THE TEARS OF THE CRESENT MOON

The crescent moon hung low over Blackthorn Valley, its silver light slicing through the fog like a blade. Elyra Voss stood at the edge of Duskfall's crumbling bridge, her boots sinking into the damp earth, her heart a war drum in her chest. Five years.

Five years since she'd fled this cursed valley, her soul shattered, her trust in love burned to ash. Now, she was back, clutching a letter that promised answers-and threatened to unravel her completely.

"Come home, Elyra. The truth about your family waits under the crescent moon."

The words, scrawled in crimson ink, had haunted her for weeks. No signature, just a wax seal with a wolf's claw. Her fingers trembled as she tucked the letter into her jacket, her violet eyes scanning the shadowed pines.

Blackthorn Valley hadn't changed: the air still reeked of pine and secrets, and the distant howls of the Crescent Pack sent shivers down her spine.She wasn't the broken girl who'd run away at eighteen, bleeding from Zane Blackthorn's rejection. She was stronger now, her pain forged into a blade of her own.

But the scar on her heart throbbed at the thought of him-the alpha who'd promised her forever, then cast her out like a stray. She'd sworn never to return, yet here she was, chasing ghosts and risking everything.

"Get it together, Elyra," she muttered, her breath clouding in the chill. Her silver-streaked hair whipped in the wind, catching the moonlight. She adjusted the dagger strapped to her thigh, its weight a reminder of the promise she'd made: find the truth about her family's murder, and make whoever betrayed them pay.

A twig snapped behind her. Elyra spun, her hand on the dagger, her pulse spiking. The fog parted, revealing a figure leaning against a gnarled oak. Tall, broad-shouldered, with auburn hair and amber eyes that burned like embers. Kael Ironclaw, alpha of the Ironclaw Pack.

His leather jacket was scuffed, his tattoos peeking from his collar, and his smirk was as dangerous as the valley itself.

"Lost, Moonseer?" Kael's voice was low, teasing, but his gaze pinned her like a predator's.

"Or just looking for trouble?"

Elyra's grip tightened on her dagger. She'd heard of Kael-reckless, rebellious, and Zane's rival. The Ironclaws and Crescents had been at each other's throats for years, and she had no interest in their war.

"I'm not your concern, Ironclaw. Keep walking."Kael stepped closer, his boots crunching gravel. "Oh, but you are. A Moonseer waltzing into my valley? That's my business."

He tilted his head, studying her. "And those eyes... they glow like the prophecy itself."

Her stomach twisted. Moonseer. The word was a curse, a secret she'd buried since her family's slaughter. Her violet eyes, a mark of her bloodline, had betrayed her before. She forced a laugh, sharp and cold.

"Prophecy? Sounds like a fairy tale for pups. I'm here for answers, not pack drama."

Kael's smirk faded, his eyes narrowing.

"Answers come at a price in Blackthorn, Elyra Voss. And you're already in too deep."

Before she could snap back, a howl tore through the night, long and mournful. Crescent Pack. Elyra's blood ran cold. She knew that howl-Zane's. Her heart betrayed her, lurching with a mix of longing and rage. Kael stiffened, his hand brushing the hilt of a blade at his hip.

"Speak of the devil," Kael muttered. "Your old flame's calling."

"Shut up," Elyra hissed, her voice raw. She turned toward the sound, her resolve hardening. She'd face Zane, but on her terms. "I don't need your commentary."

Kael grabbed her wrist, his grip firm but not cruel. "Careful, Moonseer. Zane's not the boy you loved. He's alpha now, and he's got blood on his hands."

Elyra yanked free, her eyes blazing. "I don't trust him. Or you. Stay out of my way, Kael."

She stormed toward the forest, her boots pounding the earth, Kael's warning echoing in her mind. The Crescent Pack's territory loomed ahead, marked by claw-scarred trees and the glow of torches. The air grew thick with the scent of smoke and fur.

Elyra's chest tightened as memories flooded back-Zane's laugh, his green eyes promising forever, the night he'd turned on her, his voice cold as he banished her from the pack.

"You're nothing to me, Elyra. Leave, or I'll make you."The words still stung, a wound that never healed. She'd been eighteen, in love, and naive. Now, she was twenty-three, and love was a lie she'd never fall for again.

But the letter had promised the truth about her family's murder, and if Zane knew anything, she'd tear it out of him.The forest opened to a clearing, where the Crescent Pack's ritual ground pulsed with energy.

Torches cast flickering shadows over a stone altar, carved with wolf runes. Pack members gathered, their eyes glinting in the firelight, their murmurs hushing as Elyra stepped into view.

