The Choice of the Moon

Silver light exploded through the temple.

Kael felt it before he could see it.

It rushed through his hand, through his arm, and straight into his chest. His Moon Seal burned beneath his skin while the Guardian Seal on Lucien's wrist answered with an equally powerful pulse.

For one terrifying moment, Kael thought their hearts had become one.

Then he heard a voice.

Not Lucien.

Not his mother.

Not the ancient Guardian.

The Moon itself.

CHOICE BINDS WHAT FATE CANNOT.

Kael's breath caught.

Lucien's fingers closed around his.

“Kael.”

“I hear it.”

“What is it saying?”

Kael swallowed.

“That the bond doesn't belong to the Moon.”

The silver light intensified.

“It belongs to us.”

Lucien stared at him.

Then he nodded.

“Good.”

Behind them, Varek shouted.

“Attack!”

The soldiers charged.

Rowan shifted first.

His bones cracked as his body transformed into a massive brown Alpha wolf. He slammed into the first soldier before the man could reach Kael.

Darius drew his sword.

“Protect the King!”

Blackfang soldiers surged forward.

The temple became chaos.

Claws struck armor.

Swords clashed.

Wolves crashed against the stone walls.

But Kael couldn't move.

His hand was still against Lucien's wrist.

The Guardian Seal was changing.

The silver key-shaped mark twisted slowly, forming a crescent wrapped around a wolf.

Lucien stared at it.

“What is happening?”

Kael shook his head.

“I don't know.”

A second voice came.

THE GUARDIAN HAS CHOSEN.

Kael's eyes widened.

“Chosen what?”

The voice answered.

NOT THE THRONE.

A pause.

YOU.

Lucien's eyes met Kael's.

Something inside Kael broke open.

Not painfully.

Warmly.

Suddenly, he could feel Lucien.

Not merely his scent.

Not merely his presence.

His emotions.

The tension in his chest.

The fear he refused to show.

The determination.

And beneath all of it

love.

Kael pulled his hand away.

Lucien immediately stepped closer.

“Kael?”

“I felt you.”

Lucien went still.

“What did you feel?”

Kael looked into his crimson eyes.

“Everything.”

Lucien's expression softened.

“I felt you too.”

Kael's heart pounded.

The Moon Bond had changed.

It was no longer simply an instinct telling them mate.

It was becoming something deeper.

Something chosen.

Something neither of them could pretend wasn't there.

A roar shook the temple.

Elyon stood near the entrance, watching them.

His golden eyes narrowed.

“No.”

Kael turned.

Elyon looked almost frightened.

“You weren't supposed to choose him.”

Kael's expression hardened.

“That's exactly why I did.”

Elyon stepped forward.

“You don't understand what you're doing.”

“I understand enough.”

“You are binding yourself to an Alpha.”

Kael glanced at Lucien.

“No.”

He looked back at Elyon.

“I'm choosing someone I trust.”

Elyon's face twisted.

“Trust?”

He laughed bitterly.

“That's how it began the first time.”

Kael frowned.

“What happened to the first Guardian?”

Elyon said nothing.

Elara answered.

“He died.”

Kael looked at her.

“How?”

Elara's eyes moved toward Lucien.

“He was forced to destroy the throne.”

Lucien's face tightened.

“And the Moon King?”

“He died with him.”

Kael understood.

The ancient tragedy wasn't simply that the first king became controlling.

The tragedy was that the Guardian had been forced to destroy the very person he loved.

The Moon had remembered.

And now it was giving them another chance.

Varek suddenly charged.

His sword was aimed directly at Kael.

Lucien moved first.

Steel collided with steel.

The force pushed Lucien backward.

Varek smiled.

“You cannot protect him forever.”

Lucien raised his sword.

“I don't need forever.”

He struck.

Varek blocked.

“I only need long enough.”

Their blades clashed again.

Kael watched.

Something inside him stirred.

His wolf growled.

Protect him.

Kael's eyes flashed amber.

“No.”

His wolf growled again.

Mate.

Kael shook his head.

“Not because fate says so.”

He stepped forward.

“Because I choose to.”

Silver energy exploded from his body.

Varek was thrown across the temple.

He crashed into a pillar.

The entire structure shook.

Everyone stopped fighting.

Kael stood in the center of the temple.

Silver light surrounded him.

His dark-silver wolf appeared behind him like a massive spirit.

Varek stared.

“What are you?”

Kael looked at him.

“Kael.”

The answer was simple.

But the power behind it silenced the room.

“I am not your weapon.”

He looked toward the soldiers.

“I am not the Council's property.”

Then he looked at Lucien.

“And I am not the throne's prisoner.”

Lucien smiled.

“That sounds like my king.”

Kael's cheeks warmed.

“Don't call me that.”

“Noted.”

Darius coughed.

Rowan, back in human form, actually laughed.

Even Cassian smiled.

For one brief moment, the battle seemed almost forgotten.

Then the floor cracked.

A deafening roar came from beneath them.

The Moon Temple began to collapse.

Elara's face went pale.

“The throne is waking.”

Kael looked down.

A massive silver staircase was rising from beneath the temple.

At its end stood an enormous door.

Three symbols appeared on it.

A crescent.

A wolf.

And a crown.

Cassian stepped forward.

“No.”

Kael looked at him.

“What?”

Cassian stared at the door.

“That door hasn't opened in eighteen years.”

Elyon suddenly moved.

He ran toward it.

“Elyon!” Elara shouted.

But he was already there.

He placed his hand against the door.

Nothing happened.

Elyon froze.

He tried again.

Still nothing.

Then Kael stepped forward.

The door opened.

Elyon turned slowly.

His face had lost all color.

“You…”

Kael walked toward him.

“What?”

“You're not just the heir.”

Kael stopped.

Elyon looked at the crown symbol.

“You're the key.”

The door opened completely.

Beyond it was darkness.

Then two enormous golden eyes opened inside.

Everyone froze.

A voice emerged from the darkness.

THE LAST MOON-BORN HAS RETURNED.

Kael's breath caught.

The voice continued.

BUT THE THRONE WILL NOT ACCEPT A KING WHO SEEKS POWER.

Kael stepped forward.

“I don't want the throne.”

The darkness seemed to react.

THEN WHY HAVE YOU COME?

Kael looked at Lucien.

Then at his parents.

Then at Rowan.

Finally, he looked back into the darkness.

“To end what should never have existed.”

Silence.

Then the voice spoke again.

THEN ENTER.

Lucien stepped beside him.

Kael immediately turned.

“You don't have to come.”

Lucien smiled.

“I know.”

He held out his hand.

“I choose to.”

Kael stared at the hand.

Then took it.

Together, they stepped through the doorway.

Behind them, Elyon whispered:

“Then the final seal has awakened.”

And somewhere far beyond the temple, an ancient horn sounded.

One.

Two.

Three times.

Rowan's face changed.

“That isn't the Council.”

Cassian looked toward the distant mountains.

“No.”

Elara whispered the words none of them wanted to hear.

“The Hollow Wolves are coming.”

The temple doors slammed shut.

And Kael and Lucien disappeared into the darkness beneath the Moon Kingdom.