Gross, right?¡± ¡°No. Not that. It¡¯s¡­¡± I trailed off,pletely overwhelmed. Because the scent wasn¡¯t fading. It was getting stronger. I twisted in my chair, scanning the hallway, the ssroom, everywhere. No one new had walked in. No one obvious. So why did I feel like I was about tobust? ¡°Elowen?¡± Taya leaned in, eyes narrowing. ¡°You look like you¡¯re about to either pass out or hump a chair. 3/5 Chapters first released on F¦Énd£Îovel 11:55 Mon, Sep 22 What¡¯s happening?¡± I couldn¡¯t answer. :.. A 64 Because that¡¯s when it happened. Lyssira, who had been dead silent since the goddess dream, exploded in my head with the force of a hundred moons. ¡°MATE.¡± My breath caught. ¡°MATE. MATE. MATE. FIND HIM. MINE.¡± ¡°Lyssi..what the fuck?!¡± My heart mmed against my ribs. My skin flushed hot and cold. I could feel her rising¡­like she wanted to tear through me and run. Right now. Toward that scent. Toward whoever was giving off that energy. I clutched the desk like it was the only thing anchoring me to reality. Taya¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°Oh my gods.¡± I could barely speak. ¡°I¡­something¡¯s wrong. Something¡¯s wrong.¡± ¡°No, bitch,¡± she whispered, eyes sparkling with panic and excitement. ¡°Something is so fcking right.¡± I think you just smelled your mate.¡± My entire body trembled. ¡°No. Nope. Not ready. I just got my hair cursed and a divine dump of trauma. I¡¯m not adding a fated mate to my to¨Cdo list.¡± Lyssira howled again. ¡°MINE.¡± And I swear to the moon, I was this close to shifting in the middle of Wolf Pack Politics. Topple 10 Chapter 10 Daxon POV The alpha training wing was quiet. Too quiet. Everyone else was out drilling or breaking shit in the field, but I¡¯d stayed back. Probably the first time I ever listened to my old man when he said, ¡°Take the heir role seriously.¡± Whatever. I was bored as hell and halfway through carving a dagger into the desk when it happened. I smelled her. This update is avable on F?nd-Novel Wildflowers. Fresh rain on scorched earth. Sweet cinnamon and heat. It hit me like a sucker punch to the gut. My wolf, Talon, let out a deafening roar in my head, so loud I actually staggered. ¡°MATE!¡± His voice exploded through me like a lightning strike. ¡°What the..¡± I swore out loud, eyes wide, body going rigid. I stood so fast my chair crashed backward. Heart racing, vision tunneling, blood pounding in my ears like war drums. That scent was everywhere, on the walls, the floor, in me. Talon went feral instantly. ¡°SHE¡¯S HERE. SHE¡¯S OURS.¡± ¡°Shut the hell up,¡± I growled, storming to the ssroom door and yanking it open. Across the hall. I saw a glimpse. Silver and blue tipped ck hair disappearing into the ssroom. Elowen. Fucking Elowen. It was like someone threw a match into a tank of gasoline. 11:55 Mon, Sep 22 Talon lost his damn mind. ¡°CLAIM HER. MARK HER. NOW.¡± ¡°I swear to the gods, I will muzzle your ass,¡± I hissed, pacing like a caged beast. This couldn¡¯t be real. Not her. Not the girl who never bowed. Never submitted. Who snapped back when I growled and stared me down like she had nothing to lose. The one I couldn¡¯t stop thinking about even when I wanted to. And now the scent was so thick around me I could taste it. The bond had snapped into ce, clear and vicious and undeniable. Elowen Skye was mine. And I wanted to puke. Or scream. 64 Or tear something in half. Talon rumbled again, his voice deeper, almost purring now. ¡°Perfect. Strong. Ours, Touch her and see..¡± ¡°I will punch us both in the throat,¡± I snarled, mming my hand into the locker beside me hard enough to dent the steel. This wasn¡¯t supposed to happen. Not to me, Not like this. I was the alpha heir. I had a n. I had control. 11:55 Mon, Sep 22 And now fate had just bitch pped me with the one girl I couldn¡¯t handle. Talon? He was drooling like a lunatic. Me? I was one breath away from losing my entire damn mind. And this was only the beginning. Elowen POV ? 64 The bell screamed through the halls like it knew I was about to lose my damn mind. My legs moved on autopilot, backpack slung over one shoulder as I shoved through the door of Wolf Pack Politica like I was escaping a warzone. And then¡­ BAM. The air shifted. Thickened. Crackled like lightning. I stopped dead in my tracks. So did he. Daxon Stormw, There he was, stepping out of Alpha Training like the universe had nned it this way just to mess with
  1. me.
His golden eyes met mine. Locked. Loaded, Lethal. It was like the world just stopped breathing. The hallway blurred. The noise faded. All I could hear was the thunderous roar of Lyssira in my skull, screaming: 11:55 Mon, Sep 22 ¡°MATE. MATE. MINE. Ours. im. Now. Bite. Bite him NOW.¡± My breath hitched. 64 My whole body buzzed, heat pooling in ces I had no business feeling anything for that smug, royal prick. But Daxon? He wasn¡¯t doing any better. His jaw clenched, fists balled at his sides, chest heaving like he was holding back a beast. I could feel his wolf. I could feel him. My wolf wed at my ribs, practically foaming at the mouth. ¡°He¡¯s perfect! The moon made him for us!¡± ¡°Absolutely¡­ fucking¡­ not,¡± I growled under my breath. Daxon flinched like I¡¯d pped him, then snarled, deep and low and entirely too primal. He took one step toward me. I stepped back. We stood there, two alphas, mate bond sizzling in the air between us like an electrical fire. Then, at the same time, like we¡¯d rehearsed it in a past life, we turned on our heels and stormed in opposite directions without another word. Hunted Hybrid Aegis War Saga 1 Topple 11 Chapter 11 The bond screamed in protest. ¡°Holy shit,¡± Taya gasped, catching up beside me. ¡°You and Daxon? You two just¡­wait. Wait.¡± She grabbed my arm. ¡°He¡¯s your mate? El, that was mate energy.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t wanna talk about it.¡± ¡°Bitch.¡± ¡°I said..¡± ¡°Bitch.¡± I stopped halfway down the steps and turned to face her. My voice was low. Shaky. ¡°He can¡¯t be.¡± Taya blinked. ¡°Can¡¯t? Girl, you¡¯re glowing.¡± I groaned, burying my face in my hands. ¡°He¡¯s a dick.¡± ¡°He¡¯s hot.¡± ¡°He¡¯s a dick, Taya.¡± ¡°You say that like it¡¯s not fixable.¡± I gave her the death re of the century. She threw her hands up and backed off with a teasing smirk. ¡°Alright, alright, just saying¡­maybe the moon goddess knows your type better than you do.¡± I shoved her yfully, but inside? I was spiraling. Because as much as I wanted to deny it, I¡¯d felt it. The bond. 11:55 Mon, Sep 22 The craving. The pull. Chapters first released on find?novel : 4 a And then, like a dagger sliding between my ribs, I remembered something from the letter from my dad. ¡°Trust your mates.¡± I stopped walking. I choked on air. Frozen. Mates. Plural. Oh, moon above. What the actual fuck. 64 Taya and I beelined straight to the cafeteria, skipping the usual chaos and sliding into our table in the back corner. The spot we¡¯d imed since sophomore year, half shaded, half ignored, and far enough from the royal asshats to avoid another spitball incident. We grabbed our trays, loaded them up with our usual nachos piled high with shredded beef, jpe?os, and enough cheese to drown a toddler. I grabbed two Dr. Peppers and mmed them on the table like we were settling in for war. Taya narrowed her eyes. ¡°Okay. Spill. You¡¯ve been weird since the chest. And now the hair? You can¡¯t drop that ¡®glowing mate bond stare down with Daxon fucking Stormw¡® and pretend you¡¯re fine.¡± I stared down at the table for a long second. Then I sighed. ¡°I opened the chest.¡± She stopped mid chip bite. ¡°Wait. The chest?¡± I nodded. ¡°The one your foster dad brought up the other night?¡± ¡°Yep. That one.¡± ¡°And?¡± 11:55 Mon, Sep 22 I looked her dead in the face. ¡°Taya¡­ I¡¯m not just a werewolf.¡± Her mouth dropped open like her jaw lost the will to live. ¡°Wha..what the hell does that mean? You¡¯re..what? A hybrid?¡± 64 ¡°Half fae. My mom is a royal fae warrior. My dad was a beta wolf. Their bond was forbidden. She¡¯s locked up in the fae realm for breaking some sacredw.¡± Taya¡¯s green eyes went wide as hell. ¡°Dude. That¡¯s like¡­ the plot of an epic fantasy romance.¡± ¡°This is my life, Taya.¡± ¡°And you¡¯re just casually telling me this while I¡¯m trying to not drop nacho cheese on my boobs?!¡± I chuckled. ¡°There¡¯s more.¡± ¡°Oh my goddess, of course there is.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a prophecy. My dad said I¡¯m¡­ chosen. By the Moon Goddess.¡± She blinked. ¡°Like, chosen chosen?¡± I nodded, biting my bottom lip. ¡°Apparently, I¡¯m supposed to unite the creature races. End some ancient war. Stop a group called the Aegis Protocol that¡¯s been hunting hybrids and powerful bloodlines to experiment on and wipe out.¡± Taya just¡­ blinked. Like her brain blue screened. I shoved a nacho in my mouth to keep from saying something else insane. Then she finally muttered, ¡°Holy mother of moon magic, El.¡± Iughed nervously. ¡°Yeah. And there¡¯s more.¡± She groaned. ¡°Is this the part where you tell me you¡¯re also secretly a dragon?¡± ¡°Not quite. But my dad¡¯s letter said I¡¯d have¡­ mates.¡± Taya leaned forward. ¡°You mean mate. Daxon, right?¡± : 64 I shook my head slowly. ¡°No. Mates. Plural.¡± She gasped. ¡°You lucky bitch!¡± ¡°No! No, I¡¯m not lucky. I just found out I¡¯m a hunted magical hybrid wolf fae freak who¡¯s bonded to the guy I hate most in the entire pack and apparently destined to be in some magical polyamorous monster rebellion.¡± There was a pause. And then Taya grinned like the absolute gremlin she is. ¡°So when do I get to meet your harem?¡± ¡°Taya.¡± Sheughed so hard she nearly choked on a chip. 11:55 Mon, Sep 22 Hunted Hybrid Aegis War Saga 1 Topple 12 Chapter 12 Elowen POV : ??)) 64 Taya¡¯s room looked like a glitter bomb exploded during prom week. We had deviduto get ready at her house tonight for the ceremony. 2 Hair curlers hissed on the counter, dresses were slung across every chair, and highlighter sparkled in the air like war paint. She twirled in front of her mirror, her deep green dress hugging every perfect curve, her long red hair in waves that would make a goddess jealous. ¡°You sure I don¡¯t look like a broli themed stripper?¡± she asked, cocking an eyebrow. I snorted. ¡°You look like the entire forest would worship you, shut up.¡± She tossed a makeup sponge at me. ¡°Alright, Moon Barbie, your turn.¡± I turned toward the mirror. My silver dress shimmered like starshine, hugging my waist and falling into a thigh high slit that was one strong breeze from a scandal. The neckline was lower than I¡¯d usually go, Lyssira¡¯s idea, obviously, and the color almost exactly matched the weird new shimmer in my hair. Like it was meant for this version of me. The post prophecy, glowing eyes, destined to fix the creature world version. ¡°I feel like I¡¯m wearing my trauma,¡± I muttered, adjusting the straps. ¡°Good,¡± Taya said, standing behind me with her hands on her hips. ¡°Make it hot trauma. Make them regret every shitty word they ever said.¡± We grinned at each other in the mirror. And for a second, I forgot all the doom. The pack ceremony was held in the moonlit clearing near the gathering lodge..long tables of food, flickeringnterns strung between ancient pines, and wolves everywhere dressed to the nines. The scent of roasted meats, wild herbs, and mooncakes filled the air. Taya and I walked in together, both of us tall, radiant, and 100% over the petty stares, Va, Soria, and their clone squad were already there, draped in crimson and gold, whispering like little gremlins. ¡°Slut shimmer, ten o¡¯clock,¡± Va stage whispered as I passed. I smiled sweetly and flipped her off without breaking stride. O 11:56 Mon, Sep 22 A 64 The Alpha King caught the exchange and shot them a re sharp enough to slice bone. They shut the hell up faster than I thought possible. We took our seats as the pack quieted. Alpha Draven stood, towering in his regal ck suit, his voice calm but powerful as it echoed through the clearing. ¡°Tonight we honor theing of age for Elowen Skye Thorne, daughter of our previous Beta, Alpha Can, who served this pack loyally and faithfully until the Hollow Creed killed him seven years ago, and every other wolf blessed under this moon. You now step into your full strength. Into your path. Into your power.¡± A murmur of approval passed through the crowd, and Luna Queen Aelira smiled warmly from beside him. I tried to smile back, but¡­ he wasn¡¯t here. I scanned the crowd again. No sign of Daxon. Not his stupid smirk. Not his too broad shoulders. Not his hurricane scent that had haunted me all damn day. Just¡­ empty space where he should be. And gods help me¡­I felt disappointed. Taya noticed. ¡°He¡¯s not here?¡± ¡°Nope.¡± ¡®Good. Less drama.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡® I said, but my heart squeezed anyway. Why did it hurt more than it should? Why did it feel like rejection¡­ when I never even asked to be chosen? Daxon POV I stared at the half empty bottle of fireroot whiskey like it held the goddamn answers. It didn¡¯t. 11:56 Mon, Sep 22 64 All it gave me was a slow burn down my throat and a buzzing in my head that did nothing to shut Talon up. ¡°She¡¯s ours. She¡¯s ours. Go to her. im her. Mine!¡± ¡°Shut the fuck up.¡± Talon snarled, but I mmed a mental wall between us hard enough to make my temples throb. Across the room, Jace and Rylen were lounging on the worn leather couch, throwing popcorn at each other and arguing over whether Elowen could beat Rylen in a fight. Spoiler: She absolutely could. And had. Twice. ¡°She¡¯s your mate, man,¡± Jace finally said, leaning forward. ¡°What the hell are you even doing here?¡± ¡°Drinking,¡± I muttered. Rylen snorted. ¡°Yeah, like that¡¯s gonna stop the mate bond. Talon¡¯s going rabid.¡± ¡°He¡¯s not wrong. Go to her. Smell her skin. Bite her throat.¡± Talon growled. Chapter Comments Checktest chapters at find?novel 5 Write Comments SHARE 11:56 Mon, Sep 22 Topple 13 ¡°Talon, for the love of Luna, SHUT UP.¡± I leaned back against the wall and rubbed my eyes, the weight of this whole messed up situation pressing down on my shoulders like a boulder. Elowen. Fucking Elowen. 64 The girl I¡¯ve spent thest few years fighting, ring at, throwing snark and insults just to keep her away. Because she made me feel things. Things I wasn¡¯t supposed to feel. Things that made me question shit. I¡¯d known Elowen our whole lives. Her father was an Alpha who served my father. I hadn¡¯t noticed her until we turned 13. She was a nerd. A bad ass nerd, but still. She wasn¡¯t anything special. And now? Now the moon had the audacity to mate me to her? My father was going to kill me for skipping the ceremony. Or worse, he¡¯d be disappointed. And honestly, that was harder to deal with. ¡°Get up,¡± I growled, shoving off the wall and tossing the whiskey aside. ¡°We need to run.¡± Rylen raised a brow. ¡°Now? In dress clothes?¡± Original content can be found at Find1Novel ¡°Now,¡± I snapped. ¡°Talon¡¯s going crazy and I need to hit something.¡± Jace whooped. ¡°Hell yeah. Let¡¯s wreck some trees.¡± We stripped down behind the tree line, the forest already humming with energy from the full moon. My shift hit fast and hard, bone snapping, ck fur bursting through skin, the kind of pain that made you feel alive. Talon surged forward, massive and ck with silver streaks down his nks, shaking the earth with each pawstep. The others followed, Rylen¡¯s wolf Anton, all lean speed and brown and tan fur, and Jace¡¯s wolf Kreel, a hulking russet brute who ran like the damn wind. We tore through the woods, paws digging into moss and dirt, leaving shredded bark and crushed leaves in 11:56 Mon, Sep 22 our wake. But no matter how far we ran¡­ No matter how fast¡­ Her scent followed us. And Talon? He howled for her like the moon itself had carved her into his soul. Elowen POV 17 64 The bass thumped. The lights spun. Bodies moved like they had no care in the world, twirling and grinding in celebration. But I couldn¡¯t breathe. Not with this many people. Not with him not showing up. Not with the bond humming like a live wire under my skin. I was gonna lose it. Taya had dragged me onto the dance floor once, but I faked a stomach cramp to escape. The truth? I couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that I was being watched. Hunted. Like the moon itself was burning into my skin. I needed air. I needed to run. I slipped out the side door, heels in my hand, dress hitched up as I bolted into the woods. Branches scratched at my legs, the wind licked across my face, and the second my feet hit soft moss, I let go. The shift hit fast, skin to fur, bones breaking and rebuilding, Lyssira screaming with joy as she ripped through me and took control. Finally, She howled into the night, stretching her limbs and shaking her coat. Her silver and blue tipped fur shimmered in the moonlight, no longer hidden, no longer dyed. We were raw. Wild. Free. And then¡­ We smelled him. Thunderstorms and campfire. Mate. My paws stuttered mid stride, ws gouging the earth as the scent crashed into us like a goddamn freight train. ¡°Mine. Mine. Ours. GO.¡± Lyssi was a one track wolf. I screamed in my mind, ¡°NO LYSSI!¡± But she shut that shit down. I watched helplessly from my mind already knowing what wasing. Lyssira took off, full speed, no hesitation. I couldn¡¯t stop her even if I wanted to. The trees blurred. The earth trembled. Then¡­ There. A blur of ck and silver fur tearing through the forest just ahead. Talon. Our eyes met mid sprint. Silver to silver. Fire to fucking gasoline. We collided. Snarling. Twisting. Tangling in limbs and teeth and pheromones thick enough to drown in. Not fighting¡­iming. Rolling through the leaves, we snapped and circled, nipping nks and throats, testing dominance and dancing that dangerous, beautiful line between feral and fated. ¡°Mate.¡± I groaned in my head. ¡°Here we fucking go.¡± Our wolves didn¡¯t care about politics, or bloodlines, or bullshit. They only cared about us. Topple 14 Chapter 14 Daxon POV :. 64 My paws skidded in the dirt as Talon surged toward her again, toward Elowen, but I wrestled the reins back hard.
  1. NO.
We weren¡¯t going to do this. Not now. Not like this. Not because some ancient magic said so. I shifted mid run, fur melting into flesh, ws giving way to callused fingers as I stumbled forward and hit the ground hard. I barely caught my breath before she shifted too, just as sudden, just as brutal. Her long, ck and blue and silver hair stuck to her skin like ink, and moonlight traced every curve like it was fucking blessed. Shended on her knees in the grass, panting, wild eyea glowing. And Gods help me, she was naked. We both were. Of course we fucking were. She looked like a vengeful Goddess. Absolute perfection. And Talon was in the back of my mind screaming Mine like a rabid animal while I tried not to look at her gorgeous tits or her luscious thighs, or the way the rain just started to fall like the fucking world was climaxing for us. ¡°Are you kidding me?!¡± she shouted, scrambling to her feet and flinging her arms out like I was a goddamn disease. ¡°Don¡¯t act like this was my fault!¡± I snapped back, standing and brushing off dirt that did nothing to hide the very obvious situation I was dealing with between my legs. ¡°Your wolfunched herself at me!¡± ¡°Because your bitch wolf wouldn¡¯t stop sniffing me like I was your next fucking meal!¡± I growled. She bared her teeth. Lightning cracked overhead like the heavens were refereeing. And then silence. Talon howled in my mind. Not calm. Just¡­ the kind of silence before a storm splits the earth. I broke first. Who was I to deny the gift the Gods had given us. I hit my knees so fast the earth shook, Talon panting and yipping excitedly. ¡°I, Alpha Daxon Stormw of the Stormw Pack, and my wolf Talon¡± I said, voice raw and steady, ¡°ept you, Elowen Skye Thorne, as my fated mate.¡± Her breath caught. Her arms dropped. And then, like all her walls cracked at once, she copsed too. Tears fell down her cheeks as she crawled forward. ¡°I¡­ I am Elowen Skye Thorne,¡± she whispered, ¡°thest hybrid fae wolf¡­ daughter of Alpha Can¡­ and I ept you as my fate, so does my wolf, Lyssira.¡± Time. Stopped. Holy hell. She¡¯s a hybrid!? The rightful source is Even the goddamn rain held its breath. I stared at her, mouth parted, every cell in my body fucking screaming. Hybrid. That¡¯s what the hell had been scratching at my brain. That¡¯s why her scent was unlike anything I¡¯d ever known. Talon howled in triumph. Her fingers reached for mine, and I didn¡¯t hesitate, I grabbed her like my soul was starving. Elowen POV The rain pelted my skin like a thousand icy needles, but I didn¡¯t feel cold. Not with him in front of me, soaked to the bone, chest heaving, eyes glowing molten silver in the storm. Daxon Stormw. My fated mate. The boy I swore I hated, who was now kneeling in the mud like he¡¯d just ripped his own soul out to hand it to me. He reached for me. I met him halfway. And then the world ceased to fucking exist. His hands slid into my hair like he owned it, like he¡¯d waited lifetimes to touch me. Our lips crashed together, all teeth and tongues and fury. His hands gripped my waist, yanking me against him, slick skin to slick skin. I moaned into his mouth as he lifted me like I weighed nothing andid me back in the grass. He was beautiful. An absolute God in his own right. I couldn¡¯t believe this was happening. I had dreamed of this moment. 11:56 Mon, Sep 22 A 64 He kissed his way down my neck, tracing every line with his mouth, his breath hot against the storm chilled air. I moaned his name and he groaned in response. My back arched as his lips found my corbone, then lower. My breasts ached for him, nipples hard and sensitive, and when his mouth closed around one, I nearly screamed. ¡°Mine,¡± he growled against my skin. ¡°Every inch of you, Elowen. Mine.¡± I dragged my nails down his back, leaving angry red lines he barely noticed. He shifted lower, kissing over my stomach, fingers sliding down until he found the heat between my thighs. Lyssi cackled with glee in my mind. ¡°Fuck,¡± he groaned. ¡°You¡¯re soaked.¡± He circled my swollen clit with his finger and thumb, making me ache with need. ¡°You¡¯re not helping,¡± I gasped. His mouth dipped lower. I broke. I screamed his name. His tongue was skilled, merciless, worshipful. He feasted upon me like he was starving. My hips bucked against his face, one hand gripping his hair, the other wing at the wet grass. And when I came, it hit like a goddamn hurricane, my vision going white, my whole body trembling. He kissed his way back up, lips slick with my release, eyes glowing like the storm itself lived inside him. ¡°Now,¡± I begged. ¡°Please, Daxon. Now, but you need to know, you¡¯re my first.¡± His eyes widened in awe, but he didn¡¯t make me ask twice. He entered me in one hard but slow thrust, and I cried out as we became one. We sat panting, holding each other while I adjusted to the huge size of him, and the pain quickly gave way to pleasure. His body covered mine, warm despite the rain, every movement deep and perfect and primal. He moved with purpose, hips grinding against mine, dragging every sound from my lips like a symphony. I met every thrust, wrapped my legs around him, and felt something building. Something old. Divine, Cosmic. ¡°I need¡­ I have to¡­¡± I panted as my fangs descended of their own volition. ¡°Do it,¡± he growled. We bit down on each other¡¯s necks at the same time. The second our teeth broke skin, the bond exploded. 64 Silver light burst out from between us like lightning, arching across the sky, lighting the woods like midday. Magic red and seared into our skin above our hearts. I looked down and gasped. A glowing silver tattoo burned into existence, a crescent moon wrapped in a storm of runes and mes. Daxon stared at his chest, then at mine. ¡°You¡¯re real,¡± he whispered. Tears slipped down my cheeks again, but this time, they weren¡¯t from pain. They were from knowing I was no longer alone. ¡°Yeah,¡± I whispered back. ¡°And now we both are fucked.¡± Weughed, copsed together in the rain, bonded by blood, by magic, and by the storm. 11:56 Mon, Sep 22 Topple 15 Chapter 15 64 Elowen POV I pulled my dress back over my still damp skin, adrenaline still thrumming in my veins from the bond iming. My legs were shaky, lips swollen, heart thundering in my chest. Daxon, smug bastard that he was, had that cocky alpha smirk on his face as he pulled on his jeans and ran a hand through his messy, wet hair. I nced down at the glowing silver mark over my heart¡­the intricate swirl of moonlight and shadow that had burned into my skin when we sealed the bond. His was almost identical, except sharper and edged with mes. We stood in the mirror together in the bathroom of the guest wing, steam still curling from the rushed blow dry Taya helped with. My hair was twisted into loose curls again, silver and blue tipped strands glinting under the lights. My makeup was redone just enough to hide the wild, post mate sex flush from my cheeks. Not that it would matter. ¡°You sure about this?¡± I asked, watching Daxon in the mirror. He buttoned up his shirt but left the top three undone, his glowing tattoo on full disy. He didn¡¯t hesitate. ¡°Fuck yes. I¡¯m not hiding what¡¯s mine.¡± My heart stuttered. Lyssira purred with satisfaction in my head, smug and smugger. Hand in hand, we walked down the hallway toward the great hall where the rest of the pack was still dancing and drinking. The moment we stepped through the double doors, silence dropped like a goddamn thunderp. Music cut off mid beat. Heads turned. Mouths dropped. And then, the Alpha King saw us. Alpha Draven¡¯s eyes immediately locked on the glowing mate marks on our chests. He surged forward with his Luna beside him, both of them wide eyed. ¡°Elowen,¡® Luna Aelira whispered, reaching for my hand, tears glistening. ¡°You¡¯re his¡­¡± ¡®Mate,¡± Daxon said proudly, ¡°We epted the bond.¡± Alpha Draven let out a loud, boomingugh, pulling us both into a hug. The pack erupted into murmurs. Joy. Confusion. Shock. And then¡­ ¡°WHAT?!¡± Va¡¯s shriek cracked through the air. : 64 Everyone turned. The spoiled princess stood there, face twisted in rage, her sister Soria clutching her elbow. Va¡¯s perfectly done curls trembled as she stormed forward, finger pointed at me. ¡°This is bullshit! She¡¯s nothing! She¡¯s not even a real..¡± ¡°Enough!¡± Alpha Draven¡¯s voice cut through the noise like a de. He turned to his daughter, and the shift in his expression made her flinch. ¡°You will not speak against your prince¡¯s mate. If I hear one more word of disrespect toward Elowen, I will strip you of your title and ce you with the omegas until you learn what the fuck humility is.¡± Va¡¯s mouth pped open and shut like a dying fish. I smirked. Daxon wrapped his arm around my waist, pulling me against his side. I leaned in, unable to help the growl of satisfaction in my throat. For the first time in years¡­ I felt seen. And I wasn¡¯t going to fucking hide anymore. Daxon POV I don¡¯t dance. I fight. I train. I lead. I don¡¯t fucking dance. But Elowen? She¡¯s gliding across the floor like the moon is tied to her goddamn soul, and I can¡¯t take my eyes off her. Every male in the room is looking at her. Every single one. And that dress? That shimmery silver curve hugging thing with the slit high enough to make my damn mouth dry? Nope. Not happening. I pressed my palm to the small of her back, just above her ass, and let loose a growl loud enough for everyone in the room. ¡°Mine. Every male close by rushes away in a hurry. ?? ??? ???? ?? ???? ???? ???????s, ????s? ??s?? F?nd-Novel 11:56 Mon, Sep 22 : 64 Sheughs, soft and teasing, but her scent res with arousal. Lyssira answers back in my head, a rumble of pure satisfaction. We dance. We talk. We drink. But I never leave her side. Not once. Jace tries to cut in. I bare my teeth. He backs the fuck off. Elowen thinks it¡¯s funny. She leans in, whispering something about how she could handle herself. Maybe she could. But that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m letting my mate be sniffed at by anyone who still has a damn pulse. The night is a blur of moonlight,ughter, and the electric tether between us pulling tighter and tighter. She opens up slowly. Tells me about her dad, about Can. Her voice wavers when she talks about his death, and I fight the urge to track down everyst human hunter responsible. She tells me of her fae mother. That she¡¯ll be hunted. The address and witch in Scond she has to go see. I immediately decide I¡¯m with her till the end. Then she hits me with it. ¡°There¡¯s more,¡± she says. ¡°My father¡¯s letter said I¡¯ll have¡­ mates. Plural.¡± My jaw tightens. Talon growls once, but it isn¡¯t angry. It¡¯s¡­ epting. ¡°She¡¯s the Moon Goddess¡¯s chosen,¡± he says in my mind. ¡°She was never going to be ours alone.¡± It takes me a full minute to speak. ¡®I don¡¯t like it,¡± I admit. ¡°But I¡¯m not walking away. Not ever.¡± Elowen¡¯s eyes shine like a sky full of stars, and fuck me if I don¡¯t fall even harder. She cups my cheek and whispers, ¡°Good. Because I wasn¡¯t going to let you.¡± We dance until our feet ache. We talk until we forget there¡¯s a world out there hunting her. And for one night, she¡¯s just mine. 11:56 Mon, Sep 22 Elowen POV : I was still floating when we left the hall. My body ached in the best way, my soul was buzzing with magic, and Lyssira was curled up like a smug cat in my head purring ¡°mine mine mine¡± on repeat. 64 Daxon¡¯s hand never left my lower back as we headed up to his room. And once the door shut behind us, the quiet wrapped around us like a warm nket. We stood there for a second, just staring at each other. His hair was messy from the wind, his eyes tired but soft. ¡°Shower?¡± he asked. I nodded. We peeled off our clothes in silence, not from awkwardness but from reverence. Every inch of him was carved in heat and strength. The bond glowed between us like silver fire. The water was hot. Steam clung to us as we stepped under the spray. He washed my hair like he was handling ss. I ran my fingers down his chest, lingering over his mate mark. No words. Just soft moans, quiet kisses, and whispered promises. Afterward, I stole one of his T¨Cshirts and curled into his bed, still damp and glowing. He pulled me into his arms and held me like he¡¯d never let go. His lips pressed to my temple, and I let myself breathe. ¡°I love this shirt,¡± I mumbled. ¡°It loves you more,¡± he replied. And with my head on his chest, heart to heart, I finally let the exhaustion take me. Wrapped in his scent, his warmth, his everything, I slept like I wasn¡¯t being hunted. Like I was home. 11:56 Mon, Sep 22 Topple 16 Hunted Hybrid Aegis War Saga 1 Chapter 16 Daxon POV :. I woke up to the scent of wildflowers and moonlight tangled in my sheets. Her. Elowen. 64 Her legs were wrapped around mine like she belonged there, and fuck me, maybe she did. Her soft breathing tickled my chest as her face rested against me, hair spilling like dark silk down her back, the silver and blue tips glinting in the early light. And those perfect tits were pressed against me, begging for attention. I couldn¡¯t not look. Couldn¡¯t not want. My cock throbbed just from breathing the, same damn air as her. I needed her again, not rough, not rushed..just worship. Just taste. I slid down slowly, careful not to wake her as I settled between her thighs and kissed the inside of her knee. She murmured something in her sleep, but didn¡¯t stir. I pressed another kiss higher. Then another. My hands eased her thighs apart, reverently, like I was unveiling something sacred. Because I was. I licked a slow stripe up her pussy and nearly lost my fucking mind. She gasped awake the moment my mouth found her clit and I sucked, gently at first, then rougher when she moaned and bucked. ¡°Daxon!¡± she panted, but her hips were already riding my face. ¡°Oh fuck!¡± She came with a cry, thighs trembling around my head, hands buried in my hair as I drank every drop of her release like the fucking addict I already was. Mine. All mine. I crawled back up, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand and smirking like the cocky bastard I was. She was breathless and flushed, hair wild, eyes shining. ¡°Good morning,¡± I murmured, kissing her temple. She just 22 I stared at her. :0 Can you hear me now? I thought at her, on purpose this time. She gasped, nearly dropping her fork. Holy shit. Mind link, I replied in thought, grinning. Looks like we¡¯re really fucking bonded now. She smacked me again,ughing under her breath, cheeks pink. Yeah. She was mine. And we were just getting started. Elowen POV (64 My phone was having a full on meltdown. Ping. Ping. Buzz. Another ping. Taya was blowing me the hell up like I¡¯d run off and married a rogue without telling her. Which, to be fair, wasn¡¯t that far off. ¡°Do you think if I fake my death, she¡¯ll calm down?¡± I muttered as Daxon pulled into my driveway. He justughed, eyes still full of that smug alpha energy fromst night. ¡°You mated the alpha heir and didn¡¯t even give your best friend the y by y. You¡¯re lucky she hasn¡¯t summoned a search party.¡± ¡°Honestly, she probably has.¡± He killed the engine, and we both just stared at the house for a second. My house. My home for thest five years. The one ce I should feel grounded. So why did my stomach twist like I¡¯d swallowed a live snake? Maria and Eron were already on the porch, standing stiff as statues, coffee cups in hand, like they¡¯d been waiting. Which was weird. They never waited for me. Usually, I came and went with a grunt and a wave. Maria was the first to speak, a tight smile on her face. ¡°Good morning, Elowen. Daxon.¡± ¡°Morning,¡± I replied, slinging my bag over my shoulder. 11:57 Mon, Sep 22 ¡°Alpha Draven filled us in after the ceremony,¡± Eron said, nodding toward Daxon. ¡°Congrattions to you both. The mate bond is a powerful thing.¡± Checktest chapters at find?novel ¡°Thank you,¡± Daxon said, polite and cool. But I could tell¡­he was clocking the vibe too. They weren¡¯t surprised. Or even happy. Just¡­ neutral. t. Like they¡¯d been expecting it. Which was bullshit. Nobody expected me to end up mated to the future alpha. Especially not with my baggage. ¡°Come in,¡± Maria offered, stepping aside, but I shook my head. ¡°Just grabbing my stuff. Daxon¡¯s giving me a ride to school.¡± Their eyes narrowed for half a second..just a flicker¡­but it was enough. ¡°Of course,¡± Eron said. ¡°We¡¯ll see you tonight. Be safe.¡± Safe? That word rang wrong in my ears.
  1. 64.
