The Luna who rose from the flames

al

ing my mate bond. It was more like a heavy blow when he chose my sister to be his mate an

my father was only interes

he had said. His voice bo

t given a chance to speak or ex

vant. I was only standing up for myself

its base, waited like a silent sentinel. I stood at its center, wrists bound with coarse rope that bit into flesh, my chains rattling against the wood. The smoke churned at my face as the Hig

der of what had been lost. Now it felt like the only living thing I possessed. I was drew strength from

take's base, and in that moment time slowed. I swallowed the bitter tang of bile that felt stuck in my throat and forced my knees to hol

eyes. The fire leapt up, licking the ropes, climbing the stake. Heat roared

nsume me. It envelopes my whole being and wrapped around me like a warm blanket. My wolf w

burn away, it burned through. The flames began to burn from

I had just become alive. The fire didn't hurt. It surged through my veins like molten metal, charging my blood. My wolf rose, alert, no longer in pain.

ss scream. I glanced upward: her silver robes had ignited in the searing wind that had erupted. She danced in the flames, arms flailing like a marionette, b

ore intense than anything I'd felt before. I am not the victim. I am not a disgrace. I roared, a

through the priestess's podium. Pillars collapsed. The sacred stones c

d away, pulling their pups and lambs. Werewolves snuffed out l

I'd imagined she would. But her bravado crumbled when the flames curled aroun

crowd, heads held dow

en

I had mourned and betrayed. He ran like every o

me. But when I closed my eyes, it retreated. As if asking me perm

agile yet unbreakable. The flames died down as if realizing containment. Smoke billowed, but t

d alone among charred

�

rcle, I glimpsed the bodies of a few wounded in the distance. The Priestess among them, dragged by guards toward the infirmary, her

oured over the clearing and onto my face. I inhaled the wet scent

had t

wrapped my fingers tighter around its chain, soothing the ache of everything I'd lost. Amon

I turned toward the forest's edge. My body was scratched from chains and guards. B

om the flames with no one to witness my rising. I was deserted. Le

�

woods in the dark of the night. The undergrowth

became living memories rather than chains. I stumbled once, tripping on a

The priests healing their wounds.

ever come

sume I was born to ashes afterall no one could escape that fire. tell tales

g. I still lived. I

l and restless. It pulsed with promise, wings of

and raised my arms to the moon. I whispered thanks for the unexpected gift

bones. I whisper

her into the night, leaving not

until I changed into my wolf. For the first time since I was born, my wolf was happy. Sh