Andrew's POV
The courtyard was glowing silver beneath the full moon, but it wasn't just the light that made it shine—it was the presence of our people. Every corner of Furstone seemed to have gathered here tonight. Wolves, elders, warriors, pups… and most importantly, hope.
Rows of lanterns lit the sacred stone path leading up to the ceremonial platform. Our banners waved like they remembered the weight of history that hung in the air. And at the very front, beneath the raised crescent of stone—the sacred mark of the Alpha line—sat the elders.
Elder Throne was at the center, unmoving, his face set like carved granite. His staff rested beside him, its ancient silver tip glinting like frost. The other council members flanked him, stern, silent, watching.
And among them… Jamie's grandmother. Regal. Proud. Her posture is as upright as the mountain's spine. Her eyes never left us, not for a second.
Jamie stood beside me.
My mate. My Luna.
The only person who'd been able to pull me back from the pit of grief and stand me upright again.
The courtyard quieted. I stepped forward, feeling every gaze settle on me. The world narrowed, not in fear, but in clarity. My voice came steady, deeper than usual.
"Furstone… we've lost an Alpha. A father. A protector. But what we have not lost—what we will never lose—is our fire."
A murmur swept the crowd.
"We have buried our dead. And now, we rise. Not just in memory of the past, but for the future we will shape. Together."
Then I turned to Jamie, held his hand tight enough for us both to feel it.
"My Luna stands beside me. And with him, I am whole. Together, we are strong. And together, we will lead Furstone into what comes next."
There was a moment of silence, full and heavy.
Then Jamie stepped forward. Graceful. Steady. His voice was calm but sure, and it echoed in ways I couldn't explain.
"I was not born of this bloodline, but I was born of this pack. And I vow—before this moon, before these eyes—to protect it with everything I am. With heart. With soul. With the bond we share."
The cheers started slowly, but then they grew. Like a wave. Like a howl. Like Furstone finding its voice again.
I caught a glance of Oona from the corner. A smile on her face. But her eyes… those told another story. Her gaze flicked briefly to Caroline, and I swear—for a split second—they exchanged something.
A nod. A signal.
Jamie saw it too. He didn't react, but I knew he clocked it.
And so did Laurette. She shifted next to her mate, eyes sharp as steel. She wasn't fooled. Not anymore.
Then came the scout.
He stumbled into the courtyard, clothes torn, breath ragged. The noise around us dimmed in an instant.
"Alpha," he gasped. "Luna—there's been an attack. North border."
I stepped forward immediately.
"How many?"
"Two dead," he said. "But… we caught one."
The rogue was dragged forward, bruised and snarling. His eyes gleamed with something unholy. A madness. In his mouth, clenched between broken teeth, was a scroll.
Elder Throne took it.
Unrolled it.
Read it aloud.
"Let the games begin. —C"
Gasps. Murmurs. Fear. But also… fury.
I turned to Jamie.
To Laurette.
To our warriors.
And I knew—
This wasn't the end.
It was just the beginning.
The moon had risen.
And now… so had we.
*****
Jamie's POV
The rogue was dragged away, snarling curses in a language I didn't recognize. His blood left a dark trail behind him, but it wasn't the stain on the ground that lingered—it was the scroll.
"Let the games begin."
Signed only C.
Cassian. It had to be.
The air turned colder. Not with wind, but with purpose. With intent. And I felt it in my bones—we were being watched. Already tested.
Whispers erupted around the courtyard. The elders began murmuring to each other. People were scared, but they were also waiting—for reassurance. For answers. For us.
Before Andrew could even call for it, the guards began clearing the square. Everyone knew the drill: secure the perimeter, inform the patrols, protect the children. But I caught Laurette's eye and something passed between us—unspoken, but fierce. She nodded once and slipped away toward the war quarters, probably to suit up.
Andrew moved to speak with Elder Throne and a few high-ranking warriors. I stayed behind, still scanning the crowd—and that's when I saw her.
Caroline.
She wasn't with the other record keepers. She wasn't offering assistance. She wasn't even watching the square with concern like everyone else.
She was slipping away. Quietly.
I followed, my steps light as instinct took over. She moved toward the back of the old council wing—the part that hadn't been used in moons. Her head was down. She didn't sense me.
Until I spoke.
"Looking for something?"
Caroline froze. Too sharply.
She turned, her smile slow to rise. "Jamie! Sorry—I was just checking the archives. I thought maybe there was something in the siege plans that could help with defense tonight. Just being proactive."
I stepped closer.
"That door leads to the old storage cellars," I said. "There are no siege plans there."
She blinked. Swallowed. "Oh. I must've gotten turned around."
But I could feel it—that offness. A weird, almost too-smooth energy radiating from her. Her pulse was faster than it should've been. Her fingers trembled slightly at her sides.
And then, before I could say more, Ann appeared at my shoulder.
"You lost, Caroline?" Ann asked, her voice too casual to be casual.
Caroline's eyes flicked to her. "No, just misdirected. I'll head back now."
She walked past us a little too quickly, and we didn't stop her. Not yet.
But Ann didn't look away until Caroline had disappeared around the corner.
"She's hiding something," she said flatly.
I nodded. "She's lying."
And just like that, the shift deepened. This wasn't just about enemies outside the walls.
Something darker was rotting from within.
The message had been clear: Let the games begin.
But now… I realized the game had already started.
We just hadn't known who the players were.
Yet.