The Moonlight Warning
Celeste’s POV
The first thing I felt when I woke up was the soft hum of warmth coursing through the mark on my neck. Both comforting and unsettling, it seemed to be a constant reminder of the bond Kaelen and I now shared. As I shifted in bed, my hand reached instinctively for him but his side was cold and empty.
I sat up, pulling the thick blankets up to my neck. It was so still inside, except for a light, whispery wind eddy blowing in between the split doors leading to the balcony.
Kaelen was standing at the edge of the balcony, his tall frame rigid, his hands gripping the stone railing as though it were the only thing holding him.
“Kaelen?” I called softly, not wanting to startle him.
He didn’t look at me, his voice sharp. “You should be resting.”
I moved closer, the cool morning air brushing against my skin. “I couldn’t sleep. The moon… I can’t stop thinking about it.”
His grip tightened on the railing, his knuckles white. “Forget it.
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“How can I?” I asked, my voice firmer now. “Kaelen, the moon doesn’t shine like that without reason. That light–it was ancient, powerful. We can’t ignore it.”
Finally, he turned to me, his gray eyes stormy. “It wasn’t a blessing,” he said, his voice low and cold. “It was a warning.”
I frowned, trying to make sense of his words. “A warning for what?”
His jaw clenched, and for a moment, I thought he wouldn’t answer. “For what’s coming. For what’s already here.”
Before I could press further, a knock echoed through the chamber. Kaelen’s shoulders straightened immediately, his mask of control snapping back into place. “Enter.”
The door opened, and Beta Dorian stepped inside, his expression grim. “The council is convening in an hour. They’ve requested both of you.”
Kaelen nodded curtly, his tone/clipped. “What do they want?”
Beta Dorian’s eyes flicked to me briefly before returning to Kaelen. “To discuss the moon’s radiance.”
Kaelen’s lips pressed into a thin line. “We’ll be there.”
Beta Dorian bowed and stepped out, the heavy oak door creaking shut behind him. Kaelen turned to me, impassive. “Get dressed. We don’t keep the council waiting.”
The council chamber was as cold as I remembered, its stone walls swallowing every sound. The elders sat in a semi–circle around the long oak table, their faces solemn,
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their eyes sharp. At the center was Magnus Blackthorn, his green gaze assessing me as if I were a curiosity on display.
Dorian’s knock shattered the tension between us. His voice was low but urgent. “Alpha, Luna. The council is waiting.”
Kaelen’s eyes flickered, a storm brewing behind the gray. Without another word, he straightened, his posture transforming into one of pure authority.
As we stepped into the dim corridor, his steps echoed like the beat of a war drum, each stride measured, deliberate, exuding the commanding presence of Vedmus, his wolf. The air around him seemed heavier, charged, forcing me to keep pace.
The council hall loomed ahead, its doors yawning open. Inside, six elders sat: Magnus Blackthorn, gaunt with piercing green eyes; Eira, her silver hair like spun frost; Osric, broad–shouldered with a deep scowl; Lirien, calm but sharp–eyed; and twins Garren and Thorne, their dark eyes mirroring cunning. At Kaelen’s entrance, all rose, heads slightly bowed. His presence rippled through the room like a silent roar, a force both revered and feared.
Kaelen and I stood before them, his presence commanding even in silence.
Magnus leaned forward slightly, his tone coated with false civility. “Alpha Kaelen, Luna Celeste, thanks for joining us. As you can imagine, last night’s … phenomenon has raised questions.”
Kaelen’s expression was impassive, his voice even. “The Moon Goddess’s will is not for us to question.
Magnus’s head tilted to one side, the faintest of smiles curling his lips. “Perhaps. But the people of Eldrun rely on certainty. They look to us for stability. And what stability can we offer if we don’t understand what this event signifies?”
I clenched my fists at his condescending tone, but Kaelen didn’t flinch.
Whatever the light of the moon portends,” Kaelen said, his voice low, even, yet hard, ” Shadow Keep and its allies are ready to meet it.”
Magnus’s eyes cut to me, his gaze razor–sharp. “And your Luna–she is ready? Or yet another weakness we’ll need to compensate for?
The insult struck home, but I wouldn’t show it. I stepped forward, my head high. ” Thornclaw may have fallen, but I survived,” I said, my voice steady. “And I will prove myself to this pack and this kingdom. If you doubt me, watch me.
A murmur ran through the room, the elders glancing warily at one another. Magnus leaned back in his chair, a smirk twisting his lips. “Bold words. Let us hope you can back them up.”
Kaelen’s hand brushed mine, a subtle, grounding touch. “She can,” he said, his voice leaving no room for argument.
The meeting was shortly adjourned, but the feeling of tension followed us out of the
The Moonlight Warning
chamber.
“You shouldn’t have challenged Magnus,” Kaelen said as we walked down the corridor, his tone frustration mixed with something else.
I kept pace beside him, refusing to be cowed. “You would rather I let him humiliate me in front of the council?”
