Beneath the Moon We Broke

e like she was sizing up a battlefield. No one smiled. No casual nods. Just stiff bodies and tight jaws. And hone

y. "Alpha Damon has summoned this emergency council to speak of some new... threat." His eyes, sharp

h to cut through the room. "She's here because she's survived things we haven

ent your turn. She stood. Didn't rush. Just let the silence s

s. Away from you." Her gaze swept across them, one by one. "And while you've been holding your borders,

hollow, like something had chewed up their soul and spat it out. The dark places. The ruins. The sick energy that

he finished, "this is something deeper

r near the back stood, arms crossed. Brave. Or just naïv

s. This matches something ancient. A

d, but close. Enough to get the meaning acro

ly. "We're warriors, not be

ut for you so far?" Her voice didn't rise. It didn't need

orne. His mouth tightened

ut comfort. It's survival. And if there's even a cha

s quiet, but somehow the most respected. "If the prophecy is true," she said, "then the bo

is time. Just that weight, thick between them. His

m not here to be anyone's silent Luna. I'll lead wh

but not harshly. "That's exac

a way of getting in. But not like before. This time, s

ut enough. Not acceptance-not yet-

led-was picked to go with Raven and Damon to the places she remembe

sat back down, heart pounding but steady.

she wouldn't be

the edge of the worn armrest, like maybe it held some answer she'd missed. Damon hovered nearby, not saying anything either, which... was probably for the best. She needed a minute. Just one.

renaline, but her heart was dragging its feet. She'd done it-faced the ghosts, stared down the elders, stood beside the one man who once shattered her. And now? Now the world felt different. Not lighter. Just

ir sharp in her lungs, pine-sweet and cold. Despite the way her body ached, she felt... clearer. Not healed. Just-more sure. She wasn'

e appreciated. Words felt heavy this morning. He eventually glanced he

was polite. He

uite land. She could see it on his face-the weight. This wasn't

ger ones whispered, already theorizing, probably about her and Damon. She didn't care. Let them

rgot what loyalty looks like,

"But we need them now. All of t

elieve in," she shot back. "You said you

aid simply. And-we

l recovering, and Raven had to see it for herself. The truth of what

s ever-met them at the door. Her eyes widened slig

id, like her na

ing a bit. Elara had been one of the few who hadn't

lara said, "but... s

. Raven crouched beside one of the warriors, a kid no older than nineteen. His breathing was shallow. His skin cold

ow. "It's not just the body. It's in the

r, brows drawn tight.

ultices, healing songs, even the old ways. Nothing

d felt this before-in the wastelands, in the broken temples, in the ruined villages no on

er eyes. "It's risky. I'd have to channel the moon

harply. "You me

purge the darkness from one of them, we might

a looked unsure, but Damon..

eed help,

e replied. "And you know it

He didn't flinch.

ead. "Not yet. You're too connected to th

t you,"

at wasn't what sh

"Let me try with the boy first.

ed once. N

t but present through the infirmary window. She placed her hands over the wound

't started yet. Bu

r grew

h, the real one-it

was this flicker in her eyes. Not just fear. Something mor

en. You sure about this? It could

ven blink. "I'

The kind of smile that's been earned through pain. "Let's s

not like before. Not like the Alpha trying to dominate the room. More like... someone watching a wildfir

it shook h

and somehow come out the other side sharper, stronger-but not harder. There was

faint and cold like... like moonlight trapped in water. One by one, she worked on them-injured warriors with eyes

ht she could lean into if she needed. He could see it wearing her down-lit

time like she was waiting to say something b

nce. "It's... not just restoring them. It's ch

Sat up. Looked around like they'd just woken from some dark, awful dream. On

with this edge of reverence, some calling her Luna already. Which, yeah, made Raven flinch

's shelves. Her breath was ragged. Palms still faintly glow

le, Raven. You a

't go getting all emotional on me,

s that look again. Real. "It's a sta

aybe, after everything, that bond between them wasn't a wound anymor

er's quarters. The exhaustion wasn't just physical. It was soul-deep. Her wolf did

nt voices, creaks in the wood. Her body might've

n stepped in, golden light of late aft

not sl

tered, eyes still closed.

her. "The warriors? Already back in

n. The bond. The price." Her hand twi

felt it, you know. When you were healing

d. "Good. We're gonna need that t

he said. Qu

, swords clanged, someone yelled an order. Normal pack stuff.

ce. Thes

s f

part o

n again-fast this time, l

one of the newer scouts, kid with messy sand-colored hair and t

n. She was upright before

ng not right. "It's near the old Stone Grove. One of the border outposts. There's...

ng snapped into place. Full Alpha m

But carvings. Deep ones. Into the

haustion she'd felt gone like dust

glance at Damon.

. It used to be sacred-before the pack house, before the ranks and titles. You

were trying to escape. The big stones in the center-used to be smooth, glowing faint at night-were crac

ingers barely grazing the

Full-body tension. Like she'

ly above a whisper. "Not shifter-

beside her. "Yo

ncient stuff. But this? It's been bent. Twisted. Whoever did this... they know exactly

roat from behind th

f course

... dead. Not burnt. Just wrong. No ash. No smell of fire.

ched. Inha

al," sh

added. "Could st

one says the obvious. The kind where the

ng isn't

able. Same uneasy stares. But something was different. Qu

old sites. Places tied to ley lines. Sacred lands. It's like... it's feeding the corrupt

it?" one of th

ineage, to vows, to real energy. We have to cleanse them-spiritually an

We'll form a team. Five of our

not skeptical ones. Tired, yeah. A

ned. "Look at you. Commande

ys look. "Let's see if

mon, Kael, Lilith, a tracker named Rhys who barely spoke, and Serin,

? Worse th

crying babies. And one night... they found a wolf. Not just a wolf. A shifter. Lost, mangled

he struck... it wasn't hate. It w

success, some

flower bloomed where none had been. The moonli

that hadn't even existed that morning. It had

at the moon-and didn't feel li

elt..

d down at

st. Like it was trying to sho

k at her-older, sharper. T

anym

pped cup. He handed it to her without a word. Tea. Warm. Comfort

own, then said, cas

than the council's done i

dge of it, Damon. These places we've cleared? They're surface wounds. Scratches." She sta

how she knew. Didn

odded. Be

h

weirdly g

deways. "You still t

were alre

N