I walked past them and into the house, ignoring the prickling on the back of my neck. My room felt like a sanctuary and a cage at the same time. I shoved books into my backpack, grabbed my hoodie, and stood there for a second, staring at the chest in the corner. The chest my real parents left me. The chest that changed everything. They didn¡¯t ask about it. Not once. No curiosity. No concern. No ¡°are you okay?¡± They knew. They knew¡­about the prophecy. About my magic. About who I really was. And they said nothing. I bolted back downstairs, kissed Maria on the cheek, hugged Eron with a mumbled goodbye, and practically ran to Daxon¡¯s truck. He opened the door for me and watched my face like a hawk. ¡°Everything okay?¡± ¡°Totally,¡± I said with a too big smile. ¡°Everything¡¯s totally fine.¡± Lie. He scowled. ¡°I can literally smell your lie now Elowen.¡± I growled at him. ¡°Not cool mate bond.¡± We backed out of the driveway and I swore I saw Maria watching from the kitchen window, her face unreadable. Inside, Lyssira was tense. ¡°They¡¯re hiding something.¡± She spoke in ours minds. ¡°I know,¡± I whispered, heart thudding as Daxon reached over to squeeze my hand. ¡°They raised you,¡± he said quietly, ¡°but they¡¯re not your blood. We¡¯ll find out the truth. Whatever it is.¡± I nodded, lips pressed tight. Because the truth? It was already wing its way to the surface. Chapter Comments B 4 Write Comments < SHARE Topple 17 Hunted Hybrid ¨C Aegis War Saga 1 Chapter 17 Elowen POV Pulling up to the school in Daxon¡¯s matte ck cyber truck with his scent wrapped around me like a damn safety nket should¡¯ve made me feel self conscious. It didn¡¯t. 64 I felt like a goddess on a warpath. Marked. Powerful. Feral as hell. The moment we stepped out, hand in hand, jaws hit the concrete. I could hear the pack link exploding with gossip as we walked toward the front doors like the cover of a supernatural romance novel. Taya was already waiting, practically vibrating with excitement. ¡°Oh. My. Goddess,¡± she gasped as we approached. ¡°You two look like a goddamn Netflix special. The hot broody alpha and his mate who could kill him in his sleep.¡± She wedged herself between us, looping her arm through mine like she¡¯d just been cast as my sassy sidekick. ¡°Please tell me everything. No, wait. Don¡¯t. I want to guess. Did you tackle him? Did you shift mid argument and have wild feral sex under the moonlight?!¡± ¡°¡­I mean,¡± I said with a smirk, ¡°you¡¯re not wrong.¡± She squealed. Behind us, Rylen and Jace fell into step like backup dancers who missed rehearsal. ¡°Damn, El,¡± Jace muttered, eyeing me up and down. ¡°You look like a whole new species.¡± For original chapters go to F?nd-Novel ¡°She is,¡± Daxon growled, low and proud, his hand resting on my lower back like a damn brand. Taya snorted and flipped her hair. ¡°Gods, now I¡¯m jealous. My birthday¡¯s in a week. What if I find my mate and he¡¯s, like¡­ a tax ountant or something.¡± Rylen, who¡¯d been eyeing her with the subtlety of a horny golden retriever, leaned closer and took a long, very obvious inhale. ¡°Do you mind?¡± she snapped, shoving his face away. ¡°I don¡¯t care if you¡¯re a beta, a gamma, or a golden god, if you sniff me like a heat seeking missile again, I¡¯ll rearrange your nose.¡± Jace snorted, and Daxon chuckled under his breath. Rylen turned red and grumbled in embarrassment. ¡°She¡¯s not wrong, I said sweetly. ¡°Taya bites.¡± ¡°Only if I¡¯m paid,¡± she replied with a wink. We all cracked up, the five of us walking toward the main doors like a damn werewolf boy band plus the sassiest backup dancer ever. But inside? My stomach was still doing flips. There were stares. Whispers. Envy and curiosity and more than one growl of jealousy. Taya and I broke off as we reached the locker wing, the boys heading toward Alpha Training. ¡°See you after,¡± Daxon murmured, stealing onest kiss on my cheek before they peeled off. He didn¡¯t look back. But I felt him watching me. Always watching. And I loved it. ¡®Come on, mate ma,¡± Taya said, grabbing my arm. ¡°Time for Wolf Politics ss, aka the ¡®How to Not Start a War With Vampires¡® hour.¡± I groaned. ¡°Can I just fake a migraine?¡± ¡®Nope. We have to pretend to be responsible today.¡± ¡­fine. But I¡¯m not answering shit if Va opens her crusty mouth.¡± ¡°Deal.¡® We pushed through the double doors and headed to ss, not knowing today was going to be the calm before the absolute shitstorm. The moment I stepped into Wolf Politics, I knew that bitch was going to try me. 64 64 Va was already perched at her desk like some crusty knockoff Barbie, lips curled in satisfaction and eyes locked on me like she was waiting to pounce. Her minions nked her, Soria to the left, Clone A and Clone B in their usual brainless formation. Taya and I took our seats two rows up, ignoring the stares and whispers, but it didn¡¯t stop the venom dripping from Va¡¯s tongue. ¡°Careful, everyone,¡± she purred loud enough for the room to hear. ¡°Our little hybrid horror might spell you into kissing her boots. Isn¡¯t that right, Elowen?¡± I froze mid reach for my pencil. ¡°What the fuck did you just say?¡± She tilted her head. ¡°I mean, it makes sense. No real wolf could evernd my brother. Not without¡­ unnatural help. Maybe a little witchcraft, maybe some sex magic?¡± ¡°Va, shut the fuck up,¡± Taya hissed beside me, but it was toote. My whole body tensed. Lyssira growled low and feral in my mind, and then everything snapped. Painnced through my limbs as my fingers curved into ws, my bones grinding as silver fur shot down one arm. I gasped as my face half shifted, jaw lengthening, eyes glowing pure moonlight. The ssroom went dead silent. And then? All hell broke loose. Screams. Desks flying. People shoving each other to get away from me like I was some goddamn rabid beast. Even the teacher stumbled back in horror, eyes wide as he fumbled for the panic button. ¡°No, no, no, no¡± I choked, trying to force myself back. My body was caught in limbo, half wolf, half girl, and I couldn¡¯t control it. ¡°EL!¡± Taya¡¯s hands gripped mine, grounding me. ¡°Breathe! Just breathe! You¡¯re okay¡± Before I could even start to shift back, the overhead speaker crackled to life. 11:57 Mon, Sep 22 64 ¡°ATTENTION STAFF AND STUDENTS, SCHOOL WARDS HAVE BEEN BREACHED. INITIATE LOCKDOWN PROCEDURES. ALL STUDENTS TO SAFETY BUNKERS IMMEDIATELY. ALERT ALPHA DRAVEN. THIS IS NOT A DRILL.¡± The panic in the teacher¡¯s voice matched the chaos of the room. ¡°EVERYONE, MOVE TO THE BUNKERS! STAY IN FORMATION!¡± ¡°What the fuck is happening?¡± I gasped, still half shifted as Taya pulled me to my feet. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she breathed, eyes scanning the panicked crowd. ¡°But that wasn¡¯t about you. Something¡¯s wrong. Really wrong!¡± Then I smelled them. Not wolves. Not human. Wrong. And in the doorway, like a gift from the goddess, Daxon appeared, nked by Rylen and Jace, all three panting and wild eyed. ¡°EL!¡± Daxon¡¯s voice cracked as he barreled through the crowd to get to me. ¡°Are you okay? What the hell happened?¡± ¡°She half shifted!¡± someone screamed. ¡°She¡¯s a witch!¡± ¡®I fucking knew it!¡± ¡°Elowen cursed the school!¡± ¡°ENOUGH!¡± Daxon snarled, the force of his Alpha blood shutting the room up fast. His arms were around me in a heartbeat. ¡°You¡¯re safe now, baby. We¡¯ve got you.¡± I was shaking, body still twitching with power that wasn¡¯t supposed to exist, but the second his skin touched mine, the shift receded. Slowly. Painfully. But it passed. ¡°We have to go,¡± Rylen said, ncing toward the hallway. ¡°The wards are down. Something¡¯s out there.¡± Jace growled. ¡°You felt that too, right? That energy? It wasn¡¯t wolf.¡± Taya¡¯s face was pale. Can someone please tell me what the actual fuck is going on?! Rylen stepped forward and embraced her and her breathing slowed. ¡°Safety bunker, Daxon barked. ¡°Now,¡± We ran. Down the hallway, around the corner, past screaming students and panicking teachers. All I could think about was what Va said. What I was. And the fact that this breach? It felt personal. Like someone, or something, hade for me. Topple 18 Chapter 18 Alpha King Draven POV ¡®Let the motherfuckers try me.¡± 64 The second my phone buzzed on the war room table, I knew something was wrong. Not a regr kind of wrong..not the ¡°some dumbass pup got caught sneaking out¡± or ¡°Va threw another tantrum over Elowen¡® kind of wrong. No. This buzz came with a chill down my spine that made my inner wolf rise, ears sharp and teeth bared. Aelira was at my side in an instant, her Luna senses tingling. ¡°What is it?¡± Before I could answer, the war room doors mmed open and two scouts barreled in, reeking of panic and smoke. ¡°Alpha!¡± the first one choked, eyes wide. ¡°The wards, they¡¯ve been breached. They¡¯ve attacked the Highschool.¡± I stood so fast my chair nearly shattered behind me. ¡°What the fuck?¡± The second scout swallowed hard. ¡°Aegis Protocol. We caught their scent. Vampires. Highly ranked. Maybe even nobles.¡± Fucking vampires. Of course, it was them. Of course, those soulless, pale¨Cfaced parasites would crawl out of their crypts the day my son mates with the most powerful wolf this pack has seen in centuries. Aelira¡¯s hand clutched my arm, her face like carved marble. ¡°The school. Draven, the kids!¡± ¡°I know.¡± My voice came out in a growl so thick it vibrated the fucking walls. I barked orders to the nearest warriors. ¡°Get every avable enforcer armed and mobile. Intercept the bastards before they hit the perimeter. I want silver rounds, blessed des, holy water, fuck it, bring the me throwers if we have to. I want their ashes on my doorstep.¡± The enforcer squad saluted and bolted. I turned to my gamma, ¡°Send a strike team to the school. Now. Secure the bunkers. My son is in there, and so is Elowen. We cannot afford to lose them.¡± ¡°Yes, Alpha!¡± I snatched up my phone and hit the FaceTime button, thumb shaking with adrenaline as it rang. ¡°Come on, Daxon,¡± I muttered. ¡°Pick up. Pick up, dammit.¡± Aelira moved beside me, clutching the edge of the table as the tension mounted. ¡°You think they¡¯re after her, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I know they are,¡± I snapped. ¡°They¡¯ve been sniffing around the borders for weeks. I should¡¯ve known they were tracking her. She¡¯s too powerful. Too important.¡± The phone clicked. My son¡¯s face appeared, sweaty, red faced, pupils blown. Behind him was chaos: students running, rms ring, Taya screaming something about a shift. ¡°Daxon!¡± I barked. ¡®Are you alright? Is Elowen with you?¡± ¡°She¡¯s here!¡± he shouted back. ¡°She half shifted in ss, scared the hell out of everyone, and then the fucking rm hit. It¡¯s Aegis, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Yeah. Vampires. Protocol elite. I¡¯ve got warriors en route to you now.¡± His jaw clenched. ¡°We¡¯ll hold them if they try anything.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not your job right now,¡± I growled. ¡°Your job is to protect Elowen and every damn student you can get your hands on. Keep your mate safe.¡± I didn¡¯t flinch. ¡°Get to the bunker. Keep her breathing. Reinforcements will be there in minutes.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got her,¡± he promised. ¡°No one touches what¡¯s mine.¡± The call ended. I turned back to my Luna Queen. ¡°Time to show Aegis what happens when they fuck with Stormw blood.¡± Aelira¡¯s eyes burned gold. ¡°Let¡¯s make them bleed.¡± Elowen POV The hallway was chaos. Screams. Running footsteps. The scent of fear so thick it choked me. Daxon was at my side,manding like the future Alpha he was born to be, his voice cutting through the panic like a de. ¡°Everyone, MOVE! Get to the bunkers! Seniors first, then help the younger ones!¡± Taya was already dragging a trembling sophomore behind her, barking at a group of boys to get their shit together and stop crying. Rylen and Jace were sprinting toward the west wing, trying to round up stragglers. My heart was beating so fast I could barely hear myself think. But Lyssira? She was dead silent. Focused. 2/3 Original content can be found at Find?Novel ¡°To the left. Bathroom stall. There¡¯s someone hiding.¡± I didn¡¯t hesitate. I tore down the corridor, skidding past broken lockers and overturned desks until I hit the girls¡® bathroom. The door creaked when I pushed it open. ¡°Hey!¡± I called, stepping inside. ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯m not gonna hurt you. We¡¯ve gotta go, NOW.¡± Nothing. I stalked forward, pushing open thest stall, and there she was. Curled up, knees to chest, a freshman girl with tear tracks streaking her cheeks and wide, terrified eyes. ¡°Come on,¡± I said gently, crouching down. ¡°I¡¯ve got you.¡± She shook her head. ¡°They said there¡¯s monsters..¡± ¡°I know, sweetheart,¡± I said, voice soft but firm. ¡°But you¡¯re not alone. I¡¯m one of the strongest monsters on your side.¡± 64 Hunted Hybrid Aegis War Saga 1 Topple 19 Chapter 19 I offered my hand. She took it. Her fingers were ice cold. And that¡¯s when Lyssira growled. ¡°Vampire. CLOSE.¡± 1 froze. Turned my head toward the cracked window. The wind had gone still. Every instinct in me red, primal and vicious. ¡°Daxon,¡± I whispered through our new bond. ¡°We¡¯ve gotpany. Vampire. Close. Bathroom wing.¡± I¡¯ming. Don¡¯t move.¡± Toote. A cold breath danced across the back of my neck. The freshman girl whimpered. I spun just as the thing stepped from the shadows, tall, pale, eyes like pools of oil, lips curled back to reveal dripping fangs. ¡°Well, it purred, voice like poison silk, ¡°what a delicious surprise.¡± ¡°Oh fuck off, Drac,¡± I snarled, stepping in front of the girl. Lyssira surged, silver power crackling in my veins, my hands glowing as my nails began to shift into ws. ¡°You¡¯ve no idea who you¡¯re fucking with,¡± I said. The vampire lunged. 664 And I met it. Fist to jaw. Bone cracked under my knuckles. Lyssira howled in my mind and I let go, part shift mming into ce as I mmed the creature into the sink with a snart. Porcin shattered. The vampire shrieked. Then Daxon exploded through the door. Talon was feral, his growl rattling the tiles as Daxon¡¯s ws tore through the vampire¡¯s side, It tried to escape, but Jace and Rylen were right behind him, nking it and mming it back into the wall. ¡°We got her!¡® Rylen shouted, grabbing the girl and hauling her out. Daxon pinned the vampire down, his eyes fully silver, teeth bared. ¡°You picked the wrong school, leech.¡± 11:59 Mon, Sep 22 ¡°Send him back in a box, I spat. ?.4) The vampire¡¯s scream was cut short as Daxon¡¯s ws ripped through his throat, spraying dark, foul smelling blood across the tiles, as the vampires head rolled. And just like that, it was over. I was shaking. Daxon reached for me. I fell into him, both of us panting, bloodied, and buzzing with adrenaline. ¡°Are you okay?¡± he murmured. ¡°I am now,¡± I whispered. ¡°But that was just the beginning, wasn¡¯t it?¡± He looked down at me, grim. ¡°Yeah. But I¡¯m here. Always.¡± Elowen POV The air turned cold. Too cold. Not ¡°fall breeze¡± cold, but graveyard breath, sunless crypt, something wicked this wayes kind of cold. We were barely halfway to the bunker when four figures stepped from the shadows at once. Long coats. Pale skin. ck fucking eyes. Noble vampires. Daxon skidded to a stop in front of me, chest heaving, body already shifting slightly, ws extending from his fingertips. Talon was snarling in his mind. Taya gasped behind me. Jace and Rylen nked us without needing amand. The tallest vampire stepped forward, his voicezy andced with arrogance. ¡°Wee on behalf of The Aegis Protocol.¡± I felt my stomach drop. ¡°The hybrid is to be executed,¡± he said smoothly. ¡°By order of..¡± ¡®Over my dead body.¡± Daxon¡¯s voice was a thunderp, sharp and final. His power surged outward in a dominant wave, and even the vampires took a slight step back. Then the strange part happened. The one on the left, slender, dark haired, eyes like void, tilted his head. He inhaled sharply, as if catching a scent on the wind. His 11:59 Mon, Sep 22 expression faltered. He sniffed again. Brows furrowed. Then his eyes locked onto mine. And something¡­shifted. The tension. The air. The bond. His lips parted. His eyes widened like he¡¯d just been punched in the soul. ¡°No,¡± he whispered, stepping forward. The others hissed and began to move¡­ And that¡¯s when the dark haired one snapped. With a vicious snarl, he lunged, not at me, but at his own kind. ¡°MINE!¡± The deration echoed through the clearing like a war cry. He shoved the nearest vampire away from me, ws out, fangs bared. The noble bastard looked utterly feral now, standing between me and death like some deranged, undead guardian. Daxon roared in disbelief. ¡°The fuck!? a gods damned vampire?!¡± My knees nearly buckled. Mate. Oh, goddess. Not a wolf. Not a bear. Not a fae. A fucking vampire. Lyssira was panting in my head, stunned. ¡°This can¡¯t be real. This can¡¯t!¡± I blinked at the vampire, my mouth bone dry, my heart thundering. His chest heaved. ¡°I don¡¯t know how, but I can¡¯t hurt you. I won¡¯t let them hurt you.¡± Daxon snarled. ¡°You touch her, I¡¯ll rip your fucking throat out.¡± The vampire slowly turned his head toward Daxon, eyes still glowing¡­but he didn¡¯t attack. ¡°She¡¯s mine too, dog,¡± he growled. ¡°Get in line.¡± Oh. Fucking. Hell. Mon, Sep Hunted Hybrid ¨C Aegis War Saga 1 Chapter 20 ???? ????s? ???????s ?? find?novel Topple 20 .6) Everything exploded into chaos as the three nobles prowled towards us. Daxonunched into a full shift mid air, fur ripping through his skin as Talon took over, snapping jaws mping down on a vampire¡¯s arm and throwing him through a row of lockers. Rylen and Jace followed suit, shifting as ws shed and magic lit up the air like fucking fireworks. Taya grabbed my wrist, dragging me behind a pir, her dagger already out. The rogue vampire noble fought like a beast unchained. He was lethal, precise, and savage. Protecting me with a fury I didn¡¯t understand but couldn¡¯t deny. Lyssira whimpered in shock. ¡°Mate. Another. Mine,¡± she whispered, and I nearly choked. I didn¡¯t have time to freak out. One of the vampires broke away and darted toward us. I raised my palm on instinct, and silver light erupted from it, sting him down the hallway with enough force to crack the floor. Well. That happened. And then, howls. Dozens of them. The Strike Team had finally arrived. A wave of warriors surged down the hallway, massive wolves and armored fighters wielding silver lined weapons and spells. The air thickened with magic, growls, the scent of vampire blood. The three nobles snarled, clearly outnumbered now, and hissed with fury. ¡°This isn¡¯t over,¡± the silver haired one spat, eyes locked on me. ¡°You will be ours.¡± They vanished in a blur of shadows and smoke, gone just as fast as they arrived. Except the one who had imed me. He stood in the wreckage, blood soaked and panting, still shielding me with his body. He turned slowly, and those dark, otherworldly eyes met mine again, so full of confusion, reverence¡­ and recognition. ¡°My name,¡® he said hoarsely, ¡°is Ashrian Vale.¡± And then he dropped to one knee. ¡°Elowen Skye,¡± he whispered, voice breaking, ¡°I have walled for you¡­ for lifetimes.¡± Elowen POV I couldn¡¯t move at first. Couldn¡¯t breathe. 11:59 Mon, Sep 22 Ashrian Vale. 64 A vampire. Noble. Deadly. My fucking mate?! Lyssira was no help, practically vibrating with joy in my head like a puppy who just found an entire buffet of chew toys. ¡°Ours! Another! I knew it! He smells like smoke and cinnamon, he¡¯s perfect!¡± Perfect? My head was spinning, my heartbeat still jackhammering from the fight. But when he dropped to one knee, bloodied and breathing hard, eyes full of that gut wrenching awe I¡¯d only ever seen in Daxon before¡­ something cracked wide open inside me. I stepped toward him. Every part of me¡­wolf, woman, warrior, hybrid¡­reached for him. My hand trembled as I touched his cheek. Cold. Smooth. But sparks ignited under my fingertips and the bond snapped to life like a whip of pure silver me. Ashrian gasped as if branded, his eyes flooding with emotion he didn¡¯t try to hide. His arms wrapped around me, and I copsed into him. We held each other like survivors clinging to shore. Mine. The word wasn¡¯t spoken. It didn¡¯t have to be. It pulsed in the air between us. Taya coughed. Loudly. I pulled back, blinking as reality crashed back in. Rylen and Jace looked like they¡¯d just seen a ghost and wanted to punch it. Daxon¡­gods bless him¡­was fighting every single instinct he had not to rip Ashrian¡¯s head off and ask questionster. ¡®I didn¡¯te to hurt her,¡± Ashrian said, standing now. ¡°I came to protect her. I always have.¡± Daxon¡¯s jaw was clenched so hard I could hear his teeth grind. ¡°Then start talking.¡± Before Ashrian could answer, heavy boots hit the floor. Alpha King Draven stormed in with a unit of enforcers behind him and Luna Queen Aelira at his side. His eyes locked on me, then Ashrian. His entire body went rigid. ¡°The fuck is a Vale doing near my son¡¯s mate?¡± ¡°Dad, Daxon said sharply, stepping forward. ¡°He protected her. He imed her.¡± Alpha Draven blinked. Once. Then again. ¡°You¡¯re telling me your mate has bonded with a vampire?¡± I said, voice cracking. ¡°Apparently.¡± 11:59 Mon, Sep 22 ¨C Hunted Hybrid Aegis War Saga 1 ??? ????? ???????s ??? ?????s??? ?? find(?)ovel Chapter 21 Draven stared at me. ¡®We¡¯re going to need the war room.¡± The walk back was chaos. No casualties, thank the gods. School was shut down until further notice. Warriors lined every hallway. We arrived at the Stormw Keep in less than fifteen minutes. The war room pulsed with magic, tension, and the lingering scent of blood. Ashrian stood beside me, Daxon on my other side, jaw still tight but no longer feral. Alpha Draven folded his arms and red across the table. ¡°Talk, bloodsucker.¡± Ashrian nodded. ¡°My name is Ashrian Vale, third son of the Vale House. Centuries ago, I joined the Aegis Protocol under orders from my mother. But once I saw what they were doing, experimenting, killing, breeding hybrids..I began working against them. I¡¯ve been sabotaging their operations ever since.¡± I felt like my stomach dropped to the floor. ¡°You were with them? You saw what they did to people like me?¡± ¡°I did,¡± he said, voice low. ¡°I couldn¡¯t save everyone. But I tried. And when I found out about you¡­¡± His eyes lifted to mine. ¡°I stayed in the shadows. I made sure they didn¡¯t find you.¡± ¡°Until now,¡± Draven growled. Ashrian nodded. ¡°Now they know. And they¡¯lle for me, too.¡± ¡°They already did,¡± I whispered. The room fell silent. And for the first time in a long damn while¡­I wasn¡¯t scared. Because I had not one, but two powerful, deadly, possessive mates. And Lyssira was ready to tear someone¡¯s throat out. Let theme. I cleared my throat, feeling like I¡¯d just announced I was pregnant with Satan¡¯s triplets at a church potluck. The war room was dead silent. Daxon stood rigid beside me, still brooding and alpha as hell. Ashrian stood on the other side like a stone statue with fangs, unreadable but¡­ somehow steady. And across from us? Alpha Draven. Luna Aelira. Rylen. Jace. Taya. Every single one of them waiting for me to exin what the actual fuck was going on. Cool. No pressure. 1/3 11:59 Mon, Sep 22 ¡®Well, I said, ncing between them, looks like I¡¯m collecting mates like Pok¨¦mon.¡± Taya snorted. Rylen choked on his own spit. Daxon growled. ¡®Not funny.¡± ¡°A little funny,¡± I muttered. Ashtian arched a brow, amused. Smug bastard. I took a breath and straightened my spine. ¡°The truth is¡­ I don¡¯t know how many mates I have. My dad¡¯s letter said mates, plural, and warned me I¡¯d be hunted. I assumed that meant people like me, hybrids..were rare and valuable.¡± I paused, letting that sink in. ¡°But now? It¡¯s more than that. The Moon Goddess appeared to me. Told me I was chosen. That I had to awaken my fae side. That I¡¯d need help¡­protection, strength, love.¡± Daxon flinched at the word love. ¡°So yeah, I went on, voice rougher now, ¡°I¡¯ve got a werewolf Alpha heir on one side, and a noble vampire spy on the other, and apparently the universe isn¡¯t done yet. So if anyone else wants toe out of the woodwork and say they¡¯re my fated soul bound ride or die, speak now or shut the hell up forever.¡± Silence. Then Alpha Draven rubbed his temples like he had a migraine the size of a pissed off bear. ¡°Do you have any idea how many?¡± I shook my head. ¡°Nope. Could be three. Could be five. Could be enough to start a boy band.¡± Jace grinned. ¡°Do we get jackets?¡± ¡°Shut up, Jace,¡® Rylen muttered. Taya squeezed my arm and gave me a small smile. ¡°Whatever happens, we¡¯ve got you. But holy shit, babe. You better start a group chat of something. This is gonna get messy.¡± Daxon didn¡¯t speak. Just reached for my hand andced our fingers together, his wolf humming quietly in my mind. Ashrian didn¡¯t speak either. But he stepped closer. Just enough to let me know he wasn¡¯t going anywhere. And me? I wasn¡¯t just a hybrid anymore. I was the Moon Goddess¡¯s chosen. And my soul was apparently hot real estate. Topple 21 Chapter 21 Draven stared at me. ¡®We¡¯re going to need the war room.¡± The walk back was chaos. No casualties, thank the gods. School was shut down until further notice. Warriors lined every hallway. We arrived at the Stormw Keep in less than fifteen minutes. The war room pulsed with magic, tension, and the lingering scent of blood. Ashrian stood beside me, Daxon on my other side, jaw still tight but no longer feral. Alpha Draven folded his arms and red across the table. ¡°Talk, bloodsucker.¡± Ashrian nodded. ¡°My name is Ashrian Vale, third son of the Vale House. Centuries ago, I joined the Aegis Protocol under orders from my mother. But once I saw what they were doing, experimenting, killing, breeding hybrids..I began working against them. I¡¯ve been sabotaging their operations ever since.¡± I felt like my stomach dropped to the floor. ¡°You were with them? You saw what they did to people like me?¡± ¡°I did,¡± he said, voice low. ¡°I couldn¡¯t save everyone. But I tried. And when I found out about you¡­¡± His eyes lifted to mine. ¡°I stayed in the shadows. I made sure they didn¡¯t find you.¡± ¡°Until now,¡± Draven growled. Ashrian nodded. ¡°Now they know. And they¡¯lle for me, too.¡± ¡°They already did,¡± I whispered. The room fell silent. And for the first time in a long damn while¡­I wasn¡¯t scared. ?? ??? ???? ?? ???? ???? ???????s, ????s? ??s?? find?novel Because I had not one, but two powerful, deadly, possessive mates. And Lyssira was ready to tear someone¡¯s throat out. Let theme. I cleared my throat, feeling like I¡¯d just announced I was pregnant with Satan¡¯s triplets at a church potluck. The war room was dead silent. Daxon stood rigid beside me, still brooding and alpha as hell. Ashrian stood on the other side like a stone statue with fangs, unreadable but¡­ somehow steady. And across from us? Alpha Draven. Luna Aelira. Rylen. Jace. Taya. Every single one of them waiting for me to exin what the actual fuck was going on. Cool. No pressure. 1/3 11:59 Mon, Sep 22 ¡®Well, I said, ncing between them, looks like I¡¯m collecting mates like Pok¨¦mon.¡± Taya snorted. Rylen choked on his own spit. Daxon growled. ¡®Not funny.¡± ¡°A little funny,¡± I muttered. Ashtian arched a brow, amused. Smug bastard. I took a breath and straightened my spine. ¡°The truth is¡­ I don¡¯t know how many mates I have. My dad¡¯s letter said mates, plural, and warned me I¡¯d be hunted. I assumed that meant people like me, hybrids..were rare and valuable.¡± I paused, letting that sink in. ¡°But now? It¡¯s more than that. The Moon Goddess appeared to me. Told me I was chosen. That I had to awaken my fae side. That I¡¯d need help¡­protection, strength, love.¡± Daxon flinched at the word love. ¡°So yeah, I went on, voice rougher now, ¡°I¡¯ve got a werewolf Alpha heir on one side, and a noble vampire spy on the other, and apparently the universe isn¡¯t done yet. So if anyone else wants toe out of the woodwork and say they¡¯re my fated soul bound ride or die, speak now or shut the hell up forever.¡± Silence. Then Alpha Draven rubbed his temples like he had a migraine the size of a pissed off bear. ¡°Do you have any idea how many?¡± I shook my head. ¡°Nope. Could be three. Could be five. Could be enough to start a boy band.¡± Jace grinned. ¡°Do we get jackets?¡± ¡°Shut up, Jace,¡® Rylen muttered. Taya squeezed my arm and gave me a small smile. ¡°Whatever happens, we¡¯ve got you. But holy shit, babe. You better start a group chat of something. This is gonna get messy.¡± Daxon didn¡¯t speak. Just reached for my hand andced our fingers together, his wolf humming quietly in my mind. Ashrian didn¡¯t speak either. But he stepped closer. Just enough to let me know he wasn¡¯t going anywhere. And me? I wasn¡¯t just a hybrid anymore. I was the Moon Goddess¡¯s chosen. And my soul was apparently hot real estate. Who knew? Hunted Hybrid ¨C Aegis War Saga 1 Chapter 22 Topple 22 Chapter 22 Ashrian Vale POV I¡¯d seen a lot of castles in my time. Burned a few, bled in a few, fucked in a few. But this one? Stormw Keep had power humming in the goddamn walls. Alpha Draven led us through winding corridors of enchanted stone, each step echoing with the weight of legacy and dominance. Daxon nked Elowen like a wolf shaped wall, and I trailed just behind, watching them both. Learning. Calcting. And silently trying not to lose my shit every time her scent caught on the air. She was radiant. And so fucking mine. ¡°I¡¯ve had a wing prepared,¡± Alpha Draven said, stopping at a pair of heavy oak doors engraved with the Stormw crest. ¡°Security wards have been doubled. No one gets in or out without my say¨Cso.¡± He looked right at me when he said that. I inclined my head respectfully, though part of me bristled. I¡¯d kept her safe from the inside of hell itself. But this wasn¡¯t my house. Not yet. He pushed the doors open. And Elowen gasped. ¡°Oh. My. Moon.¡± The suite was obscene. A massive vaulted ceiling. A bed big enough to host a supernatural orgy¡­ten people easy. Soft gray and silver bedding. Built in bookshelves, a hearth, and a wardrobe the size of a department store. And the bathroom? I could smell thevender steam and goddess grade soap from the door. Six sinks. Two massive walk¨Cin showers with runes carved into the tile. A hot tub the size of a small pond. Elowen twirled, her hairshing like mungi un m regr wolf.¡± She turned to Alpha Draven, bouncing slightly on her toes. ¡°You¡¯re seriously letting me stay here?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not letting you,¡± he said gruffly. ¡°I¡¯m insisting. You¡¯re under my roof now. You¡¯re pack. That means protected.¡± Daxon stepped forward, jaw tight. ¡°And I don¡¯t trust Maria or Eron.¡± Elowen froze. ME EITHER.¡± He looked at her, eyes zing. ¡°Something¡¯s off about them. I don¡¯t like it. They were too quiet. Too careful. And when we left this morning, they were watching us like they were memorizing details for someone else.¡± My chest rumbled. Not a full growl¡­but close. ¡°Agreed,¡± I said simply. ¡°They knew too much and said too little. That¡¯s a dangerous mix.¡± Alpha Draven nodded. ¡°We¡¯ll investigate. Quietly. But for now, this is where you stay. You¡¯re my guest. And my responsibility.¡± Elowen blinked rapidly, emotion brimming behind those bright eyes. She wasn¡¯t used to people fighting for her. But gods, she¡¯d better get used to it. Because now she had two mates. And the war hadn¡¯t even started yet. Elowen POV The source of th?s content is Daxon cupped my face with both hands, his thumb gently brushing along my cheekbone like I was made of something fragile and sacred. ¡°You good, baby?¡± he murmured, eyes locked on mine, voice low and thick with emotion, I nodded, still breathless and flushed from everything that had just gone down, literally and figuratively, He pressed a kiss to my forehead, then another to my lips, lingering just long enough to make my toes curl. ¡°I¡¯m gonna go grab your stuff from Maria and Eron¡¯s,¡± he said, pulling back slowly. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t go back there, not after everything. Not alone. Not ever.¡± His jaw ticked, and then, he looked past me. Right at Ashrian. The stare wasn¡¯t hostile, but it sure as hell wasn¡¯t soft. It wasyered. Possessive. Protective. Alpha, She¡¯s mine too, that look said. Ash met his gaze and gave a single, respectful nod. A silent acknowledgment. I know. I¡¯ll protect her like she¡¯s mine. 464 Daxon kissed me once more, hard and fast. ¡°Lock the damn door behind me,¡± he muttered, then turned and disappeared down the hall without another word. on, Topple 23 Chapter 23 My heart thudded like a drum. Two mates. And both already willing to go to war for me. Holy. Shit. The second the door shut behind Daxon, the entire room shifted. The air grew thicker and hotter. Ash didn¡¯t say a word. Just stared at me with those glowing onyx eyes, like I was the only thing keeping him tethered to this realm. Then he moved. Fast. Silent. Lethal. One second I was standing near the bed, the next I was pinned to it¡­t on my back with a vampire on top of me, his scent wrapping around me like smoke and sin. ¡°You¡¯re mine now, moon girl,¡± he growled against my neck, voice like velvet des. ¡°And I¡¯ve waited too long to taste what¡¯s mine.¡± I shivered. Fuck. I moaned. Iy there panting like a bitch in heat as he quickly undressed me, not bothering to take his time. My nipples hardened as the cool air kissed my skin and goosebumps broke out all over my body. Ash kissed me like he had literally invented the art. Worshipped with his mouth like it was his sacred duty. His lips brushed over my corbone, down the valley between my breasts, pausing to suck my nipples with slow,zy strokes of his tongue that had me arching off the bed like I¡¯d been lit on fire. ¡°Look at you,¡± he rasped, voice thick with need as he slid lower. ¡°Already shaking, little wolf.¡± I didn¡¯t even try to deny it. I was a goddamn puddle. He licked a path down my stomach, leaving a trail of fire. My thighs fell open like they knew they belonged to him. And then his fingers found my slick heat. ¡°Fuck, Elowen,¡± he hissed. ¡°You¡¯re soaked for me.¡± Two fingers slipped in, curved just right, like he knew every inch of my body by heart. His thumb worked my clit in slow circles that drove me out of my goddamn mind. I bucked against him, panting, needy, trembling.. And then he flicked his tongue across that aching bundle of nerves while curling his fingers just right.. My world shattered, I came with a cry, hips jerking, hands buried in his thick dark hair. But he didn¡¯t stop. Oh no, He kept going, coaxing wave after wave from me until I was boneless and gasping, my thighs trembling like leaves in a storm. ¡°Can¡¯t..¡± I whimpered. ¡°I can¡¯t..¡± ¡°Yes,¡± he growled, rising over me again. ¡°You can. And you will. Until you¡¯re marked. Until you¡¯re mine in every way.¡± His fangs grazed my throat. My hips lifted on instinct. My soul howled for him. ¡°Do it, I gasped. ¡°Bite me. Now.¡± 64 His eyes glowed like twin eclipses. And then, he dropped his fangs into my neck just as I arched up and he sunk his thick, hard cock into my heat. I screamed. The source of th?s content is Find~Novel He groaned. The bond snapped to life like a supernova. Silver fire. Moonlight. Blood magic. It burned between us, a rush of shared memories, desire, emotion, every fucking thing. I sank my teeth into his shoulder just as he thrust deeper, iming him right back. And then¡­ His voice in my head. I shattered again. And this time, I dragged him with me. Stars exploded behind my eyes as my tattoo red to life and I felt more being added. A sword with blood droplets. Interesting. I can dig it. I smiled at Ashrian as he inspected his own glowing tattoo, running my hands up and down his chest. Lyssi was purring with contentment in my head and my vampire purred back at her, she was absolutely delighted. Hunted Hybrid ¨C Aegis War Saga 1 Topple 24 Daxon POV 64 I pulled up to that too¨Cperfect little house with Talon already pacing inside me. The porch light was still on, a soft yellow glow flickering like some kind of fake ass wee sign. I wasn¡¯t buying it. Not anymore. I mmed the truck door shut harder than necessary and stalked up the steps, not bothering to knock. The second I stepped inside, Maria was already hovering like some anxious little bird, and Eron stood stiff in the doorway to the living room. ¡°Where¡¯s Elowen?¡± Maria asked, voice too sweet, too tight. Her smile didn¡¯t touch her eyes. ¡°She didn¡¯te homest night. We were worried.¡± Eron snapped, ¡°We¡¯re worried. Her hair. Now another mate!¡± Bull. Shit. ¡°She¡¯s with me,¡± I said tly, already moving toward the stairs. ¡°She¡¯s safe. Which is more than I can say about this damn house.¡± Eron¡¯s jaw clenched. ¡°Now wait a minute, son. What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± I stopped halfway up the stairs and turned slowly, letting my alpha aura bleed into the room like smoke from a fire. ¡°I mean,¡± I growled, ¡°that you two have been acting off as hell since the second she turned eighteen. I mean she nearly got killed today. I mean our wards failed and somehow the Aegis Protocol knew exactly where she¡¯d be.¡± Maria¡¯s face went pale. ¡°We..we¡¯d never..¡± ¡°Cut the shit,¡± I snapped. ¡°You were her guardians. You were supposed to protect her. Instead, you¡¯ve kept secrets, downyed everything, and now you¡¯re suddenly really curious about her hair, her bond marks, and her new mate?