The Banished Luna's Awakening.

A

hopping vegetables and chatting about random

ack guards s

pt across the room b

antly dropped

le feeling washed over me so su

rightened to interfere. My breathing turned uneven as panic clawed at my chest. I squeezed m

e of th

nce felt

eyes again-only to

eling before me with their

I stared at them, unable to

ful, almost as though he were afraid of scaring me. "The pack elders wish to meet with you. We hope

ut I forced myself to swallow the

ut weaker than

slowly, as if saying it ag

ed without lif

ey are w

ed my arm

. "This doesn't make sense. Why are the elders sudde

ghtly at the end, but

chest tigh

ed to ask the

ng guard d

in, carefully cho

tted to explain.

e fell

ed where they sti

placed

en all over her face. "Lara, don't just-do

answer ri

knew she

ing wa

... I didn't feel l

still kneeling like I was something

in, forcing my

f I r

t enough to meet my eyes fully, just enough f

r you," he said quietly. "But

eath

n me. "That's not an answ

ing," he corr

re, my mind spinning too fast

exhaled

I'll

ely turned to

nd quickly before

my heart was pounding so hard it hurt.

with an unsettling restraint, as if t

red, stepping forward lik

Because even she unders

go against

he

ev

er sides as she turned back to me,

e," she said quickly. "At

lowance made Nina exhale shakily, as if

ightly. "Don't let go

odd

lking. Behind us, I could hear wh

he leaned closer, voice trembling. "Lara... whatever this is.

lt heavier with every step as we continued down the dim corridor. By the time we reached the secl

air thin and insufficient, and

men and the elderly woman died instantly. All four heads turned t

alms instantly slick with sweat. My chest tightened painf

in my ears. The room seemed to tilt, and for a terrifying second, I wasn't here anymore-I was back in the Red Moon

rs had the

dgment. The same

e room and never stop. But I couldn't move. My body had locked down, the way it always did when t

re all

my back, offering a touch of comfort t

, "Are you alright? Please, don't be af

, her expression painted with a genuine kindness. She offered a gentle smile-t

ady, like she was trying to soothe a startled animal. "If you just answer them honestly

ers just a fraction, though it wasn't nearly enough to q

, coming out as nothing more than

even further at my distress. "To

" I an

arents? Whe

fabric of my apron, seeking some kind of anchor. "They're dead," I answe

ll over the room as the elder

e with an intense, probing scrutiny that made me incredibly uncomfortable-so much so that I instin

his entire expr

athed, the word barely

oking between him and me. "W

collar of my uniform slightly aside. There, resting just beneath my collarbone, was the strange, silve

n at it as if he wer

the shadows, his voice thick with sudden

throat, freezing the

es widening in shock as she took in th

er, "members born directly from the Alpha bloodline carry th

pinning too fast to actually process a singl

r eyes locked onto mine, "the mark transforms, s

ing silence settl

If this child truly bears the Alpha mark..." He paused, his gaze darkening with a

.. da

wolfless. I was weak. I was the one everyone rejected. There was no mathemati

ble," another elder snappe

rgued, dismissively waving a hand. "Anyone could happen to have a similar shape on their skin." His eyes narrowed to slits as

y knew he was right. A wolfless adult originating from a pure Alph

nt for a moment before she finally broke the silence

room turned towa

ms a bond with it, the mark will react-as

der's brow furro

er voice steady. "If the mark changes after the bond

they could all hear it. But before I could even begin to digest what that meant for

vy and immens

f in the room immediately lowere

d slowly, my c

re walking i