Frostfall's upper council room was carved from ancient ice and stone, illuminated only by flickering torches and the pale glow of the moon through the frost-glazed windows. The air inside was so cold Aria could see her breath.
She stood beside Ronan, shoulders tense, every wolf in the room staring at her as though she were made of fire instead of flesh.
Outside, the storm raged. Inside, another one brewed.
Elda Merin lifted her staff. "We have gathered here to issue a final decision."
Ronan's fingers brushed Aria's wrist—subtle, hidden, a silent I'm here.
Lyra stood beside the elders, arms crossed, lips tight with frustration and fear.
Aria swallowed hard. "Before you decide anything, please… let me speak."
"Let her speak," Ronan said sharply, daring anyone to disagree.
No one did.
Aria stepped forward, her voice quiet but steady. "I don't want to hurt your pack. I don't want any wolf to fear me. I didn't ask for this power."
Lyra scoffed. "But you have it."
Aria nodded. "Yes. And I'm trying to control it. But I can't do that if I'm locked away. I can't learn anything alone."
Lyra opened her mouth, but Ronan cut her off. "Let her finish."
Aria continued, "I know what I am now. The First Luna told me."
Gasps echoed.
Elda Merin steadied herself. "Child… are you certain of what you saw?"
"I'm certain," Aria whispered. "She said the Devourer fears me because I'm the Moonbreaker."
A murmur rippled through the room—fear, confusion, disbelief.
Lyra's voice trembled. "Then that's even more reason to separate you from Ronan. You're too dangerous together."
Aria stiffened. "I'm not trying to take Ronan from Frostfall."
Lyra's jaw tightened. "But you already have."
Ronan growled. "That's enough."
Lyra snapped, "You can't see how connected you've become, Ronan! It's dangerous!"
His eyes flashed blue. "The bond is none of your concern."
"It is when it risks the entire pack!" Lyra shouted.
Elda Merin lifted her staff sharply. "ENOUGH."
Silence choked the room.
The elder inhaled deeply. "Aria Hale. You have shown unprecedented power. You are vital to the prophecy… but unpredictable."
Aria's heart dropped. "What are you saying?"
"We cannot allow you to remain in Frostfall freely," Elda Merin said softly. "You must undergo supervised containment—"
Ronan slammed his hand against the ice table.
Cracks shot across its surface.
"No."
Elda Merin looked pained. "Ronan—"
"No," he repeated, voice shaking the chamber. "I will not allow you to cage her."
Lyra hissed, "You don't have authority over this decision."
Ronan turned his gaze to her—cold, lethal. "Try to take her, and you'll learn what authority I have."
"Ronan," Aria whispered desperately, grabbing his arm. "Please… don't fight them."
He turned immediately, voice softening only for her. "I'm not losing you."
A painful warmth spread in her chest.
Elda Merin sighed. "Ronan… if you defy the council again—you will lose your throne."
Aria's breath caught.
Lyra's voice cut in coldly. "You'll be cast out. Stripped of your title. Named rogue."
Aria stumbled back as though struck.
"No…" she whispered. "Not because of me."
Ronan stepped in front of her. "I don't care."
"You should," Lyra snapped. "Your kingdom depends on you."
"I don't care," Ronan repeated, softer this time. "I only care about her."
Aria felt her heart crack open.
But the elder continued mercilessly.
"We have made our ruling. Aria Hale must be taken into council supervision immediately."
Ronan's power flared around him.
"No," he whispered.
Lyra lifted her chin. "Then you leave us no choice."
With a snap of her fingers, two dozen guards poured into the chamber.
Aria gasped and stumbled backward.
Ronan shifted—half wolf, half man—eyes blazing ice-blue. "Don't take another step."
"Ronan—" Aria cried. "Stop, please—you'll get hurt!"
Ronan stepped forward. "I will die before I let them touch you."
But before the guards could advance—
The torches flickered violently.
A gust of icy wind blew through the chamber.
And a man stepped from the shadows.
Golden eyes.
Dark hair.
Expression grim.
The stranger.
