The fire had long since burned down to embers, but Lillian remained awake, staring into the darkness. Sleep eluded her, chased away by the weight of everything she had learned. She was Moonborn. The last of a lost people. And whatever waited in the Ruins of the First Moon would determine not just her fate, but the fate of the Lycans. A shift in the wind sent a chill down her spine. The forest was never truly silent, but this stillness was unnatural. The kind that preceded a predator’s strike. A flicker of movement at the tree line caught her attention. Lillian rose to her feet, every instinct on high alert. “Who’s there?” No answer. The night air pulsed, heavy with unseen energy. Then— A shadow moved. Before she could react, a figure emerged from the darkness. Tall. Cloaked in black. Eyes like liquid silver. Not the woman from before. Someone else. Someone wrong. Lillian’s pulse pounded as she took a step back. “Who are you?” The figure tilted its head, s
Dawn broke over the Bloodwood in streaks of gold and crimson, but there was no warmth in the morning air. The Lycans moved swiftly, breaking camp with practiced efficiency. Armor was strapped on, weapons checked, and mounts prepared. Lillian stood beside Aedric at the edge of the clearing, staring into the dense forest ahead. The path to the Eclipsed Lands was treacherous, but the Ruins of the First Moon lay beyond them—and with it, the truth she had been seeking. Aedric turned to Gregor. “Are the warriors ready?” Gregor nodded. “They await your command.” His dark eyes flickered to Lillian. “If we do this, we may not return.” Lillian met his gaze, steady. “Then we don’t fail.” Aedric smirked, pride flashing in his golden eyes. “Mount up. We ride now.” The Lycans obeyed without question. Warhorses and massive direwolves were prepared for the journey ahead. Aedric swung onto his black warhorse, the beast shifting beneath him with eager energy. Lillian moved toward her own
The forest was alive with whispers. The wind carried the scent of damp earth and wildflowers as Lillian Thorn knelt among the roots of an ancient oak tree, carefully gathering sprigs of lavender and yarrow. The herbalist, Old Miriam, had warned her never to linger after sunset, but Lillian had lost track of time. She pulled her cloak tighter around her shoulders, glancing up at the sky. The full moon hung low, casting an eerie silver glow over the land. As always, a strange warmth spread across her left shoulder where her crescent-shaped birthmark rested. It had been there since birth—always tingling under the moonlight, as if calling to something unseen. Tonight, the feeling was stronger than ever. A branch snapped. Lillian stilled. Her heart pounded as she turned toward the sound. The woods had gone deathly silent—no chirping crickets, no rustling leaves. Just the slow, deliberate crunch of footsteps approaching. She rose to her feet, clutching her basket. "Who’s there
Lillian’s world was a blur of shadows and silver moonlight as the Lycans rode through the dense forest. The night air was cold, whipping against her skin as she struggled against her captor’s iron grip. "Let me go!" she snarled, twisting in the saddle. The warrior holding her barely reacted, his arms like steel as he kept her pinned in front of him. "Stop fighting," he growled. "You’ll only tire yourself out." Lillian bit her lip, furious. She wanted to claw at him, scream for help—even though she knew no one would come. The human villages were miles away, and even if she escaped, she would never outrun a pack of Lycans. Her gaze flicked to Aedric, who rode just ahead of her. His posture was relaxed, but she could sense the restrained power in every movement. His golden eyes, reflecting the moonlight, never left the path ahead. They rode for what felt like hours before the trees began to thin, revealing a sight that stole Lillian’s breath. The Lycan Kingdom. A fortress
Lillian woke to the soft glow of dawn spilling through the balcony doors. For a moment, she had forgotten where she was, but the cold reality settled in quickly. She was trapped in the Lycan Kingdom, claimed by a king she barely knew, and surrounded by creatures who viewed her as an outsider. She sat up in bed, determined. She would not be caged like an animal. She needed a plan—an escape. A knock at the door startled her. Before she could respond, it swung open, and a tall, regal woman entered. Her silver hair cascaded down her back, and her sharp golden eyes held an unmistakable air of authority. "I see you are awake," the woman said coolly. Lillian straightened, keeping her expression neutral. "And you are?" The woman arched a brow. "Lady Helena, advisor to the Lycan King." She stepped forward, studying Lillian as if she were a curiosity on display. "You will bathe and dress. The court awaits your presence." Lillian frowned. "Court?" Helena nodded. "The noble houses
A heavy silence followed Lillian’s bold declaration. The Lycans in the court stared at her with varying expressions—some intrigued, others displeased. The idea of a human queen was clearly an insult to their traditions, but Lillian refused to let their judgment shake her. Aedric’s golden eyes locked onto hers, unreadable. Then, to her surprise, he smirked. "Very well," he said, his voice carrying through the great hall. "You will prove yourself." A ripple of murmurs spread among the nobles, some scoffing while others watched with keen interest. Lillian clenched her fists, feeling like she had just stepped onto a battlefield she didn’t fully understand. A tall woman stepped forward, her dark brown hair braided back, her green eyes sharp. Unlike the others, she didn’t look at Lillian with hostility—only curiosity. "This is madness," Lord Fenrir muttered. "She will break before the next full moon." "Then let her break," Aedric said, his voice steady. "Or let her rise. The G
