DANE'S POV
Eight months had passed, and it felt like nothing had changed. Every morning, I woke up wondering if she still hated me as much as before. It bothered me. What was I supposed to do to make things right?
She had been kidnapped and hospitalised so many times, and I knew my life was dangerous for her. To make things worse, she misunderstood something I said, thinking I would hurt our child. What did she think of me?
That night, after I apologised again and again, she ran off. Even after almost being killed by Camilla, she didn’t stop. She must have cared about me, right? But then her mother died, and she left, probably thinking it was better to get hurt by someone else than by me.
Now, she’s back in the Fierce Claws pack. For eight months, I’ve known where she’s been hiding. I watched over her, had guards keeping a close eye, though from a safe distance. I made sure she was protected, but I kept my distance too. If she wanted to be away from me, I wasn’t going to take that from her.
I made sure nothing happened to her. Sure, she was lonely, but at least she felt safe and well-hidden. But what a joke! She actually thought the Alpha of the Fierce Claws pack could defy my orders? If I wanted to, I could’ve taken her back anytime I wanted. But I didn’t. I gave her time. Time to think. Time to cool off.
I thought maybe she’d come back to me once she had enough time alone. I believed she just needed space. But now, after eight months, it was clear she wasn’t coming back on her own.
Suddenly, the door to my study flew open. I raised an eyebrow, not pleased with the interruption.
“What is it now, Ivar?” I asked slowly. Things had been quiet for a while, so I had a feeling this wasn’t going to be good news.
“You need to come with me, now. It’s urgent,” Ivar said, his voice tense.
“What is it? Just tell me. I have a lot on my mind, and I’m not in the mood for any of your games,” I snapped, feeling uneasy.
“It’s the sky... You have to see it,” he replied, sounding unsettled.
I sighed and followed him outside. What was so important about the sky? But as soon as I saw it, my breath caught in my throat. The sky was red.
An omen.
“Is someone dead?” I asked, my voice low. A red sky usually meant someone of Alpha blood had died.
Ivar shook his head. “No... but something’s different. This is... something else.”
Just then, my phone rang. I answered it, and the words on the other end made my heart stop.
“What’s wrong?” Ivar asked, his face tense.
“Astrid... she’s given birth. But the baby... the baby isn’t just any child. My child... he’s a Moon Healer,” I whispered, barely able to believe what I was saying.
I gritted my teeth, grabbing my keys and heading for the door.
“Where are you going? What’s happening?” Ivar asked, trying to block my path.
“I don’t know exactly, but I do know one thing—Astrid is in danger. And so is our child. Do you remember what happened to the last Moon Healer?” I asked, my voice tight with fear.
Ivar didn’t say anything. A heavy silence fell between us.
“But—”
“No ‘buts.’ This is serious. Astrid is in grave danger, and I can’t let anything happen to her or our child. I shouldn’t have reduced the guards around her. I won’t just sit around and wait any longer.”
Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through my chest, and I froze in place, gasping for breath. My insides felt like they were on fire. I raised my eyes to meet Ivar’s, and the look of horror on his face told me something was very wrong.
“Alpha Dane! What’s happening?” he asked, panicking.
“I don’t know,” I muttered, clutching my chest as the pain hit me again.
“The full moon... It’s tonight. That’s why this is happening,” Ivar said, his voice shaky.
I shoved his hand away, refusing to let it stop me. “It doesn’t matter. I need to find Astrid. Our child is in danger,” I growled, determined.
“You can’t just leave! If you get yourself killed, it won’t help her at all,” Ivar argued, trying to block my way again.
“I’ve done nothing but wait for eight months. I won’t wait a second longer. Move!” I roared.
A loud howl escaped from deep within me, and I felt my fingers start to change, elongating into claws. Hair sprouted from my skin as the curse began to take over. The full moon was still hours away, but I could feel its pull already.
The door burst open, and two guards rushed in.
“A Moon Healer has been found, Your Highness. The curse can be lifted now!” one of them said urgently.
I could feel the curse growing stronger, fighting against my will. But I forced myself to stay in control.
“Bring him to me. Alive,” I ordered, my voice cold and steady.
As soon as I gave the order, dread filled my chest. My heart dropped like a stone, and the realisation hit me hard.
“What have I done?” I whispered, trying to get a grip on myself. I had just sent my men after my own child.
The very men who trusted me, who would give their lives for me, were now hunting my own blood.
