로그인LOOK AT NORTH SKY WHEN THE FULL MOON PHASE.“What kind of message is this? Sounds creepy,” Malcolm whispered, his eyes scanning the words over and over as if a secret meaning would suddenly pop out.“Yeah, definitely creepy,” I agreed, a chill settling in my chest. “But yesterday was the peak of the full moon, Malcolm. If this was a warning or a sign, why would she send it now? The phase is already passing.”I looked out the kitchen window toward the north, where the jagged peaks of the mountains met the horizon. During the day, it looked peaceful, but I remembered the eerie, silver-root fog from my vision.“Maybe she doesn't mean the calendar moon,” Malcolm suggested, his voice tight. He set his coffee aside, the steam rising unheeded. “Maybe she means the 'Moon Phase' of the ritual. If the Puppet Master is using the baby as an anchor, he might be creating his own 'moon' a spiritual peak that doesn't follow the sky.”He gripped the edge of the counter, his knuckles turning whi
“Yeah, Lira said Angie's stomach is glowing with this weird pattern, like runes,” Malcolm added, standing up and slipping his hand into his trouser pocket.“What does the pattern look like?” Mom asked, her gaze full of questions.“I don't know… it's like strange writing, with squares and circles,” I whispered.“You—you mean like a sigil?” Mom stammered.I fell silent, confused, but Mom quickly pulled something from her bag, a handkerchief embroidered with bizarre writing, exactly like what I'd seen.“That looks just like it!” I blurted out. “What's really going on?”“Goddesses... Angie, are you serious? This is the Sealing Rune of the first Alpha Queen. It only appears when the bloodline is under direct spiritual siege. I–I mean... is it possible your baby is the next Alpha Queen?” Mom mumbled, her expression too complicated to describe.Malcolm’s jaw dropped, his protective stance momentarily faltering as the words sank in. “Alpha Queen? Mom, that’s a legend. That lineage died
I couldn't even answer. I gripped her forearms, my knuckles turning white. The pain felt... rhythmic, but not like contractions. It felt cold, like a pulse of liquid silver was circulating through my veins. Every time the pain flared, I could feel a faint, metallic hum vibrating deep in my bones—the exact same frequency as the Silver Vow sitting back in the study."I'm... I'm okay," I managed to choke out, though my breath was coming in ragged hitches."You are not okay. You’re shaking," Lira hissed, looking frantic. "I’m calling the doctor. Or Malcolm.""No! Don't tell Malcolm yet," I whispered, clutching my belly. "He's already on edge. Just... just get me to the kitchen. I need to sit down."As I leaned on her, the pain began to settle into a dull, heavy throb. But my skin felt different hyper sensitive. The baby gave a sudden, forceful kick, and for a split second, I didn't see the garden. I saw a flash of white moonlight and a forest of dead trees."Crap!" I hissed, the word
"That blade is different," Malcolm insisted, his gaze fixed on the horizon as if he could see the enemy camp from here. "Whatever happens, that sword is the critical factor. It’s the key to defeating them if they decide to launch an all-out assault.""H-how could a single blade do that?" Elder Kendrick stammered, his wrinkled hands trembling slightly. "It’s just silver and steel, isn't it?""Of course not, Elder Kendrick. This is the Silver Vow," a voice cut in before Jane could even open her mouth to defend the Alpha.We all turned. My parents were approaching the gazebo, their pace slow and measured, radiating a chilling kind of calm that made the air feel even colder. Mom led the way, her eyes sharp, while Dad walked beside her with his hands tucked into his pockets.The elder’s eyes widened, the blood draining from his face as the name clicked in his memory. "The Silver Vow? You mean... the one he used to butcher them fifteen years ago?""It didn't just 'butcher' them, Kendri
"But I never said an alliance was impossible, did I?" Dad cut in, his voice dropping into that heavy, instructional tone he used when he was teaching Malcolm how to lead. "Malcolm, you’re an Alpha. You need to stop looking for one monster and start looking for the web. Possibilities A and B aren't mutually exclusive—they’re likely working together.""Then what’s the next move, Alpha?" the lead sentinel asked, his posture stiffening as he waited for a command.Malcolm nodded slowly, his mind clearly racing through a dozen different battlefield scenarios. "Keep a constant rotation on them. I want eyes on that camp 24/7, but stay downwind. And if you can get close enough without being spotted..." he paused, his jaw tightening. "Check their necks. Specifically the back, right at the hairline. Look for a birthmark."The lead sentinel frowned, looking confused by the specific request. "A birthmark, Alpha? What exactly are we looking for?""It’s not a normal mark," Malcolm said, his voic
The mark looked like a botched tattoo, blurred and dark against his skin. I caught Malcolm’s eye; his pupils had narrowed to slits as he burned the image into his memory. Elias stood up, his expression unreadable as he calmly began placing the cuts of meat back into his cart."No harm done, Alpha Malcolm," Elias said smoothly. "I hadn't tightened the iron straps properly anyway.""Still, my fault for bumping into it. Now you have to do the work twice," Malcolm countered. He signaled to a few nearby warriors to haul the meat inside to be processed for the young trainees' lunch."Don't you supply to Mrs. Chen as well?" I asked, trying to sound casual, as if I were just making small talk about the local market.Elias paused, wiping his hands on a grease-stained rag. "Doesn't she only accept wild horse and forest lamb? She once told me that beef like this isn't fit for home-cooked pack meals, only for processed rations.""That’s true," I nodded, keeping my voice steady. "Most of the







