Moonlight sliced shards in the palace corridor as Alexandria tore through the blackness. Breath came in cruel gasps, heart pounding like a war drum. Each step threatened to be caught precariously close, but she had no other option. She has to locate Emereah. Before Vladimir finished the final knot around her neck.Steel clanged behind her."Halt! There she is!"Alexandria spun, eyes afire. Two guards charged towards her, swords raised."Not tonight," she spat low in her throat.The first charged, but she fell, kicking his legs with a precise kick. He fell to the stone floor, wind knocked from his chest. The second cut at her ribs, cutting into her skin. She screamed in pain, but locked onto his wrist, twirled him, and smashed his arm into the stone wall."Do not try me!" she spat, blood trickling down her side.Additional boots boomed down the hallway. She spun and ran to the grand chamber, to Emereah. Her eyes welled from pain, but determination burned hotter. Emereah stood on the ba
Vladimir stood, his face chiseled from ice, but something flashed behind his eyes—brief, barely perceptible. Fear. Not of Emereah's power. But of her clarity."You were fragmented," he said cautiously, each word swathed in silk but cut like glass. "When I discovered you, you were suffocating under darkness. I merely. took away the burden."Her head moved reluctantly, threads of moon-glow hair dancing against her cheek. "That's not what it seems like."Vladimir moved towards her, outstretched hand, as if he could soothe the tempest brewing in her breast."Emereah—""No," she told him firmly, moving back, her voice no longer breakable. "You're afraid. I see it now. Every time Alexandria talks, your mask slips." He stumbled in his step. "She poisoned your mind—"“She ignited it,” Emereah interrupted, voice rising. “She called me a warrior. A queen. Those words—they meant something to me. Why did they feel truer than anything you’ve ever said?”Vladimir’s lips curled slightly into a sad
In the great hall, tension was palpable. Emereah's rebellion had not been anticipated, and Vladimir's mind stumbled to reassert command. His golden eyes, which had previously been cold and calculating, now blazed with frantic fervor."Emereah," he started, his voice a careful calm that masked the tempest within, "I realize your confusion. Recent occurrences have been. overwhelming. But this is not the moment for conflict."Emereah's eyes did not waver. "So then when is the time, Vladimir? When will the truth be revealed?"A hum ran through the crowd of people gathered there. The elders glanced at each other, feeling the undertows of power struggle ahead.Vladimir stepped forward, bridging the gap between them. "You are my mate," he stated, his voice ringing off the stone walls. "Together, we will reign. To join and make our people stronger."Emereah's heart thudded in her chest. The weight of his words bore down on her, but the shards of memory—fragile and shattered—whispered of anoth
But far, far deep inside her, beneath magic and altered memory, there was a spark of fire.A vision—blonde hair swirling in the wind, the cry of her name, gentle fingers clasped hard around her own in chill."Alex…?"The name hung on her lips, but did not escape.Vladimir felt the shiver and his eyes clenching. "No. Not now." He spun on his heel and dismissed the sorceress."Cast the spell more powerful," he commanded. "I want her will bound tighter than ever."The sorceress hesitated. "Alpha, the spell is already aching. Too much, and she can—""Do it!" he snarled, voice thunderous. "I will not let her go!"The sorceress curtsied, gliding back into the shadows.The torches in the cave tunnel cast eerie shadows as the sorceress glided towards the chamber, robes billowing behind her like a cloud of night. The air thickened with every step, charged with the chill bite of ancient blood and intricate magic. Behind the closed doors, Emereah stood still, her silver armlets pulsating with a
The moonlight had lost its warmth.It poured pale and cold over the marble floors of the throne room, where Emereah stood—still and silent—wrapped in a silver gown that shivered like starlight caught in a web. Her eyes, which had once brimmed with fire and spirit, now displayed the flat hollowness of glass.The sorceress's spell had taken root.She stood beside Vladimir, her body subservient, her spirit struggling in silence. The silver bangles on her wrists, once mere ornaments, now softly glowed with magic—a sign of slavery.Vladimir held out his hand.My people!" he shouted from the platform, face aglow with triumph. "Tonight, I announce what fate has long decreed. Emereah, child of the late Alpha of Silver Moon, will be my Luna. A union of two powers, two houses… and one throne!"The nobles of the Silver Moon pack—former proud warriors, now servile slaves in ragged robes—cried out in anguish. Their suffering echoed in the vaulted hall, raw and agonizing.No!\" one of the elders sh
The next day, things moved into high gear. Golden armor was put on Vladimir, while the inner courtyard of the palace erupted in magical roses that flowed red sap upon contact.Among the slave barracks, Silver Moon's nobles were chained and forced to construct the ceremonial arch. One old man bled from his palms as he placed the stone on the ground."She won't remember us," he said.Another lord, younger, growled through clenched teeth. "Then we remind her. Even if it kills us all." As sunset was dissolved into darkness, the palace halls blazed with the golden flutter of torchlight. But in Emereah's room, the air was cold. Still. Practically vacant.Alexandria stood nearly a foot away, her hand resting on Emereah's stiff one. Her breathing shook as she tried again."It's me," she breathed, voice shuddering beneath the burden of all their memories now behind her. "Alexandria. the one who reminded you of your past. Of Silver Moon. Of you."Emereah's lips parted, eyes wavering—but the fir
