Destined Beneath The Moonlight

Chapter Two: The Sentence

I didn't sleep. How could I? My parents had been taken from our home in the middle of the night, and nobody had told me what they had supposedly done.Every time I closed my eyes, I saw my father's face.

Not the face of the respected Beta everyone admired, The face of a father who had looked at his daughter as though he might never see her again And his final words kept repeating inside my head.

"You are stronger than you believe".I didn't feel strong, I felt terrified. By dawn, the entire pack knew, Whispers followed me everywhere."Traitors.""Both of them.""I always knew something was wrong with that family."

"The daughter must have known."I walked through the pack house corridor with my arms wrapped around myself. People moved away when they saw me, Some stared, Others whispered behind their hands.Nobody asked if I was okay, Nobody cared. I reached the main hall just as two warriors stepped into my path.

"You're wanted."I stopped."Where?""The council chamber."My stomach twisted."Why?"One of them looked uncomfortable."Your parents' trial.""Trial?"He looked away."Move."I stared at him."They haven't even been given a chance to defend themselves.""They will.""Then why are they already calling them traitors?"Neither warrior answered then I followed them.

The council chamber was packed, Members of the pack filled every seat.At the front sat the Alpha, Beside him were the elders And in the center of the room stood my parents, Their wrists were bound, my mother looked exhausted, my father's face was bruised, I stopped breathing."Father."His eyes found mine.

For one second, something softened in his expression, Then he shook his head, Barely, A warning."Don't speak".I didn't understand until the Alpha rose."Lyra."I stepped forward."Where is the evidence?"A murmur moved through the chamber, The Alpha's expression hardened.

"You will address the council respectfully.""My parents are being accused of treason.""Yes.""Then show me what they did."A few people laughed, I looked around. These were the same wolves who had eaten at my family's table, The same wolves who had praised my father's loyalty, Now they watched him like he was a monster.

An elder stood."Beta Rowan was caught communicating with an enemy pack."My father immediately spoke."That is a lie."The elder raised a document."We have written evidence."My heart sank

"Show it to me."The elder handed it to the Alpha, He read it aloud. My father's name appeared repeatedly, There were messages discussing patrol routes, Warrior numbers, Border weaknesses, Everything someone would need to attack Mooncrest, My father's face became grim.

"I didn't write those."The elder scoffed."They bear your seal."My father stared at the document, Then his expression changed, I noticed it, He recognized something.

"What?" I asked.He didn't answer, The Alpha looked at him."You know this seal."My father remained silent, The Alpha's voice hardened."Rowan."My father finally said:"That isn't my seal."A murmur spread across the room, The elder frowned."Everyone here knows your seal.""No."My father looked directly at the council."That is a copy."The room became silent.

My mother suddenly stepped forward."Exactly."One of the elders slammed his hand against the table."Enough!"My mother didn't flinch."Someone forged the documents

."The Alpha's eyes narrowed."Do you have proof?"My mother looked at him."I have something better."She glanced toward me, My stomach tightened."What?"My mother didn't answer. Instead, she looked at my father, He gave her the smallest nod, Then she turned toward the Alpha."Search the old healer's archives.

"The Alpha frowned."Why?""Because the reason we're being accused has nothing to do with enemy packs."The room erupted in whispers, The Alpha stood."Then explain."My mother opened her mouth, Before she could speak, a scream came from outside, Everyone turned, A warrior rushed into the chamber."Alpha!""What happened?""There's been an attack at the eastern border.

"The room erupted, The Alpha immediately ordered warriors to mobilize, My father's face went pale."That's impossible."The Alpha turned toward him."What?"My father whispered:"They're moving earlier than expected."My heart stopped."Who?"My father looked at me.

For a moment, I thought he would finally tell me everything.Instead, he said:"Take her."Two warriors grabbed my arms, I struggled."Father!"He shouted:"RUN!"The Alpha looked confused, Then the eastern alarm sounded, three times, the signal for an enemy attack, The council chamber erupted into chaos, Warriors rushed outside, People screamed, I was dragged toward the opposite exit.

"Let me go!"Then I saw something, A figure standing at the end of the corridor, Watching me, A hood covered most of the person's face But I could see their eyes, Silver, The same silver I had seen in my dreams.

I stopped struggling.

The figure lifted one hand And pointed directly at me, My body went cold Then the figure disappeared, I blinked, Gone."Lyra!"One of the warriors pulled me, I turned back toward the council chamber, My father was no longer there, Neither was my mother.

"Where are my parents?"No answer, I ran, I didn't care who tried to stop me, I pushed through the crowd and found the courtyard. Warriors were rushing toward the eastern gate, Smoke filled the sky But the attack wasn't what terrified me, It was the sight of my father being dragged toward the execution grounds.

"No!"I ran toward him, A warrior blocked me."Lyra, stop!""Where are they taking him?"Nobody answered Then I saw my mother. She was being dragged beside him, My knees nearly gave out."This isn't a trial."The Alpha stood on the raised platform, His voice carried across the courtyard."Rowan and Elara of Mooncrest Pack have been found guilty of treason.

"My mother looked directly at me, Her lips moved, I couldn't hear her Then she touched her chest, Once, Twice Then pointed toward me.The same gesture she'd made when she gave me the silver pendant, I didn't understand.

The Alpha continued."By the authority of the Mooncrest Council, their punishment is death."The world stopped."No."I pushed through the crowd."No!"My father looked at me, His expression was calm now, Too calm."Lyra."I was crying."Father!"He smiled.That smile broke me."I'm sorry."

"No!"He looked toward my mother, She was crying too Then my father's eyes shifted toward the moon And he whispered:"She will come."I froze."Who?"My mother suddenly screamed."Don't let them seal her!"The Alpha's head snapped toward her."What did you say?"My mother went silent. The Alpha's expression changed, He stepped toward her.

"Who are you talking about?"My mother looked at me Then she smiled, Not sadly, Almost proudly And she said:"She already knows."The executioner's blade rose, I screamed."No!"It fell, My father's body collapsed, My mother's scream followed then another blade rose, I closed my eyes, I couldn't watch But before the second blade fell, the entire courtyard suddenly became freezing cold.

The moon disappeared behind black clouds, Every wolf in the courtyard went silent Then a howl echoed from somewhere beyond the mountains.It wasn't an ordinary wolf, It was enormous, Ancient.

The sound seemed to shake the ground beneath my feet, Every wolf dropped to their knees, Every single one, Except me, I remained standing.My heart hammered Then something inside my chest answered the howl.

A pulse of silver light exploded from beneath my skin, The crowd screamed.The Alpha stumbled backward, The elders stared at me in horror And somewhere deep inside my mind, a voice whispered:"Now they know."I looked down at my hands, Silver veins of light were glowing beneath my skin And then—something growled inside me, Not outside, Inside.

For the first time in my life, I felt something moving beneath my ribs, Something alive, Something that had been waiting. I heard the voice again, Clearer than ever."Lyra..."I gasped."Who are you?"A pause Then the answer came."I am the wolf they were terrified you would become."The silver light erupted And the entire Mooncrest Pack saw it.