The sanctum of Ironhowl Keep lay in eerie silence, the altar's silver glow fading to a faint pulse that mirrored the pendant at Eira's neck. Her hands still shimmered with residual power, the binding to the Moon Queen's altar searing through her like a brand. She stood, trembling, her violet eyes wide as she processed what she'd done fused her power to an ancient legacy, sealing the violet-eyed wolves, the Old Ones, for now. Kael knelt before her, his blood-streaked chest heaving, his amber eyes locked on her with a mix of awe and something deeper, something that made the bond between them hum like a live wire. Selene, the silver-cloaked guardian, stood at the edge of the hall, her blade still dripping with dark blood, her face unreadable. But beyond the shattered gate, under the blood moon's crimson glare, a new shadow stirred its eyes glowing not violet, but a malevolent red, promising a threat far greater than the Old Ones.
Eira's breath caught, her body aching from the altar's toll. The visions lingered: a queen on a moonlit throne, a war of shadow and light, and Kael, always Kael, standing at her side. The bond pulsed, undeniable, but she shoved it down, refusing to let it cloud her mind. "What was that?" she demanded, her voice raw as she turned to Selene. "You said the Old Ones were sealed. So what's out there?"
Selene's eyes darkened, her silver cloak catching the moonlight streaming through the broken skylight. "The Old Ones were only the beginning," she said, her voice low, weighted with centuries of secrets. "Those crimson eyes belong to the Bloodveil, a force older than the Moon Queen herself. Your binding woke it, Eira. It senses your power and it hungers."
Kael staggered to his feet, his blade still in hand, blood dripping from a fresh gash across his side. "Enough riddles," he growled, stepping closer to Eira, his presence a shield despite his wounds. "What does it want with her?" The bond flared, and Eira felt it,a pull that made her want to lean into him, to trust him, and it infuriated her. She didn't need an Alpha, not now, not ever.
Selene's gaze flicked to Kael, then back to Eira. "The Bloodveil is a corruption of the Moon Queen's power, born when her first heir betrayed her. It feeds on royal blood, on the bonds you can unmake. If it claims you, Eira, it will unravel every pack, every bond, until nothing remains but chaos."
Eira's stomach twisted. Her power,her curse had always been a danger, but this was bigger, darker. She'd bound herself to the altar to stop the Old Ones, but now she'd unleashed something worse. And Sylas, her cousin, was still out there, his Shadowclaws likely regrouping, his hunger for her power undimmed. She glanced at Kael, his jaw tight, his eyes burning with a loyalty she couldn't afford to believe in. "I didn't sign up for this," she said, her voice sharp. "I'm not your queen."
"You don't have a choice," Selene said, stepping closer, her blade glinting. "The Bloodveil knows you now. It will hunt you, and anyone bound to you." Her eyes flicked to Kael, a warning in her gaze. "Especially him."
The bond hummed, and Eira's chest tightened. She wanted to deny it, to cut the thread tying her to Kael, but every time he moved closer, every time he bled for her, it grew stronger. "Then I'll run," she said, her voice trembling with defiance. "I've survived the Wastes. I'll survive this."
Kael's hand grabbed her wrist, gentle but firm, his touch sending a jolt through her. "You run, it follows," he said, his voice low, urgent. "You're not alone in this, Eira. Not anymore." His eyes held hers, raw and unyielding, and for a moment, she saw it,the man behind the Alpha, the one who'd fought wolves and defied the Council for her.
Before she could snap back, Lyra's shout cut through the sanctum. "Kael! The riders are moving!" She stood at the broken gate, her scout gear torn, her amber eyes wide with panic. "The Council's rallying, and something's wrong the air's… heavy."
The ground trembled, a low rumble that sent cracks spiderwebbing across the stone floor. The blood moon pulsed brighter, its crimson light flooding the hall, and a low, guttural growl echoed from beyond the gate. Eira's pendant flared, and a vision hit: a wasteland of ash, crimson eyes glowing in the dark, and Kael's lifeless body at her feet. She gasped, stumbling, and Kael caught her, his grip steady but his face pale.
"Eira, what did you see?" he demanded, his voice sharp.
She shook her head, the vision's weight crushing her. "Nothing good," she whispered, her eyes flicking to the gate. The growl grew louder, and the air thickened, a pressure that made her ears pop. The Bloodveil was coming, and it wasn't alone.
Selene moved, her blade raised, her silver cloak billowing. "The altar's power has stabilized you, Eira, but it's also a beacon. The Bloodveil will tear through this keep to get to you. We need to move to the Moonveil Forest. There's a grove there, tied to the Moon Queen's blood. It's the only place you can learn to control your power."
"Move?" Kael snapped, his blade flashing as he stepped toward Selene. "You want to drag her into rogue territory with that thing out there?" His voice was a growl, protective, and Eira hated how it stirred something in her,something that made her want to stay.
"We have no choice," Selene said, her tone cold. "The Bloodveil will follow her anywhere. The grove can shield her, teach her. Or she dies here, and your pack with her."
The ground shook again, and a deafening roar split the air, not a wolf's but something ancient, primal. Shadows surged at the gate, crimson eyes gleaming, and Eira's pendant burned, its light flaring in defiance. She clenched her fists, her power stirring, but it was wild, unstable, threatening to consume her. "I'm not running to some forest to play queen," she said, her voice steady despite the fear clawing at her. "I fight my own battles."
"Then fight this one," Selene said, her eyes blazing. "But you can't do it alone."
Kael's gaze met hers, and the bond roared, a thread she couldn't cut. "She's not alone," he said, his voice a vow that shook her to her core. He turned to Lyra. "Get the pack ready. We hold the keep until Eira's ready to move."
Lyra nodded, sprinting toward the gate, but before she could reach it, the shadows exploded inward. A massive form emerged,not a wolf, but a creature of twisted flesh and shadow, its crimson eyes locked on Eira. Its roar shook the walls, and the altar's glyphs flickered, dimming as the Bloodveil's power surged.
Eira's power flared, a silver wave bursting from her hands, but it barely slowed the creature. Kael lunged, his blade slashing, but the Bloodveil swatted him aside like a rag doll, his body slamming into the wall with a sickening crunch. "Kael!" Eira screamed, her voice breaking, the bond tearing at her chest.
Selene fought, her rune-etched blade a blur, but the creature was relentless, its claws raking the stone floor. Eira's pendant blazed, and the First Moon Queen's voice roared: Fight, heir! Bind or break! She raised her hands, power surging, but the creature's crimson eyes bored into her, and a new vision hit: her power unleashed, the keep in ruins, and Kael's blood on her hands.
The creature lunged, its claws aimed for her heart, and Eira's scream echoed as her power erupted, a silver inferno that lit the hall like a star.