Luna gripped the relic tighter, its feeble glow trying to light up the way ahead. “What if she’s not? What if she’s telling the truth? The moon has always seemed...alive, as if it’s watching me, waiting for something. Maybe Mira’s right about the relic needing balance.”Kade stepped forward, and his composed voice pierced the silence of fear. "Even if she is right, Luna, you are not alone. We will find another way."Jax snorted, but there was nothing humorous about it. "Yeah, because alternatives always work so well in prophecies and ancient curses."“Enough,” Kael snapped, his voice sharp. “Arguing won’t solve anything.”All of a sudden, the relic pulsed with great intensity in Luna’s hands, sending a wave of energy through the group. She gasped and dropped it as it hit the ground with a resonant hum."What the hell was that?" Jax stepped back as if the relic had just sprouted teeth.Luna stared at the paper, frightened, her eyes open wide. “I don’t know. It has never done it before
Out of the darkness stepped the tall man, his grace slow and purposeful. The silver hair of the man shone in the moonlight, and his piercing blue eyes surveyed the group with ruthless precision.“Well, well,” he said, his voice calm and mildly disturbing. “What brings the prodigal daughter and her happy entourage to my neck of the woods?”“Alaric,” Luna said, her voice steady even though fear coiled in her belly.He smiled with a sharp-featured smile that might have given him an air of menace. "I see my reputation runs ahead of me. However, I can't say I expected a family reunion.""We are not here for pleasantries," Alec said, stepping forward. "We need information."Alaric's eyes flicked to Alec, and his smile widened. "Oh, the overprotective type. Let me guess: you think you can scare me?""Enough," said Luna, with a strong voice. "We don't have time for games. Mira is up to something and I believe you know what it is."At the mention of Mira’s name, Alaric’s face darkened. “Mira.
Her throat thickened at his words, and she blinked the tears away. "Thank you, Alec. That means more than you can imagine."Behind them, Jax muttered under his breath, "Wonderful. Another moment I didn't need to witness."Kael chuckled softly, but the sound was more bitter than amused.But before anyone could respond, there came a low growl that seemed to echo through the trees. It was as if the whole group froze and every instinct they had, was on end.“They’re here,” Alaric said, his voice low and steady.Luna's pulse raced at the sight of glowing eyes in the darkness, surrounding them like predators closing in on their prey.“We’ve got company,” Jax growled, his claws extending.Alec drew his blade and took a defensive posture. “Stay close, Luna. This is not going to be pretty.”The wolves entered the moonlit space and their snarling forms were dark and big. And in the heart of the pack was a figure one would easily identify – Mira.Her eyes made of silver glinted with malice while
The trek through the woods was hard and silent. The tension between the group floated in the cold night air, visible in their breathings. Luna walked on ahead, the relic clutched in her hands like a fragile lifeline.“So what now?” Jax finally broke the silence, and his voice was sharp. “We just keep wandering in the woods until Mira decides to really kill us?”"Would you prefer that I abandon you here to sort things out by yourself?" Alaric retorted, his voice icy.“Don’t tempt me,” Jax growled, his golden eyes flashing.Alec stepped between them. His tone allowed no argument. “We need a plan, not another fight.”Luna ceased walking and turned to face the group. “We’re going to the Temple of Blood Moon, are we not? Alaric said it was there Mira intended to finish her ritual.”“And you trust him?” Kael asked, his arms crossed.“No,” Luna admitted, her voice soft but firm. “Not in the sense that I have a firsthand account. But I trust my instincts, and where they’re guiding me right no
“Luna!” Jax growled, his body shifting mid-air as he tackled a wolf to the ground. “This isn’t the time for experimenting!”The relic burned in her hand, its light swelling with every second that passed. Luna could not even hear the fighting over the drumming of her heart."Choose, Moonbearer," echoed the voice of the relic in her mind once more, demanding yet soothing at the same time.“I don’t know what that means!” Luna shouted, frustration spilling over.“Luna, focus!” shouted Kade, shooting an arrow that went straight through a wolf's chest. He didn’t look at her even for a second; his eyes were busy searching for the next threat.Luna gasped for breath. It was as if she was drowning in the relic's power and all the chaos surrounding her. Her eyes wandered to Alaric, who stood at the edge of the fighting, intently watching her."You know something!" Luna accused, her voice shaking with rage. "What am I supposed to do?"Alaric stepped closer, easily dodging the snapping wolf. “T
The growl became louder, penetrating the silence. Through the fog stepped the lead wolf but not alone. Next to him stood Mira, her red cloak flapping in a wind that wasn't visible.“Welcome,” said Mira, smoothly as silk. “To the Veil.”“What is this place?” Kael demanded, his fists clenched."It's the space in between," Mira said, her eyes shining. "A liminal world, neither here nor there. The relic brought you here because it needed time - time for Luna to see the truth."Luna stood up against Alec’s hand holding her shoulder. “What truth?”"That you're being told a lie," Mira said, smiling with a razor-sharp grin. "Did they tell you what the relic really is?"“It is a binding to the moon’s power,” Luna said, her voice shaking.Mira laughed darkly. "Is that what they promised you?" She looked at Alec, Kael, and Jax with an expression oozing sarcasm. "Did you forget to tell her that the Moonbearer is a vessel that consumes himself like a candle in a storm?"“That’s not entirely true,”
