The forest had finally gone quiet again.
But the silence didn't feel peaceful.
It felt like the calm after a storm.
Ava stood in the center of the clearing, staring at the place where the rival alphas and their warriors had disappeared into the darkness.
Her chest still rose and fell rapidly as adrenaline slowly faded from her body.
The silver glow that had surrounded her earlier was gone now.
But she could still feel something different inside her.
Something stronger.
Something ancient.
Kael's warriors began shifting back into their human forms around them. Some were injured, a few had blood running down their arms or shoulders, but none of them looked afraid.
Instead, they looked… impressed.
Their eyes kept drifting toward Ava.
One of the warriors whispered to another,
"That was Moon power."
The other nodded slowly.
"I've only heard stories about it."
Ava rubbed the back of her neck uncomfortably.
"I hate when people stare like that."
Kael chuckled softly beside her.
"They're not staring at you."
She raised an eyebrow.
"Oh really?"
"They're staring at their future queen."
Ava froze.
Then she slowly turned toward him.
"Don't start that."
Kael crossed his arms calmly.
"I'm not starting anything."
"Yes you are."
"No."
"Yes."
He smirked.
"Maybe a little."
Ava rolled her eyes.
Before she could reply, another voice interrupted.
"Alpha."
Kael turned.
A tall warrior approached quickly, his expression serious.
Ava recognized him from earlier battles.
Ronan — Kael's beta.
"We tracked them for about two miles," Ronan reported.
"They're retreating fast."
Kael nodded once.
"They won't attack again tonight."
Ronan glanced briefly at Ava.
"But they'll come back."
Kael didn't deny it.
"Of course they will."
Ava sighed.
"That's comforting."
Ronan hesitated for a moment before speaking again.
"Also… the elders felt it."
Kael's expression darkened slightly.
Ava frowned.
"Felt what?"
Ronan looked at her carefully.
"Your awakening."
Her stomach dropped.
"What does that mean exactly?"
Kael answered quietly.
"It means every elder in the wolf world now knows you exist."
Ava blinked.
"That sounds… bad."
"It's complicated."
"That's never a good answer."
Ronan cleared his throat.
"There's something else."
Kael's gaze sharpened.
"What?"
"We found this."
Ronan opened his hand.
A small object rested in his palm.
A silver pendant.
The symbol carved into it looked ancient — a crescent moon surrounded by strange markings.
Ava's heart skipped.
She had seen that symbol before.
In dreams.
Kael took the pendant slowly.
His eyes narrowed.
"This belonged to the Moon Queen council."
Ava frowned.
"The what?"
Ronan answered.
"The rulers before the modern pack system."
Ava's confusion only grew.
"Why would someone drop that here?"
Kael looked toward the forest again.
"They didn't drop it."
"Then?"
"They left it."
Ava crossed her arms.
"As a gift?"
"As a warning."
A chill ran down her spine.
"Great."
Ronan looked uneasy.
"If the council is involved…"
He didn't finish the sentence.
He didn't need to.
Kael's jaw tightened.
"They've been gone for generations."
"Some believe they never disappeared."
Ava rubbed her temples.
"Okay, hold on."
Both men looked at her.
"You're telling me there's a secret group of ancient wolf rulers who might suddenly appear because of me?"
Ronan nodded slowly.
"That's the short version."
Ava sighed heavily.
"My life was so much simpler two weeks ago."
Kael chuckled.
"You were getting rejected by your alpha."
"That was still easier than this."
Kael smiled slightly.
But his eyes softened when he looked at her.
"You're handling it better than most would."
"That's because I'm still in shock."
Ronan suddenly looked toward the trees.
His expression changed instantly.
"Alpha."
Kael followed his gaze.
Ava turned too.
Someone was walking out of the forest.
Alone.
Slowly.
Confidently.
The moment Ava recognized him, her heart dropped.
"No…"
Kael's posture stiffened.
"Well."
The man stepped fully into the clearing.
His dark hair moved slightly in the wind, and his familiar cold eyes locked onto Ava.
The alpha who had rejected her.
Damon.
Her former mate.
His gaze moved between her and Kael.
Then he smirked faintly.
"I see I arrived just in time."
Ava felt anger flare inside her chest.
"What are you doing here?"
Damon ignored the question.
Instead, his eyes focused on the silver pendant in Kael's hand.
His smirk faded.
"So it's true."
Kael stepped slightly in front of Ava.
"You're trespassing."
Damon shrugged casually.
"That never stopped you before."
Ronan growled softly.
Ava crossed her arms.
"You didn't answer my question."
Damon finally looked at her again.
His voice lowered.
"I came to warn you."
Ava laughed bitterly.
"That's funny."
"No."
His eyes darkened.
"I'm serious."
Kael's voice turned cold.
"You lost the right to care about her."
Damon's gaze sharpened instantly.
"I didn't come here to argue with you."
"Then leave."
"I will."
He paused.
"But she needs to hear this first."
Ava frowned.
"Hear what?"
Damon looked directly into her eyes.
"The Moon Queen bloodline isn't just power."
Her stomach twisted.
"Then what is it?"
Damon's expression became deadly serious.
"It's a target."
Kael scoffed.
"We already know that."
"No," Damon said quietly.
"You don't."
Silence filled the clearing.
Then Damon said the one thing none of them expected.
"The Moon Queen council has already chosen who will control her."
Ava's chest tightened.
"What?"
Damon's gaze flicked briefly toward Kael.
Then back to her.
"And trust me…"
His voice dropped.
"You're not going to like their choice."
The wind suddenly picked up around them.
The moon above the forest shone brighter.
And for the first time that night—
Kael looked truly worried.