KADE’S POV
Three days of travel brings me to the Silver Moon Pack territory. My horse is tired, and so am I. But hope still burns in my chest.
"State your business," the guard at the border says.
"Prince Kade Fenrir," I announce. "I'm here to see Alpha Connor."
The guard's eyes widen. "Your Highness! We weren't expecting you."
"It's not a formal visit," I say. "But I'd appreciate an audience with your Alpha."
"Of course, Your Highness. Right away."
He leads me through the pack village. People stop what they're doing to stare. Children peek out from behind their mothers' skirts, and they all whispers.
"The Fenrir Prince."
"What's he doing here?"
"Look how big he is."
"Why did he come alone?"
Alpha Connor meets me at his pack house door. He's a strong man in his fifties with gray streaking his black hair.
"Prince Kade," he says, bowing slightly. "This is an unexpected honor. What brings you to our territory?"
"I'm looking for a mate," I say directly. "I thought perhaps your pack might have suitable candidates."
His eyebrows rise. "A mate? I heard your father was organizing some grand competition."
"The competition is still happening," I explain. "But I decided to take a more direct approach. To meet potential mates in their own territories."
"I see." Alpha Connor nods slowly. "Well, we'd be honored to help. Please, come inside. We'll arrange for you to meet our unmated she-wolves."
The pack house is warm and welcoming. Alpha Connor's wife, Luna Marie, greets me with genuine kindness.
"Your Highness, welcome to our home," she says. "We'll prepare our best guest room for you."
"Thank you, Luna Marie. Your hospitality is much appreciated."
"Connor," she says to her husband, "we should gather the girls immediately."
"Of course." Alpha Connor turns to me. "How many young ladies would you like to meet?"
"As many as are willing," I say. "I don't want to pressure anyone, but I'd like to have options."
"There are eight unmated she-wolves in our pack," Luna Marie says. "All of good families. All beautiful and well-educated."
My wolf stirs with interest. Eight possibilities. Maybe one of them will be different.
"When can I meet them?" I ask.
"This afternoon," Alpha Connor says. "We'll have them come to the main hall."
"That sounds perfect."
The afternoon comes quickly. I dress in my best clothes and make my way to the pack's main hall. It's smaller than ours, but nicely decorated with local artwork and pack banners.
Eight young women wait in a line. They're all dressed in their finest clothes. All nervous but excited.
"Ladies," Alpha Connor announces, "I present Prince Kade Fenrir."
They curtsy in unison. "Your Highness."
"Please, just call me Kade," I say with a smile. "I'd like to get to know each of you."
The first girl steps forward. "I'm Rebecca, Your Highness. I help run our pack school."
It reminds me of Anna, who also mentioned she ran the pack school.
"It's nice to meet you, Rebecca. What do you teach?"
"History and literature," she says. "I love stories about the old days."
We talk for a few minutes. She's smart and kind. She’s pretty too, but there is no spark.
The second girl introduces herself. "I'm Jennifer. I work with our healers"
"That's important work," I say. "Do you enjoy it?"
"Very much. Helping people heal makes me happy."
Again, she's lovely. But my wolf doesn't react.
I work my way down the line. Margaret, who trains horses. Susan, who manages the pack kitchens. Lisa, who works with the border guards. Each conversation is pleasant. Each girl is wonderful in her own way.
But none of them feel right.
Then I notice something. While I'm talking to the sixth girl, Tessa, I see people gathered at the hall windows.
"Is everything alright?" I ask Alpha Connor.
They are whispering in low tones, pointing at me.
"Oh, just pack members curious about their prince," he says quickly. But his smile looks forced.
I continue with the introductions. The seventh girl, Maya, seems nervous. More nervous than the others.
"Are you alright?" I ask her.
"Yes, Your Highness," she says. But her hands shake.
The eighth girl, Patricia, barely looks at me when she speaks. Her answers are short. .
Something is wrong.
Then I hear it. A whisper from the crowd by the windows.
"...violent transformations..."
"...dangerous on the full moon..."
"...monster wolf..."
My blood runs cold. They're talking about me. About the curse.
"Ladies," Alpha Connor says suddenly, "perhaps we should take a break—"
"I need to go," Rebecca interrupts. "My mother needs help with dinner."
"Me too," Jennifer says quickly. "Healer duties."
One by one, the girls start making excuses. Within minutes, half of them have left the hall.
"Wait," I call out. "We were just getting started."
But Margaret is already walking away. "I'm sorry, Your Highness. I just remembered something important."
Susan follows her. Then Lisa. Then Tessa.