¡± Eron stepped forward. ¡°We just want to understand what¡¯s happening to her!¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to understand a damn thing,¡± I snarled. ¡°Because she¡¯s not your concern anymore. She¡¯s mine now. And if I find out either of you had anything to do with the breach, or if you so much as breathe her name around the wrong people¡­¡± I let the threat hang there, thick and heavy. My eyes shifted, just a flicker of gold, and both of them flinched. Then I turned on my heel, stomped up to her room, and grabbed everything she owned. Clothes. Photos. That damn chest with her parents letters. Every scrap of her scent, every trace of her life here, I packed it with ruthless efficiency and shoved it into the truck. When I came back down, Maria had tears in her eyes. I didn¡¯t care. Eron looked like he wanted to throw a punch. I dared him to. ¡®Goodbye,¡® I said, dead calm. And then I was gone. The truck is gunning down the road. Elowen¡¯s scent in the passenger seat. My jaw is tight. And a single promise burning in my chest like wildfire. No one touches what¡¯s mine. Elowen POV I was still breathless. 64 Ashrian, Ash for short, was sprawled behind me in the oversized bed, fingers tangledzily in my hair, his other hand tracing slow circles across my belly. My skin still tingled from where his fangs had pierced it, from where our bond had locked in tight, a silver fire pulsing beneath my ribs. Lyssira was practically humming in my mind, her tail wagging like some smug little omega who just found the world¡¯s juiciest steak. ¡°Told you he was ours,¡± she whispered. We dragged ourselves into the ridiculously huge shower for a quick rinse, soft moans and gentle kisses stealing the time. He was different from Daxon. Sweet torture and reverence to Daxon¡¯s feral heat..but gods, I craved them both in ways I didn¡¯t know were possible. I was just wrapping myself in a towel when I heard the front door open and m shut. My heart stuttered. Daxon. ¡°Baby, I¡¯ll meet you in the room,¡± I whispered, stealing a quick kiss from Ash¡¯s lips. I rushed out just in time to see him walk in, arms full of my bags. His sharp gazended on me..and immediately dropped to the fading bite marks on my neck. His entire body went rigid. ¡°Hey,¡± I said, trying to sound calm, soft. He didn¡¯t answer. Just dropped my stuff with a grunt and stormed across the room, grabbing me by the waist and burying his face in my neck. I gasped as he inhaled deeply, then growled..growled..deep in his chest. ¡°You smell like him,¡± he rasped, voice raw. ¡°Like blood and magic and¡­ fuck.¡± ¡°Dazon,¡± I started, cing my hands on his chest. ???s ??????? ?s ?????? ?? find?novel ¡°No,¡® he snapped gently, lifting his head, golden eyes ring. ¡°Mine. You¡¯re mine too.¡± And just like that, he bit me. Right over the other mark. No hesitation. No apology. It was savage and dominant and so damn him, I nearly came again. Topple 25 Chapter 25 Ashrian was suddenly in the doorway, arms crossed, fangs peeking slightly through his smirk. ¡°Easy there, Alpha. I left you some room.¡± Daxon snarled, still licking over the mark like he was scaling it into the stars. ¡°Yeah? Try leaving her scent alone next time.¡± Ash raised a single brow. ¡°Can¡¯t help it if she tastes like destiny.¡± I groaned, smacking both of them lightly. ¡°Enough. You two can have a dick measuring contestter. I¡¯m starving.¡± Daxon pulled me closer. ¡°After I finish making sure every vampire and wolf in a hundred mile radius knows she¡¯s imed.¡± Ashrian chuckled darkly behind me. ¡°We¡¯ll see how long that mark stays on top.¡± Oh Moon Goddess, I sighed internally, this is my life now. And Lyssira? She was delighted. Ash looked at me with a smirk and said calmly, ¡°So, I need to make a stop at my home and grab a few things.¡± ¡°No. No way. You can¡¯t go alone.¡± I whimpered. ¡°They¡¯re looking for you!¡± Ashrian gave me that infuriatingly calm vampire look, all stormy eyes and ancient patience as he adjusted the dark cloak over his shoulders. ¡°I must. There are relics, records, blood seals, things I can¡¯t risk falling into Aegis hands. They know I turned. They¡¯ll purge my sanctum the second they trace my scent.¡± ¡°But what if they¡¯re already there?¡± I stepped forward, gripping the edge of his cloak like that would anchor him here. ¡°What if this is a trap?¡± Ash leaned down and kissed my forehead, hands cupping my cheeks like I was made of starlight and ss. ¡°Then I¡¯ll make them regret it.¡± ¡°Fuck,¡± I whispered, blinking fast. ¡°I just found you. I can¡¯t lose you already.¡± A growl rumbled behind me, low and steady. ¡®I¡¯ll go with him,¡± Daxon said, arms crossed, eyes zing with Alpha protectiveness. ¡°He¡¯s not going through that portal without backup.¡± Ash didn¡¯t argue. Just nodded once in gratitude, the unspoken agreement between warriors passing in a heartbeat. Daxon turned to me, pulling me against his chest. ¡°We¡¯ll be back before sunset, baby, Stay with Aelira. Don¡¯t shift, don¡¯t leave the castle walls.¡® ¡°You make it sound like I¡¯m a fragile porcin doll,¡± I muttered into his shirt. He tipped my chin up with a crooked grin. ¡°You¡¯re not. But you¡¯re mine, Ours. So yeah¡­ I¡¯m gonna act like a territorial psycho until I know you¡¯re safe.¡± 12:00 Mon, Sep 22 64 I should¡¯ve rolled my eyes. Instead, I kissed him hard and fast before I lost my nerve, then watched like my soul was being ripped in two as the portal red and swallowed both of them whole. The moment the room stilled, I felt¡­ hollow. ¡°Come,¡± Queen Aelira¡¯s voice drifted in like moonlight. ¡°Let¡¯s eat. You need strength, and distraction.¡± I followed her into the castle¡¯s sunlit dining room where a massive spread had beenid out. Fresh berries, warm bread, spiced meats, roasted veggies drizzled in some kind of honeyed ze. My stomach growled like it had a demon of its own. ¡°Goddess, this looks incredible,¡± I breathed, sitting beside her as she handed me a goblet of something fruity andced with sparkle. ¡°It¡¯s enchanted peach wine. Only lightly intoxicating,¡± she winked, sipping hers like a goddess on vacation. We ate in peace for a few minutes before she broke the silence. ¡°You care deeply for them both already,¡± she said softly. Not a question. ¡°Yeah,¡± I sighed. ¡°And it¡¯s a mess. I didn¡¯t ask for any of this, you know? The prophecy, the mates, the vampire, the fangs and growls, and the shirtless pissing contests¡­ It¡¯s a lot.¡± Aelira chuckled. ¡°Sounds like every Luna¡¯s courtship story ever.¡± Iughed with her, feeling the edge of panic ease off just a little. ¡°What do you know about Scond?¡± I asked, nibbling on a honey¨Cdripped fig. She raised a brow. ¡°You mean besides the fact that it rains every five seconds and the witches there are all batshit and powerful as hell?¡± ¡°Exactly that.¡± ¡°Well,¡® she leaned in conspiratorially, ¡°You¡¯re going to need charm, courage, and some kind of gift. The Crone you¡¯re going to see, Morrigan Lairch, is ancient. She doesn¡¯t help anyone unless she sees the worth in their soul.¡± ¡°Cool, cool,¡± I said dryly. ¡°No pressure. I¡¯ll just have to be impressive to a potentially immortal swamp witch.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll do fine,¡® Aelira smiled. ¡°She¡¯ll sense what I sense. You¡¯re more than a hybrid, Elowen. You were made for something bigger than this world.¡± I blinked, caught between the warm buzz of wine and the weight of her words. ¡°Thanks,¡® I said, voice barely above a whisper. ¡°That means more than you know.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t thank me yet,¡± she said with a sly grin. ¡°You¡¯ve got more mates out there. And you know I¡¯ll be watching how they behave.¡± Hunted Hybrid ¨C Aegis War Saga 1 Official source is find?novel Chapter 26 Topple 26 Chapter 26 Daxon POV Ashrian¡¯s ce wasn¡¯t what I expected. I thought vampireirs would be dark crypts or blood stained dungeons full of cloaks and caskets and fuck all else. Instead, I found books. So many damn books. Shelves towered from floor to ceiling, filled with hand written journals, ancient scrolls, maps marked with blood trails and sigils I didn¡¯t understand. A massive desk dominated the center of the space, littered with papers, feathers, ss vials, and ck and silver daggers so old they looked like they belonged in a damn museum. Newest update provided by F?nd-Novel ¡°This is¡­ your house?¡± I asked slowly, stepping over a runed circle etched into the stone floor. ¡°I figured you¡¯d be sleeping in a coffin or something clich¨¦.¡± Ashrian gave a dry chuckle, tossing a thick leather satchel onto the desk and beginning to fill it with documents. ¡°I did that once, for the aesthetic. Got a kink in my back for a century.¡± Despite myself, I smirked. I wasn¡¯t here to like the guy. And yet¡­ everything in this ce screamed protector. Not predator. He moved through the space with purpose, grabbing specific books, tucking in rolled maps, and checking a locked cab where I caught the glint of fae charms and protective talismans. ¡°This one,¡± he said quietly, holding up a worn journal bound in silver threaded leather. ¡°It¡¯s a record of every hybrid I¡¯ve helped hide. Nearly four hundred over thest 150 years.¡± I froze. ¡°Four hundred?¡± He nodded, tucking it carefully into the satchel. ¡°Most were children. Some were born inbs, bred like livestock. I got them out. Or I tried.¡± Talon stirred in my chest, ears perked. ¡°He¡¯s not lying.¡± I watched Ashrian move, fast but graceful, the edge of urgency in every motion. He wasn¡¯t packing to run, he was evacuating. Strategic. Efficient. Like a soldier who knew this safehouse waspromised and time was short, On a wall beside the hearth, I spotted something that stopped me cold, a painting. Faded but beautiful, a fae woman with a baby in her arms. She had Elowen¡¯s hair. Her eyes. Ash caught me looking. ¡°That¡¯s her mother. She gave it to me¡­ years ago. Swore to me that her daughter would save them all. I didn¡¯t believe in prophecies back then.¡± ¡°And now?¡± I asked, voice quieter than I meant it to be. He looked straight at me. ¡°Now I¡¯ve touched her magic. Now I feel the pull.¡± Talon huffed, not in warning, but in understanding. He¡¯s one of us.¡± I grabbed the photo to give to Elowen. She¡¯ll appreciate seeing her mother. He nodded. 64 I didn¡¯t answer right away. Just helped him gather the rest. Weapons. Rations. Crystals and coded scrolls. Before we left, he paused by the doorway. He looked back once, shoulders heavy. ¡°This ce was my peace,¡± he said softly. ¡°But she¡¯s worth more than peace.¡± Something inside me shifted. I¡¯d hated him. For being a vampire. For touching what was mine. But the truth was¡­ he was fighting the same damn war I was. And he¡¯d been fighting it alone. 1 pped him on the shoulder. ¡°Come on, bloodsucker. Let¡¯s go home.¡± His eyes gleamed with something almost like relief. And for the first time since he showed up, I didn¡¯t hate him for it. Elowen POV The portal shimmered like someone had sliced open the air with a silver de. I barely had time to toss the throw nket over my legs and shove my empty cupcake wrapper under the couch cushion when they stepped through. Daxon first, grim and gorgeous as ever, his jaw clenched and hair tousled from the wind. His golden eyes swept the room like a goddamn searchlight until theynded on me, and softened instantly. And then Ashrian followed, cool as night, carrying a worn satchel that definitely screamed ssified shit inside. His obsidian eyes flicked to mine, and something in my chest thumped so hard I swear the air vibrated. Lyssira was going wild like a damn pup in our mind link. ¡°Mate. Mate¡¯s back. Our tall, broody, bitey one. I want to lick his fangs.¡± I snorted and Ashrian grinned wickedly, showing off those sexy fangs. My thighs quivered as my arousal spiked and I snapped, ¡°You¡¯re not helping, Lyssi.¡± ¡®I am absolutely helping. Bite the tall one, ride the growly one. We are WINNING.¡± Talon (grumbling into the link)¡®She¡¯s not wrong.¡± Me ¡®Oh my goddess, you¡¯re both feral.¡± Talon, ¡°No, we¡¯re both mated to a walking orgasm and a shadow prince. You¡¯re justte to eptance, sweetheart.¡± The boys grinned and nodded their agreement because everyone could hear this mind conversation and my cheeks med red. Ash set his bag down and straightened, brushing off invisible dust like a literal vampire runway model. Daxon dropped onto the couch beside me and wrapped an arm around my shoulders like it was his full time job¡­which honestly, it kinda was now. ¡°Miss me?¡± he murmured into my hair. : 64 Before I could answer, Ash was suddenly in front of me too, holding out a crystal with ancient sigils glowing along the edge. ¡°This holds everything I couldn¡¯t carry. Names, Safe houses. If I die, it goes to you.¡± I blinked. ¡°Well, damn. Hello to you too.¡± Lyssira in our mind link, ¡°Ugh. He¡¯s noble. I hate how wet that makes me.¡± Ashrian¡¯s huge grin made me giggle. Talon mumbled, ¡®I swear to the moons, if she ever calls me noble, I¡¯m yeeting myself off a cliff.¡± Ash tilted his head. ¡°You¡¯re blushing.¡± ¡°I¡¯m overstimted,¡± I hissed under my breath. Daxon grunted andughed, pulling me tighter. ¡°You¡¯ll be over something if you keep looking at him like that.¡± Ash just smirked. ¡°Jealousy looks good on you, Alpha.¡± Lyssira purred, ¡°Let them fight. Winner gets to knot us.¡± My cheeks burned as the boysughed. ¡°LYSSI STOP.¡± The banter spiraled in my head as they unpacked, coordinated with the Alpha¡¯s staff, and briefed the Luna. I was supposed to be listening to strategic updates about Scond and danger and mission prep. But honestly? All I could think about was that damn prophecy. Fated mates. Plural. And judging by the way my body reacted just being near these two? I was so very screwed. And not nearly enough. Chapter Comments 4 §Ö Write Comments SHARE Topple 27 Chapter 27 Elowen POV 64 ¡°I, uh¡­ I brought you something.¡± Daxon said, reaching into the inner pocket of his jacket. He pulled out a small, worn photograph. The edges frayed, the corners soft with time. No frame. No mor. Just truth. He held it out to me, like it weighed a thousand pounds. I took it with trembling fingers and blinked down at the face staring back. A woman. Pale skin. Midnight hair flowing past her waist. Blue eyes that matched mine exactly. She wasughing, holding a tiny bundle in her arms. My breath caught. ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± I whispered, throat closing. ¡°Your mom,¡± Daxon said softly. ¡°And you. You were maybe a few days old.¡± The world blurred. ¡°She looks like me.¡± ¡°She is you,¡± he said. ¡°Same fire. Same fight in her eyes. I thought¡­ maybe it would help. Seeing her.¡± Something inside me cracked. Because it did help. And it hurt like hell. ¡°She¡¯s beautiful,¡± I whispered, barely holding the tears back. ¡°Thank you.¡± His voice dropped. ¡°You deserve to know where youe from.¡± The photo shook in my hand like it was made of lightning instead of paper. Her face stared back at me¡­soft, ethereal, terrifyingly familiar. The same blue eyes. The same bone structure. My fucking mother. I didn¡¯t even remember her name. ¡°She was beautiful,¡± I whispered, the words catching in my throat. L ¡°She is,¡± Daxon said gently. ¡°The Fae didn¡¯t kill her. They imprisoned her. High security. Deep in the de. My breath hitched. ¡®She¡¯s still alive?¡± He nodded, golden eyes soft for once. ¡°We¡¯ll get her out. I swear it.¡± Before I could process that emotional gut punch, Ash piped in from the corner of the room where he¡¯d been brooding like a Victorian 12:01 Mon, Sep 22 ghost with great hair. ¡°We should wait,¡® he said, arms folded. ¡°There¡¯s no point storming a Fae prison with no strategy. You¡¯ll get yourself killed. Or worse¡­capture her and lose Elowen in the process.¡± Daxon stiffened. ¡°You think I¡¯d be that careless?¡± 64 ¡®I think you¡¯re emotional, Ash said coolly. ¡°And you¡¯re not thinking straight. She needs a calm mind right now. Not¡­whatever you are when you¡¯re three seconds from shifting and growling at chairs.¡± ¡°Say that again, bloodsucker,¡± Daxon growled, stepping forward. ¡°Bloodsucker?¡± Ash¡¯s eyes red ck. ¡°How creative. Did your balls shrink on the way back through the portal, or were they always that For more chapters visit find?novel size?¡± ¡®Bite me,¡± Daxon snarled. ¡°dly,¡± Ash hissed, fangs shing. And just like that, they were chest to chest, snarling like animals, radiating raw testosterone and barely leashed murder. And me? I was done. ¡°STOP IT!¡± I screamed, mming the photo down on the table so hard it cracked the wood beneath it. They both froze mid snarl. ¡°Do you even hear yourselves?¡± I yelled, voice shaking. ¡°Do you realize I just saw the face of my mother for the first time in my entire goddamn life and you¡¯re too busy trying to prove who can piss farther to even notice I¡¯m fucking unraveling?!¡± Ash opened his mouth. I raised my hand to shut him the hell up. ¡°No. Don¡¯t you dare speak. Not until I¡¯ve finished losing my entire mind in peace.¡± Tears flooded my eyes before I could stop them. ¡°I didn¡¯t ask for this! Any of it! I didn¡¯t ask for powers I don¡¯t understand or this prophecy or to be hunted by some masked psycho science cult with a godplex!¡± My chest was heaving now. I couldn¡¯t breathe. The walls felt too close. ¡°You keep talking about how to protect me,¡± I gasped. ¡°Like I¡¯m a fucking thing. A mission. A problem to solve.¡± Daxon reached out like he wanted to pull me in. I backed up so fast I hit the wall. ¡®No. Don¡¯t touch me right now. I need to get out of here before I scream.¡± I grabbed my phone, shaking fingers flying across the screen. [Emergency run. Meet me in the trees. Don¡¯t ask. Juste.] : ¡®Elowen, please, Daxon said, stepping forward. ¡°You¡¯re not okay. Don¡¯t leave the Keep. 64 I¡¯m not okay because of you two! I shouted, pointing at them like they were the chaos gods Incarnate. ¡°So maybe let me be not okay in fucking peace! I turned on my heel and ran. Barefoot. Hair wild. Sanity hanging by a thread. Ash¡¯s voice chased me, low and desperate. ¡°Please stay in the wards.¡± But Lyssira was already wing at the edges of my soul, screaming for freedom. Chapter Comments R Visitor 7 days ago 1 Reviews > Yeah. That little freak out towards them? Not OK. Like they aren¡¯t struggling with all of this!? 5 SHARE Topple 28 Chapter 28 64 Let me out, she growled. Let me RUN. When I hit the ward line, a sh of red fur burst from the other side, and out jumped Taya, shifting mid¨Csprint, her red wolf Zuki glowing like wildfire in the dark. I didn¡¯t stop. I dropped to my knees, shoved my clothes into a pile, and let the shift take me. Bones broke. Magic surged. My scream turned into a howl. And then I ran. Away from the boys. Away from the prophecy. Away from everything that wanted to cage me with love and protection and expectations I never agreed to. The trees blurred as we ran, paws pounding the forest floor in perfect rhythm. Wind in our fur. Moonlight on our backs. The tension in my chest finally cracked open with every thud of my ws against the dirt. Lyssira howled once, long and sharp, and Zuki answered without hesitation. Our wolves were fire and frost, silver and crimson, rage and release. We didn¡¯t stop until we reached the shallow creek deep within the wards, where the air felt cleaner, and the weight of everything pressing down on me didn¡¯t crush quite as hard. Lyssira slowed first, circling twice before shifting back. I copsed into the moss, naked and muddy and emotionally hollow. Taya shifted beside me, red hair tangled, cheeks flushed, eyes ssy. We sat there in silence for a moment, panting like we¡¯d outrun death itself. Then she said, voice soft, ¡°So¡­ you met your mom through a photo and screamed at two of the hottest males in existence in the span of ten minutes? I let out a chokedugh. ¡°And cried while doing it. Don¡¯t forget the tears.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a fucking icon.¡± ¡®No, I¡¯m a goddamn mess.¡± ¡®You can be both,¡± I stared up at the stars. My body ached from the run, but my soul? It still buzzed. With power. With fear. With everything. ¡°So,¡± I said, ncing at her, ¡°Zuki freaked out over Rylen again?¡± Taya groaned, covering her face. ¡°Yes. She practically purred when he handed me a towel after training. A towel, El. I think we¡¯re doomed.¡± 12:01 Mon, Sep 22 ¡°She really thinks he¡¯s your mate?¡± :D 64 ¡°She¡¯s convinced. And honestly? I don¡¯t know. I always thought I¡¯d just¡­ find someone the normal way. Not sniff a dude¡¯s hoodie and get feral. Lyssira purred in my mind. ¡°You have to agree, it¡¯s efficient.¡± Zuki replied enthusiastically, ¡°We don¡¯t waste time. What¡¯s the point? Mate!¡± I snorted. ¡°So what does that make me? I¡¯ve got an alpha wolf shifter, and a vampire noble sniffing me like I¡¯m their fave chew toy.¡± Taya wheezed. ¡°Okay, but¡­how are you mated to a vampire? Like¡­ isn¡¯t that biologically impossible?¡± ¡°I thought so. But apparently, the Moon Goddess said ¡®fuck science¡® and just started throwing soul bonds around like confetti.¡± We both fell silent again, staring into the dark. ¡°Maybe¡­¡± Taya began, picking at the moss, ¡°Maybe that¡¯s why fated mates are so rare now. Like, what if they didn¡¯t disappear¡­ we just stopped finding them?¡± I tilted my head. ¡°Because the species are segregated?¡± She nodded. ¡°Think about it. Wolves stay with wolves. Vampires stay in their creepy old castles. Fae don¡¯t even look at us unless they¡¯re kidnapping someone. And humans? Totally cut off. The bonds probably still exist¡­they just can¡¯t activate if we¡¯re not meeting our damn mates.¡± A chill ran through me. ¡°I don¡¯t even know how many species I could be tied to,¡± I whispered. ¡°What if there¡¯s more? What if I end up with someone from every damn bloodline?¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll expect an invite to the most chaotic wedding in history,¡± Taya said, smiling. Official source is Find1Novel I let out a wateryugh. ¡°Do you think the universe made a mistake with me?¡± ¡°No,¡± she said firmly. ¡°I think the universe finally got fed up with everyone¡¯s bullshit and made you fix it.¡± Lyssira snorted. ¡°Damn right.¡± Zuki chimed in, ¡®Our girl¡¯s the storm.¡± ¡®I¡¯m not ready to fix anything,¡± I whispered. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be ready,¡± she said. ¡°You just have to be you. And let the rest of us show the fuck up for you when it all gets too heavy.¡® I blinked back tears. And this time, I didn¡¯t try to stop them. We sat there, skin to skin, muddy and exhausted, watching the moon rise higher, two best friends carrying the weight of the world, one howl at a time. Hunted Hybrid ¨C Aegis War Saga 1 Chapter 29 Taya Quinn POV We were halfway back to the Keep when I caught it¡­.that damn scent. Smoke. And cardamom. 7 I skidded to a stop mid stride, my paws digging into the mossy earth as the scent wrapped around me like a warm damn nket. Zuki¡¯s voice echoed in my head like a feral squeal. Zuki: ¡°Mate. It¡¯s him. Rylen¡¯s close.¡± My heart stuttered. I turned, sniffed again. Yep. Definitely smoke. And cardamom. With just a hint of leather and something I could only describe as Alpha swagger with a side of danger. Me: ¡°Calm down, it could just be a bonfire..¡± Zuki: ¡°With HIS BONES NEXT TO IT. Let¡¯s go!¡± I howled once to Elowen¡­ short and sharp, and veered off the path, crashing through the underbrush like a heat seeking wolf missile. A few momentster, I burst into a clearing bathed in soft orange firelight. And there they were. Rylen Verric, all six foot five of muscled, tatted beta energy leaning back against a log with a half empty bottle of dark liquor in one hand, his eyes glowing in the firelight. Beside him sat Jace Ironpaw, the gamma¡¯s son, smirking like he knew secrets he shouldn¡¯t. A guitar rested next to his leg, fingers tapping against the strings like he was half drunk and half inspired. Elowen caught up just behind me, shifting as she stepped into the light, both of us scrambling to pull on the clothes she¡¯d stashed earlier under a tree root. Basic leggings and oversized shirts, we looked feral chic, but whatever. Rylen turned as we stepped into view, and gods¡­ the way his gazended on me? Like I was the fire. ¡°Taya,¡± he said, voice rough and warm, like he¡¯d been waiting to say my name all night. Zuki damn near purred. Zuki: ¡°He knows. His wolf knows. Sit on hisp. Lick his jaw. Climb him like a damn tree¡­¡± Me: ¡°Zuki, holy shit.¡± Jace raised an eyebrow. ¡°Y¡¯all look like you ran through hell.¡± Elowen smirked. ¡°Emotionally? We did.¡± We sat down beside the fire, epting the bottle Jace passed over like it was holy medicine. Whatever it was burned going down, but gods, it hit just right. Warmth bloomed in my chest. The tension bled out of my shoulders. Rylen didn¡¯t say much, but he moved just a little closer every time I looked away. And Zuki? Zuki was vibrating. Zuki: ¡°Touch him. Elbow graze. idental knee bump. FALL INTO HIS LAP.¡± Me: ¡°You¡¯re embarrassing me.¡± Zuki: ¡°Do it or I will.¡± 64 I finally let my knee brush his. The jolt that shot through my body was instant. Like lightning wrapped in velvet. He stiffened just slightly¡­ then leaned into it. His scent red, Beta strength and home and gods, him¡­ and I knew Anton, his wolf, had just shoved his way to the front too. Rylen didn¡¯t speak, just handed me the bottle and watched me like I was the only thing he saw. We drank, and danced as Jace yed the guitar, letting ourselves go and it felt amazing. I definitely had to much to drink. Elowen was chugging from the bottle like it was a lifeline. By the time we stood to leave, I was giggly, flushed, and lightheaded in the best way. Elowen was worse, tripping over roots, mumbling about cupcakes and sword dancing. ¡°Okay, okay,¡± Jaceughed. ¡°Time to get the moon witches back home, before Daxon has our asses.¡± Rylen stood next to me and offered his arm. My eyes glowed as I looked up at him. I¡¯m 5¡¯3, he is 6¡¯5, no clue how this will work, but damned if I¡¯ll figure it out. I vibrated with happiness as the lightning coursed through my body again at his touch. Zuki just purred like a kitten. I was in deep shit. We stumbled through the trees, Elowen leaning into me like a drunk little sprite, until we reached the edge of the Keep grounds. And there they were. Daxon and Ash. Waiting. Both of them looked her over at once, the smudged makeup, the tangled hair, the red cheeks, and stepped forward without a word. Daxon scooped her up bridal style like it was nothing. Ash trailed close behind, murmuring something about hydration and a hot bath, his jaw tight but his eyes warm. Topple 29 Chapter 29 Taya Quinn POV We were halfway back to the Keep when I caught it¡­.that damn scent. Smoke. And cardamom. 7 I skidded to a stop mid stride, my paws digging into the mossy earth as the scent wrapped around me like a warm damn nket. Zuki¡¯s voice echoed in my head like a feral squeal. Zuki: ¡°Mate. It¡¯s him. Rylen¡¯s close.¡± My heart stuttered. I turned, sniffed again. Yep. Definitely smoke. And cardamom. With just a hint of leather and something I could only describe as Alpha swagger with a side of danger. Me: ¡°Calm down, it could just be a bonfire..¡± Zuki: ¡°With HIS BONES NEXT TO IT. Let¡¯s go!¡± I howled once to Elowen¡­ short and sharp, and veered off the path, crashing through the underbrush like a heat seeking wolf missile. A few momentster, I burst into a clearing bathed in soft orange firelight. And there they were. Rylen Verric, all six foot five of muscled, tatted beta energy leaning back against a log with a half empty bottle of dark liquor in one hand, his eyes glowing in the firelight. Beside him sat Jace Ironpaw, the gamma¡¯s son, smirking like he knew secrets he shouldn¡¯t. A guitar rested next to his leg, fingers tapping against the strings like he was half drunk and half inspired. Elowen caught up just behind me, shifting as she stepped into the light, both of us scrambling to pull on the clothes she¡¯d stashed earlier under a tree root. Basic leggings and oversized shirts, we looked feral chic, but whatever. Rylen turned as we stepped into view, and gods¡­ the way his gazended on me? Like I was the fire. ¡°Taya,¡± he said, voice rough and warm, like he¡¯d been waiting to say my name all night. Zuki damn near purred. Zuki: ¡°He knows. His wolf knows. Sit on hisp. Lick his jaw. Climb him like a damn tree¡­¡± Me: ¡°Zuki, holy shit.¡± 12:01 Mon, Sep 22 This text is hosted at fin?novel Jace raised an eyebrow. ¡°Y¡¯all look like you ran through hell.¡± Elowen smirked. ¡°Emotionally? We did.¡± We sat down beside the fire, epting the bottle Jace passed over like it was holy medicine. Whatever it was burned going down, but gods, it hit just right. Warmth bloomed in my chest. The tension bled out of my shoulders. Rylen didn¡¯t say much, but he moved just a little closer every time I looked away. And Zuki? Zuki was vibrating. Zuki: ¡°Touch him. Elbow graze. idental knee bump. FALL INTO HIS LAP.¡± Me: ¡°You¡¯re embarrassing me.¡± Zuki: ¡°Do it or I will.¡± 64 I finally let my knee brush his. The jolt that shot through my body was instant. Like lightning wrapped in velvet. He stiffened just slightly¡­ then leaned into it. His scent red, Beta strength and home and gods, him¡­ and I knew Anton, his wolf, had just shoved his way to the front too. Rylen didn¡¯t speak, just handed me the bottle and watched me like I was the only thing he saw. We drank, and danced as Jace yed the guitar, letting ourselves go and it felt amazing. I definitely had to much to drink. Elowen was chugging from the bottle like it was a lifeline. By the time we stood to leave, I was giggly, flushed, and lightheaded in the best way. Elowen was worse, tripping over roots, mumbling about cupcakes and sword dancing. ¡°Okay, okay,¡± Jaceughed. ¡°Time to get the moon witches back home, before Daxon has our asses.¡± Rylen stood next to me and offered his arm. My eyes glowed as I looked up at him. I¡¯m 5¡¯3, he is 6¡¯5, no clue how this will work, but damned if I¡¯ll figure it out. I vibrated with happiness as the lightning coursed through my body again at his touch. Zuki just purred like a kitten. I was in deep shit. We stumbled through the trees, Elowen leaning into me like a drunk little sprite, until we reached the edge of the Keep grounds. And there they were. Daxon and Ash. Waiting. Both of them looked her over at once, the smudged makeup, the tangled hair, the red cheeks, and stepped forward without a word. Daxon scooped her up bridal style like it was nothing. Ash trailed close behind, murmuring something about hydration and a hot bath, his jaw tight but his eyes warm. Topple 30 Flowen slurred, I¡¯m fine. I can walk, I have legs. You have them. Ash said dryly, but they¡¯re currently decorative.¡± Daxon looked at me, mouth twitching with a grin. ¡°Thanks for watching her.¡± ¡®Anytime,¡± I said, holding in a burp. She didn¡¯t bite anyone, so I call that a win.¡± Rylen¡¯s hand brushed mine as he stepped past, and I swear something deep in my bones whispered, soon. Zuki? Zuki was already nning the wedding. Rylen POV Night. Somewhere between the Stormw firepit and fucking emotional chaos after we left Elowen with Daxon and Ashrian. I¡¯m losing my damn mind, I mean that literally. I¡¯ve taken hits to the skull that made more sense than this. Taya¡¯sugh echoes behind me as we leave the fire, and Anton is pacing inside my chest like a rabid beast in heat. Anton: ¡°Mate. Ours. Touch her. Smell her. Bite her.¡± Me: ¡°She¡¯s not eighteen yet, dumbass.¡± Anton: ¡°She will be in three days. We can wait three days. But we can kiss now. We can taste.¡± Fuck. 64 I rub a hand over my jaw, trying to breathe through the burn under my skin. I¡¯ve never reacted to someone like this. Not in all my years in this pack. Not ever. Fated mates? They were damn near a myth. Thest one in our territory was over a hundred years ago, our Alpha King Draven and his Luna Queen Aelira. Everyone else? We got patible bonds¡± or ¡°spiritual ties.¡± Close enoughs. Safe choices. Chosen mates. But this? This feels like my soul got branded and she¡¯s the only one who can read the mark. When her fingers brushed mine back at the fire, I felt it in my fucking spine. And now, as we slip into the woods, giggling and warm with firelight and liquor, I can¡¯t stop watching the sway of her hips or the way Zuki¡¯s presence brushes against mine like a challenge. She nces over her shoulder. Her red hair¡¯s wild, cheeks pink from the run, eyes glowing like she knows what I¡¯m thinking. ¡°Wanna sit for a sec?¡± she asks, voice soft but sure. ¡°Sure, I say, somehow hoarse and confident at the same time. We settle against a mossy boulder in a small clearing, just far enough from the Keep that I can pretend I don¡¯t have responsibilities or rules for a few minutes. And then she shivers. I don¡¯t even think¡­my jacket¡¯s off and wrapped around her shoulders before she finishes blinking. She looks up at me from beneath thickshes and my entire nervous system lights up like someone struck a match inside my chest. Her hand brushes mine. And I snap. One hand slides into her hair, and I press my mouth to hers like I¡¯m dying and she¡¯s the cure. She gasps against me, lips parting, and fuck me, she tastes like danger and heaven. I groan into her mouth and pull her closer, her body melting against mine like she was made to fit there. My other hand finds her hip, anchoring her to me as I kiss her deeper. Tongue, teeth, need. She moans into my mouth and my knees nearly buckle. Anton: ¡°Mark her. Bite her. Now. RIGHT NOW.¡± Me: ¡°We. Wait.¡± I nip her bottom lip, dragging it gently before pulling back just enough to see her flushed face. ¡°You¡¯re gonna kill me,¡® I whisper. She smirks, breathless. ¡°Not before I ruin you first.¡± My growl is not voluntary. She grabs my shirt and pulls me back in, climbing into myp like it¡¯s her goddamn throne. My hands find her thighs, then her waist, sliding under the oversized shirt she borrowed from Elowen. Discover more novels at ?ovelFind Her skin is soft. Warm. Addicting. She grinds against me once, teasing, testing. I bury my face in her neck and groan like a dying man. ¡°Taya¡­fuck, I¡­ I want you.¡± ¡®I know,¡± she whispers. ¡®Me too.¡± I kiss her again, slower this time. Deeper. Worshipping her mouth like it holds all the answers. L 12:01 Mon, Sep 22 I don¡¯t let it go farther. I can¡¯t. Not yet. But gods¡­ when her birthdayes? I won¡¯t just im her. I¡¯ll devour her. Chapter Comments Topple 31 Chapter 31 Taya Quinn POV : Later that night, just after the campfire and the forest lip lock of death. I didn¡¯t want to go back to my house alone. Too many voices. Too much space. Too many damn eyes watching me like I was about to ascend into matehood and grow fucking wings. 37 So I turned to Rylen as we stepped through the inner gates of Stormw Keep, and blurted out the one thing Zuki was chanting in my head like a horny witch. ¡°Can I stay with you tonight?¡± He froze mid step. Not in a what the fuck way. More like¡­.trying not to pounce on me like a beast with no self control kind of freeze. His green eyes met mine, burning low under the torchlight. ¡°Yeah,¡± he said, his voice rough and certain. ¡°Of course you can.¡± No hesitation. No weirdness. Just yes. I exhaled like I¡¯d been holding that breath for a year. Jace peeled off toward the east wing, mumbling something about needing earplugs and sage. Rylen took my hand. Big. Warm. Steady. The exact opposite of how I felt. The Keep was quieter now, the halls humming with soft torchlight and distant whispers. He led me up a short flight of stairs, down a narrow hallway, and through a thick wooden door carved with the Stormw crest. He had to hold me up, because ya, I was toasted. His room smelled like pine, leather, and him, that cardomom scent. I sucked in a deep breath. Gods help me. I stood awkwardly by the bed, unsure what to do with my hands or my heart or my desperate, spiraling desire to climb him like a tree again. He tossed his jacket on a chair and ran a hand through his hair, clearly fighting the same losing battle. ¡°You sure you¡¯re okay?¡± he asked, his voice gentler now. ¡°After everything?¡± I nodded. ¡°No. I mean yes. I mean¡­¡± Iughed, because it was either that or cry again. ¡°I just didn¡¯t want to be alone.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not,¡± he said, crossing the room in two strides and wrapping his arms around me. His body was massive, heat and muscle and safety. I buried my face in his chest like a coward and let the moment stretch. Then I tilted my head back, and he was right there. Those damn eyes. That soft, knowing smile that could break me. I rose onto my toes and kissed him again. Slower this time. More ache than heat. He was so tall he had to bend down, but he just scooped me up and held me close to him. ?? He responded like I was made of ss. His hands found my waist, then slid under the hem of my shirt, his fingers teasing the skin just above my hips. I moaned against his mouth, and he growled softly, not out of anger, but possession. His mouth trailed to my neck, his teeth grazing, those lips feather light, while Anton roared inside his chest like a storm. Zuki whimpered. ¡®Now. im. Closer.