ARIADNE'S POV

The morning light filtered through the curtains of my room, casting soft shadows on the walls. I stared at the ceiling, replaying the events of the previous night in my mind. Harper’s rage, her accusations, the slap that still echoed in my ears. I couldn't believe, at this age, I was worrying about such things.

I sighed in disbelief.

But then, I had to find Harper. I needed to clear up this misunderstanding before things spiraled further out of control. With a deep breath, I pushed myself out of bed, determined to make things right. After all, Carsten deserved a future free of unnecessary conflict, especially with the woman he was supposed to spend his life with.

My wolf, Fae, was restless, pacing within me, her anger from last night simmering just below the surface.

“Are you really going to let her get away with what she did, Ari?” Fae growled, her voice laced with frustration. “She attacked us, disrespected us in front of her friends, and now she’s nowhere to be found. This isn’t right!”

“I know, Fae,” I replied softly, trying to keep my emotions in check. “But I can’t make things worse for Carsten. We have to understand that Harper acted out of misunderstanding, not malice.”

“You’re too forgiving,” Fae huffed, but I could feel her trying to hold back her anger. “She should have asked questions before jumping to conclusions. You know how serious it is for wolves to accuse someone of having a mistress.”

I nodded, knowing Fae was right. In our world, loyalty is everything. To accuse an Alpha of infidelity was a grave offense, one that could shatter bonds and destroy trust. Harper’s mistake wasn’t a small one, but I couldn’t let it ruin my son’s future. He had already lost so much, and I wouldn’t let this be another loss he had to endure.

I searched the pack house, hoping to find Harper or one of her friends, but they were nowhere to be seen. As time passed, the sense of urgency grew. Finally, I decided to seek out Carsten in his Alpha office. He had to know where she was.

When I reached his office, I found him hunched over his desk, papers scattered around him. The tension in his shoulders was evident, and the dark circles under his eyes spoke of sleepless nights.

“Carsten,” I called out gently as I entered the room.

He looked up, surprised to see me. “Mother,” he greeted, attempting a smile, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “What brings you here?”

“I’ve been looking for Harper,” I explained, trying to sound calm. “But I can’t find her anywhere. Is everything okay?”

Carsten’s expression tightened, and he sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “There’s been… a lot going on, Mother. Harper and I… we’ve had our share of misunderstandings, and it’s been stressful for both of us.”

I walked over to him, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Tell me. You can lean on me."

Carsten hesitated, as if unsure whether to burden me with his troubles. But I was his mother.

“It’s like she doesn’t trust me anymore,” he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. “She keeps bringing up this idea that I’m hiding something, that I’m seeing someone else. But I’m not, Mother. I swear.”

“I believe you, okay?” I said firmly, squeezing his shoulder. Deep inside, I felt really guilty because I was the cause of it! God, why, of all people, did Harper think that I was my son's mistress? Ridiculous.

"But where is she right now?" I asked.

He sighed. “Beta Elijah saw them off. They’re back at the River Howl Pack now.”

For a moment, I didn’t know what to say. It seemed like it became bigger than anticipated. From what I heard, they were supposed to stay here until the engagement banquet. Fae growled within me, frustrated by the turn of events.

“I don't know with you, Ari. But I didn't like that woman, not one bit," Fae told me honestly.

THIRD PERSON'S POV

In the heart of this darkness, a group of figures gathered, their eyes glinting with the hunger of wolves—some wild, some rogue, all dangerous.

A lone woman stood before them, her figure draped in a long, hooded cloak that obscured her face.

Without a word, she reached into the folds of her cloak and produced a small leather pouch, tossing it onto the ground between them. The bag spilled open, revealing a hefty sum of gold coins and crisp bills, more money than most of these wolves had ever seen. The glint of the gold under the pale moonlight caught their attention, their eyes narrowing with interest.

Next, she took out a photograph, holding it up for them to see. The face in the picture was that of a woman—her features delicate, her eyes bright, but there was a strength in her gaze that suggested she was no ordinary target. The woman in the cloak placed the photo on the ground beside the money, her movements deliberate, as if she were offering a sacrifice to the gods of the wild.

“Abduct this woman for me,” she commanded, her voice cold and sharp like the crack of a whip. There was no hesitation in her tone, no room for argument. This was not a request—it was an order.

The wolves exchanged glances, some eager, others wary. Among them were a few rogues, their eyes wild with the promise of violence.

One of the rogues, a man with a scar running down the side of his face, stepped forward. He was tall and broad-shouldered, his eyes reflecting the predatory instincts that had kept him alive for so long. He glanced at the photo, then back at the woman.

“Are you sure she’s getting out of that pack today?” He asked, his voice low and gravelly. There was a hint of skepticism in his tone as if he couldn’t believe that such a target would be left unprotected.

