At dawn, the rain faded into mist, veiling the forest in a ghostly shroud. Elara, Kael, and their growing company moved swiftly, their footsteps muffled by the wet earth. Every breath of wind carried the tension of a world on the brink of war.
Their destination lay beyond the river—a rugged land known as Hollow's Reach, home to the Eastern Claw Pack.
"They're warriors," Kael warned as they crossed a creaking wooden bridge. "Proud. Stubborn. They don't bend easily."
"I don't need them to bend," Elara said, her voice steady. "I need them to stand with us."
By midday, the trees gave way to jagged cliffs. Atop a plateau, a fortress of black stone loomed—the stronghold of the Eastern Claw. Banners bearing a silver wolf claw fluttered in the cold breeze.
The gates opened slowly, and out marched a patrol of armored wolves, their armor etched with battle scars. At their head was a man with steel-gray hair and a sword strapped across his back.
Alpha Dorian.
He stopped a few feet away, studying Elara with sharp, calculating eyes.
"You come to us armed and marked with old blood," he said, his voice deep and wary. "Why?"
Kael stepped forward, but Elara raised a hand, stopping him.
She met Dorian's gaze head-on. "I come because Vael has risen. Because he intends to sever the bond between wolf and moon, between fated mates themselves. If he succeeds, the world we know will fall."
A murmur ran through the warriors gathered around.
Dorian's expression didn't soften. "Why should we trust the words of a stranger?"
Elara took a deep breath. Then she unsheathed the Moonblade, its silver glow cutting through the mist like a beacon. Gasps rippled through the ranks.
"I am Elara Moonborn," she declared. "Descendant of the first Moonmate. Chosen by the blade itself. I carry not just my bloodline—but the future of all wolves."
Dorian's gaze lingered on the blade, then on the determination in her eyes. At last, he gave a small nod.
"You speak like an Alpha."
He turned to his warriors. "Prepare the council. Tonight, we hear her claim."
As the gates swung wide to admit them, Kael leaned close to Elara, his voice low with admiration.
"You're not just gathering allies," he said. "You're gathering a kingdom."
Elara smiled faintly, the weight of destiny heavy on her shoulders—but she no longer feared it.