Selene
The stone hall of Shadowfang was colder than the storm outside, its high walls lined with torches that flickered against carved wolf sigils. I stood at the center, flanked by Veyra, and Thorne, while the pack crowded the benches, murmuring.
Draven stood close, his bandaged arm stiff at his side, but his warmth didn't reach me. Last night's promise in the temple felt fragile now, silent since we left the courtyard. Torren leaned against a pillar with his arms crossed, his face was unreadable, his eyes burning when they flicked my way. Elara's death was a wound we all carried, but his grief felt like an accusation.
Eldress Mara rose, her voice cutting through the hall. "The mission to retrieve the Luna's son failed. Elara is dead, our Alpha is wounded, and Kaelen walks free. We demand answers."
The pack stirred, with whispers rising among the crowd. I clenched my fists, nails biting into my palms. They deserved the truth, but how could I explain without damning myself further?
"I'll speak," Renn stepped forward now, his broad shoulders squared, his eyes avoiding mine . "The plan was simple. We'd draw Kaelen out with a distraction and sneak in and save the boy.. But the Luna's… choices disrupted us. Her confession about the raid threw Draven off and he was distracted when the fortress collapsed."
Gasps rippled through the crowd. I froze, my heart pounding. Renn hadn't lied, but he'd twisted the knife by painting me as reckless without naming the raid outright. Draven tensed beside me, his hand twitching toward his sword.
"Is that true, Luna?" Mara asked, her tone icy. "Did your words compromise the mission?"
I opened my mouth, but Draven cut in, his voice low and fierce. "Selene's confession didn't bring down the fortress. Kaelen's trap did. We walked into an ambush, and Elara's sacrifice got us out. Blame him, not her."
Mara's eyes narrowed. "And yet, Alpha, you falter. Your wounds weaken you, and her secrets divide us. The Pack Accord forbids dark rituals like the one Elara performed. Such acts invite the Goddess's retribution.. Do you deny the risk?"
Draven's jaw tightened. The Pack Accord, was the treaty binding the six packs – Shadowfang, Bloodfang, Veyor, Archevale, Mysticlands, and Castleseal. It was law etched in blood centuries ago. Elara's blood ward had broken that law, and now they pointed fingers at me.
"Elara saved us," I said, stepping forward, my voice louder than I felt. "She broke no law. She gave her life to protect this pack."
Mara's lips thinned. "And yet you led the charge, Luna. Your son, your vendetta... your secrets. The pack doubts you."
"I didn't ask anyone to follow me."
As soon as the words left my mouth, the whispers grew louder, sharp and accusing. I continued anyway, "I was headed for that mission on my own. The warriors who followed, did so of their own free will. Elara did so of her own free will. Her death is not my fault."
The murmurs rose, some snarls, some growls. Still, I stood my ground. A nearby warrior muttered, "Bloodfang bitch."
"Who said that?!" Draven's loud voice boomed, silencing the chatter instantly.
No reply.
"Which among you dared to hurl insults at your Luna. At MY chosen queen?!" He wasn't shouting, but the danger in his voice was much worse.
"After what she did, you still support her?" Eldress Elara asked.
"Oh, I'm fully aware of what she did. Another thing I'm aware of, is that she's my Luna... my queen... MY choice... and I'll be damned if I let any of you disrespect her while I still live."
The pack quieted, torn between respect for their Alpha and the elders' authority.
He continued. "Yes, that mission might've started off simply as a bid to save her child, but guess what we found out...Kaelen possesses an artefact that has the power to make him High Alpha."
The crowd erupted into a series of gasps, loud murmers and concerned faces.
Kaelen rose his voice above the chatter "Selene risked everything out there, same as the rest of us. You want someone to blame? Look at me. I led the mission, and as Alpha, it was my duty to protect everyone." A brief pause. "I failed Elara."
His words hit like a punch. I stared at him, his shoulders rigid, blood seeping through his bandage. He was taking the weight, and shielding me, but his voice cracked on Elara's name, and I saw the cost.
"Draven," I said softly, touching his arm. "You don't have to–"
"I do," he snapped.
The hall went silent, the weight of his admission sinking in. I wanted to reach for him, to say I'd carry the guilt with him, but I held my tongue instead, and waited.
Torren pushed off the pillar, breaking the silence. "Elara left this. Said it was for the pack." He reached into his cloak, pulling out a folded parchment tied with a thin silver cord.
He held it up, and a faint hum filled the air, like a distant whisper. The crowd leaned forward, eyes wide. I felt a pulse, sort of like the relic was alive. Torren's gaze locked on me, hard and unyielding, before he spoke again.
"It's her voice," he said. "She called it a whisper relic. Said it'd guide us when we're lost." He unfolded the parchment, and Elara's voice echoed, faint but clear, as if carried on a breeze.
"Shadowfang, my family," she said, her tone warm but firm. "We are strongest together. Do not let grief or doubt tear you apart. Fight for what matters. Trust the Luna. She carries our hope."
The words faded, leaving a stunned silence. My throat tightened, Elara's voice cutting through my guilt. Trust the Luna. Did she mean me? Torren's glare didn't soften, but he didn't contradict her words. The pack murmured, some nodding, others looking skeptical.
Veyra spoke up. "Elara believed in us, and in Selene as our Luna. We honor her by listening."
Mara raised a hand, silencing the crowd. "Fine words, but words do not prove worth. The Luna's actions have sown chaos. Only the Goddess can judge her."
Draven stiffened. "What are you saying?"
Mara's eyes gleamed. "We're sentencing the Luna to an Eclipse Trial come day's break tomorrow. She will face the Goddess's will in the Moon Grove, where truth cannot hide. Whether she lives or dies rests in divine hands."
The pack gasped, and I felt the floor drop beneath me. An Eclipse Trial? I didn't know much, but I'd heard whispers – very few made it out alive.
"You can't do this," Draven said, grabbing my hand. "She's my Luna. I won't let you–"
"It's not your choice, Alpha," Mara said coldly. "The pack demands it. Refuse, and we question your leadership too."
I pulled my hand free, stepping forward. "I'll do it," I said, my voice steadier than I felt. "If it proves my loyalty to Shadowfang, I'll accept my sentence with honor."
"Are you out of your mind?" Draven hissed. You're not–"
"I have to," I said, meeting his gaze. "You know I do."
The hall buzzed, the pack's eyes on me, some with grudging respect, others with doubt. Mara nodded, her expression unreadable.
"Then it's settled," she said. "Tomorrow, at the full moon, the Eclipse Trial begins. Prepare yourself, Luna. The Goddess does not forgive easily."