LOGINThe Luna Who Would Not BreakThe storm had subsided outside, yet inside the pack house, the atmosphere was suffocating with tension. The walls still hummed faintly from the earlier thunder, as if the Valley itself was pausing, uncertain of what would happen next.Elara stood in the middle of the war room, her hair still damp, her heartbeat slightly unsteady from everything that occurred at the riverbank. The warriors who had returned with her lingered along the walls—quiet, waiting, observing her as though she was the only steady point they trusted after the turmoil.Kai was the last to enter. His gaze found hers instantly, and a wave of relief washed over his face before he quickly masked it with his typical Alpha composure. But she had been close enough to him for long enough to see past the facade.“You’re safe,” he said quietly, taking a step closer.“Safe for the moment,” she replied. “But the Temple's warning wasn’t a riddle, Kai. Something is approaching—something greater than
Midnight Whispers in the StormThe tempest swept over the mountains like a wounded animal, its growl reverberating through the valley. Lightning flashed across the horizon, casting the forest in silver for an instant before plunging it back into shadow. Raine stood beneath the crumbling archway of the ancient shrine, her cloak drenched, her breath escaping in anxious puffs.She sensed his approach long before the sound of footsteps reached her ears.A heartbeat.A constriction in her chest.An warmth that pressed against her senses like a flame seeking air.Alden.He emerged through the downpour, every part of him soaked, each step heavy and commanding. His hair clung to his forehead, his dark eyes shimmering faintly in the murky storm. Lightning illuminated his imposing figure with a ghostly blue glow.“Raine,” he said, his voice thick with a mix of anger, fear, and yearning. “Why did you run off by yourself?”She swallowed hard. “Because you would have stopped me.”“I should have,”
The Echo That Wouldn’t Let Her RestLuna awoke to silence— but it was not the reassuring kind. It was the heavy, oppressive type that settles in after a tempest leaves devastation in its wake. Her eyes flew open. The chamber still radiated a faint glow from the Heartstone’s awakening, the atmosphere thick with the metallic odor of scorched magic. Dust drifted lazily in thin beams of moonlight filtering through cracks overhead. Rowan was beside her—leaning against a shattered pillar, arms crossed over his chest, head tilted as if he had been observing her slumber for hours. His shirt was burnt, his skin scraped, but his gaze was sharp and vigilant the moment she stirred. “You’re awake,” he breathed, relief softening the tightness in his shoulders. “Thank the goddess.” Luna attempted to sit up, but her body felt heavy, as if her limbs were filled with lead instead of strength. Rowan immediately moved, sliding an arm behind her back for support. “Take it easy,” he murmure
The Heartstone's luminescence remained unyielding.It erupted.Light surged from the crystal the instant Luna's fingers made contact with it—white, gold, and fierce—so blinding that Rowan flinched and swept an arm over his eyes. Kai muttered a curse as the entire chamber quaked, dust cascading from the ceiling like falling ash.Yet Luna remained completely motionless.Her breath caught as a pulse—more potent than a heartbeat—struck her chest like a tsunami. It was more than mere power. It was a presence. Ancient. Aware. Famished.Her legs gave way.“Luna!” Rowan dashed forward, catching her around the waist to prevent her from collapsing. But the instant he touched her, the light surged once more—wild, unrestrained magic flaring outward.Rowan was hurled back like a rag doll.He crashed against the stone wall with a grunt, dust billowing around him. Kai barely had time to curse before a shockwave swept through the chamber, sending him skidding across the ground.The Heartstone's glow
Whispers of the Forbidden GateThe tunnel had fallen silent once more, but it wasn’t a relief-inducing quiet. It was the oppressive type—the kind that lingers over a battlefield immediately after the cries have ceased. The atmosphere was dense with the remnants of Luna’s energy, still resonating faintly against the stone.Rowan kept one arm securely around her waist as they proceeded further into the passage. She was stable enough to move, yet her legs shuddered occasionally. Each shudder made Rowan’s teeth grind.“I’m okay,” she murmured.“You’re not okay,” Rowan replied, tightening his grip. “You exhausted too much energy. We should pause—”“No.”Her tone was soft yet unyielding.“We can rest later. If we pause now, they’ll catch up.”Kai glanced back over his shoulder. “She’s right. I can still detect their foulness lingering in the air. They’re regrouping—they realize she’s nearing the Temple’s core.”Rowan despised it, but he couldn’t dispute it.They pressed on down the stone pa
The Ambush in the Hollow TunnelsLuna pressed forward as the tunnel constricted, her torch flickering against the icy stone surfaces. The atmosphere felt dense, resonating with an indescribable energy that unsettled her. Rowan’s footsteps were silent behind her, yet she sensed his presence—steady, vigilant, prepared.“Keep close,” he whispered.His voice reverberated in the darkness, providing her with a sense of stability.“I am,” she replied softly, even as her heart raced.They had anticipated that the inner chambers of the Moon Temple would be serene, undisturbed for hundreds of years. Instead, with each step deeper, the sensation of being observed intensified—as if the shadows themselves were eavesdropping.Kai followed behind, his instincts honed, his nose quivering. “Something isn’t right. The scent ahead… it’s faint, but it’s fresh. Someone has been here not long ago.”Luna’s stomach knotted. “Are they still nearby?”Before he could respond, a deep growl reverberated from the







