Chapter 10.

The moon hung over the valley like the eyes of ancestors watching over the new fate of the pack. Its white light spread across the land, cleansing the blood and dust. Screams echoed from all directions, but only two figures stood in the center of the stone circle. Kael and Axel, two Alphas now bound by blood, anger, and destiny.

The air trembled as Kael's body shook violently. His bones cracked, his skin split, and from within emerged a giant silver wolf. Its light reflected the moonlight like molten metal. All the wolves who witnessed it bowed their heads unconsciously. Kael's aura was no longer that of a rebellious Beta; it was the aura of a ruler born from an ancient bloodline. Something the world had long hidden.

Laura stood at the edge of the arena, her body trembling between fear and awe. She knew the moon's energy flowing within her had become a bridge. But what she had awakened... could destroy them both.

Axel stared at the figure, his jaw tightening. His black wolf, as big as the shadow of night, stepped forward. He let out a low growl, a sound that had once made a pack of wolves kneel. But this time, the vibration was muffled by Kael's roar, which answered from within the earth.

And the battle began again.

Kael attacked first, his movements swift, almost like flashes of light. Axel parried, but each clash shook the ground, shattering the stones beneath their feet. Teeth met teeth, claws tore flesh, and blood flowed under the moonlight.

The wolves in the outer circle retreated, frightened by the power overflowing from their two leaders. Only Laura did not retreat. She stood rigid, breathing heavily, feeling every pulse of the moon in the sky vibrate in her veins.

Another rumbling sound was heard as Axel attacked Kael, throwing his silver body to the ground. But Kael rose with a different look in his eyes. They glowed silver with flashes of blue, like two stars shining in the darkness.

Axel jumped again, but Kael caught his attack in midair. Silver claws dug into Axel's chest. Black blood dripped onto the ground, glistening like ink under the moonlight.

But Kael did not continue his attack.

Kael's voice, half human, half wolf, trembled in the night air.

"We are not enemies, Axel. You chose this path. I'm only protecting them... protecting her."

Axel stared at him, breathing heavily. In his eyes, for the first time, there was something other than hatred, regret. "You don't understand, Kael," he said softly, his voice breaking between the blood. "I rejected her not because of hatred... but because of the curse."

Laura stiffened, her steps halting. "Curse?" She almost spoke, but before she could approach, mist began to rise from the ground. Strange black mist, smelling of iron and ash. In an instant, Axel's body disappeared into it. Only blood remained, marking the spot where he had fallen.

Silence.

All the wolves bowed their heads. No one cheered. No one dared to move. In the middle of the stone circle, Kael stood tall, his silver body covered in blood, but his eyes still gleaming. Laura ran towards him, her knees weak, but before she could speak, the world around her faded. The moon energy she had channeled had drained all her strength.

She fell.

And Kael caught her just in time.

Laura's body was cold in his arms. Her breathing was weak, but still there. Kael lifted his face toward the moon, and in his gaze was a mixture of gratitude and fear. "Hold on," he whispered softly. "I won't let anyone touch you again."

---

The next day, the valley that had once been filled with roars was now silent. The elders, the guards, and the wolves from all the packs gathered in a large stone room in the middle of the forest. There, the old voice of an elder broke the silence:

"The battle is over. The law of the ancestors is clear. Whoever wins is the Alpha."

All eyes were on Kael, who stood in the middle of the room. His wounds were still visible, but his eyes were calm. He didn't say much; he just nodded.

But when Laura's name was mentioned, the room became noisy. Some wolves bowed respectfully, while others whispered sarcastically.

"She's not one of us."

"She's a bringer of disaster."

"Without her, Axel wouldn't have fallen."

The voices were like thorns in the air. Laura, who was sitting next to Kael, bowed her head, holding her breath. Kael looked at them one by one, his voice low but firm:

"Without her, you would all have died that night. The power of the moon chose her. And I won't let anyone doubt that."

No one dared to argue after that.

That night, the Alpha and Luna union ceremony was held. The full moon shone directly above them, as if giving its blessing. Laura wore a simple white robe, while Kael stood before her with his chest exposed, a symbol that he was hiding nothing from his chosen partner.

When their hands touched, a soft light descended from the sky. Unlike the blinding rays before, this light was warm and peaceful. Soft cries echoed from the forest, as if their ancestors were watching from afar.

But among the crowd, a pair of unfamiliar eyes flashed sharply from behind the shadows of the trees. No one noticed. An observer reporting every second of the ceremony to his master who had disappeared.

Laura did not sleep that night. After the ceremony was over, she sat in a stone room lit by a small fire. The night air entered through the window cracks, carrying the scent of earth and dew. She closed her eyes, but what came was not a beautiful dream.

In the darkness, she saw two wolf shadows fighting. One silver, one black. They attacked each other, but neither won. Every time silver won, the black shadow grew larger. When black began to dominate, the silver light shone brighter. Both were like two sides of the same soul.

Laura woke up gasping for breath. Her hands were shaking. She touched her chest, and there she felt a weak pulse. Not just her own.

"Part of my power... is still bound to him," she whispered.

The moon outside the window seemed larger that night, but its light was dim. It was as if the moon was hiding a secret that was not yet ready to be revealed.

---

Far away, among the ruins of the burned forest, Axel opened his eyes. His breathing was heavy, his body covered in wounds. But he was still alive. The blood dripping from his chest formed a faint symbol on the ground. A sign of an old, unfinished pact.

He lifted his head, staring at the moon through the mist. His face was stiff, but his lips touched a small, cold smile.

"You won this time, Kael. But you don't understand what you've really touched."

From behind the shadows of the trees, someone approached. An old man dressed in black, with sharp yellow eyes like burning embers. His voice was hoarse but strong.

“I know who you are,” he said softly. “The Alpha who was banished, cursed by his own blood. But I also know what flows through your veins. Join me, and together we will reclaim what is rightfully yours.”

Axel looked at him intently, then turned his face toward the moon.

“Kael took the pack, but he also took half of my soul. I will return to take it back, no matter what it takes.”

The moonlight illuminated his face, revealing a terrifying smile.

And in the distance, a black wolf howled. Long, deep, carrying a vibration that made even the stars seem to tremble.