Nyra's POV

The moment we got back home, I secured the lock, I dashed to my bedroom with Auren right behind me. My hands were shaking so hard as I stuffed the suitcase with clothes. It was like an automatic action because my heart was beating fast from the attack earlier.

The apartment quietness that I usually loved felt choking today, making it hard for me to breathe.

Auren sat on the couch near the bed, his face was pale and confused danced in his eyes. He held on tightly to his favorite toy, an old action figure he had owned since he was a toddler. He never slept without it.

"Mom," he said in a soft tone, breaking the heavy silence. "What happened back there?"

I zipped the suitcase with a sharp tug, trying to steady my voice. "Nothing you need to worry about, baby."

He frowned. "But I didn't mean to do that. The wolves were coming, and I was scared... then it just happened."

I walked to where he was sitting and knelt in front of him, cupping his face in my hands. His hazel eyes that are just like mine were filled with fear and guilt, causing my heart to ache.

"You did nothing wrong," I said firmly. "You were protecting yourself. That's what matters."

"But I hurt them," he whispered.

I pulled him into a hug. "Listen to me. We have to leave for a while, okay? Just until it's safe."

Auren nodded against my shoulder, but I could feel the tension in his small body.

The fear gnawed at me, sharp and relentless. I had spent years building a new life, hiding from the supernatural world. I thought I was safe. But today proved otherwise. The rogues had found us. And worse, Auren's powers had revealed themselves.

There was no going back to normal now.

I stood, forcing myself to think clearly. "Go grab your backpack, Auren. Pack your favorite things. We need to move fast."

He hesitated. "Where are we going?"

"I don't know yet," I replied to him, and it's true, I have no idea where we will go.

His lips trembled, but he didn't argue. He ran to his room, leaving me alone with my spiraling thoughts.

I began paving around the living room, trying to think of a solid plan. The rogues wouldn't stop at one attack. They had seen Auren's power. They would tell others.

And I knew exactly who would come next.

Kael Nightbane.

Just the thought of his name sent a cold shiver down my spine. He was a ruthless and cunning wolf, one without any moral compass. If he gets to find out about Auren, he would stop at nothing to get his hands on him.

I couldn't let that happen.

As I began throwing more essentials into a duffel bag, a sudden knock at the door made my entire body go rigid. I froze, and my heart hammered hard against my chest.

Auren peeked out from his room. "Mom?" He called in a scared voice that caused my heart to twist.

"Stay there, baby," I whispered, trying not to look scared.

I hurriedly grabbed a knife in the kitchen drawer and slowly approached the door like a predator would do for its prey.

"Who is it?" I demanded in a hard voice.

"Nyra Storm." The voice was low, steady. "I'm here on behalf of Crescent Moon."

I froze but then anger took over instantly, every muscle in my body was tensing. Crescent Moon. I hadn't heard that name in years, and I had no wish to hear it now.

 Especially not now that my son is in danger again.

"Go away," I said through the door.

The voice didn't waver. "You need to hear this. Your son is in danger. Kael Nightbane is coming for him."

My blood ran cold.

"How did you know about this? Who sent you?" I asked.

"Nobody sent me. I know because I see things before they happen, but I belong to no pack. I have only come here to warn you." The man said and continued without giving me a chance to ask another question.

"The Crescent Moon is the only safe sanctuary for you and your son. And even if you don't go, the Alpha Crescent Moon might end up summoning you because of something ancient." The man said in an urgent voice.

Draven.

The name found a way to the crevice of my mind, digging up memories I had fought so hard to bury all these years, his rejection, the humiliation, the betrayal.

I gritted my teeth. "Tell Draven I'm not coming back." I shouted, not caring whether the man was a part of his pack or someone mysterious.

Silence stretched on the other side of the door. Then: "You'll regret it."

The weight of his words pressed down on me, but I didn't care. I wasn't going back. I can't go back to the world that found joy in destroying me without mercy. I can't go back to the world where every corner is stained with an enemy. Where friends can suddenly turn to a foe in the blink of an eye.

I will never go back there.

I didn't move from where I was standing until the mysterious man's footsteps faded down the hallway. It was then I finally lowered the knife. My pulse was becoming fast and quickened, my breathing shallow.

