Chapter 9 CHAPTER 9
DAMIAN
My father poured himself a scotch before beginning. The amber liquid caught the lamplight, and I found myself thinking of Luna’s eyes golden-green and full of pain I’d caused.
“Ronan Rivers,” my father said, settling into his leather chair, “was not the innocent victim his family believes him to be.”
“Then what was he?”
“A revolutionary.” The word dripped with contempt. “He believed in the old prophecies. The ones about balance between bloodlines, about silver wolves rising to challenge the golden hierarchy. He was gathering followers, wolves who questioned pack authority.”
“So you killed him for having ideas?”
“I killed him for treason,” my father corrected sharply. “He was planning an uprising, Damian. Working with rogues to destabilize pack structure. If I’d let him live, he would have torn apart everything our family built.”
“Do you have proof?”
“I had enough.” He sipped his drink. “In our world, perception is reality. If the pack believes someone is a threat, they are a threat. I couldn’t risk weakness by letting him challenge my authority.”
I felt sick. “So you made an example of him. Burned him alive on a mountain while his wife and daughter watched.”
“I did what was necessary to protect the pack.” His eyes narrowed. “Why this sudden interest in ancient history? What’s Luna Rivers been telling you?”
“Nothing. We barely speak.”
“Good. Keep it that way.” He leaned forward. “That girl is dangerous, Damian. She carries her father’s tainted bloodline. The silver wolf genes have been dormant in the Rivers family for generations, but they’re awakening in her. If she fully transforms ”
“What?” I demanded. “What happens if she fully transforms?”
“She becomes exactly what the prophecy warns about. A threat to the natural order. A catalyst for chaos.” He finished his scotch in one swallow. “Which is why, when the time comes, she’ll need to be eliminated just like her father.”
The words hit me like a physical blow. My father was planning to kill Luna.
“You can’t ” I started.
“Can’t?” His voice turned dangerous. “I’m the Alpha, Damian. I can do whatever is necessary to protect this pack. And if that means ending a cursed bloodline before it causes problems, so be it.”
“She’s just a girl. A poor student trying to survive ”
“She’s an abomination waiting to happen.” He stood, towering over me. “And your defense of her is concerning. Very concerning.”
My mouth went dry. “I’m not defending her. I just don’t think murdering innocent people is the answer to everything.”
“Innocent?” He laughed coldly. “There’s no such thing as innocence in our world, son. There’s only power and weakness. The Rivers bloodline is weak. That’s why they were nearly destroyed. That’s why they’ll be destroyed completely if they rise again.”
He moved to the window, looking out over the estate. “The Masquerade is in two weeks. All the major pack families will be there. It’s the perfect opportunity to demonstrate strength. To remind everyone why the Blackwell name commands respect.”
A chill ran down my spine. “What are you planning?”
“Nothing you need to concern yourself with yet. Just focus on your studies. On your future as heir.” He turned back to me. “And Damian? Stay away from the Rivers girl. That’s not a suggestion.”
LUNA
The silver in my hair was spreading faster now.
I stood in front of our cracked bathroom mirror, watching the metallic streaks creep through my brown hair like liquid moonlight. Soon I wouldn’t be able to hide it at all.
“Luna?” My mother’s weak voice came from her bedroom. “Are you alright?”
“Fine, Mama,” I called back, quickly pulling my hood up. “Just getting ready for school.”
But I wasn’t fine. The transformation was accelerating. My senses grew sharper every day. The buzzing under my skin intensified. And the bond with Damian pulled at me constantly, a physical ache that wouldn’t fade.
I found my mother sitting up in bed, looking frailer than ever. Dark circles shadowed her eyes, and her hands trembled as she reached for her tea.
“You’re getting worse,” I said, sitting beside her.
“I’m fine ”
“Don’t lie to me.” I took her hand, feeling how cold her skin was. “Mama, what’s happening? Is it the magic?”
Elenora looked away. “My power has been fading for years, Luna. Ever since your father died. Grief and fear drain a witch’s magic. I’ve held on as long as I could, but ”
“But what?”
“But I can feel it slipping away completely.” Tears filled her eyes. “I’m sorry, little wolf. I’m sorry I can’t be stronger for you. Can’t protect you the way you need.”
“Stop.” I squeezed her hand. “You’ve protected me my whole life. Everything you’ve done has been enough.”
“It won’t be enough when Alpha Maxwell comes for you.”
The words hung in the air between us.
“You know he’s planning something,” I said quietly.
