Chapter 9 - Chapter 9: The Trial of Truth

The palace courtyard was never meant for this kind of gathering.By dawn, the square was already full—warriors in dark uniforms, Omegas whispering in clusters, nobles in shimmering robes pretending not to be afraid. The morning sun hung low and pale, veiled by gray mist, as though even the sky hesitated to bear witness.They had all come for me.The accused Luna.I stood in the center of the marble circle, barefoot, dressed in a white ceremonial gown that felt more like a shroud. My pulse thundered through the silence. At the far end, Xavier sat on the high dais beside the Elders—stoic, jaw locked, eyes unreadable. He hadn't looked at me once since the night before."Luna Samantha," Elder Rowan's voice boomed, ancient and steady. "You stand accused of impurity. Your bond mark has altered its sacred hue. The pack demands proof of your loyalty to the Moon and to your Alpha."The words hit me like blows, but I didn't flinch. Around me, murmurs rippled."She's cursed.""She consorted with spirits.""No, I heard she was chosen by another Alpha—"The gossip hissed like serpents in the grass.Elder Rowan gestured toward the altar at the heart of the courtyard—a massive block of moonstone veined with silver and crystal, older than the palace itself. "Touch the stone," he commanded. "If your heart is pure, the Moon will bless you. If darkness taints you, the fire will consume your touch."I lifted my chin, though my hands trembled. "And if it burns brighter than either?"The Elder's gaze flickered, uncertainty passing through his wrinkled face. "Then we will know something greater walks among us."From his seat, Xavier's voice cut through the air, sharp and cold. "Proceed."I moved forward. The crowd hushed. Each step echoed like thunder in my skull. I could feel Xavier's gaze on my back now, heavy and watchful, but I didn't turn.The altar shimmered faintly, pulsing with ancient light. I placed both palms on the stone.At first—nothing. Only silence. Then, a tremor deep in the earth.Light flared beneath my fingers, silver turning gold, then deepening into a radiant blaze that roared like a star reborn. The moonstone cracked, veins splitting open as golden fire surged outward, circling my hands without burning. The flames licked my wrists, my arms, my throat—gentle but unstoppable.Gasps filled the courtyard. Someone screamed."She's on fire!""No—look! The flames don't harm her!""The Moon favors her!"I could hear them all, but their voices blurred as power poured through me, wild and alive. The golden light reached toward the sky, and for a heartbeat, the entire world seemed to still.When the brilliance faded, I stood alone, untouched, surrounded by faint wisps of golden smoke. My mark pulsed, glowing through the fabric of my gown.Elder Rowan sank to one knee. "By the Moon above… I have only seen this sign once in the old scrolls." His voice trembled. "The mark of the Twin Alpha Prophecy."A murmur rippled through the Elders. Even the guards shifted uneasily."The prophecy speaks of a Luna bound to two alphas," Rowan continued. "One of the Shadow Moon, one of the Fire Moon. She will be the bridge—or the weapon—that decides the fate of all packs."The words hung in the air like a curse.My gaze lifted to Xavier. His expression was carved from stone, but I saw the storm behind his eyes. Shock. Fear. Betrayal."Is this what your dreams mean?" he asked, voice low but dangerous. "That you belong to another?""I don't know," I whispered, but my voice broke on the truth. "All I know is that I didn't choose this."His hand slammed down on the armrest, the sound cracking through the silence. "You've brought ruin on us all!"The crowd flinched. I stared at him, feeling something inside me finally ignite—not the fire of prophecy, but of defiance."I've done nothing but stand where you asked me to," I said, the words trembling with suppressed rage. "I didn't ask for your crown, or your suspicion, or this cursed trial. If the Moon gave me power, maybe she did because you never trusted me to begin with."For a second, he said nothing. Then he rose, every inch of his posture cold and regal. "Enough. The trial is concluded. Return her to her quarters."The guards hesitated, uncertain, but a single glare from him sent them moving.I was led away, head held high though my knees shook. Behind me, the pack erupted in chaos—voices rising, some in awe, others in fear.But as I reached the palace steps, Elder Rowan called after me softly, "Luna… the golden fire does not lie. The Fire Moon rises again."That night, the palace doors were shut to outsiders. Whispers spread faster than the wind. Some called me blessed, others cursed.Xavier didn't come to my room.I sat alone by the window, watching the moon climb higher, the glow of my mark faint beneath my sleeve. My heart beat with a strange rhythm—half dread, half calling.When the bell tower struck midnight, the sound of hoofbeats broke the quiet. I leaned out the window just in time to see a rider approaching through the mist, bearing a crimson banner marked with a burning claw.The guards moved swiftly to open the gates.A messenger dismounted, kneeling before the palace guards. His voice carried clearly across the courtyard."By order of Alpha Kael of the Ember Claws," he declared, "I bring word for the Shadow Moon throne."I froze, breath caught in my throat.Kael. The name rippled through my mind like smoke and fire. The Alpha with eyes of molten gold. The one from my dreams.The prophecy had already begun.---Cliffhanger: As Xavier storms from the council chamber, the messenger waits in the torchlight, his words heavy with fate—Alpha Kael of the Ember Claws requests an audience with the Luna of the Golden Mark.