The woman turned her head slightly, her gaze locking onto the man who had spoken. Though her face was hidden, the intensity of her stare was palpable. After a moment, she nodded, the movement slow and deliberate.

“Yes,” came a voice from the crowd. A man stepped forward, keeping his head low, avoiding eye contact with the others. He was dressed plainly, but the wolves could smell the scent of Snowfang’s territory clinging to him. A traitor, then. He continued, his voice trembling slightly, “She’s leaving the pack today. I was sure of it.”

The woman nodded once more, seemingly satisfied with the answer. She turned back to the gathered wolves, her eyes narrowing beneath the shadow of her hood.

“You will take her to the abandoned property deep in the woods,” she instructed, her voice as cold as the night air. “Make sure she’s far from Snowfang’s territory. She must be completely isolated—away from any help.”

The rogue with the scar shifted, his brow furrowing. “What do you want with her?” he asked, his curiosity piqued. “She doesn’t look like the kind who’d be easy to handle.”

A tense silence followed his question, and for a moment, it seemed like the woman might not answer. But then, she leaned closer, her voice dropping to a dangerous whisper.

“That is none of your concern,” she hissed, her tone brooking no further inquiry. “Your task is to bring her to me. Alive. Unharmed, if possible. The rest… is my business.”

The rogue held her gaze for a moment longer before finally nodding.

The woman straightened, taking a step back from the group.

“Remember,” she said, her voice echoing through the silence, “if you fail me, there will be consequences. But if you succeed… you will be rewarded beyond your wildest dreams.”

With that, she turned on her heel, disappearing into the shadows.

ARIADNE'S POV

The cool night air brushed against my skin as I stepped out of Snowfang’s borders. The forest ahead loomed dark and foreboding, but I had no reason to fear it—this land had been my home for years, and Fae, my wolf, was more than capable of handling any threat. I took a deep breath, feeling the familiar pull of the change as I shifted into my wolf form. My body elongated, bones reshaping as fur sprouted along my skin. In moments, I was Fae, and we were one.

"Are you sure about this, Ariadne?" Fae’s voice echoed in my mind. "There’s something off tonight. I can feel it."

"We’ll be fine," I reassured her. "We just need to talk to Harper and everything will go back to normal."

The familiar scents of pine and earth filled our senses as we bounded through the trees. For a moment, all was peaceful; the only sound was the soft rustling of leaves under our paws.

But then, a strange scent hit us—foul and sharp, a mix of wolf and something darker. Fae snarled in warning, her hackles rising as she slowed her pace. We weren’t alone.

"Ambush," Fae growled, her instincts kicking in. "Rogues."

Before I could fully process her words, they were upon us. Wolves and rogue wolves alike emerge from the shadows like phantoms. Their eyes gleamed with malice, their teeth bared in vicious snarls. I recognized none of them—these weren’t from Snowfang or any neighboring pack.

"Fight!" Fae roared, and I didn’t need to be told twice. We lunged at the nearest attacker, sinking our teeth into his shoulder. The rogue howled in pain, but before we could deal another blow, more of them closed in around us.

I fought with everything I had, drawing on both my vampire and werewolf strength. We clawed, bit, and kicked, refusing to go down easily. But there were too many of them—too many fangs, too many claws. Fae’s snarls filled my mind, a constant chorus of defiance, but even she knew we were outnumbered.

"There’s too many! We can’t take them all!" Fae’s voice was tinged with desperation as we took down another rogue, only to be tackled by two more.

I tried to focus, to find a way out of this, but the wolves were relentless, attacking from all sides. One of them sank his teeth into our hind legs, dragging us down. Pain shot through us, and Fae’s growl of fury was echoed by my own.

"We need to run!" I urged, trying to twist out of the wolf’s grip, but another rogue slammed into us, knocking the wind from our lungs.

They were everywhere—surrounding us, pinning us down. I struggled and fought with every ounce of strength I had left, but it was no use. They were stronger and more coordinated.

"Damn it!" Fae cursed her voice a mix of frustration and rage. "We can’t let them win!"

But even as she said it, I knew we were losing. My strength was waning, and Fae’s energy was depleting fast. Blood matted our fur, and our vision blurred as another rogue clamped down on our side.

"Hold on, Ariadne," Fae whispered, but her voice was faint now, more a whisper than the roar of defiance it had been moments ago.

A sharp pain at the base of my neck sent stars exploding across my vision. The world tilted, and I felt Fae’s presence begin to fade, our connection slipping as consciousness ebbed away.

"No…" I tried to hold on, tried to keep fighting, but the darkness was relentless, pulling me under.

The last thing I saw before everything went black was the glint of the moonlight on a silver ring as it slipped from my finger, falling to the ground where Snowfang’s borders ended and the darkness of the forest began.