Soon only Maya and Patricia remain, and they look like they want to run too.
"I don't understand," I say to Alpha Connor. "What's happening?"
His face is red with embarrassment. "Prince Kade, I'm so sorry. This is highly unusual behavior for our pack."
I see Elder Luke, Alpha Connor's advisor, whispering urgently in his ear. Alpha Connor's expression grows more troubled with each word.
"Maya, Patricia," I say to the remaining girls. "Did I say something wrong?"
Patricia won't meet my eyes. "Your Highness, I think there's been a mistake. I'm not ready for mating."
"Neither am I," Maya adds quickly. "I'm sorry."
They leave too. I'm standing alone in the hall with Alpha Connor and his family.
"Alpha Connor," I say firmly. "I need to know what just happened."
He exchanges looks with his wife and Elder Luke. "Perhaps we should speak privately, Prince Kade."
"Yes. I think we should."
Alpha Connor leads me to his private office and Elder Luke follows. Luna Marie closes the door behind us.
"Your Highness," Alpha Connor begins, "I owe you an explanation."
"Yes, you do."
Elder Luke steps forward. "Your Highness, word travels fast between packs. Especially about important matters."
"What kind of word?" I ask, though I already know.
"About your... condition," Alpha Connor says carefully. "About what happens during your transformations."
My heart sinks. "What exactly have you heard?"
"That the curse affects more than just your bloodline," Elder Luke says. "That it changes your wolf form, and makes you... different."
"Different how?"
Alpha Connor looks uncomfortable. "Larger, more aggressive, and potentially dangerous."
"And the full moon makes it worse," Elder Luke adds. "The stories say you lose control completely."
The room spins. I grip the back of a chair to steady myself.
"So your pack knows," I say slowly.
"Yes," Alpha Connor confirms. "And I'm afraid it's affected the girls' willingness to consider a mating bond."
"They're scared," Luna Marie says softly. "Not just of you, but of what their lives would be like. What their children might inherit."
I feel like I've been punched in the gut. The rumors have spread faster than I could travel. My reputation has preceded me.
"I'm sorry, Prince Kade," Alpha Connor says. "If I had known, I would have prepared better. Talked to the girls beforehand."
I sink into a chair. All eight girls are gone before I could even try to win them over.
The silence in the room feels endless after Alpha Connor’s apology. My gaze drops to my hands, clenched so tightly the knuckles have gone white. Shame claws at me, but beneath it, something more savage simmers—grief. Not for what I’ve done, but for the chance at something normal that’s slipping through my fingers.
I close my eyes. Just for a second. Just to breathe.
And the world… changes.
Suddenly, I’m no longer in the cold, wood-paneled council room. The air turns sharp with pine and snow, and moonlight bathes the clearing in silver light. I’m standing in a forest blanketed in frost, the hush of night pressing against my ears. My wolf surges to the surface—not in alarm, but in reverence. His instincts awaken with a jolt, as if summoned.
She’s there.
A girl.
On the far edge of the clearing, bathed in moonlight like something from a forgotten dream. Her back is to me, but I’m already undone. A waterfall of deep auburn hair tumbles down her back, kissed by silver strands of frost and starlight. Her presence isn’t just striking—it’s sacred.
When she turns, the world stops.
She is beauty made flesh. Not the delicate, fragile kind. No, this beauty is fierce. Elemental. Her eyes—green as forest shadow—lock onto mine, and I forget how to breathe. There’s sorrow in them, wisdom too, and something else that roots me to the spot: recognition. As if she’s known me across lifetimes.
My wolf growls low, but it’s not a threat—it’s yearning. Pure and aching. My every sense pulls toward her like the tide to the moon. The mark on her collarbone, a crescent-shaped scar, glows faintly, echoing the pull I feel in my own soul.
“Ivy,” I whisper, the name forming without thought, spoken like a prayer.
She tilts her head. The corners of her lips lift—not quite a smile, but enough to undo whatever strength I had left. She doesn’t speak, but in that heartbeat, everything inside me shifts. My curse, my blood, my fate—none of it matters anymore.
Only she does.
And then—
She’s gone.
The vision snaps like a tether, and I’m back in the council room, breathless and stunned. The others are still speaking, oblivious.
I blink, but her face is burned into my memory. I can still feel her eyes on me.
Was she real?
Or a trick—a cruel illusion spun by the Moon Goddess to torment me in my lowest moment?
I don’t know.
But gods help me—I need her to be real. Because in that one impossible glimpse, she felt like the only thing in this cursed world that could make me whole again.