Chapter 5

When we reached Mother’s room, there was a large violet circle, and inside it was darkness.

“Go ahead and enter my portal,” Mother commanded.

We walked toward the portal. I felt my nervousness, but I didn't let it show. Because I wasn't nervous out of fear; I was nervous because I was excited. I was excited about the new life that had been given to me.

“Take care, Saera,” Mother whispered lovingly.  

I looked away from the portal and turned to the mother who had welcomed me into my new life. I could see her sadness, but she forced a smile for me.

I approached her. Without hesitation, I gave her a tight hug.

“Thank you, Mother. I will visit you when I have the chance,” I said as I pulled away from our embrace.  

“Take Silas with you, Saera”.

“Of course, Mother”.

“Go now, before the portal I made closes”.  

I nodded to my mother before standing beside Silas once more.

As we stepped into the portal. In an instant, the wind changed. The scent of pine and rain from Mother’s room was gone, it was replaced by the smell of damp earth and the metallic tang of blood. We emerged in a vast courtyard made of grey stone. Towering trees surrounded the area, as if trying to hide the sky. Even though it was only midday, the moon above held a trace of red. This was indeed the territory of the Blood Moon Pack.  

“Saera, stay behind me,” Silas whispered. Her playful tone was gone.

Silas took the lead. Silas’s eyes were sharp as she scanned our surroundings.

“The pack is restless. They think their Luna is a ghost. They think you are a ghost, Saera,” Silas informed me as she kept watch.  

A group of warriors dressed in black armor appeared near the hall. When they saw us, their heartbeats suddenly quickened—a sound I could now hear clearly. They didn't bow. Instead, they stared at me with a mix of shock and suspicion.  

“She’s alive?” one of them hissed, his hand moving toward the hilt of his sword.  

I let my golden eyes sweep over them. They, too, showed their golden eyes to me. But I did not flinch.  

“I am your Luna,” I said in a voice that was calm and cold. “And I do not appreciate being greeted with drawn weapons”.  

They did not lower their weapons or waver at the coldness of my voice. In a sudden movement, as if I were well-practiced, a single flick of my finger turned the weapons pointed at me into ice.  

The tension escalated because of what I did. The warriors were ready to shift into their wolf forms, but they were stopped when the ground shook. Silas quickly held onto me so I wouldn't fall.  

The shaking stopped just as quickly, and a few seconds later, we all heard heavy footsteps coming from the large doors of the mansion. A man stepped out—tall, with broad shoulders and eyes as dark as night. His presence was enough to silence the entire area.  

I nudged Silas.

She seemed to immediately know the question in my mind.

“That is Kilian. The Alpha. The man you are supposed to marry,” Silas explained.  

Kilian stared at me, and for a moment, I saw shock pass through his eyes before it was replaced by anger.  

“You’re alive?” he asked coldly. Every word carried the weight of a command. “I thought you chose to drink poison rather than become my wife?”  

I didn't blink. I looked directly into his eyes, letting my golden eyes stare back at him.  

“Death is far too easy, Alpha,” I answered with a hardened voice. “I thought... it would be much more satisfying to see you kneeling before me”.  

I heard the gasps of the warriors around us.

No one dared to speak to an Alpha that way. But Kilian did not get angry or shout. Instead, a dangerous smile slowly spread across his lips as he moved closer to me.

“In that case, prove it, Luna,” he whispered as he reached me, close enough for me to smell his unique scent. “Because in this pack, there is no room for the weak—even if you are the one destined for me”.  

I smirked at him.

“In that case, let’s get married as soon as possible,” I challenged.  

He stared at me intently. I didn't look away. I met his challenging gaze with my own.  

“I thought my Luna would be weak, but you are quite brave,” he suddenly commented.  

I didn't lower my gaze. Instead, I tilted my chin up higher.

“An Alpha shouldn't rely on assumptions. It shows weakness,” I said arrogantly with a smirk.  

Kilian’s brow furrowed slightly. I felt the air around us change—a warning that his wolf was starting to become aggressive. He grabbed my arm firmly, not enough to hurt me, but enough to make me feel his authority.  

“You are brave,” he whispered, his voice like a growl coming from deep within his chest. “But bravery is easily mistaken for foolishness. In the Blood Moon Pack, every word you speak must be backed by strength. Are you ready to die again for those words?”  

“Try me,” I challenged.

Just as I had done with the warriors' weapons, my power moved instinctively, as if I were long accustomed to using it. I secretly let my witch’s power flow through my arm. I made sure only the two of us could feel it, because I can’t let anyone else find out that I am a witch.

Kilian quickly let go. He looked at me with confusion.

“You have a strange power,” he noted, loud enough only for us to hear.  

​I simply smirked at him. He turned away with an air of authority, but before he finally stepped away, I felt the sharp weight of his gaze linger on me one last time.

“Let my Luna pass. And all of you, prepare—our wedding will take place tonight,” he commanded his pack with authority.