Scarred Under Moonlight

! Wak

nightmare that was never just a dream. Elora's urgency carried through the wooden

tight, her body trembling. For a moment she didn't know where she was still trapped beneath the phantom weig

to her like tar, h

top thinking

rks of light flared in the darkness behind her lids. She will

her voice cracked an

had been running for miles, her shoulders heavy as if she carried the weight of the w

pposed to be the beg

teenth b

r wolf wou

l she felt

young and old, preparing for the great Moon Ceremony. Tents were raised, fires kindled, offerings arranged before the sacred altar ston

smoldering fire. They clung to Aria as she moved,

girl who thinks

l. A female c

fragile. She doesn'

sneaking in last night dirty,

t warm blood beaded against her skin, a silent reminder of her pain. She kept

don't

ll neve

if they know the truth I'll be an

lo

the air, smooth as silk and

er the sun, his back straight as though age had never bent him. But it was his e

said, his tone clipped.

murmured, bowing

voice dropped to a whisper, low

Cursed.

but she bit her tongue until she tasted blood. How dare he? How dare he utter such venom when he knew

swallowed the world. The pack gathered in the sacred clearing, circling the great stone altar at the cente

s rose, low and steady, weaving through the clearing like a living thing. Wolves knelt in unison, their v

lence without effort. His dark hair was streaked with silver now, his face weat

ter Aria will stand before the Moon Goddess. If she is found worthy, her w

heir? A female Alpha? Madness. Impossible. And yet none dared speak a

bt in their stares, the disgust in their curled lips, th

she was certain the Goddess herself could hear. She tilted her fa

e me. Do not let me fail. Not becau

less heartb

oat. Whispers rose arou

hen i

pain. The tr

ood boiled with divine energy. A scream tore from her throat, raw and pr

sharpened into fangs, and when she roared,

f had a

s not like

mer silver it glowed. Streaks of blinding white light laced through her coat

atu

ger

e," someon

er-look at

s cur

Goddess re

lsed through her veins, wild and defiant. For the first time, Aria felt whole. Powerful. Unstoppab

en she

ma

t, burning brighter under the

hackles raised, every nerve screa

st night. Huma

gered back, pain lancing through her as the shift broke, her body tearing it

and cold. But it was nothing compa

her skin. It pulsed faintly, a living b

I expla

ey cast

r turn his

lready

pla

lashed across the c

e was carved from stone, his jaw clenched, his eyes colder than she had ever seen

ng into her flesh like brands. The whispers grew loud

heaved. She tried to speak but

rembled. W

The Moon Goddess remained silent. And her father's stare, h

so small. So broken