{Lyra}No matter how much I tried to occupy my mind with other things, I still couldnโt get the words out of my head.โThe ring is the key to everything.โ I muttered to myself.It rang through my head like a bell long after Dominic led me into the dining hall. Odessa sat at the far end of the table, bundled in a thick sweater, while Isaac was busy showing her something on his phone, and for a half-second, my heart clenched. I saw flashes of her face, with those glowing green eyes from the dream that clung to my skin like cold sweat.โItโs not real,โ I told myself fiercely. โIt was just a dream. Sheโs fine.โOdessa laughed at something Isaac said, tossing her wet hair over her shoulder. She seemed completely normal and not at all possessed by evil.Still, it took everything I had not to stare too long.Dominic vanished sometime after dinner, and I was left fiddling with my spoon and pretending to care about dessert.I wanted, more than anything, to go back to the garden. But then I re
{Lyra}The morning sunlight was too cheery for how sick my stomach felt. For a minute, I just lay there, tangled in the cool sheets for a good twenty minutes, staring at the ceiling, and feeling... weird. Not bad, not good, just weird.Varenโs text last night kept looping in my brain. I didnโt know what he was planning to pull to get Dominic out of the house, but knowing Varen, it would be messy.Still, the day started off normal enough. Over breakfast, Isaac scarfed down toast while Odessa talked about how she wanted to start painting again. My heart twisted when she smiled. She looked so normal and un-possessed.Dominic, on the other hand, didnโt say much. After breakfast, Isaac bolted for school, Odessa floated off to her room to hunt for old paintbrushes, and Dominic muttered something about needing to work and disappeared into his study, leaving me with the world's longest waiting game.I wandered onto the terrace, soaking up the weak sun, while scrolling mindlessly through my ph
{Dominic}The tires screamed as I whipped the car down the road, with one hand clenched around the wheel, the other gripped my phone so tight it mightโve cracked. Maceโs message flashed on the screen againโan SOS and her live location pinned deep inside the forest.Mace didnโt panic easily. She was easily one of my toughest Deltas, a born fighter with nerves wired out of iron. For her to send a distress call, then something had to be bad. Real bad.I hit Rykerโs contact and put him on speaker.โAlpha?โ he answered in a rough voice, like he hadnโt slept.โMace sent an SOS. I'm heading to her now. Iโll forward her location to you. Get your ass there, fast.โโShit. On my way,โ Ryker barked.I killed the call and floored it. Trees blurred past as I tore toward the edge of the woods. The second I hit the border, I slammed the brakes, killing the engine mid-skid. Gravel and dirt sprayed out behind me.From her location, she was still moving, but barely.I shoved the car door open, kicking i
{Dominic}By the time I reached Allenโs tower, the corpse in my arms had started to cool. I didnโt know how much time had passed, but I knew better than to waste another precious time rushing up the stairs of the tower.I bent my knees low, feeling my muscles coil, and pushed off the ground with everything I had. Air tore past my ears as I shot up, one hand outstretched, while the other held the corpse close to my chest.My claws scraped against the rough stone until I caught a handhold. My fingers dug deep into the stone, peeling chunks off with every slight movement. I pulled myself upward in short jumps and without looking down.When the open window finally came into reach, I launched myself through it, landing hard enough to make the old wood floor groan.Allen was hunched over a crooked little altar made of black iron and worn oak, and was arranging a circle of bones, candles that bled smoke, and shimmering crystals.Before I could say a word, Allen said, without even looking at
{Lyra}โThe attempt on your life during you and Dominicโs wedding dance wasnโt as simple as you think.โ Regina said to me.A part of me had wanted to forget that night so much that it actually did. But as Reginaโs words landed, that night came rushing back into my head.โWโWhatโฆ What are you trying to say?โShe took a deep breath and tried to keep her eyes level, but I could see how they wavered ever so slightly. โIt was me.โโYou?โโMe and my brother actually.โ she corrected. โYou see Corvin didnโt want the Bloodhound name to die out all because of someโฆโ she squeezed her mouth shut and gestured to me, โ...well, you. And neither did I. I couldnโt understand why Dominic would chose you over the countless number of powerful candidates, and so I joined him and we created the resistance, a small number of wolves who believed you have no right to be our Luna.โโYou what?โ I croaked, my voice trembling slightly.โWe didnโt expect it to go that far. We just... wanted you to give up and run
{Lyra}I made sure to keep my distance from the statue, but the memory of my dream kept replaying in my head. I fought hard to shove it deep inside of me, and keep the voices out of my head. Dreams were just dreams, I couldnโt take the words of a possessed Odessa to heart. For all I know, it could be a trap.Reginaโs voice snapped me back to reality. โSit, and listen carefully.โ She motioned to the fountain, and I hesitated, half-glancing at the witch statue, then forced my feet to move. I sat down on the cool stone rim of the fountain, just as Regina began.โListen closely, Evangeline.โ I turned to her, dragging my attention away from the statueโs beckoning hand. โThe Luna Trials arenโt about strength or speed, at least not entirely,โ she began, pacing in a slow circle around me. โTheyโre about enduranc, loyalty. And above allโฆ desire.โShe stopped in front of me, and her eyes locked on mine. โYou have to want your place beside Dominic more than you want to even breathe.โI felt a
