CHAPTER 6: The Queen's Awakening
608 Words
The silver light pierced the heavens.
Its brilliance swallowed the battlefield, forcing every warrior to shield their eyes.
The ground trembled violently.
A powerful gust of wind swept through the valley, carrying an ancient scent that none of the wolves recognized.
Lyra stood frozen in the center of the cabin.
The glowing mark on her wrist spread across her arm like silver vines, stopping just below her shoulder.
She cried out as a surge of energy rushed through her body.
It wasn't painful.
It felt...
Familiar.
As if something sleeping inside her had finally awakened.
Outside, every wolf instinctively lowered their head.
Even the fiercest warriors couldn't explain why.
Their bodies simply obeyed.
Lucien's silver eyes widened.
"They can feel her..."
One of his generals fell to one knee.
"My King..."
"It's the Royal Aura."
Lucien nodded slowly.
"The blood of the Moon Empress has awakened."
Inside the cabin, Ronan struggled to his feet.
Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.
His confident smile had disappeared.
"What... what are you?"
Lyra stared at her glowing hands.
"I don't know."
"Liar!"
Ronan charged toward her with a silver dagger.
Before he could reach her
A shimmering barrier appeared around Lyra.
The dagger shattered the instant it touched the light.
Ronan stumbled backward in disbelief.
"No..."
"This isn't possible."
The cabin door burst open.
Lucien entered with his sword drawn.
"You've already lost."
Ronan laughed bitterly.
"Do you think this changes anything?"
"The Council has waited eighteen years for this girl."
"They'll never stop hunting her."
Lucien's grip tightened on his sword.
"Then they'll have to face me."
The two men clashed.
Steel rang through the cabin.
Ronan was fast.
Lucien was faster.
Within seconds, Lucien knocked the crimson blade from Ronan's hand and pointed his sword at the man's throat.
"It's over."
Ronan smiled instead of surrendering.
"You've forgotten one thing."
"What?"
Ronan looked directly at Lyra.
"The bond."
Outside, Kael suddenly fell to one knee.
A sharp pain exploded through his chest.
His wolf howled uncontrollably.
Images flashed through his mind.
A silver throne.
A woman wearing a moonlit crown.
Lyra.
Not as the frightened girl he had rejected...
But standing proudly above thousands of wolves.
He gasped.
"No..."
His wolf growled fiercely.
You rejected our Queen.
The words echoed through every part of his soul.
Kael's face turned pale.
He had always believed the rejection ended the mate bond.
Instead...
It had awakened something much greater.
Back inside the cabin, Lyra's glowing mark suddenly pulsed again.
This time, a whisper echoed in her mind.
"Come home..."
She looked around.
"Did you hear that?"
Lucien frowned.
"Hear what?"
"A voice."
"It said... 'Come home.'"
Lucien's expression became serious.
"The ancient palace."
"What palace?"
"The home of the Moon Empress."
"I don't know where that is."
"You don't."
He looked at the glowing mark on her wrist.
"But your blood does."
Suddenly, one of Lucien's warriors rushed into the cabin.
"My King!"
Lucien turned.
"What happened?"
"The Black Fang Legion is retreating."
Ronan smirked.
"They're not retreating."
"They've already achieved their goal."
Lucien's eyes narrowed.
"What do you mean?"
Ronan laughed.
"They've awakened her."
"And now..."
"They know exactly where to find the Queen."
At that exact moment...
Far beyond the Northern Mountains...
Inside a magnificent black castle...
A hooded figure stood before a giant mirror filled with swirling silver mist.
The image of Lyra appeared within it.
The figure smiled.
"So..."
"The last heir has finally awakened."
He slowly removed his hood.
A pair of glowing crimson eyes stared into the mirror.
"Prepare my army."
"This time..."
"No one will hide the Moon Empress's daughter from me."
- Writer
