The Omega in the shadows

The forest swallowed Elara whole.

She stumbled through the trees, one hand pressed against her side and the other holding her newborn son tightly against her chest.

The sounds of battle had disappeared behind her.

That frightened her more than the noise.

Silence meant she could no longer hear Cassian.

It meant she was alone.

No.

Not alone.

She looked down at the tiny bundle in her arms.

Kael.

Her son.

The Moon-Chosen.

A child the entire continent would eventually hunt.

Elara pulled her cloak tighter around him.

"Don't cry, little moon," she whispered. "Please."

Kael stirred.

His tiny face scrunched before another cry escaped his lips.

Elara immediately began rocking him.

"I know. I know you're hungry."

She wanted to stop.

She wanted to sit beneath a tree and breathe.

She wanted to turn around and run back to Cassian.

But she couldn't.

Cassian had sacrificed himself so she could get Kael out.

She would not make his sacrifice meaningless.

A branch snapped behind her.

Elara froze.

Her heart slammed against her ribs.

She slowly turned.

Nothing.

Only darkness.

Trees.

Fog.

Then she heard it.

A howl.

Far away.

Then another.

Elara's blood ran cold.

Wolves.

Not wild wolves.

Pack wolves.

She could smell them now.

Alphas.

At least two.

Maybe more.

She started running again.

The forest of Moonwood was enormous, stretching across the border between Valerion and the northern territories. It was one of the few places where royal soldiers rarely ventured.

The forest belonged to no kingdom.

At least, officially.

Its ancient packs had existed long before the current kingdoms were formed.

And unlike the royal territories, Moonwood had its own rules.

Alphas ruled the packs.

Betas served as warriors, healers, trackers, and advisers.

Omegas were protected by ancient Moonwood law.

An Omega could not be claimed without consent.

No Alpha, regardless of rank, could force a bond.

That law had survived centuries because Moonwood answered to something older than kings.

The Moon.

Elara prayed that the forest would protect her son.

She pushed through another wall of branches.

Then stopped.

Someone was standing ahead.

A man.

Tall.

Broad shouldered.

His dark clothing was almost invisible against the trees.

One hand rested on the sword at his waist.

Elara immediately stepped backward.

"Stay away from me."

The man raised both hands.

"Elara."

She froze.

Nobody had called her by her name.

Not since she left the temple.

"Who are you?"

The man stepped into the moonlight.

His face was familiar.

Elara's eyes widened.

"Rowan?"

The former Captain of the Shadow Guard lowered his head.

"My Queen."

Elara almost collapsed from relief.

"You're alive."

"I was supposed to meet you here."

Rowan looked past her.

His expression changed.

"Where is the King?"

Elara's eyes filled with tears.

"He stayed behind."

Rowan closed his eyes.

For a moment, he said nothing.

Then he bowed his head.

"May the Moon receive him."

Elara looked down at Kael.

"He told me to take our son."

Rowan's eyes immediately moved toward the child.

He saw the silver glow beneath Kael's collarbone.

His breath caught.

"The Moon Seal."

Elara nodded.

"They know."

"Who?"

"The Council."

Rowan's expression hardened.

"Varek?"

"Yes."

His hand tightened around his sword.

"I knew he would come."

"He wants Kael."

"Of course he does."

Rowan stepped closer.

Elara instinctively pulled Kael away.

Rowan stopped immediately.

"I won't hurt him."

"I know."

"Then let me see him."

Elara hesitated before slowly lowering the blanket.

Kael was sleeping.

The silver crescent beneath his collarbone glowed faintly.

Rowan stared at him.

"I haven't seen anything like this in my lifetime."

"Neither have I."

"Neither has anyone."

Elara looked at him.

"What does it mean?"

Rowan didn't answer immediately.

Instead, he looked toward the darkness behind them.

"We have to move."

"Why?"

"Because we're not alone."

A low growl came from the trees.

Rowan drew his sword.

Elara stepped behind him.

Three figures emerged between the trees.

All three wore dark armor.

Royal Alpha Guards.

One of them sniffed the air.

"She's here."

Rowan's eyes narrowed.

"Stay behind me."

The first Alpha stepped forward.

"Captain Rowan."

"Former Captain."

"You betrayed the Crown."

"I protected my Queen."

"You protected a dangerous Omega."

Rowan's sword came up.

"He's a newborn."

"He's the Moon-Chosen."

The Alpha's eyes shifted toward Elara.

"Hand him over."

Elara's arms tightened around Kael.

"No."

The Alpha's lips curled.

"You are an Omega, Your Majesty. You should understand your position."

Something inside Elara snapped.

"I am his mother."

Her scent suddenly changed.

The Alphas noticed.

A powerful Omega scent spread through the forest—moonflowers and rain.

The soldiers stiffened.

One swallowed.

Rowan stepped between them.

"Don't."

The Alpha leader laughed.

"You're threatening us?"

"No."

Rowan's eyes darkened.

"I'm warning you."

His Alpha aura exploded.

The three soldiers immediately staggered.

Even Elara felt the pressure.

Rowan had always been powerful.

But the royal soldiers had forgotten one thing.

Before he became a fugitive, Rowan had been one of the strongest Alpha warriors in Valerion.

The soldiers attacked.

Steel flashed.

Rowan moved first.

His sword struck the first soldier across the chest, knocking him into a tree.

