Chapter 16: The Council's Judgment
1075 Words
The dawn cast a pale glow over the Roselake compound as the ceremonial bell tolled, its haunting chimes echoing through the pack grounds like a heartbeat. Avery stood at the edge of the council hall, her fingers clenched tightly around the pendant Ben had given her earlier that morning—a small stone encased in twisted silver. She could feel the weight of the stares, the thick tension that clung to the air and made her heartbeat thunder in her ears.
She wasn’t alone. Ben stood next to her, eyes forward, posture tense like a wolf poised for battle.
“You don’t have to go in alone,” he whispered.
“I’m not,” Avery replied quietly, her voice steadier than she felt. “You’re here.”
The double doors creaked open. Inside, the Roselake Council had already assembled. Seven elders sat in a half-circle, their violet ceremonial robes shimmering faintly under enchanted chandeliers. The air was thick with old magic, the kind that buzzed at Avery’s skin like static.
Alpha Leonidas sat in the center, his presence commanding without effort. His eyes—storm-gray and unwavering—met hers as she entered the room.
“She’s the girl from the vision,” Elder Caelus murmured, his thin lips pursed. “Just as the prophecy described.”
Avery hesitated but kept walking, standing in the open circle they had left at the center.
“She didn’t ask for visions,” Ben said firmly. “She didn’t even know what she was until a few days ago.”
“That makes her all the more dangerous,” another elder snapped. Gael, Avery remembered. His beard was long and braided, his expression as hard as stone.
“I didn’t mean to do anything,” Avery said, finding her voice. “Something happened last night. I heard a voice... and I followed it.”
“And nearly blinded half the forest,” Gael added with a sneer.
“She stopped a creature that none of us have ever seen before,” Ben growled. “That thing wasn’t part of any pack. It was corrupted. If she hadn’t acted—”
“She wouldn’t have needed to act if she hadn’t drawn it in,” Caelus interrupted.
Avery stepped forward. “You think I summoned that thing?”
“Something attracted it,” Gael said coldly. “And we have seen nothing like it before your arrival.”
Leonidas raised a hand, silencing them all.
“Enough,” he said. His voice was calm, but the magic behind it quieted the room instantly. “We are not here to debate fears. We are here to decide what is best for the girl... and for the pack.”
Elder Mirella, the oldest of the council, leaned forward. Her clouded eyes seemed to peer straight into Avery’s soul.
“You used Luna Light,” she said. “Not just magic. A bloodline gift.”
“I didn’t know what I was doing,” Avery admitted.
“Which is exactly the problem,” Caelus said.
“Or the reason we need to help her understand it,” Mirella countered.
Leonidas gave a small nod. “There is only one place that can teach her what she is, and what she may become.”
The silence stretched. Then Mirella spoke the words Avery didn’t expect.
“Lunaris Academy.”
Ben tensed beside her. “You can’t be serious.”
“They train leaders,” Mirella said. “Future Alphas. Lunas. Betas. If she is truly part of the prophecy—if she is the Lightbringer—they will help her awaken her potential.”
“They’ll try to control her,” Ben argued. “That place isn’t a school, it’s a proving ground. If she doesn’t live up to their expectations...”
“They’ll cast her out or break her,” Gael finished for him. “Yes. But if she does live up to it, she may become the Luna this world desperately needs.”
“I don’t even know who I am,” Avery said, voice quiet. “What if I’m not strong enough?”
“You faced a shadowbeast alone,” Leonidas said. “You are already stronger than you believe.”
Ben turned to her, his eyes softening. “You don’t have to do this. We’ll find another way.”
“No, we won’t,” Avery said. “You heard them. Whatever is happening to me... it’s not stopping. I need to understand it before it destroys something. Or someone.”
He clenched his jaw. “Then I’m going with you.”
“You can’t,” Gael barked.
“She doesn’t belong to you,” Caelus added sharply.
“She doesn’t belong to anyone,” Ben snapped. “But she’s not going alone.”
Leonidas interjected, “He cannot attend the academy as a guardian, but Roselake will be allowed to send an escort. A representative.”
Mirella smiled faintly. “A Beta, perhaps.”
Ben’s eyebrows shot up. “Wait—me? Are you promoting me?”
Leonidas offered a rare, wry smile. “I’m giving you a title you’ve earned. And a duty you already fulfill.”
Ben blinked. “You just want to keep an eye on me.”
“Yes,” Leonidas said bluntly. “And her.”
Avery stared between them, a whirlwind of confusion and relief and dread coursing through her.
“You’ll go as my Beta,” Leonidas said. “And she’ll go as Roselake’s heir to the Luna bloodline. They’ll expect power. Give them strength instead.”
Avery looked at Ben. “You still think it’s a mistake?”
“I think it’s dangerous,” he said. “But so is leaving you alone.”
“Then we’re agreed?” Mirella asked.
Avery exhaled. “We are.”
“Good,” Leonidas said. “You leave in three days. Pack your strength.”
Mirella stepped forward and pressed a silver pendant into Avery’s hand—a crescent moon with a tiny gem in its center.
“It once belonged to a Luna who changed her pack forever. Perhaps you will too.”
Avery clutched it tightly and nodded.
As the council began to file out, Ben leaned in.
“You know we’re walking into a wolf’s den, right?”
Avery smiled. “I’ve already faced worse.”
He chuckled, placing a hand on her back. “Let’s get ready then, Luna.”
- Writer
