Beneath the Moon We Broke

was rejecting him. Just... needing a second. T

ed them ever being. This wasn't the Alpha who once tore her heart out and walked away. But... t

e by stone. Bruise by bruise. And letting a

hing in his eyes. Her wolf felt it too

breath, trie

ce snapped out like armor. Crisp. Cold. Sa

and through his hai

e gone, or worse-twisted into something else. Hungry. Reckless. They don't fight like rogues. I

hit a

wandering. Ancient woods where the air felt thick. Where time felt be

e said, sharper now. "

ked around. Like the

ks about the 'Shadow Blight.' Says it'll rise when the moon be

pau

in fire, broken, but reforged-can sta

when he looked at her.

ach drop

lore. Comfort food for scared packs. But this...

Eyes on the trees

it?" she asked. "Now

w wrong this world is becoming. The strength of thos

tep forward

from you would protect you. Protect

Always reaching. Alway

acks got worse... I knew. I felt it. That if there w

s ches

he was saying. But

the burden of being "the key"? Of being part of s

top of eve

e asked. Flat. Steady. "We hold

his time. "We find out what it is. What's behind it. The elders think i

toward t

.. we either lock it ba

ause she agreed-but because.

the edges, and apparently,

at him-re

Still the one

ne standing beside

g this for yo

pa

ause if we don't,

mile. Just

the firs

st maybe-they were on

was low, biting. Eyes narrowed. "After al

ics, just... truth, maybe. "You've changed, Raven. You've survived things none

felt

changed. Everything had. When the bond shattered, she didn't just break. She... broke open. And what came

come stronger," she mutter

ween them for a

them. "What about the others? The pack?" she asked, arms crossed. "Will

at the w

ause it's survival now, Raven. It's not about pride or p

me man who walked away from her. He still had that weight on his sho

a quiet beat under the surface, l

wolf nud

emanding. J

an she thought it would. Like her mouth had

nod

"About the pack. If you start making th

aid it-rough, almost hoarse-made it feel less like a vow and

efore he could open his mouth aga

ooked like a memory she wanted to burn. But

old light across the leaves, and for onc

lpha mode. "We need to head t

ame ones who whispered in your ear

ht now. "They acted out o

ruin

kno

wasn't ready to let that par

ded quietly. "The whole pack has

y how I was never enough un

ere my center. I just didn't see it until

t answer

ain, like it was h

"We go. But I speak for myself. I don't need pe

it was. The tiniest smirk. Real. Not forced. A

mo

lence. No need fo

retched out like invisible wires, scanning. Listening. Not just for danger, but for Damon too. The way he moved

otice

ed

-but...

sion became. Not between them-but around them. Like the fo

the house came into

bout this?"

N

ne

o

d first, her chin

et them remember th

t maybe-let t

'd once dreamed of walking through them hand-in-hand with her mate, h

pt D

d, looking back at her. Not asking

e the sma

All those eyes. Faces she knew. Some sh

ross the wooden flo

No one bowed. But no

"She's here as an ally.

le

. And finally, one of the elders st

"The prodigal

p. Not friendly. "No," she said simply. "S

place-front and center. No

ey should've fe

yered with... familiarity? Her wolf stirred. Not entirely with comfort though-more like, that twitchy mix of ugh and maybe. Sh

l standing. Same dark wood, same wide structure... same everything. E

warm. Almost normal. It made something twist in her chest

Like all soft thoughts

outside. Talking. Joki

like that

ipple of is that really...? and she's back? She didn't blink. Didn't falter. Her eye

barked out. Big guy.

,

" he said, cool and clipped. "We ha

. Like she was a perso

to her back-soft, but... delib

wanted to twitch. She didn't

ost. His face said what the hell but his mou

ing," she said, not waiting, not hesitating, "is that your Alp

... pure, stu

fought what it does to our kind. So maybe instead of

sh. Some wolves looked away, some looked curious, and the young on

ing. Just let her s

where it's due-he didn't argue. Just gave a s

t hit harder. The smells

inched. The

So man

ged. Because she wasn't the girl who'd left.

ed mid-convo. And there she was.

-"Ra

movement

o

t v

t h

. Just for a second. Because damn... it had been so

oice dry. But there was a tiny,

g like she couldn't believe

said, tiredl

e thought, maybe not

ight disappear if she let go. The warmth of it... yeah, it was nice. Weird. But nice.

ock. A few looked like they didn't know what to feel-guilt? Awe? Suspicion? Maybe all three. H

e. Not touching, but... ther

Raven muttered under her breath, eyes

No hesitation. "You're

ae. Something in her chest flicker

, really looked. "Ev

soft but sad. "

, Raven let hers

aven flinch just slightly-no one noticed, thankfully. Or

ed her arm, g

e," Raven said,

d. "But maybe that's ex

wer. Just exhale

he was supposed to interrupt or... give them space. His face? Hard to read.

council. And senior warriors. Now." No yelling, but his A

lith, the warmth of that embrace still lingering... but fading quick. She glanced at Damon. Not a gla

now. Honestl

n the air like little stars had gotten stuck indoors. And the moon. The moon wa

she'd walked into someone else's house wearing her own name. Wolves glanced her way. Quick, quiet looks.

aybe a lifeline. Raven didn't lean, not

as loud i

ight might crush her. Everyone was waiting for answers. For plans. For strengt

still him, somehow. But changed. Softer around the edges, maybe? Or more worn down. There was something in his eyes-fear, may

s too

d, the sound of her own heartbeat when it was the only thing reminding her she was ali

eyes again, Damon wa

en them. Not forgiveness. Not yet. But someth

without force. "We start preparations now. Th

it w

member. The places I saw. Weird stuff I felt. Maybe there's s

outs. Quiet ones. But we don't ru

s slowly forming in the space

be dumb. But real. A little flicker of belief. Not in Damon. Not even in

too loud, too much,

d ghost-familiar, a little sad. She stepped away from the

ed her face to it, arms crossed tight across

the branches, like the fo

n ex

ng win," she whispered. T

g to the trees like they might offer some kind of answer. Of course they didn't. They n

lves talking. Strategizing. Debating. She didn't wa

ched. Nerves? Or

Damon. Or the prophecy. It was about her. Who she

ly go back? Le

if sh

tion wasn't can she.

ow... yeah.