They wouldn’t stop until they completed their mission—and in doing so, I’d lose everything, even them.
It wasn’t my fault, none of it. The curse had taken control again, clouding my mind. I hadn’t been thinking clearly when I gave the orders, but that didn’t change the outcome. Now, I was cornered, with no one to blame but myself.
My child was in danger, yet again. And it was all because of me.
“Alpha Dane!” Ivar’s voice cut through my panic as he rushed toward me.
“What’s wrong? You shouldn’t be moving like this,” he said, concern etched all over his face.
“You should have stopped me,” I snapped, frustration boiling over. “You saw me give those orders. Now, because of me, Astrid and my son are both in danger!”
I didn’t have the time to pick a fight, but the guilt was eating at me. I had no right to lash out at Ivar when I was the one who’d caused all of this.
“You gave the order too quickly,” Ivar shot back. “I couldn’t stop you without raising suspicion. If they knew the child belonged to Astrid, things would have gotten worse. Keeping it hidden gives us an advantage,” he explained.
He was right. I took a deep breath, nodding in understanding.
“We don’t have time for this,” I muttered, feeling a sharp pain stab through my side. I stumbled forward, but Ivar caught me before I hit the ground.
“You’re in no condition for this, Alpha. Let me handle it,” Ivar urged, his tone firm as he looked me over with concern.
“I’m coming with you,” I said through gritted teeth. “My son is in danger. I’m not sitting this one out.” My voice left no room for argument. Ivar didn’t say anything else, but his silence told me he understood. Without another word, we rushed out the door and into the car.
Ivar took the wheel since I wasn’t in any shape to drive. As we sped toward the Fierce Claw Pack, my mind raced. Every second we wasted was another second my son was in danger.
We searched every place we could think of—the house where she’d been staying, nearby hospitals—anything. But my heart pounded with fear the entire time. The guards on duty mentioned a house where she might have been taken, and we hurried there.
When we arrived, the place was a mess. Signs of a struggle were everywhere. A man lay on the ground, beaten badly. I felt my blood run cold. The man fit the description of someone who had taken Astrid.
Ethan had been there. That was the only reason she’d escaped.
After forcing more information out of the man, we left, but the dread only grew heavier in my chest.
Following his directions, we eventually found a car nearby, its windows smashed, and a few feet away, Astrid stood, holding our child close.
My breath caught in my throat as I saw the broken glass scattered everywhere, the wolves surrounding her. Ethan stood beside her, bruised and bloodied.
But something was wrong. The wolves—my wolves—lay defeated on the ground. My heart ached as I saw the lifeless bodies of men I had trained and trusted.
I marched toward Astrid, my anger rising with every step. “How dare you all?” I growled at the fallen wolves, my voice dripping with fury.
My eyes met Astrid’s, and for a brief moment, it was like she was seeing a ghost. She looked shocked, afraid, but she held our son tight, his face buried against her chest.
Before I could say anything else, the wolves who were still standing launched toward us. They were determined to complete their mission, even if it meant fighting me.
I fought back with everything I had, feeling claws and teeth scrape against my skin. Ivar was beside me, fending off attackers as well, but the fight felt like it would never end. Every second that passed filled me with more panic, more fear.
Finally, we beat them back, leaving me with scratches and bruises all over. But it wasn’t over yet.
“You have to come with me, now,” I said, turning to Astrid. Her eyes were blazing with anger as she clutched our son protectively.
“No. I won’t go anywhere with you,” she spat, her voice filled with hatred. “I won’t let you kill my child. This is all your fault! I don’t trust you. I never will. You’ve always wanted him dead, and I know it.”
Her words cut deep, but before I could respond, Ethan spoke up, his voice calm but urgent. “This isn’t the time for this. We need to get somewhere safe.”
I hesitated. He was right. As much as I wanted to defend myself, there wasn’t time. My son’s life was on the line, and that mattered more than anything.
Suddenly, a voice interrupted us, cold and mocking. “Isn’t this a touching little family reunion?”
We all turned toward the source of the voice. It was Camilla, standing there with a twisted smile on her face. She looked between us, eyes glinting with amusement.
“I heard there’s a new Moon Healer in town… and his father killed my dad!” she said, her tone dripping with malice. “So why don't I return the favour?”
I clenched my fists, feeling the rage bubble up inside me again. This wasn’t over. Not by a long shot.