Chapter TenThe Wolf Within
978 Words
The soldiers charged.
Elara heard the scrape of steel against stone.
She heard Cassian shout her name.
She heard her mother summon her magic.
But everything around her suddenly felt distant.
Because there was something else inside her.
Something ancient.
Something awake.
Elara.
The voice echoed through her mind.
She closed her eyes.
“Who are you?”
I am you.
Her breath caught.
You have been asleep for too long.
A soldier rushed toward her.
Elara opened her eyes.
Silver light burst across the chamber.
The soldier was thrown backward.
Everyone stopped.
Even Cassian.
Elara stared at her hands.
They were glowing.
“What did I do?”
Lucien whispered, “You awakened the Moon Wolf.”
Alaric’s expression changed.
For the first time, he looked afraid.
“No.”
Elara looked at him.
“Why are you afraid?”
Alaric stepped backward.
“You cannot control it.”
“Maybe not.”
The silver light grew brighter.
“But I’m going to learn.”
The guardian lowered its head.
A deep growl came from its chest.
Then it bowed.
Not to Cassian.
Not to Lysandra.
To Elara.
Every soldier in the chamber froze.
Lysandra whispered, “The prophecy…”
Cassian looked at her.
“What prophecy?”
“The Moon Wolf only bows to the true heir.”
Alaric shouted, “Kill her!”
The soldiers attacked again.
This time, Elara didn’t run.
She raised her hand.
A wave of silver energy swept through the chamber.
Weapons flew from the soldiers’ hands.
Several fell to their knees.
Cassian stared at Elara.
“You’re getting stronger.”
“I don’t know how to stop it.”
“Then don’t fight it.”
Elara looked at him.
“What?”
“Listen to it.”
She closed her eyes.
The wolf inside her stirred.
Trust me.
Elara took a breath.
The silver light slowly faded.
But before she could relax, a blade came flying through the air.
Cassian moved instantly.
He pushed Elara aside.
The blade struck his shoulder.
“Cassian!”
He stumbled.
Blood stained his shirt.
Elara’s heart dropped.
She ran toward him.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.”
“You’re bleeding.”
“I’ve had worse.”
She glared at him.
“That doesn’t mean you’re fine.”
For a brief moment, despite everything happening around them, Cassian almost smiled.
Then Alaric’s voice cut through the chamber.
“Touching.”
He stepped forward.
“But it won’t save either of you.”
Elara turned.
“Why do you want me?”
Alaric’s expression became cold.
“Because the Moon Crown belongs to me.”
“No.”
Elara looked at the ancient symbol on the wall.
“It belongs to my family.”
Alaric laughed.
“Your family is dead.”
Lysandra stepped forward.
“No.”
Alaric turned.
“You.”
Lysandra’s eyes flashed silver.
“You should have stayed hidden.”
“I stayed hidden long enough.”
Magic exploded between them.
The chamber shook.
Cassian grabbed Elara’s arm.
“We need to go.”
“What about my mother?”
“She can handle herself.”
Lysandra shouted, “GO!”
Elara hesitated.
Then Cassian pulled her toward the passage.
They ran.
Behind them, the battle continued.
The guardian followed.
They reached the staircase.
Elara suddenly stopped.
Cassian turned.
“What?”
She could hear something.
A whisper.
Not from her wolf.
From somewhere beneath the palace.
Come.
Elara looked down the dark staircase.
“There’s something underneath us.”
Cassian frowned.
“This palace is full of secrets.”
“No.”
She shook her head.
“This is different.”
Her wolf growled inside her.
The crown.
Elara’s eyes widened.
“What crown?”
Cassian stared at her.
“You heard something.”
“Yes.”
“What?”
“I don’t know.”
She looked toward the darkness.
“But I think the Moon Crown is down there.”
Cassian hesitated.
Then he nodded.
“Then we find it.”
They descended.
The staircase seemed endless.
Eventually, they reached a massive underground chamber.
At its center stood a stone pedestal.
And resting on it was a crown.
Silver.
Ancient.
Covered in glowing blue stones.
Elara stepped closer.
Her heart began pounding.
The wolf inside her whispered:
Home.
She reached toward it.
Cassian caught her wrist.
“Wait.”
Elara looked at him.
“What?”
“We don’t know what will happen.”
“I need to know.”
“You could be hurt.”
“I’ve spent twenty years being kept in the dark.”
Her voice shook.
“I can’t keep running from the truth.”
Cassian released her.
“Then I’ll stay beside you.”
Elara nodded.
She reached for the crown.
The moment her fingers touched it—
the entire chamber erupted with light.
A voice echoed through the darkness.
“The heir has returned.”
Elara gasped.
Images appeared around her.
The Moon Kingdom.
The royal palace.
Her mother.
Her father.
Cassian.
And a final image that made her blood run cold.
A man standing beside Alaric.
Elara recognized him immediately.
Lucien.
But he wasn’t serving Alaric.
He was kneeling before him.
And in his hands was the Moon Crown.
Elara pulled away from the crown.
“No.”
Cassian looked at her.
“What did you see?”
She stared at him.
“Lucien.”
“What about him?”
“He didn’t just erase my memories.”
Her voice trembled.
“He helped destroy the kingdom.”
A slow smile appeared in the darkness behind them.
“Finally.”
Elara turned.
Lucien stood at the bottom of the stairs.
“You remembered.”
Cassian raised his sword.
“You followed us.”
Lucien’s eyes moved to the crown.
“No.”
He smiled.
“I led you here.”
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