They spoke her name like a myth.
The Luna who vanished in exile.
The she-wolf who survived the severing of the bond.
The ghost who now marched with rogue-born warriors at her back.
Whispers of Aria Nightwind swept through the werewolf kingdoms like wildfire. From the northern pines of Silverclaw to the desert reaches of Sunfang, her name returned to every tongue this time, not in shame, but in awe.She had called for the Rite of Retribution, a sacred challenge only the wronged could invoke. Few dared to even utter those words aloud. No one had invoked it in over a century. The last she-wolf who tried had died on the battlefield.But Aria was no ordinary Luna.In Dark Moon Pack, fear grew with every passing day.Inside the Alpha Hall, Kade paced, his movements restless. The council room, once filled with devoted elders and obedient lieutenants, was tense with silent judgment.
"She has no right to come back," Kade muttered. "She was exiled. Cast out."
"You exiled her," Elder Garron said grimly. "And now, by pack law, she has every right to challenge you."
"She was my mate."
"And you severed the bond in front of the pack," Garron cut in. "If her claim is valid, and the Moon backs her" He paused, lowering his voice. "Then she is Luna Sovereign, whether you accept it or not."Kade turned sharply. She's not the same wolf. She's different.Exactly, the elder said quietly. "And that should terrify you."Across the lands, pack leaders prepared for the Gathering.Banners were raised. Wolves sharpened their blades. The Council Arena,an ancient clearing beneath the Moonstone Arch was cleansed for the sacred rites.Yet it wasn't just the trial they came to witness. It was her.The fallen Luna who dared to rise again.At Crescent Keep, Aria stood on the balcony of her war chamber, eyes fixed on the horizon. The moon was high but waning a sign of transition, Yelena had told her. Of endings and beginnings.
Behind her, Ronan leaned against the stone pillar.
"They're scared," he said softly. "You haven't stepped into their world yet, and already they're trembling."Aria didn't answer. Her fingers brushed the hilt of her blade."They should be," she finally said. "For five years, they let him rule with impunity. No one questioned the exile. No one called for the truth."
"And now?"
"Now, they'll remember what a Luna really is."
Ronan pushed off the wall and approached her."You don't have to face him alone."Aria turned to him. "But I will. This fight is mine. My name, my right, my vengeance."He nodded once. "Then I'll be behind you. Always."Their eyes met. Something unspoken passed between them an understanding, deeper than words. She didn't need saving. And he didn't try to save her.That was why she trusted him.On the eve of the Gathering, Aria and her crescent-marked warriors rode beneath a silver sky.The closer they came to the Council Arena, the quieter the lands became. Wolves lined the trails not in defiance, but in silent reverence.She wore no crown. She bore no title but her own name.
And still, they bowed.
When they reached the sacred glade, all five ruling packs were assembled each flanking the circular Moonstone Arch, a monument carved by the ancients to mark the sanctity of trial.A hush fell across the arena as Aria stepped into the center, cloak fluttering behind her. She wore armor of shadow-forged silver and a sword sheathed at her hip, but it was the mark on her collarbone the glowing crescent that drew gasps from the crowd.
The Moon had marked her.
Yelena stood at the edge of the field, her hood drawn.Ronan remained in the shadows beyond the ring, arms folded, eyes scanning every Alpha like a silent warning.Kade stepped forward from his side of the circle.He looked older. Harder. Haunted.His gaze met hers and for a flicker of a moment, regret softened his face.Then it hardened again.
"Aria Nightwind," he said loudly, so all could hear, "you were exiled by the laws of the Dark Moon Pack. What gives you the right to return?"
Aria's voice rang out like a bell.
"The Moon does. And the blood I carry. I invoke the Rite of Retribution for betrayal, for wrongful exile, and for the severing of a bond without just cause."Gasps erupted around them.
"You accuse me of betrayal?" Kade spat. "You conspired with rogues."
"I was the rogue," she said, stepping closer. "You believed lies over our bond. You exiled me without proof. You left me to die."The Council fell silent.
Aria turned to face the crowd.
"I don't return for pity. Or for his love. I return because a Luna's title is not his to give or take. I earned my place. And now, I claim it by battle or by blood."
Her words echoed across the field like thunder.The High Seer emerged then, cloaked in ceremonial white, and raised her arms."The challenge is valid," she declared. "Tomorrow at moonrise, the Rite shall begin. Combat of body, mind, and spirit. Let the Moon bear witness."Aria and Kade stared each other down.This was no longer about love. Or even betrayal.It was about justice.And in twenty-four hours, it would.