"Enough," he said quietly.
The guards froze mid-step, trembling.
Ronan growled, "What are you doing here?"
The stranger looked at Aria first—his gaze lingering on her glowing wrist. "You're accelerating faster than even I predicted."
Lyra glared. "Who are you to interfere?"
"I am the only one who understands what she is," he said.
Ronan growled. "Back away from her."
The stranger held up his hands calmly. "Relax, Alpha. I'm not your enemy."
Lyra scoffed. "You're certainly not our ally."
"No," he agreed. "My allegiance is to the prophecy. And right now… the council is making a grave mistake."
Elda Merin frowned. "Explain."
The stranger's voice dropped.
"If you separate Aria from Ronan now, before her awakening stabilizes—she will lose control."
A hush fell.
Aria's stomach twisted.
"What do you mean?" she whispered.
"You need a stabilizing force," he said. "Something to anchor you when the next stage hits."
Ronan stepped closer to her instinctively. "You mean me."
The stranger nodded. "Yes. Your presence calms her power. She draws control from your bond."
Lyra's voice rose with disgust. "This again? The bond is corrupting—"
"No," the stranger snapped. "It's saving her life."
Silence.
The stranger looked directly at the council. "If you take her away from him—the Devourer will consume her awakening. She will become exactly what you fear."
Aria's heart thumped painfully. "No… I don't want that."
Ronan curled an arm around her waist, grounding her. "You won't."
The stranger continued. "The awakening has three stages. She is entering the second. In this stage, she needs an anchor. A bondmate's presence. A heart tether."
Aria's cheeks warmed, her pulse racing.
Ronan grew very still.
Lyra shook her head violently. "Absolutely not. You're saying the bond is REQUIRED? That's impossible."
"It's ancient Moonborn lore," the stranger replied. "You wolves have forgotten."
Elda Merin looked troubled. "If what you say is true… then separating Aria from Ronan is dangerous."
Lyra spun around, eyes furious. "You can't be considering this!"
But the elder's voice was soft. "What choice do we have?"
Ronan held Aria closer, whispering so only she heard, "I won't let them take you."
Her voice trembled. "Ronan… what do we do?"
He looked into her eyes, something unspoken burning there.
"We don't stay here."
Lyra heard it.
"You're planning to run again," she said bitterly. "Coward."
Ronan's expression chilled. "Protecting her is not cowardice."
The stranger cleared his throat. "If you are leaving Frostfall… you need to go now. Before the Devourer regains strength."
Elda Merin spoke quietly, "Ronan. If you leave, you abandon your throne."
"I know."
"You abandon your pack."
"I know."
"You abandon your oath."
Ronan looked at Aria.
And smiled softly.
"I know."
Aria's breath caught. "Ronan…"
Lyra's voice trembled with fury. "You'd give up everything. For her?"
Ronan didn't look away from Aria as he answered:
"Yes."
Aria's vision blurred with emotion.
The stranger stepped back. "Then your path is chosen."
"But where do we go?" Aria asked.
He met her eyes with quiet gravity.
"To the Moonborn sanctum."
Ronan tensed. "That place is real?"
"Yes," the stranger said. "And if Aria is going to survive the final stage of awakening, she must reach it before the Devourer does."
Aria swallowed. "And how far is it?"
The stranger's expression darkened.
"Farther than you think."
Thunder rumbled outside.
The storm intensified.
And Aria's wrist pulsed again—harder this time.
Ronan caught her as her knees buckled. "Aria—!"
She gasped as silver veins spread up her arm.
The stranger whispered, "It has begun. Stage Two."
Ronan lifted her into his arms without hesitation.
"We're leaving," he growled.
Behind them—
Lyra screamed Ronan's name.
The council called for guards.
Wolves howled.
But Ronan didn't look back.
Aria pressed her forehead weakly against his chest.
"Ronan," she whispered, "I'm scared."
His arms wrapped around her tighter.
"I know," he murmured. "But I'm with you. Always."
Her mark pulsed in answer.
And the storm swallowed them as they fled Frostfall together.