The air was electric that night.

Every torch that lined the Shadowfang courtyard burned blue-white, the color of moonfire. The pack gathered in a wide circle, their faces half-lit, half-shadowed. Even the forest seemed to hold its breath.

The Moon Trial wasn’t just a ceremony—it was a judgment.

Selene stood in the center of the circle, her heart hammering against her ribs.

The moon hung high above, full and cold, spilling light across her pale skin. Her hands trembled slightly as she ...