The night air was heavy with an ominous chill, thick with the scent of moss, earth, and something far older—something primal. Selene stood at the edge of the ancient forest, her pulse racing as the trees seemed to whisper secrets in the dark.
Behind her, the grand halls of Silverfang Palace echoed with music and merriment—another celebration, another distraction. But tonight, she couldn’t stay behind polished walls pretending not to feel the call.
She could sense it—something was shifting.
The blood moon was only days away, and for the first time since she arrived at Silverfang, the forest felt... alive. Restless.
Selene gripped the silver dagger Aleron had given her, its ornate handle warm in her palm. She wasn’t supposed to be out here. Especially not alone. But the voice in her dreams had returned—louder, insistent.
“Come to the glade where the moon first kissed the earth,” it had said.
She took a cautious step forward.
Snap.
She spun, dagger raised.
“Easy, little flame.” Aleron emerged from the shadows like a phantom, his hooded cloak blending seamlessly with the darkness. “You’re getting better. I almost didn’t hear you leave.”
Selene lowered her weapon, her breath shaky. “I didn’t want you to follow me.”
“Too bad,” he said, stepping closer. “You’re not safe alone. Especially now.”
His tone held something darker than usual. A weight. A warning.
“You feel it too,” she whispered. “Don’t you?”
He nodded once. “The veil between realms is thinning. The blood moon awakens more than just old legends. It wakes power.”
She looked up at him, her voice tight. “Do you know what’s happening to me?”
Aleron hesitated. “I have... ideas. But no answers I trust.”
Selene frowned. “The dreams. The voice. The glowing mark on my shoulder—I’m not imagining it.”
“No,” he said. “You’re not.”
Lightning cracked across the sky in the distance, illuminating the woods for a heartbeat. In that flash, Selene saw something just beyond the trees—something tall, cloaked in mist. Watching.
She stepped back instinctively. “What was that?”
Aleron was already moving. “We’re not alone.”
He grabbed her hand and ran, pulling her deeper into the forest. Branches clawed at her skin as they raced down a hidden path, feet pounding the earth in sync. Behind them, footsteps. Many. Heavy.
Selene’s heart slammed in her chest. “Is it the rogues?”
“No,” Aleron growled. “It’s worse.”
They burst into a clearing bathed in silver light. The air felt electric. At its center stood a circular stone dais—weathered, ancient, and etched with runes that pulsed faintly in the moonlight.
Selene stopped, drawn toward it. “I’ve seen this in my dreams.”
Aleron’s jaw tightened. “Then it’s beginning.”
The wind howled around them, and suddenly, the forest exploded with movement. Shapes emerged—hooded figures, glowing eyes, chants in a forgotten tongue.
Selene’s knees buckled. Her shoulder burned—the mark searing like fire.
One of the hooded figures stepped forward. A woman. Her voice echoed, both ancient and familiar.
“Daughter of dusk. Bearer of the cursed light. The prophecy calls you home.”
Selene clutched her head, pain spiking behind her eyes. “What prophecy?!”
The woman raised her arms. “The Alpha King’s mate will awaken the sealed blood, break the chain of kings, and bring ruin or salvation.”
Selene felt the world tilt. She wanted to scream—but then Aleron was in front of her, shielding her with his body.
“I won’t let you take her!” he snarled.
The hooded woman didn’t flinch. “You cannot protect her from fate.”
Suddenly, a blast of white fire erupted from the stone dais. Selene screamed as her body convulsed—visions flashing in her mind like lightning.
A child born of two bloodlines.
A throne bathed in shadows.
A crown of bone.
And Aleron... bleeding.
When the light faded, she was on the ground, gasping.
Aleron knelt beside her, pale and shaken. “What did you see?”
Selene looked up, her eyes glowing faintly silver.
“Everything.”
