ut Elira's nerves hadn't. Something felt dif

ed in pages-half-finished sketches, scribbled notes, and aged books with cracked spines and worn leather covers. A hal

y, eyeing her as she stepped towa

" she murmured, pick

ounding a faceless figure cloaked in shadow. Below it was an unfinished phrase in Old Howlean, the anc

this?" she

ird things," Seraphine said

flanked by figures kneeling before it. Another of a girl with a long braid, sta

the Luna... n

io,'" Elira repeated quie

and, drying her face. She paused mid-st

. "You're not supposed to

on firm but curious. "Why not

er and setting the towel aside.

eless werewolf queen and wrote ancient s

ritas, non electio.' It's saying something about the L

overed above the parchment,

One my grandmother whispered about o

r head. "What k

noble bloodlines. Not really. That's just tradition.

eyes now, seriou

moon herself. Chosen by something older than

ff. "Come on. That soun

line-noble, pure, tied to the first Alpha. But that's a lie rooted in control. The prophecy says that when dar

ch again. Her heart was

k... I'm conn

na admitted. "N

red your trance,"

ghtly touched the pendant resting above Elira'

etly now. "Said it belonged to my birth mother. That I should only wear

e mark of the lunar bound. It only appears once every few centuries.

o what-you're saying Elira's some

n is chosen, not selected... and she's already among us, then the

lt slightly. Her breat

. She felt like a girl who h

her chest again-warm, gentle,

e wondered... Wha

ething unspoken-until Seraphine broke it with a laugh

he thought had physically winded her. "You actually t

stif

outh slightly op

ssively. "You say all this like it's a prophecy gospel. Like we're livin

tened. "You thin

"I think it's cute. You, in your mystery shack of a room with your chalk

ed. "Why is it so ha

Seraphine said before

ollowed sliced dee

tood ve

, Elira, you know that. Sweet. Kind. But let's be honest-Luna Queen ma

would have sco

ous ancestral tree doesn't mean she's not special

acked her confidence. "Sure. Special. Like the moon just

nes are corrupted, when power is hoarded and misused, the moon will choose outsi

now, expression unreadabl

"I don't even kno

le. "So maybe we shouldn't go lighting sa

d in frustration. "You know wh

ase enli

down by name or blood. Not when it comes f

d you believe in bedtime stori

Elira," Liana

he room into s

d between them, breath shaky.

ana said gen

d you believe in bedtime stori

Elira," Liana

he room into s

d between them, breath shaky.

id gently, placing

will," Seraphine murmured

her sharply. "

ant... let's not get carried away. We're probably reading too much into your we

ht the quick flicker of emotion in her

es, tucking them into a leather tube. "I'm putting t

laugh. "Wouldn't want anyone thinking we're al

in her chest, the pendant pulsed a

d her-this was on

vender walls. Her room was a beautiful, chaotic mess-filled with books stacked in uneven towers, crystal d

we and curiosity from the earlier trance episode that Liana

't quite faded since her sarcastic jab about Elira being Luna Queen. She looked like she was fightin

de of twisted roots, with symbols carved around the rim. At the center of the crown sat a brilliant moonstone, radiating subtle energy. Surroun

is not chosen. S

e "Liana," she said, her brows furrowed, "what does thi

mething more solemn. "It's an old theory. Well, my theory. You know how Luna Queens have always been picked from the Aeth

ain, huh?" She stepped closer and glanced at the sketch. "Come on, Liana. That's just conspiracy nonsen

g. "And why has no one else outside Aetherclaw ever been fated t

A soft hum vibrated beneath her ribs-the same feeli

ing to awaken and overthrow centuries of tradition just because Liana had a dizzy spell and yo

s voice was soft, but

that followe

" she said, her tone lightening, "you said your

ing a small, velvet-wrapped box. It looked old-delicate gold embroid

d as she held it

nked. "Wh

s different. And because-" she paused, glancing at Elira with a

took the box

and the pendant itself was a flat disc of moonstone encased in silver, with a wolf e

warmth shot through her skin, spreading into her che

dramatic, though. Looks like something out of a fairytale."

ewhere, Seraphine. And some of us a

hair over her shoulder. "Until reali

anks, Liana," she said, trying to steer the conversation

's said to hum in tune with your wolf's spirit. If yours i

almost like she wasn't there. The idea that something cou

ystical-gift-exchange-slash-ancient-theory moment? Because I

But I'm wearing this," she said, slipping the necklace

noticed the way the moonstone glowed just a

that with that simple gift, a slee

Bakery. Elira's eyes lit up instantly. Inside, golden shelves brimmed with pastries,

oll with extra glaze," Liana called out

ne muttered, arching a bro

replied with a grin. "Yo

polished smooth from years of elbows and gossip. From the window, she coul

tugged off her gloves and la

her. "It's jus

"Eighteen is when the threads of fate s

d her gaze.

e Moon Goddess doesn't make mistakes. She's go

not pretend it's always dreamy. Sometimes

really know how to

tic. "I'm being realistic. No

a quick squeeze. "Still, it's your stor

ght over their pastries. The warmth of sugar, berr

ink in. "I just... I don't even know what I want in a ma

roll into her mouth. "Please. The bond h

es me. Not just what I look like. Not my silence.

u want love that doesn't

dded. "E

with a strange glint in her eye. "Yo

mitted. "Maybe because I'v

t," Liana

Seraphine added, "but you've got this... gravity. L

hat's oddly poeti

tudes," Seraphin

e soft clatter of plates and mugs around them. It felt good

in a mate, Serap

Tall, quiet, and emotionally re

oked on

king," Eli

ant someone who gets that I can be..

d to Liana.

d. "Someone who brings me pa

sible," Serap

t," Liana sai

t, Elira felt the quiet hum of nerves. Today could change

w which would

uddenly reached into her coat pocket

he said, "because, you know, I figure

Liana de

o Elira. "But then I saw this and thou

ed it carefully and gasped. Nestled inside was a tiny charm pendant sh

tiful," sh

ke-crazy magic. Just... calming. It's supposed to help with clarity and gro

s wide. "Thank you,

gning disinterest. "Don't get

softened ju

he wind kissed their faces with an early spring ch

ra wasn

ow, that