Luna held her ground. "I think you do care about your pack. Enough to put your pride behind and do what has to be done."For a moment, both Alphas held each other’s gaze in a silent war of command. At last, Ronan huffed and took a step back.“Fine,” he said. “We’ll hear you out. But if this is a trick, there won’t be enough of you left to regret it.”Luna nodded, and relief washed over her, though she didn’t let it show. “Fair enough.”Ronan waved his hand to tell the wolves to stand down, and Kade whispered, “Isn’t he just so charming?”Jax nudged him with an elbow. "Let's just get through this without starting another war, okay?"The Crescent Ridge wolves led them to a large clearing where a huge bonfire burned. The Packs were seated in two separate clusters, separated by an invisible line of distrust.Ronan spoke to his Pack with a commanding voice. "Listen up. We're supposedly fighting shadow wolves and this—" he gestured to the relic in Luna's possession, "key to defeating them.
Luna could feel them looking at her, waiting, anticipating. Taking a shaky breath, she said, "We can't fight them alone. We have to rally the other Packs."Ronan crossed his arms; it didn't show what he was thinking. "That's asking for a lot, Luna. Convincing Crescent Ridge Pack to help was one thing. Uniting all the Packs is a whole other battle.""Then we'll fight it," she said forcefully. "Because if we don't, none will survive."Ronan gave her a long considering look and slowly nodded. "All right. I'll send word out. But you had better be ready to lead. In order for them to listen to you, you'll have to show them." Luna nodded, determination hardening her heart. "I will do it."As the Packs was tending to their wounded and regrouping, Alec pulled her aside and searched her eyes."You good?" he softly asked."I don't know," she admitted, voice trembling. "That power felt like it wasn't just me that it was all about. Like it was bigger than me. Like the moon itself was guiding me."
Luna felt the chaos strike her with the force of a blow, an acrid air foul with smoke, blood, and fear, as villagers ran in all directions screaming, with shadow wolves leaping from the shadows.Alec was going on all fours with a howl that cut through the din. A call to chambers echoed to ready their allies."Spread out!" Ronan yelled, already in action as he hacked at a shadow wolf. "Protect the villagers!"Selene grabbed Luna's arm. "Stick close. Malachai wants you, and he'll not have you on our watch.”"I won't just stand by!" Luna said, clutching the shining relic."Then don't," Selene huffed, pulling release. "But don't make it easy for him to drag you close."A little more confidence; Luna nodded, holding faster to the relic, feeling warm to her fingertips but with an insistent thrum to it.Jax stood alongside her, with two daggers in hand. "You got this, Moonbeam," he said, handing a smile that was rare and sincere. "Don't be fooled, you have us." Before she could answer, a sh
Malachai smiled as he easily avoided the attack. "Ah, the faithful protector. Tell me, Alec, how far are you willing to go for her?"“As far as it takes,” Alec growled, lunging again.Malachai sidestepped, as if lazy in the execution of his choreography. “What about you, Jax?”Jax stepped out of the shadows, twirling his daggers in his hands. He didn't pause to think; he threw one blade straight at Malachai's heart.Malachai caught it mid-air, his smile widening. “Predictable.”Jax’s face darkened, stepping away from the group and toward Luna. His voice dropped to a tense whisper. “Luna, whatever you’re gonna do, do it now. This guy’s not playing.”"I don't know what to do!" Luna exclaimed, shaking the relic hard.Alec kept circling Malachai. "Trust the relic, Luna!" he shouted back. "It chose you for a reason!"The relic throbbed in her hands, its light flickering as if it had a heartbeat. Luna shut her eyes, her desperation mingled with resolve.“What does the moon want from me?” sh
A laugh, sinister and chilling, echoed the clearing. Malachai stepped into the moonlight, his silver eyes glistening with evil.“Did you really think I wouldn’t find you?” he said, his tone mockingly sweet.The woman stepped in front of Luna, her hands raised as if to say she meant to protect the girl. “You can’t have her, Malachai.”Malachai’s smile widened. “Oh, but I already do.”He snapped his fingers, and the shadows formed into a shape—a bound and gagged villager writhing against the dark tendrils.Luna’s heart sank. “No…”“Choose, Luna,” Malachai said, pouring on the cruelty. “Either come with me willingly, or watch them die.”The pack tensed to spring, but the woman raised a hand. “Wait,” she said, her voice steady even though the tension crackled. “There’s more at stake here than you realize.”Coming forward Luna spoke, her voice trembling. “Why are you doing this ? What do you want from me ? ”Malachai's expression turned icy. "Your power. Your light. Without it, the moon ca
