Filed to story: Diana Nightshade and Alpha Talon Ravenwood Book PDF Free
Her lips curved into a small, startled smile.
‘You’re… in my head, she replied cautiously, testing the connection. The bond responded to her curiosity, widening just enough to reassure her without overwhelming her. It felt strange and impossibly right. Like discovering a sense she should have always had.
A low, amused hum answered her, threaded with pride and tenderness. ‘And you are in mine. Mating allows us to mind-link-to feel each other through the bond.’
She let out a soft breath and finally opened her eyes.
Sunlight filtered through the thin curtains of her bedroom, painting the walls in pale gold and dusting the wooden floor with warmth. Morning birdsong drifted faintly through the open window. Everything felt quieter than usual, like the world itself was holding its breath.
She was tucked securely against Talon’s chest, his arm wrapped around her waist, firm and possessive without being tight. There was no sense of being trapped-only protected. Anchored.
His scent surrounded her now, deeper and richer than it had been before. It was no longer separate from her own. The bond had woven them together so seamlessly she couldn’t tell where she ended and he began.
Bonded.
The word settled fully this time, heavy and real. No longer abstract. No longer theoretical.
She shifted slightly, adjusting her position, and immediately Talon’s arm tightened. Instinct flared through The bond-sharp, protective-before easing when Fenrir realized it was only her moving.
A flicker of warmth brushed her thoughts. Mine. Safe.
Talon’s eyes opened, vivid blue locking onto hers instantly.
For a long moment, neither of them spoke. There was no awkwardness. No uncertainty. Just quiet awe, shared and unspoken.
“You’re still here,” Diana murmured, her voice rough with sleep and emotion.
One corner of his mouth lifted. “Did you think I wouldn’t be?”
“No,” she admitted after a moment. “I think… I just needed to see it.”
He reached up slowly, as if afraid to rush her, and brushed a loose strand of hair from her face. His touch was reverent, careful. The bond reacted instantly-warmth blooming in her chest, spreading outward until it stole her breath.
“How do you feel?” Talon asked softly.
There was no Alpha King in his voice now. No command. Just concern. Just her mate.
Diana closed her eyes briefly and turned inward, checking in with herself-with Artemis.
‘Strong, her wolf answered without hesitation. ‘Whole.’
“I feel…” Diana searched for the right word. “Grounded. Like something that was always loose finally settled into place.”
Relief washed through Talon, thick and unmistakable through the bond. His shoulders eased beneath her cheek.
“Good,” he murmured. “That’s how it’s supposed to feel. Our marking will have to wait for now. I want you in my pack first-protected, surrounded by people I trust.”
She studied him then-really looked. The sharp planes of his face were relaxed, the weight of leadership momentarily set aside. This was Talon unguarded. Talon without armor.
“You feel different,” she said quietly.
His brow lifted. “Different how?”
“Closer,” Diana replied. “Not just physically. I can feel when you’re calm. When you’re… worried.”
Something flickered in his eyes-surprise, then acceptance.
“And I feel your grief,” he admitted softly. “It’s still there. Not as sharp this last night, but it hasn’t faded.”
Her throat tightened. “I’m sorry”
He shook his head immediately. “Don’t be. It’s part of you. And now it’s part of me too.”
The bond pulsed in agreement, solid and unyielding.
Diana shifted to sit up, the sheet slipping slightly as she moved. Talon followed instantly, sitting as well, This body angled toward her, alert and attentive as if she were the only thing in the world that mattered.
As the warmth lingered, reality slowly returned.
The pack.
Her parents.
The unanswered questions that still gnawed at her heart.
“This doesn’t change what I said last night,” she exhaled slowly. “I still can’t leave. Not until I know the truth.”
Talon nodded without hesitation. “I know.”
No argument. No pressure.
That alone nearly broke her.
“But it does change something,” he continued, his voice steady now-not commanding, but resolute. “You won’t face it alone.”