{Dominic}Two whole days. Thatโs how long it took for Maceโs condition to turn from bad to worse.I and Ryker managed to drag her to Allenโs tower, before the corruption started digging its claws deeper into her. She breathed heavily in gasps, and her body jerked every now and again as if some invisible hand was tearing her apart from the inside.The gash across her stomach had darkened, veins spreading outwards from the wound like black lightning beneath her skin. Her wolf was fighting hard, but it was losing.And it looked far too familiar. I felt like i was looking at Odessa all over again.I felt guilty that I let this happen, watching as Allen adjusted the silver restraints around Maceโs wrists. Her body bucked against them with unnatural strength.โSheโs still in there,โ I growled under my breath.โWhich means thereโs still time.โ Allen shot me a look as he began gathering supplies. โBut not much. Without the pure essence of the magic, I canโt brew a cure, only slow it down.โโH
{Lyra}The moon had turned blood red, like a hauntingly beautiful painting hanging in the dark sky. It cast everything in a coppery glow, turning the trees into tall, twisted shadows as we made our way through the forest.The Sacred Grove; thatโs what Regina called it. It was hidden in the oldest part of Crownshavenโs woods, tucked so deep that even the bravest wolves avoided it out of instinct.โThis is a place where the veil between spirit and flesh thins,โ Regina said, brushing her fingers along the bark of a knotted tree. โWhat you feel here is both real, and not.โI felt the shift in spiritual energy the second we crossed the invisible threshold. And my newly awakened wolf suddenly became restless.Ahead, Elder Corvin stepped forward, with his arms spread wide. โWe begin with the Trial of Heart,โ he announced, then turned to face me. โHere, you shall confront both your deepest desire and your darkest fear.โFrom a worn leather case, Corvin withdrew a small silver bowl and a jagge
{Dominic}Ryker didnโt bother speaking to me as we walked. My legs barely worked, but somehow I kept moving. The forest disappeared behind us as we left the Grove behind, and the moon seemed to follow us out.I kept looking over my shoulder, half-expecting the wind to shift and Evangeline to be standing there, barefoot in the moonlight, with that spark in her eyes and her usual smirk.But she wasnโt there.I wanted to believe that she wasnโt gone, that she was somehow still out there. But if that was true, then how was I supposed to find her? There was no scent, no trace, no trail to followโnothing but complete and utter silence.And then there was Maceโฆ โMoon goddess help me.โ She was slipping deeper into the darkness that hadcorrupted her, and it was my job to find the source of that corruption. So how the fuck was I supposed to do both? How do you choose between saving a loyal Delta, and chasing a ghost?By the time we arrived at the Elderโs Villa, Corvinโs voice was the first th
{Dominic}The Moon Spirit rose without a sound.Her form shimmered above the altar, and every hair on my body stood on end, and I could feel my wolf retreat slightly, lowering its head in reverencer. The moment her glowing hand touched Evangelineโs forehead, my heartbeat doubled.She lit up from the inside out, like her soul had caught fire.Then everything stoppedโฆ She and the Moon Spirit vanished in a burst of pale light. One moment she was kneeling on the altar, and the next, there was only the crackling of fire and the silence that followed.โNo,โ I muttered. My eyes darted across the clearing, searching for any trace of her. โWhere is she?โ I turned toward my mother, who stood with a hand over her mouth, and her eyes wide. โMom, where is she?โโI... I donโt know.โ Her voice barely traveled through the space between us..Panic crawled up my spine like ice. I took a step forward, calling her name. โEvangeline!โNothing.โEvangeline!โ Still no answer. Just wind weaving between the t
{Lyra}I stood barefoot in the clearing, staring up at the blood-red moon still hanging in the sky. The flames around altar Corvin had prepared began to flicker as I made my way to it. There wasnโt a single sound, not a birdy crying, or an insect buzzing. The forest was eerily quiet and the leaves whispered in languages my human ears couldnโt decipher, but my wolf was reacting to them. Even the ancient oak trees bent their gnarled limbs inward, curling toward the altar.I walked forward, one step after another, until my toes touched the stone. I knelt at the edge of the altar, the stone was colder than the wind, biting into my knees, and my heartt was beatign wildly. I could hear every beat echoing between my ribs like the last moments before a hunt.Suddenly, there was a humming around the altar, and a huge wave of magic surged from the ground, into the sky.The Moon Spirit rose from the altar like mist. There was no footsteps, or sound, just a shimmering light in the shape of a woma
