I stumbled back, breath ragged, as Charles held his ground, shielding me from Lycaon’s imposing form. His hand, warm and steady on my arm, anchored me, cutting through the haze that had threatened to consume me. But I knew this battle would demand more than just brute strength—it would require a power beyond even Lycaon’s reach.
Closing my eyes, I took a steadying breath and reached deep within, calling upon the only force I had left, the one that had watched over our kind from the beginning.
“Selene, Moon Goddess, hear my plea,” I whispered, my voice trembling but resolute. “Grant me freedom from the dark forces that bind Merripen. Release us from this curse, and cast out the shadows that seek to consume us.”
As the words left my lips, a sudden, quiet calm washed over me, like the soft
