LOGINShare
Chapter 22: Rebirth
Last Updated:
2024-11-13 23:13:02The atmosphere seemed gentle and subdued around Aria when she woke. The sky was still dark, but the promise of light was almost here, like the instant before morning. Her body felt weighty, each muscle hurting as though she had ran miles. More than the physical tiredness, though, she felt a weird lightness in her head as though something basic had changed inside her.
She blinked gently, her eyes adapting to the low room light. Her ceiling above was strange, and for a second she felt panic flash in her chest. She moved her head to find Lucas seated next to her bed, his face one of great worry and relief, then felt a warm, steady hand on hers.
"You're awake," he whispered gently, his voice bursting with feeling.
When Aria tried to talk, her voice sounded as little more than a hoarse whisper and her throat was dry. "What... happened??"
Lucas slanted forward, lightly stroking a hair strand from her face.
Related chapters
Fate’s Hidden Luna: When Rejection Awakens the Wolf Within Chapter 23: A New Dawn
The weeks that followed Viktor's loss were eerie quiet. The council at last had time to concentrate on restoring what had been devastated; the estate was no longer humming with the continual stress of battle readiness. For Aria, the stillness felt like a calm before another storm—a preamble to something she couldn't quite understand. Her skin still pulsed with the link with the moon, a continual reminder that her existence was irrevocably altered.Aria woke with the light; her body healed more quickly than she had anticipated every day. Her relationship to the moon seems to be influencing more than only her ability. Her senses sharpened, her strength more, as though her whole body had been reset. Still, her concern about the cost of that power tormented her greatly.True to his word, Lucas stayed at her side through all. Resuming his responsibilities as a council leader, he worked nonstop to make sure Vikto
Fate’s Hidden Luna: When Rejection Awakens the Wolf Within Chapter 24: The Moon's Judgement
Breath seized in her throat, Aria's heart thumping as she stood before the moon goddess Selene. The weight of the decision she was supposed to make weighed thick in the air, and for a time the great, ethereal landscape all around her appeared to vanish into the background. Her entire attention was on the knowledge that her life—all she had known and battled for—was suddenly on balance."Leave the mortal earth behind?" Aria insisted again, her voice shaking with incredulity. "I wouldn't see Lucas once more? alternatively my buddies? Regarding my pack:Though Selene's eyes stayed fixed, they showed a softness. "You have to break free from the ties of death to climb. Your relationship to the moon would expand outside of the physical world. You would join the never-ending cycle and protect the equilibrium between realms. Indeed, you would not be walking among people now.Aria'
Fate’s Hidden Luna: When Rejection Awakens the Wolf Within Chapter 25: A New Beginning
The days after Aria's choice were a whirl of calm introspection. The estate had reverted to its natural rhythms, the traces of Viktor's sinister energies now only a memory. Life looked to be getting back to normal. But Aria found everything to feel strange.Though still always present, her relationship with the moon no longer felt like a danger or an unquenchable power. Rather, it had settled into a low hum under her skin—a part of her she had come to embrace. Now she felt an equilibrium that had escaped her for so long. The moon had blessed her choice to stay in the mortal realm, with Lucas, with her pack. She had made peace with the knowledge that her great strength inside did not define her whole life, even if she knew it was huge.Aria stood on the balcony early that morning, seeing the horizon covered in first light of dawn. The air was crisp and fresh, scented with dew and wildflowers; the sky was pai
Fate’s Hidden Luna: When Rejection Awakens the Wolf Within Chapter 26: Accepting the Future
Early autumn air had started to cool, giving the estate a clear, revitalising force. After events that had rocked Aria's world to its very core, life was gradually returning to normal—or as normal as things could be. The council carried on ensuring that the scars left behind Viktor's attempted ascent to power healed. There was peace and rejuvenation for the first time in a very long period.Walking the estate, Aria was in her element, the link with her pack stronger than ever. Her presence comforted them and served as a reminder of the fortitude and will they had exhibited through their worst hours. Finding a balance between her obligations and the close personal connection she felt with every member of her pack, she had developed into Luna in ways she had not expected.But she had a fresh lightness in her walk and a fresh sense of calm in her heart. She had chosen love, life, and those who counted most after weighing the mortal world
