Mark by the Moon

the jagged peaks of the Silverfang Highlands, casting long shadows across the stone courtyards and wolf-carved

iling, her golden eyes fixed on the rising moon. Her bones ached tonight. Not from pain, but from

little

osed h

Silverfangs, trained in diplomacy and bloodshed, armor and obedience. Her mother, Lady Aeryn, ruled in his absence

e. The Keep had erupted in celebration. Flags unfurled, meat r

had felt

hen her mother placed the engagement torque around her neck, forged of ances

t remain

hree ni

he howl

-

from the forest beyond the border cliffs, where no wolf dared tread. Kaela had woken in a co

had returned.

steps approached behind

voice, smooth as velvet but always sli

turn. "I li

or gleaming even in the half-light. Everything about him was perfect-

erfection made

r a beat, brushing his hand against

ay. Not yet. "I've

out

every

gates creaked as guards rotated shifts. Kaela caught

n. "But soon, this will all change. When we are mated, your burdens w

er than my mother's? Was t

strength alone?" she asked softly.

for her chin, tilting her face toward him.

close. Kaela turned a

e said, stepping ba

sed, she felt his gaze linger-sharp, p

-

Kaela coul

air tight, and climbed out of her chamber window onto the ivy-lined wall that led t

direwolf, with practiced hands. The b

he frozen riverbed, and into the whispering woods

marker stone, the air chang

bid

little

Louder. Closer. This

ves, her breath steaming in the cold air as

were frozen mid-scream. Moonlight barely pierced the canopy. The air w

ed ahead, chasing the sound. The howls no longer echoed. They called. No fe

stones jutted like broken teeth. A strange scent d

and knelt. The forest floor

sive. And drag marks. Somet

ed a hollow carved between the roots of a fallen giant oak, part

strapped to her thigh. "Show you

wl an

. But unmist

y now: wet fur, old blood, and something unfamiliar-

the shadows

red. Its fur was matted with dried blood, a deep gash split across its f

breath

from

recog

cted by a claw. The Nightmane sigil. Every Silverfang child was warned of it in nursery tales. Of the wolves

as no

a Nightma

her grip. She should strike

d up-and something in h

t pleading. They were... human. Cunn

said, barely

, with a grunt, collaps

p-likely from silver. The flesh around it shimmered with strange bru

against this. Her mother would call it treason. Darian

.. her wolf c

ot extract-and poured it over the wound. The Ni

a clean cloth to the gash. "But I think you're

-

ow. She lit a small fire, fed him drops of healing elixir between clenched teeth, an

tly, one hand

woke, he

gone. S

man now.

ss. His skin was tan beneath the grime, marked by scars and tattoos inked in c

a fr

ere st

ember-red, like coals beneath ash

ared

d," he rasped, voice

slowly. "S

e Silv

e Nigh

re both m

ad. "You don't lo

. "You haven't

seen w

upright but winc

." She crossed her arm

.Ri

nd ancient. Something about it tugged at her. Like she

ou?" h

She should lie.

outh betr

Kaela Ra

ew together.

es

sed between them. Then R

ed to hers, "I guess fate just

hould h

he Silverfang border was three leagues away, the patrols would soon notic

ll, she

feel like losing something sacred. Like walking aw

ed low between them, casting shadows across the damp stone. His wound was still raw, but the c

alone?" Kaela

w flexed.

tually, he added, "T

caught. "Sl

he cloak. "We were meeting... someone. A go-between from one of the Highland

lled. "A Highland

es. "I was hopin

. "We don't even s

d forward, grimacing slightly from the e

to her feet

ones who pull your strings. The ones who wrote your history. You think we're th

r eyes. "Protec

erfangs are not the pureblooded saints they pretend to be. That not al

words struck somewhe

chose

her bedsheets with a candle stub. Tales of wolves from rival packs who ma

our kind," she said, but h

n asked. "Or is that

ication. She stared into the fire, le

a mark on your shoulder. T

n only to wolves born of two magic lines. It appears

throat t

her mother. It was small, barely visible beneath her collarbone unles

inside her had

"You...? That

the mark. The firelight caught the faint outline of

lief and awe mingli

he said hoarsely.

overed herself,

Silverfang. I have al

his eyes said you don'

-

cross the horizon. The fire's embers dimmed

w, arms wrapped around her chest as

feet. He didn't touch her-didn't need to. The air betwe

u kill me?" he

Then, "Because you looked at

ink I

him. "You don't kno

hear the lies in their voices and the hunger in thei

realizing she had until th

ot of me. Not even of your people. But of the truth t

eath c

m wrong," h

coul

-almost. Then a sharp how

la

ed. From the nort

erfa

d track

o Riven. "Yo

run them in

agging him back into the

ll sce

e ash across the stone, maskin

hers. "Why are

ind you, they'll kill you. And if th

re easier th

hey kill you

-

commands. Hooves crunch

the first scout appeared-Rovan, a

e been searching all night. Lor

ure. "I rode out to clear my

, my lady. But these

e. "Only if you don'

... see

shadow. A howl.

r, Riven

on. As she rode beside them, Kaela stared straight ahead-but her heart

h h

the Silverfang

lf had turned on her. She could still feel the warmth of Riven's hand linger

crosse

hysically-

rough the mist that clung to the peaks. Cold, sharp wind swept through the battlements. From the t

's crest.

ting for her a

He was always beautiful in a dangerous way-chiseled features, smooth voice, strength honed to perfection. A war

, his voice like a bla

ut flinching. "I wasn'

sappeared. Without escort.

space. I

your life

"Is that concern,

t to play coy. Not after what I

art skippe

said. "Night

kno

at her sides. "There are animals

ghtmane just bled out and left no c

s have ghosts now,

grabbed

froze. The gua

linch, but her

said. "I can smell it on you. The s

d smell it, wouldn't you? A nose

rget wh

m starting to remembe

cloak sweeping behind her like

-

rth. The silence inside was suffocating. She stripped off her riding gea

he touched the faint crescent

dmar

echoed inside her skull like a bell tolling doom. She could not

e could not deny the

sh. Something primal.

ted to

altar in the corner of her room. A silver effigy of Lunari

he prayer her mot

words fe

ened h

tared back, u

ife, Kaela wondered if Luna

-

, she drea

g. Blood soaking the roots of ancient trees. And a voice-d

s slick with sweat, and her

her collar

re dawn-a raven ta

st any

dipped in starlight. A rune etched in

nd the bird hopped insid

mbled as she un

e only fi

not what

me. N

she

s fro

ve

iv

di

it

r

horn made a decision that would

d find t

tore her

becoming the mo