She felt their stares, their suspicion. She was an outsider now, a ghost returned to haunt them.And then she saw him.Zane Blackthorn stood by the altar, his black hair catching the moonlight, his green eyes locking onto hers.

He was taller than she remembered, his alpha presence commanding the air. A scar traced his jaw, new since she'd left, and his leather coat was streaked with dirt, as if he'd just fought.

Her heart stuttered, betraying her again, but she clenched her fists, burying the ache.

"Elyra," Zane said, his voice deep, carrying across the clearing. It wasn't a question-it was a claim. The pack parted, and he strode toward her, each step deliberate. "You shouldn't be here."

Her throat tightened, but she held his gaze, refusing to flinch.

"And you shouldn't assume I came for you, Alpha."

She spat the title like venom, drawing gasps from the pack. "I'm here for the truth. Don't get in my way."Zane stopped inches from her, close enough for her to smell cedar and steel on him.

His eyes searched hers, a flicker of something-guilt? regret?-before his jaw hardened.

"The truth's a dangerous game in Blackthorn, Elyra. You sure you're ready to play?"

Her pulse raced, anger and longing warring inside her. She wanted to scream, to demand why he'd broken her, but the letter's words burned in her mind. The truth waits.

She leaned closer, her voice a whisper only he could hear. "I'm not the girl you threw away, Zane. Cross me, and you'll regret it."

A spark of pain flashed in his eyes, but before he could respond, a woman stepped from the shadows, her white hair gleaming like frost. Mira, the pack's healer, her blue eyes cold and calculating.

Elyra's skin prickled-Mira had always unsettle her, even as a child."Enough," Mira said, her voice smooth as silk. "The ritual begins. Elyra, if you're here to stay, prove your loyalty. Or leave, like last time."

The pack murmured, their eyes darting between Elyra and Zane. Elyra's chest tightened. A ritual? She hadn't planned for this. The letter hadn't mentioned a test. But backing down wasn't an option-not with Zane watching, not with the truth so close.

"Fine," Elyra said, her voice steady despite the fear clawing her gut. "Name the ritual."

Mira's lips curved into a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "The Moon's Trial. Step into the circle, bare your soul to the pack. If the moon accepts you, you stay.

If not..." She trailed off, her gaze flicking to the altar, where a silver blade glinted.

Elyra's blood ran cold. The Moon's Trial was ancient, a test of truth that could expose her Moonseer powers. If the pack knew what she was, they'd tear her apart-or worse, use her for their war. But she couldn't run. Not again.

Zane's hand brushed her arm, his touch electric. "Elyra, don't," he whispered, his voice raw. "You don't know what you're risking."

She pulled away, her heart fracturing. "I know what I'm risking. Do you?"

She stepped toward the circle, the pack's eyes burning into her. The moonlight intensified, bathing her in silver, and her eyes began to glow, a violet shimmer she couldn't hide.

Whispers erupted-Moonseer, cursed, prophecy. Her pulse thundered as she faced the altar, Mira's smile widening.

"Begin," Mira said, raising the blade.Elyra's breath hitched, her powers stirring, unbidden. The air crackled, and a vision slammed into her: blood-soaked earth, Zane and Kael clashing, a shadowed figure laughing as the valley burned.

She gasped, stumbling, the pack's gasps echoing hers.Zane lunged forward, catching her before she fell. "Elyra, stop!" His voice was desperate, his arms strong around her.

"You can't-" A scream cut him off. Elyra's head snapped up, her vision clearing. Lila, her childhood friend, burst into the clearing, her hazel eyes wide with panic. "Elyra, run! It's a trap!"

Before Elyra could move, a crossbow bolt whistled through the air, aimed at her heart. Zane shoved her aside, the bolt grazing his arm, drawing blood. The pack erupted into chaos, wolves shifting, howls splitting the night.

Elyra scrambled to her feet, her dagger drawn, her eyes locking on Mira. The healer's smile was gone, replaced by a glint of triumph.

"You shouldn't have come back, Moonseer," Mira said, her voice dripping with venom.

Elyra's world tilted. A trap. The letter. Mira. Her powers surged, the moonlight blinding, and another vision hit: a claw seal, a traitor's mark, and Zane's face, twisted in betrayal. Her heart stopped. Was he part of this?"

Zane," she whispered, her voice breaking. "What have you done?"

His eyes widened, pain flashing across his face. "Elyra, I-" Another bolt flew, this time from the shadows.

Elyra dove, the world slowing, her powers screaming. She hit the ground, her vision darkening, and saw a cloaked figure vanish into the fog, a wolf's claw pendant glinting at their throat.

The last thing she heard was Zane's roar, Lila's scream, and Mira's chilling laugh as the moonlight swallowed her whole.