The Sacred Moon Forest

The moment Lyra stepped beneath the ancient trees, the sounds of Blackwood Pack disappeared behind her. She didn't look back. She couldn't. Every step sent another wave of pain through the place where the mate bond had been severed, but she forced herself deeper into the forest. She had nothing left to return to. The pack had watched her humiliation. Kael had rejected her before everyone. And the worst part was that some foolish part of her still remembered the way he had looked at her before saying those words. She hated herself for hoping. "Never again," she whispered. "I will never give anyone that much power over me again."

Back at the palace, Kael stood alone in his chambers, staring through the open window at the dark forest beyond the kingdom. He should have felt relieved. He had protected his crown. He had protected his people from the prophecy. He had done what a king was supposed to do. Then his wolf slammed against the walls of his mind.

You abandoned her.

Kael's jaw tightened. "I did what I had to do."

You broke our mate bond.

"Enough."

Pain suddenly tore through his chest. Kael staggered, gripping the edge of the table. His breath caught as an invisible force seemed to rip through his heart. He had expected Lyra to suffer from the rejection. He hadn't expected the bond to punish him too.

His wolf howled.

Find her.

Kael closed his eyes. "She is no longer our concern."

A second wave of pain struck harder than the first. His knees nearly buckled.

She is our mate.

Kael forced himself upright, but his hands were trembling. Something about the bond felt wrong. It hadn't disappeared completely. Instead, it felt stretched across an impossible distance, as though something was pulling Lyra away from him.

Then he sensed it.

The forest.

Kael's silver eyes snapped open.

"Sacred Moon Forest."

His wolf went completely still.

She is there.

Kael turned toward the door.

Before he could reach it, a knock sounded.

"Your Majesty."

Kael opened the door.

One of the royal guards bowed. "The High Priest requests your presence."

"Tell him I'll come later."

The guard hesitated. "He said it concerns the prophecy."

Kael's expression hardened.

"Take me to him."

Meanwhile, Lyra continued deeper into the forest.

The Sacred Moon Forest was forbidden after sunset. Wolves whispered that ancient spirits lived beneath its roots and that those who entered without the Moon Goddess's blessing never returned.

Tonight, Lyra no longer cared.

She walked until the palace lights vanished completely. Then her legs finally gave out.

She collapsed beside an ancient tree, pressing a trembling hand against her chest.

"Why does it still hurt?"

Tears slipped down her cheeks.

"He rejected me. The bond is gone. So why does it feel like part of me is still calling for him?"

A low growl suddenly echoed through the trees.

Lyra froze.

Two silver eyes stared at her from the darkness.

Then another pair appeared.

And another.

Wolves surrounded her.

But these were unlike any wolves she had ever seen. Their fur shimmered faintly beneath the moonlight, and their eyes glowed with an eerie silver light.

Lyra slowly pushed herself backward.

"Please..."

One wolf stepped forward. It was enormous, its silver-gray fur almost blending into the shadows. It lowered its head and sniffed the air around her.

Then, unexpectedly, it backed away.

The others followed.

Lyra frowned.

They weren't attacking her.

They were watching her.

Waiting.

A strange warmth spread across her wrist.

She looked down.

A faint crescent-shaped mark she had never noticed before was glowing beneath her skin.

"What is that?"

Before she could touch it, a woman's voice drifted through the trees.

"You finally came."

Lyra spun around.

A woman stood between the ancient trees, dressed in a long silver robe with her face hidden beneath a hood. Moonlight seemed to gather around her.

Lyra immediately stepped back.

"Who are you?"

The woman didn't answer. Instead, she looked toward the wolves.

"Leave us."

The wolves lowered their heads before disappearing into the darkness.

Lyra stared after them.

"They listened to you."

"They know who I am."

The woman's voice was soft, almost haunting.

"And they know who you are."

Lyra's heart skipped.

"Who am I?"

The woman finally looked at her.

For a brief moment, Lyra caught a glimpse of silver eyes beneath the hood.

"A girl who has spent twenty-one years believing a lie."

Lyra's breath caught.

"What lie?"

The woman stepped closer.

"That you were born without a wolf."

Lyra's entire body went cold.

"How do you know about that?"

"Because I have been watching you since the day you were born."

Lyra shook her head.

"That's impossible."

"Is it?"

The woman raised one hand. A faint silver glow appeared between her fingers.

The same warmth spread through Lyra's wrist.

Her crescent mark brightened.

Lyra gasped.

"What did you do?"

"Nothing."