¡± My hands explored the ridges of his back, my fingers syed, memorizing him like he was something sacred. Because fuck me, he was. We stumbled backward, falling into the bed in a tangle of limbs and heat and unfinished want. The source of th?s content is find[f]ovel He kissed me until I forgot my name. I kissed him like I¡¯d never get the chance again. And then¡­We just breathed. Chest to chest. His arm around me, one leg tangled with mine, my hand fisted in his shirt. ¡°You¡¯re safe here,¡± he murmured into my hair. And maybe it was the liquor. Or maybe it was him. But for the first time in weeks¡­I believed it. Sleep took me before I could say it back. But Zuki said it for me. Chapter Comments 4 Write Comments SHARE Topple 32 Chapter 32 ¡°Ours.¡± Daxon POV Back in our chambers. Later that night. She was drunk. Not tipsy. Not cute and giggly. Fucking obliterated. Elowen swayed in the hallway like she was on a ship mid storm, mumbling about wolves and cupcakes and something about ¡°species, mating and liquor¡± Ashrian stood beside her like a fucking statue, calm and smug, holding her up by the elbow while she hissed at him like a rabid possum. Chapters first released on find{n}ovel ¡°She¡¯s going to puke on you,¡± I warned, crossing the room and taking her other side. ¡°And I won¡¯t be cleaning it up.¡± ¡°She already tried to bite me twice,¡± Ash said smoothly. ¡°I feel we¡¯ve moved past vomiting and into feral gremlin territory.¡± ¡°I heard that!¡± Elowen snapped, ring between us with bloodshot blue eyes. ¡°I¡¯m not a gremlin. I¡¯m a forbidden hybrid. Respect the brand.¡± Ash raised an eyebrow. ¡°I respect many things. Your bnce is not one of them.¡± She pped his chest. Or tried to. It was more like a drunken pat. ¡°Stop being so smug, Drac. I could still take you in a fight.¡± ¡°You can barely take your pants off,¡± I muttered. Her eyes narrowed dangerously. ¡°Oh, Alpha, wanna test that theory?¡± Ash made a sound that might¡¯ve been augh. Might¡¯ve been a growl. I sighed and scooped her up bridal style before she could throw hands, or copse face first into the floor. She blinked up at me like I was personally responsible for her entire life falling apart. ¡°I hate you,¡® she mumbled, slurring into my chest. ¡°You told me I was hot five minutes ago.¡± ¡°I can think both.¡± Fair enough. We got her into the bathroom, and Ash turned on the shower, adjusting the temp like he¡¯d done this a thousand times. He probably had. Vampire centuries and all. 21:22 Wed, Sep 24 37 ¡°I can shower myself,¡± Elowen grumbled, trying to shove us both out of the room with the strength of a damp tissue. I didn¡¯t move. Neither did Ash. She turned to re at me, stumbling again. I caught her. ¡°Y¡¯all are like¡­like sexy prison guards,¡± she mumbled, swaying. ¡°Lemme live.¡± ¡°Not letting you drown in the tub counts as letting you live,¡± I said, biting back a grin. Ash stepped closer, his voice lower now. ¡°Let us help you, Elowen. No strings. No alpha posturing. Just¡­ let us take care of you.¡± That hit her. She stopped struggling. Her big blue eyes dropped. Then she whispered, ¡°I¡¯m so tired of being strong.¡± That? That shattered me. I helped her out of her shirt while Ash carefully untied the waistband of her leggings. She didn¡¯t protest this time. Just stepped under the water and let it wash over her, her head tilted back, those beautiful eyes closed. She looked like some war drenched goddess, battle worn and fragile under the spray. We didn¡¯t leave. We stood just outside the ss, our backs turned, listening for any sign she was slipping or crying or about to throw up again. When she stepped out, I wrapped her in a towel, and Ash dried her hair like she was made of ss. She didn¡¯t fight us anymore. We got her into one of my shirts, way too big on her, and tucked her into the center of the bed. She was out cold in seconds. Ash looked at me, the tension finally melting off his shoulders. ¡°I didn¡¯t think she¡¯d make it through this week.¡± ¡°She barely did,¡± I murmured. We stood in silence for a while, just watching her breathe. Then, almost at the same time, we each sat on opposite sides of the bed, not touching her. Just guarding her. Because tonight, that¡¯s all she needed. Chapter Comments 4 Write Comments SHARE Topple 33 Elowen POV This content belongs to f?ndnovel Alpha Wing, early morning, under a pile of supernatural testosterone I woke up warm, safe¡­ and entirely too tangled in limbs. Ashrian was stretched out on my left like a very expensive vampire shaped sculpture, one arm slung over my waist as if he owned me. Daxon was curled around my back, solid and half breathing against the nape of my neck, radiating heat and wolf possessiveness like a damn space heater in mating season. My brain was fuzzy. Not from alcohol, wolves don¡¯t get hangovers¡­but from everything else. The emotional breakdown. The fight. The crying. The woods. The fire. The friends. The feeling of finally not being alone. I blinked up at the ceiling, my cheeks hot with secondhand embarrassment. I didn¡¯t regret it, any of it, but holy shit, I¡¯d hit my personal chaos threshold and shattered it like a wine ss in a mosh pit. Still¡­ I was allowed to lose it. I earned that meltdown. I started to move, slowly untangling myself from the cuddle sandwich of doom. Ash stirred. ¡°Leaving already?¡± ¡°I¡¯m escaping before I say something too emotionally avable,¡± I muttered. Daxon made a low sound in his throat and tugged me back into his chest. ¡°Stay. It¡¯s warm.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a heated nket,¡± I snapped, but I didn¡¯t exactly resist either. Then¡­A knock. Three sharp raps on the door, followed by Rylen¡¯s familiar voice. ¡®Elowen? Daxon? Alpha Draven and Luna Aelira have called a formal breakfast meeting. You¡¯ve all been summoned.¡± Ash groaned. ¡°Of course we have.¡± Daxon sat up, already scowling. ¡°What time is it?¡± ¡°Too early for politics,¡± I mumbled into a pillow. Rylen knocked again. ¡°Dress sharp. It sounds important.¡± ¡°Ugh. Fine,¡± I called back. ¡°Tell them I¡¯m on my way. Tell them I¡¯m wearing pants under protest.¡± I heard his quietugh through the door. ¡°Understood.¡± Fifteen minutester, I walked into the dining hall with my hair half tamed and my soul only slightly on fire. Taya sat at the far end of the long oak table, wedged between Rylen and Jace, grinning like she knew something scandalous. Which she probably did. She and Zuki always knew. I slid into a seat beside her, ignoring Ash¡¯s smug look and Daxon¡¯s protective hover energy as they took their ces beside me. Alpha King Draven stood at the head of the table, his posture straight and his voice crisp. Luna Queen Aelira stood beside him, all dark hair and sharp elegance, with eyes like they could see straight through me. ¡°We¡¯ve had to make a decision,¡± Alpha Draven said without preamble. ¡°The Aegis Protocol has eyes on Stormw territory. We hoped you¡¯d finish school before traveling, Elowen. But that¡¯s no longer safe.¡± My stomach clenched. Luna Aelira continued gently. ¡°We¡¯ve arranged travel to Scond. You¡¯ll meet with Morrigan Lairch, the witch who can remove your memory binding spell. She may also be able to uncover which bloodlines are active in your hybrid DNA.¡± ¡°The witch is trusted,¡± Alpha Draven added. ¡°But she doesn¡¯t take visitors lightly. You¡¯ll need to go prepared.¡± Ashrian leaned forward, his voice calm. ¡°When?¡± ¡°In one week,¡± Luna Aelira said. ¡°You¡¯ll spend the next seven dayspleting an elerated homeschool regimen and graduate early. From there, we¡¯ll move quickly. Your presence here endangers everyone.¡± ¡°And we don¡¯t run scared,¡± Alpha Draven said. ¡°We move smart.¡± Then he turned to the others, Taya, Rylen, and Jace. ¡°You¡¯ve proven loyal. You¡¯re Elowen¡¯s circle. If you¡¯re willing, we¡¯d like you to apany her.¡± Rylen didn¡¯t even hesitate. ¡°Where Taya goes, I go.¡± Taya absolutely glowed beside him at that statement. Jace leaned back with his arms crossed. ¡°Road trip with my future alpha, chaos girl, and my favorite redhead? Fuck yeah, I¡¯m in.¡± Taya gripped my hand. ¡°You¡¯re not doing this alone. Ever.¡± And that was it.That was the moment I broke again. But not from fear. From relief. Because no matter how cursed, hunted, or hybrid I was¡­ These people? They were my pack, And I¡¯d burn the world down to keep them. An hour at breakfast The scent of bacon and fresh bread hit the table like a blessing from the gods. Staff moved in silently, cing heaping tters of scrambled eggs, sausages, buttered toast, roasted potatoes, and sweet berry jam down the center of the long oak table. No one spoke, not really. The tension still hung from Alpha Draven and Luna Aelira¡¯s travel announcement like fog over a graveyard. Chapter Comments 4 The scent of bacon and fresh bread hit the table like a blessing from the gods. Staff moved in silently, cing heaping tters of scrambled eggs, sausages, buttered toast, roasted potatoes, and sweet berry jam down the center of the long oak table. No one spoke, not really. The tension still hung from Alpha Draven and Luna Aelira¡¯s travel announcement like fog over a graveyard. Chapter Comments 4 Topple 34 Chapter 34 We were leaving in a week. Early graduation. elerated training. Scond. A witch who might unlock everything. And now we were supposed to eat. 37 Alpha Draven cleared his throat once the staff slipped back out. ¡°Elowen,¡± he said, his voice steady but not unkind. ¡°There¡¯s something else, isn¡¯t there? You said one of your father¡¯s letters mentioned a prophecy.¡± I froze mid reach for the toast. Of course, he remembered. I nodded, wiping my palms on my leggings before pulling the folded paper from my back pocket. The edges were soft from being handled too many times. ¡°It was in the letter he sent me. I haven¡¯t told anyone the full version yet. Just pieces.¡± Ash¡¯s brows arched slightly. Daxon stopped chewing. Across the table, Taya leaned forward like I was about to drop the secret to the universe. I unfolded it with a deep breath and read aloud: A child of wolf and fae. Born under a blood moon. Marked by magic and fate. A vessel for the Moon Goddess herself. She will carry five marks. Five mates. Five species. This text is hosted at f¦É¦Ídn¦Ïvel She will burn the cages. She will howl the world back together. If she survives. The silence was deafening. Jace whistled under his breath. ¡°No pressure or anything.¡± Taya blinked. ¡°Wait, five mates?¡± ¡®Five species,¡± Ash said, his voice like ice over ss. ¡°And five marks. That¡¯s not a metaphor. It¡¯s literal.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already got two,¡± I muttered. ¡°Wolf. Vampire.¡± Daxon leaned back in his chair, his arms folded. ¡°So let¡¯s talk about the obvious, why is this happening now? Why 21:22 Wed, Sep 24 you? Why fated mates again, after all this time?¡± 37 ¡°That¡¯s the part that won¡¯t leave me alone,¡± Taya said, frowning. ¡°No one¡¯s had a true mate in decades. Not since the Alpha and Luna. We all just assumed¡­ it was over.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not over, Ash said. ¡°It¡¯s been interrupted. Controlled. Bred out.¡± ¡°By Aegis?¡± Jace asked. Ash nodded. ¡°Why do you think they hunt hybrids so aggressively? Hybrids are the only ones who can cross lines. They¡¯re threats to the system. Threats to the lie.¡± ¡°The lie being,¡± Rylen said, ¡°that species are better separate. Safer.¡± ¡°But we¡¯re not,¡± I said quietly. ¡°We¡¯re weaker like this. Disconnected. Mistrustful. The prophecy even says it, I¡¯m supposed to ¡®howl the world back together.¡± Taya nudged her te aside. ¡°So maybe that¡¯s why you¡¯re getting all five. All the power lines that were split apart¡­ bonded in one person.¡± Ash¡¯s eyes flicked to me. ¡°A living bridge.¡± Daxon looked like he wanted to argue, but couldn¡¯t. ¡°You¡¯re not just the product of a forbidden pairing. You¡¯re the weapon Aegis fears the most.¡± I swallowed hard. ¡°You think they know about the prophecy?¡± ¡°They knew something,¡± Draven said. ¡°They¡¯ve been targeting different bloodlines for years. The way your father went into hiding here with us? It was to keep you off the grid. The second they sensed your magic when you turned 18¡­¡± ¡°They started hunting again,¡± Aelira finished. We all went quiet. ¡°I thought this was just about my magic,¡± I said. ¡°But it¡¯s not. It¡¯s the mate bonds. The species connections. That¡¯s what they¡¯re really afraid of.¡± ¡°Because if you survive,¡± Taya said, her voice soft but strong, ¡°you won¡¯t just unite the lines¡­ you¡¯ll make everyone else question why we were ever separated to begin with.¡± Ashrian reached out, fingers brushing mine. ¡°And that¡¯s what starts revolutions.¡± Jace took a huge bite of bacon. ¡°You know¡­ for a doomsday prophecy, this is kind of hot.¡± Taya rolled her eyes and threw a piece of toast at him. But I sat there, staring at the letter, the truth, the fire starting to build in my chest. They weren¡¯t just scared of me. They were scared of us. My mates, and my pack. Me and this messy, chaotic, bonded family that was starting to believe in something bigger than bloodlines. That made me smile. Just a little. But it was enough. Chapter Comments 4 Topple 35 Stormw Keep, High Wing Alpha King Chambers :. The fire in our chambers was dying low, the crackle of embers was the only sound between us for a long while. Aelira sat near the hearth, her back straight, her hands folded in herp, but I knew the signs. She was trembling. Barely. 37 I¡¯d seen her face armies and rogue packs without a flicker of fear. But this? This was different. Because this wasn¡¯t a war we could fight with teeth and ws. This was our daughters. ¡°She¡¯s not handling it,¡± Aelira whispered, eyes fixed on the mes. ¡°Va. She hides it, but¡­ she¡¯s unraveling. And Soria¡¯s not much better. Her loyalty¡¯s been wrapped around Va since they were pups.¡± I exhaled slowly, rubbing my temples. ¡°They were raised to lead,¡± I said. ¡°To be the next Luna, the next enforcer, the next everything. Then Elowen arrives with a prophecy in her blood and five mates in her orbit, and they feel like they¡¯ve been¡­ reced.¡± Aelira¡¯s voice cracked. ¡°I hate thinking it. But I have to say it, Draven. I think¡­ I think Va contacted them.¡± My heart stopped. ¡°Aegis?¡± I asked, my voice low, barely holding back the snarl. She nodded, tears spilling silently down her cheeks. ¡°There was an outgoingm¨Clink spike the night before the attack. Unsanctioned. Traced to Va¡¯s private terminal. They scrubbed the data, but the techs confirmed the signal was intercepted before it was fully erased. It pinged one of Aegis¡¯s Eastern listening posts.¡± ¡°Mother of the Moon,¡± I whispered. My stomach dropped. Not my daughter. Not our girl. Where did we go wrong? ¡°She handed Elowen over,¡± Aelira said, breaking. ¡°She gave them her location, her presence here. Us. She risked the entire pack.¡± I paced the room, my ws threatening to shift. Elowen was the key. To survival. To unity. To a future beyond species war and division. But she was also just a girl. A hybrid. One we swore to protect. And now our own blood had sold her out. ¡°We have to call them,¡± I said, my voice hollow. ¡°Bring them here. Now.¡± Aelira nodded once, wiped her face, and stood tall. Fifteen minutes ¡­. Va and Soria entered the room like they owned it, their heads held high, their eyes sharp, and matching arrogance 21:22 Wed, Sep 24 radiating from their posture. It shattered when they saw our faces. ¡°We know,¡± I said quietly and firmly, my heart breaking. Va¡¯s mouth opened, but no sound came. Soria took a step forward. ¡°Whatever she said, we didn¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± Aelira snapped, her voice cracking. ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me. Not here. Not now.¡± 37 The girls froze. Tears were pouring down Va¡¯s face. I couldn¡¯t look. It was breaking me. And then Va¡¯s mask cracked. ¡°You¡¯re just recing us. With her. Some random half¨Cblood you didn¡¯t even know existed untilst week.¡± ¡°She is the future of this world,¡± I said, rising to full height. ¡°You gave her to the enemy.¡± Soria¡¯s lips trembled. ¡°We didn¡¯t mean to hurt her.¡± Read full story at ?ovelFind ¡°But you did.¡± Aelira¡¯s voice broke again. ¡°You¡¯ve endangered the prophecy. Our people. Your brother. You let your bitterness outweigh everything we raised you to be.¡± She was yelling now. ¡°You risked all of our lives Va! Why!? For what reason!? Jealousy!?¡± Va just sobbed quietly as Soria held her, her eyes narrowed at her parents. The door opened behind us and Daxon walked in slowly, his eyes wide. His gazended on the girls¡­on the bags, the packed trunks, the enforcers waiting silently near the wall. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± he asked, his voice hard. Neither of the girls answered. So I did. ¡°Va sent Elowen¡¯s location to Aegis.¡± Daxon went still. Like he hadn¡¯t fully processed it. Then he looked at Va. ¡°Tell me that¡¯s not true.¡± She opened her mouth. Closed it. Then said, ¡°She doesn¡¯t belong here.¡± Daxon¡¯s jaw ticked once. Twice. And then he erupted. ¡°You don¡¯t belong here!¡± he roared. ¡°You tried to hand over a bonded mate to fucking Aegis? You¡¯re lucky all you¡¯re getting is exile and not a death sentence. You risked our entire pack! You¡¯re not fit to lead! Ever!¡± ¡°Dax,¡± Soria whispered. ¡°Please. You¡¯re our brother.¡± ¡°I hope they throw you in a pit,¡± he snapped. ¡°You¡¯re dead to me.¡± Aelira let out a sob that nearly brought me to my knees. I had never felt pain like this. I had to choose my pack over my own children. The enforcers stepped forward. Va fought. Soria begged. But it didn¡¯t matter. 21:23 Wed, Sep 24 Topple 36 Chapter 36 37 They were escorted out of Stormw Keep screaming, wing at the guards, screaming Daxon¡¯s name like they hadn¡¯t just shattered everything. The doors opened and I saw them¡­Elowen and Taya, standing there wide eyed and frozen. The look on Elowen¡¯s face? Devastated. Because she knew. They had tried to hand her over to Aegis. Read full story at For nothing. Jealousy. Petty bullshit. As if she needed this to deal with right now. I sighed heavily, my heart absolutely broken. Daxon POV Stormw Keep Outside the Alpha Wing I didn¡¯t say a word when I saw her. Elowen stood just outside the corridor where the enforcers dragged my sisters away screaming. Her eyes were wide and hollow. Her cheeks were pale beneath the burn of betrayal. Taya stood beside her, frozen like a statue, and Jace hovered just down the hall, unsure whether to approach or run. But I moved first. I wrapped Elowen in my arms and pulled her in so tight, I felt her ribs shake. She didn¡¯t say anything either. She just buried her face in my chest, and let me hold her like I was thest solid thing left. ¡°I¡¯ve got you,¡± I murmured into her hair. ¡°You¡¯re okay. I¡¯ve got you.¡± I hated that I couldn¡¯t erase the look on her face. That stunned, heartbroken realization that someone you¡¯d shared a roof with could sell you out to the enemy. That your own pack could betray you just for existing. She didn¡¯t cry. Not then. That made it worse. She was too tired to cry. ¡°I¡¯m taking you to our room,¡± I said softly. ¡°Ash is waiting.¡± She nodded, her fingers fisted in my shirt like she didn¡¯t trust herself to let go. By the time we reached the room, Ash was seated at the round table. His sleeves were rolled up and his dark hair was tied back. The table was covered in parchment scrolls, a leather bound grimoire, three sharp daggers, and two sealed mana stones glowing faintly with arcane symbols. He looked up as we entered and immediately rose. ¡°Elowen,¡± he said gently. ¡°Come here.¡± She stepped away from me and into his arms without a word. He held her in that way only Ashrian could, restrained and dignified, but still real. Protective in the way no one expected of him. ¡°I heard what happened,¡± he said, his voice low. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. They¡¯re fools. Dangerous ones. But it¡¯s done.¡± ¡°Why does it still hurt?¡± she whispered. ¡°Because you still have a heart,¡± Ash replied. ¡°That¡¯s what they never counted on.¡± She pulled back slowly, and I saw it, the fire creeping back into her spine. Her breath steadied. Her hands stopped shaking. ¡°I have something for you,¡± Ash added, motioning to the table. He handed her a scroll and a clean leather bound notebook. ¡°Battle magic. History of hybrid warfare. Prophecy case studies. Physicalbat. Strategy. You¡¯re not just going to survive this prophecy, you¡¯re going to master it.¡± She blinked at him. ¡°You made me a curriculum?¡± Ash smirked. ¡°Darling, if I¡¯m going to teach you, I¡¯m doing it properly. You start in an hour. Uniforms will be delivered after lunch. First session is outside. Meet us at the south training grounds.¡± Elowen stared between us. ¡°You serious?¡± I stepped forward and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. ¡°Dead serious. No more waiting. No more hiding. This is where the prophecy meets training, and you? You¡¯re gonna run circles around them all.¡± She smiled. Just a little. ¡°Okay,¡± she whispered. ¡°Let¡¯s go to school.¡± Stormw Training Grounds ¨C One Hour Later The sun was high by the time we reached the southern field. The grass was ttened from years of sparring, and the white training stones glowed with faint runes of protection and reinforcement. Taya was already stretching under the trees, her red hair braided tight, her eyes locked in. Rylen stood beside her, his thick arms crossed, his face stoic, but I saw the way his eyes flicked to Elowen the second she arrived. Jace was lounging on a bench pretending not to be excited. Ash stepped forward like a general takingmand. ¡°This is your ss,¡± he announced. ¡°And this is your war.¡± Elowen stood straighter, her eyes scanning the field. She didn¡¯t flinch. Didn¡¯t fold. She stepped into the grass like it was a battlefield. And Moon Goddess help anyone who stood in her way. 21:23 Wed, Sep 24 Hunted Hybrid Aegis War Saga 1 Chapter 37 Elowen POV Topple 37 Chapter 37 Elowen POV : Stormw South Training Grounds Day One of ¡°Let¡¯s Not Die¡± School I hadn¡¯t even stepped onto the field before Taya jogged past me, grinning like a fox who just stole from the henhouse. ¡°They¡¯re hot,¡± she said, already breathless. ¡°Like¡­ all three of them. Is this a training session or a fuckin¡® shifter calendar shoot?¡± I followed her gaze across the field. Three wolves stood at the far end of the grass, already mid warmup, all muscle, scars, tactical gear, and that terrifying calm that screamed we could kill you with a leaf if we felt like it. Ash, standing beside me like a tall, judgmental crow, barely looked up from his notes. ¡°Those are Alpha King Draven¡¯s elite warriors. Do try not to drool.¡± He drawledzily. ¡°I¡¯m not drooling,¡± I muttered. I was totally drooling. One of them, tall, broad, covered in ink and carrying twin daggers, caught me looking and smirked. I looked away fast enough to give myself whish. Across the field, Daxon was already squaring off with the biggest of the three, rolling his shoulders like he was born for this shit. Jace and Rylen were stretching nearby, both of them trying to act casual and failing miserably under the predatory re of the warriors. Taya gave me a thumbs up. ¡°If I die, avenge me.¡± ¡°Please, they¡¯ll flirt you into submission,¡± I muttered. Ash pped his hands once. ¡°Alright, hybrid. You¡¯re with me. Time to see what you¡¯re capable of.¡± ¡°Emotionally? Nothing.¡± ¡°Magically.¡± ¡°Still nothing. But okay.¡± We stepped off to a smaller training ring etched with silver runes and chalk lines. Ash¡¯s magic was already humming in the ground, the air crackling as he reached into his coat and pulled out a simple wooden staff. ¡°Focus,¡± he said, his voice low and sharp. ¡°Call the silver light again. The same one you used against the Aegis 21:23 Wed, Sep 24 agents.¡± : 37 I held out my hand, trying to remember the feeling, the moon pulled heat in my chest, the cool burn behind my ribs. I focused on the memory of that moment, when I thought I was about to die and something else had risen up to protect me. A silver spark flickered in my palm. Then another. I grinned. ¡°I did it.¡± And then my hand exploded. Not literally, but close. The silver light twisted into red, and a wet crack echoed as blood burst from the center of both palms, ring out like two crimson ribbons into the air. Ash froze. The others all turned, even the warrior wolves stopped mid¨Cmovement to stare as blood hissed against the training ward and sizzled. ¡°What the fuck!¡± I gasped, stumbling back. Ash stepped forward immediately, grabbing my wrists, his expression unreadable. ¡°This isn¡¯t moon magic,¡± he said, his voice tight. ¡°This is something else.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with me?¡± I choked out. ¡°Nothing,¡± he said quickly. ¡°You¡¯ve bonded to me. My blood magic¡­ it¡¯s bleeding into you. You essed it.¡± ¡°You could¡¯ve warned me!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t think it was possible! Suppose I¡¯ll have to reevaluate what we know about hybrids. We¡¯ve never been able to study the mate bonds.¡± He tilted his head. ¡°I wonder if you¡¯ll be able to ess all of your mates powers. This changes things.¡± I stood stock still, my eyes wide. Is this really happening. Just what I need. Magic I have zero idea how to control. Lyssira piped up in our mind link finally, she¡¯d been resting. ¡°We are going to be so powerful El! You should be excited not afraid!¡± She pranced happily around wagging her tail. I scoffed, ¡°What do you know you aren¡¯t telling me Lyssi?¡± She hummed softly and said nothing. Of course. Daxon sprinted over, his shirt already soaked in sweat, his eyes scanning me like I¡¯d just sprouted horns. ¡°Is she okay?¡± ¡°She¡¯s fine,¡± Ash snapped. ¡°She just weaponized her own bloodstream.¡± Taya appeared beside him, panting. ¡°Are we calling that fine? Because that looked like a spell from hell.¡± Rylen and Jace jogged up, both breathing hard, faces flushed from whatever hell Draven¡¯s wolves had been putting them through. ¡°Was that blood?¡± Jace asked. ¡°Because I swear I saw it move.¡± ¡°It did move,¡± I said, staring down at my still dripping palms. ¡°It didn¡¯t just explode, it curved. It aimed.¡± 21:23 Wed, Sep 24 Ash nodded slowly. ¡°Blood magic is alive. It remembers intention. You didn¡¯t just release power. You cast a spell.¡± I stared at him. ¡°What kind of spell?¡± His mouth twitched. ¡°Destruction.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± I muttered. ¡°Because I¡¯m the universe¡¯s favorite chaos ma.¡± Across the field, one of the warrior wolves called out, ¡°Back to drills! The hybrid isn¡¯t dead yet.¡± ???? ????s? ???????s ?? Find¡ïNovel ¡°Oh bite me,¡± I yelled. The warrior winked. Chapter Comments 5 Topple 38 Hunted Hybrid ¨C Aegis War Saga 1 Chapter 38 : 37 Ash conjured a cloth and wrapped it gently around my hands. ¡°We¡¯ll need to start training you in both. Moon magic and blood magic. Carefully. Blood work is vtile. It¡¯s not like elemental casting, it¡¯s instinctive. And dangerous.¡± ¡°Sounds like me,¡± I said weakly. Daxon brushed hair off my shoulder. ¡°You¡¯re doing better than most first year soldiers. They just piss themselves and pass out.¡± ¡°Wow, thanks,¡± I said snarkily. ¡°Comforting.¡± Taya grinned. ¡°Look at you, blowing up the practice field and still cute.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a blood drenched disaster,¡± I muttered. ¡°A powerful blood drenched disaster,¡± Ash corrected. Lyssi yipped excitedly in my head. ¡°Ash is pure perfection.¡± She sighed. I grinned, because yea, he definitely was. ¡°And she hasn¡¯t even shifted today,¡± Rylen added, eyes warm but cautious. ¡°That¡¯sing too, right?¡± Ash nodded. ¡°We¡¯ll integratebat shifting into the next session.¡± Jace pped once. ¡°Alright, who wants to ce bets on which of us gets their ass handed to them first by Elowen?¡± ¡°You,¡± Taya said instantly. ¡°I wasn¡¯t asking you.¡± I looked at the mess of blood on the warded grass, the stunned stares of Draven¡¯s top warriors, the fear in my own hands. Then I looked up at the people who weren¡¯t running. Not running away. Not running from me. And I smiled. Original content can be found at f?ndnovel ¡°Okay,¡± I said, wiping my palms clean. ¡°Let¡¯s go again.¡± Stormw Keep ¨C Training Ring, Later That Afternoon Ash¡¯s voice was low, steady, and way too calm for someone who just watched me identally explode blood like a warlock pi?ata. ¡°Again,¡± he said. ¡°Left palm. Focus. Only moon magic this time.¡± I exhaled slowly, my eyes on the small chalk ring in the grass in front of me. I could feel it now¡­ the difference 37 between the two. Moon magic was¡­ cool and luminous. It pulled from my chest, from something soft but endless. It hummed behind my ribs like a luby on the verge of bing a storm. I lifted my hand, exhaled, and reached inward¡­past the fear, past the noise, into the part of me that had lit up during the blood moon shift. Silver light swirled across my skin, soft at first, then brighter. Ash smiled. ¡°Good. That¡¯s your soul. Your heart. Your origin. The moon magic is you.¡± Then he pointed to my right hand. ¡°Now switch.¡± I blinked, startled. ¡°Switch? Like¡­ blood now?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± he said, stepping closer. ¡°Blood magic is different. It¡¯s not summoned. It¡¯s unleashed. It responds to intention. Purpose. Hunger.¡± I swallowed. ¡°And if I don¡¯t have murderous intent?¡± ¡°Then use focus,¡± he said. ¡°Pick something worth protecting. Anchor yourself. Thenmand it.¡± I closed my eyes. This time, I didn¡¯t pull from my heart. I pulled from my spine. From instinct. From rage. From the moment Va turned her back on me. From the betrayal. From the quiet, steady promise in Daxon¡¯s arms that I would not be broken by it. Heat surged through my veins. Lyssi growled her approval. My right hand ignited, not in me, but in a dark red pulse that danced across my fingers like liquid lightning. Ash¡¯s breath caught. ¡°You¡¯re doing it,¡± he said reverently. ¡°You¡¯ve separated the threads.¡± One hand silver. One hand red. Two sides of one soul. I stared down at my hands and felt¡­ whole. For the first time in years. ¡°You¡¯re not broken,¡± Ash said, stepping closer. ¡°You¡¯re just built to carry more.¡± I didn¡¯t cry. But my throat ached like I wanted to. Then I grinned. ¡°So, what now? You throw me into the arena and make me wrestle a bear?¡± Ash¡¯s lips curved. ¡°Close.¡± Training Ring ¨C Combat Field ¡°Let¡¯s fucking GO,¡± Jace said, already bouncing on his toes like a six year old high on sugar and delusion. ¡°C¡¯mon, El. You and me. Friendly match. Just taps, no ws. First one to pin, wins.¡± Rylen looked vaguely concerned. Daxon looked entertained. Taya was cing invisible bets with herself. I rolled my eyes and stepped onto the mat. ¡°You¡¯re on, toast boy.¡± 21:23 Wed, Sep 24 : 37 He lunged. I pivoted. And five secondster, I had him t on his back, his wrist pinned behind his shoulder and my knee on his chest. ¡°Fuck,¡± he wheezed. ¡°Did you just..how the fuck¡± ¡°You said ¡®tap out,¡± I smirked. He pped the ground. ¡°Okay, okay! I yield to the hot magical beast girl!¡± Taya hollered from the sidelines. ¡°That was sexy domination, ten out of ten!¡± I stood, brushing grass off my pants. My heart was still racing¡­but not from fear. From adrenaline. And discovery. I was faster now. Stronger. My vision had sharpened. I could hear the shift of birds in the trees and smell the change in the wind. Every part of me felt like it had snapped into ce. Ash nodded approvingly. ¡°Bond strength. Magic awakening. Hybrid eleration. It¡¯s all syncing.¡± Daxon smiled proudly. ¡°Told you she was a wrecking ball.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s run,¡± Rylen said, his eyes shifting. ¡°We shift, we run, we burn off whatever¡¯s still building in our blood.¡± Everyone agreed without question. We stripped in record time¡­.shifter speed had perks¡­and in seconds, Lyssira exploded out of me in a ripple of silver fur and bright blue eyes and howled. Zuki howled, and Taya¡¯s red wolf sprinted past me in a blur of firelight. Rylen¡¯s wolf Anton was massive and dark, with gold tipped fur and eyes locked on Zuki like she was the only thing that mattered. Daxon¡¯s wolf, Talon was huge, powerful, midnight and smoke, and ran on my left. Ash didn¡¯t shift. He stood at the edge of the trees, his arms folded, watching like a sentry. But I knew he felt every step. Every howl. Every pulse of wild magic in the earth as we tore through the woods like lightning, like prophecy, like fucking freedom. By the time we returned to the Keep, we were covered in mud, panting andughing, wolf energy still humming under our skin. Dinner was waiting. But I was already full. Of power. Of pack. Of purpose. And gods help Aegis if they thought they could cage this. Chapter Comments 5 Topple 39 Chapter 39 Elowen POV Stormw Keep Grand Dining Hall, Evening ¨C By the time we made it back from the forest, my muscles were jelly, my hair was a disaster, and my wolf was purring like she¡¯d just been given a crown. And honestly? Same. The whole Keep was still under lockdown, but Luna Aelira clearly decided that didn¡¯t mean we couldn¡¯t have a little joy. The dining hall had beenpletely transformed. Goldennterns floated near the ceiling, casting warm light over the long tables now draped in deep forest green and rich crimson fabric. Floral centerpieces ran down the middle, moon lilies, red roses, and wild herbs, and the scent of roasted meat, honey zed root vegetables, and fresh bread filled the air so thick it made my stomach growl. Taya froze in the doorway. She looked around the room, her mouth slightly open, her eyes ssy. ¡°This is for me?¡± she whispered. Aelira appeared from the side like a graceful shadow, cing a hand on Taya¡¯s arm. ¡°It¡¯s not what you were promised,¡± she said softly. ¡°But it¡¯s what we could give you. You deserve to be celebrated, Taya. Not just for turning eighteen, but for the woman you¡¯ve be. Loyal. Fierce. Irreceable.¡± Taya burst into tears. Not a dramatic breakdown, just silent, overwhelmed tears as she hugged the Luna tight and whispered, ¡°Thank you. Thank you so much.¡± Aelira smiled and kissed the top of her head like a daughter. That broke me a little, ngl. Lyssira snorted in my head. ¡°Buck up buttercup.¡± We all found seats around the long table. Daxon beside me, Rylen across from Taya, Jace already grabbing a roll like he hadn¡¯t eaten in five years. Ash stood behind his chair for a long moment before sitting, his eyes scanning the room like he was locking every memory in ce. Alpha Draven gave a short, respectful nod before raising his ss. ¡°To strength. To unity. And to the girl whose fire lights this table tonight.¡± We all raised our sses and clinked them over the center, Taya beamed. Dinner was loud and full of teasing, mostly Jace, who kept trying to convince Ash to loosen up and ¡®do shots like a real adult (which Ash ignored with spectacr elegance). Halfway through dessert, the double doors opened again, and in rolled the biggest birthday cake I had ever seen. Three tiers. Iced in white and silver. Topped with glowing candles that flickered with real magic. I swear Ash rolled his eyes, but even he smiled when Taya¡¯s jaw dropped. Aelita leaned forward with a sly grin. ¡°It¡¯s lemon cake with ckberry filling. Your favorite.¡± : Taya looked like she was going tobust. ¡°I think I¡¯m in love with the Luna,¡± she whispered. Rylen grunted. ¡°You¡¯re not allowed to mate the Luna.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t test me,¡± she grinned, wiping her eyes and blowing out the candles. ??)) 37 Presents followed, enchanted daggers, a handwoven cloak from the Luna¡¯s own seamstress, spell stones carved with Taya¡¯s name, and a custom leather bound training log with her wolf Zuki hand painted on the cover. She opened it and promptly ugly cried into her potatoes. We allughed. And for the first time in what felt like forever¡­ the room didn¡¯t feel like a war room. It felt like home. Daxon¡¯s hand found mine under the table. Ash leaned in slightly and murmured, ¡°Don¡¯t get used to this. Training at dawn.¡± ¡°Bite me,¡± I muttered, smiling. Taya stood at the head of the table, her eyes still wet and her cheeks flushed. For more chapters visit ¡°Okay,¡± she said. ¡°I know everything¡¯s a mess right now. The world¡¯s on fire. Elowen¡¯s out here rewriting ancient prophecy like it¡¯s fanfiction. But this?¡± She looked around. ¡°This is what I always dreamed pack life would feel like.¡± ¡°And for the record,¡± she added, raising her ss, ¡°if anyone tries to take this from us, Aegis, the Council, or some crusty old blood purists, they¡¯re gonna have to fight all of us.¡± We howled in unison, loud, fierce, wild. And this time, it wasn¡¯t about pain or power. It was about belonging. Taya POV The moment we stepped out of the dining hall, I felt it. The air was electric. My skin tingled, my heart was racing, and Zuki¡­my wild, red furred chaos queen of a wolf¡­was pacing like a caged animal in my mind. Thirty minutes to midnight. Thirty minutes until I turned eighteen. And thirty minutes until the universe decided whether or not Rylen Verric was my mate. Topple 40 We walked in silence through the Keep, our arms full of all my gifts. He kept ncing sideways at me, that confident little smirk of his cracking just slightly with nerves. My own hands were shaking as I opened the door to my new room and tossed everything onto the bed without a second nce. ¡°You wanna run?¡± he asked, already tugging his shirt over his head. ¡°Yes, I breathed. ¡°Now.