Bound by the Blood Moon

Chapter 10 The Confrontation

The wooden door creaked open slowly, and Mia stepped into the royal chamber with a cold, graceful smile on her lips.

She no longer wore the gentle, tender mask she had kept for years. Her silver cloak swept the floor, her crimson eyes sharp and venomous, completely revealing the jealousy and hatred hidden beneath her soft appearance.

“I wondered when you would come back, Moon Maiden.” Mia’s voice was sweet yet icy. “You think saving his life can erase everything that has happened?”

I stood in front of Ronan’s bed, blocking her path without stepping back. “Your schemes end today, Mia. The lunar relic, the planted evidence, the lies you whispered to turn him against me—I know everything.”

Ronan’s body tensed behind me. Still weak from the curse suppression, he lifted himself up slightly on the bed, his golden eyes locked sharply on Mia. All the fragmented doubts he’d felt in the forest now clicked into place.

Mia laughed softly, without a trace of fear. “So you finally awakened your little moon magic and dug up the truth. It does not matter anymore.”

She raised her palm, and a faint black mist curled between her fingers—a forbidden shadow magic forbidden by all wolf clans.

“I have waited twenty years for this moment. The blood curse is not only his punishment… it is my key to seize the throne.” She glanced at Ronan mockingly. “The old king stole my mother’s position long ago. Now I will take back what belongs to me.”

Ronan’s voice turned cold and dangerous. “You manipulated the curse all along. You worsened my pain to make me weaker.”

“Exactly.” Mia tilted her head. “As long as you distrusted Layla, you would never accept her lunar purification completely. The curse would eat you alive slowly, and I would inherit Stormfang after your death.”

My silver magic flared brightly, clashing against her shadow mist in the middle of the chamber. The air crackled with the collision of holy moonlight and dark forbidden power.

“You will destroy the entire pack with your greed.” I narrowed my eyes. “I won’t let you.”

“Stop her, Layla.” Ronan stood unsteadily behind me, his voice low and urgent. “Her shadow magic corrupts wolf souls. If she continues, every warrior in this castle will fall under her control.”

The mate bond trembled wildly between us. For the first time since the blood moon, our powers resonated together—his brutal wolf strength merging with my sacred lunar light.

Mia’s expression twisted with rage. She raised both hands, sending a wave of dark shadow rushing toward us.

I channeled all my awakened power into a silver barrier, while Ronan pushed past his curse weakness and unleashed his Alpha roar to shatter the incoming darkness.

Boom!

Light and shadow collided violently, shaking the entire royal chamber.

When the smoke cleared, Mia was pushed back to the doorway, her silver cloak torn, shadow magic flickering unsteadily. She glared at us with murderous hatred.

“Fine.” She gritted her teeth. “If the two of you stand together… I will destroy everything you love. The final blood moon will be your end.”

With that threat echoing in the room, she turned and vanished into the dark corridor.

The chamber fell into tense silence again.

Ronan stood right behind me, his warm breath brushing the top of my hair.

“We fought together,” he whispered softly. “For the first time.”

I did not turn around, but I could feel the bond between us softening slightly—the sharp hatred fading, replaced by tangled, complicated feelings neither of us could name.

The war was not over. But this time, we were no longer enemies.