Moonrise bathed the Moon Blood Pack in silver light, casting an ethereal glow over the forested clearing where Belle now stood, heart hammering. A circle of smooth obsidian stones encased the ritual ground. Torches flickered around its edge, illuminating runes carved into the dirt—ancient symbols pulsing with quiet energy.
Willow and two other witches moved gracefully around the perimeter, chanting in a language Belle didn't understand but somehow felt in her bones. The hum of the earth beneath her feet resonated with the rhythm of her heart.
Kael stood just outside the circle, his presence steadying, grounding. He wore a look of fierce pride and helpless worry—the gaze of a mate who would tear down the world to protect her, but knew some battles must be faced alone.
Duke stepped forward, dressed not in ceremonial robes but simple black clothing, moonlight catching on the silver cuffs at his wrists. He held a shallow bowl filled with shimmering liquid that glowed faintly in the torchlight.
"This is moonwater," he said, voice low but carrying. "Blessed by the coven, charged by the waxing moon, and infused with memory."
"Memory?" Belle asked, watching the light swirl within the bowl.
Duke nodded. "Not your memory. Hers. Your wolf's. This ritual will draw her closer to the surface, allow you to see what she's hidden from even you."
Belle swallowed, her throat dry. "And if I can't handle what I see?"
Willow's voice, clear and melodic, cut through the still night. "Then we stop. But I don't believe that will happen, Belle. Not tonight."
Belle stepped into the circle. The air shifted, denser, charged. Her skin prickled as if lightning ran beneath it. She knelt before Duke, who offered her the bowl.
"Drink," he said.
The liquid was cool and sweet, with a metallic edge that reminded her of blood and moonlight. The moment it touched her tongue, Belle gasped. Fire licked up her spine, and the world fell away.
She stood in a vast, silver forest, moonlight filtering through translucent leaves. Mist coiled at her feet, and in the distance, she heard howling—long, mournful, beautiful.
A figure emerged from the fog: her wolf, enormous and radiant, her fur the color of the full moon. Her eyes, silver-shot with violet, locked onto Belle with fierce affection.
I am you. What you were. What you will be. I've been waiting for you to stop looking outward and start listening inward.
"I don't understand. Why have you been silent about these powers for so long?" Belle asked, her voice trembling.
The wolf padded closer. Because you weren't ready to remember. But now the seal is breaking. And with it... the truth.
Images crashed through Belle's mind—flashes of a time long past. A circle of wolves and witches dancing beneath a blood moon. A child born with glowing eyes. A betrayal. A war.
"You were part of that time?" Belle whispered.
We both were, the wolf said. You are a reincarnation, Belle. One of the last true bridges between our kind. The moon didn't just kiss you—it marked you to return when the time was right.
Belle fell to her knees. "But how? Why me?"
Because you chose this, long ago. Because you loved both the earth and the moon. Because even after death, your soul refused to let our world remain broken.
Tears streamed down Belle's cheeks. "I'm scared."
The wolf leaned forward, pressing her massive forehead to Belle's. You don't have to be brave. Just willing. I will help you. Always.
Light exploded behind her eyes, and the forest shattered like glass.
Belle gasped as she was pulled back into her body. The ritual circle spun, glowing brighter than before. Her wolf was present—not just stirring but awake, her energy coiled like lightning in her chest.
Willow's eyes widened as she stepped back. "Goddess… she's glowing."
Belle looked down. Her skin shimmered faintly, moonlight flickering over her like fireflies.
Kael rushed forward, kneeling beside her. "Belle—are you okay?"
She reached for him, clutching his hand. " I remember… things. I think I was someone else. Before. In another life."
Duke nodded solemnly. "Reincarnation was once common among the gifted. Your soul has returned for a reason."
"And I think I know what it is now," Belle whispered. Her voice held new strength. "The witches and wolves were never meant to be separate. That pain—it fractured more than just traditions. It tore something sacred. I think I'm supposed to help fix it."
Willow placed a hand over Belle's heart, eyes full of reverence. "Then you're not just a moon-kissed wolf. You're the Lunaria. The one destined to unify the fractured bloodlines."
Kael's eyes widened. "You mean she's..."
Duke nodded. "The bridge. The healer. The one we've waited for since the Great Divide."
Thunder rumbled in the distance though the sky was clear. Belle felt it in her bones—a storm was coming. And with it, the forces that had once broken the world would try to stop her from healing it.
She rose to her feet, stronger than before, her wolf's presence thrumming beneath her skin.
"I'm not running anymore," she said. "If I was chosen... then I choose this in return. Let's begin."