EPISODE 19%
My eyes widened when I saw a massive wolf standing in the shadows of the room.
For a split second, panic bubbled up in my chest and I almost screamed. But before I could make a sound, a soft bark interrupted me. I turned quickly toward the edge of the bed and saw the small wolf cub struggling to climb up.
Its tiny paws scrambled against the blanket, determined but clumsy. I reached over to help it, but just as my hand touched the sheets, it managed to pull itself up and wobbled toward me. Its nose sniffed the small curve of my belly, then it snuggled into my arms with a satisfied huff.}
I cradled the cub close, its warmth immediately calming my nerves. But I couldn’t ignore the sound of movement beside me. I turned slowly.
The large wolf stepped out of the shadows and into the silver light pouring through the window. My breath caught in my throat.
It was breathtaking.
The moonlight shimmered against its fur, which glowed like soft silver, every step it took gracefully and sure. There was no doubt in my mind.
This wasn’t just any wolf.”
This was the Great Wolf, the father of the cub nestled in my arms. Its aura pulsed with strength and wisdom, the way only true alphas carried themselves. It didn’t growl, didn’t bare its teeth. It simply looked at me.”
Our eyes met, and I felt like I was being studied, not threatened, not judged, just… measured. Then, without warning, the Great Wolf walked to the side of the bed and lay down beside it, folding its legs under its body as though it meant to stay.”
I didn’t feel afraid anymore. In fact, I felt oddly safe.}}
The cub began to snore lightly, still curled against me. And as I stared at the two of them, father and child, I felt my own eyes growing heavy. The tension in my muscles faded. I let my head fall back onto the pillow and, before I could think twice about it, I drifted to sleep.
I didn’t dream anymore that night.
Outside my window, someone was watching me. A presence lurked beyond the trees, cloaked in shadow, its intent sharp and cold. I couldn’t feel it, not under the protective warmth of the cub. But the Great Wolf did.”
It raised its head without a sound, its glowing eyes locking onto something in the distance, just outside the house. The intruder must have sensed it too, because after a mornent, the oppressive weight of that hostile gaze vanished.
The Great Wolf didn’t move, didn’t grow!. It simply watched. And once the presence was gone, it laid its head back down and returned to its silent guard.
By the time morning came, I was awakened by a series of soft whines. The cub was nudging my side, with its nose, and when I blinked my eyes open, I found Valor sitting beside the bed, calmly brushing the Great Wolf’s fur.”
“Good morning,” he said with a small smile. “Sleep well?”
I nodded, still groggy.”
“What… what’s he doing here?” I asked, glancing at the massive creature sprawled beside the bed.
Valor chuckled as he ran the comb through its thick coat. “Grooming day. He shows up once in a while. The cub’s father is a bit vain, if you
ask me.”
The Great Wolf huffed, as if insulted. I looked at it again and felt a warm awe rise in my chest.
“He’s beautiful. Too beautiful to be afraid of.“”
Vaior raised a brow at that, then smiled more broadly. “Careful. He likes compliments. Might never leave now.”
The Great Wolf gave a satisfied grunt, clearly pleased by my words. The cub leapt off the bed and began playfully tugging at its father’s tail, but the larger wolf tolerated it with the patience of an experienced parent.}
When the grooming was done, the Great Wolf stood, stretched, and padded out of the room. The moment it siepped outside, Valor’s siblings rushed toward it like excited children. I could hear their voices from the open window, praising its size, its fur, its regal demeanor. I smiled at the image in my head and stood up slowly, my back aching slightly. Valor came to my side, steadying me with a hand under my elbow. “You okay?” “Yeah. Just slow today,” I said with a glance at my rounded belly.
He helped me to the living room, where we watched the commotion outside for a few minutes. Then I turned to him, voice quiet. “What about Ronan?*%
Valor’s jaw tightened. “I gave them one day. Just one. They’re supposed to be gone already.”
And they were. Ronan and his warriors had packed up and left the next morning. Flora tried to argue, insisting that they had just arrived and Mara was too weak to travel. But Valor didn’t listen. He didn’t care. I thought that would be the end of it.
But it wasn’t.
Ronan kept coming back. Every two weeks without fail, he would return, trying to speak to me. Valor never let him get too close. There was one time when Ronan managed to reach for my hand. I didn’t even know what to say. I was stunned.
But Valor wasn’t. He punched Ronan so hard I heard the crack of bone. They fought loud, brutal, the kind of clash that echoed across the whole territory. After that, Ronan didn’t show his face for a month. And honestly, I didn’t care
He could come or not. I had already told him more than once that I wasn’t going back with him. He kept insisting that once I got my memories back, I would change my mind.
7:05 PM
memories back, I would change my mind.
But months have passed.
And nothing changed.
My stomach grew heavier with each week. The child within me grew stronger, moving more often, sometimes keeping me up at night. Valor grew more protective, more anxious. He barely let me out of the house. His father had to scold him a few times for it, reminding him I wasn’t a prisoner.
By the ninth month, the pack was preparing for the annual council gathering. Packs from neighboring territories were set to arrive. There would be trading, ceremonies, and meetings that would affect every region around us. Valor had been busy for weeks by doubling the patrols, organizing housing for guests, overseeing the defenses.
I offered to help, but there wasn’t much I could do with my belly so large I could barely reach my toes.M
When the day of the gathering finally arrived, I was escorted to a small tent where the females and elders rested. There were so many unfamiliar scents, voices from all directions, warriors moving in perfect sync. I watched from the sidelines, trying not to feel out of place.
Then I saw Ronan.
He stood among a small group near the northern path, speaking with one of the delegates. His eyes looked sunken. His beard was unkempt. He didn’t look like the proud Alpha I had first met. He looked like someone who hadn’t slept in weeks. And beside him was Mara. She was pale, her stomach round and tight, as if she were moments away from labor.
F
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ביב
