In the aftermath of a devastating battle, Francesco stands with his warriors and Ellaine, who is safe and alive in his arms. The desolate battlefield is suddenly transformed as a mysterious presence arrives, changing the atmosphere with a warm, spring-like scent and ghostly blue flames. Francesco immediately recognizes the visitor as Mother Severine, once a vengeful figure, now appearing as a serene and sorrowful being cloaked in silver starlight. Despite the tension among the wolves, Francesco commands them to hold back as Severine approaches.
Severine reveals a profound truth: the curse placed on Francesco’s bloodline was not a punishment but a protection meant to teach the importance of love and balance in wielding their power. She explains that the ancestors of the Lycaon became monstrous through unchecked wrath and power, leading to their downfall. The curse was designed as a test to find a love strong enough to control their strength without being consumed by it—a test that no one before Francesco had passed. Her words challenge Francesco’s understanding of his suffering, framing it as a difficult but necessary exam.
As Severine speaks, the land around them begins to heal, and the curse is lifted. She reveals that she herself was bound to the curse as its keeper, sharing in the pain and suffering of the Lycaon. Thanks to Francesco’s love and forgiveness, both he and Severine are now free. Severine emphasizes that love is the true source of strength and warns that power without heart will always lead to destruction. She urges Francesco to cherish and protect Ellaine, hinting that greater challenges lie ahead.
The chapter ends with Severine’s form dissolving into light, leaving Francesco alone under a pure white moon. Though the curse is broken and healing has begun, Severine’s final words suggest that darker forces are still at play, and the night is far from over. Francesco, holding Ellaine close, acknowledges that passing the test marks the beginning of a new chapter, as dawn breaks on the horizon and the wolves rise silently around him.
Chapter 250
Still Francesco’s Perspective:
The night had barely settled when she made her appearance.
—
The battlefield was a shattered wasteland, ashes scattered like freshly fallen snow, while smoke curled upward toward a trembling, pale moon.
My warriors stood motionless, heads bowed low—too fearful to move, too respectful to utter a word.
Ellaine rested against my chest, her heartbeat steady yet delicate, fragile but undeniably alive.
That was all that truly mattered in that moment.
Until the atmosphere shifted.
The scent of the earth transformed—
From cold to warm, from bitter to sweet, as if the very breath of spring had gently caressed the night air.
Then, the flames that had consumed the field flickered and changed hue, turning a ghostly blue, like dying stars struggling against the darkness.
I recognized that presence instantly.
Every fiber of my being screamed enemy.
The wolves stirred uneasily; Lira’s hand instinctively moved to her blade, and Audrey positioned herself protectively in front of Ellaine, her eyes narrowing with fierce determination.
But before any could act, I raised my hand to halt them.
“Hold back,” I warned softly, voice steady but low. “She’s here.”
The wind seemed to carry her name before I could even speak it aloud.
Mother Severine…
She emerged from the mist—not as the vengeful wraith who once cursed me, but as something far older, purer.
Her form shimmered between light and shadow, her face untouched by time, breathtaking in a way that made my chest ache.
Her cloak was no longer black; instead, it gleamed silver, woven from strands of starlight itself.
Her eyes—once filled with malice—
now radiated a quiet, profound sorrow.
Instinctively, the wolves dropped to their knees, their growls fading into silence.
“Mother of the Moon,” Alfonso whispered, disbelief coloring his tone.
Severine’s gaze swept over the devastation—the broken bodies, the smoke curling into the sky, the blood soaking into the earth.
Then, her eyes settled on me.
And she smiled.
Not with mockery.
Not with cruelty.
But softly. Almost… proud?
“You have changed, Lycaon,” she said, her voice calm yet echoing through every soul gathered on the field. “You no longer burn with rage, but with purpose.”
I stiffened, pulling Ellaine closer against my chest.
“If you’ve come to take her—”
She shook her head gently, cutting me off.
“Child, if I had wished to take her, it would have happened long before tonight.”
Lira gasped, voice trembling. “Then why… why appear now? Why can we all see you at last?”
Severine’s eyes flicked toward her—kind, yet piercing. “Because it is time you all understand what was never meant as punishment.”
She stepped forward.
Where she walked, the ground began to heal—the cracked soil knitting itself back together, the ash dissolving into shimmering silver dust.
I clenched my jaw tightly. “What do you mean, never meant as punishment? You cursed my bloodline for centuries.”
