Chapter 5

Chapter 5

…

“HH!” 

Upon hearing that, Caelan had already made up his mind. No matter how much pain he felt, he would not look back.

He would never accept a half-human as his Luna.

“Yes, Lilian Minera is the one who should become Luna to Alpha Caelan. This Luna Selection Ceremony must be postponed until next month’s full moon!” one of the elders immediately agreed.

Lilian Minera was considered highly suitable to be Alpha Caelan’s Luna. Not only because of her intelligence, but also because of her powerful position within the Lupus Kingdom, which made her the ideal Luna for Alpha Caelan.

“Yes, but to make that happen, Elena must be cast into the Black Forest. She must leave Blackthorn Pack tonight! Only then will her bond with Alpha Caelan be severed!” Another elder shouted. 

They demanded that Elena be thrown into the Black Forest that very night.

The Black Forest at night was not a safe place for a half-human like Elena. Not only half-humans even true wolves would be in grave danger if they entered the Black Forest after dark.

For within the Black Forest dwelled many powerful ancient beasts. If disturbed, they would annihilate anyone nearby.

By throwing Elena into the Black Forest tonight, they hoped she would be devoured by one of the beasts, and the bond between Caelan and Elena would be broken forever.

“Moon Seer Hera, I believe you should not forbid this any longer. Allowing a half-human to remain in the Pack will only bring a curse. Please do not stop us…” one of the Blackthorn elders urged Moon Seer Hera not to interfere.

Moon Seer Hera looked up at the moon. Her eyes seemed weary. Then, for reasons unknown, she gave a slow nod before turning a sorrowful gaze toward Elena, who lay collapsed and helpless on the ground.

“You see? Now drag that filthy blood to the Black Forest!” one elder commanded, ordering one of Caelan’s soldiers to pull Elena toward the forest.

Cheers erupted. Laughter and satisfied smiles spread across the crowd. At last, the half-human, the curse they despised would be devoured by a beast in the Black Forest tonight.

Elena, who had just been rejected by her Alpha, could do nothing. She was still drowning in a pain she could not even comprehend.

“Alpha Caelan, please stop this! Elena could die if she’s taken to the Black Forest tonight…” Elias Frostclaw, Caelan’s Beta and also his close friend, stepped forward and whispered urgently.

His expression was filled with worry. He could not bear to see Elena suffer like this—let alone be cast into the Black Forest.

But Caelan remained silent. His face showed grief and torment, yet he refused to look back.

Caelan was afraid. If he met Elena’s eyes now, he might change his decision entirely. And he did not want that.

No matter how deep his feelings for Elena were, he would not be with the half-human he believed had caused his parents’ deaths.

“Alpha Caelan…”

“Caelan!”

Elias called out again as Caelan stood unmoving, even as his soldiers grabbed Elena’s arm and forced her to stand.

“Enough, Elias. You know nothing! If she dies in the Black Forest tonight, then so be it!”

“Stop asking me to save her. If your parents had been killed by a half-human, you would hate her too. So stop lecturing me and remember your place!” Caelan’s cold words left Elias speechless.

His fists clenched as he ran toward Elena, who was being forced upright...

“Stop, Elias!” 

“If you interfere, our family will be in danger!” his father snapped, knowing Elias intended to help Elena in front of everyone.

“But, Father…”

“Elena has done nothing wrong! She will die if she’s taken to the Black Forest tonight!” Elias protested desperately.

But it was useless. Before the elders and all of Blackthorn Pack, he was merely a Beta beneath his Alpha. He could do nothing.

Meanwhile, Elena…

Her tears streamed down miserably. Her body trembled as she stared blankly at Caelan’s back.

“You said you would run to me the moment I asked for help…” 

“You said you would never turn your back on me…”

“Liar.” 

“Liar…” Elena murmured faintly, too softly for Caelan to hear.

She was dragged down Rodes Hill. Her blistered arm grew worse, bleeding as she was pulled toward the Black Forest.

As she was dragged away, Elena could hear the joy of those behind her. They were happy that the curse who had lived among them would finally disappear.