Lillian barely slept. The weight of everything—the Lycans’ open hostility, the challenge she had foolishly accepted, and the unknown trials that awaited her—pressed against her like an iron chain. But despite her fears, she would not back down. As the first light of dawn broke over the horizon, a sharp knock echoed through her chamber. "Time to move, human." She groaned but forced herself up. The moment she opened the door, Astrid smirked at her. The Beta leaned casually against the doorframe, arms crossed. "You look like you barely slept," Astrid noted. "Good. Fear will keep you on your toes." Lillian rolled her eyes. "What, no words of encouragement?" Astrid grinned. "You’re in a court of Lycans, sweetheart. Encouragement is for the weak." Lillian scowled but followed Astrid through the winding halls of the fortress. They stepped out into the training grounds—an open expanse of packed earth, surrounded by wooden dummies, weapon racks, and Lycans already deep in combat drill
The sky burned with the colors of twilight as Lillian dragged herself back to her chambers. Every step was agony. Her muscles ached, her arms felt like lead, and her ribs throbbed from the repeated blows she had taken during training. She had never felt so exhausted in her life. Collapsing onto the bed, she barely had the strength to untie the leather bracers strapped to her wrists. Her fingers fumbled, but before she could make any real progress, the door creaked open. Her body tensed. Aedric. The Lycan King stood in the doorway, watching her with those unreadable golden eyes. The soft candlelight flickered over his sharp features, casting shadows that only made him look more imposing. Lillian swallowed, forcing herself upright despite the pain. "Is this a habit of yours? Watching me like some sort of warden?" His lips twitched, as if amused. "I prefer the term king." She scowled, yanking the bracers off and tossing them onto the bed beside her. "What do you want?"
Dawn broke over the Bloodwood in streaks of gold and crimson, but there was no warmth in the morning air. The Lycans moved swiftly, breaking camp with practiced efficiency. Armor was strapped on, weapons checked, and mounts prepared. Lillian stood beside Aedric at the edge of the clearing, staring into the dense forest ahead. The path to the Eclipsed Lands was treacherous, but the Ruins of the First Moon lay beyond them—and with it, the truth she had been seeking. Aedric turned to Gregor. “Are the warriors ready?” Gregor nodded. “They await your command.” His dark eyes flickered to Lillian. “If we do this, we may not return.” Lillian met his gaze, steady. “Then we don’t fail.” Aedric smirked, pride flashing in his golden eyes. “Mount up. We ride now.” The Lycans obeyed without question. Warhorses and massive direwolves were prepared for the journey ahead. Aedric swung onto his black warhorse, the beast shifting beneath him with eager energy. Lillian moved toward her own
The fire had long since burned down to embers, but Lillian remained awake, staring into the darkness. Sleep eluded her, chased away by the weight of everything she had learned. She was Moonborn. The last of a lost people. And whatever waited in the Ruins of the First Moon would determine not just her fate, but the fate of the Lycans. A shift in the wind sent a chill down her spine. The forest was never truly silent, but this stillness was unnatural. The kind that preceded a predator’s strike. A flicker of movement at the tree line caught her attention. Lillian rose to her feet, every instinct on high alert. “Who’s there?” No answer. The night air pulsed, heavy with unseen energy. Then— A shadow moved. Before she could react, a figure emerged from the darkness. Tall. Cloaked in black. Eyes like liquid silver. Not the woman from before. Someone else. Someone wrong. Lillian’s pulse pounded as she took a step back. “Who are you?” The figure tilted its head, s
Silence fell over the clearing as the weight of the woman’s words settled. Lillian felt a strange pull at the mention of the Ruins of the First Moon, though she had never heard the name before. Her body tensed instinctively, as if something buried deep inside her already knew what lay beyond. Aedric’s golden eyes narrowed. “The Ruins are cursed. No Lycan who has entered has ever returned.” The silver-eyed woman met his gaze, unflinching. “Because they were not meant to.” She turned back to Lillian. “But you are.” Lillian’s pulse quickened. “Why?” The woman took a slow step toward her, lowering her voice so only she and Aedric could hear. “Because that is where the truth lies. The final piece of what you have lost.” Lillian’s breath caught. The rest of my memories. Aedric shifted beside her, his stance tense. “And what happens if we go?” The woman’s lips curled in something almost like amusement. “Then the Moonborn will no longer be just a legend.” Her gaze flicked to L