Fate’s Hidden Luna: When Rejection Awakens the Wolf Within Chapter 27: Strength in Unity
Aria was entering a new position as the excitement of the engagement permeated the estate and the days stretched into weeks—one that was defined by leadership, love, and the careful balance of the life she had chosen rather than only by fight or survival. The pack had seen so many storms, and now under her and Lucas's direction they were flourishing. The air carried fresh vitality and an infectious sense of promise.Still, Aria stayed alert even among pleasure. Though quieter today, the relationship with the moon served as a reminder that her strength was always just under surface level waiting. She had decided to remain in the mortal realm, but that did not imply the difficulties would pass. If something, they were only starting.She sensed a familiar figure arriving one afternoon as she watched younger wolves receive instruction. She turned to find Roland approaching her, his face fixed in that austere st
Fate’s Hidden Luna: When Rejection Awakens the Wolf Within Chapter 28: Deception and Diplomacy
There was wary hope about the council's choice to send a delegation to the outlying territories. Now, Aria felt the weight of her responsibility even more sharply. She realized that not all problems could be resolved with diplomacy, and yet she was resolved to make sure this delicate peace would endure. There would always be individuals who considered peace as weakness; some wounds went too deep.A few days later, Aria, together with Lucas and Roland, got ready to leave for the first of several talks with the leaders of the several smaller factions upsetting their borders. Offer them a spot inside the council's purview, reassure them they would be treated with dignity, and most crucially, let them know the council's power was not to be challenged.Aria's head whirled with questions as they mounted their horses and headed off the estate. Would these officials pay attention? Alternatively would they see this as an
Fate’s Hidden Luna: When Rejection Awakens the Wolf Within Chapter 29: The Burden of Leadership
Following the productive diplomatic sessions, the estate's atmosphere was gently hopeful. The factions had agreed to show up for the bigger council meeting, and for the first time since Viktor's loss, there was hope that the area may at last experience enduring peace. But Aria knew better than to let her defense go. Though apparently ready to cooperate, the factions were still brittle alliances just waiting to be put under pressure. She had discovered, peace was never easy. To keep it, one needed ongoing effort, trust, and fortitude.Aria discovered herself once more in the council chambers the day following their homecoming, surrounded by leaders from many packs and supernatural factions. The air was thick with expectation; she could sense the conflict among the council members, each one standing for a different interest, a different future vision.Sitting next her, Lucas was calm and soothing. She could not see
Fate’s Hidden Luna: When Rejection Awakens the Wolf Within Chapter 30: Changing Attitudes of Loyalty
Over the council, the nervous peace with the Bloodstone Clan hung like a storm cloud. With Kael, Aria had been able to defuse the current crisis, but she understood the threat was just delayed rather than gone. Kael had said he would not press ahead, but his last remarks clearly expressed a threat. The conflict among the factions was growing, and Aria's delicate alliances—which she had so laboratively created—were about to fall apart.Once back at the estate, the council got together once more to go over things. As Aria took her seat at the head of the table, she could feel the weight of the room's collective fear pushing down on her. The chamber was tense."We have some time bought for ourselves," Aria said to the council members. But Kael's posture is erratic. He is trying us to see whether we will crack. We have to demonstrate to him—along with the other factions—that we are not scared.
Latest chapter
Fate’s Hidden Luna: When Rejection Awakens the Wolf Within Chapter 95: Divided Roads.
