The clearing had grown quiet again.
But this time, the silence felt different.
Heavier.
Like the forest itself was holding its breath.
Ava sat on a fallen log while Kael and Ronan stood a few steps away, speaking quietly with the rest of the warriors.
Her head still throbbed from the vision.
She couldn't stop replaying the image in her mind.
The throne.
The glowing moonstone.
And the alpha standing beside the Moon Queen.
Kael.
Not Damon.
Not anyone else.
Kael.
Ava pressed her fingers against her temples.
"This is insane," she whispered to herself.
Her wolf stirred inside her mind.
It wasn't a dream.
"I know."
The moon showed you the truth.
"But why him?"
Her wolf didn't answer.
Footsteps approached.
Ava looked up to see Kael walking toward her.
Ronan followed behind him but quickly turned away, giving them privacy.
Kael stopped in front of her.
"You feeling better?"
"A little."
He studied her face carefully.
"You scared everyone."
"Sorry."
"You don't sound sorry."
"I'm too tired to sound anything."
Kael chuckled softly.
Then he leaned against the tree beside her.
Neither of them spoke for a moment.
Finally, Ava broke the silence.
"You believe me?"
Kael looked at her.
"About the vision?"
"Yes."
"I do."
She blinked.
"That was fast."
"I've seen stranger things."
Ava crossed her arms.
"You just found out the moon might want you as my mate instead of the guy the council chose."
Kael smirked.
"And you're surprised I like that idea?"
Ava rolled her eyes.
"Of course you do."
He shrugged casually.
"I've always had good taste."
She threw a small stick at him.
He caught it easily.
"Careful," he said. "Assaulting your alpha is a crime."
"You're not my alpha."
Kael raised an eyebrow.
"Not yet."
Ava stared at him.
"You're impossible."
"And you're avoiding the real question."
"What question?"
Kael stepped closer.
"If the moon really chose me… what are you going to do about it?"
Ava hesitated.
That question was far more dangerous than she wanted to admit.
Because deep down…
Her wolf already knew the answer.
Before she could respond—
A voice cut through the clearing.
"Well, this is awkward."
Ava stiffened instantly.
She turned toward the forest edge.
Damon stood there again.
Leaning casually against a tree like he had all the time in the world.
Kael's entire posture hardened.
"You're testing my patience."
Damon ignored him.
His eyes were locked on Ava.
"You had a vision."
It wasn't a question.
Ava frowned.
"How do you know that?"
Damon stepped forward slowly.
"Because the council felt it."
Kael's jaw tightened.
"That's impossible."
"No," Damon said calmly.
"It's exactly what they expected."
Ava's stomach twisted.
"They expected it?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
Damon's expression darkened slightly.
"Because the Moon Queen always receives visions before choosing her true alpha."
Ava blinked.
"Wait."
She pointed at him.
"Choosing?"
"Yes."
"That's not what the council said."
Damon laughed bitterly.
"The council lies when it suits them."
Kael crossed his arms.
"You're suddenly very helpful."
Damon looked at him coldly.
"I'm not helping you."
His gaze returned to Ava.
"I'm helping her."
Ava shook her head.
"You rejected me."
"Yes."
"And now you're acting like my protector?"
Damon's voice lowered.
"You think I wanted to reject you?"
The anger in Ava's chest flared.
"You seemed pretty comfortable doing it."
Damon looked away briefly.
"That rejection… was supposed to break the bond."
Ava froze.
"What?"
Kael's eyes sharpened.
Damon continued quietly.
"The council ordered it."
The clearing went silent.
Ava stared at him.
"You're lying."
"I wish I was."
Kael stepped forward.
"Explain."
Damon sighed.
"The council knew Ava's power would awaken."
"So?" Kael said.
"They believed the Moon Queen would choose her own alpha."
Ava frowned.
"And that's bad?"
"For them."
Damon finally looked at Kael again.
"They needed control."
"So they forced you to reject her," Kael said slowly.
"Yes."
Ava felt the ground shift under her feet.
"You destroyed the mate bond because they told you to?"
Damon's expression hardened.
"I did it to protect you."
"By humiliating me in front of the entire pack?"
His voice dropped.
"If I refused, they would have taken you immediately."
Ava didn't know what to say.
Part of her wanted to scream.
Another part wanted to believe him.
Kael, however, didn't look convinced.
"You expect us to trust you."
Damon shrugged.
"You don't have to."
His eyes shifted toward Ava again.
"But you should know one thing."
"What?" she asked.
"The council doesn't actually want me as your mate."
Ava blinked.
"Then why announce it?"
Damon's expression turned dark.
"Because if you refuse their choice… they gain the right to control your power."
Kael swore under his breath.
Ava's stomach dropped.
"So this whole thing is a trap?"
Damon nodded slowly.
"Yes."
Silence spread through the clearing again.
Finally, Ava spoke.
"Great."
Kael looked at her.
"Great?"
"Yes."
He frowned.
"Why?"
Ava stood up slowly.
Because now the rules were clear.
She looked at both alphas.
Then toward the moon above them.
"If the council wants control…"
Her eyes began glowing silver again.
"They picked the wrong wolf."
Kael smiled slowly.
Damon watched silently.
And somewhere far away—
The Moon Council was beginning to realize something terrifying.
The Moon Queen wasn't following their plan.
And when a Moon Queen refused to obey…
History had shown only one outcome.
Rebellion. 🌙