Iris POV
I'm burning alive.
Silver fire floods through every nerve, every cell, every piece of my soul. I can't breathe. Can't think. Can't do anything except feel as the Moon Goddess's power tears me apart and rebuilds me from the inside out.
Through it all, I feel Kael.
Not just his emotions like before. Everything. His heartbeat syncing with mine. His breath matching my rhythm. His pain becoming my pain, his fear becoming my fear.
His life force—flickering and weak—suddenly strengthened by mine.
What's happening? His voice in my head, clear as if he spoke aloud.
I'm saving you, I send back. We're saving each other.
The silver fire intensifies, and I feel our souls twining together like threads being woven into rope. Tighter. Stronger. Unbreakable.
When the light finally fades, I collapse onto Kael's chest, gasping.
For a moment, neither of us moves. Then I feel his hand—human, no claws—gently touch my back.
Iris? His voice is rough but fully human. Are you
I lift my head and stare.
He's completely healed. The curse is gone, truly, finally gone. His face is his own again, handsome and scarred but human. His body is powerful but normal, no twisted bones or wrong proportions. Brown eyes with just flecks of gold stare back at me in wonder.
You're you, I breathe.
I'm me. He sits up carefully, and I slide off his chest. His hands explore his face, his arms, like he can't believe it's real. The curse is... it's gone. I can feel it. It's actually gone.
Around us, the clearing is silent. Shadowpaw warriors stare in shock. Marcus and Theron's wolves have retreated to the tree line, uncertain. Even Morganna looks pale and shaken.
The Moon Goddess stands over us, serene and terrible.
The bond is complete, she announces to everyone present. Iris Thorne is Moonborn—blessed with my power, transformed from omega to something greater. And Kael Blackfang is freed from his curse. Their fates are now permanently intertwined.
She turns to Morganna, and her expression hardens. As for you, witch. Your vengeance has consumed you. Your sister's death was tragedy, not murder, yet you chose cruelty over justice.
Morganna stumbles backward. He killed her! He deserves
He deserves mercy, which you refused to give. The Moon Goddess's voice turns cold. I strip you of your magic. Let you live as the mortals you despise, powerless and alone, until you learn what true suffering means.
She raises her hand, and Morganna screams as light tears through her. When it fades, the witch crumples to the ground, her eyes wide with shock.
My power, she whispers. My magic... it's gone. All of it. GONE!
Perhaps powerlessness will teach you compassion, the Moon Goddess says. Or perhaps not. Either way, you will never harm my children again.
She turns to Marcus and Theron. And you two. Alphas who would prey on the weak instead of protecting them. Leave this territory. Now. Or face my judgment as well.
They don't need to be told twice. Within seconds, they're running, their wolves following in panicked retreat.
The Moon Goddess's gaze sweeps across the remaining Shadowpaw warriors. You have fought bravely to protect your alpha. You have earned my blessing. She touches the air, and silver light flows to each warrior—healing their wounds, strengthening their wolves, filling them with renewed power.
Then she looks at Sera, still unconscious from Morganna's attack. Her expression softens with sadness.
This one's sacrifice will not be forgotten. She kneels and places her hand on Sera's chest. Light floods into the healer, and her eyes flutter open.
What— Sera gasps.
You protected the Moonborn when she was vulnerable, the Moon Goddess says gently. For that, you are healed. Live long, wise one. Your pack will need you in the days to come.
Finally, she turns back to Kael and me. We're still sitting on the ground, hands clasped, feeling the strange new connection between us.
Your bond is unlike any I have created in a thousand years, she says. You will feel each other's emotions, share each other's strength, and when one is in danger, the other will know. Use this gift wisely.
Thank you, Kael says hoarsely. For everything. For freeing me. For
Thank Iris, the Moon Goddess interrupts. She was willing to sacrifice everything for you. Twice. That kind of love is rare, Alpha Kael. Treasure it.