Lillian barely slept that night. Every time she closed her eyes, flashes of silver light, the battle, and the stranger’s cryptic words swirled through her mind. You are not whole. Not yet. What did that even mean? When dawn finally broke, she was already dressed, standing by the window as the first rays of sunlight painted the sky in gold and crimson. The Bloodwood awaited. A sharp knock at her door pulled her from her thoughts. “Enter,” she called. The door creaked open, revealing Aedric. He was already in his battle leathers, dark armor strapped to his broad frame. His golden eyes swept over her, assessing. “You didn’t sleep.” Lillian sighed. “Neither did you.” Aedric smirked faintly, stepping into the room. “No. Too much at stake.” He hesitated before adding, “Are you ready?” She turned from the window to face him. “I have to be.” He studied her for a moment, then nodded. “Gregor has the scouting party prepared. We ride within the hour.” Lillian took a deep b
The council chamber was heavy with tension. Torches flickered along the stone walls, casting long shadows over the gathered Lycans. Aedric strode to the head of the long table, his presence commanding as always, but Lillian could feel the weight of the stares on her. They were not looking at her as their queen anymore. They were looking at something else. Gregor stood with his arms crossed, his expression unreadable. Beside him, the other high-ranking Lycans—warriors, advisors, and elders—watched in silence. “The enemy is retreating,” Aedric announced, his voice firm. “For now.” “For now?” One of the elders, a gray-haired Lycan named Dorian, narrowed his eyes. “You think they’ll return?” Aedric nodded. “Of course they will. They didn’t come to simply test our defenses. They came for her.” All eyes turned to Lillian. She refused to shrink beneath their gazes. “They called me Moonborn,” she said, her voice steady despite the turmoil inside her. “And they knew I had power
The Shadowborn general loomed before Lillian, its jagged form pulsing with unnatural darkness. The battlefield around them faded into a distant blur—just the clang of steel, the growls of Lycans, and the monstrous screeches of the enemy filling the air. But Lillian’s focus was locked on the creature that had called her Moonborn. She tightened her grip on her dagger, but deep inside, she knew steel alone wouldn’t be enough. Something inside her had awakened, something old and dangerous. The way the Shadowborn watched her, the way they hesitated—it wasn’t just fear. It was recognition. Aedric shifted beside her, his golden eyes never leaving the general. “This isn’t just another foot soldier,” he murmured. “It’s something else.” The Shadowborn let out a low, rattling laugh. “You are only beginning to understand, Lycan King.” Then it moved. Faster than thought, faster than Lillian had seen anything move before. A blur of darkness lunged at her, claws streaking toward her thro
Lillian stood in the chamber long after Gregor had left, her pulse still steady but her thoughts anything but. The silver glow in her eyes hadn’t faded, and neither had the sensation that something inside her had finally awakened. Aedric reached for her hand, his warmth grounding her. "You don’t have to fear this." She let out a short laugh, shaking her head. "I’m not afraid." That much was true. Fear had been her constant companion for too long. What she felt now was something else entirely—certainty. Aedric studied her for a moment before nodding. "Then it’s time you embrace it." Lillian squared her shoulders. "And how do I do that?" "By stepping into the role you were meant for." Before she could respond, the torches along the chamber walls flickered violently, their flames stretching unnaturally before dimming to a low, eerie glow. A deep, guttural howl echoed from beyond the castle walls, followed by another. And then another. Aedric’s expression darkened. "Someth
The next few days passed in a blur of training and courtly maneuvering. Lillian barely had a moment to breathe between Aedric’s lessons, the endless meetings with nobles who doubted her, and the whispers that followed her wherever she went, She knew what they were saying. She isn’t one of us. She shouldn’t be here. She’s dangerous. And maybe they were right. She could still feel the phantom sensation of moving faster than she should, of her instincts reacting before she could think. She had tapped into something deep inside herself—something that felt neither fully human nor fully Lycan. Something more. And it scared them. Good. But fear alone wouldn’t keep her alive. That was why she found herself back in the training yard at dawn, dagger in hand, muscles aching from the previous night’s session. Aedric had been relentless, forcing her to push past her limits, to learn how to control what was awakening inside her. And today would be no different. Aedric stood at
The tension in the castle was suffocating. Lillian felt it in every whispered conversation, in the way the noblewomen clutched their pearls when she passed, in the barely concealed glares from lords who once thought her insignificant. Before, she had been nothing more than Aedric’s human bride. A pawn. A tool to secure alliances. But now? Now they saw something else. Something dangerous. Word had spread quickly of their return, and though no one dared to speak it outright, she knew the rumors were already swirling—of the ambush, of her powers, of what she might become. Let them whisper. She had no interest in proving herself to those who had already judged her. Still, she couldn’t ignore the weight of their scrutiny, nor the way it made her feel like a beast trapped in a cage. Aedric had spent the entire evening in council meetings, leaving her in the care of the royal attendants, who, despite their practiced smiles, treated her with careful distance. Even now, as she