The Moon Goddess lied

THE VOICE WITHIN

CHAPTER FOUR

"Some voices are meant to guide you home. Others awaken something that was never meant to be found."

"Finally."

The word lingered inside Auren's mind long after the voice fell silent.

She stood frozen at the foot of the Moon Altar, unable to move, unable to breathe.

The entire sanctuary had disappeared beneath a suffocating silence.

Hundreds of wolves were staring at her.

But Auren barely noticed.

Her attention remained fixed on the strange sensation spreading through her chest.

Something had awakened.

Something that had been sleeping inside her for years.

Her fingers trembled as they closed around the moonstone pendant.

It was burning against her skin now.

Not warm.

Not glowing gently like the moonlight that had touched it moments ago.

Burning.

"Auren."

Elara's voice reached her from behind.

Auren blinked.

She suddenly became aware of the crowd again—the whispers, the frightened expressions, the confused murmurs spreading through the sanctuary.

"What happened?"

Mira's voice was quieter.

More cautious.

Auren opened her mouth.

Nothing came out.

How could she explain something she didn't understand herself?

How could she tell them that a voice had just spoken inside her head?

That it sounded as though it had been waiting for her?

She swallowed.

"I..."

The voice returned.

"Auren."

Her breath caught.

This time, it was unmistakably clear.

The voice wasn't coming from outside.

It was inside her.

Deep within the part of herself she had never been able to reach.

Who are you?

The question formed in her mind.

For several seconds, there was nothing.

Then came the answer.

"You know me."

Auren's blood ran cold.

No.

She shook her head.

"No..."

The word slipped from her lips.

A wave of whispers immediately swept through the sanctuary.

Auren realized she had spoken aloud.

Elara stepped closer.

"Auren, what's wrong?"

She couldn't answer.

Her eyes were locked on Elder Orien.

The old elder hadn't moved.

He was staring at her with an expression she had never seen on his face before.

Not curiosity.

Not confusion.

Fear.

Real fear.

"Come forward," he said.

His voice was unusually quiet.

Auren hesitated.

"Why?"

"Come forward, child."

Something in his tone made her obey.

She climbed the first stone step.

Then the second.

Every eye followed her.

The sanctuary seemed impossibly large now.

The whispers became louder.

"What's happening?"

"Why did the Moonwater react?"

"Did anyone else hear that?"

"Is she alright?"

Auren tried to block them out.

One step at a time, she continued toward the altar.

When she reached the top step, Elder Orien looked directly into her eyes.

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

Then his gaze dropped to the pendant around her neck.

His expression changed.

His face lost what little color it had left.

"Where did you get that?"

Auren instinctively covered the pendant with her hand.

"My mother gave it to me."

"Your mother?"

"Yes."

Elder Orien stared at the stone.

"How long have you had it?"

"All my life."

Something flickered across his face.

Recognition.

Then disbelief.

Before Auren could ask what was wrong, the moonstone suddenly pulsed.

Once.

Twice.

A violent wave of silver light erupted from Auren's chest.

The crystal basin on the altar shattered.

The sound tore through the sanctuary.

People screamed.

Auren stumbled backward.

But the shards never reached her.

Instead, they stopped in midair.

Hundreds of tiny fragments floated around her, suspended as though time itself had frozen.

Then the moonwater rose from the broken basin.

It didn't spill across the altar.

It lifted.

Droplets of silver liquid floated around Auren like stars surrounding the moon.

No one spoke.

Even the elders had gone completely still.

Elder Orien whispered something Auren barely heard.

"Impossible."

Auren looked at him.

"What?"

He didn't answer.

The moonstone burned brighter.

Pain exploded through her chest.

Auren gasped.

The sanctuary vanished.

Darkness swallowed everything.

She stood alone in an endless void.

There was no forest.

No moon.

No sanctuary.

No sound.

Then...

Footsteps.

Auren turned.

Three figures stood in the distance.

Her heart stopped.