She begins to fade, her form dissolving into moonlight.
Wait! I call out. What am I? What did you make me?
Her smile is mysterious as she disappears. You are what you were always meant to be, child. You are the balance to his darkness. The strength to his broken places. And together, you will reshape what it means to be pack.
Then she's gone, leaving only silver light that slowly fades to normal moonlight.
The clearing is silent except for our breathing.
Rowan is the first to move. He drops to one knee in front of Kael. Alpha. You're... you're whole.
I am. Kael stands slowly, pulling me up with him. Our hands are still clasped, and I don't think either of us wants to let go. Thanks to my mate.
The other warriors kneel as well, even the ones I don't know. Their faces show awe, respect, and something that might be hope.
The curse is broken, Rowan says, his voice thick with emotion. After five years... it's finally over.
Kael's hand tightens on mine. Through our new bond, I feel his overwhelming relief mixed with grief for those lost in tonight's battle.
It's over, he agrees quietly. But we have work to do. Warriors died tonight protecting us. We honor them. And we rebuild.
He looks at me, his brown eyes warm and human and completely focused on my face. Together.
Together, I echo.
But as the warriors start organizing—checking the wounded, counting the dead, preparing to return to Shadowpaw territory—I feel something strange through our bond.
A flicker of darkness. Faint but present.
I look at Kael sharply. Do you feel that?
His expression shifts to concern. Feel what?
In the bond. Something... I press my hand to my chest where the connection burns brightest. Something's wrong.
Sera appears at my side, leaning heavily on a young warrior for support. Her eyes are serious as she examines me.
The Moon Goddess broke the curse, she says slowly. But curses that powerful don't just disappear. They have to go somewhere.
My blood runs cold. What are you saying?
She looks between Kael and me, her expression grave. When you bound your life forces together, when you became soul-bonded... the curse didn't disappear. It transferred.
Transferred where? Kael demands.
Sera's eyes meet mine, and I see the answer before she speaks.
Into Iris, she whispers. The curse is now inside her.
The world tilts sideways.
No, Kael breathes. No, that's not possible. The Moon Goddess said—
The Moon Goddess broke the curse on you, Sera interrupts. But she couldn't destroy it completely. So when Iris offered her life force to heal you, the curse latched onto that connection. It's dormant now, weakened, but...
But it's still there, I finish numbly. Inside me.
Through the bond, I feel Kael's horror mixing with my own shock.
He pulls me into his arms, holding me so tight I can barely breathe. We'll fix this. We'll find another ritual. Another cure. I won't let it hurt you
Alpha! A scout crashes into the clearing, his face pale with panic. Alpha, you need to come back to the den! Now!
Rowan stands. What's wrong?
The scout's eyes are wide with fear. It's the elders. They've called an emergency pack meeting. They're saying... they're saying the alpha's mate brought a curse into Shadowpaw territory. That she's dangerous. That she needs to be
He stops, unable to finish.
But I understand. Through the bond, I feel Kael's rising fury as he understands too.
They want her exiled, Kael says flatly. Or worse.
The scout nods miserably.
Around us, the warriors exchange uncertain glances. Some look at me with sympathy. Others with suspicion. And a few with outright fear.
Because I'm not just the weak omega anymore. I'm the Moonborn who carries a curse inside her.
And in the werewolf world, cursed wolves are too dangerous to let live.
Kael's arms tighten around me protectively. Over my dead body.
That can be arranged, a cold voice says from the shadows.
We all spin around.
A figure steps into the moonlight—an elderly man with white hair and cruel eyes. He's flanked by six massive wolves, all bearing the marks of Shadowpaw's elder council.
Alpha Kael, the old man says formally. By order of the pack elders, your mate is to be brought before us for judgment. The curse she carries is a threat to every wolf in this territory. She must be contained... or eliminated.
His eyes lock onto me with absolute certainty.
And if you try to protect her, we'll remove you as alpha and do what must be done anyway.