Chapter 216\u00a0<\/p>\n
Third Person\u2019s POV\u00a0<\/p>\n
The gossip thread finally shot to the top of the pack\u2019s\u00a0<\/p>\n
internal \u201cnication channel after a flood of\u00a0<\/p>\n
rapid-fire reposts.\u00a0<\/p>\n
An hour later, once Magnus had settled Aysel into the Shadowbane Pack\u2019s private resting den for her midday nap, he opened his work messages. As he scroll through the net\u00a0<\/p>\n
one line in the muted main group caught his eye.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Immediately, the gossip packmates in the smaller private group ignited again, claws tapping screens with the ferocity of wolves scenting fresh prey.\u00a0<\/p>\n
[Damn! Did I see that right?! Alpha Magnus just dropped a heap of red-envelope blessings!]\u00a0<\/p>\n
[Six-six-six! So many nine-nine-nines!! I\u2019ve never seen this many in my life-whoever started the is a genius!]\u00a0<\/p>\n
[New tactic discovered for currying favor with the Alpha]\u00a0<\/p>\n
spam idea\u00a0<\/p>\n
[To everyone who worried Olivia from the Darkmoon Pack might throw her weight around because she\u2019s related to the Alpha\u2019s stepmother-look at this. This is your answer. Their bond was never good, and Alpha Magnus is clearly waving the banner for his own true mate.]\u00a0<\/p>\n
[He\u2019s so in love.]\u00a0<\/p>\n
[He\u2019s so in love.]\u00a0<\/p>\n
Another wave of ecstatic spam swept the screen.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u3059\u00a0<\/p>\n
But in reality, while the packmates were convinced Ivy from the Darkmoon Pack would naturally align herself with her niece Olivia against Magnus, Ivy was at this very moment in a vicious quarrel with her own family.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Her fury rolled through the Darkmoon Pack estate like an unstable stormfront.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cJames, what are you thinking?!\u201d Ivy snarled, her wolf aura rising sharply. \u201cI will never reconcile with that Shadowbane whelp. You want Olivia to approach him? Are you out of your mind?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
For Ivy, bowing to her stepson Magnus Sanchez was worse than dying.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The moment she remembered the anonymous recording she\u2019d received earlier-Olivia\u2019s confident vow that the family would choose her over Ivy-blood pounded behind Ivy\u2019s eyes. The Darkmoon Pack had always been her strongest pillar of support. How could they betray her now?\u00a0<\/p>\n
James-one of the Darkmoon Pack\u2019s senior heirs-pressed his fingers against his temples, exhausted by his sister\u2019s volatile temper.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cCalm yourself,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He studied his sister-the same spoiled wolf who had grown up showered in affection, her arrogance only sharpened after marriage-and sighed deeply.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cDarkmoon is not what it used to be. And Magnus is not the boy he used to be either. Do you think I would ever let Olivia near him if we had any other path left?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
1\/4\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ivy\u2019s jaw tensed, her chest rising and falling sharply.\u00a0<\/p>\n
James\u2019s expression darkened, fatigue etched between his brows.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cSince Father stepped down, the Darkmoon Pack\u2019s influence has already weakened. Recently, I\u2019ve been besieged on all sides in the political arena. Lucas\u2019s business ventu\u00a0<\/p>\n
whose claws are behind this?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
keep taking heavy hits. Do you not see\u00a0<\/p>\n
Years ago, when Ivy insisted on marrying Ulric Sanchez-despite him having a wife and child-James had protested fiercely. But Ivy was the elders\u2019 darling, spoiled from birth, stubborn in love, and the elders eventually yielded. At that time, the Sanchez family was in turmoil-Phelan Sanchez died unexpectedly, Lyall vanished with a human woman, and Ulric was the only stable heir who could become the next Alpha. Their concession was strategic.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ivy entered the Sanchez family, but at a terrible price.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Later, she committed foolish acts again, fueling a blood feud with her stepson Magnus.\u00a0<\/p>\n
When James learned his daughter Olivia had fallen for Magnus, he immediately forbade it. Magnus harbored nothing but hatred toward Darkmoon; how could he ever be gentle to Olivia? With Ivy as his stepmother, their families stood as natural enemies. No matter how it hurt his daughter, James had been resolute.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But the recent situation crushed his resistance.\u00a0<\/p>\n
And he realized, with deep sorrow: against the current Magnus Sanchez-Alpha of Shadowbane, continent\u2019s strongest, heir of Rafe\u2019s bloodline-they had no chance of winning.\u00a0<\/p>\n
James had observed Magnus quietly for a long time. The young Alpha was merciless, ice-blooded, unstoppable. He tore through obstacles like a wolf who carried ancient omens on his back-slaying gods, defying fate, unbound by fear.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He had no weaknesses.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Except one.\u00a0<\/p>\n
His emotions-his unwavering, singular devotion-mirroring that of his late mother.\u00a0<\/p>\n
That was their only fracture point. Their only hope.\u00a0<\/p>\n