¡± We bolted for the back door, shifted mid run, and burst into the forest like lightning. Zuki¡¯s red fur shimmered under the moonlight as she ran circles around Anton, Rylen¡¯s massive wolf, who gave chase with a yful growl. Trees blurred past. Leaves crackled beneath our paws. The moon climbed higher, higher¡­ And then it hit. Midnight. We skidded to a halt in the clearing. Zuki and Anton faced each other, noses twitching. The air changed. Cardamom. Campfire. Sunlight. Wildflowers. It was them. It was us. A slow circle. A low whine. Their energy shifted from yful to primal in a heartbeat, and I swear I could feel my soul trembling as they moved toward each other, brushing noses, licking gently. Rylen¡¯s voice in my mind was breathless. ¡°It¡¯s real, Taya. You¡¯re mine.¡± ¡°I¡¯m yours,¡± I whispered back, tears stinging my eyes. Checktest chapters at FindN0vel And then our wolves gave in to their primal needs, wild, free and instinctive. Rylen and I respectfully retreated to the back of our minds as our wolves mated and bonded, this was private between them and there was no need for us to intrude. I felt peace. Happiness and contentment. When they had finished, we shifted back and sneakily snuck back into the keep totally naked and giggling in each other¡¯s arms. The second the door shut behind us, I pressed him against it like I¡¯d been waiting years instead of hours. ¡°Mine,¡± I whispered, my breath ragged against his throat. He was pure muscled perfection and I had to get onto my tippy toes just to kiss his massive tree ass. He groaned, low and primal, his hands finding my hips and lifting me flush to his chest. ¡°You have no idea how long I¡¯ve wanted to hear that.¡± His mouth imed mine again, hungry and insistent, all tongue and teeth and fire. We couldn¡¯t get close enough. My hands were everywhere, in his thick brown hair, down his broad muscled back, dragging along those ridiculous abs. I pressed kisses to the sharp line of his jaw, biting lightly, and he hissed through his teeth like I¡¯d branded him. He began to caress my skin¡­slow and reverent, his fingers skimming gently like I was something rare and sacred. When his lips found the swell of my breast, I gasped and arched into him, my nails digging into his shoulders. He cupped me gently, then not so gently, his mouth teasing, his tongue swirling. 21:23 Wed, Sep 24 I sucked in a breath, panting, ¡°You¡¯re so fucking hot Rylen.¡± ¡°Taya,¡± he rasped, ¡°I want to memorize every inch of you.¡± ¡°You better,¡± I panted. ¡°I¡¯m not letting you forget any of it.¡± 37 He lifted me like I weighed nothing, carrying me to the bed, his eyes devouring me like I was the only thing that had ever mattered. He kissed down my belly, his mouth hot and worshipful, leaving a trail of fire in his wake. My legs trembled under his touch, his hands firm on my thighs as he settled between them, looking up at me like a goddamn sinner at the altar. And stars, did he sin. His mouth lowered over my clit and the breath from his mouth already gave me goosebumps. He flicked his tongue over my swollen nub and my hips bucked up into his face as he proceeded to devour my soaked pussy. I writhed and wiggled under him, moaning his name. He took his time, learning every sound I made, every gasp, every plea. His tongue was sin, his fingers pure magic, and I was alreadying undone before he ever even entered me. When he rose above me, sweat slick and breathless, I wrapped my legs around his waist, my fingers tangled in his hair. ¡°I want you,¡± I whispered, voice shaking. ¡°Now.¡± He paused, his gaze searing into mine. ¡°Taya, are you sure? This¡­ this is forever, and I know it¡¯s your first time.¡± He searched my eyes, waiting patiently. I kissed him like an answer, like a promise. ¡°Then take forever,¡± I whispered against his lips. ¡°It¡¯s already yours.¡± He slid his thick cock into me slow and deep, with a groan that rattled straight through my bones. My body arched instinctively, clinging to him, wrapping around him like we were made for this. I froze for a second with the pain as he pushed past the barrier and I hissed slightly. He paused, ¡°Are you ok?¡± I nodded and grinned as the pain began to fade and he slowly started moving. My eyes rolled back into my head. Gods. I did not know it could feel this way. Every motion after that was a rhythm older than time. His name spilled from my lips over and over again, his hands tangled with mine above my head, holding me in ce while he moved inside me like he was mapping constetions with every thrust. ¡°Taya,¡± he growled, his forehead pressed to mine. ¡°You feel like heaven. Gods you¡¯re so tight.¡± ¡°You are heaven,¡± I moaned, tears burning behind my eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t stop. Please don¡¯t ever stop.¡± The pressure built until I shattered, crying out his name, my body pulsing around his. He followed with a ragged curse and a broken groan, burying himself deep as the world exploded in silver light. The bond took hold like lightning, searing and eternal. My skin burned with pleasure and something ancient as our marks appeared, mine along my ribs, curling like vines in soft silver script. His red across his chest, radiant and wild. We copsed, tangled and breathless, our hearts 21:23 Wed, Sep 24 racing in sync. :.. His arms wrapped tight around me, one kiss pressed to my shoulder, and I swear we both sighed in unison. Not just lovers. Not just mates. Bound by fate, and I would never let him go. Not ever. Zuki howled her agreement in our mind link and Anton sleepily growled his happiness. Chapter Comments Write Comments 4 SHARE 37 Topple 41 : Elowen POV Waking up between a possessive werewolf and a snarky ancient vampire should¡¯ve been overwhelming. But honestly? It was bliss. Daxon had one arm draped across my waist, his massive body wrapped around mine like I was something breakable. Ash was behind me, spooning in like it was his goddamn birthright, his hand tangled with mine on my stomach. They were warm, safe, mine¡­ and for the first time in days, my heart wasn¡¯t racing from panic. Just¡­ love. And maybe a little residual pride over my epic takedown of Jace yesterday. ¡°You¡¯re thinking too loud,¡± Ash murmured against my neck, his voice still husky with sleep. ¡°You¡¯re both still clinging to me like I¡¯m a teddy bear.¡± Discover more novels at find~novel ¡°Would you prefer a teddy bear that growls and bites?¡± Daxon asked, not bothering to open his eyes. I snorted. ¡°I¡¯m notining. But we¡¯re gonna bete if we don¡¯t get up.¡± Ashrian groaned dramatically while Dax grumbled like an old man, but eventually, we all dragged ourselves out of bed, showered, dressed, and made our way down to the main hall for breakfast. The pack was already gathering when we walked in. I waved to Jace, who was double fisting bacon and clearly thriving. The moment we sat down, Rylen and Taya burst through the doors like a damn rom slow motion scene. Taya¡¯s face was glowing, not metaphorically. Actually glowing. A shimmering silver vine tattoo now curled along her corbone and down her arm, paired with the matching one dancing across Rylen¡¯s chest, visible beneath his unbuttoned shirt like he wanted everyone to see it. The room exploded in excitement. ¡°Oh my goddess!¡± Luna Queen Aelira gasped, hands covering her mouth as she stood. Alpha King Draven rose beside her, face split in a rare grin. ¡°It¡¯s true. A second fated pair. Unbelievable.¡± ¡°I knew it!¡± I cried, standing to hug Taya as she all but ran at me, both of us squealing like idiots. Daxon and Rylen pped hands in that bro style greeting, and even Ash offered a respectful nod Rylen¡¯s way. After all the pping and howling calmed down, the kitchen staff brought out trays of eggs, bacon, fresh bread, fruit, and more caffeine than should be legal. We settled into our seats while the buzz still rippled through the room. Alpha King Draven stood and tapped his fork to his ss, his voice calm but serious. ¡°We¡¯ve seen two fated bonds form in under a month. Two rare, ancient bonds, when most wolves go their whole 21:23 Wed, Sep 24 : lives without finding one.¡± He paused, scanning the table. ¡°It begs the question¡­ why now?¡± 37 Ashrian folded his arms, brows furrowed. ¡°Because the prophecy is unfolding. Magic is stirring. The world¡¯s shifting.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± King Draven said. ¡°If fated bonds are returning, what does that mean for the rest of us? For our kind?¡± Taya tilted her head. ¡°Maybe more fated mate pairs will find each other.¡± I swallowed, my heart racing. ¡°But if they¡¯re returning now¡­ maybe it¡¯s because we have to unite. Because of the waring. Because the world needs us together.¡± Ash nodded slowly. ¡°The prophecy said she would howl the world back together.¡± King Draven rubbed his chin thoughtfully. ¡°Then perhaps it¡¯s time we test the theory. I propose we host a gathering, invite the other wolf packs. Let the unmated gather, let the energy flow.¡± ¡°Like a mate finding festival?¡± Jace said with a smirk. ¡°Do we get name tags and punch bowls?¡± King Draven chuckled. ¡°Something like that. But also¡­ a show of unity. Strength. We need allies. And if fated bonds form, all the better. We will be better protected against the Aegis Protocol that¡¯s for sure with that many wolves here.¡± Everyone pped and nodded in agreement and Alpha King Draven smiled kindly. ¡°It is settled then. We will begin nning!¡± Lyssi chimed in my head, ¡°I love our pack.¡± I smiled inplete agreement. I looked around at my people, my pack, my mates, my best friend. And for the first time, it didn¡¯t feel like I was barely hanging on. It felt like I was exactly where I was meant to be. Even if I had no idea what the hell I was doing. I can learn as I go. Chapter Comments 3 Write Comments SHARE Topple 42 Day One of Hell School Elowen POV 37 Ashrian stood at the front of the room like a dark academic god, marker in one hand, a literal staff in the other. Behind him, two new instructors stood waiting, a no nonsense woman with silver streaked braids named Professor Ca and a massive bearded human man who smelled like pine and sarcasm called Professor Glendale. ¡°This will be hell,¡± Ash announced, turning to face us. ¡°Congrattions, you¡¯re all about to get smarter or die trying.¡± Th?s chapter is updated by f¦É¦Ídn¦Ïvel Lyssira snarked, ¡°I vote smarter. Then hotter. Then ruling the world.¡± I sighed internally. ¡°Can we just pass English first, please?¡± Rylen slouched beside me, his long legs stretched out like he had no intention of behaving. Taya sat on the other side, her cheeks still glowing from the bond mark. Jace was behind us, already doodling on the corner of his notes. Daxon had a front row seat, his posture military straight, taking this like it was war. Of course. Professor Ca snapped her fingers. ¡°Focus up. We¡¯re starting with political history, werewolf pack structure, ancient treaties, failed peace ords, and the copse of the council system.¡± An hourter, I felt like my brain was leaking. By lunch, we were knee deep in theories about inter pack diplomacy and Rylen had been scolded twice for snarking about the council being a ¡°glorified circle jerk.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not wrong,¡± he muttered. ¡°They never got anything done.¡± Lyssira cackled and purred, ¡°If he wasn¡¯t already mated, I¡¯d suggest making him bite you.¡± I scoffed, ¡°Shut it. Weirdo.¡± We moved on to chemistry next, taught by Glendale, who threw chalk at Jace when he zoned out and made us do chemical bonding equations until my eyes crossed. Taya actually enjoyed it. Daxon nailed every question. I guessed half the time, but somehow didn¡¯t fail. By dinner, I was fried. We all slept like the dead. Day Two of Learn or Die Trying I woke up sore, menta silver¡­wait, that¡¯s us.¡± Ash doubled down on the second day with math, logic, and advanced history. Rylen actually took notes. Jace startedpeting with Daxon for top scores. Taya, bless her academic heart, helped me sneak study guides under the table. By mid afternoon, we were each called to the front of the room to deliver a short summary of how fated mates may have been impacted by magical divergence. Rylen¡¯s theory? ¡°Magic used to weave everything together. But the species separated. So now fate¡¯s like¡­a broken radio signal.¡± Taya beamed at him. ¡°Smart and hot.¡± Jace fake gagged. Daxon didn¡¯t even look up. Ash just wrote something down. ¡°Interesting. Continue.¡± By the time we hit English and grammar, I wanted to throw my textbook across the room. But Ash made it fun somehow, turning it into magical interpretation and spell linguistics. ¡°You¡¯ll need to understand both Latin and ancient wereglyphs,¡± he said. ¡°Especially you, Elowen.¡± ¡°Why me?¡± ¡°You¡¯re the prophecy girl. Prophecies are never written in emoji.¡± Lyssira muttered sarcastically, ¡°He¡¯s not wrong.¡± Day Three of Hell School This time, breakfast came with nerves. We were all on edge, even Rylen who had mastered the art of fake chill. Tests wereing. Professor Ca threw essays at us like weapons. Glendale timed us on math problems. Ashrian stood over me while I tranted three spell runes and then made me write one of my own. ¡°You¡¯re capable of more than you know,¡± he whispered, his fingers brushing my wrist as I cast. ¡°Stop doubting.¡± Lyssira drooled, ¡°Sexy praise kink alert.¡± My cheeks burned. ¡°NOT the time.¡± In between sessions, we still joked and whispered. Jace dared Rylen to write his entire history paper in haiku. He actually did. ¡°Five species are doomed, Without her, we burn or freeze, Thanks for all the stress,¡± Tayaughed so hard she choked on her tea. After dinner, Alpha King Draven handed out final results. We all passed. He pped and beamed at us all like a proud dad. Every single one of us tested out, three days of brutal learning crushed under caffeine, chaos, and cosmic level motivation. We were ready. 21:24 Wed, Sep 24 Hunted Hybrid ¨C Aegis War Saga 1 Chapter 43 Topple 43 Day One Battle Training Elowen POV The second our boots hit the gravel of the training yard again, Lyssira perked up in my mind like a damn caffeine addicted squirrel. ¡°Training day, baby. Let¡¯s show these alphas how it¡¯s really done.¡± I rolled my eyes. ¡°Can we not get ourselves killed today?¡± She mumbled, ¡°That depends. Are we using the sexy blood magic or the dramatic silver one?* I rolled my eyes, again. ¡°I hate you.¡± She snorted. ¡°Liar. You love me. Now stretch those thighs, bitch, we¡¯re about to pop off.¡± The whole crew was assembled. Rylen, Jace, and Daxon were over near the sparring mats with King Draven¡¯s elite warriors, already sweaty and glistening in a way that made focusing difficult. Taya was with them also, looking like at fire haired snack. Ash was waiting near the edge of the field with his arms crossed and a glint in his eyes that screamed challenge epted. ¡°Ready?¡± he asked. ¡°Born ready,¡± I lied. We started with summoning again, moon magic first. My hands glowed silver onmand now, the lunar warmth buzzing through my bloodstream like a drug I hadn¡¯t known I was addicted to. Ash made me shape. it, control it, then toss it like a damn frisbee through a ring of floating runes. Lyssira practically purred. ¡°Okay hotshot, I see you.¡± When we moved into blood magic, I was way more cautious. But Ash was patient, exining again how blood magic responded to intent. Anger. Protection. Love. The blood wasn¡¯t the danger, it was the uncontrolled emotions behind
  1. it.
¡°I trust you,¡± he said quietly when I hesitated. So I did it. My palms split open without pain, and red threads shimmered like silk between my fingers before coalescing into a whip of pure energy. It cracked like lightning and hit the target dead center. ¡°Damn,¡± Ash muttered. Lyssira howled with glee. ¡°That¡¯s my girl! BLOOD BITCH POWER ACTIVATE!* I groaned. ¡°We need to talk about your enthusiasm levels. Across the field, the guys were getting wrecked and loving every second. Daxon was tossing a two handed axe like a damn berserker. Rylen wrestled one of the elite wolves into the mud. Jace was flipping like a gymnast on steroids. But the real shock came when Taya¡¯s hands lit up silver. ???s ??????? ?s ?????? ?? Find[F]ovel Everyone froze. I squeeled. Lyssi howled in my mind. 37 Moon magic. Ash and I exchanged a look, and I jogged over just in time to see her staring at her fingers like they¡¯d grown boobs. ¡°What the actual fuck?¡± she said, blinking. ¡°Taya,¡± I grinned, ¡°wee to the weirdo club.¡± Lyssiraughed maniacally, ¡°Ohhhh Zuki¡¯s gonna lose her shit.¡± Day Two of Training Taya POV Zuki was full blown vibrating in my skull. ¡°You¡¯re the chosen one, bitch! Channel the moon! Howl louder! sh them your glowing tits!¡± I huffed in frustration, ¡°You are not helping!¡± Zuki snarked, ¡°Yes I am. You¡¯re a healer. A battle babe. A moon blessed mama! Now cast something and stop being cute about it!¡± The entire pack had heard about my little glowing moment the day before, and now I had Luna Queen Aelira herself supervising while Ash and Elowen worked nearby. Rylen looked like I¡¯d just given him the winning lottery numbers and a blowjob. Simultaneously. ¡°I knew it,¡± he whispered before training started. ¡°I knew you were more than just stunning and fierce.¡± I beamed. Then I turned and identally healed a sprained ankle just by touching one of the elite warriors. ¡°¡­Oops?¡± Aelira lost her mind. ¡°You¡¯re a healer,¡± she said breathlessly. ¡°A real one. We haven¡¯t seen one in generations.¡± Zuki howled with pride. ¡°That¡¯s right, peasant bitches! Bow before my magical glory!¡± Meanwhile, Elowen was now controlling both types of magic like a goddess in gym clothes. I caught her doing a spinningbo with silver and crimson that looked like something out of a fae war movie. Zuki sighed in adoration. ¡°Look at our sister go. Damn. She¡¯s gonna save the whole realm and look hot doing it.¡± I grinned and nodded in agreement. ¡°Honestly? Facts.¡± Jace, Dax, and Rylen were also leveling up like mad. Jace learned to use dual daggers, Rylen beat a warrior twice his size, and Dax actually bowed to his instructor by the end of the day instead of growling. By nightfall, we were 21:24 Wed, Sep 24 bruised, sweaty, glowing, and fucking unstoppable. Back at the keep, Rylen pulled me aside and whispered, ¡°I¡¯ve never been prouder of anyone in my life.¡± I kissed him so hard his toes curled. Because I wasn¡¯t just strong. I was moon touched. And I was ready to burn down the fucking world if anyone came for us. Elowen POV 37 The sky was still barely pink when Ashrian dragged Taya and me to the training circle with a look that said he was about tomit war crimes in the name of education. Taya was bouncing in excitement, and I was sipping thest of my tea and praying I didn¡¯t have to hold anyone¡¯s intestines in today. ¡°Healing magic lesson time,¡± Ash said with a smug smile that immediately made my stomach drop. Lyssira wrinkled her nose. ¡°I don¡¯t like that face. That face means violence.¡± I giggled. ¡°It always means violence.¡± Ash turned to Jace, who had the worst poker face in history. ¡°You volunteered,¡± Ash reminded him. ¡°No, I fucking didn¡¯t,¡± Jace muttered, clearly betrayed. ¡°I was bribed with waffles.¡± ¡°Same thing,¡± Ash replied smoothly. Taya tried to look concerned but failed miserably. ¡°This is for the greater good.¡± Zuki crooned, ¡°Sacrifice the pretty one!¡± I huffed augh and a snort at the same time.¡°You are even worse than Lyssira.¡± Zuki gasped in delight, ¡°Thank you!¡± Jace sighed dramatically, but to his credit, he rolled up his sleeve and held out his hand. ¡°Make it quick, prince charming.¡± Ash nodded and promptly snapped Jace¡¯s pinky. The crack echoed. Jace let out a string of curses that would¡¯ve made a demon cry. Lyssira purred ¡°I like him.¡± I knelt beside Jace and hovered my hands over his finger. Moonlight shimmered at my fingertips, cool and calming. I focused hard, pulling from that quiet ce inside where my magic lived. Slowly, the bone knitted back together. Taya took the next round, healing a gash on Jace¡¯s arm after Ash dragged a dagger across his forearm. 21:24 Wed, Sep 24 37 ¡°You need a new hobby,¡± Jace muttered to Ash through clenched teeth. ¡°One that doesn¡¯t involve maiming me. Ever think of knitting?¡± Ash grinned. ¡°Knitting¡¯s for destruction. This is for growth.¡± Taya¡¯s healing was warmer than mine, like sunlight and honey. Jace visibly rxed as his skin closed up, leaving no trace of the wound. ¡°Damn,¡± he muttered. ¡°You¡¯re really good at this.¡± Zuki grinned wickedly, ¡°Tell him we can fix other things too.¡± Taya rolled her eyes, ¡°No.¡± We practiced on him for over an hour, slowly escting to bruises, sprains, and even a cracked rib. Each time, Taya and I managed to fix him, a little faster and a little cleaner. By the end, Jace was flopped across a bench like a melodramatic war widow. ¡°I better get a cake for this,¡± he groaned. ¡°A whole damn cake.¡± Ash patted his head. ¡°You¡¯ll get stronger. That¡¯s your reward.¡± ¡°I want cake,¡± he repeated. Lyssira purred softly, ¡°I¡¯ll bake him a cake. Out of werewolf tears and sarcasm.¡± Taya and I shared a grin, high fived, and flopped down beside Jace. Exhausted? Sure. But we were healers now. Chapter Comments 3 Write Comments ¡ã Topple 44 Elowen POV 37 By some miracle, the day off had been mostly calm. No attacks, no magical disasters, no jealous alpha hole bickering. Just rest. Sweet, delicious rest. And now? I was done being scared. Fuck fear. Fear hadn¡¯t saved me, power might. And I had a shit ton of it now. but We gathered in the great hall for the nightly pack dinner. The room buzzed with chatter and energy. There were long tables full of wolvesughing, flirting, and shoving food in their faces like they hadn¡¯t eaten in a week. I sat between Daxon and Ash, my fingersced through theirs under the table. Taya and Rylen were across from us, practically glowing. Alpha Draven stood and pped his hands once, silencing the crowd. ¡°Stormw Pack, and honored guests, we have an announcement.¡± Luna Aelira stepped beside him, a proud smile on her face. ¡°One week after our travel party returns from Scond, we¡¯ll be hosting a seven day event open to all unmated wolves from the five major packs.¡± Gasps. Cheers. Whistles. Draven held up a hand. ¡°There will be sparring events, training exchanges, moon market trade booths, speed dating rounds..¡± ¡°..and on Friday night, a formal banquet and mate ball,¡± Aelira finished. ¡°Any newly bonded fated mates will be honored in front of the whole pack. Saturday is for fun, mingling, and informal events. Then everyone returns to their packs on Sunday.¡± The entire great hall exploded. tes ttered. People howled. A nearby omega actually dropped to their knees in glee. Apparently mate balls were a thing. Lyssira quipped, ¡°I want a dress that makes Daxon feral.¡± I grinned in amusement. ¡°You want everything to make Daxon feral.¡± She licked her chops. ¡°Not wrong.¡± She wagged her tail ferociously. After the crowd finished celebrating and filed out, buzzing with ns for outfits, fighting brackets, and mate sniffing, Alpha Draven waved us toward the head table. ¡°You six..¡± he motioned to me, Daxon, Ashrian, Rylen, Taya, and Jace, ¡°..will leave tomorrow morning. We¡¯re sending you to Scond on the pack¡¯s private jet.¡± Ash raised a brow. ¡°Your what now?¡± Aeliraughed softly. ¡°Draven believes in options. We¡¯ve booked you three luxury suites at a vetted bed and breakfast near Morrigan Lairch¡¯s home. She¡¯s agreed to see Elowen in person.¡± ¡°She won¡¯t remove the spell unless she can see you face to face,¡± Draven added. ¡°And we¡¯ve beefed up the jet¡¯s 1/2 Original content can be found at 21:24 Wed, Sep 24 security team. No one¡¯s getting near you.¡± I exhaled slowly. My heart thumped like a drum. Daxon¡¯s hand slid up my back. ¡°You okay?¡± I nodded. ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m ready. I think I¡¯ve been ready for a while. I just didn¡¯t know it.¡± Ash gave me a rare smile, and Rylen¡¯s hand curled around Taya¡¯s. We stood as a unit, our mismatched, chaotic, powerful little found family. Tomorrow we fly. And nothing would ever be the same again. Later in our chambers¡­¡­.. 37 The bedroom door closed with a soft thud, sealing the three of us inside a moment we¡¯d all been skirting around for days. Ashrian was the first to move, always the bold one. He crossed the room like a predator in silk, his obsidian eyes fixed on me with that quiet intensity that made my thighs clench and my wolf practically howl. Daxon stood behind me, heat radiating off his body like a furnace, his hand sliding down my spine as if he already knew every dip and curve by heart. ¡°I want both of you,¡± I said, breathlessly, my voice low. ¡°I¡¯m done pretending I don¡¯t.¡± Ash¡¯s lips curved. ¡°Finally.¡± Daxon growled, low and possessive. ¡°Fuck yes.¡± Ash reached me first, his cool fingers tilting my chin up before his lips imed mine, velvet heat and iron control. It was slow, exploring, tasting, until I moaned into his mouth. Behind me, Daxon¡¯s hands roamed my sides, gripping my hips, pulling me back into him so I could feel every hard inch of him pressing against me. Chapter Comments Topple 45 Chapter 45 ??) ¡°Take this off,¡± Daxon growled, yanking at the oversized tee I was wearing. It hit the floor in seconds. Ash¡¯s mouth moved to my throat, trailing kisses down my corbone while Daxon spun me around to devour my mouth, fingers tangling in my hair. 37 I was dizzy. Drunk on them. Surrounded. Lyssira purred in the back of my mind: ¡°About time. Let them worship us.¡± Clothes disappeared like magic. Lips and hands and teeth explored every inch of me. Daxon¡¯s mouth was on my breast, his teeth grazing my nipple until I gasped. Ash was behind me now, his hands smoothing down my back and gripping my ass with sinful intent. ¡°You¡¯re so fucking beautiful,¡± Ash murmured against my shoulder. ¡°Ours.¡± I moaned like a bitch in heat. Read full story at Find1Novel They guided me to the bed. Daxonid back, his cock already hard and waiting, and I didn¡¯t even hesitate before straddling him. The stretch was perfect. Full. My head fell back with a moan as Ash leaned over me, kissing me upside down, his hand ying with my clit until I was shaking. ¡°That¡¯s it, baby,¡± Daxon growled, thrusting up. ¡°Ride me. Just like that.¡± Ash kissed down my spine, his fingers still working magic, his voice velvet heat in my ear. ¡°Let go. We¡¯ve got you.¡± Everything blurred after that. Moans and gasps and praise tangled in the air. Ash eventually joined us, sliding behind me, his cock nudging between my cheeks, asking permission without words. I gave it with a whimper and a nod, and when he pressed his cock into my ass slowly, I shattered around them both. Every nerve was on fire. Every sense lit. I¡¯d never felt so full. So seen. So safe. Two fated mates, two souls wrapped in mine. It wasn¡¯t chaos, it waspletion. They moved in sync, like they were made to love me together. One would kiss me while the other fucked me, or hold me still while the other drove me wild. I came again and again, my voice raw, my body trembling, until I copsed between them, boneless and blissed out. Ash wrapped an arm around my waist, Daxon tangled his legs with mine, and thest thing I heard was one of them whispering, ¡°Mine.¡± I didn¡¯t know who said it. But I belonged to both. I was nestled between Daxon and Ashrian, finally drifted into sleep, my body deliciously sore and my heart wrapped in their warmth. But as my mind slipped into unconsciousness, I was tugged through a veil of silver mist and moonlight. The forest around me shimmered with an ethereal glow, and above, the moon pulsed like a living heart. From the trees stepped a tall figure cloaked in starlight. Her eyes were the color of gxies, her hair a cascade of lunar silk. The Moon Goddess. : 37 ¡°Elowen Skye,¡± she said, voice like the night wind across still water. ¡°You are awakening. But danger coils like a serpent in your path. They are watching. The Aegis knows you¡¯ll seek Morrigan. The witch is powerful, but not alone. Be wary. Not all who offer help do so without price.¡± I tried to speak, to ask what the hell she meant, but my damn mouth wouldn¡¯t move. The goddess reached forward and brushed her fingers across my forehead. ¡°Stay sharp, child of the moon. Trust your instincts. And trust your mates. Even the ones yet toe.¡± The silver world bled into ck, and I fell back into dreamless sleep, my heart pounding softly against the chest of the alphas wrapped around me. The journey ahead would not be easy. But destiny never is. Chapter Comments 3 Topple 46 Chapter 46 37 Elowen POV I woke up warm, tangled in limbs and the scent of pure fucking heaven. Ashrian was on my left, arm wrapped around my waist, chest pressed to my back. Daxon had my legs tangled with his, his face buried in my neck. Their warmth, their presence, it grounded me. Made me forget, for just a second, that we were about to dive headfirst into whatever chaos Scond held. My body ached in that delicious, just been fucked way, and when I shifted, both men stirred with low groans that lit a fire in my belly. ¡°You dream loud,¡± Daxon murmured, his voice rough with sleep as he nuzzled my neck. ¡°You talk in your sleep,¡± Ash said into my shoulder, amusement thick in his voice. ¡°Something about moon magic and punching fate in the face.¡± I groaned. ¡°That tracks.¡± Lyssira purred in my head, smug as ever. ¡°We needed that. Still do. Shower now. Screw them in the water.¡± I cackled, ¡°Goddess, you¡¯re a menace.¡± Lyssira lifted her nose stubbornly, ¡°And you love me for it.¡± ¡°Shower,¡± I muttered, peeling myself away from the tangle of muscle and possessiveness. I didn¡¯t make it far before strong hands grabbed my hips and two deliciously different growls echoed behind me. ¡°Not without us,¡± Daxon rumbled. Ash grinned, already rising. ¡°Team bonding.¡± I giggled like a maniac, my thighs already quivering with anticipation. The water was hot, the steam thick, and my heart was already thudding by the time we stepped under the spray. Ash pinned me against the slick wall, kissing me like he needed to mark my soul, while Daxon dropped to his knees behind me. His hands gripped my thighs as his mouth found the spot that had me seeing stars in seconds. Ash whispered praise against my lips, his hands worshiping every inch of skin they could touch. ¡®You¡¯re ours,¡® Daxon growled against my skin. ¡°Say it, baby.¡± ¡°Yours,¡± I gasped. ¡°Always.¡± We moved together like we¡¯d done this forever. Like there was no awkwardness, no doubt. Just need and heat and love. Every thrust, every touch, every breath, it all felt perfectly, divinely aligned. When it was over, we slumped into each other,ughing and breathless, letting the water wash away the sweat and tension. 21:24 Wed, Sep 24 ¡°We really should leave the room at some point,¡± Ash said with a smirk. ¡°Eventually,¡± I replied, my lips still tingling. ¡°But maybe not just yet.¡± Because for one blissful moment, everything felt right. Even if the world outside was waiting to burn. 37 After round two in the shower with both my ridiculously hot mates, and way too much soap in ces it had no business being, I was sore in the best way possible. I slipped into a palevender hoodie dress and boots, tousled curls still damp, and padded down the hall with Daxon and Ashrian nking me like the sexy guards of honor they were. Taya was already in the hall when we met up with the rest of the crew, her cheeks pink, hair mussed in wild waves, and a look on her face that screamed just been ruined in the best way. Rylen was behind her, looking far too proud of himself. ¡°Morning, slut,¡± I grinned. ¡°Morning, whore,¡± she chirped back, linking arms with me as we both giggled like we were still in high school. ¡°Shit, you smell like sin and man,¡± I said. ¡°Right back at you,¡± she winked. The boys rolled their eyes, but we didn¡¯t care. We linked arms and walked ahead, gossiping about who bit what and how many orgasms counted as a sleep aid. Once inside the Alpha and Luna¡¯s private sr, we smashed an obscene breakfast of scrambled eggs, maple bacon, crispy hash browns, fluffy pancakes, and a mountain of toast. Jace moaned dramatically over the sausage links like he hadn¡¯t eaten in a week. Daxon stole bites off my te, which I let slide only because his post sex glow made him impossible to fight. While we ate, the staff whisked away our overnight bags and loaded them onto the pack¡¯s private jet. Yes. Private jet. I was living a new life, Follow current nov?ls on Find¡ïNovel We were escorted outside shortly after, where the sleek ck jet gleamed on the private airstrip behind the keep. Our pilot, an older wolf named Thoron, introduced himself with a firm handshake and a flirty grin, and behind him stood six intimidating warriors in matching ck tactical gear, our strike team. Topple 47 Chapter 47 : 93 ¡°Ma¡¯am,¡± the leader, a grizzled beta named Myka, nodded at me. ¡°We¡¯ve been briefed. We stay on you at all times, no exceptions.¡± That¡¯s when it hit me.The dream.The Moon Goddess. Her voice, her eyes¡­ the warning. ¡°They¡¯re watching,¡± I whispered. Ash was immediately at my side, his brows drawn. ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°I had a visionst night,¡± I said, louder this time. ¡°Selene The Moon Goddess came to me. She said they¡¯re watching. She didn¡¯t say who, but¡­ it felt big.¡± I sighed. ¡°She also said to be wary of Morrigan and she may not offer help free or be alone.¡± Daxon tensed. ¡°Aegis?¡± Taya scowled. ¡°Bitchy witch.¡± ¡°Probably. Maybe more.¡± Myka nodded once. ¡°Then we¡¯re doubling security. Two on each side at all times. We¡¯ll rotate shifts. You don¡¯t step foot anywhere without us.¡± ¡°Not even the bathroom?¡± Jace teased. ¡°If she¡¯s in danger, you¡¯ll hold it,¡± Myka shot back. With that final deration, we boarded the jet with confidence, and just enough fear to keep things interesting. The engine hummed as we settled in, luxury leather seats and champagne trays giving me major ¡°rich bitch energy.¡± Taya plopped down beside me, clutching a bag of gummy bears and a giant hoodie. ¡°Let¡¯s go meet a bitchy witch,¡± she grinned. I took her hand, my heart thudding almost painfully. Fourteen fucking hours, I don¡¯t care how fancy this ne is, velvet seats, gourmet snacks, and a fully stocked espresso bar can only do so much when you¡¯re hurtling across the ocean in a floating tin can with six tight ass bodyguards and a group of magical degenerates who don¡¯t know how to sit still. Daxon was snoring with his mouth open, sprawled out like a golden retriever, while Ashrian sat like a goddamn vampire prince, reading War & Peace or some shit with one hand and sipping tea like we weren¡¯t on a top secret mission. Lyssira stirred in my head, her voice groggy and annoyed. ¡°We¡¯ve been flying for 900 years. I¡¯m going to eat one of the guards just to feel something.¡± ¡°Same,¡± I muttered. ¡°You good?¡± Taya plopped down beside me, her cheeks pink, lips swollen, and wearing Rylen¡¯s hoodie. My eyebrows shot up. ¡°Tell me you didn¡¯t.¡± The rightful source is She grinned. ¡°We absolutely did.¡± ¡°In the bathroom?!¡± She nodded, unashamed. ¡°Jegged? Nah. Just jetid.¡± I snorted so hard one of the stone faced strike team looked up like he was considering tranquilizing us both. These guys hadn¡¯t said more than five words total since we boarded. Dead serious. Chiseled jaws. Tactical gear. I¡¯d seen friendlier expressions on statues. ¡°You think they ever blink?¡± I whispered, side eyeing one who looked like he¡¯d been carved from granite and bad decisions. ¡°Only when someone disrespects the chain ofmand,¡± Taya whispered back. We both broke into silent giggles. Meanwhile, Rylen and Jace were sitting across the aisle ying some game with silver coins and bitingmentary. At one point, Jace used Rylen of cheating and Rylen growled at him like they were back in the Stone Age. Gods, we were all going fucking stir crazy. Ash closed his book. ¡°If anyone breathes near me before I get six hours of sleep and a double espresso, I will set this ne on fire.¡± Daxon stirred and cracked one eye. ¡°Don¡¯t threaten me with a good time.¡± ¡°I will use blood magic on your nuts.¡± ¡°That¡¯s it. I¡¯m switching seats.¡± ¡°No, you¡¯re not,¡± I said, grabbing Dax¡¯s arm and dragging him back down. ¡°You¡¯re my pillow now. Deal with it.¡± Eventually, the ne quieted down again. The guards sat at attention like they were waiting for someone to drop from the ceiling. The rest of us curled into whatever halffortable position we could find. Tayaid across Rylen¡¯sp. Jace passed out on his own shoulder. Ash stretched out like a cat in a sunbeam. Dax pulled me into his arms, burying his face in my hair. 8:57 Thu, Sep 25 ¡°Weird little found family,¡± Lyssira whispered in my head. ¡°Yeah,¡± I whispered back. ¡°And I wouldn¡¯t trade a single one of them.¡± Not even the grumpy mannequin soldiers ring at me like I farted. Chapter Comments Topple 48 Chapter 48 Elowen POV :. UD Thending gear thunked down with a jolt that made everyone groan, and I swore Daxon muttered something about kissing the ground the second we got off. We touched down on a private airstrip nestled in the Scottish Hignds, about ten miles outside Inverness, surrounded by rolling hills, damp fog, and a thick scent of wet earth and pine. The ne taxied to a stop, and the strike team immediately snapped to attention like we were about to walk into a war zone instead of a quaint ass bed and breakfast. ¡°Wee to Scond, Ash muttered dryly as he unbuckled, tugging on his jacket. ¡°Where the magic is older than your grandmother¡¯s grudges and everything smells like moss and ghosts.