Her smile deepened—
not cruel, not cold, but tinged with wistfulness. “No, Francesco. I saved it.”
Her words struck me like a thunderclap.
Saved?
I took a step closer, claws flexing without thought. “You turned us into beasts. You bound us to pain and madness. You forced me to watch my kin die screaming—”
“And would you rather,” she interrupted softly, “that your power had destroyed the world instead?”
The silence that followed was heavy, almost suffocating.
Even the wind dared not stir.
“What are you talking about?” I asked quietly, though a part of me already feared the answer.
Severine turned her gaze upward to the moon, still trembling above the smoke. “You know the stories told of the first Lycaon—the king who defied the gods. But what they never told you is why the gods cursed him.”
I frowned. “He sought power beyond his nature—”
“Yes,” she confirmed, “because that power was never meant to be wielded without balance. The strength of the Lycaon—the strength of you—was born from love, from loyalty, from the bond between soulmates. When that love was broken, that power twisted into wrath.”
Her eyes softened as she looked at me again. “And wrath is what destroyed your ancestors.”
I froze, the truth sinking cold and deep into my veins.
“Yes,” she nodded. “And now, thanks to you, I am free.”
Her gaze softened as she looked down at Ellaine, a faint smile touching her lips. “Because you loved when it would have been easier to hate. You forgave when every fiber of your being urged destruction. You understood what your ancestors never did—that love is not weakness. It is the only force strong enough to contain power.”
The world shimmered around her, the silver glow intensifying, wrapping her form like wings crafted from moonlight.
I swallowed hard, struggling to find the right words. “Then what happens now?”
Her smile turned wistful. “Now, your reign begins—unbound, unbroken. But remember, Francesco Lycaon…” Her voice softened, fading like a whisper carried on the wind, echoing through every heartbeat around us. “Power without heart will always return to dust.”
Her gaze met mine one last time. “Cherish her. Protect her. The world will need both of you soon enough.”
My chest tightened painfully. “Wait—what do you mean? Is it not over?”
Severine’s eyes glimmered with something unreadable—sadness, perhaps even fear.
Damn it, something huge is about to happen.
“The curse was never the only shadow,” she whispered. “There are older forces that stir when the balance shifts. The night is far from over.”
Before I could ask more, her form dissolved into pure light.
Silence reclaimed the battlefield.
The blue flames vanished.
The wind returned.
And I stood alone beneath the glowing white moon, with Ellaine still sleeping peacefully in my arms, her hand warm against my chest.
I looked down at her—
my Luna, my salvation, my reason.
“I passed the test, didn’t I?” I murmured softly, brushing a stray lock of hair from her face. “Then I suppose it’s time to see what comes next.”
One by one, the wolves began to rise, their eyes reflecting the moonlight—silent, reverent.
I turned my gaze toward the horizon—and for the first time in what felt like forever, the dawn began to break.
The chapter closes on a profound moment of revelation and transformation, where the weight of centuries of pain and misunderstanding is lifted by the truth of love’s enduring power. Francesco’s journey, marked by rage and loss, finds new meaning as he comprehends the curse was never a punishment but a harsh lesson in balance and heart. The presence of Mother Severine, once a figure of fear, now embodies sorrow and hope, reminding us that even the darkest legacies can be redeemed through compassion and forgiveness.
As dawn breaks over the battlefield, the healing begins—not only of the land but also of fractured souls and broken bonds. Francesco’s embrace of Ellaine symbolizes the fragile yet unbreakable connection that has the power to transcend past suffering and ignite a future filled with promise. Though shadows still linger beyond the horizon, the chapter leaves us with a sense of cautious hope, a testament to the strength found in love and the resilience to face whatever comes next together.
The next chapter promises to delve deeper into the aftermath of Severine’s revelation, as Francesco grapples with the weight of newfound freedom and the responsibilities it entails. The fragile peace that blankets the battlefield is tinged with uncertainty, hinting that the reprieve may be brief. Francesco’s internal conflict will intensify as he contemplates the meaning of his reign unbound and the ominous warnings about older, lurking forces that stir in the shadows.
Emotions will run high as the pack begins to awaken from the long shadow of the curse, each member facing their own doubts and hopes for the future. Francesco’s relationship with Ellaine, now more crucial than ever, will be tested as they prepare to confront challenges that go beyond anything they have faced before. The promise of a new dawn is bittersweet, carrying the tension of what lies ahead and the fragile hope that love and loyalty can truly reshape their destiny.
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.

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