Chapter 97: The Moon Goddess Appears
The thunder got louder as Elara and her mates walked back toward the pack house.
But something felt wrong. The sound wasn’t coming from storm clouds—it was coming from above the moon itself. "Look up," Darian whispered, his truth-sight picking up something impossible.
The full moon was getting brighter. So bright it hurt to stare at directly. Silver light poured down like liquid starlight, making the entire area glow. "That’s not normal," Ronan said, his flames instantly responding to the celestial energy.
"Nothing about our lives is normal," Kael answered, but his ice powers were also reacting, creating frost patterns in the air. The light increased until it felt like daylight. Then, impossible as it seemed, the moon began to fall. "Run!" Elara shouted, but her feet wouldn’t move. The silver light had frozen them all in place.
The moon touched the ground fifty feet away, and from its surface stepped the most beautiful woman Elara had ever seen. Tall as a tree, with skin that glowed like pearls and hair that moved like liquid moonbeams. Her eyes held the knowledge of thousands of years. "My children," the Moon Goddess said, her voice echoing inside their thoughts rather than their ears. "Finally, we meet."
Elara’s knees buckled. She was face-to-face with the being who controlled every werewolf’s fate. "You’re real," she breathed. "Very real," the Goddess smiled.
"And very concerned about my favorite wolves." "Favorite?" Kael asked, still frozen in the silver light. "The Triple Alpha bond was my idea," the Goddess explained, walking closer. "Three souls, one heart, one mate. I’ve been planning this for ages."
"Planning what exactly?" Darian demanded, his truth-sight trying to read the Goddess and getting overcome by her power. "The salvation of all supernatural beings," she answered simply. "Your children will join the magical world. But first, you must face what’s coming." "Maya told us about the prophecy," Elara said.
"About the Council of Shadows. About the trials." The Goddess’s face darkened. "Maya saw only part of the truth. The Council isn’t your biggest enemy."
"Then who is?" Ronan’s flames flickered nervously. "Me." The word hit them like a physical blow. Elara felt her heart stop. "What do you mean?" she whispered. "I created the Council of Shadows," the Goddess admitted. "They serve me.
The trials are my tests, meant to see if you’re worthy of the power I’m about to give you." "You’ve been trying to kill us!" Kael accused, ice forming around his hands despite the numbness. "I’ve been trying to strengthen you," the Goddess corrected.