“Heh…” Elena let out a bitter laugh, her eyes lifting toward the shining moon. The pain in her body from her Alpha’s rejection had left her utterly powerless.

“Grandma… forgive me. This morning I promised I would bring you deer meat…”

“Forgive me for being filthy blood that tainted this Pack.”

“Forgive me… it seems I will lose my life.”

“Forgive me for leaving you alone again, Grandma… forgive me.” Elena sobbed not because of the pain in her body, not because of her shattered heart, but because she knew her grandmother would be alone again.

That was what hurt her the most.

“Quickly! Just throw her in…” 

“We’ll be in danger if we stay too long.”

The wolf soldiers pushed Elena into the Black Forest. They only stepped in slightly, for it was the most dangerous place at night.

“Uhk!” Elena collapsed against the roots of a massive tree. She had no strength left to rise. She lay there as the darkness of the forest seemed to swallow her whole.

The sounds of wild beasts filled the forest. Her hazel eyes turned toward the majestic full moon peeking through the heavy branches above.

Suddenly, lights flickered in all directions. The fireflies of the Black Forest seemed to mourn for her, drifting through the air like scattered stars.

Elena’s tears fell endlessly. Her hazel eyes grew hollow. Her heart was fragile, and the pain in her body deepened her suffering.

“Do you know? In the heart of the Black Forest, when the full moon rises, a flower called Aurivelle blooms, a golden flower of breathtaking beauty. You look like that flower, shining beneath the moon… Elena, you are like an Aurivelle in bloom.”

She heard that voice.

Caelan’s voice from when they used to play at the forest’s edge.

Her tears fell even harder when, before her very eyes, golden Aurivelle flowers bloomed across the ground where she lay, awakened by the full moon.

“Is this… the Aurivelle flower? It’s beautiful…” Elena whispered with a bitter smile. Her breathing grew shallow. The burning wound from the umbreal blood seemed to spread toward her shoulder.

“Please… don’t let my grandmother grieve for too long.” 

“I can’t protect her anymore… so please, protect her for me.”

Elena whispered weakly, as if praying to the moon—to the Moon Goddess.

Her vision blurred with tears. Slowly, darkness consumed her, and her breathing weakened.

A gentle wind blew. The golden-haired girl lay upon the bed of Aurivelle flowers, her beautiful face etched with indescribable bitterness.

Until...

A massive deer approached her. Its antlers were magnificent, its gaze sorrowful. Slowly, it stepped closer and licked the wound on Elena’s arm that had been burned by umbreal blood.

And then...

The golden light that had once appeared before surrounded Elena again. The wind howled fiercely. The deer lowered itself as if bowing, for just as Elena’s life was fading, her true power awakened and saved her.

A power that was never meant to awaken yet.

That night, upon the golden field of Aurivelle flowers, Elena underwent her first transformation.

She became an elegant white wolf.

But her consciousness had not fully returned.

The golden light encircled her injured arm, and just as before, the wound vanished without a trace—along with her wolf form.

Her wolf form slowly faded, for it was not yet time for Elena to wield her power.

…

At the same time, in the royal palace...

The young king, who had grown colder and more distrustful of everyone, lay upon his bed. The full moon shone through the grand glass walls of his chamber.

And then...

A powerful tremor shook the magnificent room.

Lucien Noctyrr Valecrest gripped the silk sheets tightly. His breathing turned heavy as something strange coursed through his body.

“Hh!” Lucien jolted awake, trembling. His glowing blue eyes widened in shock.

“Impossible… I feel the presence of someone destined for me…”

“I can feel my Luna!” Lucien growled, clenching his fists.

Wearing only a bathrobe, he stepped onto his balcony and stared sharply at the moon.

“I was never meant to have a Luna. That is my fate! to be a lonely king forever. So what is happening now?” 

“Are you toying with my life again?” Lucien whispered, as if speaking to the Moon Goddess herself.

Because the Luna aura he had just felt suddenly vanished as though it had never existed at all, leaving him wondering if he had imagined everything.

…