Corvus POV
The first shadow wolf lunged at Seraphina's throat.
I intercepted it mid-air, my jaws clamping down on shadow-flesh that felt like ice and smoke. The creature dissolved into mist, but two more immediately took its place.
There's too many! Seraphina sent through our bond, her fear bleeding into me.
The shadows grew larger. Darker. Feeding on her doubt.
Stop being afraid! I snarled back, ripping through another attacker. Every time you doubt, they get stronger!
I can't help it!
A shadow wolf tackled her from behind. She yelped as spectral claws raked her side. I felt her agony through the bond like it was my own body being torn.
My vision went red.
I abandoned my attackers and crossed the distance in one leap, grabbing the shadow by its throat and slamming it into the ground. It exploded into dark mist.
But Seraphina was bleeding. Silver blood dripped from her wounded side.
You're hurt.
I'm fine. Focus!
But I couldn't focus. All I could think about was protecting her—
The shadows doubled in size.
"STOP!" Elder Cassia's voice cut through the chaos. "Corvus, your fear is feeding them! Control yourself!"
She was right. I was terrified of losing Seraphina, and my doubt was making them stronger.
I forced myself to breathe. To think like an Alpha, not a panicked mate.
Seraphina, we need to fight smarter. Back to back. Cover each other.
Okay. Her wolf pressed against mine. Together.
The moment we aligned—truly aligned, trusting each other completely—the bond between us blazed brighter. The marks on our arms began to glow.
The shadow wolves hesitated.
When we trust each other, the bond makes us stronger, Seraphina realized.
Then let's show them what we're made of.
We moved as one unit. Where I attacked, she defended. Where she struck, I covered her. Our wolves synchronized perfectly.
The shadows began to retreat.
But then I felt it—doubt through the bond. From Seraphina.
What if this is a mistake? What if Corvus realizes I'm not worth—
"NO!" I howled, shifting to human form. Stupid, reckless, but necessary.
The shadows surged forward.
I grabbed Seraphina's wolf face in my hands. "Look at me."
Her silver eyes met mine, wide with fear.
"You are worth it," I said fiercely. "You are worth my pack, my title, my life. Every sacrifice—I'd make them all again for you. Do you understand?"
Tears leaked from her wolf eyes.
"I need you to believe that. Because if you don't, we can't win this."
I'm scared.
"Me too. But I'm more scared of losing you."
She shifted to human form. "I believe you," she whispered.
She kissed me. Hard and desperate.
The bond exploded between us like a supernova.
The marks on our arms blazed with golden and silver light. The shadow wolves shrieked, recoiling from the radiance.
When we pulled apart, every single shadow had vanished.
The trial was over.
I collapsed, exhausted. Seraphina fell beside me, still bleeding.
"You're hurt," I said, reaching for her wound.
Elder Cassia hurried over with bandages. "Moon Blessed blood heals faster, but you need this wrapped."
My father helped Rowan, who'd fainted.
"That was the trial?" Magnus asked, shaken.
"No," Cassia said grimly. "That was a preview. The real first trial happens in three days and will be ten times worse."
Seraphina and I exchanged looks.
"How do we prepare?" Seraphina asked.
"Build trust. Absolute trust." Cassia's eyes were serious. "Spend every moment together. Share your fears, secrets, darkest thoughts. Leave nothing hidden. Because the shadows will use everything against you."
My stomach twisted. Every secret?
I had secrets. Dark ones.
Through the bond, I felt Seraphina's identical panic.
"What if the secrets make us doubt each other more?" Seraphina asked.
"Then you'll fail and die." Cassia's bluntness was brutal. "The Moon Goddess believes your bond can survive anything. But you have to prove it."
Kael spoke up. "Alpha, we need to address the pack. They felt the attack."
"We'll do it together," Magnus said. "Both Alphas, united."
An hour later, after calming both terrified packs, Seraphina and I headed to my forest cabin. Four warriors followed as guards.
The cabin appeared exactly as I remembered. Where everything changed.
Seraphina touched the door. "Last time I was here, I didn't even know your name."
"This time, we're mates trying to survive impossible trials." I opened the door.
We went inside. I started a fire while she explored.
"Where do we start?" she asked, sitting on the furs.
I joined her. "Easy secrets first, then work up to the terrifying ones."
We traded small confessions. Favorite colors. Childhood fears. Embarrassing stories.
Eventually, we ran out of easy topics.
"The night I caught Thorne..." Seraphina's voice dropped. "Part of me was relieved."
I raised my eyebrows.
"I was so miserable with him. When I found them together, it hurt. But this tiny voice said 'finally, you're free.'" Shame filled her eyes. "What kind of person feels relieved when they get betrayed?"
"The kind trapped in the wrong relationship," I said gently. "That doesn't make you bad."
"You don't think I'm terrible?"
"I think you're honest." I kissed her forehead. "My turn?"
She nodded.
"I killed my uncle to become Alpha."
Seraphina went still.
"He was Alpha after my family died. Brutal. Cruel. I challenged him at twenty-five. The fight was supposed to stop at submission. But when he yielded... I didn't stop. I killed him anyway because I was scared and angry." I met her eyes. "That's who I am."
She was quiet, then squeezed my hand. "He was hurting people. You stopped him. That's protection, not murder."
Relief flooded me.
We spent hours sharing deeper secrets. Our fears. Shames. Darkest thoughts.
With every confession, the bond grew stronger.
By sunset, we lay tangled together, completely bare emotionally.
"I love you," I said suddenly.
Seraphina's breath caught. "What?"
"I love you. Not just the bond. I love who you are."
Tears streamed down her face. "I love you too."
We kissed, deep and real.
The marks on our arms began to glow. The first trial mark was fading.
"What does that mean?" she asked.
Elder Cassia's voice echoed in our minds:
The first trial is complete. But the second begins at dawn. This one tests whether your love is stronger than loyalty to your packs. Tomorrow, you'll choose between your mate and your people. Only one can survive.
The connection severed.
Seraphina and I stared at each other in horror.
"Choose between you and my pack?" she whispered.
Tomorrow, the Moon Goddess would force us to make an impossible choice.
And whatever we decided would change everything.