Her eyes met his. “Talon-“
“I won’t pull you away from your duty,” he said firmly. “And I won’t abandon mine. I’ll speak to Enzo-my beta.”
She felt his intent sharpen through the bond, sliding into place like a blade being drawn.
“He’ll investigate,” Talon said. “As the Alpha King’s beta, he has the authority to ask questions no one else can. No one will question his presence. And he loves unraveling mysteries.”
Hope flared in her chest-cautious, fragile, but undeniable.
“He’d do that for me?” she asked quietly. “You’d ask your beta to do that for me?”
A faint smile touched his lips, fierce and sincere. “Diana, I would burn kingdoms for you. This is nothing.”
Emotion surged through the bond so strongly she had to look away, blinking rapidly. She leaned forward and rested her forehead against his. “Thank you.”
“I need to get dressed,” he pressed a lingering kiss to her hair. “I need to speak with Enzo. He mentioned last night that he has something to report. Do you want to come with me to the pack house?”
“No,” Diana replied immediately, her voice final. “I haven’t been inside the pack house since the day I resigned as a warrior.”
His gaze sharpened-not with anger, but curiosity. “Speaking of that… why are you still ranked as a warrior? Why not even a Delta? From what I saw during the rogue attack, you’re stronger than most of the fighters under Asher.”
“Asher never promoted me,” Her jaw tightened. “He rejected me in front of everyone because I was ‘weak’ without a wolf. So I proved him wrong. I became the strongest fighter in the pack without ever using my wolf. I think his pride as an Alpha couldn’t handle that.”
Talon stared at her for a moment and then laughed, a low, knowing sound. “I can see him doing that.”
A mix of nerves and anticipation fluttered in her stomach.
“Promise me you’ll stay here in your cabin-while I’m at the pack house.” Talon said.
She arched a brow. “Talon, I am not a damsel in distress. I can protect myself. Or have you forgotten?”
“I know how strong you are,” he replied calmly. “I saw it. But you are my mate. Strong or not, I will always try to protect you.”
As Diana rose from the bed, the bond thrummed steadily between them-stronger with every breath, every shared thought.
Whatever the day brought.
Whatever truths waited in the shadows.
They would face it together.
Back at the pack house, Taton strode through the massive double doors without slowing, his presence commanding the space the moment he entered.
By now, every wolf in the Crimson Fang Pack knew who he was.
The Alpha King.
Even the way the air shifted around him was different-heavier, charged with authority older than any single pack. Conversations died mid-sentence. Warriors straightened instinctively. Omegas lowered their gazes. Even seasoned elders felt the subtle pressure of his power settle over their shoulders.
Talon paid none of them any mind. He had no patience for ceremony. No tolerance for posturing.
What he did not expect-what irritated him immediately-was her.
“Talon, you’re back.”
The voice slid through the hall like silk wrapped around a blade-soft, deliberate, calculated to draw attention.
Talon halted mid-step, irritation flaring before he even turned.
Luna Hazel Feywin stood near the central hearth, dressed far too carefully for the hour. Her gown clung where it should not. Her hair was loose, cascading over her shoulders in deliberate invitation. Her lips curved into a smile that was meant to suggest familiarity-intimacy she did not possess.
Does Alpha Asher truly not care how his Luna conducts herself? Talon thought.
The question lingered, heavy and uncomfortable, because the answer seemed to reveal far more than negligence. Hazel’s behavior was not subtle. It was not a single misstep that could be brushed aside as nerves or insecurity. It was repeated, public, and reckless-an open display of ambition and impropriety that reflected not only on her, but on the Alpha who allowed it.
Even if their bond was a mating by choice-one born of convenience, desperation, or regret rather than fate, it was still his responsibility.
A chosen Luna was not exempt from discipline. If anything, she required clearer boundaries.
Asher might regret choosing Hazel. He might resent the decision, wish it undone, or silently curse the consequences of rejecting his true mate. But regret did not absolve him of duty. An Alpha did not have the luxury of turning away simply because a choice no longer pleased him.
