Chapter 11

The silver eyes between the trees did not move.

Celine could barely breathe.

Her mother's fingers tightened around hers.

"Don't look at him," she whispered.

Celine's eyes remained fixed on the darkness.

"Who is he?"

Her mother didn't answer.

Damon stepped forward, placing himself between them and the trees.

"Everyone stay behind me."

Beta Wolverine raised his weapon.

The Silvermoon warriors formed a defensive line.

For several seconds, nothing happened.

Then the silver eyes disappeared.

Celine's pendant stopped glowing.

The forest became strangely quiet.

Damon frowned.

"Where did he go?"

Her mother shook her head.

"He doesn't need to come closer."

Celine looked at her.

"What does that mean?"

"He knows where you are now."

Celine's stomach twisted.

Before she could ask another question, a howl sounded from far behind them.

Then another.

The Blackfang warriors were moving.

Damon turned toward Wolverine.

"We have to leave."

Wolverine nodded.

"Take the eastern trail."

"No," Celine's mother said immediately.

Everyone looked at her.

"The eastern trail leads straight toward the old hunting grounds."

Damon frowned.

"You know another way?"

She looked at Celine.

"There is an old sanctuary beyond the river."

Wolverine's expression changed.

"The Moonstone Sanctuary?"

Her mother nodded.

"I thought it was destroyed."

"So did everyone else."

Damon looked between them.

"What is this sanctuary?"

Her mother answered quietly.

"It was built long before Silvermoon existed. My family used it to hide when the old packs fought over the Moonborn."

Celine stared at her.

"My family?"

Her mother nodded.

"You are not the first."

Celine's heart beat faster.

"You said I'm the last Moonborn."

"I said you're the last one alive."

A chill passed through Celine.

"What happened to the others?"

Her mother looked away.

"They were hunted."

Damon's jaw tightened.

"Then we move now."

They hurried through the forest.

Celine stayed beside her mother, unable to stop looking at her.

There were a thousand questions in her mind.

Why had her mother hidden?

Why had her father kept everything secret?

Why had Damon known so much?

And most importantly, why had everyone been afraid of what she might become?

After several minutes, Celine finally spoke.

"Mom."

Her mother glanced at her.

"Yes?"

"Why didn't you come back?"

The woman's steps slowed.

Celine continued.

"I was seven. I thought you died."

Her mother's eyes filled with tears.

"I wanted to come back."

"Then why didn't you?"

"Because the people hunting us were watching Silvermoon."

Celine frowned.

"They were watching the pack?"

"Yes."

"Who?"

Her mother hesitated.

"I never learned all their names. But I knew someone had given them information about you."

"About me?"

"You were born different."

Celine touched her pendant.

"I didn't even have a wolf."

"That was the reason I could hide you."

Her mother looked at the pendant.

"The seal kept your scent hidden."

Celine stopped walking.

"Then why did it awaken tonight?"

Her mother's expression became serious.

"Because you turned eighteen."

Celine remembered the ceremony.

Cassian.

Lila.

The rejection.

The humiliation.

Her chest tightened.

"Does my rejection have anything to do with this?"

Her mother looked confused.

"Rejection?"

Celine looked down.

"Alpha Cassian rejected me."

Her mother stopped completely.

"What?"

Celine swallowed.

"He was supposed to be my mate."

Her mother stared at her.

"And he rejected you?"

Celine nodded.

"He chose Lila instead."

Her mother's face hardened.

"Why?"

"He said I was weak."

Her mother glanced at Damon.

Something cold entered her eyes.

"He was wrong."

Celine gave a bitter laugh.

"Everyone thought he was right."

"No."

Her mother touched her cheek.

"Everyone was looking at what you appeared to be."

Her fingers moved to the pendant.

"They never saw what was sleeping underneath."

Celine's throat tightened.

"What if it never wakes properly?"

"It will."

"How do you know?"

"Because I felt it the first time I held you."

Celine stared at her.

"What did you feel?"

"Power."

The word settled heavily between them.

Damon suddenly raised a hand.

"Stop."

Everyone froze.

He looked toward the trees.

"I hear something."

Wolverine's warriors drew their weapons.