The amphitheater screamed with the sound of magic slamming against steel, voices screaming incantations, and the terrible thud of blows hitting true. Lucas attacked Viktor's enforcers, pushing forward with each breath crisp and forceful. Their eyes ablaze with unearthly wrath, their black robes whipped around them like shadows come to life. With each measured strike driven by Aria's memory, Lucas's blade arced across the tumult. Seraphine stood surrounded by her witches to his left, their hands in coordinated patterns spinning strands of light and power across the air. Their incantations created a barrier, a shimmering wall pulsating in time that kept Viktor's ritual's heart unstable. Lucas turned to peek at her. She nodded slightly, the will there clear. "Focus, Lucas!" Roland's voice caught him back in the current conflict. One of Viktor's enforcers surged toward him with a blade loaded with dark magic. Lucas sidestepped, slanted to
Fate’s Hidden Luna: When Rejection Awakens the Wolf Within Chapter 94: The Storm of Gathering Notes.
The estate hummed with a nervous energy as the first light of morning stretched long shadows over the stone walls. Lucas watched the horizon as the sky changed from the deep indigo of night to the pale blue of morning while standing at his study window. Sleep had escaped him, replaced in his imagination by the constant thrum of plans and backup ideas. Their attack on Viktor would start today, but their road forward was precarious, like the edge of a blade separating success from catastrophe. He was startled out of contemplation by a gentle rap at the door. Roland came in, his look both serious and austere. Thorne and his pack are settling in the barracks east. When you are ready, they are here. Lucas nodded while his gaze stayed on the horizon. "Good" Right now we cannot afford doubt. Roland changed, a tiny movement suggesting news not yet given. "There more. Seraphine has sent word to us. She has gathered a small group
Fate’s Hidden Luna: When Rejection Awakens the Wolf Within Chapter 93: Gambit: The Allies'
Tension permeated the estate's hallways as reports of the witch clans joining Viktor's army grew. Every quiet chat contained doubt, voices breaking beneath the weight of anxiety. Lucas moved purposefully through the hallways, gaze fixed ahead as others around him sent looks full of hope and fear. More than ever, they needed now was strength. Notes and maps strewn over the big table in the war room. The air smelled strongly of ink and wax, mixing with the iron tang of blood clinging to Lucas's armor. Seraphine stood by one corner, her gaze moving deliberately over the maps. Speaking softly, Roland was giving two lieutenants strong, forceful motions. "Report," Lucas said, calling everyone's attention. Roland straightened, a shade of tiredness stalking his face. "Scouts have verified Viktor is strengthening his position on the northern forest boundary. With him—at least three covens—are the witches. A murmur s
Fate’s Hidden Luna: When Rejection Awakens the Wolf Within Chapter 92: The Broken Resolve.
Like a drumbeat that wouldn't quiet, Lucas could sense the weight of the guardian's last words resonating in the rear of his consciousness. Once more the estate was still, the cries of combat and blade clash replaced by the tense calm of those too terrified to talk. Now covered in traces of magic and conflict, the courtyard looked haunted by the ghosts of people lost in the fight. He turned from the scene, a raw wound inside him getting more severe with every pulse. "Lucas," Roland said from across the hall, his voice cautious as though one incorrect word would break whatever brittle grasp Lucas still possessed. Lucas looked at Roland, eyes blazing from more than the dust of the fight. "They're gone for now," Roland said, his words slightly pinched with tiredness. Still, they will gather once more. Viktor will not allow this stand. "I know," Lucas answered, his voice low and somewhat hollow. Not sure
Fate’s Hidden Luna: When Rejection Awakens the Wolf Within Chapter 91: The Echo of Offerment of Service
Lucas held Aria's dead body in his arms, the dawn light mercilessly shining over the courtyard's wreckage. The silence was perfect, disturbed only by his jagged gasps tearing from his chest. The guards stood still around him, their faces reflecting the horror that matched his own. As if in respect to the moment, even the wind appeared to stop. "Lucas," Roland said from behind, low and strained. He walked slowly, eyes shadowed with desperation and grief. "We have to relocate. If Viktor does not already know, he will know shortly. Lucas's eyes flew to Roland, a wild, shattered sparkle. "She's gone," he muttered, his words hollow and slurred. "I know," Roland said, lines of sadness clearly on his face. "But we have to act right away. There is yet to be done. The reality of those words felt to Lucas like a razor slicing across the fog in his brain. Although Aria had given a great sacrifice—the power she had unl
Fate’s Hidden Luna: When Rejection Awakens the Wolf Within Chapter 90: Aria's Giving Up Her Sacrage.
