The Silver Wolf (Diana and Talon) novel Chapter 188

Chapter One Hundred Eighty Eight

Clam

Diana remembered the first time she heard Artemis’s voice. She had been young. Confused. Terrified that someone would discover she had a wolf unlike any other.

“Artemis insisted that we hide,” Diana said.

Ravenna nodded.

“Because she knew. Perhaps not the complete history. But Silver Wolves carry instinctive memories. Fragments passed through blood and soul. Artemis understood that revealing herself too early would place you in danger.”

Diana’s hand rested over her chest.

“She always told me our true mate would find us.”

“And she was right.”

Talon kissed the side of Diana’s head. Ravenna smiled faintly at them.

“For years, the witches searched for you. But every vision failed. Sometimes they saw silver fur. Sometimes forest green eyes. Sometimes a warrior covered in blood. But no name. No pack. No family. Nothing that could lead them directly to you.”

“And Thorne?” Talon asked. “When did the curse know?”

“The same time we did.”

Ravenna’s expression became pained again.

“It started when Artemis first emerge. That is when the dreams and vision started. Then the moment the Silver Wolf revealed herself to the world, Gideon’s darkness fully awakened inside Thorne.”

Ravenna looked down.

“Before that, the signs were there. Nightmares. Restlessness. Unusual increases in his power. But once Artemis emerged…”

She swallowed.

“The curse knew who you were. And Thorne stopped being able to resist it.”

Silence settled over the office. Diana looked toward the distant forest beyond the window. Everything had begun the moment she shifted. It had all been waiting for Artemis to reveal herself.

Ravenna’s voice softened.

“You are the first Silver Wolf I have ever known who is willing to search for an answer that does not begin with killing the vessel.”

Diana turned toward her.

“The other Silver Wolves wanted the cursed witch dead?”

115

Unclaimed Prizes Inside

-Go-to the event page.and collect them

Ravenna did not judge them.

“They were hunted. Their families were attacked. Their mates were threatened. Some lost their pups. By the time they faced Gideon’s vessel, they no longer cared about saving him. They only wanted the attacks to end.”

Diana understood. If Thome harmed Talon or their unborn pup, she did not know whether she would still care about saving him.

Artemis growled inside her mind.

“We will end him if he touches our pup.”

Diana could not disagree.

Ravenna continued.

“The White Witches of the past also accepted the vessel’s death as necessary. They were raised to believe that their duty was to protect the Silver Wolf at any cost. They did not question whether the cursed witch could be saved. But you did.”

Her tears began falling again.

“You looked at me and saw more than your assigned protector. You saw a mate who is terrified of losing the person she loves.”

Ravenna placed one hand over her stomach.

“Thorne is my mate. The father of my unborn child. I know what he has done. I know innocent wolves have died because of him. I know he has tried to kill you!”

She looked at Diana with desperate honesty.

“I am not asking you to ignore his crimes. I am not asking you to trust him. I am only asking for one chance. One chance to reach the man still trapped beneath the curse.”

Her voice broke.

“My Thorne is still there. I know he is. The male who loved me. The male who prayed for this child with me. The male who would once have sacrificed himself before allowing anyone to harm me.”

She pressed her palm more firmly against her stomach.

“He is still inside that darkness.”

Diana stepped closer. Ravenna continued through her tears.

“I would do anything. Give anything. My power. My title. My life. For one chance to break the curse and bring him home.”

She closed her eyes.

“The witches told me I had to choose. Either stand beside Thorne and become an enemy of every wolf…

25

Chapter Opanded Eighty Eight

er fulfill my duty as the White Witch and help destroy him.”

Her Shoulders shook.

“They told me there could be no third path. I had to choose between the world and my mate.”

Diana’s expression filled with sympathy.

“I am sorry, Ravenna.”

Ravenna wiped at her face. Then she looked at Diana uncertainly.

“Do you not believe I am betraying you?”

Diana frowned.

“Why would I?”

“I am the White Witch assigned to protect you. And yet I stand here asking you to spare the witch trying to kill you.”

Ravenna’s voice dropped.

“Other Silver Wolves would consider that betrayal.”

Diana remained silent for a moment. Then she slowly shook her head.

“No.”

Ravenna stared at her.

“I do not believe you are betraying me.”

“But-”

“I admire you.”

Ravenna blinked. Diana looked toward Talon. Her expression softened immediately.

“Because if our positions were reversed…”

She reached for her mate’s hand.

“If Talon were consumed by a curse… If he attacked people without understanding what was controlling him… If everyone told me the only way to protect the world was to kill him…”

Her voice faltered. Talon looked down at her. Diana shook her head.

“I do not know if I would have the courage to stand against him.”

Fenrir became quiet inside Talon’s mind. Diana continued.

“He is my mate. The father of my pup. The other half of my soul.”

She looked back toward Ravenna.

35

Chapter Opeked Eighty Eight

“cannot promise that I would choose duty over him. I cannot even imagine making that choice.”

Talon brought Diana’s hand to his lips.

“You will never have to.”

Diana smiled sadly.

“I hope not.”

Then she turned back toward Ravenna.

“So no, I do not see you as disloyal. I see a woman trying to save the person she loves without allowing him to destroy everyone else. That takes more courage than simply choosing one side.”

Ravenna stared at her. For the first time in months, she felt understood. Not judged. Not commanded. Understood.

Diana squeezed her hand.

“We will search for another solution. We will try to break the curse. We will try to save Thorne.”

Ravenna’s lips trembled.

“But…”

Diana’s expression became mischievous.

“If we succeed…”

Ravenna looked at her in confusion. Diana raised one fist.

“Do me a favor.”

“What favor?”

“Let me hit him.”

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify