mething that made me feel like I belonged. But when Darius pressed his mark against my skin, it felt like fire l

uld have smiled, felt triumphant, felt honored. Instead, I felt hollow, as though

en I s

er

ed on my skin, faint but unrelenting, a metallic tang that made my stomach twist. I shook my head, trying to banish the memory, but it was too la

e ceremony pas

e but not gentle. I should have melted into it, welcomed it, felt the connection strengthen with each heartbeat. Instead, my tho

na. I am their Luna. I repeated it over and over like a mantra, but my wolf's claws dug into my ribs be

veryone danced, sang, and drank, celebrating the beginning of a new Luna's reign. Darius moved beside me like a shadow, guiding, protecting

ilver light, revealing the faint paths I knew since childhood. Each step I took carried both excitement and

ran's hand on the earth, his teeth bared, the smell of iron and pine. I stumbled, gr

tied to the moment of danger, of passion, of life and death. And that rogue-Kieran-had been near death when I sa

arius had placed, still warm, still throbbing. And

ncil meetings, and stood beside Darius as he made decisions for the territory. And yet, nothing felt real. Not

Kieran h

brush of fur against my ankle in a dream. But then it became impossible to ignore. My wolf st

I dreamt

His eyes caught mine, wide and desperate. "Lyra," he said, v

for him, but he faded, slipping

f claws against bark, teeth snapping, a low guttural roar. "And if you stay

e scr

s was mine by law, by fate, by the Moon's own decree. I couldn't t

eld him, every instinct demanded I go back, find him, protect h

balcony, staring at the forest. "Ly

gh the tightness in my

d on me. "You've

ied, though my wolf growled quietly in pro

cil, I let my gaze drift back to the edge of t

, dangerous and alive. And I knew, deep in my h

rius, the mate

ue who had stolen a piece of

er, the Moon itself-was just b

he Moon d

her does