Alec looked away, guilt written all over his face. "It's true Jax and I are soulmates."The air seemed to drain from Luna’s lungs. “What?”“Yes, we have a religious connection but it wasn’t in my power to explain to you how I felt,” Alec said, getting closer. “I wouldn’t want to hurt you. But it does not mean that now I think any less of you.”“Doesn’t it?” Luna whispered, her voice breaking."That's why I fight for you," Mira said, her voice as sharp as steel. "They've been lying to you, Luna. Right from the start."“Enough!” Luna shouted, her anguish making her voice tremble. “I don’t know what to believe anymore.”The mist swirled violently around them, and Kade shouted, "Luna! Where are you?"He emerged moments later, his eyes darting between Alec and Mira. “What’s going on?”"Ask Alec," Mira said coldly. "Or better still, ask him why the relic chose her."Kade’s expression darkened. “Mira, stop this.”“No,” Luna interjected, her voice trembling. “Let her finish.”Mira smiled fain
Luna stepped forward, her voice clear even with the storm raging in her. "Enough. We'll follow you, Mira, but if you betray us, I'll make sure to end you myself."Mira’s smile faded but she nodded. “That’s fair, Moonbearer. I’m coming.”As the Pack started moving, Alec fell in step with Luna and whispered, “Luna, I—”“Don’t,” she said without looking at him. “You’ve said enough.”His shoulders sagged, but he didn’t argue.The group hiked through the forest, a clear tension barrier between them. Mira went ahead, softly humming to herself, her confidence almost unsettling.“Where are we going, exactly?” Kade asked.“To the Heart of the Veil,” Mira said. “That’s where the relic goes when it feels threatened. But it ain’t easy getting there.”“Why not?” Jax asked.Mira turned her head, unusually serious. "The Heart has a guardian, and it doesn't like visitors."“What kind of guardian?” Luna asked, her voice sharp.“You’ll see soon enough,” Mira said cryptically.The air was colder deeper
Malachai's expression darkened, and the smile faded from his lips. "Be careful, Amara. You've made plenty of mistakes yourself. Want me to remind you of them? Start with bringing Luna here."Luna’s eyes jumped back and forth between them, her voice carrying the questions. “What does he mean, Amara?”Amara hesitated and in that moment, the laughter of Malachai echoed again, sharp and biting. "Oh, she didn't tell you? The relic, the visions, even your awakening - it was all her doing. You didn't find this path by chance Luna. You were chosen for it."“Amara?” Luna’s voice shook. Betrayal sliced through her like a knife."It's not what he's making it sound like," Amara said quickly, her tone desperate. "I…yes I guided you here but only because you're the only one who can stop this."“You used me!” Luna shouted, stepping back. “You knew I was a pawn in this, and you said nothing?”Before Amara could respond, Malachai took another step closer, his voice dripping with venom. "But now, you s
The group hurried on, the anxiety taut as a string preparing to clash with the coming storm. The trees flanking them rustled eerily in the wind, a far-off sound of growling carried in the breeze.Alec pressed the blade tighter, his voice low but sharp. "We have to move. Now."Luna glanced up, the light of the moon pouring down on their path. “How far to the nexus?”Amara pointed east. Her voice was sharp. “Less than a mile, but it’s through thick brush, and Malachai will have traps laid out.”Jax smiled as he drew his twin daggers from their sheathes. “Traps are him. Getting past them is on us.”Selene looked at him witheringly. “That’s easy to say when you don’t have to walk in there.”Jax winked. “That’s why I’m charming. To keep morale up.”“Can we focus please?” Alec growled, clearly losing his patience. “Luna, you stay close to me. If anything comes at you—”"I can take care of myself," she interrupted, her tone authoritative. "I'm not helpless, Alec."He sighed then ran his hand
The woman hesitated and gazed at the moonlit sky, her doubt showing for the first time in her eyes. It was the first time uncertainty had shown in her eyes. “Because of the relic... it’s not just a source of power. It’s the key.”Jax frowned. “A key to what?”“To the Moon Gate,” she said quietly.Luna’s breath hitched. “The Moon Gate? That’s just a legend.”The woman shook her head. "No, it's real. And if Malachai opens it, he will unleash a power that will consume this world and everything in it."The voice of Selene was laced with skepticism. "How do you know all of this?"The woman's eyes hardened. "Because I saw it before. I was there when the last gatekeeper fell. I watched Malachai betray his blood to gain the relic."Luna’s heart clenched. “His own blood?”The woman nodded her head. "Malachai didn't only kill your parents, Luna. He killed his brother- your father."The news came like a thunderclap. Alec stood frozen, with his fists clenched at his sides. Jax’s mouth fell open,