The second came from the side.

Rowan blocked.

The third rushed toward Elara.

She turned and ran.

"Go!" Rowan shouted.

Elara didn't look back.

She ran deeper into Moonwood.

Behind her, swords clashed.

Then a howl tore through the forest.

A moment later, everything became silent.

Elara kept running.

She didn't know whether Rowan was following.

She didn't dare look.

She simply trusted him.

After what felt like hours, she reached an enormous silver tree.

Its branches stretched toward the sky like ancient hands.

At its base was a stone altar covered in strange markings.

Elara stopped.

She recognized the place.

"The Moon Shrine."

She had heard stories about it as a child.

No kingdom controlled it.

No Alpha could claim it.

The oldest Omegas in Valerion used to whisper that the Moon Goddess herself had walked through this forest.

Elara approached the altar.

The moment Kael came close—

The markings began to glow.

Silver light traveled across the stones.

Elara gasped.

"What are you?"

Kael opened his eyes.

Silver.

Bright.

Otherworldly.

The forest suddenly became completely silent.

Then a voice spoke behind her.

"He's exactly as the prophecy described."

Elara spun around.

An old woman stood beneath the silver tree.

Her hair was completely white.

Her eyes were clouded with age.

But there was something strange about her presence.

Elara couldn't smell her.

No Alpha scent.

No Beta scent.

No Omega scent.

Nothing.

"Who are you?"

The woman smiled.

"Someone who has been waiting."

"For my son?"

"For him."

The old woman approached.

Kael watched her silently.

The woman reached toward him.

Elara hesitated.

"May I?"

After a moment, Elara nodded.

The woman touched Kael's forehead.

The Moon Seal blazed.

The old woman's expression changed.

"The last bloodline."

Elara's heart stopped.

"What did you say?"

The woman looked at her.

"You have not told him."

"He's a newborn."

"Not him."

She looked directly into Elara's eyes.

"You have not told the world."

Elara frowned.

"What are you talking about?"

The woman stepped back.

"Kael is not merely the Moon-Chosen."

Elara's stomach twisted.

"Then what is he?"

The woman looked toward the ancient trees.

"That is a story for when he is old enough to understand."

"I need to know now."

"No."

"Why?"

"Because knowledge can be more dangerous than ignorance."

The woman reached beneath her robe and pulled out a silver pendant.

A crescent moon surrounded by intertwined vines.

Elara recognized it immediately.

"The Moon King's crest."

The woman's eyes sharpened.

"You know of the Moon King?"

"Everyone knows the legends."

"Legends are often memories that survived long enough to become stories."

She placed the pendant in Elara's hand.

"This belonged to the last ruler of the Moon Kingdom."

Elara stared at it.

"The Moon Kingdom disappeared centuries ago."

"Nothing disappears."

The old woman looked at Kael.

"Some things merely wait."

A howl echoed in the distance.

Elara's head snapped toward the sound.

The woman sighed.

"They have found you."

"How?"

"The Moon Seal is powerful."

Elara looked at her son.

"Can it be hidden?"

"For a time."

"How?"

The woman pointed toward the silver tree.

"Lay him beneath it."

Elara obeyed.

The moment Kael touched the roots, the silver light surrounding the tree intensified.

The forest seemed to breathe.

Kael stopped crying.

His tiny hand opened.

A thin beam of moonlight touched his palm.

The woman smiled.

"The forest recognizes him."

Elara stared in wonder.

Then came the sound of footsteps.

Many footsteps.

Rowan appeared through the trees.

Blood covered his shoulder.

"Elara!"

She rushed toward him.

"You're hurt."

"It's nothing."

He looked behind them.

"They followed us."

The old woman nodded.

"I know."

Rowan looked at her.

"You?"

"You know me."

Rowan's face went pale.

"The Oracle."

Elara stared.

"You know her?"

Rowan nodded slowly.

"She served the Moon Temple before the royal court was established."

The Oracle smiled.

"Long before your kings learned to call themselves kings."

A horn sounded in the distance.

Closer this time.

Rowan drew his sword again.

"We have minutes."

Elara looked down at Kael.

"What do we do?"

The Oracle's expression became solemn.

"You leave."

Elara shook her head.

"No."

"Listen to me."

"I won't abandon my son."

"You misunderstand."

The Oracle pointed toward Rowan.

"He must leave."

Rowan's expression hardened.

"With the child?"

"With the child."

Elara stared at him.

"Where?"

"Somewhere no king will think to look."

The Oracle's gaze settled on Kael.

"Raise him away from courts."

"Why?"

"Because if the kingdoms discover what he truly is before he understands himself, they will turn him into a weapon."

Elara's eyes filled with tears.

"And me?"

The Oracle was silent.

Elara understood.

"No."

Rowan stepped forward.

"My Queen"

"No."

She pulled Kael into her arms.

"I'm his mother."

The Oracle looked at her sadly.

"And that is why they will use you to find him."

Elara's breathing became uneven.

Outside, the soldiers were getting closer.

She looked at Rowan.

Then at her son.

Finally, she kissed Kael's forehead.

"I love you."

Her tears fell onto his tiny face.

"You may never remember me."

She pressed the silver pendant into Rowan's hand.

"But you will remember what I wanted for you."

Rowan looked at her.

"What?"

Elara smiled through her tears.

"Freedom."

Rowan closed his fist around the pendant.