Beneath the Winter Moon のすべてのチャプター: チャプター 31 - チャプター 40

Silas’s footsteps echoed softly against the polished floor as he left the library, the door clicking shut behind him. The quiet that followed seemed heavier than before, pressing in on Celeste like a second skin. She stayed in her seat for a long while, her gaze fixed on the flickering shadows cast by the fire. The words she had spoken still clung to the air, about her family, her markings, her power. For so long she had buried those truths under layers of silence, but now they were out, and there was no taking them back. Truthfully, she didn’t even need her wolf to be powerful. The strength of Verena, her wolf, was an advantage, yes, but her true power had never come from her other half. It came from the Moon Goddess herself. The markings that curled like molten silver beneath her skin were more than symbols, they were conduits. They connected her to forces older than time, to currents of magic and will that could shape the world. She had never needed to shift to bring a grown

The suite was quiet except for the muffled hum of city traffic far below. The curtains were drawn against the fading evening light, the room lit instead by the warm glow of a single lamp. Blair sat in the middle of the couch, a half-finished glass of wine in her hand, the stem spinning lazily between her fingers.Their stay in the city was coming to an end. Tomorrow, she and Grayson would return to Redstone. She should have been thinking about packing, about appearances when they arrived back at the packhouse, about whatever duties awaited her as Luna.But her mind was elsewhere.She reached for the hotel’s handset, the polished black cord coiling against her wrist as she lifted it. It only rang once before a voice answered.“It’s me,” she said, leaning back against the cushions. “Yes, the trip’s almost over. We’re heading back to Redstone tomorrow.”She swirled her wine slowly, watching the deep red catch the lamplight. “Grayson? He’s… fine, I sup

The fire in Silas’s chambers burned low, casting an amber glow over the stone walls. Victoria paced the rug in tight, clipped steps, her voice low but sharp.“Who is she? What is she? Why didn’t you tell me? Silas, her skin was glowing. That’s not normal.”“Victoria,” he cut in, steady but firm, “sit down.”She froze for a second before lowering herself into the chair across from him, though her eyes kept darting to the bed where Celeste lay unmoving.“You remember the old histories,” Silas began, leaning forward, forearms braced on his knees. “The stories about the first royal lines, the ones chosen by the Moon Goddess herself?”Victoria gave a cautious nod. “Of course. Every wolf pup grows up on those tales. The Winters were the first.”“They weren’t just rulers by bloodline. Their power came directly from her. The Moon Goddess doesn&rsquo

Celeste took a deep breath, the air seeming heavier in her lungs than it should have been.“I understand this power more than I want to,” she said finally, her voice low, steady, but threaded with something darker. “It’s dangerous. Too dangerous for someone... like me to have...”Her gaze drifted, unfocused, as though she was looking somewhere far beyond the walls of the Alpha King’s residence.“I remember the first time I lost control.”Victoria’s posture shifted, but she didn’t speak. She could feel the change in Celeste’s voice—the way it dipped, heavy with something she hadn’t planned to share.“It was years ago. I was young—too young to know what I could do, or how to stop it if it went wrong. I’d gotten into an argument with my parents. I don’t even remember what it was about anymore… something small. Stupid. But I was so angry. I could feel the heat building under my skin, like the world was closing in around me, and I just… snapped.”

Silas’s POVThe palace halls were quiet, the kind of quiet that seeped into the walls. Midday light poured through the tall windows, cutting sharp lines across the black stone floors. Silas had retreated to his study, papers scattered across the desk, a pen idle in his hand. He’d been staring at the same page for the better part of an hour, his mind replaying the conversation on the balcony.The door opened without a knock.“You were listening.”He didn’t look up right away. “I listen to a lot of things.”Victoria stepped inside, closing the door with a soft click. “You were listening to me and Celeste.”Silas finally met her gaze. “You were standing outside my chambers. You knew I’d hear.”“You didn’t come out.”“She didn’t need me in that moment.”Victoria arched a brow, crossing the room to lean