Chapter 4 Chapter 4

I wake up to sunlight streaming through the barred window. For a moment, I forget where I am. Then reality crashes back.

The fortress. Dante. The prophecy.

I sit up and look at my arms. The symbols are still there, but they're not glowing right now. They look like faint scars, barely visible on my skin.

Someone knocks on the door. "Breakfast," a female voice calls.

The door unlocks and a young woman enters carrying a tray. She has curly red hair and bright green eyes. She looks about my age, maybe a year older.

"Hi," she says cheerfully, setting the tray on the desk. "I'm Riley. One of the pack warriors here."

"Aria," I say quietly.

"I know who you are. Everyone knows who you are." Riley doesn't sound mean about it, just matter-of-fact. "You're the blood moon girl who's mated to our Alpha King. Pretty big news."

"I guess."

Riley sits in the desk chair, studying me with open curiosity. "You don't look like a monster."

"I'm not."

"Good. Because Kade asked me to be your guard-slash-friend. He thought you might need someone to talk to who isn't a terrifying Alpha male."

Despite everything, I smile slightly. "That's nice of him."

"Kade's the best. He sees good in everyone." Riley pushes the tray toward me. "Eat. Then I'm supposed to show you around the fortress. Dante's orders."

I eat quickly—eggs, toast, and fruit. Riley chatters the whole time, telling me about life in the fortress. She makes it sound almost normal, like this is just a regular pack house and not a prison for werewolves who threaten the Alpha King.

"So where are we going?" I ask when I finish eating.

"Training grounds first. Then the library. Dante thinks you should understand what you are before he decides what to do with you."

The way she says it so casually—before he decides what to do with you—makes my stomach twist. I'm still on borrowed time.

Riley leads me out of the room. We walk through stone corridors lit by torches and modern lights. The fortress is strange—part ancient castle, part modern building. We pass dozens of wolves, all of whom stare at me with a mixture of fear and curiosity.

We go outside to a huge courtyard. Wolves are training everywhere—fighting in human form, sparring as wolves, practicing with weapons. It's impressive and intimidating.

"We train every day," Riley explains. "The Alpha King demands excellence. We're the strongest pack in the country because we work for it."

In the center of the courtyard, I see him. Dante.

He's shirtless, sparring with another massive wolf in human form. His muscles flex as he moves, fast and powerful. Even from here, I can see the scars across his chest and back. Battle scars.

The mate bond pulls at me, wanting me to go to him. I force myself to stay still.

Dante lands a punch that sends his sparring partner to the ground. Then his head turns, like he can feel me watching. His silver eyes lock onto mine across the courtyard.

Everything else fades away. It's just him and me, connected by this bond neither of us asked for.

He doesn't smile. Doesn't wave. Just stares with an intensity that makes my heart race.

"Come on," Riley says, tugging my arm. "Let's go to the library before this gets awkward."

She pulls me away. I look back once and see Dante still watching me, his expression unreadable.

The library is in a tower on the fortress's east side. It's huge, with shelves reaching up three stories and a spiral staircase connecting the levels. Books everywhere—old ones, new ones, scrolls, journals.

"Elder Moira said you should start with these," Riley says, leading me to a table where several books are already laid out.

The titles make my stomach drop: Blood Moon Children: A History. The Prophecy of Destruction and Salvation. Ancient Powers and Their Consequences.

"Light reading," I mutter.

Riley grins. "I'll be right over there if you need anything. Take your time."

She settles into a chair near the entrance, giving me privacy but staying close enough to guard me.

I sit down and open the first book: Blood Moon Children: A History.

For the next several hours, I read. And what I learn terrifies me.

Blood moon children have existed for thousands of years. They're rare—maybe one born every hundred years. They always have immense power. And they always, always end badly.

Some go insane from the power and kill hundreds. Some are killed by scared pack members before they can fully develop their abilities. Some reject their powers and die young from the strain. Not one in recorded history lived a normal, happy life.

The prophecy is real. It says: "A child born under the blood moon's light will hold the power to save or destroy all wolves. Their choice will determine our fate."

The problem is, no one knows what choice the prophecy is talking about. What decision will I have to make? When will I have to make it? And how do I know which option saves everyone versus which one destroys them?

I read about Sarah, the girl who killed Dante's family. She was sweet and kind until her mate rejected her. The pain drove her mad in hours. Her power exploded outward, and she couldn't stop it even though she was begging herself to stop. She killed people she loved, people who were innocent. And she died hating herself for it.

Tears blur my vision. This is what Dante fears I'll become. This is what everyone expects from me.

I read until my eyes hurt and my head pounds with information. Finally, Riley comes over.

"You've been reading for five hours," she says gently. "Maybe take a break?"

I close the book and rub my eyes. "How do I stop this? How do I make sure I don't become like the others?"

"I don't know. But Elder Moira might. She asked to see you at sunset. Something about the temple."

