Around Aria, the castle walls fell apart like broken teeth. Her power shot out in silver waves that broke rocks and bent iron bars.
The guards screamed and ran as chunks of roof crashed down.
"Aria, stop!" Caden grabbed her bright hands. "You'll bring down the whole castle!"
But she couldn't stop. The Moon Wolf power roared through her blood like wildfire. Her eyes blazed violet as old magic tore free from years of hiding.
After that, everything went dark.
She was running through a forest that looked like it was from another time. Huge wolves with silver hair and eyes that sparkled like stars were all around her.
In her mind, they spoke in a whisper.
"Child of the moon, you have awakened."
"We have waited so long for your return."
"The prophecy stirs. The old blood calls."
Aria tried to speak but only dog sounds came out. She looked down and saw silver paws instead of hands. Her image in a crystal stream showed a wolf with violet eyes and fur that sparkled like stardust.
"What am I?" she howled.
"You are the bridge between worlds," the old wolves answered. "The one who will either unite the packs or watch them burn."
The scene changed.
She saw Magnus standing over a stone altar, muttering in a language that made her soul ache. Three figures knelt before him—the triplets, their eyes empty and glassy.
"The ritual has begun," the wolves warned. "He wants to steal your power and bind it to his sons. If he succeeds, the Moon Wolf race dies forever."
"How do I stop him?"
"Remember who you truly are. Remember the choice that was made long ago."
The dream forest began to fade.
The old wolves' voices grew distant. "Beware the one who wears friendship like a mask. The biggest betrayal comes from those closest to your heart."
Aria jerked awake, gasping. Her body lay on soft blankets in a small, secret room.
Moonlight streamed through a tiny window, and her eyes still glowed violet in the darkness.
"You're safe," a gentle voice said. Luna Seraphina sat beside her, worry creasing her beautiful features. The Luna's sapphire eyes studied Aria's glowing face with deep worry.
"Where am I?" Aria whispered.
"A secret chamber beneath the house. Caden brought you here after your power explosion." Seraphina touched Aria's face. "Child, your fever burned for three days."
"Three days?" Aria sat up quickly, then swayed as dizziness hit her. "The ritual—Magnus said—"
"He's been prepping. The whole pack is on lockdown." Seraphina's voice dropped to a whisper. "Magnus believes you're dead. Caden told him your power burned out and killed you."
Relief poured through Aria. Then fear replaced it. "What about the triplets? Are they safe?"
Seraphina's face darkened. "Magnus has them under guard. He's angry that his plan failed, but he hasn't given up. He's looking for another way to claim Moon Wolf power."
"The dreams," Aria said suddenly. "I saw old wolves. They warned me about someone wearing friendship like a mask."
"What else did you see?"
"The religious altar. Magnus trying to steal my power and give it to his kids." Aria gripped Seraphina's hand. "But there was something else. They said I was the bridge between worlds."
Seraphina went very still. "They spoke to you? The old ones?"
"You know about them?"
"Child, I need to tell you something." Seraphina looked toward the door, then leaned closer. "I lied about my past. I wasn't always Luna. I was born omega, just like you."
Aria's mouth fell open. "What?"
"Twenty-five years ago, I was nothing. A servant girl with strange thoughts and glowing eyes." Seraphina's voice shook with old pain. "Then the ancient wolves came to me too."
"You're also a Moon Wolf?"
"I was. But I made a choice that I've regretted every day since." Tears gathered in Seraphina's eyes. "I let Magnus perform a binding spell. He took most of my power and locked it away so I could become his good Luna wife."
Horror crept up Aria's spine. "He stole your abilities?"
"Not stole. I gave them freely. I thought love was enough. I thought I could change things from the inside." Seraphina's laugh was bitter. "Instead, I became his beautiful, powerless trophy."
"But you're still Luna. You still have influence."
"Do I? Magnus makes every choice.
I'm just the pretty face beside him." Seraphina gripped Aria's shoulders. "That's why you can never let him catch you. He'll do the same thing to you, only worse."
"How worse?"
"The ritual he's planning will split your power three ways—giving pieces to each of his kids. You'll live, but you'll be empty inside. A shell wearing Moon Wolf skin."
Aria felt sick. "We have to stop him."
