Chapter 22 - Fractured Loyalties

The ruins still hummed with the remnants of Celestia's power, the air thick with the scent of burnt stone and blood. The battle had ended, but its consequences lingered.

Darius hadn't moved from Celestia's side. His golden eyes scanned her for any injuries, his grip still firm on her arms. "Are you sure you're not hurt?"

Celestia nodded, though the exhaustion was creeping up on her. "I'm fine."

Lucien scoffed as he wiped his bloodied daggers on his sleeve. "Fine? You just went head-to-head with Aldric and lived to tell the tale. That's not fine, that's insane."

Elias sheathed his sword, his silver eyes dark with concern. "And we learned something dangerous tonight." He glanced at Celestia. "Aldric doesn't want you dead—he wants you to join him."

Silence.

Celestia swallowed, her mind replaying Aldric's words.

"You were meant for more than playing Luna to a dying pack."

The memory sent an uncomfortable shiver down her spine.

Darius's jaw tightened. "That will never happen."

Lucien crossed his arms. "Yeah, well, Aldric isn't the type to take no for an answer. If he wants Celestia, he's going to keep coming until he gets what he wants."

Elias exhaled sharply. "And that means this war isn't just about the pack anymore. It's about her."

Celestia hated the truth of his words. She had always known she was different. Being Moonborn set her apart, but now… now she wasn't just a part of the Saints Moon Pack's war.

She was the war.

Darius turned to her, his gaze unwavering. "We're leaving. Now."

Celestia didn't argue. As much as she wanted answers, staying in the ruins any longer was a risk. Aldric had gotten what he wanted—he had planted the seed of doubt in her mind.

And she hated that it was working.

***

*Back at the Saints Moon Pack Territory

The journey back was silent, the weight of the night pressing on them like a storm cloud. When they arrived at the pack's stronghold, warriors rushed to meet them, their gazes flickering with unease.

Elder Gregor and Elder Mira were already waiting in the main hall. The moment they saw Celestia and the others, Gregor stepped forward. "What happened?"

Darius didn't hesitate. "Aldric tried to lure Celestia away."

Mira's sharp gaze locked onto Celestia. "And?"

Celestia exhaled. "And he made it very clear that he won't stop." She clenched her fists. "He thinks I belong with the Lycans."

Mira's expression darkened. "That is… concerning."

Lucien scoffed. "That's putting it lightly."

Elder Gregor's silver eyes studied Celestia for a long moment before he finally spoke. "We have no choice. We must fortify our defenses immediately."

Darius nodded. "Agreed. We need every warrior on high alert."

Elias added, "And we need to start training for his tactics. The Lycans don't fight like wolves—they use ambushes, dark magic, and brute strength. We need to be ready."

Mira turned to Celestia. "And you."

Celestia straightened.

"You need to unlock the rest of your power."

A heavy silence settled over the room.

Celestia's breath hitched. "You think I'm ready?"

Mira's gaze didn't waver. "Ready or not, we don't have time to wait."

Elder Gregor nodded. "The power you wield is ancient. If Aldric knows about it, he will try to use it against you."

Darius tensed beside her. "Then we need to make sure she can control it before he gets the chance."

Celestia swallowed hard. The thought of tapping into more of her power both thrilled and terrified her. The last time it had surged, she had nearly lost control.

But she didn't have the luxury of fear anymore.

She nodded. "Then let's begin."

---

The next morning, Celestia stood in the heart of the training grounds, surrounded by ancient stones carved with runes. Mira had led her here, saying it was the only place strong enough to handle what they were about to do.

Darius, Lucien, and Elias stood at the edges, watching.

Elder Mira stepped forward. "Celestia, the power within you is not just energy—it is memory. It is tied to the past, to those who came before you."

Celestia frowned. "What does that mean?"

Mira's gaze was unreadable. "It means unlocking your strength requires more than training. It requires understanding."

Celestia inhaled sharply. "What do I have to do?"

Mira raised a hand. The runes on the stones around them flickered to life. A strange energy pulsed through the air.

"Let your power guide you," Mira instructed. "Do not fight it. Do not force it. Let it show you what you need to see."

Celestia hesitated, then closed her eyes.

She reached for the power inside her, that storm of silver light and untamed energy.

For a moment, nothing happened.

Then—

A rush of cold air.

The ground disappeared beneath her feet.

When Celestia opened her eyes, she was somewhere else.

She stood in an ancient battlefield, the sky torn apart by lightning.

Wolves—not just wolves, but Moonborn—fought against creatures she had never seen before. Monstrous Lycans, their forms twisted and wrong, moved through the chaos like shadows given life.

And at the center of it all—

A woman.

Celestia's breath caught.

The woman had silver hair, just like hers. Her eyes glowed with the same Moonborn light.

But it was the power surrounding her that struck Celestia the most. It was the same power she had felt within herself, wild and untamed, yet controlled with precision.

This woman had mastered what Celestia had yet to.

The woman turned, as if sensing her presence.

Celestia's heart pounded.

Before she could say anything, the vision shifted.

The battlefield faded, replaced by darkness.

A single whisper echoed through the void.

"Find the key."

Then everything vanished.

Celestia gasped, staggering back.

Darius was beside her in an instant, catching her before she fell. "Celestia!"

Lucien and Elias rushed forward.

Mira was watching her closely. "What did you see?"

Celestia took a shaky breath. "The past." She met Mira's gaze. "A woman—Moonborn, like me. She had control over the power, but…" She hesitated. "She was fighting something worse than Lycans."

Mira's expression darkened. "What else?"

Celestia clenched her fists. "I heard a voice."

Darius frowned. "What did it say?"

Celestia swallowed hard.

"Find the key."

The words lingered in the air like a prophecy unspoken.

Lucien exhaled. "Great. Another cryptic message. That's exactly what we needed."

Elias ignored him, turning to Mira. "Does that mean there's something—or someone—we need to find?"

Mira didn't answer right away.

Instead, she looked at Celestia. "It means your journey is far from over."

Celestia's stomach twisted.

She already knew that.

But the question that haunted her now was—

What if finding the key changed everything?

And what if Aldric wasn't just after her power—

But after the key itself?

---

End of Chapter 22