The temple. The one from my visions.

"Where is it?" I ask.

"In the forest, about an hour's walk from here. It's ancient, built by the first werewolves to honor the Moon Goddess." Riley looks curious. "Why does she want to take you there?"

"I don't know."

But I have a feeling it's important. The woman in my visions—young Moira—keeps pointing me toward this temple.

Riley takes me to the dining hall for lunch. It's a huge room with long tables filled with pack members. When I enter, everyone stops talking and stares.

Dante sits at the head table with Kade and several other important-looking wolves. His eyes find me immediately.

Riley leads me to an empty table in the corner. "Ignore them," she whispers. "They'll get used to you."

I'm not sure about that. I can hear the whispers:

"That's her? She looks so weak."

"The Alpha King's mate is a blood moon child? How unlucky."

"I heard she might go crazy and kill us all."

"Dante should just execute her and get it over with."

My appetite disappears, but I force myself to eat. I need strength for whatever comes next.

Halfway through the meal, Dante stands up and walks over to my table. The entire room goes silent.

He stops in front of me, towering over where I sit. "Come with me."

It's not a request.

I stand up and follow him out of the dining hall. Riley starts to come too, but Dante waves her off. "I need to speak with my mate alone."

My mate. It's the first time he's called me that out loud.

He leads me through the fortress to a private office. It's large, with a desk covered in papers, bookshelves lining the walls, and a fireplace crackling with warmth. He closes the door behind us.

"Sit," he says, pointing to a chair.

I sit. He doesn't. He paces in front of the fireplace, his hands clasped behind his back.

"I've been thinking," he finally says.

"About?"

"About what Elder Moira said. About the bond being the key to controlling your power." He stops pacing and looks at me. "I spoke with the Council of Elders—the leaders of all the major packs. They agree that killing you might be a mistake."

Hope flares in my chest. "So you're not going to kill me?"

"I didn't say that." His expression is hard. "I said might be. There's a difference."

The hope dies. "What do you want from me?"

"Proof. I want proof that you can control these powers. That you won't become like Sarah."

"How do I prove that?"

"Elder Moira says the temple holds answers. She wants to perform an ancient ritual that will bind your powers to your conscious will. Basically, you won't be able to use them unless you choose to, which prevents accidental explosions of power."

"That sounds good. Let's do it."

"There's a catch." Dante moves closer, his silver eyes intense. "The ritual requires your mate's participation. I have to be there. I have to... accept the bond. At least partially."

My heart pounds. "I thought you didn't want the bond."

"I don't. But I want to protect my pack more than I want to avoid discomfort." He crouches down so we're at eye level. "If I do this ritual with you, it will strengthen the mate bond between us. We won't be fully mated, but we'll be connected more deeply. I need to know you understand what that means."

"I understand."

"Do you? Because once we're connected like that, I'll feel your emotions. You'll feel mine. We'll be aware of each other constantly. There's no going back."

"I don't want to go back. You're my mate. I want the bond."

Dante's jaw clenches. "You say that now. But you haven't felt my hatred yet. You haven't experienced the darkness inside me."

"I'm not afraid of your darkness." I meet his eyes steadily. "I have my own."

For a long moment, we just stare at each other. The mate bond hums between us, desperate and painful and hopeful all at once.

"The ritual is tonight," Dante says quietly. "At sunset. Elder Moira will guide us through it."

"Okay."

He stands up and moves toward the door. Then he pauses. "Aria?"

"Yes?"

"If this goes wrong... if you lose control during the ritual... I will kill you. I won't hesitate."

"I know."

He nods and leaves, closing the door behind him.

I sit alone in his office, my hands shaking. Tonight. Everything changes tonight.

Either I prove I can control this power, or I die.

I look at my arms. The symbols are glowing again, excited or nervous—I can't tell which.

"Please," I whisper to them, to the power inside me, to the Moon Goddess herself. "Please let this work. I don't want to be a monster. I don't want to hurt anyone."

The symbols pulse brighter, like they're listening.

---

Riley comes to get me as the sun starts to set. She brings me a simple white dress to change into.

"For the ritual," she explains. "Elder Moira said you need to wear white."

I change in my room, looking at myself in the small mirror. The white dress makes me look young and innocent. The symbols on my arms are visible through the thin fabric, glowing faintly.

Riley walks with me into the forest. We follow a winding path deeper and deeper into the trees. Other wolves join us—Kade, several guards, and finally Dante, wearing black clothes that make him look even more intimidating.

He doesn't speak to me, but I feel his presence like a physical thing. The mate bond pulls tighter with every step we take together.

After an hour of walking, we reach a clearing. In the center stands a stone temple, ancient and crumbling but still beautiful. It's covered in vines and moss, with broken pillars and a partially collapsed roof. Red light from the setting sun streams through the gaps, making everything glow.

It's exactly like my visions.

