Chapter 14: Echoes of the Past

A chilling silence settled over Moonhaven.

Everyone stared at the white rose lying on the ground.

Its pure white petals stood in sharp contrast against the dark earth, untouched by the morning breeze.

No one moved.

No one spoke.

Finally, Arnold walked forward and picked it up.

The moment his fingers touched the stem, his expression darkened.

“There it is…” he murmured.

Karl stepped closer.

“What?”

Arnold turned the flower over, revealing a tiny silver crest burned into the stem.

A crescent moon wrapped around a crown.

Karl’s eyes narrowed.

“I’ve never seen that symbol before.”

Arnold slowly closed his fist around the rose.

“I have.”

His voice was unusually tense.

“It belonged to the Kingdom of Lunaris.”

“Lunaris?” Beta Damien asked.

“I’ve never heard of it.”

“You wouldn’t have.”

Arnold sighed heavily.

“It disappeared over twenty years ago.”

Lyra frowned.

“Disappeared?”

Arnold looked at her.

“It wasn’t destroyed by nature.”

“It was destroyed by betrayal.”

Everyone in the square listened carefully.

“There were once four great supernatural kingdoms that ruled in peace.”

“Blackwood.”

“Silverfang.”

“Nightshade.”

“And Lunaris.”

Karl folded his arms.

“I’ve heard stories about the Three Kingdoms.”

Arnold nodded.

“Because history erased the fourth.”

He looked toward the mountains.

“On one terrible night…”

“The Lunaris royal family was slaughtered.”

“Not by rogues.”

“Not by humans.”

“But by those they trusted.”

A cold shiver ran down Lyra’s spine.

She didn’t know why…

But Arnold’s story felt strangely familiar.

Elsewhere…

Hidden inside an abandoned fortress…

Victor knelt before a massive throne carved from black stone.

The room was lit by hundreds of crimson candles.

A tall man sat upon the throne, his face hidden beneath a dark iron mask.

His presence alone made the air feel heavy.

Victor lowered his head.

“My Lord.”

The masked man spoke without looking at him.

“You failed.”

Victor swallowed hard.

“The Alpha interfered.”

“And?”

“The guardian protected the girl.”

Silence.

Then…

The masked man slowly rose to his feet.

His long black cloak brushed against the stone floor.

“I expected as much.”

Victor hesitated.

“Should we launch another attack?”

The masked man chuckled.

“No.”

He walked toward a giant map hanging on the wall.

A small silver light glowed above Moonhaven.

He gently touched it.

“The girl is beginning to awaken.”

“If we attack now…”

“We’ll only strengthen her.”

Victor frowned.

“What should we do instead?”

The masked man’s lips curled beneath his mask.

“We’ll make her come to us.”

Back in Moonhaven…

Karl stood alone beside the lake.

The calm water reflected the bright morning sky.

He heard soft footsteps behind him.

“You’ve been quiet.”

Beta Damien stopped beside him.

Karl sighed.

“Everything feels wrong.”

Damien looked at him.

“You regret rejecting her.”

Karl didn’t answer.

“You love her.”

“I don’t.”

Damien smiled faintly.

“You keep trying to convince yourself.”

Karl looked across the lake.

“I barely know her.”

“No.”

Damien corrected gently.

“You never gave yourself the chance.”

Karl closed his eyes.

Images flooded his mind.

Lyra smiling at the little boy.

Lyra helping the injured villagers.

Lyra refusing to hate him, even after everything.

His wolf spoke quietly.

She’s already becoming the Luna you needed…

Without your pack.

Meanwhile…

Inside the cottage…

Lyra sat near the window, staring absentmindedly at the white rose Arnold had left on the table.

Something about it stirred memories she couldn’t understand.

She reached out and gently touched one of its petals.

The moment she did…

A blinding flash of silver light filled the room.

Her vision blurred.

Suddenly…

She wasn’t in the cottage anymore.

She stood inside a magnificent palace.

Moonlight poured through enormous crystal windows.

People dressed in white and silver robes rushed through the halls.

Someone shouted

“Protect the princess!”

Another voice cried

“The castle has been breached!”

Flames erupted everywhere.

Smoke filled the air.

A woman with long silver hair knelt before Lyra.

Tears streamed down her face as she placed a tiny silver pendant around the little girl’s neck.

“You must live.”

“No matter what happens…”

“You must never forget who you are.”

Footsteps thundered through the palace.

The woman kissed the child’s forehead.

“I love you, my little Ly..”

Her words were cut short by a deafening roar.

A man dressed in black burst through the doors.

His sword dripped with blood.

The woman turned to face him.

“Run!” she screamed.

“Run!”

The vision shattered.

Lyra gasped and fell from her chair.

Her breathing became ragged.

Tears streamed down her face before she even realized she was crying.

At that exact moment, Arnold rushed into the cottage.

“Lyra!”

He knelt beside her.

“What happened?”

She looked up at him, her eyes filled with confusion and fear.

“I…”

“I remembered something.”

Arnold’s heartbeat quickened.

“What did you remember?”

Lyra’s trembling fingers instinctively reached beneath the collar of her dress.

She froze.

There…

Hidden against her chest…

Was a small silver pendant she had never noticed before.

The same pendant from her vision.

She stared at it in disbelief.

“This…”

“I’ve been wearing it my whole life.”

Arnold looked at the pendant.

The color drained from his face.

He recognized it instantly.

It was the royal crest of Lunaris.

The impossible had just become undeniable.

Lyra was not an ordinary human.

She was the last surviving heir to the lost Kingdom of Lunaris.