All Chapters of THE SHADOWBORN LUNA: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

The night before the Council demonstration, I could not sleep. I stood on our private balcony, watching moonlight paint the mountains silver, feeling the weight of tomorrow pressing down like a physical thing. Tomorrow, we would stand before thirteen Alphas and prove that Shadowborn deserved to exist. That we were not weapons or monsters, but bridges between old magic and new law.Tomorrow, we will either secure our future or watch everything crumble. Warm arms wrapped around me from behind. "You are thinking too loud again," Draven murmured against my ear, pulling me back against his chest. "I can feel your anxiety through the bond from three rooms away.""Sorry. I tried not to wake you." "I was not sleeping either." His lips brushed my temple. "How could I? My mate is about to attempt magic that has not been done in three centuries. In front of people who want her dead. While I stand on the sidelines and watch, unable to help." I turned in his arms to face him. The moonlight caught

I woke to sunlight streaming through the windows and the delicious smell of breakfast. Draven sat beside the bed, watching me with an expression that was equal parts amused and exasperated. "How long have you been staring at me?" I asked, my voice rough with sleep. "Long enough to confirm you are still breathing. After yesterday, I was not entirely certain."He offered me a cup of tea. "You slept sixteen hours." "Sixteen?" I struggled to sit up. "The sanctuary—the training—" "Is being handled by Sebastian. Your Shadowborn are under strict orders to rest, eat, and absolutely not attempt any magic for at least forty-eight hours."His hand pressed gently against my shoulder, keeping me in bed. "That includes you." "But the requests from other territories—" "Can wait. Kaia, you healed a major Veil tear and then rode through the night to save thirty-seven wolves. Your body needs recovery time." His voice softened. "Please. Just rest. For me." Your body needs recovery time." His voice softe

Elena's training did not go smoothly. Where Astrid had been nervous but willing, Elena was terrified. Where the twins had been confused but eager, Elena was paralyzed by guilt. Where Garrett had been disciplined and determined, Elena could barely function. She flinched at sudden movements. Refused to eat unless Maya physically sat with her. Woke screaming from nightmares about burning flesh.And her power would not respond. "It is like she has locked it away completely," I told Sebastian after our third failed training session. "I ask her to sense her magic, and she just shuts down." "Trauma response," he said calmly. "Her mind associates power with killing Ben.So it has built walls, suppressed the magic to protect her from experiencing that pain again." "How do I break through?" "You do not. She has to break through herself. Your job is to show her it is safe to try." Easier said than done. I tried gentle exercises. Meditation. Visualization. Nothing worked. Elena sat in the Deep, s

Theron stood at our gates with two other Alphas I recognized from Council meetings.Alpha Marcus from Eastern territory. Alpha Helena from the West.My stomach dropped. Helena had called us for help with battle healing. Had thanked us. What was she doing here with Theron?"This is Blood Moon territory," Draven said, his voice cold and authoritative. "State your business or leave.""We have concerns about your sanctuary," Marcus said. "Eight Shadowborn in one location. That concentration of power makes neighboring territories nervous.""Then neighboring territories can mind their own business." I stepped forward beside Draven. "We have broken no laws. Helped multiple packs with Veil repairs and healing. What exactly is the concern?"Theron's smile widened. "The concern is what happens when your control slips. When one of those monsters loses it and burns through territories. You are creating a powder keg.""They are not monsters. They are wolves learning to master their abilities.""Li

Two weeks passed without incident. The calm should have been reassuring. Instead, it made me more nervous. Like standing in the eye of a storm, knowing the worst was yet to come. I spent those weeks doing individual sessions with each Shadowborn, assessing their mental state and progress. Astrid was thriving. Her control had improved dramatically, and she had started helping with the newer students. She was patient, kind, exactly the kind of teacher the sanctuary needed.The twins, Mira and Cara, worked together like two halves of a whole. Their powers complemented each other—shadow and sound creating effects neither could achieve alone. They were stable, happy, and even. Garrett Shadowmere had found purpose after decades of guilt. He threw himself into training with single-minded focus, determined to master control so completely that another accident became impossible.Elena had made steady progress. She still carried guilt about Ben’s death, but she could access her power now withou