Elder Moira waits at the temple entrance, wearing her red robes. "You came," she says, smiling at me.

"I didn't have much choice."

"We always have choices, child. Remember that." She looks at Dante. "Are you ready, Alpha King?"

"No. But let's do it anyway."

Elder Moira leads us into the temple. The others stay outside—this ritual is only for the three of us.

Inside, the temple is breathtaking. Ancient symbols cover the walls, glowing with the same violet light as my marks. There's a circular pattern carved into the stone floor, with spaces for two people to stand facing each other.

"Stand there," Elder Moira instructs, pointing at the circles.

Dante and I take our positions, facing each other across the carved pattern. The mate bond thrums between us, anticipation building.

Elder Moira begins to chant in an ancient language I don't understand. The symbols on the walls glow brighter. The ones on my arms start to burn, not painfully but intensely.

"Give me your hands," Dante says gruffly.

I hold out my hands. He takes them in his, and the moment our skin touches, power explodes between us.

The bond snaps fully into place, no longer restrained. I feel everything he's feeling—his fear, his hope, his conflict, his desire to protect me despite wanting to push me away. It's overwhelming.

And he feels me too. I see his eyes widen as my emotions flood into him—my loneliness, my desperate need for acceptance, my love for him even though we barely know each other.

"Aria," he breathes.

The symbols on my arms begin to move, flowing like living things. They spread from my skin onto his, connecting us physically. Dante gasps but doesn't let go of my hands.

Elder Moira's chanting grows louder. The temple shakes. The red sunlight becomes violet, the same color as my marks.

"Now," Elder Moira shouts, "speak your truth! Both of you!"

"I don't want to be a monster," I say, my voice breaking. "I just want to be loved."

Dante stares at me, the symbols wrapping around both our arms. His silver eyes are bright with emotion.

"I don't want to hate you," he admits. "But I don't know how to trust you."

"Then trust the bond," I plead. "Trust what you feel right now."

The symbols glow so bright I can barely see. Power rushes through me, wild and fierce. For a moment, I'm terrified I'll lose control.

But then Dante's hands tighten on mine. "I've got you," he says firmly. "You're not alone."

And somehow, his presence grounds me. The power settles, flowing smoothly through my body instead of exploding outward. The symbols stop spreading and lock into place, forming a beautiful pattern that connects our arms.

Elder Moira stops chanting. The light fades. The temple stops shaking.

We did it.

I look up at Dante. He's staring at our connected arms in wonder.

"How do you feel?" Elder Moira asks me.

"Different. Stronger. But... controlled. Like the power is mine to command now instead of something waiting to destroy me."

"Good. The ritual worked." Elder Moira smiles. "Your powers are bound to your conscious will now. They won't activate unless you choose to use them. And with your mate by your side, you'll always have an anchor."

Dante slowly releases my hands. The symbols fade from his arms, returning to mine. But the bond remains, stronger than ever.

"This doesn't mean I trust you completely," he says quietly.

"I know."

"But it's a start."

He turns and walks out of the temple. I follow with Elder Moira.

Outside, Kade and Riley are waiting anxiously. When they see us both alive and unharmed, they relax.

"Did it work?" Kade asks.

"Yes," Elder Moira confirms. "The girl's power is bound. She's no longer a danger."

Riley cheers. Some of the guards smile. But Dante remains serious.

"We're going back to the fortress," he announces. "Aria will continue to be monitored, but she can have more freedom now."

On the walk back, I stay close to Dante. The bond hums between us, comfortable now instead of painful. I can feel his emotions—still conflicted, still scared, but also relieved. And maybe, just maybe, a tiny bit happy.

When we reach the fortress, he stops me outside my room.

"Tomorrow we start training," he says.

"Training for what?"

"For you to learn to use your powers properly. If you're going to be powerful, you need to know how to control that power. How to use it to protect instead of destroy."

"You're going to train me?"

"Kade will help. So will Elder Moira. But yes, I'll be involved." His expression softens slightly. "You're my mate. My responsibility. I should've acknowledged that from the start instead of trying to kill you."

"You were scared. I understand."

"Fear is no excuse for cruelty." He reaches out and touches my cheek gently, the first tender gesture he's ever made. "I'm sorry, Aria. For the cell. For planning to kill you. For not giving you a chance."

Tears fill my eyes. "You're giving me a chance now. That's what matters."

He nods and drops his hand. "Get some rest. Training starts early."

He walks away, leaving me at my door. I go inside and collapse on the bed, exhausted but hopeful.

The ritual worked. I'm not going to lose control. I'm not going to become a monster.

And Dante—my mate—is finally starting to see me as something other th

an a threat.

It's not love yet. It's not even trust.

But it's a beginning.

I look at my arms one last time before sleep takes me. The symbols are there, peaceful now. Waiting for me to command them.

I'm not a curse, I think. I'm not a mistake.

I'm a blood moon child. And maybe that's not such a terrible thing to be.