Cornelius POV
The magic of the castle surged beneath my feet, a familiar pulse thrumming through ancient stone walls. Every step I took felt heavier, as if the magic were aware of me, coiling and uncoiling in response to my presence. It wasn’t the light, mysterious magic of the Moon Goddess—the kind Selene bestowed upon her chosen. No, this magic was older—born from the land, from the blood of the Gray Wolves who once ruled here. It was wild, earthy, and untamed, a force bound to my ancestors. It did not serve the Moon Goddess. It never would.
Alpha Rowan walked beside me, his expression unreadable, though I could sense his wariness. The castle’s magic had grown stronger in recent days, revitalized after years of slumber. The cracks in the walls had sealed themselves. The old stone gleam
