one corridors. Arielle stood alone in the candlelit chamber that had become hers, every breath foggin

wn to the ground six times in under fifteen minutes. The seventh time, she didn't get

r her to beg, she'd instead met his eyes wi

no one had ever seen - dark, tangled hair, slight frame, wide gray eyes. But there was a tension in her limbs, a st

e moment her skin touched the surface, a flicker of blue ligh

ed her h

whispered, more to he

o answer. O

ms crossed, flanked by two heavily armored warriors - both tow

said without emotion. "You'

h hitched

ou want to be a Q

he still didn't understand, still hadn't earned - but one

ed forwar

uick and brutal - aiming a sweeping leg to knock her down. She jumped instinctively, but th

ded throug

t

e - a voice she barely remembered. But

p, Ar

taggered to her feet. Again, they ca

his wrist, yanked it downward with surprising force, and he stumbled forward. The second went

aved. Her limbs fe

ut something flickered in his express

akening,"

inked.

y turned away and barked at

of the courtyard. Snowflakes drifted lazily down fr

magnific

ay, silhouetted by the setting sun. He wore a heavy black cloak

Luc

ly and bowed her he

e steps. His presence was as vast as the cold

fast," he said. "M

her bruised hands. "May

not with pity. He crouched in

e said. "But it isn't. It's a shell - one that

breath. "An

ward, gently placing two fingers under he

hen it matters

aring into the dusk like

Arielle dr

tone, with silver banners bearing a crest sh

ned red. Her heart

f wolves - warriors, alphas, roy

echoed b

f Moonbloo

like hers. A woman who looked exactly like the mother in h

hat is

h a gasp, sweat

was

lucin

emo

rror, eyes wide, and s

ring back at her

ient lurking behind tho

n her life, Arielle Moon

tone, painting Arielle's skin in ghostly hues. Her body ached from the morning's training with

hs. The castle had fallen into silence, guards at their posts, servants tucke

esence that threat

s, until she found herself standing before the Temple of Ancients-an ancient

ome here. Her feet simply moved,

ropped. The air became thick, dense with power, like

of moonlight, stood a marble pedestal with a

oached c

f the basin, a rush of energy coursed thr

shed behin

den eyes... standing tall, a cro

soaked in bl

ng beneath a

d-whispering something in a language Ariel

. The lost wolf.

umbled bac

e hell w

the stillnes

d the Moo

the entrance, arms folded across h

st-" Her words tumbled ou

narrowing as they locked onto

ha

Queen Lyra. The last Moo

ed. "I never

rased. The King never forgave her fo

thundered. "Wh

s wanted war, she chose unity. Many saw her as a traitor to he

n has been dry for decades. Only so

tched. "Then it's t

Not just royal. You're one of the

an omega. I've never shifted.

ur bloodline was buried so deep even you couldn't feel it. But

, and she sat on the st

oftened. "This won't be easy. What comes next wil

up. "Why do

served your grandmot

ond, she saw more than just the ruthless general. She s

her granddaugh

ly a whisper. "Then teach me. Show me

re ghost of a smile. "Training

ning came br

wasn't

y swing of his blade forcing her to duck or

a crown?" he barke

ed. Her lungs burned.

t knocked down,

ed to block, her r

s began t

pread like

t like th

oesn't

r eyes-she'

med surprised b

after one session. "It's not strength-it'

ng but alive. She stared at the ceiling, a s

for

mo

po

answ

ream. The weak omega who cried beh

ielle stirred. One for

Bloodmoon Pack, Alpha Kade stared into the fla

felt so

pu

t in t

ght severed had just..

ched hi

gone," he

anym

e would not let he