Chapter 5: The Aetherial Awakening

The transition from the freezing mud of the border to the warmth of the Royal Carriage felt like a dream. I was in and out of consciousness remembering Caspians look and feeling wrapped in furs that smelled of ozone and old cedar.

When I finally opened my eyes the stone of the Iron-Claw cells was gone. I was lying in a bed made from one piece of white birch covered in linens that felt like liquid against my skin. The air here was thin and sweet with a pitched hum that made the warmth in my chest feel good.

I sat up gasping as my muscles hurt.

"Be careful little star " a man said. "Your body has spent five years holding back a lot of power. It takes time to get used to the light."

I looked toward the window. Three men were standing there, each big. They seemed to take up all the air in the huge room. They were giants compared to the wolves of the Reach and their presence was heavy and powerful.

The one who spoke was the oldest. He had hair like a winter storm and eyes that seemed deep and scary. He stepped forward his boots making no sound on the marble floor.

"Who are you?" I asked, my hand going to my throat looking for the Luna brooch that wasn't there.

"I am Kaelen, " he said. ". These are your brothers, Ryker and Jaxon. You are in the Aetherial Peaks, Elowen. You are home."

"Brothers..." I whispered. The word felt strange like my mouth hadn't said it in twenty years. "My parents... They told me they were the last of our line. They sent me to the Royal Pack for safety before the Great Purge."

"They lied to protect you, " Jaxon said. He was the youngest with looking hair tied back with a leather cord and eyes that seemed full of energy. "They knew the Northern Alphas would hunt a female of the line. They hid your power. Sent you away while we grew up in the High Peaks to get our throne back."

Ryker, the brother, stepped forward with a silver cup. He looked a lot like me. Elegant, with a gaze. "We've watched you Elowen. We watched you build Caspians empire. We watched you waste your talent on a man who didn't deserve you."

He looked angry. "We almost helped you a dozen times. But the law of the Peaks is clear: the power must be claimed by choice, not by rescue."

I took the cup and the liquid inside tasted like honey and starlight. As I drank the fog in my mind cleared. The memories of the five years didn't hurt as much; they felt distant like a story about someone else.

"He locked me in a cell " I said, my voice getting stronger. "He chose a woman who lied to him over the partner who built his pack."

"He is a fool playing at being a King, " Kaelen said. ". His insults are the least of his crimes. By putting a Princess of the Alliance in prison he has invited a war he can't win."

"No, " I said, setting the cup down. I looked at my hands. They were no longer stained with ink or grease. They were glowing with a purple light. "I don't want a war. Not yet. I want my power. I want to be whole."

Kaelen nodded, a smile on his face. "Your Celestial core is awake. It's chaotic. If you don't learn to control it you will burn yourself from the inside out. There is one man who can teach you to use the Aether without losing your soul."

"The Healer " I guessed.

"The Exile " Ryker corrected. "His name is Malachi. He lives in the Mystic Forest, between the High Peaks and the Northern Reach. He is the one who has survived the transition from Alpha to Celestial."

"Then we leave now " I said, getting out of bed.

"You are still weak, Elowen, " Jaxon said.

I stood up. For a moment the room spun.. Then I felt it. The pull of the earth, the vibration of the air. I didn't reach for the wolf; I reached for the world. The marble floor seemed to pulse beneath my feet giving me strength.

"I have spent five years being 'strong as a mountain' for a man who wanted me small, " I said, looking my brothers in the eye. "I am not waiting another second to be what I was born to be."

The journey to the Mystic Forest took three days. We traveled on the backs of the Great Vargs. Creatures that dwarfed the largest Northern wolves. My brothers treated me with respect that felt strange and exciting. They didn't see a "Contract Luna"; they saw a Queen in the making.

As we entered the Mystic Forest the air changed. The vibrant energy of the High Peaks gave way to a shifting mist that tasted of damp earth and old secrets.

"The Forest reacts to intent, " Kaelen warned. "Stay close."

We reached a clearing where a small stone cottage sat nestled in the roots of a tree. A man stood outside chopping wood with a precision. He wasn't wearing a shirt and his skin was covered in tattoos that seemed to move and writhe like ink in water.

He didn't look up as we approached. "Three. A broken star. I told you Kaelen I don't take students."

"She isn't a student, Malachi, " Kaelen said. "She is the missing piece."

Malachi stopped his axe mid-swing. He. His eyes hit me like a physical blow. They weren't brown or blue; they were the color of gold swirling with a darkness that made my breath catch.

"Elowen " he murmured, the name sounding like a prayer and a threat.

Before I could speak a scent drifted through the trees. A scent I would know anywhere. Pine resin, roasting venison and the sharp metallic tang of an Alphas fury.

I turned toward the treeline.

Emerging from the mist looking tired and desperate was Caspian.. Clinging to his arm looking more "delicate" than ever was Sienna.

"Elowen!" Caspian roared, his eyes widening as he saw me standing with the three giants. "I knew you'd flee to the forest. You're coming back to face the pack's justice."

He took a step forward, his aura flaring. Malachi stepped between us. The healer didn't growl; he didn't shift. He simply stood there. The entire forest went silent.

"You are on ground, Alpha, " Malachi said. ". You are speaking to a woman who no longer belongs to you."

Caspian looked past him, his gaze fixing on me. For a second I saw a flash of the man I had loved. The confusion, the longing, the pain.. Then Sienna whimpered, clutching her stomach and the mask of the vengeful Alpha returned.

"She's a criminal, Healer, " Caspian spat. "She tried to kill my child. Move aside. The Iron-Claw pack will take her by force."

My brothers moved, then three shadows of death stepped up behind me.

"Try it " Jaxon whispered, his claws extending.

I looked at Caspian. Then at the woman at his side. I didn't feel the crushing weight of betrayal. I didn't feel the urge to scream. I felt the ring on my finger hum.

"I'm not going anywhere with you, Caspian " I said, my voice carrying through the clearing with a terrifying authority. "The contract is over.. The price, for your betrayal... Well the Healer hasn't told me what it is yet.. I'm starting to think it's going to be everything you have.”