Nora's POV
A sharp, indescribable pain tore through Nora.
Inside her mind, Juno screamed.
Seeing their Luna bent over in agony, the pack rushed toward her, convinced she had suffered a fatal wound.
— "I'm fine," Nora said firmly.
— "Back to your positions."
She had no strength to explain.
Nora and Juno cried out together.
— "Felix!"
— "Silas!"
Her heart clenched.
What if he's the one who's hurt?
Her eyes scanned the battlefield.
No.
She saw Felix.
Standing.
Anger and restrained shame written across his face.
A shallow wound marked his arm—nothing fatal.
Yet…
Juno stirred uneasily.
She tried to reach Silas, but something was wrong.
The bond felt thinner.
Faded.
— "I don't like this," Juno warned.
— "Something bad is coming."
Nora usually trusted her wolf—but this time, she thought it was fear.
— "I saw him," she whispered.
— "He was fine."
She wanted to run to Felix but stopped herself.
A future Luna could not act recklessly without cause.
Instead, she walked as fast as dignity allowed.
My mate.
My Alpha.
My soul.
When she reached him, Felix was staring at the red-haired she-wolf on the stretcher.
Nora thought nothing of it.
Juno growled.
— "Something's wrong."
— "It'll pass," Nora murmured.
— "When I hold him."
She stepped forward and embraced Felix tightly.
— "Are you alright?" she whispered.
Felix shook his head slightly, as if arguing with Silas inside his mind.
— "Silas still won't let me in," Juno said tensely.
— "What's going on, Felix?" Nora asked.
— "It's nothing," he replied.
— "Just a scratch."
Then he added:
— "Silas is furious because I didn't see the trap… because I didn't listen to you."
For the first time, Nora sensed something strange in her Alpha.
But she blamed the chaos of war.
— "See, Juno?" she said gently.
— "There's nothing wrong."
Juno was not convinced.
Something was wrong with Silas.
And worse…
Something felt off in the mate bond itself.
Nora spoke again.
— "Come," she said.
— "I want you to meet the outsider who saved us."
— "I have plans for her. Next time, Boris will fall because of her."
They walked toward the she-wolf covered with a sheet.
Nora led the way.
The woman looked at her with fear and curiosity—as if Nora hadn't saved her life.
— "She thinks we're going to kill her," Nora said quietly.
— "Strange… they both have the same look."
Juno disliked Ember and Lyra.
— "What's gotten into you today?" Nora murmured.
— "We stopped a massacre. We're safe."
She looked at the woman.
— "You're awake," she said.
She was slender, red-haired, with deep green eyes.
Before she could say more—
The sudden movement of the pack caught Nora's attention.
And her instinct stirred once again.