Chapter 4

Liya Argent joined the elders at the council meeting with Alpha Kyair and the other packs at Seil Garden.

She took her seat in the front row, looking up at the high table where the alphas were arranged, facing the gathering of their packs.

There were two agendas for the meeting: the harvest and the moon jewel.

The meeting was originally meant to discuss the harvest, an event that brings together all the werewolf packs of Salkire to celebrate their shared traditions and receive blessings from the moon through a united ceremony.

It was the one event that united them, setting aside their differences under the moon. However, this time, the matter of the moon jewel had surfaced, and everyone was eager to discuss its location within Salkire.

"We should begin by discussing the sacred ceremony of the harvest," the high priestess raised the topic.

"Don't you think it's fair to start with a prayer?" Estrid, Luna of the Silver Storm pack, interrupted.

Her concern was justified. The tension in the crowd, along with the growing greed for the moon jewel, filled the air. They needed prayers to ensure the meeting would be productive.

"Of course," High Priestess Lunette and her sister Lisette rose to conduct the opening prayer.

All the alphas and elders followed their lead, standing and closing their eyes to pray.

"Dear Moon Goddess, we beseech you this day, asking for your guidance and wisdom throughout this meeting. May we find understanding to achieve our goals. So be it," they chanted harmoniously together.

"So be it," the others echoed.

After the brief prayer to honor the Moon Goddess and seek her guidance, everyone settled back into their seats.

Alpha Kyair twirled his pen between his fingers, distracting himself. He hadn't had much rest since the calling a week before.

The moon jewel haunted him. It stirred something within him that he never knew existed, and whatever it was, it refused to let him find peace.

"Now that we've prayed, can we begin discussing the sacred ceremony of the harvest?" High Priestess Lunette said, her voice firm. "My sister and I have had extensive discussions and have come up with the best way to conduct it this year." She retrieved her notebook with the schedule for the ceremony to present to the alphas.

A hand raised in the elder section caught the attention of Alpha Accalia Grey of the Blue Moon Claws pack. He glanced down at the seating chart in front of him, studying the names and arrangements to identify the elder whose hand was raised, noting that she was not from his pack.

"Elder Liya Argent, do you have an issue?" he asked.

Alpha Kyair snapped out of his thoughts when he heard his elder's name called. He looked up just in time to see Liya rising from her seat.

"Thank you, Alpha Accalia, for this opportunity to address the alphas and elders of Salkire as a whole. I greet you all," she began, offering her respects.

"We greet you, Elder Liya," the alphas and elders responded in unison.

"I understand that every year, High Priestess Lunette and her sister have conducted the holy ceremonies in Salkire. However, this time, the moon jewel has resurfaced, and I have confirmation that she will be attending the harvest..."

"What confirmation? And where did you get this information?" Alpha Accalia asked, voicing the question on everyone's mind.

"Do you know who the moon jewel is?" Elder Matilda Woa, who served under Alpha Accalia, inquired eagerly, hoping to learn the identity of the jewel.

"It's no secret that I served the last Moon Jewel for a time before she disappeared. From that knowledge, I can speak with certainty about the new jewel who..."

Alpha Hunter Blackbrick raised his hand, signaling that he wished to speak. As per the rules of the meeting, this motion required Liya to stop.

"The last moon jewel came from our Crest Pride pack, and her disappearance has caused us great loss," he said, his voice heavy with emotion. "Are we to believe that the new moon jewel has risen from the Noble Heart pack? If so, when will she be unveiled?"

Liya Argent waited patiently for Alpha Hunter to finish speaking before continuing.

"To answer your question, Alpha Hunter, yes, the moon jewel is from the Noble Heart pack," she replied. Her words provoked murmurs around the garden, as alphas, lunas, and elders whispered among themselves.

The mystery of the moon jewel's origin had finally been solved, narrowing their search to a single location.

"As is tradition, the moon jewel, along with her saints, will perform the harvest ceremony. Forgive me, High Priestess, but I must request that we leave the harvest to the jewel this year," Liya said, bowing her head in apology to Lunette and Lisette.

The twins exchanged a brief glance, their emotions hidden behind their veils, before responding.

"Yes, of course. We would be honored to have the moon jewel conduct the ceremony!" they replied in unison, their voices pleasant but with a hint of reservation.

"Thank you," Liya said, settling back into her seat.

"Elder Liya," Alpha Rollan Croft of the Silver Storm pack called out, raising his hand. "May I trouble you with a question?"

Liya Argent rose again, ready to answer.

"Who is the moon jewel?"

She had anticipated this question and was prepared with an answer. Since it was too soon for everyone to know Ivelle's identity, she decided to leave that revelation for the harvest.

"The moon jewel wishes for her identity to remain concealed until the harvest. She will reveal herself to everyone there," Liya responded.

Another alpha raised his hand, seeking permission to speak. Seeing this, Liya continued, "The harvest is just a day away. Surely you can all wait until then for answers to your questions. I am under oath and cannot say any more."

She sat back down, and the raised hands slowly lowered. Liya knew it was wrong of her to lie about being under oath, but for Ivelle's safety, she was willing to do whatever it took.

If the alphas learned Ivelle's identity before the harvest, they would stop at nothing to claim her as their own. They would silence everyone who knew and fight for her.

Liya had vowed in her heart that Ivelle would not disappear like the previous moon jewel. She would protect her, no matter the cost.

Her gaze fell on Alpha Kyair, whose silence stood in stark contrast to the others. She wondered what was going through his mind, and why, unlike the rest, he hadn't bombarded her with questions.

The answer came to her quickly: Alpha Kyair had already pieced it together. The moment Liya confirmed that the moon jewel was from the Noble Heart pack, along with the fact that her daughter had been absent since the jewel was blessed, he had made the connection.

It became clearer when he recalled their encounter, when he had rejected Ivelle. The crescent mark on her back, identical to the one on his chest, confirmed it: the moon jewel was none other than his mate, the one he had rejected—Ivelle Argent.