A thick fog spilled from within. From the mist, something stepped out-large, hunched, and breathing heavy.
It wasn't a normal wolf.
It was huge than any she had ever seen. Its fur was silver streaked with black, eyes flashing crimson, saliva flowing from long, sharp teeth. Its clawed fingers slapped against the stone as it growled.
The sound echoed like thunder.
Rayne backed away.
"What is that!?"
No one answered.
A voice from above boomed suddenly-Kael's voice.
"She must face her blood with blood. If she is worthy, she will rise. If not, let the beast take her."
The gates behind her slammed shut.
Rayne spun. "No-no, you can't leave me here!"
But the ground trembled under the beast's steps.
The trial had begun.
The wolf charged.
Rayne barely had time to react. She dove sideways, crashing into the dust. The wolf's claws tore through the spot she'd just been, gouging stone like it was cloth.
Her ribs ached. Her arms stung.
She scrambled to her feet-but the wolf turned fast. It leapt again, and this time, caught her leg.
She screamed as she was dragged across the floor. Blood smeared behind her. The wolf growled and raised a claw to finish it.
But then-it stopped.
Its head cocked. Sniffed the air.
And growled low.
Rayne's eyes flickered.
The air around her shimmered-heat rising from her skin. Her heartbeat thudded harder. Her blood felt like it was on fire.
The moon.
She could feel it. Even underground.
Something in her stirred.
Her hands shook-not from fear, but from the shift.
Not now. Please not now.
Her body convulsed. Her back arched.
The change was coming.
She had no control.
The wolf snarled and pounced.
But this time, Rayne didn't scream.
She roared.
Her bones cracked. Her skin tore. A howl burst from her throat-not human, not fully wolf either, but something other.
Claws tore through her fingertips. Her eyes turned gold. Her limbs stretched, fur sprouting like fire across her arms and chest.
Pain lanced through her like lightning.
But the fear vanished.
The beast inside her had awakened.
The larger wolf collided with her mid-shift-and for a moment, it looked like Rayne would be crushed.
But she caught it.
Claws against claws. Blood sprayed as they rolled across the arena.
Rayne growled-a deep, furious sound-and slashed at its side.
The wolf yelped.
She felt power surge through her. Heat. Rage. Fire.
But also-something else.
A pull.
Like a string deep in her soul, being tugged tighter and tighter.
Voices whispered at the edge of her mind.
Not hers.
Not the wolf's.
Older. Colder.
She staggered back. The other beast regrouped.
Rayne shook her head. "What... is happening to me?"
She heard laughter.
Soft. Far away.
And then she heard a name-whispered from the shadows.
"Veilborn..."
The beast lunged again.
Rayne met it mid-air.
They crashed into the stone, teeth and claws locked, blood painting the walls.
She didn't care about the Council.
She didn't care about Kael.
In this moment, there was only survival.
Rayne used strength she didn't have to slam the wolf to the ground.
She held the beast down while it strained beneath her, snapping and snarling. Her claws dug into its chest. Blood soaked her hands.
The whispers in her head grew louder.
"Veilborn."
"She rises."
"The cursed child of the broken moon."
Rayne's golden eyes flickered. Her vision split-part of her still in the arena, part of her floating somewhere darker. She saw shadows forming around her. Not just wolves. Not just humans.
Something ancient.
A figure stepped out of the dark in her mind. Cloaked in black, with eyes like molten silver. It raised a hand.
Rayne gasped and staggered back.
The wolf escaped, scrambling to its feet. But it didn't attack. It growled low, pacing in a wide circle. Watching her.
Rayne clutched her head. Her body trembled.
Her shift wasn't just physical-it was spiritual. Something inside her was being torn open.
"Stop it," she whispered. "Get out of my head..."
But the voice didn't stop.
"You are ours."
"The Court fears you because they know."
"Blood remembers. Blood obeys."
Rayne screamed and fell to her knees. Her claws retracted. Her form began to shift again-skin peeling back to human, bones cracking into place.
She was changing too fast. Her body couldn't keep up.
From the balcony above, the Council leaned forward.
"She's unstable," one of them whispered.
"She's more than just a cursed girl," said another.
Kael stood like stone, his eyes fixed on her.
The Head Elder stepped forward. "Enough."
He raised a hand, and the iron gate slammed shut again. The second wolf-the one she had fought-snarled but backed into the shadows behind the bars.
Rayne collapsed.
The guards entered and chained her again, but even they seemed hesitant now.
They didn't look at her the same way.
They looked at her like she was a weapon.
Kael descended the steps. He stopped in front of her, eyes narrowed.
"You should be dead," he said.
Rayne lifted her head. Her mouth bled. Her hands were raw. But she met his gaze with fury.
"Sorry to disappoint you."
He knelt beside her.
"You heard them, didn't you?" he said quietly. "The voices."
Rayne didn't answer.
Kael grabbed her chin. "They're not just in your head. They're real. You're not just a cursed child-you're Veilborn."
Gasps echoed from the Council above.
Rayne blinked.
"Veilborn... what does that mean?"
Kael's jaw clenched. He let her go and stood.
"It means your bloodline was supposed to be extinct. It means you're a threat to everyone in this kingdom-including me."
He turned to the Council. "There's no need for a verdict."
Rayne's chest tightened.
He can't.
Kael raised his voice. "She passed the Rite. The beast recognized her power. Whether we like it or not, she's no ordinary shifter."
A pause.
"Rayne is Veilborn. The last of them."
Shock fell across the chamber like ice.
One Elder stood. "Then she must be executed-before the rest awaken."
Another shouted, "The Veilborn destroyed half our kind in the Great War!"
"She should have died as a child..."
"She's too dangerous..."
"Silence," Kael commanded.
All fell still.
He turned to Rayne again. "You will not be executed."
More gasps. Outrage.
"Instead," Kael said slowly, "she will be bound to the palace. Watched. Controlled. She will live, but she will serve the Court of Araksa."
Rayne stared up at him. "You think I'll obey you?"
"I think you want answers," he said coldly. "And right now, I'm the only one who has them."
Rayne's fists clenched.
This wasn't freedom.
This was a golden cage.
And yet... she wanted to know the truth. About the voice. About her blood. About what she saw in the dark.
The guards pulled her to her feet again.
Kael stepped close one last time and whispered, "Welcome to the court, Veilborn."
Rayne didn't reply.
But as she was led away, one thought burned in her chest...
She would find out what they feared.
And she would make them all regret chaining her.