*Moonlight Pack — Dungeon, Night*
The dungeon beneath Moonlight Pack was cold and damp, built to crush the spirit as much as the body.Rats scurried in the corners, the stench of mold and unwashed bodies heavy in the air. George sat hunched on a cot of straw, his back pressed against the stone wall.His once proud shoulders were thinner now, his dark hair hanging unkempt over his face. But his eyes were still sharp and restless.For months, he had waited.Waited and listened.The guards thought he was broken, a fallen Beta and Alpha's son who had lost his place, his mate, his power.But George wasn’t broken. He was patient.He had mapped the shift changes in his head, the sounds of boots echoing in the corridor, the way each guard lingered or grew careless.Every whisper outside his cell, cough and yawn were all fuel for his survival. He wasn’t caged. He*Temple of the Flame*One by one, the whispers of betrayal, regret, and pain faded into silence, leaving the group swaying as though waking from a fevered dream. Crystal stood at the front, her hand still clasped tightly in Ryder’s. Behind them, the others gathered… Ethan and Alia, Luca and Thalia, Darius and Evren. Each of them knew what they had faced in their illusions, but none dared speak.At the center of the chamber, the altar glowed. Fire trickled across its surface as liquid light, running in molten rivulets down the carved lines. Crystal gasped. Her chest still ached from the illusion she had endured… the vision of loss, of Ryder bleeding out in her arms, of her fire turning against her. She clutched Ryder’s hand, but even his warmth could not ease the way her wolf stirred uneasily.The flames twisted upward, pulling together into form. At first it was only fire, but then it took shape… a tall figure cloaked in silve
*Inside the Temple, After the First Trial*They stood where the illusions had left them. The stone altar still glowed faintly.Crystal leaned into Ryder, her body visibly shaken from the vision’s hold. His arm held her, and though he said nothing, his golden eyes dared anyone to even look at her too long.Darius’s jaw clenched, his wolf bristling beneath his skin. Crystal noticed Evren seemed tense than the rest, and the way his gaze flicked toward her.Before she could ask questions, the altar shifted from its place.The stone floor beneath it, cracked open into four separate paths, each archway framed with glowing runes that thrummed in the form of flames. A voice filled the chamber.“Those who entered together must divide. Bonds will be tested. The paths will judge not what you fear, but what you can endure.”The runes flared, and the paths shone with different lights.One was red.Another light was soft green, giving the view a forest at dusk.The third was pale white.The last s
*Inside The Temple*One moment, the altar was covered in pale fire light spilling around the stone.Next, the runes around the altar glowed faintly. The light moved outward in a circle, catching each of them in its glow… Ryder, Ethan, Alia, Luca, Thalia, Darius, Evren and Crystal herself.Darkness.It wasn't night yet, but the entire world had been swallowed.Crystal staggered back but found no ground beneath her feet. When she blinked, the others were gone.*Crystal’s VisionThe forest stood before her. She was standing on Moonlight Pack’s clearing, familiar yet distorted. She heard a sharp and cruel laughter. George stood there, his arm wrapped around Amy. His lips curled in the same sneer he had on, the day he rejected her.“You were nothing,” he spat. “Not even worth a mate bond.”Crystal’s chest tightened, but before she could answer, the vision changed. George and Amy blurred into Ryder… except not her Ryder. His golden eyes were cold.“You were just a weapon. That is all you e
The path was thinner as the group ascended the final ridges. Crystal’s legs ached, but the sight before them made every step worth it. The temple stood atop the peak, carved from stone, ancient and awe-inspiring. Its walls were covered with runes, glowing faintly in the early morning light, and paintings of wolves, and flames intertwining in ways she could not fully comprehend. The carvings seemed to stare back at them. Crystal’s chest tightened at the history, a mixture of reverence and an unspoken warning threading through her thoughts.Ryder moved at her side. Every now and then, he would glance at her, his golden eyes piercing her. The others followed closely behind, Darius and Evren leading the way, their steps confident over the jagged rocks. Crystal felt the unity of the group, and the unspoken reliance on one another.As they reached the temple entrance, Crystal gasped. The doorway was framed with carved flames, twisting upward, and the stone beneath her fingers as she touc
*Northern Mountains, Early Morning*The wind was strong as the group moved up the jagged path, frost crunching beneath their paws. Crystal stayed close to Ryder, feeling the warmth of his presence.Alpha Darius led the way, his dark cloak flapping lightly in the wind. Beside him, Evren scanned the cliffs and slopes with careful eyes, alert to any sign of danger.Every few steps, Darius paused, glancing back over his shoulder to ensure the group followed.Crystal noticed the ease with which he moved over the rocks, certainly this was not his first time.Her ears twitched. Any branch that snapped, made her senses flare. Behind them, Ethan walked silently, his gaze flicking between the cliffs and Crystal. He seemed tense, and uneasy. Alia walked close, matching his pace. Her eyes scanned the terrain, alert, but a faint smile softened her features. Ethan’s hands held the strap of her backpack, loaded wi
*Starblood dungeon, deep night*The dungeon was silent now, the echoes of broken chains and shouts had long faded. The cold bit through her thin clothing, but Lesley barely noticed. The chill made her skin tingle, sharpening her senses. Lesley sat on the cold floor, one wrist still marked by the faint redness of silver scars, the other free after snapping the chain the other time.Her still violet eyes glowed softly in the dark. Her wolf prowled inside her, restless, hungry, its energy tangled with her own anger and Elira’s lingering influence.She had survived the chaos, had been held only by sheer force of will and the guard’s desperate hands. She remembered the look of fear on their faces, the way their knees had wobbled when she had unleashed even a fraction of her strength. That fear, that realization of her power, made a dark smile curl across her lips.But now, in the quietness, she heard the whispers return. N