Nymera's shape began to fade, her voice more distant. “Follow the light, Luna. The moon will guide you.”With her disappearance, the cracks closed themselves letting the glade in on its silence once again.Luna looked at Alec and Jax, her features sharpening with resolve. "We're going to find Selene. Now."Jax nodded but reluctantly. “Fine, but if this turns out to be another wild goose chase, don’t blame me.”Alec placed a comforting hand on Luna's shoulder. "We'll get her back, no matter what."As they left the clearing, faint screams of Selene’s could be heard causing their skin to crawl even more when they remembered it."Luna," Alec said, his throat tight with worry. "We gotta get out fast."The atmosphere in the woods was oppressive, even as Luna, Alec, and Jax pressed through it hurriedly and tensely. The air was literally denser with each passing moment as if some invisible force were pressing them against the ground.“I don’t like this,” Jax muttered, insensibly his hand tou
Luna stirred, feeling her head hitting and vision blurred. The air was thick with the smell of an explosion, magic still permeating it. She raised herself up causing a cough to shake her, then looked around the clearing.Selene remained on the altar, her body encircled by a glimmering blue aura. Jax and Alec lay a little distance away, moaning softly as they regained consciousness. Malachai stood at the clearing's perimeter, his silver eyes burning with rage while he caught his breath.“Luna!” Alec shouted, pulling himself to his feet and running toward her. “Are you all right?”"I'm fine," Luna said, her voice trembling however. "What about Selene?"Jax stumbled over, wincing. “She’s glowing. That can’t be normal.”“No,” Malachai’s voice sliced through the tension, sharp and venomous. “It’s not normal. It’s perfect.”Luna shot him a glare, her fear transforming into anger. "You did this, didn't you? You’re trying to make her feel bad!"Malachai laughed softly but darkly, his face twi
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
The final battle against the darkness was fierce, but the united power of Luna and her allies was inevitable. For each relic they activated, the light of the moon shone brighter until it filled the land void of darkness.When the moon reached its climax, Luna stood in the center of the nexus, the relics glowing around her. On her sides stood Alec, Kade, Jax and Selene with their hands in-between hers.Luna said, her voice steady, “This is it. The moon’s power is ours to wield. We can, together, set things aright.”"And we will," Alec said, keeping his gaze steady. "It's because we believe in you."Jax squeezed her hand, passionate in his voice. "You are the heart of this, Luma".Taking a deep breath, Luna gathered the moon's power and her heart was filled with love and determination. Light engulfed them, washing away the last remnants of darkness.As light faded, the land was no longer the same. The forest was oppressive and lively, the air full of the scent of blooming flowers. The n
Jax snarled as he stepped in front of Luna, "Try it, and you'll regret it."Before Malachai could answer, a brilliant light erupted from the nexus, causing everyone to shield their eyes. When the light receded, a figure stood between Alpha Prime and Luna—a translucent, ethereal apparition that caught Luna's breath.“Mom?” Luna whispered, her voice trembling.The image of her mother turned, the softness in her expression mingling with resolve. "Luna, my precious girl. You have the power to do what I never could. Trust yourself, though."“Mom, I don’t understand,” Luna said, tears streaming down her face. “I do know you are here for a reason. Why is this happening?”Luna's mother stepped closer, as if her spirit were trying to whisper comfort. A spectral hand brushed Luna's cheek. "This is your destiny, Luna. The moon chose you not to bear its burden but to guide it. You can rewrite its will if you believe in yourself."Malachai scoffed. "Touching. But what good is faith when the blood
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