Chapter 13

The howl beneath the sanctuary shook the stone beneath Celine's feet.

She tightened her grip around Damon as he struggled to remain standing.

Blood stained the side of his shirt, and his breathing was uneven, but his eyes remained fixed on the silver-eyed stranger.

“You know him?” Celine asked.

Damon didn't answer.

“Damon.”

The stranger stepped closer.

“You should have stayed in exile, Blackwood.”

Damon's jaw tightened.

“And you should have stayed buried.”

Celine looked between them.

“What is happening?”

Damon finally looked at her.

“He's the reason I lost everything.”

The stranger's expression remained calm.

“You lost everything because you were too weak to protect it.”

Damon's eyes flashed.

“You murdered my pack.”

“I destroyed a threat.”

“You killed innocent people.”

“I removed those who stood against the old blood.”

Celine felt her stomach turn.

“What old blood?”

The stranger looked at her.

“Your blood.”

Damon immediately stepped between them.

“Don't listen to him.”

The stranger laughed.

“You've been protecting her from the truth since the night you first saw her.”

Celine's eyes widened.

“You knew me before tonight?”

Damon looked away.

“Damon.”

He closed his eyes briefly.

“Yes.”

Celine stepped back.

“How long?”

“Since you were a child.”

Her chest tightened.

“My mother told me you helped protect me.”

Damon nodded.

“She was right.”

“Then why didn't you ever come to Silvermoon?”

“Because I wasn't allowed.”

“By whom?”

Damon looked at the stranger.

“By him.”

The silver-eyed man said nothing.

Celine felt anger rising inside her.

“So all of you knew about me.”

Her mother moved closer.

“We knew enough to know that keeping you hidden was the only way to keep you alive.”

“But nobody thought I deserved the truth?”

Her mother reached for her.

Celine stepped away.

“I spent eighteen years believing I was broken.”

Her voice trembled.

“I watched everyone else discover their wolves while I had nothing.”

“You were never broken,” her mother whispered.

“But I was alone.”

Silence filled the sanctuary.

Damon lowered his head.

Celine saw the regret in his face.

“You could have told me.”

“I couldn't.”

“Why?”

“Because your wolf was sealed. If the wrong people discovered you before you were ready, they would have taken you.”

“Taken me where?”

The stranger answered.

“To the Moon Chamber.”

Celine looked at him.

“What is that?”

“A place where the Moonborn were once trained.”

Her mother shook her head.

“Don't tell her about that place.”

“Why?”

“Because once she knows it exists, she will go looking for it.”

Celine frowned.

“Maybe I should.”

“No.”

Her mother's voice was firm.

“You don't understand what waits there.”

The stranger smiled.

“She will understand soon enough.”

Another howl came from beneath the sanctuary.

Celine looked toward the floor.

“What is that?”

Her mother went pale.

“We have to leave.”

Damon straightened despite his injury.

“It's awake.”

“What is?”

“The guardian.”

Celine stared at him.

“You mean the thing underneath us?”

Damon nodded.

“The sanctuary wasn't built just to hide the Moonborn.”

Her mother finished the sentence.

“It was built to protect something.”

Celine's pendant began glowing again.

The stone beneath her feet vibrated.

A thin crack appeared across the floor.

Celine stepped backward.

“What is happening?”

Her mother grabbed her shoulders.

“Don't move.”

The crack widened.

Silver light poured through it.

Then a deep growl rose from beneath them.

The stranger looked toward the floor.

“The seal is opening.”

Damon reached for Celine.

“Come with me.”

They moved toward the entrance.

But the doorway suddenly slammed shut.

Celine turned.

“What happened?”

The stranger looked at her.

“The sanctuary has chosen.”

“Chosen what?”

“You.”

Celine's heart pounded.

Her mother shook her head.

“No. The sanctuary cannot choose her.”

“It already has.”

A circle of silver light appeared beneath Celine's feet.

She tried to step away.

Nothing happened.

The light climbed around her legs like mist.