Dawn.The palace bells rang low and mournful.The great hall was transformed into a cathedral of black splendor. Black banners bearing golden wolves hung from the ceilings. Candles floating in mid-air, each fire dancing crimson beneath the blood-red sky above.At the far end, Vladimir.Attired in black and silver. A wolf pelt thrown over his shoulders. His eyes never leaving the doors.And then. she entered.Emereah.Attended by handmaidens.Wearing a glittering gown of ivory, a crown of interwoven moon-thorns upon her brow. Her eyes were wide, glassy.Behind her, the nobles of Silver Moon were made to kneel. Chained. Shackled. Made to witness their final royal bloodline wed to the destroyer of their home.Some cried.Some screamed.One even bellowed: "YOU KILLED HER FATHER! HOW DARE YOU ADMIRE HER LINEAGE AS A TROPHY!"Vladimir lifted his hand.The guards beat the speaker to the ground.Despite this, Vladimir smiled.Let them scream.Let them watch.She was his now.Emereah approache
The Red Crescent courtyard was filled with golden light, but dusk had devoured the sky. The fire torches danced in unnatural synchrony—each flame unnaturally motionless, as if under a spell. The guests stood frozen, their lips sealed by magic, their faces locked in silent rebellion.In the center, on a platform of elevated obsidian and bone, Emereah stood alongside Vladimir. Her formerly fierce silver eyes were empty now, gentle and submissive, like a puppet held captive by threads of air.She had a gown embroidered in threads of moonstone and rubies as blood-red as death—regal and macabre. Her bracelets, once symbols of her royalty, were now magical shackles that shone with magic, glinting each time her hand slightly shifted at Vladimir's whim.The nobles of the Silver Moon Pack stood in the background, all slaves, once family—tears flowing silently down their faces. Their eyes pleaded as their voices could not. They saw their princess, the daughter of their alpha, marry the man whos
The hall was quiet.Too quiet.Alexandria's gasping breath rasped at the back of her throat as she pushed the bloody hand into the cool of the stone wall, the injury in her side bleeding heat. She did not know if the trickling was blood or sweat streaming down her temple, but it no longer mattered.Liberty lay just beyond her fingertips.And Emereah. Emereah was losing its hold."No," Alexandria gasped into the quiet, staggered forward. "No, not like this. I will not lose you."Her bare feet pounded the marble floor—every step an infringement of silence. Somewhere behind her, the ringing of guards crying out shattered the stillness. They'd discovered she was gone.Her heartbeat pounded in her throat.A low growl of hurt slipped out from between her teeth as she reached the end of the corridor and looked up towards the grating at the top of the servants' chute. Her only hope. Her side ached where they'd kicked her in the last battle, and her knuckles were bleeding—half flayed open when
Vladimir was sitting on the side of his bed, his amber-colored eyes locked onto Emereah.She stood in front of him, her angular body wrapped in a golden silk gown that flashed in the firefight. The clingy material seemed to mold over every inch of her frame, outlining her as a possession already unwrapped and already owned.Her hair fell in waves of deep red down her back, and her pale blue eyes—too pale now, almost glass-like—blinked slowly, as if reading his very breath.“Emereah,” he said, his voice low and smooth, “we are married now. You are my Luna. Then serve me now… as your husband.”A pause.Then, in quiet horror, she moved. She came down on her knees, the movement slow, smooth, practiced. Her hands lay upon his knees—delicate, poised. Her fingers wrapped in the folds of his trousers, and she bent her head the slightest bit towards him.There was sensuality in her attitude.But not a soul.Vladimir let out his breath, shivering down to his toes. Victory swept over him, a dark
The Red Crescent courtyard was filled with golden light, but dusk had devoured the sky. The fire torches danced in unnatural synchrony—each flame unnaturally motionless, as if under a spell. The guests stood frozen, their lips sealed by magic, their faces locked in silent rebellion.In the center, on a platform of elevated obsidian and bone, Emereah stood alongside Vladimir. Her formerly fierce silver eyes were empty now, gentle and submissive, like a puppet held captive by threads of air.She had a gown embroidered in threads of moonstone and rubies as blood-red as death—regal and macabre. Her bracelets, once symbols of her royalty, were now magical shackles that shone with magic, glinting each time her hand slightly shifted at Vladimir's whim.The nobles of the Silver Moon Pack stood in the background, all slaves, once family—tears flowing silently down their faces. Their eyes pleaded as their voices could not. They saw their princess, the daughter of their alpha, marry the man whos
