Chapter 14 - The Silence After the Storm

The battlefield was eerily quiet.

The ruins, once alive with the clash of steel and snarls of battle, now lay in shattered silence. The scent of blood and burnt flesh lingered in the cold night air.

Celestia sat on a broken stone, her breath uneven, body still tingling from the power that had surged through her. Around her, the warriors of Saints Moon Pack gathered, tending to wounds and taking count of their losses.

Yet all she could hear was Aldric's voice.

"You're still in a cage, Celestia. You just haven't realized it yet."

A shiver ran down her spine.

Darius knelt beside her, golden eyes scanning her for injuries. "You shouldn't push yourself like that."

"I'm fine," she murmured, though her ribs ached where Aldric had struck her.

Darius didn't look convinced. "You took a direct hit from the Lycan King and walked away. That's not normal."

Celestia didn't know what to say. She should be hurt—badly—but instead, her body felt… different. Stronger. Lighter. The power she had tapped into was still humming beneath her skin.

Something inside her had changed.

Elias approached, wiping blood from his sword. "We lost six warriors. Three others are badly wounded." His expression was grim. "We should leave before Aldric returns."

Lucien crossed his arms, still tense from the battle. "He won't. Not tonight."

Elias frowned. "And you're so sure because…?"

Lucien glanced at Celestia, then at Darius. "Because he got what he came for."

Celestia's fingers curled. He's right. Aldric hadn't been trying to win—he had been testing them.

Testing her.

Darius let out a slow breath. "Gather the injured. We're returning to the territory."

Lucien nodded, though his expression darkened. "And what about you two?"

Darius' jaw tensed. "Celestia and I need to talk."

---

The ride back to the Saints Moon Pack's territory was quiet.

Celestia rode beside Darius, the weight of the night pressing on her shoulders. The pack was victorious, but unease remained.

As soon as they passed the protective borders of their land, Darius gestured for her to follow him to the cliffs—a secluded place where only the Alpha and Luna spoke of things too heavy for the rest to hear.

The moon hung high above them as Celestia stopped at the edge, arms crossed. "Go ahead. I know you have questions."

Darius studied her for a long moment. "I don't know if I have questions or if I already know the answers."

She turned to face him. "Meaning?"

He sighed, rubbing his temple. "Your power, Celestia. You were strong before, but this? This is different. It's… ancient."

Celestia swallowed. "I don't know what it is either."

Darius watched her closely. "You felt it, didn't you? When Aldric said you were in a 'cage'… something in you reacted."

Her fingers twitched. He was right. There was something locked away, something that had awakened in battle. But what was it?

Darius stepped closer, his voice softer. "Whatever it is, we need to find out before Aldric does."

A rustling sound made them both turn.

Elder Rowan, one of the oldest members of the pack, emerged from the trees. His sharp eyes held something unreadable.

"You have awakened something powerful, Luna," he said, voice heavy with meaning.

Celestia stiffened. "You knew."

The elder nodded. "Not the full extent. But I suspected. And now Aldric knows, too." He exhaled. "That makes you a target."

Darius frowned. "What does Aldric want with her?"

Rowan hesitated. Then, slowly, he said, "It's not what he wants. It's what he fears."

Celestia's breath caught. "He's afraid of me?"

"Not you," Rowan corrected. "What you're becoming."

A heavy silence fell.

Darius' fists clenched. "Then we don't have much time."

---

That night, Celestia dreamed.

She stood in an endless void, the ground beneath her feet glowing with symbols she couldn't read. The air was thick with whispers—voices calling her name.

Then, she saw her reflection in the darkness.

But it wasn't her.

The woman in the reflection had silver eyes burning like the full moon, power rippling off her like a storm. She was her—yet not her.

"You are not ready."

Celestia gasped, stumbling back. "Who are you?"

The reflection tilted its head. "The question is… who are you?"

Then, the world shattered.

Celestia woke with a start, heart hammering.

The whispers from the dream still echoed in her mind.

"Who are you?"

Dawn arrived with an uneasy stillness.

The pack gathered at the main hall, tension thick in the air. The battle had been won, but everyone knew the war was just beginning.

Darius stood at the front, his presence commanding. "Aldric tested us. He wanted to see if we were weak." He looked around the room. "We proved him wrong."

Murmurs of agreement rippled through the pack.

"But this isn't over," Elias added. "He'll come back."

Lucien leaned against the wall, expression unreadable. "We need to be ready."

Darius' gaze flickered to Celestia. "And we need to find answers. Fast."

Celestia met his eyes. "Then let's start now."

***

That afternoon, Celestia stood at the edge of the pack's borders, her cloak wrapped tightly around her.

Darius approached, slinging a bag over his shoulder. "You're sure about this?"

She nodded. "If I'm going to understand this power, I need to learn where it came from."

They were going to seek out the Moonborn Archives—a hidden library said to contain ancient knowledge of their kind.

A place even Aldric feared.

Lucien and Elias arrived, both dressed for travel.

"You really thought we'd let you go alone?" Lucien smirked.

Elias crossed his arms. "We're not stupid, Celestia. You need backup."

She sighed, but a small smile tugged at her lips.

Darius placed a hand on her shoulder. "We will do this together."

Celestia took a deep breath.

The path ahead was uncertain. But one thing was clear—the answers she sought would change everything.

And she wasn't sure if she was ready.

---

End of Chapter 14