Chapter 5 The Alpha Summit

The day of the summit dawned cold and cruel.

Clouds covered the sky like bruises, casting the entire Crescent Moon Academy in a steel-blue pallor. It wasn't just the weather. The air buzzed with tension, thick enough to choke on. Even the birds were silent.

Kieran stood beside me, dressed in ceremonial Alpha black an obsidian jacket embroidered with silver lunar threads, a mark of dominance and legacy. He looked every inch the wolf prince. Dangerous. Icy. Unapproachable.

And I? I wore white.

Not because I wanted to. Because I had to.

White, the color of the shamed.

I was the daughter of the traitor Alpha Voss. And today, I was to stand before the Great Alphas and be judged.

A Throne of Blades

The summit was held in the Grand Lunar Court, a towering arena with a vaulted ceiling, where the moon's light was refracted by hundreds of crystalline shards. The ground was polished onyx. The seats were tiered, throne after throne of dominant Alphas and pack lords, all staring down from above.

I felt their eyes like knives.

Kieran didn't flinch. He took my hand and led me to the center, his presence shielding, defiant.

At the high table sat five central figures: the Alpha Council.

The middle seat was filled by Alpha Garrick Blackmoor, leader of the Frostfang Pack, Kieran's father.

Cold eyes, carved from ice.

To his right: Alpha Rhea of the Crimson Howl, sharp as her name.

To his left: Alpha Thorn of the Deadwoods, ancient and stone-faced.

And flanking them: the remaining two, whose names I didn't know but whose expressions dripped with judgment.

"Begin," Alpha Garrick said, his voice like the crack of winter.

A cloaked Elder stepped forward. "We are here to challenge the claim of Elara Voss. Born of betrayal. Touched by shadow. She dares to walk among wolves."

Kieran snarled. "She earned her place."

"She carries Eclipse magic," Thorn intoned. "Magic we have not sanctioned."

"She survived the Gauntlet," Kieran said. "She bonded with me. What more do you require?"

"Truth," Alpha Rhea said coldly. "We require her truth."

And then they turned to me.

Bloodlines and Burdens

"What was your father's final command?" Rhea asked.

I stared up at her. "To run."

"And you obeyed?"

"No," I said. "I came back."

Garrick leaned forward. "Do you deny that Alpha Voss attempted to use Eclipse magic to bind the Alpha Council?"

My throat tightened. "I don't know what he did. I was ten when he died. I only know the Council declared war, and my pack was burned for it."

"A convenient memory," sneered the unnamed Alpha to the far left. "What about your mother?"

"I never knew her. She died in childbirth."

They murmured amongst themselves, like carrion birds. Weighing guilt. Planning condemnation.

"I am not my father," I said loudly.

"No," Rhea said, her eyes narrowing. "But you carry his shadow."

I held my ground. "Maybe I do. But I also carry his strength. And I won't apologize for surviving."

Garrick raised a hand. "Then let the Circle decide. Alpha Kieran, do you stand by your bond?"

He didn't hesitate.

"I do."

They were silent for a long, tense moment. Then Garrick nodded.

"So be it. Her place at the Academy stands. But her bloodline remains untrusted. If she fails again,n"

"She won't," Kieran said.

Enemies in the Shadows

The trial ended, but the whispers did not.

As we left the arena, wolves stared. Some with fear. Others with fury.

"She's dangerous."

"Traitor-blood."

"She used forbidden magic..."

Kieran's jaw clenched. I slipped my fingers into his. He didn't pull away.

Back in our dorm wing, I collapsed onto the bed, my limbs heavy.

"You did good," he said quietly, standing near the door.

I met his gaze. "They still hate me."

"They fear you," he corrected. "Which is worse. But also... useful."

I arched a brow. "You're okay with them fearing your mate?"

He looked away. "I'm not okay with any of this."

Silence stretched between us.

Then he added, softer, "But I'm not letting them take you."

My breath caught.

He turned before I could reply, muttering, "Get some rest. Training starts again tomorrow."

Whispers and Wolves

That night, I dreamed of fire.

A girl younger methan running through a burning forest. Behind me, howls. Screams. Shadows with glowing eyes.

Then a voice. Soft. Female.

"Remember the mark, Elara. It will open the gate."

I jolted awake, heart pounding.

My wrist throbbed. The Moon Mark burned faintly, pulsing like a heartbeat beneath my skin.

I got out of bed and crossed to the mirror. My eyes were glowing faintly silver.

"Great," I muttered. "Now I'm glowing."

The mark shimmered then flared, showing a symbol I hadn't seen before. Two crescents overlapping. A gate.

What gate?

Before I could dwell on it, a sound made me freeze.

Scratching. Near my door.

I inched closer.

Then a whisper: "He'll betray you. Just like your father."

I yanked the door open. Nothing. Just cold air and an empty hall.

But the message was clear.

Someone or something was watching me.

The Broken Pact

The next morning, training resumed.

The Academy's central arena buzzed with life. Students sparred, fought, and ifted. The ranking trials were only weeks away, and tensions were high.

Kieran stood at the head of our group. As usual, he radiated command.

"Today," he said, "you'll train with your bond-mate."

Gasps. A few groans. A couple g glances of jealousy in my direction.

Kieran smirked. "Elara. With me."

We moved to the sparring circle. He stripped off his jacket, revealing toned muscle and a fresh scar where the shadow creature had slashed him.

I tried not to stare.

"Try to hit me," he said.

I raised a brow. "Seriously?"

He nodded. "Don't hold back."

So I didn't.

I lunged, but he was faster. He twisted, caught my arm, and flipped me to the ground.

"Ow," I groaned.

He crouched. "Again."

The second time, I almost landed a blow.

The third time, I did.

My fist connected with his ribs. He stumbled, then grinned.

"You're learning."

I panted. "Or you're going easy."

He stepped closer. "Never."

The world narrowed to his eyes, his scent, the rise and fall of his chest.

Then a voice shattered the moment.

"Alpha Kieran!"

It was Beta Ronan, one of Garrick's enforcers.

He threw something at Kieran's feet.

A scroll.

"A summons," Ronan said. "From Alpha Garrick. He demands your return. Now."

Kieran's face went blank.

He looked at me once, regret in his eyes, then turned and walked away.

Secrets and Silver Tongues

With Kieran gone, the Academy turned colder.

The power vacuum didn't go unnoticed.

Some wolves began challenging each other openly. Fights broke out. The fragile peace wavered.

And then... a new student arrived.

Lucien Duskvale.

Tall. Silver-haired. Eyes like mercury. A rogue-born wolf, but his scent was old magic and familiar.

He approached me on the second day. Smiling like he already knew me.

"Elara Voss," he said, voice smooth as silk. "The Luna of Thorns."

I frowned. "Do I know you?"

"Not yet." He tilted his head. "But our blood remembers."

My pulse spiked. "What are you?"

He leaned close. "Someone who knows what the Council fears. And who your father truly was."

I backed away. "You're lying."

His eyes gleamed. "Ask yourself why they're hiding the truth. Why did they brand you cursed?

He slipped something into my hand, a broken pendant with the same crescent-gate symbol etched on it.

Then he vanished into the crowd.

I stood there, heart racing.

The mark on my wrist pulsed in answer.

Something was coming.