¡± He wasn¡¯t wrong. The moment I stepped off the ne, the air hit different. It was cool and damp, tinged with wild herbs and ancient secrets. Lyssira practically purred in my head. ¡®This ce has teeth,¡± she whispered. ¡°I like it.¡± I took a deep breath and nodded my agreement. Two sleek, ck SUVS were waiting at the bottom of the stairs, parked like we were the goddamn royal family. The drivers wore dark suits, and the strike team formed a silent perimeter around us so tight, I couldn¡¯t have scratched my ass without one of them adjusting their earpiece. Taya stumbled beside me, yawning. ¡°I¡¯ve never been so tired and turned on at the same time.¡± Rylen gave her a smug grin, his hand grazing the small of her back as they walked. Jacegged behind, clutching a pillow like it was a lifeline. Meanwhile, Daxon and Ash nked me like twin towers of testosterone. ¡°Do we really need this much security?¡± I asked as the guards opened the SUV doors like clockwork. Ash slid in first. ¡°We¡¯re high value targets now, darling.¡± ¡°Pretty sure I was a high value target the second the Moon Goddess got involved,¡± I grumbled, climbing in after him. The drive into Inverness was a fog drenched dream. Narrow roads wound through ancient woond that looked straight out of a fairytale, with the horror filter turned on. Gnarled trees wed at the sky, and thick mist curled around the branches like ghost fingers. If witches were real, and they fucking were, I was absolutely sure they lived out here summoning the dead and baking cursed scones. The bed and breakfast appeared suddenly at the end of a long gravel path. Stone walls. Ivy covered windows. Lanterns that flickered with actual mes. A carved wooden sign swung above the door: The Thistle & Thorn ¨C Est. 1742 For original chapters go to find?novel Adorable. Creepy. Totally haunted. I was in love. The owner, a plump older woman named Isobel with wild gray curls 8:57 Thu, Sep 25 : 93 and eyes like polished onyx, greeted us like she¡¯d been expecting us. ¡°Rooms are ready,¡± she said with a thick Hignd lilt. ¡°You¡¯ll find them cozy and warm, dears. Breakfast at eight. Tea whenever ye like. And if ye see the cat in the hallway, don¡¯t look it in the eye.¡± ¡°What happens if we do?¡± Jace asked, already half asleep. ¡°Best not tae find out.¡± Awesome. We dragged our bags upstairs and each headed to our own rooms while the guards did a sweep of the property so thorough I thought they might start exorcising the furniture. My room had a canopy bed, a window overlooking the moors, and wallpaper older than America. I copsed backward onto the mattress with a sigh so deep it might¡¯vee from my soul. Tomorrow, we¡¯d head into the Dunbrae Woonds to find Morrigan Lairch at The Wyrd Hollow Cottage. But tonight? Tonight was warm beds, weird cats, and praying I didn¡¯t identally open a fae portal in the bathroom. Next Morning¡­ I don¡¯t remember inviting them. Hell, I don¡¯t remember hearing the door open. But when I woke up, I was smothered in muscles, legs, and heat, Daxon¡¯s arm thrown across my stomach, Ashrian¡¯s cold feet tucked against my calves, and someone¡¯s pillow jammed under my ass. There was maybe two inches of mattress left for me. ¡°This is my bed,¡± I growled, my voice hoarse with sleep. Ash let out a noise that might¡¯ve been a vampire snore and burrowed deeper into the nkets like a cat. ¡°Then be grateful we graced it with our presence.¡± Daxon snorted, his voice rumbling low and smug. ¡°You love it. Don¡¯t lie.¡± I rolled my eyes so hard it might¡¯ve counted as a workout. ¡°I¡¯m living in a damn cuddle sandwich.¡± And despite the sarcasm? Yeah¡­ I loved it. It took a good fifteen minutes of groaning, shoving, and Daxon falling off the bed once (which was funny as hell) before we finally got up, got dressed, and stumbled downstairs to the breakfast sr. The smell hit first, thick bacon, fresh bread, and something cinnamon¨Cy that made my stomach growl like a demon. We found Taya already at the table with Jace and Rylen. She looked like she¡¯d just walked off a runway with an ¡°1 gotid and I liked it¡± smirk that matched mine perfectly. We locked eyes and burst outughing. ¡°I see you had a fun night,¡± I teased, nudging her with my hip as I sat down. Rylen looked smug. Jace looked like he hadn¡¯t slept at all. ¡°I slept,¡± Jace grumbled, stabbing a sausage. ¡°I just didn¡¯t rest. There¡¯s a difference.¡± The strike team sat off to the side like stone statues with ear pieces and death res. Super subtle. ¡°Anyone else feel like we¡¯re about to get Secret Service escorted into a horror movie?¡± I muttered to Ash. He raised a brow. ¡°Please. I¡¯d be the horror.¡± Breakfast was incredible¡­fluffy¨Ceggs, crispy bacon, fried tomatoes, toast thered in golden butter, and enough tea to fuel a coven. We all dug in, trading jokes andmentary about everything from magical theory to who snored the loudest (spoiler: it was Dax). But under it all, a quiet buzz of something wrong started to scratch at the back of my brain. ¡°You feel that, right?¡± Lyssira whispered. I stilled, mid bite. ¡°Yeah¡­ something¡¯s off.¡± ¡°The trees are listening. And thend here¡­it knows who you are.¡± ¡°Cool. Totallyforting.¡± I didn¡¯t say anything to the others yet, didn¡¯t want to sound paranoid, but the hairs on my arms were standing up like lightning wasing. Once we were fed and caffeinated, the strike team stood up in sync, and that was our cue. Two sleek ck SUVS waited outside. We loaded in, the air misty and damp as we pulled away from the Thistle & Thorn. The trees loomed closer with every mile. Our destination? The Wyrd Hollow Cottage Dunbrae Woonds, Inverness IV3 8RP The home of Morrigan Lairch.The witch who could break my spell, Or maybe¡­ wake something far worse. Chapter Comments 1 Write Comments Topple 49 Elowen POV The SUVS slowed to a crawl as we pulled around a bend, and then¡­¡°Holy shit,¡± Rylen muttered from the backseat. The forest parted like it had been sliced open by a dream. Towering pines bowed at the edges of the dirt road, and dead ahead stood a wrought¨Ciron gate that looked like it belonged in a gothic fever dream. Ancient, rusted ck with veins of silver etched through it, twisting into runes that shimmered faintly under the dappled light. ¡°It¡¯s giving cursed fairy tale,¡± Taya said, her eyes wide. ¡°Where¡¯s the talking mirror?¡± ¡°If it offers you an apple, don¡¯t eat it,¡± Daxon grunted. Ashrian leaned forward, studying the runes. ¡°That¡¯s no ordinary enchantment. This gate is older than any magic I¡¯ve seen in centuries. It¡¯s¡­ aware.¡± Before I could ask what the fuck that meant, the SUVs hissed to a stop. We climbed out, boots crunching on gravel, the air thick with magic and mist. Every hair on my body stood on end as I approached the gate. Then, from nowhere, a voice. Disembodied. Female. Smooth as velvet and ancient as dust. ¡°Elowen Skye Thorne may enter. Alone.¡± The forest went silent. I blinked. ¡°What now?¡± ¡°Like hell,¡± Dax¨®n growled, stepping in front of me. ¡°No chance,¡± Rylen snapped. ¡°She¡¯s not going anywhere without us.¡± ¡°Over my dead fucking body,¡± Jace added, cracking his knuckles for dramatic effect. Ash¡¯s voice was calm, but lethal. ¡°You will have to kill me first.¡± ???? ????s? ???????s ?? F¦Énd£Îovel Even the stoic strike team bristled. One of them muttered, ¡°Protocol breach. Solo entry denied.¡± I closed my eyes, counted to three¡­ then lost it. ¡°Enough!¡± I shouted. ¡°Everybody, shut the fuck up.¡± Silence. I took a breath and turned, hands on my hips. ¡°I¡¯m going. That¡¯s the end of this fucking conversation. We knew this might happen. I¡¯m the one cursed. I¡¯m the one she asked for. You wanna fight the witch and her creepy ass magical forest over it? Be my guest, but I¡¯m not dragging anyone else into this.¡± 8: Sep 93 Ashrian stepped forward and gently touched my forehead. ¡°Then let¡¯s make sure you¡¯re ready.¡± His magic was like chilled wine and firelight as it poured through me, anchoring to my own. Together, we wove a shield of moonlight around my thoughts and lined it with a shell of blood magic so thick it thrummed in my chest like a war drum. ¡°Nothing gets in,¡± he said. ¡°Not even fear.¡± The strike team, clearly unhappy, stepped up and handed me a tiny earbud. ¡°Codeword is nachos,¡± the leader said,pletely deadpan. ¡°You say it, we¡¯re in. No hesitation.¡± ¡°Nachos,¡± I repeated, smirking. ¡°Got it.¡± Daxon grumbled something about bullshit magical rules, and Rylen looked like he wanted to punch a tree, but I didn¡¯t give them time to argue. I squared my shoulders, gave my mates a firm nod, and turned toward the gate. ¡°You ready for this, Lyssira?¡± ¡°Ready to burn down the forest if that bitch tries anything,¡± she growled. ¡°Let¡¯s show her who we are.¡± The gate creaked opened slowly, revealing a path through the forest dappled in silver mist and mossy roots. Flowers I didn¡¯t recognize bloomed in glowing purples and blue hued gold, and the breeze smelled like secrets and old stories. I walked. Every step buzzed with energy, the kind that made your soul itch. I could feel the forest watching me. Not threatening, just¡­ waiting. The cottage came into view minutester. Wyrd Hollow was carved from white stone and ckened wood, vines clinging to the roof like they¡¯d always belonged. Smoke curledzily from the chimney. The windows flickered with candlelight. I stepped up to the crooked wooden door and knocked three times, my heart jack hammering. The door creaked open before my knuckles hit the wood again. ¡°Elowen Skye Thorne,¡± a melodic voice sang out from somewhere inside, soft and strange. ¡°Come in, child. The tea is steeping. I¡¯ve been expecting you.¡± Well. Shit. I stepped inside.The door shut behind me with a whisper of wind that sounded too much like a sigh. Not creepy at all. The air inside was¡­ heavy. Not suffocating, more like it had depth. Like every particle had soaked in centuries of magic and mystery and gossip and was now vibrating quietly with secrets. The entryway was narrow, cluttered with books stacked like towers of Jenga and dried herbs hanging in bundles from the rafters. Candles floated above my head, their mes flickering without smoke, their wax dripping upward into nothing. 8:57 Thu, Sep 25 Topple 50 Chapter 50 : Cool cool cool, I thought. I¡¯ve stepped into a spell jar with furniture. ¡°Come, girl,¡± the voice called again, softer now. ¡°Bring your sharp tongue and louder heart to the table.¡± I followed the sound through a curved hallway and into a room that looked like the inside of a grimoire exploded. A round table sat in the center, carved with intricate runes that shimmered when I stepped closer. Tea steamed in delicate ss cups that were definitely older than America, and beside each sat little saucers of honeb,vender sugar, and what I hoped wasn¡¯t dried eyeballs. 93 And across from me, seated in a throne¨Clike chair carved from silver birch and bone, was Morrigan Lairch. She was¡­ not what I expected. No wrinkles. No crooked back. No broomstick. She was tall and lithe, wrapped in gossameryers of ck and green, hair the color of raven feathers streaked with frost. Her eyes were silver. Not gray. Silver. Like they¡¯d been poured straight from the moon. ¡°You don¡¯t bow to power,¡± she said, sipping her tea without looking at me. ¡°Good. You were made to break it.¡± I snorted, folding my arms. ¡°You gonna tell me why you summoned me through a haunted fuckin¡® forest and made me leave my overprotective entourage at the gate?¡± That earned me a slight smile. ¡°I needed to see if you¡¯de alone. If you trusted yourself.¡± She gestured to the seat across from her. ¡°Sit, vessel.¡± I flinched. ¡°Don¡¯t call me that.¡± ¡°But you are.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Elowen. Not some divine mailbox.¡± Now she looked at me, really looked. And I felt it like a full¨Cbody scan from the inside out. ¡°You are Elowen,¡± she said slowly, ¡°and you are the prophecy incarnate. A child born of two bloodlines who should never have touched. A wolf forged in moonlight. A spark of the divine¡­ hidden for eighteen years under spells and shadows.¡± I sat. Because my knees were weak and the room was starting to spin. She waved her hand, and a soothing pulse of energy wrapped around me like warm silk. ¡°I didn¡¯t summon you to frighten you,¡± Morrigan said gently. ¡°I summoned you to free you.¡± I narrowed my eyes. ¡°Free me from what?¡± 8:57 Thu, Sep 25 She tilted her head. ¡°From the lie that you are normal. From the spell that silenced half your soul. Your mother asked me to hide you, long ago. And I did. But now it¡¯s time you remembered who you are. What you were made for.¡± 93 My throat felt dry. ¡°So you¡¯re just gonna wave a wand and poof, all my memoriese back?¡± Morriganughed. Not cruel. Not kind. Just amused. ¡°Oh, child. This is no fairy tale. There is no wand. There is only choice, sacrifice¡­ and pain. I can give you the potion that will dissolve the binding spell. But what it unleashes? That will be yours to bear.¡± I stared at the tea in front of me, steam curling like serpent smoke. ¡°And if I don¡¯t?¡± ¡°The Aegis Protocol will find you. And next time, there will be no strike team. No Alpha King. No prophecy to save you. Only chains. And silence. And blood.¡± Lyssira growled in my head. ¡°We are not prey.¡± No, we weren¡¯t. I looked up, my spine straight and my hands steady. ¡°Then let¡¯s burn this fuckin¡® spell off, witch.¡± Morrigan¡¯s eyes gleamed like a midnight de.¡±That¡¯s what I like to hear.¡± She stood, sweeping across the room to a tall cab covered in locks. With a flick of her fingers, it creaked open, revealing rows of crystal vials, each glowing faintly in different hues. She chose one. It pulsed silver and red. ¡°Drink this under the moonlight, when the Moon rises. Tonight. Alone.¡± I opened my mouth to argue, because of course I wasn¡¯t doing anything alone, but she raised a hand. This content belongs to ¡°It must be you. If anyone touches you while the spell breaks, their bond to you may shatter. Fated mate or not.¡± My stomach twisted. ¡°You have six hours. Rest. Prepare. And when the moon reaches its apex¡­e back.¡± I took the vial, the weight of it sinking into my palm like fate. Six hours. Fuck. Topple 51 Chapter 51 Elowen POV The gate groaned shut behind me as I emerged from the woods, my heart pounding and my mind spinning like a damn slot machine stuck on chaos. Everyone rushed toward me, Daxon, Ash, Taya, Rylen, Jace, and the strike team nked like wolves ready to go full war mode. I held up my hand before anyone could touch me. ¡°Don¡¯t. Just¡­ don¡¯t.¡± Daxon froze with his arms outstretched. ¡°Elowen?¡± 93 I held up the small ck ss vial. It shimmered faintly, pulsing like it had a heartbeat of its own.¡°This? This little bitch right here is the reason. Morrigan gave it to me.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Ash asked, his voice low and dangerous. ¡°A potion. To break the spell on me, my memories, my bloodline, the fae magic that¡¯s been bound since birth.¡± Discover more novels at FindN()vel Taya sucked in a breath. ¡°What¡¯s the catch?¡± I swallowed hard, my throat suddenly dry. ¡°I have to drink it alone. When the moon rises.¡± Ash stepped closer. ¡°Okay, alone like¡­ nearby alone? We¡¯ll watch from the trees..¡± ¡°No,¡± I cut him off. ¡°Alone alone. She said if anyone touches me while the potion works, while the moon is doing its thing, the bond we share? Gone. Instantly. Like it never existed.¡± A stunned silence fell over the group. Daxon stepped back, his jaw tight. ¡°She said that?¡± ¡°She didn¡¯t fucking whisper it,¡± I snapped. ¡°She practically carved it into my spine. No touching. No magic. No proximity. If anyone interferes, the Goddess herself won¡¯t be able to stitch it back together.¡± Ash¡¯s eyes were molten. ¡°How long?¡± ¡°I have to drink it when the moon rises,¡± I said. ¡°Then, when it reaches its apex, about six hourster, I return to Morrigan.¡± ¡°And if you don¡¯t?¡± Rylen asked, his voice gruff. I looked him dead in the eye. ¡°Then the spell stays. I stay fragmented. And she won¡¯t be able to help me ever again.¡± Taya looked pale. ¡°We¡¯ll be close though, right? Just¡­ not touching.¡± Ash nodded slowly. ¡°I¡¯ll still ward the space. I can buildyers of blood and moonlight around her, protection without physical connection.¡± Daxon ran a hand down his face. ¡°Fuck.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± I said, tucking the vial into the inside pocket of my jacket. ¡°So let¡¯s go grab coffee, pretend the world isn¡¯t about to tilt on its damn axis, and figure out where I¡¯m going to die a metaphorical death under the stars tonight.¡± The SUV rumbled down the winding country road, the tires crunching against the gravel as pine trees blurred past the tinted windows. I sat between Ash and Daxon in the middle row, my arms crossed tight, trying not to fidget like a hyperactive ferret on espresso. Rylen was driving, all serious jawline and narrowed eyes. Taya was in the passenger seat, her legs up on the dash like a heathen. She was humming some ridiculous pop song under her breath while Jace snored softly in the back row like a hibernating bear. The strike team SUV followed behind us like a loyal shadow. ¡°Everyone¡¯s real fucking quiet for people who just had a magical tea party in a haunted ass forest,¡± I muttered, ncing at the group. Ash smirked. ¡°Forgive us, princess. Hard to chit chat when someone drops the ¡®your soul might get ripped in half if we breathe on you wrong¡® bomb.¡± ¡°Okay, fair,¡± I said, exhaling. ¡°But I¡¯m not made of ss. I¡¯m made of rage and trauma and moonlight, apparently.¡± Daxon bumped my knee gently. ¡°And we¡¯re made of anxiety and territorial behavior. So this is a st.¡± Taya turned in her seat. ¡°After your moon ritual thing, we¡¯re finding cake. Big cake. With like¡­ frosting thicker than my thighs.¡± Iughed, the tension cracking just a little. ¡°I love your thighs.¡± ¡°Bitch, I know.¡± The GPS chirped as the town¡¯s name popped up on the screen. A quaint little Scottish vige, nestled in stone and ivy, was just minutes away. Lyssira stirred in my mind, pacing, nose twitching. ¡°Something¡¯sing. Be ready.¡± ¡°Not ominous at all,¡± I muttered. Ash looked over. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Nothing,¡± I said. ¡°Just a gut feeling.¡± I had no idea that in less than ten minutes, I was going to meet the next piece of my soul. The bell above the door jingled as we stepped into the coziest little coffee shop I¡¯d ever seen, soft yellow lighting, rustic wood beams, and the scent of cinnamon and dark roast that nearly made me moan out loud. I was halfway through dragging Daxon toward the counter when¡­..BOOM. Not a literal explosion, but Lyssira in my mind suddenly detonated. ¡°MATE! MATE MATE MATE!¡± 8:58 Thu, Sep 25 I stopped dead. My whole body seized up like I¡¯d just been tasered through the ovaries. Chapter Comments Topple 52 What the fuck?! Lyssira was screaming now, wing at my consciousness like she was trying to rip her way out of my skin. My pulse skyrocketed. My ears rang. And my whole damn soul felt like it was getting vacuum sealed and hurled through the cosmos. I whipped my head around, scanning the room with wild eyes, searching for whoever just broke the damnws of physics by existing. And then¡­He appeared. Like a scene from a slow motion rom sponsored by the Moon Goddess herself, a tall, golden haired man came running out of the back room like someone had just hit him with the exact same soul snatching lightning bolt. He skidded to a stop in the doorway, his chest rising and falling in sharp breaths, his eyes wide, bluer than the damn sky, framed byshes that were a federal offense. His shirt clung to his lean, muscr torso like it wanted to be ripped off. His aura was pure magic, so thick it made the air crackle, and his scent¡­ Oh my god his scent. Fresh rain. Crushed pine. A hint of something old and powerful and warm like lightning in a bottle. Our eyes met. And everything stopped. The room disappeared. My mates vanished. The coffee shop faded to ck. All that remained was the thunder in my chest and the way his breath hitched as he took a single step forward. He whispered something under his breath in anguage I didn¡¯t know, but Lyssira did. ¡°Mine.¡± I blinked, my lips parting, my heart stuttering in my chest. Because even though I had two bonded mates already¡­ that man? That fucking Abercrombie looking spell caster? He was mine, too. The park near the coffee shop, Inverness about ten minutester¡­. My heart was fucking pounding. I don¡¯t even know how we got to the park, honestly. One second I was frozen in that cozy ass caf¨¦ like a deer in headlights, and the next, my feet were moving without permission, dragging me out the damn door like I didn¡¯t have two alphas already sniffing around my soul. The second we stepped into the green space, he followed like he was tethered to my goddamn heartbeat. And when I finally turned to face him under the canopy of an old Hignd trees, everything just¡­ stopped. The wind died. The world hushed. Even Daxon and Ash stood still, tense but silent, like the entire realm was holding its breath. He was tall, with broad shoulders, a cocky tilt to his full lips, and a jawline that looked carved from the goddamn 8:58 Thu, Sep 25 : cliffs of Moher. Sunlight caught in his thick blond hair, and his blue eyes? 93 They didn¡¯t just glow. They zed. Like ancient skyfire. Like the kind of eyes that saw through centuries and didn¡¯t give a fuck if you bled for them. ¡°Mo ghr¨¢,¡± he breathed, his voice like velvet whiskey over gravel, thick with a Scottish burr that made my stomach flip. ¡°I fuckin¡® knew it. I felt ye across the fuckin¡® veil,ss.¡± Ashrian¡¯s brow twitched. ¡°The veil?¡± The mage didn¡¯t even blink at the vampire¡¯s tone. He was focused entirely on me. ¡°Name¡¯s L,¡± he said, stepping forward like he belonged beside me. ¡°L MacCrae. Born of the old covens of Alba. Element wielder, truth binder.. and apparently,¡± his lips quirked, ¡°the lucky bastard fate finally decided ta stop teasin¡®.¡± ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m Elowen,¡± I said, because what the hell else could I say? He took my hand without asking. My entire body lit the fuck up like someone dropped a match on a fireworks factory. Lyssira roared in my mind, howling like she¡¯d finally found thest piece of our puzzle. ¡°Yer pulse sings like it¡¯s made o¡® stars,¡± he whispered. ¡°And yer scent¡­ gods above, I¡¯ve walked through storms softer than this need.¡± Daxon cleared his throat. Ashrian didn¡¯t even try to hide his eye roll. ¡°You gonna keep fondling her hand like a schoolboy,¡± Ash drawled, ¡°or are you gonna exin what the fuck you are?¡± ¡°Boys,¡± I said, lifting one finger, ¡°let the man talk before I throw hands.¡± L chuckled, his blue eyes still locked on me, ¡°I¡¯m an elemental,¡± he said finally. ¡°But nae just one. I wield earth, water, fire, and air. That ain¡¯tmon. It¡¯s fuckin¡® near extinct.¡± Daxon blinked. ¡°You¡¯re a quad binder?¡± L nodded. ¡°Aye. My mother said I was born durin¡® a sr eclipse and thest thunder moon. Some prophecy shit, if ye believe in that kinda thing.¡± I snorted. ¡°I¡¯m a walking prophecy, babe. Wee to the fuckin¡® club.¡± Ash¡¯s voice was dry. ¡°So now we have a werewolf, a vampire, and an elemental. What¡¯s next, a phoenix and a fucking centaur?¡± L smirked. ¡°If they smell as good as she does, I¡¯ll help ye recruit ¡®em.¡± 8:58 Thu, Sep 25 Content originallyes from f?ndnovel 93 Taya snorted behind us, whispering something to Rylen that made them both cackle. Jace just muttered something about not having enough coffee for this level of soulmate chaos. But I didn¡¯t care. Because L MacCrae had stepped into my universe like he¡¯d always been meant to. And when I looked into his eyes, I knew this wasn¡¯t just fate. It was war magic. It was soul bonding. It was mine. ¡°Alright, Hignder,¡± I said, stepping into him like I had every right. ¡°Let¡¯s see what kind of storm we make together.¡± Chapter Comments Topple 53 I was still trying to process what the actual fuck had just happened when we handed L a to go cup and offered him a ride. He blinked, like we¡¯d just handed him a damn puppy, then beamed. ¡°Ye serious? Just like that? Ye lot move fast.¡± His ent could melt snow, and apparently panties too, judging by the way Taya was eyeing him with an amused smirk. Ash just grunted. ¡°We¡¯re on a timeline.¡± Dax snorted. ¡°More like a fuckin¡® prophecy scavenger hunt.¡± Lughed, that rich, rolling kind ofugh that made you want to grin even if you were in a shit mood. ¡°Aye, then let¡¯s grab my shite and I¡¯ll join yer fate parade.¡± We drove a winding five minutes through the Hignd backroads until we pulled up to his tiny, moss covered cottage tucked beneath a grove of birch trees. It looked like something out of a damn folklore book. L jogged up the stone path, stepped inside, and two minutester, emerged with a trunk that looked bigger than he was. He waved his hand, muttered something in old Gaelic, and the trunk shrank down and zipped into his palm like a damn Pok¨¦ball. Jace let out a low whistle. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ sexy magic.¡± ¡°I try,¡± L winked, sliding into the SUV. Taya leaned over and whispered to me, ¡°I like him. He¡¯s funny. And hot. You¡¯re gonna have your hands full, bitch.¡± Official source is find?novel ¡°Like I don¡¯t already,¡± I muttered, catching Ash ring at L¡¯s knee brushing mine. Daxon caught it too but rolled his eyes instead. L just grinned at both of them. ¡°If ye two keep starin¡® like that, I¡¯ll start thinkin¡® ye fancy me.¡± Ash blinked. Daxon barked augh. I choked on my fucking coffee. The strike team in the front of the SUV radioed in to the Alpha King, and by the time we pulled up to the bed and breakfast again, we had the official word; L MacCrae, elemental mage and sarcastic Hignd himbo, was wee to join us in America. He¡¯d never left Scond before. So naturally, he looked around the parking lot, lifted his coffee, and said, ¡°Well then. Let¡¯s go piss off destiny, shall we?¡± And I swear to the gods, my heart did a little flippy thing. We mbered into the bed and breakfast like a bunch of half feral magical delinquents, boots tracking mud, voices too loud, energy off the charts. The moon was creeping higher in the sky, and I had less than an hour until I had to march into the woods alone and possibly detonate my entire soul. OLE A 8:58 Thu, Sep 25 No big deal. Just a typical Tuesday. : Dinner was alreadyid out for us in the cozy dining room, roasted chicken, herbed potatoes, warm bread, and something that smelled suspiciously like whisky, spiked apple pie. The innkeeper clearly had no idea the level of supernatural chaos she was housing, and bless her for it. 93 We all flopped into our seats around the big wooden table. I slid between Daxon and Ash, as usual. Rylen and Taya were attached at the hip like the glowing little mated dorks they were, and Jace parked himself across from me with a shit eating grin. L took thest seat like he¡¯d been part of our mess from day one. He took one look around the table, at the strike team, the lingering magical buzz in the air, the way Ash kept checking me like I might burst into mes, and raised an eyebrow. ¡°Alright,¡± he said, slow and calm, his voice thick with that Hignd lilt, ¡°I think now might be a good time for someone to tell me what in the bloody fuckin¡® hell I¡¯ve gotten meself into.¡± I snorted and reached for a bread roll. ¡°You ready for the long version or the short version?¡± ¡°Short first. Then I¡¯ll ask questions and panic quietlyter.¡± Fair. I leaned back and looked him in the eye. ¡°I¡¯m a hybrid. Half wolf, half fae. My dad was the Beta of this pack, and my mom was a fae noble. Their love broke a thousand year oldw, so she got locked up in the fae realm, and I was hidden in in sight with my memories erased.¡± L blinked. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ nae short.¡± ¡°Shut up, I¡¯m getting there.¡± Taya snorted into her drink. I went on. ¡°I¡¯m the vessel of the Moon Goddess. Chosen. Marked. Meant to reunite the species that have been segregated for centuries. I¡¯m supposed to find five mates, one from each major magical line, and bond with them to fix the bnce and prevent a literal magical apocalypse.¡± His brows raised. ¡°Sounds a wee bit dramatic.¡± ¡°Tell me about it.¡± ¡°And the rest of them?¡± He motioned around the table. ¡°Daxon¡¯s my werewolf mate. Ashrian¡¯s my vampire. Taya¡¯s also moon touched like me and mated to Rylen, our elite enforcer. Jace is our sarcastic pain in the ass. You just met everyone else.¡± He took a slow sip of his drink. ¡°And now I¡¯m the mage mate.¡± 8:58 Thu, Sep 25 ¡°Looks like it,¡± I said, my voice softening. ¡°You felt it. I felt it. Lyssira, my wolf, is still drunk on you.¡± He grinned and shook his head. ¡°I always figured I was special, but damn.¡± Jace coughed into his potatoes. ¡°Don¡¯t get cocky. We¡¯ve already got one diva.¡± ¡°Speak for yourself,¡± Ash muttered. ¡°Bite me, Nosferatu.¡± ¡°dly.¡± Lughed a full bellyugh, like the sound cracked the tension right in half. ¡°Christ, y¡¯all are a fuckin¡® disaster. I love it already.¡± I smiled, warm and real, even though my chest was tight with nerves. 93 Then I pulled the little corked bottle from my jacket pocket and held it up. ¡°Speaking of disasters¡­ I have to drink this under the moonlight. Alone. Morrigan gave it to me, she¡¯s a seer, a goddess¨Cblessed one. When the moon hits its apex, I have to return to her.¡± ¡°What does the potion do?¡± he asked, suddenly serious. ¡°It strips thest of the spell that¡¯s been hiding my fae side. Unlocks everything. All my magic, my power, my birthright. But¡­¡± I swallowed hard. ¡°If anyone touches me after I drink it, before the ritual ends, our bond could break. So I have to do it alone.¡± His expression darkened. ¡°I don¡¯t like that.¡± ¡°No one does,¡± Daxon muttered. ¡°But it has to be done,¡± I said firmly. ¡°This is how I be who I¡¯m meant to be.¡± L looked at me for a long moment, then finally nodded. ¡°Then we¡¯ll be close. Just say the word and we¡¯lle runnin¡®, bond or no bond.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be fine,¡± I lied. ¡°I¡¯ve got snacks.¡± The rest of dinner was quieter, a bit more thoughtful. We passed dishes, cracked a few jokes, and let the tension sit like fog around us. When I stood up to gather my gear, nket, knife, and a packet of peanut M&Ms because I¡¯m not an animal, the room followed me with their eyes. I gave them a crooked grin. ¡°Don¡¯t wait up.¡± Then I headed out the back door and into the waiting night. 8.38 Sep
Hunted Hybrid Aegis War Saga 1 Topple 54 Chapter 54 Elowen POV N?w ?ovel chapt?rs are published on Find?Novel : 93 The moon was already stretching her pale fingers across the treetops when I stepped into the clearing. I had my nket, antern, a bottle of water, my de, and a stupidlyrge thermos of coffee that Daxon insisted I bring ¡°just in case the goddess forgot to caffeinate me.¡± I also had the little velvet pouch with Morrigan¡¯s potion tucked safely against my chest. It pulsed faintly with magic, like a heartbeat that wasn¡¯t mine. The clearing was perfect. Silent, round, ringed with silver barked trees and soft mossy ground. The moonlight poured in like she¡¯d been waiting just for me. Honestly? It was kinda romantic. If I wasn¡¯t about to potentially set my entire fucking soul on fire, I might¡¯ve appreciated it more. I spread my nket, plopped down cross legged, and arranged my supplies like a one woman ritual survival pic. I even brought snacks. Nobody¡¯s having a damn spiritual awakening on an empty stomach. I took a breath. Deep. Slow. Lyssira was pacing in my head, her white paws crunching imaginary snow as she whispered, ¡°You don¡¯t have to do this alone.¡± ¡°I do,¡± I murmured aloud. ¡°We¡¯ve been over this.¡± ¡°Still hate it.¡± ¡°Same.¡± My hands trembled as I unstoppered the bottle. The liquid inside shimmered like melted moonstone, silver, violet, and deep blue, swirling like a gxy caught in a vial. It smelled faintly of jasmine and something older, like wet earth after a lightning storm. I raised it to my lips. ¡°Bottoms up, bitch.¡± The taste hit me like cold fire and warm honey, sharp and soft all at once, and it lit me up from the inside. I gasped as it slid down my throat, every nerve ending sparking like a fuse had been lit. For a terrifying second, I couldn¡¯t move. Couldn¡¯t breathe. Couldn¡¯t think. And then it passed. A warm, humming heat settled in my belly. My skin prickled, my magic buzzed behind my ribs, and I could feel the spell starting to unravel. Not all at once. Slowly. Patiently. Like it knew it had six hours to work and was nning to stretch it out just to mess with me. ¡°Alright,¡± I exhaled, flopping back onto the nket with a groan. ¡°Let the cosmic spa treatment begin.¡± I tugged my hoodie up, kicked off my boots, and curled under the nket. The moon bathed me in light like she was watching, guarding. I let my eyes close. 8:58 Thu, Sep 25 Let the wind rustle the trees. Let the magic work. And for the first time in a long ass time¡­¡­I let myself just be. Me. Elowen Skye Thorne. Half wolf. Half fae. Whole damn storm in human skin. And tonight, I was one step closer to bing exactly who I was born to be. Even if it fucking hurt. L POV 93 I¡¯d known thess for less than a day and somehow, my whole goddamn soul was wing to get to her. We were all spread out like restless ghosts on the grass just beyond the tree line, staring at the silver lit patch where we could barely see her silhouette curled under that nket. It was torture. Holy fuck, it was worse than torture. At least torture had a purpose. This? This was just helpless waiting. Ashrian was pacing like a damn panther, muttering calctions and magical theory under his breath like it would fix the fact that we weren¡¯t allowed to touch her. Daxon sat on a log, his fists clenched so tight I swore his veins were about to explode, his eyes never leaving the trees. Rylen was sharpening his damn knife for the hundredth time, and Jace was on his third energy drink and talking absolute nonsense to nobody. And then there was Taya, curled up like a pissed off kitten on Rylen¡¯sp, teeth clenched and eyes ssy with worry. And me? I was fucking vibrating. ¡°Mo ghr¨¢,¡± I whispered, barely audible. My love, Chapter Comments Topple 55 Chapter 55 And she was out there¡­alone. Bathed in moonlight, full of potions and fate, trusting that we¡¯d keep our distance while the magic did its work. Trusting us not to fuck it up. ¡°She¡¯s glowing,¡± Taya whispered suddenly, pointing. We all froze. A soft shimmer of silver started pulsing from Elowen¡¯s body, faint at first, then growing. My heart stopped. Ash sucked in a breath. ¡°It¡¯s starting. The spell¡¯s unraveling.¡± Daxon swore under his breath and shot to his feet. ¡°I hate this. I fucking hate this.¡± ¡°I know,¡± I said, my voice low. ¡°But she¡¯s doing what she has tae do. For all of us.¡± ¡°She¡¯s a damn baby,¡± he snapped. ¡°She shouldn¡¯t have to.¡± ¡°Aye, but she does. And she¡¯s the strongest one here fer doing it anyway.¡± Updates are released by f¦É¦Ídn¦Ïvel Silence fell again, heavy and loud. The air crackled with power. The moon was high, casting the whole clearing in silver fire, and every instinct in me screamed to go to her. But I didn¡¯t move. None of us did. We sat. We waited. We suffered. Because that woman out there? She was the beginning of the end. And we¡¯d burn the whole fucking world down before we let her fall. Elowen POV The moon was too fucking bright. Everything around me was glowing, trees, rocks, my damn fingernails. I was high. Not weed high. Not mushroom high. Not even spiritual ¡°talking to a fae deer while astral projecting¡± high, No, this was cosmic, holy fuck she touched the goddess high, My veins buzzed like lightning. My skin pulsed with waves of heat and chills. I couldn¡¯t sit still, but moving felt like wading through honey and starlight. I wasid out on the nket, eyes wide, clutching the empty potion vial like it might bite me if I let go. I had snacks. Afy chair. A hoodie. I had a n. And now I was glowing like a bioluminescent jellyfish with a vendetta. ¡°Lyssira,¡± I groaned aloud, ¡°this shit is WILD.¡± Her voice echoed inside me, louder than usual, sharper, like she¡¯d been juiced up too. ¡°You think? You just drank ancient moon witch juice brewed in an enchanted forest by a woman named Morrigan. This isn¡¯t a fucking spa treatment.¡± 8:58 Thu, Sep 25 : I rolled my eyes and tried to sit up, but my bones were not currently taking requests. ¡°I feel like my soul¡¯s unraveling. Like¡­ little pieces of me are being peeled back.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because they are, dipshit.¡± ¡°Not helping.¡± 93 ¡°I¡¯m not here to help. I¡¯m here to witness the rebirth of the Moon Vessel and make sarcasticmentary while we shedyers like an emotional onion.¡± I snorted. Then I cried. Then Iughed. Then I hupped and immediately barfed silver mist into the grass beside me. It smelled like vani and ozone. ¡°Oh, what the actual fuck.¡± I wiped my mouth and looked up at the moon. She was huge¡­massive, hanging in the sky like a pearl filled with secrets. I swore I saw something move inside it. Eyes. A silhouette. A flicker of wings. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I whispered to no one, rocking slightly. ¡°You¡¯re lying.