All Chapters of THE DORMANT LUNA Book 1: Chapter 161 - Chapter 170

POV: NeahI find her in the library.Surrounded by books about genetics, mythology, and werewolf history. A laptop open with at least fifteen tabs running. Notes scribbled on a legal pad in tight, precise handwriting.Maren. Micah's sister. Subject Four's daughter. Another hybrid hiding in plain sight.She looks up when I enter. Brown eyes with flecks of gold catching the afternoon light streaming through the windows."Hi," I say. Keep my voice gentle. Non-threatening. "I'm Neah."Recognition flashes across her face. "I know. I saw the trial footage. You testified against Kessler. You were incredible."I pull out a chair across from her. Sit. "I was angry. And scared. And determined. That's not the same as incredible."She closes her laptop. Studies me with the same analytical intensity I've seen in Micah. Assessing. Calculating. Trying to reconcile the person in front of her with the legend she's heard about."Your eyes

POV: NeahLycan prison is carved into the mountain itself.Deep beneath the surface. Stone corridors lit by torches that burn with eternal flame. Wards etched into every surface. Ancient magic that predates modern packs by centuries.Aldara leads us through the maze. Her presence commands respect from every guard we pass. They bow. Step aside. Recognize power that dwarfs their own.Liam walks beside me. His hand brushes mine. Grounding. Kain is close to the surface. Ready to protect. Ready to destroy.Theo trails behind. Recording everything. His analytical mind already cataloging details for later analysis."He's in the lowest level," Aldara says without looking back. "Isolation. No contact with other prisoners. No visitors except medical staff.""How is he?" I ask."Dying. The corrupted energy he exposed himself to during the experiments is destroying him from the inside. Months. Maybe a year if he's lucky.""He doesn'

POV: NeahThe war council reconvenes at dawn.Every leader present. Liam. Marcus. Caleb. Jax. Theo. The weight of the decision we're facing presses down on all of us."The Winter Gathering is non-negotiable," Marcus says. He's been through this before. Decades of pack politics. "Every Alpha in North America attends. It's tradition. Law. Refusing without catastrophic cause would be interpreted as weakness. Disrespect. It could fracture the alliance we've built.""So Liam goes," Theo says. "And leaves Iron Valley vulnerable.""Leaves Neah vulnerable," Jax corrects. "The Architect's timeline specifically mentioned the Gathering. They're planning something. Using Liam's absence as an opportunity."Liam hasn't spoken yet. He's staring at the tactical maps. Running scenarios. Calculating risks.I watch him. My mate. My Alpha. Torn between duty to his pack and the bond that ties us together."So I come with you," I say.Everyon

POV: NeahDay two of the Gathering starts with formal challenges.The main hall transforms into an arena. Circle marked on the floor. Ancient wards keeping combatants contained. Keeping observers safe.Alphas settle territorial disputes through ritual combat. Non-lethal. First blood or submission. It's brutal but controlled. Civilized violence.I watch from behind Liam's chair. Study the techniques. The strategies. The way wolves fight when death isn't the objective.Three challenges complete by midday. Two submissions. One first blood. All disputes resolved without permanent damage.During the break, movement catches my attention.An Alpha approaches. Female. Maybe thirty. Athletic build. Dark hair pulled into a severe bun. Eyes sharp with intelligence and something else. Calculation.Alpha Kiera. Western territories. I remember her from yesterday's introductions. Young for an Alpha. Took her pack through challenge five years

POV: LiamThe alarms shatter the night at 3 AM.Piercing. Urgent. The lodge's ancient security system screaming a warning that hasn't sounded in fifty years.I'm awake instantly. Kain surging to the surface. Battle-ready before my eyes fully open.Beside me, Neah is already moving. Rolling out of bed. Pulling on clothes with practiced efficiency."What's happening?" she asks."Attack. On neutral ground."Her eyes flash gold. "That's impossible. Attacking a Gathering violates ancient law. No one would dare.""Someone just did."Shouts echo through the hallway. Warriors mobilizing. Alphas emerging from their suites armed and ready.I grab my comm. "Jax. Report."His voice crackles through. Tense. "Hostiles breaching the perimeter. Multiple entry points. They're not wolves. They're hybrids. Corrupted ones."My blood runs cold. "How many?""At least forty. Maybe more. They're targeting the main lo