Auren crept into the room, his eyes wide. "Who was that?"

"Nobody important," I lied. "Go back to your room."

He didn't move. "Mom, are we in trouble?"

I swallowed hard. "No. Everything's fine."

But as the night dragged on, doubt crept in. I paced the apartment, unable to sleep. The man's warning echoed in my mind.

Kael Nightbane is coming for your son.

My instincts screamed that I should run. But where? How far could I go before they found us again?

I stared out the window, the city lights flickering like restless stars.

"Mom?" Auren's voice trembled behind me.

I turned, my heart sinking at the fear on his face.

He pointed to the window, his voice barely a whisper. "Someone's out there."

My breath caught.

I spun back to the window, and froze.

Glowing eyes gleamed from the darkness below, cutting through the night like beacons.

Fuck! They had found us.

Draven's POV

The great hall was silent, except for the low crackles in the fireplace. Its warmth barely reached where I was sitting. This room, once filled with laughter, council meetings, and the steady rhythm of Crescent Moon Pack's daily life, now felt hollow.

Much like me.

My head rested back, looking up at the ceiling that had witnessed generations of Alphas. My chest was heavy with a weight I hadn't been able to shake since the night under the Blood Moon.

Nyra's face haunted me, her wide, devastated eyes when I rejected her in front of the entire pack. That moment is plastered in my memory. I had told myself that what I did was the best decision because I was protecting the Pack's future. Selene had political connections, influence, and the full backing of the Elders. She was the logical choice for Luna.

But logic didn't ease regret.

Selene and I had never been what the pack expected of an Alpha and Luna. She was cold, power-hungry, and manipulative. The warmth and laughter that Nyra had radiated were absent from my life. The pack had never fully accepted Selene either; they tolerated her out of respect for her position.

And now, everything was falling apart.

Crops were withering, the once fertile lands barren. Wolves were getting sick with a mysterious illness that our healers couldn't cure. Rogue attacks had grown more frequent, more organized. The Crescent Moon was on the brink of collapse, and whispers of a "Blood Moon Curse" were going around in the pack.

I clenched my jaw. Superstitions were nonsense. But the nagging thought that I had somehow brought this downfall upon us gnawed at the edges of my mind.

A knock echoed through the hall, sharp and urgent.

"Come in," I said, my voice hoarse.

Gareth, my Beta, entered, his expression grim. His broad shoulders were tense, and his usually calm demeanor had frayed. "Draven, the Elders are convening. They need you in the council chamber now."

I stood, my spine stiffening. "What's happened?"

"More wolves fell ill last night. And there was another rogue attack on the western border. This one was... coordinated." His voice dropped. "We barely held them off."

Dread settled in my gut. "Let's go."

The Elders had filled up the council chamber by the time we got there. The Elders sat in their highchairs around the large round table with worries etched on their faces. Murmurs filled the room with thick tension in the air.

I took my seat at the head of the table. "Report."

Elder Marcus, his gray hair was visible under the warm light, then leaned forward. "The crops are dying faster than we can plant them again. The sickness is spreading, and our healers are running out of supplies."

"And the rogues?" I asked.

Gareth spoke up. "They're becoming more coordinated. It's like someone is leading them."

The murmurs grew louder. Fear was palpable.

"We need answers," I said, slamming my palm on the table. "Has anyone consulted the seer?"

A hush fell over the room. The seer had not said anything in months because her visions got clouded by whatever darkness was upon us.

But then, the frail figure in the corner stirred. The seer, her eyes clouded with age and wisdom, lifted her head. Her voice was brittle but commanding. "An ancient threat has awakened," she declared. "A darkness that will consume everything unless it is stopped."

The Elders exchanged uneasy glances.

"What is this threat?" I demanded. "How do we stop it?"

The seer's gaze pierced through me. "The solution lies in what was lost and forsaken."

The words hung in the air, heavy with meaning.

My heart clenched. I knew what, who, she was referring to.

Nyra.

Guilt clawed at my insides, but I pushed it aside. I can't afford weakness now. I couldn't let my pack members see such. "There has to be a solution," I said, my voice firm. "I'll do whatever it takes to protect this pack. I will find that solution." I added, determination streaming through my blood vessels.

