Ashes Of The Moon

Ryn’s Pov “Hurry up!” “Get inside, let’s move!” The leader barked again, his voice sharp and eager, like a man who just won a lottery. Of course, we are the big lottery. Each face around me told the same story. Pain, fear, heavy enough to cause the silence. Their eyes were clean, but I could feel their screams inside their straight faces. Someone whispered for me to cheer up, and said my case was different from the others. Why should I? Why should I feel any joy when I’m being sold to a pack I know nothing about, except that they’re ruthless and strong enough to make even other Alphas bow? The journey began, and the only sound that filled the night was the repeatedly pounding hooves of the horses pulling the chariot. One question lingered in my head. Ryn, will you come out of this alive? I lowered my head and whispered to myself, “I must. I must come back. For my mother.” “Finally, we’re here,” the leader said in a joyful tone. And I wondered. Why does wickedness always smile wider than the pure-hearted? The chariot came to a stop. The sudden silence was louder than the mighty drums. Chains were shaking, horses snorted, and before I could blink, the door swung open. “Out,” the guard barked. His voice carried no patience, only command. Cold air slapped my face as I stepped down. My bare feet touched the frozen stones of Vornath Pack. The air here smelled different. Thick with dominance and blood. The pack house stood ahead, tall and ancient, its towers reaching into the moonlight like claws. So this is where monsters live. “Form a line!” another guard shouted. We obeyed. Not because I wanted to, but because fear had already done the work of obedience. I felt eyes on me. Watching. Measuring. From the balcony above, a figure stood still as stone, his presence cutting through the crowd like a blade through flesh. Even without seeing his face, I knew… The Alpha King. For a moment, I forgot how to breathe. His aura pressed against my chest like a heavy hand, commanding, suffocating. My wolf stirred inside me, trembling in warning. “This one looks too weak,” someone muttered behind me. “She won’t last the night.” Another guard added. Maybe they were right. But weakness had its own kind of strength. One that strikes when no one expects it. The gates opened wider. We were herded inside like cattle for sacrifice. “This looks like the end of my freedom and the beginning of my curse,” I murmured. “Yes! The end of your freedom. About your curse? I have no business with that,” a woman snapped behind me. We were not allowed to turn; our eyes stayed fixed ahead. She stepped forward. Small in stature, but fierce, every inch ready for command. “You are welcome to Vornath Pack. I am Sion,” she announced, pausing as if letting the name land. One by one she called for our names. When she pointed at me, I took a breath and answered, “Ryn.” “That name isn’t for people like you,” she said, flat. “From now on, you will be called the cursed girl.” She moved on, ignoring the sting of the title. “You’ll be put through everything you need to know before you meet the King,” Sion said without sympathy. “Open your head and learn fast if you want to live.” Sion’s voice echoed through the hall, sharp as the crack of a whip. “You will bow when you see the king. You will not speak unless spoken to. You will not raise your eyes to meet his, unless you are told to.” Her words carved fear into the air. Every girl around me nodded quickly, too afraid to breathe wrong. I tried to keep up, tried to listen, but my head started beating like a drum. Each beat of my heart sounded heavier than the next. My legs trembled and I could barely stand to hear what Sion was saying. . Sion continued pacing before us, her boots hitting the floor with power. “Remember this, if your tongue stumbles before him, your head will roll before your body hits the ground.” The world around me started to blur. The ceiling started spinning. Someone shouted my name, but it sounded far away. I slowly went down on my knees and the cold stone floor caught me. I felt many hands on my body, but I couldn’t open my eyes anymore. Darkness took over before I could even call for help. I woke to voices, muffled, urgent. My throat burned. My body felt like fire had been poured through my veins. “She’s awake,” someone whispered. Sion’s face appeared above me, cold and unreadable. “You fainted for four hours. The others are ready. You are not.” “I—I can still do it,” I tried to rise, but pain tore through my chest. “You missed three hours of training,” she said, turning away. “The king doesn’t tolerate weakness.” “Please,” I whispered, clutching my wrist. “Give me a chance.” Sion’s eyes lingered on me. It seemed like she wanted to consider, but she turned away. “You’ll have thirty minutes. Learn what the others learned in three hours. Fail, and you won’t live to beg again.” I nodded and headed toward the training hall. With the way they prepared us before meeting the Alpha, I began to think the man I saw earlier wasn’t him. Because even from afar, I could feel his power, heavy, mighty, and unshakable. Everyone in this pack trembles at the mention of his name. “I wonder what kind of king he truly is,” I whispered. “A king who decides if you live or die. Your cursed life rests in his hands,” Sion’s voice came from behind me. I froze. She had answered what I said under my breath. How could she have heard that? Maybe she’s a witch… or something worse. “Move forward,” Sion commanded. Her voice echoed through the hall. “If you can’t do this, quit now. Otherwise, you’ll pay with your blood.” Her words were meant to scare me, but I refused to step back. I straightened and began my training. Minutes passed before two guards entered. “The king is ready to see you all,” one announced, then left. “You won’t join them,” Sion said, turning away. “No! I want to go. I will present myself before the king. Please, just let me go!” I protested. Sion turned with fury. “Who the hell are you? Do you think the king is a joke?” She stepped closer, her tone colder than ice. “The king wouldn’t want to see your cursed face. So stay here… and keep fainting.” Then she turned and walked away.