The days following Selene and Darius's return from the Temple of Eternum were unlike anything Stormbane Fortress had ever seen.
News of their triumph spread across kingdoms like wildfire. Wolves from distant lands poured into Stormbane territory to swear allegiance to the Alpha and Luna who had defied destiny and mastered time itself. Songs were written about their victory; banners stitched in silver and violet lined every hall.
But while the kingdom celebrated, Selene and Darius sensed something else stirring beneath the joy—a storm brewing on the horizon, one even time itself whispered about.
The grand coronation took place under a blood-red sunset. Thousands gathered in the moonlit courtyard as Selene, dressed in flowing violet silks that shimmered like starlight, stood beside Darius, clad in silver and black armor.
An ancient priestess raised her staff high, her voice booming across the courtyard:
"By the will of the Moon Goddess and by the bond that defied eternity, we crown you Darius Stormbane, Eternal Alpha, and Selene Raventhorn, Eternal Luna, Keepers of Time."
Wolves howled in unison as crowns forged of moonstone and starfire were placed upon their heads. Darius reached for Selene's hand, entwining their fingers. The moment their marks touched, the sky itself responded—constellations swirled into the shape of a wolf and a flame, locking into the heavens forever.
That night, while the kingdom feasted, Selene and Darius escaped to the highest tower, away from the noise.
They stood on the balcony, the entire kingdom glittering below like a sea of stars. Darius slid his arms around Selene's waist, pulling her back against his chest.
"This is all for us," he murmured, kissing the curve of her neck. "But none of it matters if I don't have you."
Selene tilted her head, smiling softly. "You'll always have me. Even time couldn't tear us apart."
He turned her in his arms, his silver eyes glowing under the moonlight. "We're not just Alpha and Luna anymore," he said quietly. "We're something more… something even the gods couldn't control. And you know what that means."
Selene's smile faded, understanding dawning. "They'll come for us," she whispered.
Darius nodded grimly. "The Council's gone, the beast is sealed, but power like ours doesn't go unanswered. The gods won't let us change destiny without consequences."
Selene placed her hands on his chest, feeling his steady heartbeat. "Then let them come," she said fiercely. "We've fought fate itself, Darius. We can fight anything."
His lips crashed into hers in a kiss full of fire and promise, their bond burning brighter than the moon. When they finally parted, breathless, Darius pressed his forehead to hers.
"And if the gods demand war," he whispered darkly, "then war is what they'll get."
Weeks later, the first sign of divine retaliation appeared.
It began with whispers carried on the wind, rumors of celestial warriors descending from the skies. Crops withered overnight, rivers froze in midsummer, and strange rifts in time appeared across distant borders—villages trapped in endless loops of repeating days.
Magnus entered the war chamber one morning, his expression grim. "Alpha, Luna," he said, bowing low. "Scouts report a figure cloaked in starlight moving toward the fortress. Wolves who approach… vanish. No trace left."
Selene exchanged a tense look with Darius. "A god?" she asked.
Magnus nodded. "The emissary of Chronos himself—the Primordial Timekeeper."
Darius's jaw tightened, his wolf snarling inside him. "Chronos…" he growled. "The god of time doesn't like that we've broken his chains."
Selene's mark burned hot, violet light flaring faintly. She stepped closer to Darius, her voice steady despite the chill creeping into her bones. "If he's coming for us… we face him together."
That night, under a silver crescent moon, the air shifted.
From the heavens descended a figure draped in cosmic robes, starlight dripping from every fold of his garments. His face was obscured by a mask shaped like an ancient clock, hands frozen at midnight. Around him, time warped—torches burned backward, shadows moved unnaturally.
Stormbane wolves gathered in the courtyard, weapons drawn but trembling under the divine presence.
Darius and Selene emerged from the fortress, hand in hand, crowns gleaming in the moonlight. They stood tall before the god's emissary, their bond flaring in silver and violet flames.
The figure's voice was a deep, echoing resonance that seemed to come from every direction at once.
"Darius Stormbane. Selene Raventhorn," he intoned. "You have shattered destiny. Defied the wheel of rebirth. The Heart of Time bends to you."
Selene's chin lifted proudly. "We did what needed to be done. Our love is no crime."
The emissary's head tilted slightly. "No crime… but a threat. Mortals are not meant to wield eternity. Chronos himself demands you surrender your bond or face obliteration."
Darius stepped forward, silver eyes glowing like blades of moonlight. "Tell Chronos this," he snarled. "We bowed to prophecy once. It killed us a thousand times. Never again."
Selene's voice joined his, strong and unwavering. "If your god wants to tear us apart," she said, violet magic crackling at her fingertips, "he'll have to tear through both of us."
The emissary's mask shifted, clock hands spinning rapidly before stopping again. "So be it," he said ominously. "Prepare for the Wrath of Time."
With a flash of cosmic light, he vanished into the sky, leaving the fortress trembling in his wake.
In the war council that followed, Magnus spoke gravely. "Alpha, Luna… we cannot fight a god."
Darius slammed his fist into the table, splintering the wood. "We don't fight as mortals," he growled. "We are eternal now. We are the Keepers of Time."
Selene placed a calming hand on his arm, then looked at Magnus. "We'll need allies," she said. "Every pack, every kingdom that owes us loyalty—we call them now. If Chronos wants war, he'll find the entire world standing with us."
Magnus bowed. "As you command, Luna."
Later that night, Darius found Selene alone on the moonlit balcony, staring at the stars. He wrapped his arms around her from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder.
"You're quiet," he murmured.
Selene leaned into him, her voice soft but steady. "I'm not afraid for us," she said. "But if a god truly comes… our people could suffer."
Darius kissed the side of her neck, his grip tightening protectively. "Then we end it before it begins," he vowed. "Chronos can bend all of time and space, but he's never faced us—not as we are now."
Selene turned in his arms, cupping his face, her violet eyes glowing faintly. "Promise me something," she whispered.
"Anything," he said without hesitation.
"No matter what happens," she said, her voice trembling slightly, "we never let them win. Not the gods, not destiny, not even time itself. We stay us."
Darius's silver eyes burned with fierce love as he kissed her slowly, deeply, sealing the promise with fire.
"They'll have to destroy all of creation," he murmured against her lips, "before they take you from me."
Far above them, beyond mortal sight, the heavens stirred.
Chronos himself watched from a realm of endless clocks and galaxies, his ancient power twisting like a storm. The emissary knelt before him, voice hollow as it spoke:
"They will not surrender."
Chronos's cosmic voice rumbled like thunder through eternity.
"Then eternity itself shall be their battlefield