The sanctum of Ironhowl Keep erupted in a blinding silver inferno as Eira's power surged, a tidal wave of light that swallowed the Bloodveil's monstrous form. The creature's crimson eyes flared, its roar shaking the stone walls as it staggered back, claws slashing wildly. Eira stood at the center, her hands blazing, the pendant at her neck a searing star against her skin. The First Moon Queen's voice thundered in her mind: Bind or break, heir! Her scream echoed, raw and desperate, as the power tore through her, threatening to unravel her very being. Kael lay crumpled against the wall, blood pooling beneath him, his amber eyes flickering with fading life. Selene fought on, her rune-etched blade a streak of light against the Bloodveil's shadowy bulk, but the creature's power was overwhelming, its crimson gaze locked on Eira like a predator scenting blood.
The altar pulsed behind her, its glyphs dimming under the Bloodveil's oppressive aura. Eira's vision swam, the visions from the altar still clawing at her mind: a moonlit grove, a throne of silver, and Kael's lifeless body at her feet. The bond between them hummed, a desperate thread pulling her toward him even as her power burned hotter, threatening to consume everything. She couldn't lose him not now, not after he'd fought for her, bled for her, defied his pack and the Council for her. But the Bloodveil was relentless, and her power was a wild beast she couldn't control.
"Eira!" Selene shouted, her voice sharp over the creature's roars. Her blade slashed the Bloodveil's flank, drawing a spray of dark ichor, but it barely slowed. "You have to bind it! Use the altar's power now!" Her silver cloak was torn, blood streaking her face, but her eyes burned with a fierce determination that matched Eira's own.
Eira's gaze flicked to Kael, his chest barely rising, his blade discarded beside him. The bond roared, a pain sharper than the pendant's burn. "I can't," she gasped, her voice breaking. "It'll kill me or him." Her hands trembled, the silver light flickering as her strength waned. The Bloodveil lunged, its claws grazing her arm, tearing through her cloak and drawing blood. Pain seared through her, but it was nothing compared to the terror of losing control, of her power destroying everything she'd fought to protect.
Selene ducked under the creature's swipe, her blade flashing. "You're the heir, Eira! The altar chose you. Bind the Bloodveil, or it claims us all!" Her words were a command, but there was a plea in her eyes, a flicker of fear that mirrored Eira's own.
The ground shook, cracks splitting the stone floor as the Bloodveil's power surged, its crimson eyes glowing brighter. Outside, the blood moon pulsed, its light flooding the sanctum through the shattered skylight, casting eerie shadows that danced like specters. Lyra staggered through the gate, her scout gear bloodied, her amber eyes wide with panic. "Kael!" she cried, rushing to her brother's side, her hands pressing against his wounds. "Eira, do something!"
Eira's heart twisted, the bond screaming for her to save him, to save them all. But the altar's call was a double-edged blade binding the Bloodveil might seal it away, but the cost could be her life, or Kael's, or the very pack she'd sworn to destroy. She stumbled toward the altar, her blood dripping onto the stone, the glyphs flaring at her touch. The First Moon Queen's voice roared again: Bind it, or break everything.
The Bloodveil charged, its massive form a blur of shadow and claw. Eira threw out her hands, silver light bursting forth, slamming into the creature and forcing it back. The effort dropped her to one knee, her breath ragged, her vision blurring. "I'm not your queen!" she shouted, defiance burning through her fear. But the pendant burned hotter, and the altar's glyphs pulsed in time with her heartbeat, urging her to act.
Kael's voice, weak but steady, cut through the chaos. "Eira… trust yourself." He'd dragged himself to his feet, leaning against the wall, his amber eyes locked on her. Blood streamed from his side, but his gaze was unwavering, a lifeline in the storm. The bond flared, and for a moment, she saw it,the man who'd defied everything for her, who'd chosen her over his pack, his duty, his life.
The Bloodveil roared, its claws slashing toward Lyra, who dove to protect Kael. Selene lunged, her blade biting into the creature's leg, but it swatted her aside, her body slamming into the altar with a sickening crack. Eira's scream tore free, her power surging unbidden, a silver wave that shook the sanctum. The Bloodveil staggered, its crimson eyes dimming, but it wasn't enough. It was never enough.
She crawled to the altar, her bloodied hand pressing against the stone. The glyphs blazed, and the pendant's light exploded, merging with the altar's power. Visions flooded her: the Moonveil Forest, a circle of wolves, and a shadow with crimson eyes swallowing the world. Bind it now! the voice commanded. Eira's body burned, her power a wildfire she couldn't contain. She poured it into the altar, her scream echoing as the silver light surged, wrapping the Bloodveil in chains of moonlight.
The creature howled, its form twisting, shrinking, as the chains tightened. The crimson eyes flared one last time, then dimmed, the Bloodveil collapsing into a writhing mass of shadow that sank into the stone floor, sealed by the altar's power. The sanctum fell silent, the blood moon's light softening, the glyphs dimming to a faint glow.
Eira collapsed, her body drained, her hands no longer glowing. The pendant hung heavy, its light gone. Kael staggered to her side, falling to his knees, his bloodied hand reaching for hers. "You did it," he rasped, his voice thick with relief and something deeper, something that made the bond hum softly.
Selene stirred, groaning as she rose, her silver cloak tattered but her eyes sharp. "The Bloodveil is bound for now," she said, her voice strained. "But it's not gone. And the Shadowclaws will come for you, Eira. So will the Council."
Lyra helped Kael stand, her face pale but fierce. "We need to move," she said, glancing at the gate. "The riders are still out there, and the pack's barely holding."
Eira's chest heaved, her mind reeling. She'd sealed the Bloodveil, but at what cost? Her power was stronger, tied to the altar, but it felt like a chain around her soul. And Kael,his touch, his gaze, his damn loyalty was a complication she couldn't escape. She stood, swaying, and met his eyes. "This doesn't change anything," she said, but the words felt hollow.
Before Kael could respond, a low growl echoed from the gate, not the Bloodveil's, but familiar—Sylas. His silver hair gleamed under the blood moon, his violet eyes cold as he stepped into the sanctum, flanked by Shadowclaw rogues. "Impressive, cousin," he said, his voice smooth, mocking. "But you've only delayed the inevitable. The Bloodveil's master is coming, and not even your Alpha can save you."
Kael's blade rose, his body tensing, but Eira's power stirred, a faint silver glow flickering in her hands. The bond hummed, and a new vision hit: a battlefield under a crimson sky, Sylas's blade at her throat, and Kael's howl echoing as the world burned.