The air in the Sanctuary was electric.
Selene woke before dawn, her body still humming with the power she had unleashed the night before. The bond between her and Elias pulsed through her veins, a constant, insistent rhythm she could not ignore. Her dreams had been sharper now, filled with visions of blood and war, of wolves howling beneath a crimson moon, and of her standing at the heart of a battlefield.
She rose quietly, slipping out of her chamber. The stone corridors of the Sanctuary were still, bathed in the faint glow of the moonlight seeping through carved openings in the walls. She moved toward the training hall instinctively, drawn by something she could not name.
When she arrived, Elias was already there. He stood in the center of the hall, his eyes closed, his body still, as if listening to something far beyond her understanding.
"You're awake early," he said softly, turning to her. His golden eyes seemed to glow faintly in the dim light.
"I couldn't sleep," Selene admitted. "The dreams… they're stronger now."
Elias's expression hardened. "The awakening is nearing its peak. The bond will call to you even more. And soon… so will they."
Selene frowned. "They?"
"The hunters," he said simply. "And others. Wolves bound by blood and by oath. They will come for you. And for the power you hold."
Her chest tightened. "Why me?"
"Because you are Moonborn," he said. "And Moonborn are rare. Powerful. Dangerous. You are the last of your kind."
Selene swallowed hard. "What does that mean for me?"
"That you must accept your destiny," Elias said softly. "Because whether you choose it or not, it is already yours."
The Training Deepens
The day passed in a blur of motion and effort. Elias trained her harder now, pushing her to the limits of her strength and control. She learned to call upon the bond without hesitation, to channel the moonlight that surged through her veins.
It was exhausting, but something in her stirred with each lesson. The pull in her chest grew stronger, a tether she could no longer deny.
"You are ready," Elias said that evening, his voice low and certain. "But there is one final step before the awakening is complete."
Selene looked at him warily. "What step?"
He stepped closer, the air between them thick with energy. "You must embrace the Bloodborn. You must call to the prophecy. And you must face the first trial."
Her breath caught. "Trial?"
"Yes," he said softly. "The prophecy demands it. And it will decide the course of your future."
Selene swallowed hard, her chest tightening. "What if I fail?"
Elias's golden eyes softened. "You will not fail. Because I am bound to you. And I will not let you fall."
The words sent a shiver down her spine. She wanted to turn away, to deny the pull, but her body betrayed her. The bond was too strong.
The Vision
That night, Selene dreamed again.
But this time, the dream was different.
She saw herself standing in the heart of a battlefield. Wolves surrounded her, their eyes glowing red under the blood moon. Above them, the sky was torn with fire and shadow. In the center of the chaos, Elias stood beside her, his golden eyes blazing.
A voice deep and ancient echoed in her mind: This is your trial. Embrace it, or be lost forever.
Her breath caught. "Trial of what?" she whispered, her voice trembling.
The voice answered without words, a deep resonance in her soul: The Trial of Blood. The Trial of Bond. The Trial of Fate.
She woke with a gasp, her body trembling. Elias was there, watching her.
"You dreamed," he said softly.
She nodded. "It was… intense."
"That was no dream," he said. "It was a vision. The bond is calling you forward. The prophecy is awakening."
Her chest tightened. "What does it mean?"
"It means the first trial is coming," he said softly. "And you must be ready."
The Hunters Return
The next night, the air in the Sanctuary was thick with tension. Selene could feel it in her bones. The hunters were coming. Elias could feel it too his body tense with a predator's instinct, his eyes never leaving the shadows.
"You feel it?" he asked softly.
Selene nodded. "The pull… it's stronger."
"That means the bond is deeper," Elias said. "And the prophecy moves closer to its trial."
Before she could speak, the forest beyond the Sanctuary trembled. A low growl echoed through the trees, deep and threatening. Shadows shifted, and shapes began to emerge. Wolves — larger, darker, more dangerous than before. Their eyes glowed like embers under the blood moon.
"They're here," Elias said softly.
Selene's breath caught. Fear rose inside her, but so did something else — power. She could feel the bloodline awakening fully.
Elias shifted instantly, his body twisting until he was wolf. His golden eyes locked onto hers. "Stay close," he growled. "This is your trial."
Selene stepped forward, her own fear replaced by determination. The bond pulled fiercely at her chest, a tether she could not break. She placed her hands over her heart and focused, letting the power inside her rise.
Her skin glowed faintly under the blood moon. She felt strength unlike anything before. Her voice broke the silence. "I'm ready."
Elias's eyes softened. "Then face it."
The hunters charged. Selene stepped forward beside Elias. Her chest burned, her vision filled with light. She called to the bond, and the air itself seemed to shatter.
A wave of silver energy exploded outward, throwing the hunters back. The forest trembled with the force of it. Elias fought beside her, every movement precise, deadly.
When the light faded, the hunters were gone. Silence fell over the forest. Selene's chest heaved. Elias stepped to her side, shifting back to human form.
"You did it," he said softly. "The bond is complete."
Selene looked at him, her breath catching. "What now?"
"Now," he said softly, "we prepare for war. And for the choice the prophecy demands."
The Choice
They returned to the Sanctuary in silence. Selene's body still hummed with power, her skin faintly glowing. Elias's hand brushed hers.
"You're changing," he murmured. "The bond grows stronger."
She looked at him, searching his golden eyes. "What does that mean?"
"It means soon there will be no turning back," he said softly. "You and I are bound. And with that bond comes power… and danger."
Her chest tightened. "And if I refuse it?"
His gaze softened. "Then you will lose yourself. But Selene… I will never let that happen."
The pull between them was undeniable now. Selene knew her fate was no longer hers alone.
The crimson moon faded, but its glow lingered in her veins. Outside, the forest whispered.
And Selene knew the trial was only the beginning.