Leadership demanded control, and control began at home.
A Luna’s conduct set the tone for the entire pack. Her words, her posture, her restraint or lack of it were watched, mimicked, judged. When Hazel flirted openly, when she overstepped, when she embarrassed the pack by disrespecting hierarchy, it was not merely her failing.
It was Asher’s. By allowing her behavior to continue unchecked, he sent a message-whether he intended to or not. That rules bent for her. That hierarchy could be ignored. That power could be wielded without restraint or dignity.
An Alpha who could not command his own Lunarisked losing the respect of his warriors. And a pack that sensed weakness at its core would eventually fracture.
Whether Asher cared or not no longer mattered. What mattered was that every wolf could see the truth plainly now:
A Luna out of control…
And an Alpha who had stopped trying to rein her in.
“Where have you been?” Hazel continued, stepping closer. “I didn’t see you after what happened in the clearing. I was waiting for you.”
The room went unnaturally still. Pack members exchanged glances-sharp, incredulous, uncomfortable. Warriors stiffened. Even a few elders frowned openly.
A Luna did not behave like this.
Not in public.
Not toward the Alpha King.
Hazel either did not notice or did not care.
Talon turned slowly, his eyes glacial. “Luna,”
The single word cut sharper than a growl.
“Where I’ve been does not concern you,” he continued, Voice calm but edged with unmistakable warning.” And you will address me properly. I am the Alpha King. We have no relationship-formal or otherwise-that grants you the right to speak to me so casually.”
Silence slammed into the hall.
Hazel’s smile shattered. Color flooded her face-red, then blotchy with humiliation. Her eyes burned, fury flashing through the practiced mask,
“Alpha,” she snapped, her tone no longer soft. “I am the Luna of this pack. I do not appreciate being humiliated in front of my people.”
“As you said,” Talon’s gaze hardened, and he replied evenly, “you are the Luna. Just the Luna.”
A sharp intake of breath rippled through the room.
“And I,” he continued, his voice dropping into something far more dangerous, “am the Alpha King. Do not mistake my restraint for weakness. I respect hierarchy, but I stand above it. Test that again, and I will remind you of the difference.”
Hazel’s fists clenched at her sides, her fury barely contained, but she said nothing.
Talon did not wait for a response. He turned and walked away, every step deliberate, the weight of his authority trailing behind him like a shadow.
He went straight to the wing assigned to him and his beta, pushing open the door to Enzo’s quarters without knocking.
“Alpha,” Enzo greeted immediately, rising. “How is our Luna Queen?”
“She remains in her cabin,” Talon replied. “Resting. I’ve kept all unnecessary contact away from her.”
“Now,” he exhaled once. “Twant to discuss what you mentioned last night. And I need you to look into something for my Luna.”
Enzo’s expression sharpened. “What is it?”
Talon recounted Diana’s words-the memory of her parents’ deaths, the inconsistencies, the instinct that told her something had been wrong. As he spoke, Enzo’s jaw tightened, eyes darkening with recognition.
“My report is connected to that,” Enzo said grimly. “The rogue attack and what happened to the Luna’s parents.”
Talon stilled. “Explain.”
“I tracked down a couple-low-ranking pack members who survived the attack. They swear Diana’s parents were in the bunker when the assault began. They know this because they arrived together.”
Talon’s hands curled into fists.
“Then,” Enzo continued, “a warrior called them away. When they questioned it, they overheard something else.”
Talon’s voice dropped. “What?”
“They heard Luna Hazel calling for Diana’s parents.”
The room seemed to tilt.
“The next thing they knew,” Enzo said quietly, “both were dead.”
Talon’s control strained dangerously.
“Why didn’t they tell anyone?” He asked, voice tight.
“I asked them the same thing,” Enzo said. “They couldn’t answer-only that they couldn’t. Something compelled them to stay silent. I tested it.”
“How?”
“I used my beta command.” Enzo met Talon’s gaze steadily. “It worked.”
Only one order could override a beta’s command.