Though there was no calm in its arrival, the first light of morning cast the sky in streaks of delicate pink and gold. Burned grass, broken stone, and the still forms of those who had bravely stood to keep the line bore the marks of the war. Aria looked around the scene, her heart hurting with the weight of loss and the certainty of what had to follow.Lucas stood a few yards away, back to her, giving the other guards commands. His voice was calm, strong, a lighthouse among the tumult. She yearned for that consistency, for hope that their struggle may be won free from the cost she was ready to pay."Aria," a voice whispered quietly.She turned to see Roland staring back, his eyes keen and informed. He had seen the change in her attitude, the will that had become steel-hard." Does he know?" Although Roland's inquiry was subdued, it cut right through her.She said, "Not yet," pushing a tiny, sad smile. And he cannot.Roland's lips drew a thin
Fate’s Hidden Luna: When Rejection Awakens the Wolf Within Chapter 89: Conflict Among.
Aria stood in the silence that followed Lucas's announcement, the tense atmosphere of the room stranding against her chest. The absence of the mark created a space that seemed to reflect unsaid promises of anarchy. Lucas's sad, tired eyes met hers, quietly begging for understanding that he had no right to demand. She inhaled gently to quiet the whirl inside her.You believe this will stop Viktor? Her inquiry hung there, challenging him to validate the impossibility.Lucas's mouth closed and the steel came back to his eye. "It's beginning. Edrik's allegiance is strong even if it could be distorted. We really need that advantage.Roland cleared his throat and shifted awkwardly in the background before she could answer. We have to guard the estate, sir. Viktor won't wait if he finds out of course.Lucas nodded, the dominating aura that made him a leader encircling him like second skin. Try it. Send our friends word and double the guards. We are following the
Fate’s Hidden Luna: When Rejection Awakens the Wolf Within Chapter 88: The Reckoning
Lucas's estate's hallways were trenched in a tense silence broken only by Aria's steady footfall as she tracked from a safe distance. Lucas and Roland followed a route that veered further into the estate, where secrets appeared to hang like ancient ivy on the walls. The air grew colder, metallic in taste that accelerated Aria's heart rate. She stayed in the shadows, ears straying to catch bits of movement-related speech."Do you suppose he will agree?" Usually so calm, Roland's voice was tense.Lucas said, "He has to," the words short and clipped. "There is nothing else to choose."Stopped in front of a huge iron door, one Aria had never seen before, they huddled behind a tapestry showing a fight long past. Roland opened it, and the moan of old hinges shivered her back. Aria edged closer as they vanished inside, peered through the breach before sliding into the room behind them, quiet as a shadow.The chamber was darkly lighted, the air smelling of old wa
Fate’s Hidden Luna: When Rejection Awakens the Wolf Within Chapter 87: Lucas's Destiny
The soft crackling of the fire burning in the large hearth was the only sound audible shattering the quiet in the room. The fires reflected a pleasant glow over the old wooden panels Lucas utilized in his study, so coloring the area in gold and amber tones. Bargains were struck in the chamber, alliances were developed, and historical events were revisited. There were secrets in the place. Tonight was the night the decision that would shape everyone engaged's destiny would be formed in a furnace.Lucas stood by the window, and the moonlit sky offered a background against which his tall and broad form could be seen. Glancing out into the night, his eyes were fixed on something far beyond the glass and he lost himself. His typically steady and careful fingers twitched as though the tempest raging within of him was reflected in them.Aria interrupted the silence with a soft but firm voice. She said, "Lucas." She stood toward the middle of the ro