Dawn.The palace bells rang low and mournful.The great hall was transformed into a cathedral of black splendor. Black banners bearing golden wolves hung from the ceilings. Candles floating in mid-air, each fire dancing crimson beneath the blood-red sky above.At the far end, Vladimir.Attired in black and silver. A wolf pelt thrown over his shoulders. His eyes never leaving the doors.And then. she entered.Emereah.Attended by handmaidens.Wearing a glittering gown of ivory, a crown of interwoven moon-thorns upon her brow. Her eyes were wide, glassy.Behind her, the nobles of Silver Moon were made to kneel. Chained. Shackled. Made to witness their final royal bloodline wed to the destroyer of their home.Some cried.Some screamed.One even bellowed: "YOU KILLED HER FATHER! HOW DARE YOU ADMIRE HER LINEAGE AS A TROPHY!"Vladimir lifted his hand.The guards beat the speaker to the ground.Despite this, Vladimir smiled.Let them scream.Let them watch.She was his now.Emereah approache
The next day, things moved into high gear. Golden armor was put on Vladimir, while the inner courtyard of the palace erupted in magical roses that flowed red sap upon contact.Among the slave barracks, Silver Moon's nobles were chained and forced to construct the ceremonial arch. One old man bled from his palms as he placed the stone on the ground."She won't remember us," he said.Another lord, younger, growled through clenched teeth. "Then we remind her. Even if it kills us all." As sunset was dissolved into darkness, the palace halls blazed with the golden flutter of torchlight. But in Emereah's room, the air was cold. Still. Practically vacant.Alexandria stood nearly a foot away, her hand resting on Emereah's stiff one. Her breathing shook as she tried again."It's me," she breathed, voice shuddering beneath the burden of all their memories now behind her. "Alexandria. the one who reminded you of your past. Of Silver Moon. Of you."Emereah's lips parted, eyes wavering—but the fir
The moonlight had lost its warmth.It poured pale and cold over the marble floors of the throne room, where Emereah stood—still and silent—wrapped in a silver gown that shivered like starlight caught in a web. Her eyes, which had once brimmed with fire and spirit, now displayed the flat hollowness of glass.The sorceress's spell had taken root.She stood beside Vladimir, her body subservient, her spirit struggling in silence. The silver bangles on her wrists, once mere ornaments, now softly glowed with magic—a sign of slavery.Vladimir held out his hand.My people!" he shouted from the platform, face aglow with triumph. "Tonight, I announce what fate has long decreed. Emereah, child of the late Alpha of Silver Moon, will be my Luna. A union of two powers, two houses… and one throne!"The nobles of the Silver Moon pack—former proud warriors, now servile slaves in ragged robes—cried out in anguish. Their suffering echoed in the vaulted hall, raw and agonizing.No!\" one of the elders sh
But far, far deep inside her, beneath magic and altered memory, there was a spark of fire.A vision—blonde hair swirling in the wind, the cry of her name, gentle fingers clasped hard around her own in chill."Alex…?"The name hung on her lips, but did not escape.Vladimir felt the shiver and his eyes clenching. "No. Not now." He spun on his heel and dismissed the sorceress."Cast the spell more powerful," he commanded. "I want her will bound tighter than ever."The sorceress hesitated. "Alpha, the spell is already aching. Too much, and she can—""Do it!" he snarled, voice thunderous. "I will not let her go!"The sorceress curtsied, gliding back into the shadows.The torches in the cave tunnel cast eerie shadows as the sorceress glided towards the chamber, robes billowing behind her like a cloud of night. The air thickened with every step, charged with the chill bite of ancient blood and intricate magic. Behind the closed doors, Emereah stood still, her silver armlets pulsating with a
In the great hall, tension was palpable. Emereah's rebellion had not been anticipated, and Vladimir's mind stumbled to reassert command. His golden eyes, which had previously been cold and calculating, now blazed with frantic fervor."Emereah," he started, his voice a careful calm that masked the tempest within, "I realize your confusion. Recent occurrences have been. overwhelming. But this is not the moment for conflict."Emereah's eyes did not waver. "So then when is the time, Vladimir? When will the truth be revealed?"A hum ran through the crowd of people gathered there. The elders glanced at each other, feeling the undertows of power struggle ahead.Vladimir stepped forward, bridging the gap between them. "You are my mate," he stated, his voice ringing off the stone walls. "Together, we will reign. To join and make our people stronger."Emereah's heart thudded in her chest. The weight of his words bore down on her, but the shards of memory—fragile and shattered—whispered of anoth
Vladimir stood, his face chiseled from ice, but something flashed behind his eyes—brief, barely perceptible. Fear. Not of Emereah's power. But of her clarity."You were fragmented," he said cautiously, each word swathed in silk but cut like glass. "When I discovered you, you were suffocating under darkness. I merely. took away the burden."Her head moved reluctantly, threads of moon-glow hair dancing against her cheek. "That's not what it seems like."Vladimir moved towards her, outstretched hand, as if he could soothe the tempest brewing in her breast."Emereah—""No," she told him firmly, moving back, her voice no longer breakable. "You're afraid. I see it now. Every time Alexandria talks, your mask slips." He stumbled in his step. "She poisoned your mind—"“She ignited it,” Emereah interrupted, voice rising. “She called me a warrior. A queen. Those words—they meant something to me. Why did they feel truer than anything you’ve ever said?”Vladimir’s lips curled slightly into a sad