The Moon Goddess lied

CHAPTER ONE "Every wolf is born believing the Moon Goddess writes their destiny. Mine was written in lies." The moon was watching. High above the towering pines, it hung like a silver eye in the endless night, bathing the ancient forest in an eerie glow that turned every shadow into something alive. The elders called it The Night of Awakening. The oldest wolves called it the beginning of fate. Children whispered about it as if it were a fairy tale. Young wolves dreamed of it from the moment they first learned to shift. Because tonight, the Moon Goddess would finally choose. A mate. A future. A destiny. Every heartbeat inside the territory echoed with anticipation. The scent of pinewood drifted through the crisp night air while sacred bonfires crackled around the Moon Sanctuary, sending sparks dancing toward the heavens. Hundreds of wolves had gathered beneath the towering silver oaks, their voices blending into an excited hum that carried through the forest. Warriors stood in disciplined rows, their dark ceremonial cloaks fluttering gently in the evening breeze. Healers moved quietly among them, placing bowls of moonwater and crushed silver herbs around the ancient altar that rested at the center of the sanctuary. Children perched on their parents' shoulders, too excited to keep still, while elders whispered prayers that had been passed down for generations. Even the strongest Alphas lowered their voices tonight. No wolf disrespected the Moon on Awakening Night. No wolf questioned fate. Because fate... was never wrong. Or so they believed. Auren Vale hated crowds. She stood at the edge of the sanctuary instead of joining the other young wolves, her fingers absentmindedly tracing the smooth surface of the moonstone pendant resting against her collarbone. It had belonged to her grandmother before it was passed down to her mother, and eventually to her. Her mother always said it carried generations of blessings. Tonight, Auren wished it carried courage too. "You've been staring at that altar for the last ten minutes." Elara Wynn appeared beside her with the effortless grace of someone who had never been afraid of anything. Her golden-brown curls bounced as she leaned closer, folding her arms with an amused smile. "If you keep glaring at it like that, people are going to think you're planning to steal it." Auren didn't take her eyes off the altar. "I'm not glaring." "You absolutely are." Another voice joined them, calm and laced with quiet amusement. "I counted," Mira Solis said as she stepped between them, carefully smoothing the wrinkles from her midnight-blue ceremonial dress. "You've squeezed that pendant twenty-three times in the last five minutes." Auren finally looked down. She hadn't even realized she was gripping it so tightly that her knuckles had turned white. Slowly, she loosened her fingers. "I'm fine." Elara laughed. "That might be the biggest lie you've told all year." A reluctant smile tugged at Auren's lips. It was impossible to stay tense around Elara for long. The three of them had grown up together, sharing everything from scraped knees to impossible dreams. They knew each other well enough to recognize every forced smile and every hidden worry. Where Auren preferred to think before acting, Elara charged headfirst into every challenge life threw at her. Where Elara relied on instinct, Mira relied on logic. Together, they complemented each other perfectly. Or at least... They usually did. Tonight felt different. A strange heaviness settled over Auren's chest, tightening with every passing second. It wasn't fear. Not exactly. It felt... Familiar. Like she had lived this moment before. Almost instinctively, her gaze lifted toward the enormous full moon hanging above the forest. The instant she met its silver light, a sharp pain pierced through her head. She sucked in a breath. A whisper drifted through her mind. "Run..." Auren froze. The voice wasn't Elara's. It wasn't Mira's. It wasn't anyone standing nearby. It sounded ancient. Gentle. Heartbreakingly beautiful. Before she could understand what she'd heard, another image exploded across her mind. Three wolves. Their eyes burned like molten gold beneath a blood-red moon. One stretched a hand toward her. One stood proudly upon a throne carved from black stone. One knelt beside a lonely grave, his head bowed as though mourning someone he could never save. She couldn't see their faces. She never could. The vision shattered like broken glass. "Auren!" She blinked. Elara was gripping both her shoulders now, concern replacing the playful smile she'd worn moments ago. "You disappeared for a second." "I'm okay." "No," Mira said quietly, studying her face. "You looked terrified." Auren forced a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "It was just a headache." Neither of them looked convinced. Because deep down... Neither was she. For eight years, the same nightmare had haunted her sleep. Always the same crimson moon. Always the same three wolves. Always the same unbearable feeling that someone—or something—was waiting for her. And tonight... For the first time... She was terrified the dream was about to become reality.