She knew them.

She had never seen their faces before.

Yet she knew them.

The three wolves from her dreams.

The first stood beneath a silver moon, his dark eyes fixed on her with an intensity that made her heart ache.

The second stood before a black throne, his presence commanding and unmistakably regal.

The third stood beside a weathered grave, surrounded by darkness.

Auren's breathing became shallow.

"Who are you?"

None answered.

The first figure stepped forward.

His voice was deep.

"Heart."

The second lifted his head.

"Crown."

The third looked at her.

There was unbearable sadness in his eyes.

"Grave."

Auren stared at them.

"What does that mean?"

The darkness trembled.

The three figures began fading.

"No!"

She reached toward them.

"Wait!"

The world shattered.

Auren screamed.

She opened her eyes.

She was back in the sanctuary.

Elara was beside her, gripping her arm.

"Auren!"

Mira stood on her other side, her face pale.

"What happened?"

Auren couldn't answer.

Her breathing was ragged.

Her entire body trembled.

She looked toward the altar.

The crystal basin was gone.

The moonwater had vanished.

The floating shards had fallen harmlessly onto the stone.

Everything had returned to normal.

Except Elder Orien.

He looked as though he had seen a ghost.

Auren turned toward him.

"You know something."

The elder said nothing.

"You know what happened."

Still nothing.

Auren stepped closer.

"What did you see?"

Elder Orien's eyes flickered toward the moonstone.

Then back to her.

His silence was answer enough.

"You knew," Auren whispered.

"I knew nothing."

"You're lying."

The words came out sharper than she intended.

The elder's jaw tightened.

Around them, the sanctuary had erupted into chaos.

The elders whispered among themselves.

Warriors were attempting to calm the frightened wolves.

Parents pulled their children closer.

Someone shouted that the ceremony should be stopped.

Another voice demanded that Auren be taken away from the altar.

Auren barely heard them.

She was watching Elder Orien.

He looked toward the crowd.

Then toward the moon.

Finally, he made a decision.

"Everyone leaves the sanctuary."

The command silenced the nearest voices.

A warrior stepped forward.

"But Elder—"

"The ceremony is over."

"But the remaining candidates—"

"There will be no more awakenings tonight."

His voice carried across the clearing.

"I said everyone leaves."

Confusion spread through the crowd.

Auren's heart sank.

Something had gone terribly wrong.

And she was beginning to suspect that she was the reason.

Liora hurried toward the altar, Gareth following close behind.

"Auren!"

Her mother reached her and immediately pulled her into an embrace.

"What happened?"

Auren clung to her mother.

"I don't know."

Gareth looked toward Elder Orien.

"What happened here?"

The elder's expression remained grim.

"We need to speak privately."

"About my daughter?"

"Yes."

Liora's arms tightened around Auren.

"Then speak."

Elder Orien looked at Auren for a long moment.

Then he lowered his voice.

"Not here."

Auren pulled away from her mother.

"Why?"

The elder hesitated.

His eyes moved toward the shattered basin.

Then toward the moonstone around Auren's neck.

When he finally spoke, his voice was barely above a whisper.

"Because what happened tonight has not happened in Blackwood for generations."

Auren stared at him.

"What does that mean?"

Elder Orien's expression hardened.

"It means the Moon Goddess has broken a rule that every elder before me believed could never be broken."

Auren's heart began pounding again.

"What rule?"

The elder looked directly into her eyes.

"The Moon Goddess chooses one path for every wolf."

He paused.

"But tonight..."

His gaze dropped to the pendant.

"...something answered you from three."

Auren went completely still.

Before she could ask what he meant, the moon above the sanctuary disappeared behind a wall of dark clouds.

And somewhere beyond the borders of Blackwood...

Three wolves lifted their heads at the exact moment.

Three hearts began to race.

Three pairs of golden eyes turned toward the same moon.

None of them knew her name.

Not yet.

But all three heard the same whisper.

"Auren."