"We? Child, I have no power left to fight with."
"But you still have knowledge. You know the house, the pack, the secrets." Aria's violet eyes burned brighter. "Help me save your sons."
"My sons picked duty over heart. They'll stand with their father."
"Caden saved me. He brought me here. That doesn't sound like someone picking duty."
Seraphina was quiet for a long moment. "Caden always was different. Too kind for his own good."
"What about Caleb and Cyrus?"
"Caleb fears his father more than he loves anyone. And Cyrus..." Seraphina sighed. "Cyrus wants approval so badly he'd do anything to get it."
A soft knock stopped them.
Caden slipped into the room, his ice-blue eyes quickly finding Aria. "Thank the moon you're awake," he breathed. "I was so scared."
"Your mother told me what you did. Thank you."
Caden knelt beside the bed. "Father thinks you're dead, but he's not giving up. He's captured three other omega women from nearby packs. He plans to test the ritual on them first."
"No!" Aria tried to stand, but her legs were still weak. "We can't let innocent people die for his experiments."
"That's not the worst part," Caden said grimly. "Liana escaped from the dungeons."
"How?"
"Someone helped her. And now she's gathering rogues from six different regions." His expression got darker. "She's promised them something big in exchange for their loyalty."
"What could she possibly offer them?"
"You," Seraphina said quietly. "She's telling them that if they help her kill you, she'll give them access to Moon Wolf power."
"But that's impossible. She doesn't have any power to give."
"She doesn't need real power," Caden stated. "Just the idea of it. Rogues are desperate enough to accept anything."
Footsteps echoed in the hallway outside. All three of them froze.
"Someone's coming," Seraphina whispered.
The footsteps stopped right outside their door.
"I know you're in there," Caleb's voice called softly. "Open up. We need to talk."
Caden reached for the door handle, but Aria grabbed his wrist.
"Wait," she hissed. "In my dream, the ancient wolves warned me about someone close who wears friendship like a mask."
"You think it's Caleb?"
"I don't know. But something feels wrong."
The door handle turned slowly. Caleb stepped inside, his golden eyes searching the small room.
When he saw Aria, his face showed relief. "Thank the moon you're alive," he said. "Father's planning something terrible."
"We know about the ritual," Caden said coldly. "Where do you stand, brother?"
Caleb's jaw tightened. "With family. Always with family."
"Which family?" Aria asked carefully. "Us, or your father?"
"There's no difference." "There's every difference," Caden snapped. "Father wants to destroy her."
"Father wants to protect the pack." Caleb stepped closer. "Aria's power is too dangerous. The explosion three days ago proved that."
"I was defending myself!"
"And you nearly killed half the castle doing it." Caleb's golden eyes were hard. "What happens next time? What happens when you lose control around innocents?"
"She's learning to control it," Seraphina said firmly.
"Are you?" Caleb looked straight at Aria. "Or are the ancient voices in your head getting stronger?"
Ice formed in Aria's stomach. "How do you know about the voices?"
Caleb smiled, but it wasn't warm. "Because I've been listening to them too."
The room went deadly quiet.
"What are you talking about?" Caden asked.
"Did you really think Moon Wolf power only runs through omega bloodlines?" Caleb's form started to shimmer. "Our family has secrets too, little brother."
Golden light started pouring from Caleb's skin. His eyes blazed like tiny suns.
"That's impossible," Seraphina gasped. "Only females can carry Moon Wolf blood."
"Usually. But sometimes, when the families are desperate enough..." Caleb's voice sharpened, becoming something inhuman.
"Sometimes the moon chooses differently."
Aria felt her own power replying, violet light answering his gold. The two energies collided in the small space, making the air crackle.
"Father doesn't know," Caleb continued. "He thinks he's stealing your power to give to his kids. He doesn't know one of his sons already has it."
"Why are you showing us this?" Caden asked.
Caleb's burning eyes fixed on Aria. "Because there's something the ancient wolves didn't tell you in your dreams."
"What?"
"The prophecy doesn't say a Moon Wolf will unite the packs." His smile turned aggressive. "It says two Moon Wolves will fight to the death, and the winner will rule them all."
The golden light around Caleb flared brighter. "Hello, sister. Ready to find out which one of us the moon really chose?"