The Pull of the Moon

Moonlight poured through the open ceiling like liquid silver, spilling across the well-polished floors and illuminating the faces of wolves moving gracefully through the hall.

The pack wolves looked unearthly in its soft glow. This was another thing Silver Fang was widely known for: its members who looked like they belonged in some supreme universe far from ours. Lanterns floated above, and the scent of night-blooming flowers hung thick in the air.

The moon hung high in the sky, clear. She stood in her full glory, proud and watchful, her pale light cascading through the circular opening.

It seemed as though the sky itself had leaned closer to take part in the celebration, to observe it from above.The stars scattered around her like quiet witnesses against the endless stretch of darkness.

I couldn’t help but wonder if the Moon Goddess was watching us tonight, her gaze sweeping across the sea of wolves gathered beneath her.

The Grand Hall was far more magnificent than I had ever imagined, like heaven, if such a thing as heaven existed on Earth.

The gentle hum of music floated through the crowd, strings plucking faintly while wind instruments blended in perfect harmony. Taking it all in at once felt overwhelming, yet impossible to turn away from.

Everywhere I looked, wolves moved through the hall dressed in fabrics that shimmered like they were made from precious stones. Silks and velvets trailed behind their wearers like tailored rainbows, each step leaving a streak of color across the polished floor.

Pilar, of course, was not nearly as awestruck as I was. She moved through the crowd with practiced ease, having once trained to become a junior guard before an incident had made her choose teaching instead. Her hands held mine in a tight grip as she pulled me forward through the packed floor.

I followed her, quickening my pace when I needed to, doing my best to drink in as much of the hall as I could. The walls, lined with intricate carvings and silver inlays, stood high emphasizing the grandeur of the place.

It was almost dizzying, but I couldn’t look away. Every now and then someone would glance in my direction, but I quickly lowered my gaze, keeping to the edges of the dance floor.

Pilar’s hands slipped out of mine as we reached a corner, tucked away from the crowd. A row of white ceramic benches, their edges carved with delicate crescent moons and claw motifs lined the area. They all had quite plush cushions, making them almost too comfortable to resist. It was quieter here, less noisy than the rest of the hall, and for a moment I felt like I could actually breathe.

A woman in a flowing emerald gown spun across the dance floor nearby, the layers of her skirt catching the lantern light with every turn. She looked almost weightless, like a leaf carried by the wind.

“Stop gawking,” she said, patting the space next to her. “You’ll melt into the floor if you keep staring like that.” We eventually came to a stop at a corner littered with lilies that lined white ceramic benches. It was quieter than the rest of the hall.

“I’m not staring,” I tore my eyes away from the swarm of wolves and joined Pilar on the bench. “I’m… observing.”

She snorted. “Right. Observing. More like stalking with awe.”

The sweet scent of moonflowers and white lilies wafted past my nostrils from the fragrant garden nearby. Sweet, but not cloying. I breathed the calming scent in, steadying my nerves.

Pilar rose from the bench after some minutes.

“Let's get you on the dance floor.” She grabbed my hand before I could protest. “Now come on. You’re not here to be a wallflower. Not tonight.”

Dancing? With all these people here?

My stomach twisted in knots. But Pilar’s grin was infectious, and somehow her confidence nudged at the tiny spark of courage I had.

The first few steps were awkward, I will admit. I stumbled a little, and Pilar laughed in her usual teasing way.

“Relax,” she said. “Just follow my lead and you’ll be fine.”

I inhaled a breath, letting myself be guided through the rhythm and into the gentle swaying motion of the dance. For a moment, the hall melted away. The music, the yellow lanterns, even the pressure of the crowd faded into the background.

Pilar spun me once, and the shimmering red of my dress caught the moonlight. My chest puffed up a little, and I realized I was actually enjoying this.

“See?” Pilar said, leaning closer. “You can do it."

“I suppose I can,” I said, my lips curling upward.

