The fight with Thorne's rogues, though scary, changed something inside me. The wild power that burst out, the silver light from my body, it was real. Not just a dream. It was mine.
My fear slowly turned into wonder. I knew I was more than just a rejected mate. More than an outcast. I was a vessel for something old and strong. Something that had been hidden for too long.
After running from the rogues, I found a safe spot. A hidden cave, covered by thick plants. Inside, the air was cool and damp. It smelled of earth and old times.
As I lay there, still in my wolf form, the visions came back. But they were different now. Not blurry glimpses. They were clear. It felt like the Ancient Luna herself was there, guiding me.
I saw a path, winding and overgrown. It led deep into the forest, to a place I knew was special. The Ancient Luna, her silver eyes glowing, appeared before me. She was solid, bright.
Her voice, though silent, filled my mind. It was a song of old wisdom. "The path is open, child of the moon," she whispered. "Follow the whispers of the past. You will find your truth."
"Seek the guardian of the old ways," she continued. "She holds the key to your awakening." The message was clear. I wasn't just meant to live. I was meant to wake up.
My rejection, the pain, the loneliness – it was all a test. It was making me stronger. The Moon Goddess hadn't left me. She had just sent me on a harder path. A path to my true power.
This thought felt huge, but it didn't crush me. Instead, I felt calm. A quiet strength settled deep inside me. I knew I had to leave. My old home, the Crescent Moon territory, was now a trap.
It was full of danger and judgment. I couldn't stay if I wanted to follow my destiny. Leaving Lyra, my best friend, made me sad. But I knew she would understand. Our bond was strong enough.
It could handle distance. I would find a way to talk to her, to make sure she was safe. But for now, I had to go. As the sun rose, painting the sky with soft colors, I changed back to my human form.
It still felt a bit strange, but it hurt less. My silver eyes, now always glowing, held a new depth. A quiet strength I didn't have before. I grabbed my few things: a cloak, some dried berries, a knife.
I left no note. No trace. I knew my leaving would make the pack suspicious. But I didn't care what they thought anymore. My focus was on the path ahead. On the whispers guiding me.
I walked for days, pulled by an unseen force. It led me deeper into the old forest. Away from familiar pack smells. Away from human towns. The forest became my safe place. My teacher. My guide.
I learned to read the woods. To track animals. To find food. My senses were still sharp from my wolf shift. I noticed everything: sunlight through trees, flower smells, a distant waterfall.
I felt a deep connection to the earth. A sense of belonging that went beyond my human body. During my journey, the visions of the Ancient Luna became more frequent. More detailed.
I saw old ceremonies. Strong she-wolves talking to the Moon Goddess. A time when Luna power was respected, not feared. I saw symbols, glowing with energy. I knew I had to draw them.
To etch them into the ground. To use them to call on the moon's power. I practiced, slowly at first, then with more confidence. Drawing symbols in the dirt. Feeling the energy shift.
It was a language I was relearning. An old art waking up inside me. One evening, as the sun set, painting the sky in fiery colors, I felt a strong pull. It led me to a special clearing.
The air here felt different. Thick with old energy. A deep peace settled over me. In the middle of the clearing stood a huge, old oak tree. Its branches reached to the sky.
Beneath the tree, a small, simple hut. Smoke curled from its chimney. A welcoming sight. As I got closer, an old woman came out of the hut. Her face was full of wrinkles.
Her hair was long, silver braids. Her eyes, though old, were bright blue. They held a wisdom that seemed to go back centuries. She carried a staff, glowing faintly.
I knew, right away, this was Maeve. The guardian of the old ways. The mentor the Ancient Luna spoke of. I felt no fear. Only a deep sense of knowing. Like I was finally home.
Maeve looked at me. Her eyes rested on my silver fur, the glow of my eyes. A slow, knowing smile spread across her face. "I have been waiting for you, child of the moon," Maeve said.
Her voice was soft, like dry leaves. But it held a strong power. "The whispers of the Ancient Lunas have grown louder with your awakening. You carry a great burden. And an even greater gift."
I felt a wave of relief. A deep sense of being right. I wasn't crazy. I wasn't alone. Someone understood. Someone could guide me. "You know about... about the power?" I asked, my voice barely a whisper.
Maeve nodded. Her silver braids swayed. "I know of the power in your blood. The legacy hidden for generations. Your rejection, child, was not a curse. It was a spark."
"The male Alphas, in their fear and greed, tried to put out the Lunas' light. To silence their voices. To erase their history. But the Moon Goddess works in strange ways. She chose you, Elara."
"To light that fire again. To bring back the balance that was lost." I listened, amazed. Maeve spoke of the Lunas' true history. Their great power. Their role in uniting packs.
Their special gifts: healing, connecting with nature, seeing beyond the normal world. She spoke of how they were silenced. How history was changed. How female wolves were made small.
Reduced to just mates and mothers. The anger I felt since my rejection flared up again. But this time, it wasn't just for me. It was a fierce anger for all the injustice. For the lies.
"You are a First Luna, Elara," Maeve finished, her eyes looking deep into mine. "The first in hundreds of years to fully wake up. Your path will be hard. Full of danger. But you won't walk it alone."
"I will guide you. I will teach you. I will help you master the gifts that are yours by birthright. Are you ready, child, to accept your destiny?" I looked at the old oak tree. At Maeve's wise eyes.
Then, deep inside myself, at the strong, silver wolf now living within me. The fear was still there, a small tremor. But a fierce determination took over. A burning desire to get back what was lost.
To fix the wrongs of the past. "I am ready," I said. My voice was clear and strong. It held a new belief. The journey had truly begun. The rejected Luna was gone. In her place stood Elara, the awakened First Luna.
Ready to face what was coming. The path was clear. My mentor was found. The whispers of the past had become a loud call to action. My training, my true awakening, was about to start. The forest, once a safe place, was now my school. Maeve, my teacher, would unlock my ancient power. She would get me ready for the fight ahead. The fight in the world I had left behind. A world that would soon know the true power of a Luna reborn.