If Olivia truly won his heart, if the two young wolves bonded, perhaps their families\u2019 blood-soaked grudges could be dissolved through an alliance.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It was a last resort. But he had no choice.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He hadn\u2019t told Ivy earlier because he knew she would fight it with everything she had.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She had already been humiliated by Raya and her son. Ivy\u2019s pride was a mountain-unyielding, immovable, unwilling to bow.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ivy lifted her chin, her eyes blazing.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cDarkmoon Pack is vast and deep-rooted. You expect me to believe we can\u2019t contend with a feral stray? Didn\u2019t he retreat once, four years ago?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
SHOOK HIS FICaus\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThat was four years ago.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
And only recently had he finally understood something he once missed.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Four years ago, Magnus had returned from abroad like lightning storm-young, vicious, unstoppable. He seized control of the entire Sanchez lineage, stripping stien\u2019s authority and consolidating power under\u00a0<\/p>\n
his own claws.\u00a0<\/p>\n
When Magnus broke Ulric Sanchez\u2019s leg, the Darkmoon Pack, led by Ivy\u2019s tearful pleas, had grown wary. The two sides exchanged shallow blows. But Magnus never escalated it to a family-level war. He took his pound of flesh-but nothing crippling enough to force Darkmoon into retaliation.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Now, in hindsight, it was obvious.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He\u2019d done it on purpose.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He targeted Ulric, but left Ivy untouched. That prevented the Darkmoon Pack from uniting against him. He could have fought them head-on, but the cost would have been steep, and he himself had predators surrounding him at the time.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Magnus Sanchez was a patient hunter-precise, calculating, ancient in instinct.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Those minor conflicts had been smoke screens.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Disguises.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Traps.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Many of James\u2019s political enemies today\u2026 were pawns Magnus had positioned even back then.\u00a0<\/p>\n
This young Alpha possessed a mind that chilled even James-an old fox of the political domain.\u00a0<\/p>\n
James looked at his sister, still stubborn as a cornered wolf.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou grew up swaddled in affection. Darkmoon gave you everything. Now it\u2019s time for you to think for the pack. Our nieces and nephews depend on us. Do you want the Darkmoon Pack to fall in our generation?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
They had been greedy-too greedy.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The price was finally due.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Blood debt.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Pack debt.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Destiny\u2019s debt.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ivy trembled with hatred so fierce she could taste iron.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But she understood-her resistance meant nothing.\u00a0<\/p>\n
No matter how cherished she once was, when the pack\u2019s survival was at stake, even she could be abandoned.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Her eyes burned red. \u201cI will not help you.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
James regarded her, gaze heavy.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou don\u2019t have to help. You just need to stop interfering with Olivia.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The door slammed with a thunderous crack-the sound of wood and metal rattling under wolf strength-as Ivy stormed out.\u00a0<\/p>\n
James rubbed his forehead helplessly.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It was clear now: because the Darkmoon Pack produced few daughters, the elders had spoiled them to ruin.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ivy had once been sweet, kind, spirited-a young she-wolf with promise.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Had she not choked on her own pride, unable to accept hat her childhood sweetheart chose a fated mate over her, she could have flourished anywhere, lived a prosperous life.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But choices were teeth.\u00a0<\/p>\n
And debts were bone.\u00a0<\/p>\n
And the wolves of Darkmoon were out of both.<\/p>\n
Joseph King is an editor and storyteller who ensures every chapter is clear, polished, and engaging for readers.<\/p>\n
Midnight Letters by Daniel Crowe 216 Chapter 216\u00a0 Third Person\u2019s POV\u00a0 The gossip thread finally shot to the top of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[35],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-20499","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-pack-princess"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20499","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=20499"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20499\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=20499"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=20499"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=20499"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}