Her laughter was contagious.

As we danced, I noticed something I hadn’t before: a flight of stairs leading to a balcony on the side.

Moonlight pooled there, and I felt a strange pull, an odd tingle I couldn’t explain. Yet my eyes kept drifting toward it as we spun around the dance floor.

The dance ended with Pilar giving me a playful bow.

“Bravo,” she said. “First dance done and, as you can see, you survived. And you look… terrifyingly good.”

“Terrifyingly?”

She winked. “In the best way possible.”

Before I could respond, someone tapped my shoulder.

I turned to see a brown-haired guy with thin lips and bright, lively eyes standing there, a grin tugging at his mouth. There was something easy about him, a lightness he carried that made the air around him feel less heavy.

“I was hoping you might save me from standing here like a lost shadow,” he said, dipping his head slightly. “May I have this dance?”

I blinked. “Uh… yes.”

Pilar clapped her hands together. “Finally! Go on. I’ll hold the sidelines. Enjoy, my dear omega.”

I felt my cheeks heat up, but he took my hand gently and led me toward the center of the floor. We exchanged names as we walked, our fingers clasped together.

Rowan Thorne.

“I don’t believe we’ve met before,” he said smoothly as the music started again. “With a face like yours, I doubt I’d have forgotten if I had. Are you new to Silver Fang?”

“No, not exactly,” I replied cautiously. “I’ve been here a while, just… quieter than most.”

He chuckled, light and easy.

“I can see that. Quiet can be dangerous though, you know. People forget it, underestimate it… and then it bites them.”

I let out an airy laugh despite myself

“Dangerous, huh?”

“Depends on who notices,” he said, eyes sparkling with amusement. “But enough talk. Dance, Ophelia. Show me what you’ve got.”

We moved together, our steps synchronized. I felt something strange in my chest, a flutter that wasn’t just nerves.

The stairs caught my attention again. The balcony above the crowd. The pull was stronger this time. Subtle, almost electric, like the hall itself was aware of me. I tried to shrug it off as nerves, even though I couldn’t shake the persistent feeling that something inside me was stirring.

“You’re really good,” he said casually, though I caught the genuine note of admiration in his tone. “I wasn’t expecting… well, you."

“I’m full of surprises, Rowan.”

His eyes smiled at that."

The dance was smooth and playful. We twirled, we laughed, and I felt my confidence growing with every step. For the first time in a long while, I didn’t feel like an outsider.

Suddenly a hush fell over the hall.

Conversations dimmed, and the music softened as a clear commanding voice echoed through the room.

“Ladies and gentlemen, the royal family of Silver Fang has arrived.”

The crowd froze. Everyone’s gaze fixed on the entrance. The hairs on my arms stood as anticipation prickled down my spine.

Step by step, the King and Queen entered, moving with the grace of predators at ease in their domain. Their presence commanded attention without effort. The hall seemed to shrink around them, the moonlight glancing off their silver adornments, their crowns reflecting the lantern glow.

Then another figure stepped forward.

A woman.

She moved with effortless elegance, her posture straight and regal. Her long hair shimmered beneath the moonlight and the silver embroidery of her gown caught the light each time she moved.

Princess Elara Valerius.

Grace clung to her like a second skin.

“That’s their sister,” Pilar whispered beside me.

And then came the Alphas.

Twin, powerful, and impossibly magnetic.

The moment they stepped into the hall, something inside me shivered. Tugged. Shifted.

I tried to ignore it, tried to ground myself, but the sensation was impossible to deny.

My hand tightened slightly in Rowan’s, though I barely noticed. All I could think about was them. The twins. Their presence. The pull wrapping around me like a vine I could not resist.

The music resumed faintly, but the world around me felt sharper, every edge glowing with significance I didn’t yet understand.

I was oblivious to it then, but the moment the royal family stepped into the hall, something inside me shifted.

Something I couldn’t ignore.