Without a choice

n a comforting way. It wasn't the warmth of a crackling fireplace on a cold night-it was heavy, electric, like the air befor

mbols that seemed to glow faintly under the flickering light of torches. At the center of the room, a massive fire pit burned, its flam

e waitin

eady. He stood slightly behind me, as if

wanted to speak, to demand answers, but my mout

of them broke

oks lik

ow in the firelight. Her hair was braided tightly against her head, and she carried herself

ked, my voice cr

e woman said, her

t. My mother. A figure I had imagined i

er?" I mana

. "We all did. S

ke I couldn't quite catch my brea

ully trust him. "Selene, this is the clan. These are the people your parents fo

man with a broad build and a scar running down the side of his fa

ving way to irritation. "I'm right here, you kno

ut before he could respond, the wo

"You've been thrown into a world you don't

at," I muttered,

I'm the leader of this clan, and I swear to you, we mean you no harm. But there a

d, my throat ti

e fire. "Sit with us. W

ement. The wolf, who had been lying quietly near the entrance, stood and

the edge of the circle. The others followed suit,

powerful in existence. We call it the Lunar Lineage. Your ancestors were the guardians of

peated, the words f

rehend. Wolves, like the one you saw tonight, are part of those forces. They're not ordinary animals

fixed on me with an intensity that made

eage was chosen,"

en by

tors made a pact with the primal forces. In exchange for their protection, your

. "But I didn't agree to any of this. I didn

life for you, which is why they hid you away. But the Balance is breaking, and th

n who had attacked us earlier. "Who were t

ed with disdain. "They seek to shatter the Balance and unleash chaos

threatening to crush me. "What kind of power

-that's just the beginning. Your connection to the primal forces runs deep, and in ti

rous t

a said bluntly. "I

had always been so small, so insignificant. Now, I was being told that I was part of s

ow?" I asked, m

our power, your connection to the pack, and the role you were born

me. This wasn't just about learning

bers. Some were wary, others curious, but there was no m

n do this," I admitte

across the fire, his tone

ieved in you, Selene. Now, you

d none of this was real. But another part-the part that had unleashed that strange power ear

the flickering flames

espite the fear gnawing at my chest. "If t

n her expression. "Good. Becau