¡± Lysirra chimed in. ¡°Yeah. I know.¡± Everything in me felt cracked open. My heart. My memories. The thing binding my magic¡­it wasn¡¯t just dissolving. It was screaming. Burning. I saw shes. Not full memories. Not yet. But hints. A man with silver eyes whispering my name. A woman weeping as she handed me to a cloaked figure. Blood on stone. A wolf and a fae, their hands touching for thest time. I screamed without sound. The magic roared in my ears, and I curled forward, arms wrapped around my knees, heart pounding. But I didn¡¯t run. I didn¡¯t call out. I stayed. Because this was mine. My story. My magic. My fate. The prophecy didn¡¯t say ¡°if she¡¯s ready.¡± It said ¡°if she survives.¡± So fuck it, I would. Topple 56 Chapter 56 Elowen POV One hour. That¡¯s all that was left. Sixty minutes ¡®til the moon reached her apex and whatever the fuck Morrigan had nned could begin. I was vibrating. Like, actually vibrating. My whole body buzzed with raw magic, with shifting memories that didn¡¯t make sense yet. Faces, voices, a luby in anguage I didn¡¯t know, until I did. Until I remembered. The SUV was cold, but I was sweating. The strike team gave me a wide¨Cass berth, and thank the gods for that, because thest thing I needed was someone brushing against me and losing their damn bond just because I tripped into their shoulder. No one spoke. Not even my mates. Daxon looked like he wanted to jump out of the moving vehicle and tackle the moon just to stop this. Ash was pale and clenched, like he was going to chew through his seatbelt. I was in the way back. Alone. Just me and Lyssira. ¡°You good, sunshine?¡± she asked softly, her tone for once not dripping with sarcasm. ¡°No. Not even a little,¡± I whispered, my forehead resting against the cool window. Memories were mming into me now. Like punches to the gut. Like kisses from ghosts. I remembered a silver cradle. A luby sung by a woman with flowers in her hair. A deep voice whispering, ¡°She will bring them back.¡± A battle. Screams. Fire raining from the sky. Hands shoving me through a portal as someone screamed my name. I whimpered. Just once. Just enough to feel it leave my throat like a curse. ¡°You¡¯re doing fine,¡± Lyssira murmured. ¡°You¡¯re not breaking. You¡¯re remembering.¡± The SUV slowed. Gravel crunched. I looked up to see it.The gate. That ancient, iron¨Cwrought thing that felt like it had opinions. It opened for me with a sound like thunder and secrets. I opened the door and stepped out. Everyone else stayed back, good. If anyone touched me now, I¡¯d scream. The walk felt shorter this time. Or maybe I was just¡­ floating. My feet were touching the earth, but my soul felt loose. Like a ribbon caught in wind.The trees whispered. My skin sparked. I reached the cottage door. Knocked once. Twice.Three times. The door opened instantly. Morrigan¡¯s melodic voice called out from somewhere deeper inside. ¡°Come, child. The time hase. Join me in the circle.¡± Oh, fuck me sideways.The circle? That never meant anything chill. I squared my shoulders. ¡°I got this,¡± I whispered to myself. Then to Lyssira, ¡°Right?¡± ¡°Bitch, you¡¯re the moon¡¯s favorite. Act like it.¡± 8:45 Fri, Sep 26 220 So I walked inside. Alone. Glowing. Trembling. And ready. The room pulsed with ancient energy. Morrigan stood at the center of the circle. The chalked lines were glowing with a faint silver blue shimmer. Candles flickered unnaturally, their mes dancing without air, and herbs burned in a bowl, the smoke curling like a serpent. The scent hit me like a p. It wasvender, bloodroot, and something older, something fae and wild. ¡°Step in,¡± Morrigan said, her voice deeper now, thick with magic. I didn¡¯t hesitate. I stepped into the circle, bare feetnding softly inside the sigils. The second I crossed the threshold, it felt like reality hupped. The world shivered. ¡°Give me your hands,¡± she said, holding hers out. Th?s chapter is updated by find¡¤novel I ced mine in hers, and it was like touching lightning and cold stone at the same time. Her lips moved in ancient tongue, words older than the hills outside. The smoke twisted, the air snapped, and the Unbinding began. My mind cracked first. Not in a painful way, more like someone yanked open a locked chest in my soul and dumped every damn thing I ever forgot straight into my bloodstream. I screamed. Not from pain, but from the sheer force of knowing. Memories flooded in, overwhelming me. And then¡­she appeared. Selene.The Moon Goddess. Radiant. Blinding. Terrifying in her gentleness. Her eyes held gxies, and her hair floated around her like a stormcloud lit from within. Chapter Comments B 2 Write Comments SHARE Topple 57 Chapter 57 ¡°You are the key,¡± she said, her voice like chimes over thunder. ¡°The bloodline of union. The spark of war. The breath of peace.¡± Images mmed through me¡­The shifters and fae standing together on the same battlefield. Lycans shaking hands with vampires. A burned out facility with the Aegis Protocol insignia torn from the walls. Children, beast, mage and fae, learning side by side. My mother, bound in chains of light, eyes pleading. ¡°You must find the creature hunters,¡± Selene whispered. ¡°End them. Burn the Protocol to ash. Unite the species. Lead them to a new era.¡± ¡°And my mother?¡± I choked out. Selene¡¯s hand cupped my cheek. ¡°If you seed¡­you can free her. And perhaps even more.¡± Then everything imploded. Colors, memories, magic, purpose. I was dragged back to my body, breathless, sobbing, sweat slick and radiant with moonlight. My whole soul felt scrubbed raw and holy. Morrigan released my hands. ¡°It is done,¡± she said, her voice no longer melodic. Just¡­sharp. Grounded. Real. I stumbled out of the circle, leaning against the wall, blinking like a newborn deer high on goddamn prophecy juice. Then Morrigan smiled. Not sweetly. ¡°You owe me a boon now, Elowen.¡± My head snapped up. ¡°Wait, what?¡± ¡°The unbinding, the conduit, the ritual, all performed on sacred ground under ancientw. One day, I¡¯ll call for payment. One boon. No more, no less.¡± ¡°You sneaky, maniptive fae touched¡­¡± Sheughed. ¡°You¡¯ll thank me someday.¡± I muttered every curse I could think of under my breath. Godsdammit. I had just be the beacon of a fucking prophecy and signed myself into fae debt. Selene save me. The cottage door clicked shut behind me. My boots crunched against the gravel path as I stepped back into the moonlight. I felt¡­ different. Not just different, rewritten. Reforged. Like I was both heavier and lighter all at once, made of ancient magic and prophecy and, apparently, fucking favors owed to powerful witches. I didn¡¯t even realize I was crying until the wind kissed my cheeks and cooled the wetness. As I reached the SUV, the strike team immediately snapped to alert,ms crackling. The door swung open and there they were. Ashrian. Daxon. L. : B All three of them surged forward at once, but stopped just short of touching me, their hands hovering like I was breakable crystal edged with fire. L¡¯s voice was the first, low and hoarse. ¡°Are we allowed tae touch ye, mot ghr¨¢?¡± I blinked, still high on divine energy and half drunk on the ritual. ¡°Yeah,¡± I whispered. ¡°You can touch me now.¡± Content originallyes from f?ndnovel They didn¡¯t wait for a second invitation. Ash gathered me in first, burying his face in my neck like he needed to make sure I was real. Daxon wrapped his arms around both of us, pressing kisses into my hair and swearing under his breath about killing anyone who made me cry like this. L came inst, wrapping his strong arms around all of us like a warm damn nket, his lips brushing my temple. ¡°Thank the gods,¡± he murmured. ¡°Ye scared the fuckin¡® soul outta me.¡± Iughed, a watery, wrecked sound that turned into a sob halfway out. ¡°I think I left my soul in that cottage. I saw everything. The goddess, the prophecy, my mother, I saw it all.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll get her back,¡± Dax growled against my shoulder. ¡°Whatever it takes.¡± ¡°Aye,¡± L said, tone fierce and reverent all at once. ¡°We¡¯ve got ye, Elowen. No matter how big the war is. Ye don¡¯t carry it alone.¡± Ash didn¡¯t say anything. He just held on tighter. And for a moment, wrapped in their arms, with the moonlight on my back and fate still humming through my skin, I believed it. I wasn¡¯t alone. Not anymore. Chapter Comments Write Comments B 2 SHARE Topple 58 Chapter 58 Elowen POV A 83 The room was dim. It was lit only by the soft amber glow of a singlemp on the bedside table. The door clicked shut behind L, and the sound echoed like a heartbeat in my ears. Ash and Daxon had kissed my forehead, given me a smirk and a ¡°don¡¯t be too loud, babe,¡± before slipping into the other room to give us space. I was too raw to be embarrassed. I needed this. I needed him. L turned to face me, the firelight dancing off his golden hair, his blue eyes soft and searing all at once. ¡°Ye sure, mo ghr¨¢?¡± he asked, his voice a thick murmur soaked in his Hignd drawl, rough as aged whiskey and twice as potent. ¡°After all that, do ye want this?¡± I nodded slowly, walking toward him like gravity was pulling me. ¡°I don¡¯t want it, L. I ache for it. I need to feel something that isn¡¯t duty or prophecy or fucking bone cracking magic. I need you.¡± That was all it took. He crossed the space between us in a breath, one hand cradling the back of my head as his lips met mine reverently, like a prayer whispered through flesh. His other hand slipped around my waist, pulling me flush to his body, and I moaned into his mouth as the heat between us ignited. Clothes came off slowly, like unwrapping a gift neither of us deserved but had waited lifetimes for. My shirt slid up and over my head, hisrge hands mapping the new terrain of my body like I was sacred. He cupped my breasts gently, his thumbs circling over my nipples until I was whimpering, my breath stuttering in my throat. ¡°Ye¡¯re so fuckin¡® beautiful,¡± he whispered, kneeling in front of me like I was something holy. His lips grazed over my belly, up to the underside of my breasts, then lower, worshipping me with every kiss. When his tongue finally found my swollen clit, I nearly came apart. He groaned at the taste of me, holding my thighs open as if he could drink every drop of my pleasure and still be thirsty. I was trembling, and moaning, my hands tangled in his hair, begging without shame. ¡°L, please¡­¡± He rose then, his eyes molten with want, his cock thick and hard and flushed. He lined himself up against my already dripping folds, his lips brushing mine as he asked one more time, ¡°Truly ready, mo ghr¨¢?¡± ¡°Take me,¡± I breathed. ¡°Make me yours.¡± And he did. The first push was slow, and deep, as if the bond itself was dragging him into me. I gasped, digging my nails into his 8:45 Fri, Sep 26 20 back, and he held still, whispering words in Gaelic against my cheek that I didn¡¯t understand but felt in my bones. He began to move with long slow thrusts that drove me insane. Every roll of his hips struck something deep inside me that made me keen. Our bodies fit like they were made for this. Like fate had carved us from the same fire. He kissed me through it, murmured praises, and held me like I was precious, until I shattered. My orgasm hit like a tidal wave, stars behind my eyes, his name on my tongue. He followed with a guttural growl, burying himself deep as the mate bond lit up between us like a fucking supernova. I screamed. He groaned. And then it happened. Twin glowing tattoos burst into life across our chests, his a moon marked tree with roots buried deep in the earth. Mine a constetion swirling into a heart. Silver light glowed between us, pulsing like a heartbeat until it faded into skin. We copsed in a tangle of limbs and breathless wonder, his arms locked tight around me as I finally, finally¡­felt ?????? ???? Find[F]ovel safe. ¡°Ye¡¯re mine now,¡± he whispered, his lips brushing my forehead. ¡°Forever, mo ghr¨¢.¡± Chapter Comments ? 2 Write Comments 2/2 8:45 Fri, Sep 26 Hunted Hybrid ¨C Aegis War Saga 1 Topple 59 Chapter 59 : I didn¡¯t answer. I didn¡¯t have to. I just smiled and let sleep take me, wrapped in love, magic, and the strongest arms I¡¯d ever known. The next morning¡­. The morning air was crisp as fuck and smelled like dew, coffee, and maybe a little leftover sex. I stretched like a satisfied cat, tangled in L¡¯s arms, and groaned as he kissed my bare shoulder. Daxon and Ash were already thumping around in the hallway, being loud and obnoxious like the feral man children they were. ¡°Rise and shine, beautiful,¡± Daxon hollered through the door. ¡°nes don¡¯t wait for pretty girls who oversleep!¡± I rolled my eyes. ¡°Bite me, wolf boy.¡± ¡°You liked itst time,¡± he shot back,ughing. Breakfast was chaotic in the best way. Taya had crumbs in her hair. Rylen looked smug and was shirtless for some reason. L couldn¡¯t stop smirking at me across the table, and Ash just looked dangerously hot and sleepy. The strike team was posted by the exits, doing that thing where they look calm but could kill twenty people in three seconds. After shoving down my fourth piece of toast, I wiped my mouth and stood. ¡°Alright, nerds. Let¡¯s fly.¡± The private jet gleamed ahead of us on the tarmac like something out of a dream. But just as we stepped onto the pavement¡­.The air shifted. Thick. Heavy. Electric. ¡°Oh fuck,¡± Lyssira snarled in my head. ¡°Move. Now.¡± A shrieking crack split the air beside the trees as a swirling portal burst open, purple lightningshing the edges like a beast unchained. Vampires. Five of them. Aegis protocol. Fanged, feral, and armed to the damn teeth. Their eyes were glowing with that sick and hungry red. ¡°Targets acquired,¡± one growled. ¡°Hand over Elowen Skye Thorne. Now.¡± Daxon stepped in front of me instantly, his body vibrating with the shift just beneath the surface. ¡°How about you hand over your own fucking head?¡± ¡°Bold for something already dead,¡± Ash muttered, summoning blood magic with a flick of his fingers, a jagged crimson de sparking to life in his palm. 8:45 Fri, Sep 26 The strike team formed a perfect perimeter, guns out, magic prepped, jaws tight. I felt L beside me, already calling the wind to circle us, his hand gripping mine so tight it burned. The lead vamp hissed and lunged¡­But then. A soft voice behind us: ¡°Not today, filth.¡± Newest update provided by find?novel Isobel, the sweet woman with a crooked smile and an apron covered in flour, walked out from behind the SUV like a goddamn force of nature. Her eyes had turned pitch ck. Her fingers sparkled with ancient sigils as she chanted in a tongue older than time. The ground shook. A dome of shimmering gold erupted around us like a giant bubble. The vampires mmed into it, and fucking bounced back, snarling and screeching. ¡°What the fuck,¡± Jace breathed. ¡°She¡¯s a fucking witch,¡± Taya whispered, wide eyed. ¡°A powerful one,¡± Rylen added, cracking his knuckles. ¡°And clearly on our side.¡± The vampires went ballistic. They wed, kicked, threw spells and des, but nothing broke through. The witch didn¡¯t even blink. ¡°Get on the jet, children. I¡¯ll handle this mess.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sending you a fucking pie,dy,¡± I called as the team shoved us toward the stairs. She smiled. ¡°Make it cherry.¡± We ran. We boarded fast, the jet door sealing behind us as we buckled in. The strike team gave the all clear and contacted Alpha Draven mid air. As we lifted off, I looked out the window just in time to see the innkeeper witch standing there like a damn legend, her arms raised, her protection shield holding firm while the Aegis bastards shrieked in rage. Holy shit. ¡°Next time,¡± I muttered to L, who was grinning wide, ¡°we¡¯re staying somewhere less eventful.¡± Heughed. ¡°I dinnae think we do uneventful, mo ghr¨¢.¡± Touch¨¦. Topple 60 Chapter 60 Elowen POV PO: The jet was sleek, silent, and sexier than sin. Leather seats, crystal lighting, and a stocked drink bar? Alpha Draven did not skimp on travel amodations. We were barely in the air when everyone spread out like wild animals who just discovered sofas. Taya immediately threw herself into Rylen¡¯sp with a dramatic sigh. ¡°That was the most eventful coffee run I¡¯ve ever had.¡± Rylen grunted. ¡°Vampires. Again. What the hell is this? Weekly specials?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll kill the next one with a spoon,¡± Jace muttered, rubbing his temples. ¡°Swear to Luna, if they keep interrupting my me¨Ctime, I¡¯m gonna start throwing hands first and asking names never.¡± L, wide eyed and barefoot now, because apparently ¡°boots off, fullfort mode¡± was his vibe, sank into the seat next to me and looked around with the wonder of a kid at his first amusement park. ¡°This thing is a bloody castle in the sky,¡± he said, that sexy ent thick and warm. ¡°How does it stay up? There¡¯s nae wings big enough!¡± I snorted. ¡°It¡¯s called jet propulsion, Gandalf. Science.¡± ¡°Witchcraft,¡± he muttered seriously. ¡°Aye, I trust the fae, but this metal bird? No¡® so sure.¡± Daxonughed from across the aisle. ¡°Thising from the guy who shoots lightning out of his hands like a Marvel viin.¡± ¡°That¡¯s natural,¡± L argued, pointing to himself. ¡°This?¡± He gestured around wildly. ¡°A flying tin can powered bybusting fire in a steel gut? Absolutely nae.¡± ¡°Wee to America,¡± Ash said dryly, sipping some imported ck coffee like a moody vampire prince. ¡°Land of me powered death machines and stress induced IBS.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a fuckin¡® mood,¡± I said, nudging his thigh with my foot. L turned to Ash with a curious squint. ¡°Ye¡¯re the blood mage, aye? Daxon said ye were, what was the word?¡­.an edgy bastard.¡± Ash looked unimpressed. ¡°He say that before or after I saved his life?¡± ¡°Elowen told me she almost died without yer magic,¡± L said, his smile softening. ¡°So thank ye for nae letting my mate be vamp snack food.¡± Ash blinked in surprise. ¡°You¡¯re wee. Also, ¡®edgy bastard¡® is fair.¡± 83 Taya leaned forward and smirked at L. ¡°So, what do you know about the States, Lach?¡± He looked thoughtful. ¡°I know there¡¯s tae many guns, nae enough healthcare, and yer sweet tea tastes like syrup and regret.¡± Jace howled. ¡°I love this man.¡± L grinned. ¡°Also, why does yer bacon look like it¡¯s been cursed? It¡¯s floppy. Bacon shouldnae be floppy. That¡¯s a war crime.¡± Rylen nodded solemnly. ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ve been saying this for years.¡± I grinned, curled up next to L with my head on his shoulder. ¡°You¡¯re gonna hate a lot of our food, babe. But I¡¯ll make sure you survive. And we¡¯re definitely introducing you to hot wings.¡± ¡°Hot wings?¡± he echoed, in a suspicious tone. ¡°Spicy chicken limbs that¡¯ll light your soul on fire,¡± I said proudly. ¡°Theye with ranch.¡± ¡°America¡¯s weird,¡± he murmured. ¡°But I love yer ent when ye say ¡®ranch.¡°¡± ¡°I¡¯ll say it naked if it helps,¡± I said with a wink. Find the newest release on fin?novel Daxon coughed. ¡°Okay, no more hornyments until wend. I can¡¯t take another in flight boner. These pants are thin.¡± ¡°You started it, wolf boy,¡± Taya teased. ¡°You moaned when you bit Rylen¡¯s neck at breakfast,¡± Dax shot back. ¡°There were witnesses. I was trying to eat.¡± ¡°You were trying to eavesdrop,¡± she said sweetly. ¡°Oh my gods,¡± I groaned, burying my face in L¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I love us, but I also hate us.¡± The strike team, gods bless ¡®em, sat like statues near the back, pretending not to hear a damn word even though they totally were. ¡°Any more vampire pitstops on the schedule?¡± Jace asked. ¡°No,¡± I said, sighing loudly. ¡°Just back home, straight to training, maybe some prophecy shit, and a pack wide fuckin¡® soulmate rave.¡± L blinked. ¡°¡­Did ye say rave?¡± ¡°I did,¡± I grinned. ¡°We call it a mate ball. There¡¯s dancing, derations, possibly nakedness, and if we¡¯re lucky, zero stabbings.¡± 8:46 Fri, Sep 26 444 He leaned close, his voice a husky whisper near my ear. ¡°Will I get tae dance with ye in front of the whole realm, ma ghr¨¢?¡± Chapter Comments ? 3 Write Comments 3/3 Topple 61 Chapter 61 I bit my lip. ¡°Only if you wear that sexy Hignder outfit I just pictured.¡± Ash groaned. ¡°This flight is too long for you two to start roleying.¡± Jace raised a brow. ¡°Speak for yourself. I want him in a kilt.¡± 669 ¡°Same,¡± said Taya. ¡°Jesus,¡± Dax muttered. ¡°Do they even have Jesus here?¡± Rylen added. And that¡¯s how we spent the next four hours: snacking,ughing, bullying each other with affection, and letting the tension finally bleed out after one hell of a whirlwind. Home was calling. And we were returning stronger than ever. Fourteen hourster¡­.. I was out. Like my mouth was hanging open, drooling on L¡¯s shirt kind of out. Wrapped between my literal three lovers, one leg draped over Ash¡¯s thigh, my arm curled across Dax¡¯s chest, and my cheek stuck to L¡¯s bare corbone, like a damn feral cuddle octopus. We were all conked the fuck out in various positions of tangled limbs, blissful post¨Cbattle exhaustion, and zero shame. And then¡­¡­¡°WHERE IS SHE?!¡± The sound of a very pissed off Alpha King exploding into the cabin at full volume nearly made me astral project. ¡°FUCK!¡± I shrieked, sitting bolt upright and elbowing Ash right in the face. L let out a confused Gaelic curse. Dax snarled. ¡°THE FUCK IS HAPPENING?¡± Jace dove for something under his seat like he was ready to throw hands. Taya screamed, ¡°ARE WE CRASHING?!¡± Rylenunched off his seat like someone had hit the eject button. And Alpha Draven? Storming down the aisle like a pissed off wolf god in ck tactical gear, his eyes glowing gold, his voice shaking the windows. ¡°VAMPIRES? ON ALLIE LAND? NO ONE CALLED ME?!¡± 173 12:51 Sat, Sep 27 2 69 Ash, blinking sleep from his eyes, grunted, ¡°We handled it. Mostly. Magic innkeeper Isobel. Big boom shield, Jet got airborne. The ustial.¡± ¡°We were already in the fucking air,¡± 1 muttered, rubbing my eyes. ¡°And also? Did you HAVE to scream like a banshee mid dream? I was dreaming about hignd sex and breakfast.¡± L grinned sleepily. ¡°Aye, same dream, mo ghr¨¢.¡± Taya looked around blearily. ¡°Are we¡­ on the ground?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Rylen grumbled, ¡°and apparently the weingmittee is trauma.¡± Draven¡¯s energy didn¡¯t drop an inch. ¡°You should¡¯ve called. If one of you had been bitten..¡± ¡°None of us were,¡± Jace cut in. ¡°Strike team handled it like pros. We got on the jet and peaced out while the innkeeper turned into a magical badass and banished the vamps with a Celtic exorcism or something.¡± ¡°Her chant pped,¡± Ash agreed, still rubbing his bruised nose. ¡°Ten outta ten would hire her again.¡± Draven¡¯s jaw clenched. ¡°Still. If the Aegis Protocol opened a portal that close to one of our allies..¡± ¡°We know,¡± I said softly, meeting his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s a problem. We¡¯ll debrief after caffeine.¡± There was a long beat where he stared at all of us, wild haired and disheveled, wrapped in each other like a damn cuddle cult. And then he huffed, shoulders dropping. ¡°Fine. I¡¯m d you¡¯re back.¡± ¡°We¡¯re d to be back,¡± Dax muttered. ¡°Now can we not get alpha screamed at during REM next time?¡± Ash raised a hand. ¡°Also, I¡¯m hungry. And I think Elowen broke my nose.¡± ¡°I think your face broke my elbow,¡± I grumbled, stretching. ¡°Where¡¯s Luna Aelira? Does she have muffins?¡± ¡°Gods,¡± Taya groaned, flopping dramatically into Rylen¡¯sp again. ¡°I need a bath, a bacon sandwich, and ten years of therapy.¡± Jace snorted. ¡°We¡¯ll get to that after we tell the entire pack how we collected another mate on this trip.¡± All eyes turned to L. Who just grinned like the charming troublemaker he was and waved. ¡°Ello. First time leavin¡® Scond. Nearly died twice. Found my soulmate. This normal fer ye lot?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± we all said in chaotic unison. Alpha Draven pinched the bridge of his nose. ¡°I need a drink.¡± And with that, the doors opened, sunlight poured in, and we were finally¡­fucking finally¡­home. But rest? 12:51 Sat, Sep 27 Chapter 61 Discover more novels at F?ndNovel Yeah. That wasn¡¯ting anytime soon. Chapter Comments 3 Topple 62 Chapter 62 Elowen POV 1: The pack dining hall was absolutely buzzing. Bodies were crammed in shoulder to shoulder,ughter echoing off stone walls.The scent of roasted meat, fresh bread, and buttery everything swirled around like a damn hug for my soul. Long wooden tables stretched end to end with wolves. Omegas darted through with pitchers of cider, and Jace was already stealing bread rolls three seats over. It felt good to be home. I sat between my chaos gremlins, Ash, Dax, and L, all three pressed in close like I might disappear if they blinked. Which, fair. Thest few days had been a lot. Across from me, Taya was whispering something wildly inappropriate into Rylen¡¯s ear, and he was turning the exact shade of a ripe tomato. Jace sat beside them, alternating between stealing Rylen¡¯s drink and pretending he wasn¡¯t listening. And then the Alpha King stood. Draven¡¯s presence silenced the room in seconds, Luna Aelira rising gracefully beside him, her dark curls pinned up like a damn queen (because, well, she was one). ¡°Wee home,¡± Draven rumbled, his voice deep andmanding, but tinged with something warmer this time, pride. ¡°Our travelers have returned safely from Scond. We are thrilled to have our daughter of the moon,¡°¡­.his gazended on me¡­¡°and her mates back where they belong.¡± Everyone pped. And by pped, I mean howled. Banged fists on tables. Someone whistled. L gave a sheepish wave, which made half the omega girls sigh like he was a damn rom poster. ¡°And,¡± Aelira added with a wink, ¡°they¡¯ve returned just in time. Because as of tomorrow night, our grounds will begin to fill. The week long Pack Convergence begins Monday at noon.¡± The room exploded again¡­.cheering, growling, people mming drinks together like it was a medieval frat party. I blinked. ¡°Wait, what?¡± Ash leaned over. ¡°They moved it up.¡± ¡°Of course they did,¡± Dax muttered. ¡°Because gods forbid we get five minutes to recover from vampire ambushes and fate boning.¡± L just chuckled, already sipping from a tankard someone handed him. ¡°What¡¯s this convergence, then?¡± Draven continued, ¡°We¡¯ve extended invitations to all five major wolf packs. They will arrive Sunday evening and Monday morning. For one full week, we will host training events, bonding activities, market days, feast nights, and¡­¡± he raised his cup ¡°¡­a mate ball on Friday night, where any new fated pairs may formally announce their bonds.¡± Oh hell. The room erupted again, but louder this time. Some wolves stood to howl. Others started chanting ¡°Mate ball! Mate ball!¡± Jace leaned toward me, his eyes wide. ¡°Okay but real question, is there like¡­a buffet? At the mate ball? Asking for science.¡± ¡°I¡¯m bringing a sk,¡± Taya said seriously. 12:51 Sat, Sep 27 ¡°Fuck, I love you people,¡± I muttered, already halfway through my second cider. Aelira spoke again, her voice strong, ¡°This will not only be an opportunity for joy and connection, but for strength. We need unity. The Aegis Protocol is out there. Watching. This convergence may be our greatest shield against them. So prepare yourselves. And wee those whoe with open hearts, but guarded minds.¡± Luna wisdom, sharp as ever. Draven raised his goblet high. ¡°To our pack. To fate. To the week ahead.¡± ¡°To fate!¡± the hall roared. 68 ¡°To sex and speed dating,¡± Jace muttered beside me, and Rylen spit his drink halfway across the table. And as everyone dug into the feast again, howling and toasting and teasing L about being ¡°the hot Scottish import,¡± I sat back in my chair and let myself breathe. One day to prepare. One day until the world changed again. Let¡¯s fucking go. Daxon POV The castle halls were quiet for once. Not dead, but still, like the whole pack was finally exhaling after holding its breath for too long. I moved through the dimly lit corridor with that bone deep ache that only came from battle adrenaline, skipped sleep, and a vampire ambush before boarding a goddamn private jet. I should¡¯ve gone straight to bed. Elowen was already half asleep leaning on L when we passed the great staircase, and Ash looked like he might literally stab someone if they interrupted his post flight cuddles. But instead, I found myself knocking twice on the heavy oak door to my father¡¯s study. ¡°Enter,¡± came his voice, deep and sharp. I pushed in and shut the door behind me. He stood at the hearth, a ss of whiskey in his hand. The mes cast golden shadows over his strong frame. Still in his dress shirt, sleeves rolled up. His tie hung from the back of a chair like it had lost a fight. ¡°Figured you¡¯d stop in,¡± he said without turning. I didn¡¯t answer right away. Just crossed the room, grabbed the second ss he¡¯d already poured, and took a long pull. I sighed heavily. ¡°It was bad. Worse than we thought.¡± Now he turned. ¡°Tell me everything.¡± So I did. Every fucking detail. The potion. Morrigan¡¯s terms. The vision from Selene. The Aegis ambush. The spell that innkeeper unleashed. Even the new mate. L, the elemental mage with the ent so thick you needed subtitles. My father didn¡¯t interrupt once. When I finished, he just stared into the fire for a while. Like he was holding the weight of it all in his chest. ¡°We¡¯ve underestimated the threat,¡± he finally said, his voice low. ¡°If they¡¯re already crossing borders to us¡­we can¡¯t afford to y defense anymore.¡± I nodded. ¡°She¡¯s not scared. Not even after everything. She¡¯s¡­ charging into the chaos like it¡¯s hers to tame.¡± 12:51 Sat, Sep 27 He nced over at me. ¡°And how are you?¡± I blinked. That was rare. Direct. Personal. ?? ¡°I¡¯m¡­ fucking exhausted, if I¡¯m honest. But I¡¯m good. She¡¯s it for me, Dad. I¡¯d die for her, and I know Ash would too. Now we¡¯ve got this damn Scottish wonderboy making moon eyes at her and somehow, weirdly¡­ it feels right. The bond is weird like that.¡± He smiled at that. Just barely. ¡°Fate doesn¡¯t ask for permission. But it usually gives us what we need.¡± ¡°Even if it¡¯s a walking Abercrombie ad with elemental powers?¡± That got a realugh out of him, gruff and short. ¡°Sounds like you boys have your hands full.¡± ¡°We do. And I wouldn¡¯t change a damn thing.¡± Follow current nov?ls on FindN()vel He pped a heavy hand on my shoulder. ¡°Get some rest. You¡¯ve got tomorrow, then you¡¯re back in the fire.¡± I raised my ss in a silent toast and downed the rest. ¡°Night, Dad.¡± ¡°Proud of you, son.¡± Yeah¡­ that hit harder than I expected. I left the study and made my way upstairs, the warmth of the fire and my mates arms and that quiet blessing settling deep in my chest. Tomorrow, we breathe. Monday? We burn. Chapter Comments 3 Topple 63 Chapter 63 Elowen POV Sunday, Midday I woke up feeling like I¡¯d been hit by a semi, reborn, then hit again just for good measure. Apparently, love, magic, and international vampire ambushes do a number on a girl¡¯s joints. Who knew? Ash was sprawled across half the damn bed like a smug jungle cat, his hair in his face, nket kicked off. Daxon had me pinned to the mattress like I might float away if he didn¡¯t cling to me with his entire tree trunk of a thigh. And L? That beautiful Hignder bastard was somehow still upright in bed, sipping tea and reading a spellbook like it was azy Sunday in a romance novel. ¡°Are you fucking real?¡± I groaned, dragging myself upright. He winked over the rim of his cup. ¡°Ye¡® askin¡® now, after I made ye see starsst night?¡± Daxon muttered something about show offs in his sleep. I kicked him. Gently. We finally rolled out of bed around lunchtime, realizing we¡¯d slept through breakfast like a bunch of pampered brats. When we reached the dining hall, Taya, Rylen, and Jace were already there, digging into giant tes of food like they¡¯d been starving for a week. Taya gave me the same look I was giving her. ¡°Damn,¡± we both said at the same time. Her skin was glowing, her eyes soft, and her smug little grin told me she¡¯d had one hell of a night. We giggled like feral girls and dragged our mates to the buffet line. After piling my te so high I was basically making a carbohydrate tower, I made my way over to Luna Aelira, who was holding court at the end of the table with a scroll in one hand and a steaming cup of something herbal in the other. ¡°Hey Luna,¡± I said with a sweet smile. ¡°Anything you want Taya and me to help with today? We¡¯ve got energy to spare.¡± She waved a hand like I was being silly. ¡°We have staff for that, love. This is yourst rest day before shit gets wild. Enjoy it.¡± Well, damn. I tried. So we ate. I had three kinds of bread and at least two cinnamon rolls. Taya nearly stabbed Jace when he tried to steal one of hers. The usual. When lunch wrapped up, Daxon stood, stretched like the massive man child he is, and announced, ¡°If I don¡¯t hit something in the next ten minutes, I¡¯m gonnabust.¡± ¡°Training grounds?¡± Ash offered, already cracking his knuckles. ¡°Yes,¡± I said, grabbing the hem of my shirt and yanking it off as I walked. ¡°Let¡¯s go fuck each other up.¡± Taya whooped beside me. ¡°Finally.¡± The training field was packed. Apparently, everyone had the same idea. Warriors were sparring shirtless, dripping in sweat. Magic users. had set up a dueling ring on the far side. I saw at least one guy on fire, not screaming, though, so that was fine. 68 12:51 Sat, Sep 27 Lyssira purred in my mind. ¡°Yesss. Our people. Chaos and controlled violence. Let¡¯s ruin some egos, my love.¡± 68 I stepped into the dirt ring, my toes curling against the warm earth. Across from me stood Daxon, smirking like he didn¡¯t need to stretch. ¡°Tap outs?¡± he asked. I nodded. ¡°Unless you¡¯re scared.¡± ¡°Oh sweetheart, I was born to terrify.¡± We circled. TThen we shed. One after another, we all took turns, me, Taya, Jace, Dax, Rylen, Ash, even L (who fought dirty in the most elegant way possible, the bastard). My muscles burned, my hair was wild, and my magic was humming under my skin by the time Inded t on my back,ughing breathlessly up at the clouds. ¡°I needed this,¡± I muttered, stretching my arms out. ¡°This was better than therapy.¡± Ash offered me a hand and pulled me up with ease. ¡°That¡¯s because violence is therapy for you.¡± This content belongs to f¦É¦Ídn¦Ïvel ¡°No notes,¡± I said, dusting myself off. We spent the rest of the afternoon sparring, flirting, trash talking, and teaching the newbies who had gathered to watch us how to not get their asses kicked when shit hit the fan. Chapter Comments 3 Write Comments SHARE 14.01 Sat, Sep 21 Hunted Hybrid ¨C Aegis War Saga 1 Topple 64 This wasn¡¯t just fun.This was pack prep. Ande tomorrow, when wolves from all five territories arrived? We¡¯d be ready. By the time the sun started dipping low and thest warrior threw in the towel at the training grounds, my body was buzzing, part soreness, part adrenaline, part what the fuck just happened today. Naturally, Taya¡¯s bright idea was: ¡°Let¡¯s go for a run!¡± And by run, she meant, ¡°Let¡¯s all get naked and turn into wolves and yeet ourselves into the forest like the feral bastards we are.¡± Honestly? I was down. We all headed to the shifting ridge just off the southern woods, a wide expanse the pack had cleared long ago for this exact chaos. I stripped with zero shame and stepped into the moonlight, already feeling Lyssira wing to the surface. ¡°You ready, baby girl?¡± I asked. ¡°Born ready, bitch,¡± she howled back. The shift hit hard, my bones stretching, fur sprouting, soul slipping into primal control. Secondster, Lyssira stood in my ce, tall and regal and radiant as fuck with her silver and blue tipped fur glinting in the fading sunlight. The others shifted in kind, Daxon¡¯s massive obsidian beast was already pacing beside me, tail flicking with anticipation. Taya¡¯s sleek fire red wolf bumped my shoulder yfully, and Rylen¡¯s deep brown wolf trotted up with a low, happy growl. Jace rolled around on the ground, his brown and grey wolf panting like a pup. Then it happened. From behind us, we heard a crack, then a pop, then¡­¡°Oh fer fuck¡¯s sake¡­WHAT THE FUC¡± from L. We turned in time to see him doubled over, glowing gold, his eyes blown wide as energy crackled all over his skin. ¡°Uh¡­ is he okay?¡± Taya asked, halfway between concern and awe. ¡°Very much not a normal mage thing,¡± Lyssira muttered, her ears flicking back. L groaned once, then BOOM. Where the sexy, sassy elemental mage once stood now towered a giant golden furred wolf with brilliant blue eyes and a dumbfounded expression. Dead fucking silence. And then¡­¡°Holy. Shit.¡± Jace whispered from somewhere behind us. ¡°Did the mage just wolf out?!¡± L¡¯s new form huffed. He padded over to me, tail wagging and nose twitching like he had no fucking clue how to wolf. ¡°Lach?¡± I asked, still stunned. The wolf sat. Licked his paw. Looked offended. 603 12:51 Sat, Sep 27 Then, another crackle. Another sh of magic. A And Ashrian, my brooding, battle worn, arcane god of a shadow prince, shimmered gold, cursed under his breath, and fucking shifted. Into the sleekest, tallest, most terrifying ck wolf I¡¯d ever seen. His fur shimmered like ink in water. His eyes still burned the same ck and red as before. And every single wolf in the area froze. Someone behind us shrieked. Someone else dropped their shorts and bolted.The entire ridge descended into chaos. This content belongs to fin?novel ¡°WHAT THE FUCK?!