{Lyra}The moon had turned blood red, like a hauntingly beautiful painting hanging in the dark sky. It cast everything in a coppery glow, turning the trees into tall, twisted shadows as we made our way through the forest.The Sacred Grove; thatโs what Regina called it. It was hidden in the oldest part of Crownshavenโs woods, tucked so deep that even the bravest wolves avoided it out of instinct.โThis is a place where the veil between spirit and flesh thins,โ Regina said, brushing her fingers along the bark of a knotted tree. โWhat you feel here is both real, and not.โI felt the shift in spiritual energy the second we crossed the invisible threshold. And my newly awakened wolf suddenly became restless.Ahead, Elder Corvin stepped forward, with his arms spread wide. โWe begin with the Trial of Heart,โ he announced, then turned to face me. โHere, you shall confront both your deepest desire and your darkest fear.โFrom a worn leather case, Corvin withdrew a small silver bowl and a jagge
{Dominic}Two whole days. Thatโs how long it took for Maceโs condition to turn from bad to worse.I and Ryker managed to drag her to Allenโs tower, before the corruption started digging its claws deeper into her. She breathed heavily in gasps, and her body jerked every now and again as if some invisible hand was tearing her apart from the inside.The gash across her stomach had darkened, veins spreading outwards from the wound like black lightning beneath her skin. Her wolf was fighting hard, but it was losing.And it looked far too familiar. I felt like i was looking at Odessa all over again.I felt guilty that I let this happen, watching as Allen adjusted the silver restraints around Maceโs wrists. Her body bucked against them with unnatural strength.โSheโs still in there,โ I growled under my breath.โWhich means thereโs still time.โ Allen shot me a look as he began gathering supplies. โBut not much. Without the pure essence of the magic, I canโt brew a cure, only slow it down.โโH
{Lyra}I made sure to keep my distance from the statue, but the memory of my dream kept replaying in my head. I fought hard to shove it deep inside of me, and keep the voices out of my head. Dreams were just dreams, I couldnโt take the words of a possessed Odessa to heart. For all I know, it could be a trap.Reginaโs voice snapped me back to reality. โSit, and listen carefully.โ She motioned to the fountain, and I hesitated, half-glancing at the witch statue, then forced my feet to move. I sat down on the cool stone rim of the fountain, just as Regina began.โListen closely, Evangeline.โ I turned to her, dragging my attention away from the statueโs beckoning hand. โThe Luna Trials arenโt about strength or speed, at least not entirely,โ she began, pacing in a slow circle around me. โTheyโre about enduranc, loyalty. And above allโฆ desire.โShe stopped in front of me, and her eyes locked on mine. โYou have to want your place beside Dominic more than you want to even breathe.โI felt a
{Lyra}โThe attempt on your life during you and Dominicโs wedding dance wasnโt as simple as you think.โ Regina said to me.A part of me had wanted to forget that night so much that it actually did. But as Reginaโs words landed, that night came rushing back into my head.โWโWhatโฆ What are you trying to say?โShe took a deep breath and tried to keep her eyes level, but I could see how they wavered ever so slightly. โIt was me.โโYou?โโMe and my brother actually.โ she corrected. โYou see Corvin didnโt want the Bloodhound name to die out all because of someโฆโ she squeezed her mouth shut and gestured to me, โ...well, you. And neither did I. I couldnโt understand why Dominic would chose you over the countless number of powerful candidates, and so I joined him and we created the resistance, a small number of wolves who believed you have no right to be our Luna.โโYou what?โ I croaked, my voice trembling slightly.โWe didnโt expect it to go that far. We just... wanted you to give up and run
{Dominic}By the time I reached Allenโs tower, the corpse in my arms had started to cool. I didnโt know how much time had passed, but I knew better than to waste another precious time rushing up the stairs of the tower.I bent my knees low, feeling my muscles coil, and pushed off the ground with everything I had. Air tore past my ears as I shot up, one hand outstretched, while the other held the corpse close to my chest.My claws scraped against the rough stone until I caught a handhold. My fingers dug deep into the stone, peeling chunks off with every slight movement. I pulled myself upward in short jumps and without looking down.When the open window finally came into reach, I launched myself through it, landing hard enough to make the old wood floor groan.Allen was hunched over a crooked little altar made of black iron and worn oak, and was arranging a circle of bones, candles that bled smoke, and shimmering crystals.Before I could say a word, Allen said, without even looking at
{Dominic}The tires screamed as I whipped the car down the road, with one hand clenched around the wheel, the other gripped my phone so tight it mightโve cracked. Maceโs message flashed on the screen againโan SOS and her live location pinned deep inside the forest.Mace didnโt panic easily. She was easily one of my toughest Deltas, a born fighter with nerves wired out of iron. For her to send a distress call, then something had to be bad. Real bad.I hit Rykerโs contact and put him on speaker.โAlpha?โ he answered in a rough voice, like he hadnโt slept.โMace sent an SOS. I'm heading to her now. Iโll forward her location to you. Get your ass there, fast.โโShit. On my way,โ Ryker barked.I killed the call and floored it. Trees blurred past as I tore toward the edge of the woods. The second I hit the border, I slammed the brakes, killing the engine mid-skid. Gravel and dirt sprayed out behind me.From her location, she was still moving, but barely.I shoved the car door open, kicking i