The council chamber buzzed with quiet tension.
Elder Bran rose from his stone seat, robes draping like storm clouds around him. His gray beard twitched with disapproval as his sharp eyes scanned the Alpha standing before them.
"You've left the Luna seat empty for three years, Jaxon." Bran said calmly.
Jaxon Storm stood at the center, arms crossed, jaw tight. "That decision was mine to make." he retorted.
"It was tolerated," another Elder cut in, Elder Yara, the youngest on the council, but the most vocal. "Because we believed your strength alone was enough to guide the pack."
"And now?" Jaxon asked, his voice low and edged.
"Now the borders are bleeding," Bran snapped. "Rogues strike with strategy, not impulse. Warriors are losing morale. Mate bonds are strained. And the people whisper behind your back."
Jaxon's eyes flickered.
Yara leaned forward. "A Luna balances the Alpha. You know this. She isn't just a title. She is the spiritual tether to the Moon Goddess herself. Without her, your power will unravel."
"I don't need a Luna to control my pack," Jaxon growled.
"No," Bran cut in sharply. "But your pack needs a Luna to believe in you."
Jaxon's mouth pressed into a thin line.
"You may not care about politics, but you are not only Alpha by blood. You are Alpha by duty. The moment you rejected your mate, you weakened your standing." Bran said, emphasizing his duties.
A beat passed. Tense. Heavy.
Another Elder, who had remained silent, finally spoke. "Then perhaps it's time to consider another Luna."
Jaxon's gaze snapped to him, ice-cold and dangerous. "No one else bears the mark," he said darkly. "No one else can."
Yara stepped in carefully. "There are whispers that Sasha—"
"No." Jaxon said, his tone high and firm. The single word cracked through the chamber like thunder, the room held its breath.
Jaxon turned away, his shoulders tense, breath shallow. His wolf stirred just beneath his skin, clawing for control.
"You think I don't feel the weight of this pack breaking?" he growled. "You think I don't see the shadows creeping past our borders? The warriors who don't sleep? The bonds unraveling? I see it all." Jaxon said angrily.
"Then act," Yara said quietly.
---
In a vision that hit her like a flash of lightning, Emery saw fire, wolves howling, shadows rising. Jaxon's face was torn with pain. His wolf wildl and lost. While Sasha, screaming.
And herself, standing in a circle of light, her hands glowing, her heart… breaking all over again.
She woke up gasping for air, her chest rising and falling.
"Elara" she called out feeling frightened, "I saw something. I felt it. Something's coming." Emery spoke in haste
Elara didn't look surprised. She placed a bowl of burning sage at the foot of the bed.
"You felt it, the pull of fate." Elara replied with a gentle voice
"What are you talking about ?" Emery's brow drew together as she stared at Elara inquisitively
Elara placed a hand over Emery's. "it's time to go back." She muttered calmly
Emery froze, "No," she whispered. "I can't—" her expression faltered
"You must. You carry the moon's mark." Elara spoke to her gently.
Emery looked down at her hands, still trembling, "But I don't want him back, I don't want to go back." She muttered, her gaze dropped to the ground.
Elara's voice was soft, but unwavering. "Then return for something greater.
---
Sasha sat poised at the head of the parlor, legs crossed, wearing a silk robe too fine for the late hour. Her mother, Liora, stood by the window, arms folded, peering out into the darkness.
Daren paced near the fire, muttering beneath his breath. His once proud shoulders now slumped, weighed down by guilt and time.
"You're quiet tonight, Father," Sasha said smoothly. "Let me guess, are you still thinking about your perfect daughter ?"
Daren turned sharply, his eyes bloodshot. "She was your sister." he retorted harshly.
"She was your daughter," Sasha shot back, her smile thin. "Until you let them ruin her."
Liora finally spoke, her voice like chilled wine. "She ruined herself. Running off like a coward after being rejected. What Luna turns her back on the pack?" she let out a sly smile.
Daren's fist clenched. "She was humiliated, destroyed, in front of hundreds! What did you expect her to do? Smile and bow?" he exclaimed angrily.
"She was weak," Liora snapped. "And weakness doesn't survive in Crestone."
Sasha stood, walking slowly toward her father, her heels clicking. "What you should be asking yourself, Father, is why you're still defending her. She's gone. You have me now." She spoke calmly.
"You're not her," Daren said, his voice low but dangerous.
Sasha's expression flickered, she felt hurt and furious.
Liora placed a hand on Sasha's shoulder. "Don't let him stress you, my love. Jaxon will come around. Especially now."
Daren's brows furrowed. "What have you done?"
Sasha turned back toward the fireplace, her tone calm but hinted at mischief. "Nothing yet. But opportunity tastes better when it's desperate. The Elders are circling Jaxon like vultures. The pack needs a Luna."
"And you think it'll be you?" Daren spoke in a mocking tone.
Liora smiled, sickly sweet. "Why not? The people trust her. Emery's absence left a void, and my daughter is more than willing to fill it."
"She doesn't have the mark," Daren scoffed.
"She doesn't need it," Liora replied. "Not if the Alpha's blood is too unstable to know the difference." Her smile spreading
Daren took a step forward, voice shaking. "You're playing with fire. That mark, it's sacred, chosen by the Goddess. Any attempt to fake it—"
"It will be believable if no one dares question it," Liora cut in.
Daren's chest rose and fell, his hands trembling. "You'll bring destruction to this house and as on the entire pack."
Sasha narrowed her eyes, her voice suddenly soft and chilling. "Destruction already came, Father. The day you let Emery walk away from that ceremony alone."
He turned away, guilt cutting deeper than any blade.
Liora's eyes gleamed in the dim light. "Don't worry, darling. Let the past stay buried. Focus on what's ahead. When Sasha is Luna, you'll thank us."
Daren said nothing.
But in his silence, something cracked
Outside, a cold wind howled against the glass, rattling the windows.
And in the distance, hidden in the shadows of the forest, a silvery howl broke the night.