¡± ¡°THAT¡¯S NOT POSSIBLE!¡± ¡°They¡¯re not even wolves!¡± ¡°How did they?!¡± I shifted back quickly, stumbling naked through the grass with zero shame and zero answers. Daxon shifted back beside me, shielding me with his body as the rest of the pack shifted to two legs to try to make sense of what they¡¯d just seen. L was circling himself like a confused puppy. Ash sat like a stone statue, his giant wolf tail flicking with immense judgment. ¡°What the hell just happened?¡± Rylen asked, wide eyed. ¡°They, shifted,¡± I whispered, blinking. ¡°They¡¯re not even wolves and they just, what the actual fuck?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the bond,¡± Luna Aelira said, her voice soft but awed. She stood at the edge of the chaos, barefoot in the grass, her eyes locked on me like I¡¯d just grown a second head. ¡°Elowen, they¡¯re bonded to the Moon Goddess through you. She¡¯s rewriting them.¡± Alpha King Draven stepped up next to her, arms crossed, watching Ashrian and L as if they were ticking bombs, or perhaps new gods being born. He exhaled hard. ¡°I don¡¯t know what the fuck is going on,¡± he muttered, ¡°but I¡¯m gonna need another drink.¡± Same, bro. Fucking same. Chapter Comments ? 3 Write Comments SHARE Topple 65 Elowen POV 0:0 (69 We didn¡¯t even make it to the showers before getting summoned to the Alpha King¡¯s hall. Still barefoot, half dressed, and smelling like damp forest and moon magic, we were herded into the long stone chamber like we¡¯d justmitted a felony instead of¡­ you know, rewriting magical history. Alpha Draven sat at the head of the room, his arms crossed, and a ss of something stiff in his hand. Luna Aelira perched beside him, graceful and calm, eyes locked on me like I was some prophecy incarnate. (Which¡­ fair.) And nking the room were six of the oldest wolves I¡¯d ever seen. The Elders. They weren¡¯t just giving judgmental grandparent vibes. These folks had seen centuries, and right now, they were all looking at me like I¡¯d grown wings, horns, and a second vagina. ¡°You¡¯re sure the mage and the vampire had never shifted before?¡± one elder asked slowly, her silver braid coiled like a snake over her shoulder. ¡°No,¡± I said. ¡°Ashrian is a Vampire. L¡¯s a pure elemental mage. Shifting into a wolf isn¡¯t just rare, it¡¯s not supposed to be possible.¡± Another elder with a beard so long it touched his knees muttered, ¡°It¡¯s been written about, long ago¡­ in the Seer¡¯s Codex of the Fifth Age.¡± N?w ?ovel chapt?rs are published on FindN()vel I blinked. ¡°The what now?¡± ¡°The Moon Goddess,¡± another elder cut in, ¡°has rewritten their essence. Your bond is divine. And because of that, it¡¯s overriding natural magical limitations. You¡¯re forming what ancient texts called The Hybrid Circle.¡± Daxon raised an eyebrow. ¡°Sounds kinky.¡± The elder didn¡¯t flinch. ¡°It means that every mate you bond to may absorb aspects of each other¡¯s magic through you. It is believed the bonded female, you, child, may one day even be able to shift into the forms of your mates. All of them.¡± ¡°Like¡­ all?¡± I asked. ¡°Wolf? Vampire? Mage?¡± ¡°Possibly more,¡± the Luna said softly. ¡°Depending on who else is fated to you.¡± Well, fuck me gently with a moonbeam. But it didn¡¯t end there. ¡°You¡¯ll also be able to power share,¡± said the elder with the sparkly cane. ¡°Hold hands. Touch. Merge your magic. Multiply it.¡± Ash¡¯s jaw ticked. ¡°We can already sense each other¡¯s energy and mind speak and sense emotions.¡± I nodded. It was a lot. ¡°Good,¡± another said. ¡°Then you¡¯re ahead of the curve.¡± The room went silent. Heavy. Sacred. Until Jace, bless his sarcastic little heart, broke it with¡­¡°So basically¡­ they¡¯re Power Rangers now? Should we practice holding hands and yelling, ¡®UNITE!¡°?¡± I2 12:51 Sat, Sep 27 Taya snorted so hard she nearly choked. Rylen just rubbed his temples. ¡°The pack is gonna explode when they hear this.¡± They did. The second we stepped outside, word had already spread like wildfire on meth. People were whispering, pointing, and gasping like we¡¯d been crowned Moon Royalty. I swear I heard someone say ¡°They birthed the Moon Knights.¡± We didn¡¯t even try to stop it. Daxon threw an arm around my shoulder and grinned like the cocky bastard he is. ¡°Bet you never thought your fuckin¡® soulmate harem woulde with upgrade perks, huh?¡± Lughed. ¡°I dinnae even get a manual.¡± Ash just rolled his eyes. ¡°We¡¯re going to be legends, aren¡¯t we?¡± $68 ¡°Oh, we already are,¡± I muttered,pletely exhausted, utterly overstimted, and still half buzzed with moon magic. We headed toward our rooms, the chaos behind us still swelling, people whispering and gossiping and running to tell their friends. Tonight? We were gonna sleep like the damn chosen ones. Tomorrow? Shit was about to get real. The door shut behind us, but the second the lock clicked, the air changed. Charged. Heavy. Full of need. Ashrian and Daxon were already crowding behind me, their hands running over my hips and sides like they didn¡¯t know where to start, while L leaned against the wall like a whole fucking sin in human form, barefoot, his shirt off, hair mussed from the wind. Blue eyes locked on me like I was dessert and he¡¯d skipped dinner. Chapter Comments ? 2 Topple 66 Chapter 66 ¡°I¡¯ve been patient, mo ghr¨¢,¡± L growled low, the Scottish rolled thick on his tongue. ¡°But now I want every fuckin¡® inch of ye, mo st¨°ras. Want tac see ye fall apart beggin¡® on this cock while yer other two watch.¡± Original content can be found at find?novel Daxon groaned like his soul left his body. ¡°You¡¯re gonna be the death of us, Hignder.¡± 968 Ash chuckled behind me. ¡°Not if I take her first.¡± ¡°Oh, we¡¯re sharing tonight,ds.¡± L stepped forward slowly, dragging one finger down the line of my throat. ¡°I want tae taste her cries on yer lips.¡± And that¡¯s when I fucking lost it. I surged forward and shoved him against the wall, our mouths colliding in a brutal kiss as my nails dug into his chest and his hands gripped my ass like he owned it. Behind me, Daxon ripped my shirt over my head while Ash dropped to his knees and yanked my shorts down, lips already trailing fire across the backs of my thighs. ¡°Fuck,ss,¡± L hissed as he pulled back just enough to look down. ¡°Yer soaked already. Just from a wee bit of talkin¡®. So needy for us, aren¡¯t ye?¡± ¡°You gonna keep talking or fuck me like you promised?¡± I shot back, gasping as Ash sucked a mark into the inside of my thigh and Daxon palmed one of my breasts, rolling the nipple between his fingers. L¡¯s eyes red silver. ¡°Oh, ye love that mouth of yers. Let¡¯s see how smart ye sound with it full.¡± He dropped to his knees in front of me so fast I barely blinked, and then his tongue was on me, in me, while Daxon held me upright and Ash kissed his way up my spine. The ent. The praise. The filthy words spilling from L¡¯s mouth as he worshiped me like I was made of moonlight and magic? I nearly came on the spot. ¡°Sweet fuckin¡® stars,¡± L growled, pulling back just enough to growl into my skin. ¡°This cunt¡¯s divine. So warm. So wet. Gonna make a mess all over me, aren¡¯t ye? Gonna scream my name while I fuck this tight wee hole?¡± ¡°Fuck L!¡± I gasped, my legs shaking. ¡°Too much?¡± Daxon asked, his lips on my ear. ¡°Not even close,¡± I snarled, dragging L up and pushing him toward the bed. Clothes flew. Teeth shed. Hands were everywhere. Lid back, his cock already thick and ready, while Dax and Ash positioned me between them, Ash at my back, Dax kissing the breath out of me, and then L pulled me down onto him. ¡°Fuck, aye,¡± he groaned, his eyes rolling back as I sank down onto his cock. ¡°That¡¯s it, mo ghr¨¢. Ride me. Let ¡®em watch ye bounce on this cock. Show ¡®em how greedy ye are.¡± Ash kissed my neck, whispering, ¡°You look so fucking perfect like this. You were made for us.¡± Daxon was stroking himself beside us, his eyes zing. ¡°Take her deeper, Hignder. She can handle it.¡± 12:51 Sat, Sep 27 And she could. 68 We moved as one. Moaning. Crying out. Hands in hair, bodies slick with sweat and need. At one point I swear I forgot how to breathe, too full, too overwhelmed, too everything. But then L¡¯s hand gripped my jaw. ¡°Look at me when yee, mo ghr¨¢. Wanna see those eyes. Wanna feel this pretty pussy pulse around me.¡± I shattered. Loud. Messy. Beautiful. And as I copsed onto L¡¯s chest, shaking and breathless, Daxon rolled me to the side and slid in behind me while Ash took his ce in front. We weren¡¯t done. Not even close. I was trying to catch my breath. Trying. But apparently, that wasn¡¯t on the schedule. Daxon¡¯s arm was wrapped around my waist, holding me against his chest like I was the only fucking thing keeping him sane. L was beneath me, still buried deep and twitching inside me, kissing the sweat from my neck like I was his goddamn religion. Ashrian¡­ that cocky, wicked vampire bastard¡­ had just pulled me forward gently by the chin and murmured, ¡°One more. I want to feel you fall apart again. For me this time.¡± Chapter Comments B2 Topple 67 ¡°I just came, you animals,¡± I groaned, my throat raw. : ¡°Then you¡¯re nice and sensitive,¡± Ash whispered, his lips brushing my ear. ¡°Perfect.¡± 68 ¡°Fucking savage,¡± I muttered, right before he shoved two fingers inside my pussy and made me scream. L¡¯s voice rumbled low and filthy. ¡°That¡¯s it, mo ghr¨¢. Take him. Let me feel ye lose control again with his fingers in ye and my cock still stretchin¡® ye open.¡± My entire soul vibrated at the sound of that. ¡°You boys gonna just y with her, or do I get a turn?¡± Daxon asked, grinding against my ass, clearly not finished either. ¡°Fuck¡­yes, yes, please,¡± I gasped. I didn¡¯t even know who I was talking to anymore. I wanted all of them. Inside me. Around me. On me. I wanted them to fucking ruin me. Ashrian slid down and lined himself up in front of me. ¡°Think you can take two?¡± ¡°Try me,¡± I hissed, already spreading my legs wider as L lifted my hips and braced me. And holy hell. When Ash slid inside my pussy, the stretch sent stars shooting through my entire damn nervous system. ¡°Fuuuuuuck,¡± I whimpered, my head thrown back as both of them groaned in unison. ¡°Oh fuckin¡® hell, she¡¯s squeezin¡® the life outta me,¡± L moaned. ¡°So full of cock ye can barely breathe, aren¡¯t ye,ss?¡± Ash bit my shoulder gently, then licked where he marked. ¡°You¡¯re doing so fucking good. Gods, you feel unreal.¡± Daxon was still behind me, palming my breasts and dragging his lips down my back, not letting a single inch of me feel unimed. ¡°You look like a goddess like this,¡± he whispered, voice rough. ¡°Ours. Every inch of you.¡± And then they moved. L and Ash set a rhythm that left me shaking, slow at first, then faster, deeper, until my brain was melting. I wasn¡¯t even speaking anymore. Just a mess of moans and yeses and please. ¡°You feel it?¡± Ash hissed, his eyes locked to mine. ¡°Us. Right here. You were made for this, for us.¡± L was practically snarling. ¡°Ye take us like a fuckin¡® queen. Look at ye. Drippin¡®. Ruined. And still beggin¡® fer more.¡± I was gonna die. Die from being worshipped, devoured, and used like their own personal altar. Daxon finally couldn¡¯t take it anymore. ¡°Switch,¡± he growled. ¡°My turn.¡± For more chapters visit f?ndnovel They shifted fast. Too fast. Suddenly L was in my mouth, one hand fisting my hair while he cursed in Gaelic and called me his goddess of ruin, and Daxon mmed into me from behind with a growl so deep it vibrated my ribs. 12:52 Sat, Sep 27 : ¡°You wanted all of us?¡± he snarled against my neck. ¡°Then you get all of us.¡± L was breathing hard, every word dripping in need. ¡°Fuck, mo ghr¨¢, yer mouth¡¯s a bloody miracle. That tongue, yes, 168 just like that.¡± I moaned around him, my body trembling as Daxon¡¯s hands gripped my hips like he owned me. Ash just watched from the side, smirking like a proud bastard, stroking himself as he whispered, ¡°This is what happens when you let monsters fall in love with you.¡± And they had. These monsters were mine. And I was theirs. They didn¡¯t stop until I was limp, trembling, leaking, and purring like I¡¯d been dipped in a vat of molten fuck me. When they finally copsed around me, sweaty, spent, and totally wrecked, L pulled me to his chest, his breath shaky and reverent. ¡°Ye keep doin¡® that, mo ghr¨¢,¡± he whispered, ¡°and I¡¯ll be prayin¡® to yer pussy every night for the rest of my fuckin¡® life.¡± Ash snorted, Daxon groaned, and I fucking smiled. Wrapped in the warmth of my mates, my skin buzzing with love, sex, and magic. I¡¯d never felt so whole. Chapter Comments ? 2 §Ö Write Comments SHARE 12:52 Sat, Sep 27 Hunted Hybrid ¨C Aegis War Saga 1 Chapter 68 Topple 68 Chapter 68 Elowen POV $689 I hadn¡¯t even finished my first cup of coffee before the entire fucking dining hall turned into a goddamn circus. Wolves were everywhere, new arrivals rolling in like a furry stampede, filling up the bunkhouses, scarfing down eggs like the apocalypse was tomorrow, and howling greetings across the great hall like it was a full moon frat party. The energy was electric. Everyone was buzzing for the big event today: speed dating at noon. Chaos wasing, and we were here for it. Luna Aelira stood at the head of the room beside Alpha King Draven, both looking way tooposed for how feral the vibe was. ¡°Wee, everyone!¡± Aelira¡¯s voice rang out like a bell, smooth andmanding. ¡°We¡¯re thrilled you¡¯re here. The week is packed, but today¡¯s first event begins at noon, speed dating and lunch. Mates have already begun pairing and we expect even more connections before the night is through.¡± Everyone cheered. And then it happened. Jace, mid bite, mid fucking chew¡­suddenly froze. Fork dangling in midair. te still loaded with enough food to feed three grown men. His head slowly turned. His nose twitched. And then¡­He snarled softly. He bolted up like someone had tased his balls. ¡°The fuck?¡± Rylen blinked, but it was already toote. Jaceunched himself across the hall like his soul was being yanked by an invisible string. We all leapt up and sprinted after him, food forgotten, drinks spilling, everyone yelling andughing as the mate scent detection drama unfolded. ¡°This is it!¡± I whooped. ¡°He sniffed her!¡± ¡°ce your bets!¡± Daxon shouted beside me. ¡°Brte or blonde?¡± ¡°Brte,¡± L called out. ¡°Ye can smell it¡­s¡¯got spice.¡± We flew down the hall, through the courtyard, and toward the training grounds, and there, standing like fate herself had reached down and sculpted a wet dream out of moonlight and sass, was her. An absolute bombshell of a brte, long dark hair whipping in the wind, toned thighs on disy in ck running shorts, green eyes shing like emerald fire. She froze when she caught Jace¡¯s scent, whipped her head around, and let out the hottest snarl I¡¯d ever heard. And then they ran. Straight at each other. No hesitation. No question. Jace tackled her like he¡¯d been starved for years and just found oxygen. He spun her around in the air like some primal fairytale hero, and the second her feet touched the ground, they were full on making out. wed hands grabbing hair, bodies pressed so tight they might fuse into one, growling and groaning like nobody was watching. Spoiler alert: everyone was watching. And they oooh¡¯d and aaah¡¯d like it was a damn fireworks show. ¡°Well fuck,¡± I breathed. ¡°That¡¯s one way to say ¡®hi.¡°¡± The rightful source is find~novel 12:52 Sat, Sep 27. Ashrian smirked, his arms crossed. ¡°Romantic.¡± L chuckled. ¡°Bloody beautiful. I love love.¡± Rylen snorted. ¡°You love drama.¡± ¡°I love both,¡± L winked. : The brte finally pulled back, panting, her cheeks flushed. ¡°Who the hell are you?¡± Jace grinned like a lunatic. ¡°Don¡¯t know yet. But I know you¡¯re mine.¡± And then they kissed again. Taya leaned over to me, squealing, ¡°Best. Fucking. Monday. Ever.¡± And damn if she wasn¡¯t right. Jace POV 2 68 I couldn¡¯t stop staring at her. The entire fucking world could¡¯ve been on fire and I wouldn¡¯t have noticed. My arms were still tingling from the way they¡¯d wrapped around her. My lips? Yeah, those were already missing her. And Ronan? My wolf? That furry bastard was practically frothing at the mouth to finish the bond. She was radiant, all warm bronze skin and lush curves, those wild green eyes locked on me like I¡¯d hung the damn moon. And I felt like I had. I felt like I could. ¡°Name¡¯s Amaris,¡± she said, breathless, still close enough for me to smell her, sun warmed apples and moonlight. What the actual fuck did moonlight even smell like? I didn¡¯t know until her. ¡°I¡¯m Jace,¡± I replied, my voice low, rougher than normal. ¡°You, uh¡­ you do that to everyone, or just me?¡± She grinned, sly and knowing, stepping even closer. ¡°Only the ones who ruin me with a single kiss.¡± Chapter Comments Topple 69 Oh, fuck me sideways. Ronan howled in my head, pushing against the edges of my skin like he wanted to w his way out. He wasn¡¯t patient. I wasn¡¯t either. Every second not iming her felt like fire on my spine. 1 cleared my throat, trying to act like I had even a fraction of self control left. ¡°You wanna¡­ get out of here?¡± She raised a brow. ¡°You gonna take me somewhere nice first, or just throw me on the nearest surface like an animal?¡± I gave her my best cocky grin. ¡°Depends. You got a preference?¡± Sheughed, damn, even that was sexy, and grabbed my hand. ¡°Lead the way, pretty boy.¡± Back in my room, it was like a fucking ma pulled us together. The second the door shut, we were on each other. My hands tangled in her hair, her fingers gripping the hem of my shirt like it had personally offended her. We were all teeth and tongue, frantic and wild. But the second I looked in her eyes¡­ it hit me. This wasn¡¯t just lust. It was need. ¡°You sure?¡± I asked, forehead pressed to hers, my breath hot and ragged. ¡°Jace,¡± she whispered, her voiceced with hunger and something softer, ¡°mark me.¡± And that was all I needed. I was on her before she could take a breath, my hands in her hair, my lips crashing into hers, like I¡¯d fucking die if I didn¡¯t taste her again. My wolf was practically unhinged, snarling for her, wing at my insides, demanding I mark her, take her, seal the bond. ¡°Jace,¡± she gasped against my mouth, her fingers digging into my shirt, dragging it off me with one sharp tug. ¡°You smell like mine,¡± I growled, lifting her like she weighed nothing and pressing her against the wall. ¡°You are mine.¡± ¡°Then take me, pretty boy,¡± she panted, grinding against me with a hunger that made my vision blur. ¡°Seal it.¡± I lost whatever shred of control I had left. Clothes hit the floor like confetti. Her legs wrapped around my waist, her nails dragging down my back as I carried her to the bed like the prize she was. Her skin was warm under my hands, and her eyes, fuck, those eyes, zed like wildfire. Green, wild, and begging me to ruin her. ¡°Last chance to tell me to slow down,¡± I rasped, pressing my forehead to hers, shaking from holding back. Her fingers curled around my jaw. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare.¡± I imed her mouth again as I sank my cock into her in one slow, thick thrust, deep, perfect, home. We both gasped like it knocked the air out of us. The bond roared to life, white hot lightning threading between us, electric and eternal. ¡°Fuck, Amaris,¡± I groaned, my voice wrecked. ¡°You feel like heaven.¡± 12:52 Sat, Sep 27 Chapter 69 Newest update provided by find?novel She arched beneath me, her eyes wide with the same cosmic fire I felt in my chest. ¡°You¡¯re mine, Jace. Mine.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± I growled, thrusting harder and deeper. ¡°Say it again.¡± ¡°My mate. My mate,¡± she cried out, wrapping herself around me like she wanted to fuse our souls. ¡°Don¡¯t stop, don¡¯t you fucking stop. I didn¡¯t. I gave her everything. Every ounce of worship, every filthy promise, every im my wolf demanded I brand into her skin. We moved together like we¡¯d been made for this, because we had. Her moans filled the room, and I couldn¡¯t stop praising her. How tight she was. How perfect. How she was mine and always would be. When we shattered, it was together, her screaming my name, me burying my teeth into her neck as the bond locked. Her blood, her soul, mine. The mark glowed on her shoulder like fire. And on mine. Sealed. Bound. Forever. I copsed beside her, panting, wrecked, my heart hammering. She curled into my chest, a soft satisfied purr leaving her lips as her fingers traced the still glowing mark. ¡°I hope you¡¯re ready for forever,¡± she whispered with a smirk. I grinned, dragging her closer, already half hard again. ¡°Baby, forever¡¯s just round one.¡± Chapter Comments Write Comments 3 SHARE 63 12:52 Sat, Sep 27 Hunted Hybrid ¨C Aegis War Saga 1 Chapter 70 Topple 70 Chapter 70 Elowen POV I stretched my arms overhead and let the sun warm my face as we wandered the grounds. Everything buzzed with energy, like the air itself knew something big was happening. Wolves were everywhere. Laughing, flirting, y wrestling, running in packs like damn golden retrievers who found out it¡¯s Treat Day. Taya looped her arm through mine, practically bouncing. ¡°Three confirmed mates already,¡± she whispered like it was some state secret. ¡°Three. And it¡¯s only day one. What if more happen during speed dating?¡± I grinned. ¡°It¡¯s gonna be absolute chaos. I can feel it.¡± L walked just ahead of us, tossing a joke over his shoulder. ¡°Aye, if another one finds their mate in the next hour, we¡¯ll need an entire medic tent just tae deal with all the¡­ ahem, bond sealing aftermath.¡± Ashrian groaned, ¡°Gods help us. If Jace¡¯s room survives this weekend, it¡¯ll be a miracle.¡± Daxon just smirked like the smug asshole he is and bumped his shoulder into mine. ¡°You¡¯re glowing, mate. Is it the mate magic or the gossip high?¡± ¡°Both,¡± I said, smirking. ¡°Also, I slept amazing, so maybe that¡¯s it. You should try it sometime.¡± The pack had set up shaded tents and long benches around the clearing for speed dating, like a massive, outdoor, hormone fueled mixer. Some wolves were already nervously adjusting their shirts orbing fingers through their hair like they weren¡¯t literal beasts who wrestled in mudst week. The buzz of emotions was so intense I had to pull my shield tighter around my chest to keep from drowning in
  1. it.
I spotted Jace and Amaris sitting side by side off to the right. They looked like they were already mated for a decade, their mate marks glowing, legs tangled, his hand possessively resting on her thigh, and her grinning like she just won the damn lottery. ¡°Look at them,¡± I said, nudging Taya. ¡°That¡¯s what fate looks like when it hits you square in the tits.¡± She cackled. ¡°I want it. I need it. Why can¡¯t I have multiple mates?¡± Rylen growled furiously and picked Taya up and threw her over his shoulder as she squeeled. ¡°I¡¯ll show you, you only need one.¡± He snarled as he stalked towards their room. I snorted so hard I choked on my own spit. The rest of us found seats near the front, the rest of our group trailing behind, still buzzing with jokes andmentary. It was weirdly beautiful watching it all unfold, so many wolves hoping, maybe for the first time, that fate hadn¡¯t forgotten about them. That maybe, just maybe, they were made for more. Iid a hand over my heart, Lyssira stirring beneath my skin. ¡°This is how it begins,¡± she whispered. I didn¡¯t respond out loud. But gods¡­ I hoped she was right. The first bell rang and the speed dating began like a damn reality show. Honestly? I should¡¯ve brought popcorn. 12:52 Sat, Sep 27 O: Pairs rotated every five minutes, and let me tell you¡­some of these wolves were trying way too hard. One dude brought a fucking guitar. Another had a bouquet of wildflowers he kept awkwardly passing off like a magical baton of desperation. ¡°Oh my gods,¡± I whispered to L, ¡°he¡¯s doing the eyebrow raise thing again.¡± L squinted. ¡°He thinks it¡¯s seductive. Looks like he¡¯s tryna sneeze while flirting.¡± Ash was half lounging behind us like a Greek god judging mortals. ¡°That one over there? Already pitched the same cheesy ¡®Are you a full moon? Because I go wild for you¡® line to four girls.¡± Daxon snorted. ¡°Gotta admire the consistency.¡± Suddenly a loud nk echoed across the tent. Chairs scraped back, and a girl stood up mid round and shouted, ¡°You just told me I had Alpha hips. What the actual fuck does that mean?!¡± The poor guy scrambled to exin, but it was toote. The pack collectively winced. I leaned over to Taya¡¯s now empty chair and whispered to myself, ¡°And that¡¯s how you get rejected on national wolf television.¡± But then the crowd stirred. Heads turned. And like they were walking out of a colognemercial, Rylen and Taya strolled into the dating tent from the woods, glowing like smug bastards who just invented orgasms. Taya¡¯s cheeks were flushed, her braid half undone, lips kissed raw. Rylen? Shirt rumpled, mouth curved in the kind of proud smirk that said, Yeah, I broke her soul a little. You¡¯re wee. Chapter Comments This update is avable on find¡¤novel ͹ 3 §à Write Comments ? SHARE 12:52 Sat, Sep 27 Hunted Hybrid ¨C Aegis War Saga 1 Topple 71 Chapter 71 68 Ash let out a low whistle. ¡°Well damn.¡± L muttered, ¡°If that¡¯s nae the face of a woman who just saw the moon.¡± I raised an eyebrow as Taya beelined toward me, dropping into the chair next to mine and grabbing my drink like she owned it. ¡°You missed all the eyebrow flirts and awkward boners,¡± I whispered. She rolled her eyes, sipping dramatically. ¡°Rylen took me to the woods to remind me why I don¡¯t need any of this. Let¡¯s just say I walked in¡­ curious. I walked out with shaky knees and zero interest in sharing.¡± I howled, nearly snorting water through my nose. ¡°Girl. I am LIVING for this energy.¡± She winked. ¡°I¡¯m not done. We just needed hydration and a snack.¡± Rylen dropped into the seat beside her like a smug golden retriever of a man, giving her a look so possessive it made my wolf purr. ¡°I can smell her all over you,¡± Daxon teased with a smirk. Rylen grinned. ¡°Good. Everyone else should too.¡± Ash blinked. ¡°Okay, sir.¡± Taya leaned into me and whispered behind her hand, ¡°He said I¡¯m his moon. His.¡± ¡°Oh my gods,¡± I whispered back. ¡°This man talks filth and feelings. You¡¯re so screwed.¡± Her smile turned soft. ¡°Yeah. I know.¡± The next speed dating round started, but the attention had shifted. The pack was buzzing, new mates forming, hearts breaking, egos being crushed under the weight of fate. And through it all, me and my circle of chaos just sat back, watching it burn like the queens of the damn court. The second round of speed dating was somehow even worse than the first. One dude tried to recite a poem. It started sweet, then spiraled into some Shakespearean level tragedy about losing his first mate to a rogue vampire and ended with the line, ¡°Would you let me howl at your moon, mydy?¡± Taya leaned over and whispered, ¡°Somebody please muzzle that man.¡± We were mid snortugh when it happened. It was like the air shifted. The whole tent froze. Wolves went still, their noses in the air, heads tilting, pupils blowing wide. Then came the growl. Loud. Primal. From a tall, copper haired male on the left side of the tent. He was halfway through a ¡°What are your hobbies?¡± convo with a beta girl when his head snapped to the right¡­and he damn near flipped the table. ¡°Oh shit,¡± Daxon muttered, already turning toward the source. 12:52 Sat, Sep 27 (68 Across the tent, a petite girl with wild curls and a power walk that said fuck around and find out locked eyes with him. Her lips parted. His wolf howled. Then it was on. He bolted across the tent, knocking over two chairs and a whole ass tray of muffins. She shrieked¡­not in fear, in pure joy¡­andunched herself at him like she¡¯d waited lifetimes. They crashed together with a sound that echoed like fate mming the damn door shut. Lips locked. Arms tangled. Sparks of aura light burst around them like fireworks as the bond snapped into ce. It was so loud, I felt it in my bones. Someone near the back screamed, ¡°FATED MATES!¡± And the whole tent exploded in cheers. Wolves howled. Someone started pping. Taya stood up and yelled, ¡°GET IT, GIRL!¡± Ashrian just blinked and muttered, ¡°Well damn, I wasn¡¯t ready for a Nichs Sparks scene with tongue.¡± The newly bonded pair didn¡¯t even acknowledge us. They were still locked in a deep, starved kiss, totally oblivious to the chaos around them. The tent exploded in cheers as the fated pair made out like no one else existed. Taya hollered, ¡°THAT¡¯S what I call speed dating!¡± Find the newest release on find¡¤novel Ash muttered, ¡°Do we cheer now or give them privacy while they suck face for eternity?¡± Rylen was on his feet pping. ¡°Hell yeah! That¡¯s the kinda shit I wanna see!¡± Then L leaned in beside me, grinning like a fox in heat. ¡°Aye, now that¡¯s what I call proper bloody chemistry. The way he lifted her? Lass, if I pick ye up like that, ye best hold on tight, aye?¡± I snorted, my cheeks zing. He winked and added in a low, growly murmur, ¡°Or maybe yer no ready fer how Scotsmen do fated bonds. We don¡¯t just im¡­we worship.¡± Ashrian fake coughed. ¡°Is he always this horny in public?¡± L just shrugged, totally unbothered. ¡°Only when I¡¯m near the woman who¡¯s ruined me standards fer life.¡± Chapter Comments 3 Topple 72 Elowen POV The lunch buffet was a full on feeding frenzy. Wolves from every pack were stacked three deep around the tables, inhaling roast chicken like it might vanish into another dimension. I was halfway to a second helping of creamy potatoes when it happened again. A loud CRASH echoed through the dining hall. Everyone froze. Two wolves¡­one burly brte guy and one tall, fierce redhead..stood locked in a trance by the drink station, their trays shattered on the floor. Eyes wide. Breaths ragged. Mates. ¡°Holy fuck,¡± I whispered, nudging Taya hard. ¡°That¡¯s five!¡± she whispered back, practically vibrating. Rylen growled low, pride all over his face. ¡°I knew it. The moon is waking up the bonds. We¡¯ve been kept apart too long.¡± L came up behind me, brushing his fingers over my back and murmuring, ¡°She¡¯s callin¡® them home, mo ghr¨¢. Just like she called us.¡± 68 Ashrian, always the overachiever, was already counting names and packs. ¡°That¡¯s five confirmed in twenty four hours. If this keeps up, we¡¯ll need wedding tents.¡± Jace groaned. ¡°We¡¯re gonna run out of condoms by Wednesday.¡± Everyoneughed¡­until Alpha King Draven stood up, his voice booming across the hall with that signature no bullshit edge. ¡°Council meeting,¡± he barked. ¡°Now. Alphas, Betas, and Gammas¡­conference hall in fifteen. Elowen, you too.¡± Oh fuck. Of course I was invited to the Werewolf NATO. As the rest of the hall exploded in excitement and gossip over the new mate pair, I gave a little sigh and stood. My circle followed¡­Daxon, Ashrian, L, Rylen, Taya, and now Jace and Amaris. L leaned in close, brushing his lips near my ear. ¡°Ye reckon this is where they start buildin¡® thrones for ye, princess?¡± I smirked. ¡°Not yet. But maybe a war table.¡± He grinned. ¡°Even better.¡± Because whether we liked it or not, the prophecy was real, the bonds were forming, and our war had already begun. And if the other alphas were smart, they¡¯d stop posturing and start protecting. Because fate wasn¡¯t waiting anymore. We filed into the war room like royalty on a mission, and honestly, we kinda were. The long, carved oak table was already packed, five alphas, five betas, five gammas, and more gray haired elders than I could count. Everyone stood as we entered. Eyes locked on me. Not my mates. Not the king. Me. And fuck, that was a lot of pressure. Alpha King Draven stepped forward and gestured to the seat beside him. ¡°Elowen. Here.¡± I nodded and took my ce, my inner wolf radiating calm strength thanks to Lyssira murmuring steady confidence in the back of my mind. Daxon stood behind me, nked by Ashrian and L. Rylen and Taya settled at my left, their hands sped. Jace and Amaris stayed close too, protective energy rolling off them in waves. 12:52 Sat, Sep 27 The Alpha of the Eastern Shadoww Pack spoke first, his voice faced with curiosity. ¡°You called us here with urgency, Draven. What threat demands all five packs present?¡± Draven didn¡¯t hesitate. ¡°The prophecy is unfolding. The one we¡¯ve dismissed for generations.¡± That got everyone¡¯s attention. Draven looked at me, then back to the table. ¡°This is Elowen Skye Thorne. She is the vessel chosen by the Moon Goddess. A hybrid of werewolf and fae, trained in elemental magic,bat, and bonded to mates from across magical species.¡± There was a beat of silence before a gamma scoffed. ¡°You expect us to believe the prophecy child is real?¡± Daxon growled low. ¡°You gonna insult my mate to her face, or should we settle this in the pit?¡± I held up a hand. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I look like a myth, so the doubt¡¯s fair. But let me be real clear, I¡¯m not here to beg for help. I¡¯m here to offer a chance to survive what¡¯sing.¡± Draven nodded. ¡°The Aegis Protocol has already made a move. They tracked Elowen to Scond. Attacked her. They failed, but barely. We¡¯ve confirmed they¡¯re experimenting on hybrids, trying to create a superspecies. They want her blood. Her power. Her womb.¡± Gasps. Growls. One alpha mmed his hand on the table. ¡°Fucking monsters.¡± Chapter Comments ͹2 Discover more novels at f?ndnovel Topple 73 Chapter 73 668 ¡°They¡¯re not just after me,¡± I said, my voice steady. ¡°They¡¯reing for all of us. Every species. Every pack. Every hidden realm. I¡¯m just the catalyst. The spark.¡± The room went quiet again. ¡°They separated our kinds to keep us weak,¡± I continued. ¡°But the Moon Goddess is done watching. She¡¯s rewriting fate. My mates are proof, vampire, a mage, an alpha king heir, and two more we haven¡¯t found yet. We¡¯re uniting the species. Creating a hybrid circle strong enough to end the Aegis.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve already seen evidence,¡± Rylen added. ¡°Cross species magic awakening. Shared power. Shifting forms that weren¡¯t possible before.¡± ¡°And the fated mates?¡± Jace grinned. ¡°They¡¯re popping off like popcorn.¡± ¡°Five pairs in a day,¡± Taya said. ¡°How many more before the week ends?¡± Draven stood tall, looking around the room. ¡°This is no longer a theory. It¡¯s happening. Elowen and her mates will unite the species. But they cannot do it alone. We need your packs¡® support. Guards. Intel. Shelter. Protection.¡± The Shadoww Alpha leaned forward. ¡°You want an alliance?¡± ¡°I want a revolution,¡± I said. ¡°But yeah. Let¡¯s start with an alliance.¡± Silence. A heavy pause. Then, one by one, each Alpha nodded. ¡°You have it.¡± ¡°Agreed.¡± ¡°Shadoww stands with the prophecy.¡± ¡°Elowen Skye,¡± Draven said, his voice echoing. ¡°From this day forward, you and your circle will be protected by the might of the five. You are no longer just a vessel. You are the future.¡± And just like that, we weren¡¯t fugitives anymore. We were a fucking movement. The air in the war room was thick with power and history as each Alpha stepped forward to sign the Alliance ord. One by one, they dipped quills into the crimson wax, symbolizing blood, not just ink, and pressed their seals onto the sacred document. An agreement older than any of us, reforged in my name. My fucking heart thundered. This was it. The shift. The beginning of a new age. Alpha Draven rolled up the parchment and handed it to his beta for safekeeping. ¡°It is done. All five packs are now bound by blood and 12:52 Sat, Sep 27 vow to protect the hybrid circle, defend Elowen Skye, and stand united against the Aegis Protocol.¡± I exhaled slowly, the weight of it hitting me deep in the chest. But before I could even process the moment, Jace¡¯s deep voice cut through the murmurs. ¡°I¡¯ve got someone who needs to say something.¡± He stepped forward, holding Amaris¡® hand like it was forged into his own. His eyes were shining with pride, his chest puffed out like a goddamn warrior about to show off his crown jewel. Which, let¡¯s be real, he kinda was. Amaris walked beside him like a fucking queen, spine straight, chin high, not a flicker of doubt in her green eyes. She was every inch a wolf, every inch power, and her energy lit up the room. ¡°I am Amaris Greyfall,¡± she said, her voice clear and sharp. ¡°Daughter of Gamma Lennox of the Westwind Pack.¡± Her father stepped out from the crowd, pride practically dripping from his face. The man was built like a stone wall, but when he looked at her? He melted. Newest update provided by Find1Novel Jace grinned like a damn fool. ¡°She¡¯s also my mate. My forever. My equal. And she¡¯s got something to say to you, El.¡± I turned to face her fully, something inside me going still. She didn¡¯t hesitate. ¡°I pledge my loyalty to you, Elowen Skye. To your cause. To this circle. I believe in what the Moon Goddess is doing. And I¡¯ll fight beside you until thest breath leaves my body.¡± Jace squeezed her hand. ¡°She¡¯s got my sword, too,¡± he said. ¡°And my fangs. And my fucking love, if we¡¯re being cheesy about it.¡± Laughter broke the tension, but I couldn¡¯t stop the lump in my throat. I stepped forward and grabbed Amaris¡® hands in mine. ¡°Then wee to the rebellion, sister.¡± She grinned, fierce and radiant. ¡°Let¡¯s change the fucking world.¡± We damn well will. Chapter Comments B2 Write Comments SHARE The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!