“Mom!”

Her mother rushed forward.

The moment she touched the circle, she was thrown backward.

Damon caught her before she hit the stone.

“Don't touch it!”

Celine stared at them helplessly.

“Get me out!”

Damon tried.

The instant his hand crossed the silver barrier, a violent force pushed him away.

He crashed against the wall.

“Damon!”

He struggled to rise.

“I'm fine.”

The stranger stood motionless.

“You cannot stop it.”

Celine glared at him.

“Then tell me how.”

He looked at her.

“You must awaken willingly.”

Her mother's face changed.

“No.”

Celine's breathing quickened.

“What does that mean?”

“You must call your wolf.”

“I don't know how.”

“You already did.”

Celine remembered the growl inside her.

The silver light pulsed.

“Close your eyes,” the stranger said.

Her mother shook her head.

“Don't listen to him.”

But Celine closed her eyes.

Everything became quiet.

She heard her own heartbeat.

Then another heartbeat.

Slow.

Powerful.

Close.

She followed the sound.

A dark forest appeared in her mind.

She stood alone beneath a silver moon.

Then she heard footsteps.

Celine turned.

A wolf stood between the trees.

Not black.

Not white.

Its fur shimmered silver beneath the moonlight.

Its eyes were the same color as Celine's.

The wolf stared at her.

Celine's breath caught.

“Are you...my wolf?”

The wolf lowered its head.

A strange warmth filled Celine's chest.

She reached toward it.

The wolf stepped closer.

Then another image flashed through her mind.

Cassian.

The ceremony.

His rejection.

Lila's smile.

The years of humiliation.

Celine felt the anger return.

The wolf growled.

“No,” Celine whispered.

The wolf looked at her.

“I don't want to become something because I'm angry.”

The wolf remained still.

“I don't want revenge.”

Another image appeared.

Damon standing between her and the Blackfang warriors.

Her mother placing the pendant around her neck.

Her father silently watching from a distance.

Sara hugging her before the ceremony.

Old Martha saving food for her when everyone else ignored her.

Celine's eyes filled with tears.

“I want to protect the people I love.”

The wolf stepped forward.

Their foreheads touched.

A burst of silver light filled the forest.

Celine gasped.

Then the vision disappeared.

She opened her eyes.

The sanctuary had fallen silent.

The silver circle around her was gone.

The pendant hung quietly against her chest.

Damon stared at her.

“What happened?”

Celine looked at her hands.

“I found her.”

Her mother began crying.

“You awakened.”

Celine looked up.

“Yes.”

The stranger's expression was unreadable.

“Not completely.”

Celine frowned.

“What does that mean?”

“Your wolf has awakened, but your power has not.”

Damon stepped toward him.

“Enough.”

The stranger looked at Damon.

“You should be more concerned about what is coming.”

A loud crash shook the sanctuary.

Everyone turned.

The sealed entrance began to crack.

Her mother whispered,

“They found us.”

Damon grabbed his weapon.

“Blackfang?”

Her mother shook her head.

“No.”

The crack widened.

Something hit the door from the other side.

Once.

Twice.

On the third impact, the stone shattered.

Celine stepped backward.

A group of warriors stood outside.

They wore dark armor marked with a silver crescent.

Damon's face hardened.

“They aren't Blackfang.”

Celine looked at him.

“Who are they?”

He stared at the warriors.

“The Moon Guard.”

Her mother went pale.

“They were supposed to be gone.”

The lead warrior stepped into the sanctuary.

His gaze immediately landed on Celine.

Then he bowed.

“My lady.”

Celine froze.

“I am not your lady.”

The warrior lifted his head.

“You are the last daughter of the Moonborn.”

He looked toward the silver-eyed stranger.

“And the one we were ordered to protect.”

The stranger smiled.

Celine's stomach tightened.

Then the warrior spoke again.

“But we were not ordered to protect you from him.”

He pointed directly at the silver-eyed man.

“We were ordered to protect you from what he intends to awaken.”