The Elders gave nods and mumbles of words, but their faces remained unhappy.

As the meeting came to an end , I remained in the chamber for a bit and lost in thought.

"Are you just going to sit here and watch the pack fall apart?" Selene's sharp voice cut through my moment of thinking in the silence...

I turned to see her standing in the doorway, arms crossed. Her expression was cold, condescending.

"What do you want, Selene?" I asked, my voice flat.

Nyra's POV

It's been a while since I drove this fast. It's been years since I passed through this only route that connects the human world and the werewolf world. The road panned out endlessly before me and the darkness was too dark if that was possible. The headlights lit up the road ahead and the trees blurred as I sped down the winding highway.

Auren sat in the passenger seat, his small face pinched with worry. His hands clutched the toy wolf I had given him when he was a baby.

"Mom?" His voice broke the silence. "Are we going to be fine?" He asked in a soft voice that caused my heart to squeeze.

I gripped the steering wheel tighter. "Of course, sweetheart. I won't let anything happen to you."

The words were firm, but inside, fear gnawed at me. The rogues' attack back in the city had shattered the life I'd built. We had no choice but to run. And now I was doing the one thing I swore I'd never do, returning to Crescent Moon.

The betrayal was a wound that still bled in my memories. Draven's cold rejection under the Blood Moon, Selene's smug smile as she took everything I thought was mine. I had built a life in the human world, free from the weight of that night. But protecting Auren outweighed my pride.

I glanced at my son. His dark hair curled over his forehead, and his stormy eyes were filled with confusion. He was only six, yet he'd already faced more danger than most wolves did in a lifetime. I had tried to suppress the powers I knew simmered within him, but the ambush had proven I couldn't keep hiding.

The Crescent Moon border loomed closer with every mile. My wolf stirred inside me, restless and eager. She sensed the familiar energy of our homeland, calling us back. I swallowed hard, forcing the rising tide of emotions down.

As the forest disappeared, I spotted the stone arch that marked the pack's entrance. The towering trees stood like ancient figures that were guarding secrets I had tried to forget. I halted the car to a stop, my pulse hammering in my ears.

"Are you okay, Mom?" Auren asked softly.

I nodded, though my throat was tight. "We're here."

Steeling myself, I stepped out of the car and opened Auren's door. He held my hand tightly as we walked toward the gates. The air reeked with heavy tension, as if they were waiting for my arrival or something. The scent of unease tinged the air.

The pack was in chaos. Wolves darted around, their movements frantic. Even as they chit-chatted, one could still hear the worry and the scent of fear was unmistakable.

As we passed through the gates, eyes turned toward us. Whispers rippled through the crowd like wildfire.

"Is that Nyra Storm?"

"What is she doing here?"

"She's back?"

"It's been seven years?"

"Damn, Nyra has gotten more endowed and beautiful."

"And who's that boy with her?"

I kept my chin high, ignoring the stares and unlimited whispers of questions erupting just at the sight of me. Auren pressed closer to my side, his fingers tightening around mine.

Then the crowd parted, and Draven emerged.

My heart almost skipped a bit at the sight of him, but it didn't. My heart was no fool like before. Time had hardened him, his face had become sharper and his shoulders become broader. His dark eyes locked onto mine, wide with disbelief. He took a step forward, and I instinctively braced myself.

But it wasn't Draven who spoke first.

"Well, well."

Selene's voice dripped with venom as she sauntered toward us. Her beauty was as polished as ever, but her eyes gleamed with something bitter. The Luna crest shimmered on the chain around her neck.

"What the hell are you doing back here? You shouldn't be here." She said, the malice in her tone and eyes were very clear.

"You shouldn't have come back," she hissed, her lips curling into a sneer.

I met her gaze without flinching. "I didn't come back for you, Selene." My voice was cold and steady. "I came back to protect my son."

The surrounding murmurs grew louder. Selene's face twisted with barely concealed rage. But before she could retort, Draven's voice cut through the chaos.

"Is he..." His words faltered, and his eyes flicked to Auren, whose face was a mirror of his own. That was something I didn't have enough time to think about. But just by the looks, anyone could tell who the father is.

"Is he my son?"

Silence fell over the pack. Every breath seemed to hang in the air, waiting for my answer.