All Chapters of Mated to the stubborn luna: Chapter 11 - Chapter 18

The forest of Drelmor Vale breathed like a living creature—wet earth, ancient trees, and whispers in the wind that spoke of forgotten blood. The deeper Aria and the others rode into its shadows, the more unnatural it felt. No birds. No animal tracks. Only silence and the distant, throbbing sensation of being watched.Aria gripped the reins of her black mare tighter. “Are we sure we’re not being followed?”“We’re being watched,” Varek said from beside her, his tone grim. “But not by the living.”That didn’t make her feel better.The scouting party had been kept small. Just five riders: Varek, Kaelen, Aria, and two elite guards. The decision wasn’t for stealth—it was strategy. Too many would attract attention. Too few and they’d risk being overwhelmed.But Aria hadn’t come to hide.She had to see.“What happened here?” she asked, as they passed a burned-out village gate. Charred wood, broken lanterns, shattered pottery—remnants of lives violently cut short.Kaelen dismounted and knelt b

The sky was still ink-dark when the fortress bells rang out across the mountain range. Warriors rushed into formation, leather and metal creaking as weapons were drawn. The scent of iron and ash clung to the air like an omen.Aria stood at the front, armored in silver-lined black, the crescent sigil across her breastplate gleaming faintly. Her eyes were calm. Her blood, roaring.Behind her, Varek mounted his obsidian-colored warhorse. His presence was silent but towering, a predator preparing to strike. On his other side, Kaelen double-checked the enchanted arrows slung across his back.“We ride for the ridge,” Varek said. “If they complete that ritual, we won’t survive what comes through.”Aria turned to the assembled warriors—vampires, Crescent wolves, and shadow-bound soldiers alike. The unlikeliest of allies, united under a Luna who had not even existed to them a month ago.Now she was everything.“I know you’re afraid,” Aria began, her voice carrying like thunder. “So am I. But I

The war room buzzed with uneasy energy.Strategic maps were pinned to the stone table, candlelight casting flickering shadows across borders and battle lines. Varek stood at one end, arms crossed, his expression unreadable. Kaelen paced nearby, his fingers drumming restlessly on the hilt of his dagger.Aria entered in silence, the silver ring still warm on her finger. Conversations stilled the moment she crossed the threshold. Every eye turned toward her—not as a stranger, not even as a Crescent—but as Luna.“My lady,” said Marrek, one of the older vampire generals. His tone was respectful, but hesitant. “You asked for a full report. We’ve received word—what happened last night was only the beginning.”“Tell me,” Aria said, moving to the table.Marrek nodded grimly. “The cult has split into factions. The Harbinger we saw was one of several summoned across the continent. They're testing vulnerabilities, searching for the true Crescent heir. There are whispers... that the final ritual r

The Crescent camp had moved closer to the Hollow’s edge.Tents lined the forest border in disciplined rows, torches lit a protective ring, and scouts reported constant movement from within the ancient fortress. Something was stirring, and it wasn’t just the cult.Inside her tent, Aria studied the orb her mother left behind—now dim and pulsing faintly like a dying heartbeat. She had brought it out in secret, away from even Varek’s eyes. Her instincts said this was meant for her alone.Words carved into the pedestal had burned into her memory:When the third moon rises, the Hollow shall awaken.That was only days away.And she had no idea what it meant.“You’ve been quiet,” Varek said, stepping inside without asking. His presence was steadying, his tone low and calm. But his eyes betrayed worry.“Thinking,” she said, not hiding the orb.He glanced at it but didn’t press. “The scouts found a hidden path—an old Crescent supply tunnel under the Hollow. It’s caved in partway but might be us