LOGINWhen the Moon Chooses Its SideThe night wrapped itself tightly around the pack borders, thick and watchful, as if the very forest were holding its breath.Aria stood at the edge of the high ridge, gazing out over Silvercrest territory, the wind playfully tugging at her hair and cloak. The moon hung low and bright, spilling pale silver light across the land she had vowed to protect. For the first time since Selene’s revelation, the pull within her felt different.It was steady.Focused.Choosing.Behind her, Rowan approached quietly, though she sensed him long before he spoke. She always did now. His presence was like an anchor, calming the storm that raged beneath her skin.“You haven’t slept,” he said softly.Aria offered a faint smile. “Neither have you.”Rowan didn’t argue. His gaze followed hers across the valley, where distant torchlights marked patrol routes that had doubled since Elder Morian’s visit.“The council will act soon,” he said. “Morian wouldn’t have shown himself un
The Weight of KnowingThe council chamber smelled of old stone and buried secrets.Aria sensed it as soon as she entered.The walls towered high and cold, marked with ancient carvings of moons and wolves in eternal watch. Torches burned along the sides, their flames flickering strangely, as if even fire feared what was about to be said.Rowan walked beside her, steady and grounding, but she could feel the tension beneath his skin. His hand brushed against hers for a moment, a silent reminder that she wasn’t facing this alone.But this was bigger than both of them.At the far end of the chamber, the High Council seats stood elevated, seven stone thrones carved from moonrock, each with the sigil of authority that had governed werewolf packs for centuries.Only three were filled.And one of them made Aria’s blood turn cold.Elder Morian sat at the center, relaxed, fingers steepled as if he had all the time in the world. His pale eyes locked onto Aria the instant she entered—sharp, knowin
The Council’s First MoveThe night after Elder Morian vanished felt wrong. Not quiet. Not peaceful. Wrong. Aria stood on the balcony of the Alpha wing, arms wrapped tightly around herself as the cold wind swept through the stone corridors. The moon hung low in the sky, its silver light spilling across the courtyard below. Instead of comfort, it stirred unease deep in her chest. Since the ruins. Since Selene. Since the truth. She hadn’t slept. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw her mother again, standing tall beneath the moon, power blazing through her veins, and then falling, betrayed by those sworn to protect their kind. The High Council. Her fingers curled into fists. They had killed her mother. And now they were watching her. “Still awake?” Rowan’s voice came softly from behind her. She didn’t turn immediately. She felt him approach before he spoke. His presence was steady, grounding, familiar. When his arms wrapped around her from behind, pulling her gently ag
When the Moon Chooses WarThe night felt different.Aria stood at the edge of the Silvercrest cliffs, the wind tugging at her cloak as moonlight spilled across the valley below. The land stretched out in quiet, but it felt deceptive. Something restless stirred beneath the earth, like a beast shifting before waking.Behind her, the pack gathered silently.They did not speak.They waited.Rowan stood close, his presence steady and grounding. His hand brushed hers briefly—not to claim or command, but to remind her she was not alone.Aria inhaled slowly.Since the ruins, since Selene’s revelation, since Morian’s warning…Nothing inside her felt the same.Power pulsed beneath her skin now—not wild or uncontrolled, but aware. Listening. Responding.The Moon’s Light was no longer dormant.It was awake.“We’ve confirmed movement along the eastern ridge,” Rowan said quietly. “Rogues. But not scattered. Organized.”Aria nodded. “They’re not just watching us anymore.”“No,” Rowan agreed. “They’r
When the Moon Chooses SidesThe night felt heavier than usual.Not because of storm clouds or rain, but rather something invisible, pressing down on the land like a breath held too long.Aria stood at the edge of the Silvercrest borders, her cloak wrapped tightly around her shoulders as the wind whispered through the trees. Ever since she left the ruins, the forest had felt different. The moon above shone brighter, colder—almost as if it were watching her closely now.Judging her.Choosing her.Rowan stood beside her, quiet and alert. He hadn’t said much since Elder Morian vanished into smoke, but Aria could sense his thoughts hanging in the air like a taut string. His wolf stirred beneath his skin, restless and angry.“You’re thinking about what he said,” Aria murmured.Rowan didn’t argue. “He didn’t threaten us like men usually do. He warned us.”Aria’s jaw tightened. “Warnings from the High Council are just threats dressed up in patience.”Rowan glanced at her. “You’ve changed.”Sh
The Shadow That Knows Her NameThe storm had not eased when Aria and Rowan returned to the pack borders. The wind howled louder, as if the forest sensed what had awakened inside her.Aria walked beside Rowan in silence. Her steps were steady, but her thoughts churned like a stormy sea. Selene’s revelations, Morian’s threats, her mother’s memories spun wildly in her mind, refusing to settle.She had always known she was different. She just never imagined that difference would make her a target.The guards straightened as Rowan approached, bowing quickly in respect.“Alpha, Luna,” the lead warrior greeted. “No new intrusions reported. Patrols are doubled as ordered.”Rowan nodded curtly, but Aria barely registered the exchange. Her senses were sharper now, uncomfortably sharp. Every heartbeat within twenty steps pulsed in her ears. Even the wind brushing over the tree bark carried whispers she felt rather than heard.Rowan noticed.He always did.“You’re overwhelmed,” he said softly as