Kaelen jerked to a stop, his long body pivoting toward me. “I’d rather you didn’t paint a target on your back.”
I crossed my arms over my chest, holding his gaze. “Magnus already has his sights on me. At least this way he knows I will not go down easy.”
His gray eyes darkened, but there was that flicker of something, pride, maybe? “You’re more stubborn than I thought,” he muttered under his breath.
Before I could say anything, Dorian appeared at the end of the hall, his face grim. ” Alpha, Luna,” he said, his voice low and urgent. “There’s been an attack.”
Kaelen’s demeanor changed in an instant, his whole body speaking of command. ”
Where?”
“A pack allied with us. Rogues burned their village and took the children.
The air seemed to suck out of the corridor. My stomach roiled under the weight of his words.
“We leave immediately,” Kaelen said, his voice deadly calm.
“I’m coming,” I said, stepping forward.
Kaelen turned to me, his gaze sharp. “No. You’ll stay here where it’s safe.”
I squared my shoulders to his glare. “If I am your Luna, then let me act like it. If this is my kingdom too, then I need to see what is happening.”
His eyes narrowed; I could feel the tension build and rise between us. He yielded after a very long moment. “Stay close. Do exactly as I say.
Kaelen’s voice was deadly calm. “We leave immediately.”
“I’m coming,” I said, stepping forward.
Kaelen’s gaze snapped to mine, sharp and unyielding. “No. You’ll stay here where it’s safe.”
I squared my shoulders. “If I’m your Luna, let me act like it. This is my kingdom too–l need to see what’s happening.”
Tension crackled between us, thick and unrelenting. Kaelen finally relented, his tone clipped. “Stay close. Do exactly as I say.”
He turned sharply, already barking orders to Dorian. “Gather twenty of our best warriors. Gear for pursuit and combat. I want supplies for three days on the road. Tell Garrick to prepare the medic teams to follow an hour behind us,”
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Dorian nodded, his face grim, and disappeared down the hall.
Kaelen turned to me next, his expression unreadable. “You have fifteen minutes to dress and ready yourself.”
I hesitated. “Ready myself how?”
“For travel and battle,” he said, voice firm. “That means wearing something practical. No gowns, no ornaments. If you’re coming, you’ll ride as one of us–not as a guest.”
His words stung, but I understood the unspoken challenge: if I wanted to stand beside him, I’d have to prove I was more than just a figurehead.
Fifteen minutes later, I stood in the courtyard dressed in fitted black leather riding gear that hugged my frame. It was far more functional than the flowing dresses I’d grown used to at Shadow Keep. My hair was braided tightly out of my face, and I’d strapped a dagger to my thigh–a precaution Kaelen had insisted on.
The courtyard buzzed with tension. Warriors armed themselves with swords, bows, and other weapons of choice. The smell of steel and leather hung in the air as packs of supplies were loaded onto saddlebags.
Kaelen moved through the organized chaos like a force of nature, his sharp
commands keeping everyone in motion. He wore his battle leathers, the dark material tailored perfectly to his powerful frame. A long sword hung at his side, its hilt wrapped in black leather.
“You’re armed?” Kaelen’s voice cut through the noise as he approached me, his gray eyes sweeping over my appearance.
I rested a hand on the dagger strapped to my leg. “Yes.”
He nodded, approving but still distant. “Good. Stick to my side. If anything happens, you don’t hesitate–you listen to me. Do you understand?”
“Yes,” I said, holding his gaze.
A sudden sharp whistle from the stables signaled the arrival of the horses. The beasts were powerful and restless, their breath visible in the cold morning air. Kaelen’s mount, a massive black stallion named Varren, pawed the ground impatiently as he approached.
Dorian rode up, his expression grim. “The warriors are ready, Alpha. Garrick and the medics will follow with the second group.”
Kaelen swung up onto his horse with practiced ease. He glanced down at me. “Mount up.”
I hesitated briefly, unsure how to handle the sleek gray mare that had been brought to me, but Kaelen’s sharp gaze left no room for hesitation. With a deep breath, I gripped the saddle and pulled myself up. The mare shifted beneath me, but I steadied quickly.
Kaelen gave a curt nod. “Let’s ride.”
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The gates of Shadow Keep opened with a groan, and we galloped out into the forest, the thunder of hooves drowning out everything else.
After some hours, The air reeked of smoke and charred wood. Ash floated like snowflakes, settling on the hollow faces of survivors. A child’s cry cut through the silence, sharp and raw, as though it carried the pain of the entire village.
Kaelen dismounted first, his presence commanding as he began issuing orders to the warriors. I followed closely, my eyes scanning the devastation.
A woman stumbled toward us, her face streaked with soot and tears. “Alpha Kaelen,” she gasped, her voice shaking. “They left a message.”
She handed him a blood–stained piece of parchment. Kaelen unfolded it, his face darkening as he read the jagged writing.
“They’re coming for Thornclaw next,” he growled, in that voice of his that was like stone. His eyes flickered to mine, cold and unyielding. “And they want you.
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