The obsidian path led to a massive, circular arena of white stone that seemed to pulse with the heartbeat of the world.
The sky was no longer red; it was a bruised, swirling violet, mirroring Mary's own power.
As the group reached the center, the air curdled. Malakor stepped from the shadows of a giant monolith, his expression no longer smug, but desperate.
Beside him stood Samantha, her face twisted into a mask of pure, unadulterated envy. When her eyes landed on Caspian—the towering, ancient warrior standing at Mary's side—her composure shattered.
"Four?" Samantha shrieked, her voice echoing off the stone. "You get four of the most powerful Alphas in history while I'm cast aside? You don't deserve this power! You're a teacher's brat!"
The Dance of the Pack
Samantha lunged, her claws extended, aiming straight for Mary's throat. But she never reached her.
Avery moved with a grace that was terrifying to behold. She didn't just command plants; she was the forest. Thick, iron-hard vines erupted from the stone, wrapping around Samantha's midsection and slamming her into the ground.
"Bitch, I've tolerated you long enough," Avery said, her voice cold and steady.
Jada and Myles moved in a seamless blur of shadow and steel. Myles parried Malakor's dark energy blasts with his shield, while Jada's shadows surged forward, immobilizing Samantha's limbs.
Together, they pinned the girl down like a butterfly under glass.
Mary stepped forward, her wings unfurling with a sound like a thunderclap. The bond with Axel, Dante, Kieran, and Caspian was a steady, roaring fire in her blood. They moved as one entity, circling Malakor, cutting off every exit.
"It's over, Samantha," Mary said. Her violet eyes began to glow with a terrifying, ancient light.
"She is not worthy of the spirit," Astraea's voice boomed.
Mary reached out, her hand hovering over Samantha's chest. A surge of raw, white-violet energy poured from her palm. Samantha let out a blood-curdling scream as a translucent, silver wolf-spirit was ripped from her body and dissolved into the air.
Silence fell over the arena. The Alphas stared at Mary with a mixture of profound respect and genuine fear. She had just performed a "Spirit-Stripping"—a power thought lost to the First Valkyrie.
Samantha slumped to the stone, unconscious and human, her connection to the moon severed forever.
The Coward's Exit
Malakor's eyes darted around. He saw his pawn defeated, his plans in ruins, and four Alphas ready to tear him apart.
"You think you've won?" Malakor hissed, his hand reaching for a glowing amulet at his neck. "You're a child playing with a sun. You'll burn everything you love."
As Axel and Caspian lunged to take him down, a blinding, searing white light erupted from Malakor's position.
The shockwave knocked everyone back. When the spots cleared from their eyes, the ledge was empty.
"This isn't over, Princess!" Malakor's voice echoed through the trees, fading into nothing.
"Enjoy your weekend. It will be your last."
The Aftermath and the Leaderboard
The tolling of a bell signaled the end of the Moon Trials. The silver mist of the woods began to lift, and the familiar stone towers of the Academy appeared in the distance.
The magical scroll in the center of the courtyard updated one final time:
1. Mary (Rank: Sovereign)
2. The High Alphas (Axel, Dante, Kieran, Caspian)
3. Avery
4.Jada
4. Myles
The rest of the school stood in stunned silence as the group walked out of the woods. Samantha was carried out on a stretcher, a hollow shell of her former self.
Caspian stepped toward Mary, his hand glowing.
He projected a shimmering hologram into the air.
The faces of a King and Queen appeared—noble, weary, and weeping with joy.
"Mary, our brave star," the Queen whispered.
"The danger is far from over. Malakor has fled to the Southern Border. You must come home to Aethelgard for one week to complete your training. A portal is ready."
Mary looked at the portal, then back at the school. "I can't," she said, her voice soft but firm.
"Not yet."
"Mary?" Axel asked, stepping closer.
"Why?"
"In two days, it's Parent Weekend," Mary said, a lump forming in her throat.
"The school doesn't know about Aethelgard.
"They think we're just students. And I invited Marvin. I need to see him. I need to know he's okay."
The Surprise
Two days later, the Academy was transformed with banners and tables for the visiting families. Mary stood near the fountain, her heart hammering.
She felt the eyes of her four mates on her from across the quad—they were staying close, even if they had to pretend to be "just classmates" for the public.
She looked at her phone. No text from Marvin. She felt a wave of crushing disappointment. Maybe he's scared. Maybe the birds were too much.
"Looking for someone, kiddo?"
Mary froze. She turned around slowly. Standing there, wearing his favorite elbow-patched tweed blazer and holding a slightly crushed box of her favorite donuts, was Marvin.
He looked exactly the same—kind eyes, silver hair, and a gentle smile. But as he looked at Mary, his eyes flickered toward her shoulder blades, then toward the four Alphas standing like statues in the distance.
"You've grown, Mary," Marvin said, his voice thick with an emotion she couldn't quite place. He stepped forward and hugged her, and for a second, the Valkyrie and the Queen vanished. She was just a daughter.
"I wouldn't miss this for all the history in the world," he whispered. Then, leaning into her ear, he added in a tone that sent a chill down her spine:
"But we need to talk about the Captain of the Guard behind you. His posture is terrible."
Mary pulled back, her eyes wide. Did he just...?