eamt of the red moo

rld around he

escorted her back and forth across the fortress halls, and certainly not to the Alpha. But she felt i

nd spared by chance. And yet, when she walked the ha

elt w

in f

expec

ding to his clothing, his water, his scrolls, his unread letters. Sometimes he was already gone, vanished before daw

r greet

r dismissed

n itself, w

e noticed a torn page discarded near his desk. It was stained, not wit

li

not h

s not

the word made h

it away, his voice c

ave

ot turned, but she

m so

are

nce pulling the very air ar

ious. That i

dropped. "I di

oo

, unsure wh

l," he said. "Until

st time he asked

ou fear mo

s not laced with amusement or te

not he

forgo

e thought he had not heard. But

we are

to recogni

a week, sometimes only after the full moon. But when it happened, the fortress gre

began th

of iron locking

open, skin clawed from within, face pale and glistening with pain. She would clean the

ht, the sil

nk I am

n, startled. "I think... Yo

e said flatly

was streaked with fading red, muscles taut beneath

this way, Sele

d not

wered

ce. Her blood saved m

from th

e moon..." He laughed bitterly. "The moon does

appened

d not

silence

didn't return to th

ade lay in bed, half-conscious from blood loss, his breathing shallow but steady. The mo

now when she

from he

the days before

ght he w

ote fell into sil

to sing

any wings, but onl

rthern

kirted it, their noses lowered, tails stiff. But one night, when the mo

r touche

ice. A p

te was

wa

into its centre pul

ward it, her h

on

's v

s, eyes brighter than

u never to

ing to open i

matter. The d

wned. "

said. "And pain

a step

ds the price o

her

r it again, I won't sto

orning, he

for

da

ds blistered. The others whispered about the Alpha's absence. Some claimed he had tur

ne knew t

ding from

from

ragged and bloodstained, walk

gua

wol

he weight of cent

the western wing,

you had lef

eplied. "But

fened. "

he said softly.

le

the first time, there wa

a que

hy

at to say. Did not

told th

you looke

hanged afte

an to sp

en. Not

en

down not through lineage but through choice. He spoke of Elira, the girl with silver eyes and sa

odfang dies," he sa

hy

the one who could

en them. He looked at h

t want to

ached for

not pul

reamt

me, of

g in a

utstretched under a moon th

circl

ne att

wai

r mouth, the sound tha

as a

her chest. It took her several heartbeats to realise she was still in her quarters and not in that moon-dr

Some things felt too i

fortress had changed. Guards stood a little straighter. The wind

ame that

n hung fat and golden above the tower. The moment she

he edges, fully shifted and silent. Warriors in dark

od in th

cient men with silver tattoos across the

them

l must b

stomach

space," the elder continued.

readable. "She did

d it call. Th

koned he

ice was low, urgent. "You don't hav

her surprise, s

face t

spread aroun

ed once. "Let

ng of earth known as the Lunaris Circle. The ground was packed hard beneath

e wo

ut of form, half-shadow, half-beast. One was pure white, on

You must look them in the eyes, and not flinch. If

swallow

was exti

kne

en, gr

of her face, its breath hot and heavy. Selene's knees trembled,

d. Sniffe

backe

but held her ground. Its claws scraped her arm,

e the bl

It did not sniff

ene sta

her chest like a hand. She fel

he ho

n herself. A cry raw a

tilted its head

rches

le

th

epted," the

cle dis

her, eyes wid

cogni

ilence back to t

closed behind t

now what you

tell

e not just a servant now. You

"What does

pping closer, "you have

unbi

dropped. "

first time, Kade

ith h

h g

d in that c

s breat

didn't

assed between them, old and

ftly. "Then may

hispered. "Y

epped

ght be

the wind h

rst time in centuries, t

r window and knew

a girl wh

woman who w