Kaelan woke abruptly, his body drenched in sweat, his heart pounding like a drum in his chest. The darkness of his chamber felt oppressive, the moonlight filtering through the window casting faint, silvery shadows across the room. He sat up, trying to piece together the fragments of the nightmare that had jolted him awake, but the details slipped through his fingers like water.
All he could recall was the overwhelming sensation of dread, a weight pressing on his chest that felt all too real. He pressed his palm to his forehead, the chill of his skin doing little to calm him.
The nightmare had felt different, more vivid than anything he’d experienced before. And though he couldn’t remember what he’d seen, the lingering feeling in his gut told him it was something important. Something he couldn’t ignore.
Unable to shake the unease, Kaelan threw off his blanket and stood, pacing his room. The floorboards creaked softly under his bare feet as he tried to make sense of his scattered thoughts. Sleep was impossible now. He needed air, needed to clear his mind.
Kaelan pulled on a cloak and strode toward the door. The cold air of the night greeted him as he stepped into the corridor, the palace silent save for the faint crackle of a distant torch. He moved quickly, his steps carrying him toward the main entrance.
As he approached, a voice stopped him in his tracks.
“Kaelan.”
The sound was soft yet commanding, echoing through the stillness of the night. It wasn’t a voice he recognized, but it carried a weight that made his breath catch.
“Who’s there?” he called, his voice steady despite the chill that ran down his spine.
The voice came again, ethereal and melodic, reverberating as though it came from everywhere and nowhere.
“It is I, the Moon Goddess.”
Kaelan froze, his heart pounding anew. The Moon Goddess? His thoughts raced, disbelief and awe clashing in his mind.
“Why have you come to me?” he asked, his voice trembling slightly.
“I have come to guide you,” the voice replied, each word resonating with power. “Your path as Alpha hangs in the balance, Kaelan. Your choices shape not only your future but the future of your pack.”
Kaelan’s mind spun. “You told me to choose Mira. She was my mate, chosen by you. How could that have been wrong?”
“She was not meant for you,” the voice said, its tone shifting to something more severe. “She was unworthy, her destiny intertwined with darkness. Her presence in your life threatens the very foundation of your pack.”
Kaelan’s fists clenched. The words struck him like a blow, reopening wounds he thought had begun to heal.
“Then why did you lead me to her?” he demanded.
“To show you the strength you must find within yourself,” the voice answered. “And now, you must make a new choice. Another stands before you, one who can guide you to greatness. Choose her, and your pack will prosper. Reject her, and you will face ruin.”
Kaelan’s jaw tightened as the weight of the message settled over him. “Who? Who am I supposed to choose?”
“The mate before you,” the voice said cryptically, fading as quickly as it had come.
The silence that followed was deafening. Kaelan stood motionless, his thoughts a storm of confusion and doubt. The Moon Goddess’s words lingered in his mind, their meaning elusive yet pressing.
He turned to leave, his feet carrying him toward the entrance almost on instinct. As he reached the heavy wooden doors, his eyes caught a figure lying on the floor, illuminated by the pale moonlight streaming through the windows.
Liana.
She was curled up near the entrance, her golden hair shimmering in the dim light. Her face was serene in sleep, a faint furrow in her brow betraying some lingering unease. Kaelan’s breath hitched as the Goddess’s words echoed in his mind: “Choose the mate before you.”
His heart pounded as he stared at her, the pieces beginning to fall into place. Could this have been the sign he was waiting for? Was Liana the one the Moon Goddess intended for him all along?
Kaelan’s chest tightened as he took a hesitant step closer. Everything felt wrong—Mira’s betrayal, the pack’s uncertainty, his father’s insistence on finding a Luna. Yet here lay Liana, the woman who had stood by him in battle, who had proven her loyalty time and again.
But doubt lingered, gnawing at the edges of his thoughts. The Moon Goddess’s first message had been so clear, so certain. Why would she change her mind?