The woman's expression softened.

"Your blood recognized mine."

Lyra stared at her.

"I don't understand."

"You will."

The woman turned toward the deeper forest.

"But not here."

"Then where?"

A distant howl echoed through the trees.

The woman's expression changed.

"They found you."

Lyra's stomach tightened.

"Who?"

"The same people who have been waiting for you to leave Blackwood."

Branches snapped in the distance.

More howls followed.

The woman stepped toward Lyra and extended her hand.

"You must trust me."

Lyra hesitated.

Trust had become a dangerous word.

Kael had taught her that.

But something about this woman felt different.

Ancient.

Familiar.

"Why should I?"

The woman's silver eyes held hers.

"Because if you stay here, they will take you."

Lyra glanced toward the darkness behind her.

Shadows moved between the trees.

Whoever was coming was getting closer.

She reached for the woman's hand.

The instant their fingers touched, silver light exploded through the forest.

Ancient symbols appeared beneath Lyra's feet.

The ground trembled.

Somewhere deep beneath the earth, something awakened.

The woman's hood slipped slightly, revealing more of her face.

"There is no time left."

Lyra stared at the glowing symbols.

"What is happening?"

The woman looked toward the sky.

The Silver Moon suddenly became brighter, illuminating the entire forest.

"The Moon Gate is opening."

A deafening crack echoed through the trees.

The ground split open ahead of them, revealing a massive silver doorway hidden beneath the roots of the ancient forest.

Lyra could barely breathe.

"What is that?"

The woman looked at her.

"Your inheritance."

Back at the palace, Kael stood before the royal prophet.

The old man studied him in silence.

"Your Majesty, you should not have come."

"You said the rejection would protect my kingdom."

"It will."

"Then why can I still feel her?"

The prophet's expression flickered.

Only for a second.

But Kael noticed.

"You know something."

"I know only what the prophecy revealed."

Kael stepped closer.

"You told me rejecting her would prevent the destruction of the Seven Kingdoms."

"Yes."

"And you never told me what would happen to her."

The prophet's silence was answer enough.

Kael's eyes narrowed.

"What aren't you telling me?"

The old man's face hardened.

"The prophecy is dangerous knowledge."

"She is my mate."

"She is the reason your kingdom may fall."

Kael's wolf snarled.

Find her.

Kael turned toward the door.

"Where is she?"

The prophet didn't answer.

Kael's voice dropped.

"Where is Lyra?"

The old man finally looked up.

"The Sacred Moon Forest."

Kael froze.

Then a distant pulse of silver energy shook the palace.

Every candle in the chamber went out.

The prophet's face went pale.

"No..."

Kael turned.

"What was that?"

The old man stared toward the forest.

"The Moon Gate."

Kael's heart stopped.

"The Moon Gate hasn't opened in centuries."

"It wasn't supposed to."

Kael felt the mate bond pull violently against his chest.

His wolf roared.

She's in danger.

Kael reached for the door.

"Prepare the royal guards."

The prophet stood abruptly.

"Your Majesty, you must not go after her."

Kael looked over his shoulder.

"Why?"

The prophet's voice trembled.

"Because if she enters that gate..."

He swallowed.

"...we may never be able to bring her back."

Kael didn't hesitate.

"Then I will bring her back before she enters."

He stormed from the chamber.

But deep inside, something told him he was already too late.

In the Sacred Moon Forest, the hunters finally emerged from the darkness.

"There!"

"She's here!"

The silver-robed woman tightened her grip on Lyra's hand.

"Run."

Lyra ran toward the glowing gateway.

"Wait!"

The woman shouted after her.

"When you cross, don't trust anyone who tells you they know your past."

Lyra turned.

"What about you?"

The woman smiled sadly.

"You will find me again."

Another shout came from behind them.

The hunters were almost upon them.

Lyra turned toward the gateway.

The silver light grew brighter.

She stepped across the threshold.

The instant she crossed, the world disappeared.

The last thing she heard was the woman's voice echoing through the forest.

"Find me before they do."

Back at the edge of the forest, Kael arrived with the royal guards.

He stopped dead.

The ancient trees were glowing.

The air was filled with silver light.

And in the distance, a massive gateway was slowly closing.

Kael's heart clenched.

"Lyra..."

His wolf answered with a howl that shook the forest.

Too late.

The Moon Gate vanished.

And Kael finally understood one terrifying truth.

He had rejected his mate to save his kingdom.

But he might have just sent her directly into the greatest danger the world had ever known.