She looked up at Luna and said in a voice that was quiet yet steady, ”It’s not a matter of liking it Jax. It is the matter of doing what needs to be done”.Alec paced for a while and then turned to her, his face more than angry but also desperate. "Necessary? Luna, losing your connection to the moon—your power—it's not just a solution; it's a death sentence for who you are."Selene crossed her arms and leaned against a tree. "She's not wrong, Alec. Without the moon's power, you won't just lose your strength, Luna. You'll lose your identity as a wolf."Luna shook her fists, attempting to steady her shaking hands. “I know what it means. I’ve thought about it ever since... ever since the relic bonded with me. If this is the price to stop Malachai, then it’s worth it.”“Worth it?” Alec echoed, his voice rising. “Do you hear yourself? You’re speaking like you’re expendable.”Jax’s tone was sharp. “We all are scars when Malachai stops. Or do you think we’ll come out of this no one SCAR?”“T
The silence was deafening, cracked only by the popping sounds from the flames. While Pack members wore varied expressions, Luna stood in the center, her gaze flicking between them.“I’m going,” she said firmly, her voice the only sound in a silent afternoon.“No, you are not,” Alec said, growling, his golden eyes fixed on hers. “We already talked about this. It’s a trap, Luna.”Luna hugged her arms across herself, looking back at him with equal intensity. "Of course it's a trap," she said, "but if we do nothing, Malachai wipes everything out. He'll come to open the gateway Alec."Jax leant against a tree, arms folded, neither happy nor sad. “She’s right. We cannot afford to just idle, waiting for him to tell us what he wants done next.”Alec turned toward him, his voice rising. "And you think the solution is to send her straight into his hands?"Jax smirked, but it did not have any humor in it. "I did not say that. But we lack the luxury of time, don't we?"Selene stepped forward, he
Alec pulled Luna's hand, his voice calm yet demanding. "We're leaving. Right now."The woman stepped back into the shadows, her parting words doing so. "It is in your hands, Luna, to keep the balance. Do not allow the darkness to wear you out in this way".As they ran to the open space of their territory, Luna’s mind was filled with questions, doubts and fears. But there was one thing that was clear: the match wasn't over.And the second time they encountered Malachai, running would be out of the question.The group barely returned to the safety of their territory when the forest erupted with sinister howls. Alec paced in the clearing by the fire pit, his nervous energy had him moving much more than normal. His wolf energy crackled in the air, right then as he was very frustrated.“We can’t keep running,” Alec growled, his golden eyes flashing. “The Pack of Malachi is closing in and every moment we waste, we’re losing the ground on.”Selene crossed her arms and leaned against a tree,
Alec growled and stepped closer. “Don’t listen to him, Luna. He’s just trying to mess with your head.”"Am I?" Malachai's smile widened. "Or am I finally revealing a truth that even the moon has hidden away?"As they had no time to answer, the ground under their feet began to tremble. The deep bass note vibrated in the air and Luna felt her chest burning awfully at the place where the relic’s energy was still there.“What’s happening?” she gasped, clutching her chest.Malachai's eyes sparkled with victory. "The awakening, Luna. The power of the relic has already begun to stir within you. Soon, however, you'll come to realize that light cannot exist without darkness; even your eyes will be blinded by the truth."The hum got louder and an opening in the ground, glowing with a light from another world, appeared between them. Luna’s knees buckled as the power inside her surged, threatening to devour her.“Luna!” Alec shouted, catching her before she fell.Selene reached for her too, a pan
Alec paused, as if he were selecting his words very carefully. "Luna, you and I… there’s a connection. Something deeper than I can put into words. It's the reason I've always felt such a strong urge to protect you."Luna’s breath hitched. “A bond? Are you saying we’re—”“Soulmates,” Alec confirmed, his voice steady.Selene stared at him, shocked. "And you're just now telling her this? Alec, what the hell?""That's not so easy," Alec said, defensively. "I didn't see it that way until now. The moon showed me in the Lunar Chamber."Luna’s head spun with the confusion of a million questions wanting to pour forth from her. Another growl snapped her back to the present, however."We need to move," Alec said, urgently. "Malachai won't stop until he has Selene, and his Pack is crawling all over the forest."Selene’s aura flared again, but this time it was weaker than before. “If he wants me, let him come fight me himself.”"Don't be reckless!" Alec snapped, frustration boiling over. "You are
Luna's vision gradually returned—an interplay of silvery light, whiffs of cool air caressing her skin and the faint harmony of power all over her. She blinked and understood she was no more in the clearing.The expanse was huge and bright where walls were made of glittering crystals that it felt like they were going to pulsate with the rhythm of a heartbeat. Above her a huge moon hung there as if suspended, casting its ethereal glow.“Where… where am I?” Luna murmured.A soft groan escaped that drew her attention. A few feet away lay Selene, her form also curled in a silver aura. Luna scrambled beside her and started shaking her gently.“Selene, wake up!”Her eyes opened slowly, still flashing brightly with that unearthly silver. She got up, glancing around in bewilderment. “What place is this?"“I don’t know,” Luna admitted, helping her up. “But I think it’s connected to the relic—and the moon.”“The Lunar Chamber.”Both women turned at the voice. There was a form, cloaked in shadow