“I’ve seen it in my visions. Fragments. The Masquerade will be important. Dangerous.” She pulled me closer. “Luna, promise me something. When the time comes when you have to choose between fight and flight you’ll choose survival. Promise me you’ll run if you need to.”
“I can’t promise that.”
“You have to. For me. For your father’s memory. For ” She paused, her hand moving to my stomach in a gesture that felt strangely significant. “For the future.”
Before I could ask what she meant, a wave of dizziness hit her. She swayed, and I caught her before she could fall.
“Mama!”
“I’m alright,” she gasped. “Just tired. Help me lie down.”
I settled her back against the pillows, terror clawing at my chest. She was getting worse faster now. And I was powerless to stop it.
“Rest,” I said. “I’ll stay home today. Take care of you.”
“No.” Her grip on my hand tightened with surprising strength. “You go to school. Live your life. Don’t let fear trap you here.”
“But ”
“Luna.” Her eyes opened, suddenly fierce despite her weakness. “Go. I’ll be fine. Your aunt Seraphina she’s been helping. Sending medicine.”
I froze. “Seraphina Blackwell? Damian’s mother?”
Elenora nodded. “We were friends once. Sisters, in a way. Before ” She closed her eyes. “Before everything fell apart. She’s been trying to help without Maxwell knowing. The medicine she sends keeps me stable.”
This was news to me. Damian’s mother was secretly helping us?
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because it’s complicated. And dangerous. If Maxwell discovered she was helping the Rivers family ” She didn’t finish the sentence. “Just go to school, Luna. Trust that some Blackwells aren’t monsters.”
DAMIAN
I found Luna at lunch, sitting alone in the courtyard as usual.
She looked up when I approached, wariness flickering across her face. “What are you doing?”
“Sitting with you.” I dropped onto the bench beside her.
“Bad idea.”
“Probably.” I pulled out my lunch, ignoring the stares from other students. “But I don’t care anymore.”
“You should care. Your girlfriend ”
“Is leaving tomorrow. Going back to New York.” I met her eyes. “I ended it. This morning. Told her I couldn’t do the relationship anymore.”
Luna’s eyes widened. “Why would you do that?”
“Because of you. Because I can’t pretend anymore that you don’t matter. That this bond isn’t real.” I lowered my voice. “Luna, I talked to my father last night. About your dad. About the prophecy. About everything.”
“And?”
“And he’s planning something for the Masquerade. Something bad. He knows about you knows about the silver wolf awakening. And he’s planning to ” I couldn’t say the words.
“Kill me,” Luna finished quietly. “I know. My mother warned me.”
“We need to get you out of here. Before the Masquerade. Before he can ”
“I’m not running.”
“Luna ”
“No, Damian.” She turned to face me fully. “I’ve been running my whole life. Hiding. Trying to disappear. I’m done. If your father wants to kill me, he can try. But I’m not going to make it easy for him.”
“That’s suicide.”
“That’s survival.” Her eyes blazed with determination. “The rogues came to me. Offered to train me, teach me to control my power. I’m going to take them up on it.”
“The rogues are dangerous ”
“So is your father. So is this whole situation.” She stood, gathering her things. “I’m done being the weak link, Damian. If this prophecy is real, if I’m really the silver wolf, then it’s time I started acting like it.”
She walked away, leaving me alone on the bench.
And for the first time since this all started, I felt something close to hope. Not because the situation had improved it hadn’t. But because Luna had found her strength. Her fire.
If we were going to survive what was coming, we’d need every bit of it.
LUNA
I went back to Eden Forest that night.
The rogues were waiting in the meadow, as if they’d known I would come. The older man whose name, I learned, was Marcus smiled when he saw me.
“You’re ready,” he said.
“I’m terrified,” I corrected. “But yes. I’m ready.”
“Good. Fear keeps you sharp.” He gestured to the others. “We have two weeks until the Masquerade. That’s not much time to train a silver wolf, but we’ll work with what we have.”
“What do I need to learn?”
“Control. Transformation. How to fight when your instincts tell you to run.” Marcus’s expression turned serious. “But most importantly, you need to learn what you really are. Not what the Blackwells have told you. Not what fear has made you believe. The truth of the silver bloodline.”
“Which is?”
“You’re not cursed, Luna. You’re chosen.” He touched my shoulder. “The moon goddess gave your bloodline gifts the golden wolves could never possess. They feared that power, so they called it corruption. They destroyed your people and rewrote history to justify genocide. But the truth is simple: you’re not the monster in their story. They are.”
The words settled over me like a mantle. Heavy but right.
“Teach me,” I said. “Teach me everything.”
Marcus nodded. “Then let’s begin.”