Celine listened.

At first, she heard nothing.

Then—

Crack.

A branch snapped.

Damon moved immediately.

"Keep going!"

They ran.

The sound behind them grew louder.

Celine stumbled over a root.

Damon caught her before she fell.

"I'm fine."

"Keep moving."

"I can run."

"I know."

He released her.

Celine continued.

They finally reached a river.

The water was dark beneath the moonlight.

Her mother pointed across it.

"Beyond there."

Damon looked at the current.

"It's too deep."

"There is a crossing farther north."

"We don't have time."

Her mother shook her head.

"The sanctuary entrance is under the water."

Celine stared at her.

"Under the water?"

"It's protected by an old spell."

Damon looked at Celine's pendant.

"Can it open the entrance?"

Her mother nodded.

"Only the Moonborn can."

Celine stepped toward the river.

"What do I do?"

"Touch the water."

Celine hesitated.

She looked at Damon.

He nodded.

"Try."

Celine crouched beside the river and lowered her fingers into the cold water.

Nothing happened.

She waited.

Still nothing.

Her mother whispered,

"Close your eyes."

Celine obeyed.

"Listen to your wolf."

Celine frowned.

"I don't know how."

"You do."

Celine took a slow breath.

At first, there was only the sound of the river.

Then she heard it.

A faint heartbeat.

Not hers.

Something deeper.

Something wild.

She followed the sound.

The growl returned.

Her eyes opened.

Silver light spread beneath her fingertips.

The river began to move.

The water pulled away from the center, revealing a narrow stone path leading into darkness.

Everyone stared.

Damon whispered,

"The sanctuary."

Celine stepped forward.

But before she could take another step, a howl echoed behind them.

Blackfang.

"They're here," Wolverine said.

Damon turned.

"Get Celine across."

Wolverine nodded.

"Come with us."

Damon shook his head.

"I'll hold them back."

Celine looked at him.

"No."

His eyes met hers.

"You need to get inside."

"You'll be alone."

"I won't be for long."

Celine knew what he meant.

He intended to fight.

Her mother pulled her gently toward the stone path.

"Celine, we have to go."

Celine hesitated.

Damon stepped closer.

"Trust me."

The words reminded her of her mother's note.

Trust the wolf who carries the mark of the black moon.

She nodded.

Then she crossed the river.

Halfway across, she looked back.

Damon stood at the riverbank.

Behind him, shadows moved between the trees.

Blackfang warriors.

Celine's heart pounded.

"Damon!"

He looked at her.

"Go!"

She turned and continued.

The moment she reached the other side, the water surged back into place.

Damon disappeared from view.

"Damon!"

Celine rushed to the edge.

Her mother caught her.

"He'll survive."

"You don't know that."

"I know him."

Celine looked at her.

"How?"

Her mother gave a faint, sad smile.

"Because before you were born, Damon Blackwood was one of the people who helped me protect you."

Celine's eyes widened.

"What?"

Her mother started walking toward a stone doorway hidden inside the cliff.

"Damon wasn't always a rogue."

Celine followed her.

"What happened to him?"

Her mother stopped at the entrance.

"The same people hunting you destroyed everything he had."

Celine looked back toward the river.

Suddenly, the man she'd met in the forest made more sense.

His anger.

His distrust.

The way he watched every shadow.

The way he'd recognized her pendant.

"Mom."

"Yes?"

"Did Damon know who I was before he found me?"

Her mother didn't answer immediately.

Then she whispered,

"Yes."

Celine's heart skipped.

"How long?"

Her mother looked into her eyes.

"Since the night you were born."

Before Celine could respond, the stone doorway suddenly opened.

A cold silver light spilled across the ground.

Deep inside the sanctuary, something moved.

Then a voice echoed from the darkness.

"Bring the girl inside."

Celine froze.

Her mother went pale.

She knew that voice.

And so did Celine.

It was the same voice from her vision.

The voice that had spoken about her awakening.

Her mother grabbed Celine's hand.

"Don't answer it."

But the voice came again.

This time, closer.

"Celine."

The silver pendant around Celine's neck began to burn.

And somewhere behind them, across the river, Damon howled.