Aria's POV
I was ordered to serve at the alliance feast between the Red Moon and Black Moon packs. My mind was still tangled in questions I couldn't escape.
What's the prophecy? What does it mean to be Moon Blessed?
Every step toward the grand hall felt heavier. I could already feel eyes on me, the glares of the council members sharp like blades. Clara must have done worse than I thought. I didn't deserve this.
I put on my servant attire, the plain fabric a reminder of my place. Carrying trays of wine and food, I did what I always did serve, smile, and pretend I was invisible.
When I glanced toward the high table, I saw Ares seated among the Alphas and council leaders. He didn't look at me. Not once. My chest tightened, but I forced myself to keep moving.
Each time I passed by, I caught whispers:
"She'll need to be executed."
"She needs help before her rage burns us all."
Every word cut deeper. It felt like the entire hall was mocking me for being weak.
Well, it isn't my fault, I whispered under my breath.
I'm being humiliated at an event that's supposed to celebrate strength and unity.
My eyes wandered again, catching the flicker of torches on gold plates, the laughter of wolves who would never see me as one of them. Even Ares wouldn't acknowledge me. To them, I was just a servant an outcast who didn't belong.
"This is cruel," I muttered, moving across the hallway with a tray balanced in my hands.
Then I saw her Clara. She stood near the front, her expression calm but her eyes gleaming with malice. When our eyes met, she gave me a slow, devious smirk.
Something in my stomach twisted. Something doesn't feel right about this, I thought.
Before I could move away, chaos erupted.
A group of masked men in uniform burst into the hall. The crowd screamed as chairs toppled and goblets shattered on the floor. The men didn't go for the council, nor for Ares.
They came straight for me.
I froze. Fear rooted me to the ground.
One of them grabbed me by the throat, pressing a dagger to my skin. The world tilted. My tray crashed to the floor, wine spreading like blood around my feet.
Is this where it ends?
My legs refused to move. My breath came in shallow gasps.
"Why me?" I whispered. "Why are they coming for me?"
The assassin growled, the sound muffled behind his mask the sound of a predator about to strike. The noise of the hall faded into a dull roar. My ears rang. The edges of the room blurred.
I wanted to scream, but my throat was dry. Only the taste of salt filled my mouth as tears burned my eyes.
Then it happened.
Heat surged inside my chest wild, furious, alive. It rushed through my veins like fire and lightning colliding. The air itself seemed to bend around me, heavy and trembling. I couldn't control it. I couldn't even breathe.
"Stay… away!"
The words came from my mouth, but it wasn't my voice. It was older, stronger, commanding.
Power erupted from deep within me. A blinding wave of energy burst outward, tearing through the air.
The assassins were thrown across the hall, their bodies slamming into walls with guttural cries before sliding to the floor. Silver sparks rained through the air, glowing like falling stars.
I could feel the energy ripping through me, burning and endless. I couldn't tell if it was fire or light. My body wasn't my own anymore.
Then everything dimmed. My vision blurred, shapes fading into nothingness. The last thing I saw were faces frozen in fear and then, darkness swallowed me whole.
Ares' POV
I sat among the council leaders, listening to the empty chatter about alliances and trade. My focus wasn't on their words. It was on Clara.
She kept stealing glances toward Aria, her smile too calm, too knowing. I already knew she was planning something.
Then the doors burst open.
Masked men stormed in, their movements too sharp, too coordinated. My instincts screamed before my mind caught up they weren't random intruders. They were after Aria.
I felt Ace stir instantly inside me, my wolf roaring for release. Protect her!
But I stayed seated, every muscle trembling with restraint.
When one of the attackers grabbed Aria, Ace nearly broke free. My claws pricked through my palms as I gripped the edge of the table.
Then it happened the air itself split. A silver flash exploded from Aria's body. The assassins flew backward, crashing into the walls with cries of pain.
For a second, silence.
Then I heard it a voice that didn't belong to Aria, echoing through the hall.
"Stay away!"
Ace's growl filled my head. She's ours.
I clenched my jaw, forcing him back, but my hands shook uncontrollably. The council was in chaos, some shouting prayers, others stumbling for the doors.
Clara stepped forward slowly, her calmness cutting through the panic. Her voice rang clear:
"She will rise… and burn us all."
Gasps echoed. The elders' faces turned pale with terror.
I moved before I could think. I pulled Aria behind me, shielding her as she lay unconscious on the floor.
"Enough!" I barked. My voice echoed through the hall. "No one touches her!"
Clara's lips curved into a small, triumphant smile. She didn't need to say it she had won this round.
The packs stared at me in shock. I could see the questions in their eyes. Why protect her? Why defend the cursed one?
But I didn't care.
I looked down at Aria, still trembling, her body faintly glowing from the energy that had burst from her. She didn't deserve any of this.
I glared at Clara, my wolf snarling just beneath my s
kin.
Her smile didn't fade. She only tilted her head, satisfied.
She had succeeded in her plan and she knew it.