The forest slowly grew quiet again after the battle.
The enemy wolves were tied tightly with heavy chains and forced to kneel in the center of the clearing.
None of them dared to move.
Not after what Ava had just done.
Kael's warriors surrounded them carefully, watching every movement.
Ronan walked in a slow circle around the prisoners, shaking his head.
"I've seen some crazy things in my life," he muttered.
"But that…"
He looked back at Ava.
"That was something else."
Ava sat on a wooden bench near the fire pit, still staring at her hands.
The silver glow had faded, but the feeling remained.
The power was still there.
Quiet.
Waiting.
"I didn't even know I could do that," she said softly.
Kael stood beside her.
"You didn't."
"So what happens next?"
Kael glanced at the captured wolves.
"They'll talk."
Almost immediately one of the prisoners growled.
"We won't tell you anything."
Ronan grinned.
"Oh, I love confident prisoners."
He cracked his knuckles.
"Let's test that theory."
The gray wolf with the scar across his face lifted his head.
"You think this matters?"
Kael's voice was calm.
"It matters to you."
The wolf laughed.
"You don't understand."
Kael's eyes darkened.
"Then explain it to me."
The wolf looked directly at Ava.
"The council already knows."
Ava frowned.
"Knows what?"
"That your power has awakened."
Damon stepped closer.
"That was always the plan."
Ava looked at him sharply.
"Your council friends have terrible plans."
"They're not my friends."
"Could've fooled me."
Damon didn't respond.
The scarred wolf continued speaking.
"You think this small victory changes anything?"
Ronan crouched in front of him.
"You lost twenty wolves in less than five minutes."
The wolf smiled.
"Because she was here."
Ronan frowned.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
The wolf turned his head slowly toward Ava again.
"You can't protect everyone."
A chill ran down Ava's spine.
"What are you talking about?"
The wolf's smile grew wider.
"The council doesn't need to fight you directly."
Kael's voice dropped dangerously.
"Finish your sentence."
The wolf leaned forward slightly.
"They'll destroy everything around you."
Silence fell over the clearing.
Ronan stood up slowly.
"That's not a threat."
"No," Damon said quietly.
"It's strategy."
Ava looked between them.
"You mean they'll attack other packs?"
Damon nodded.
"Any pack that helps you."
Kael's jaw tightened.
"They won't get far."
The scarred wolf laughed again.
"They already started."
Ava felt her stomach drop.
"What?"
The wolf tilted his head.
"You really thought this was the only attack tonight?"
Ronan immediately looked at Kael.
"Alpha…"
Kael was already moving.
"Get the scouts back."
Several warriors rushed toward the forest.
Damon turned toward Ava.
"This is how the council controls the world."
"By attacking innocent packs?"
"By forcing people to choose sides."
Ava clenched her fists.
"That's disgusting."
Kael returned a moment later with two scouts.
Their faces looked grim.
"What is it?" Ronan asked.
One of the scouts spoke quickly.
"We just received word from the north."
Kael's expression darkened.
"Which pack?"
"The Silver Ridge Pack."
Ava frowned.
"What happened?"
The scout swallowed.
"They were attacked about an hour ago."
Ronan cursed.
"How bad?"
The scout hesitated.
"Half the pack is gone."
The clearing fell silent again.
Ava felt anger building deep inside her chest.
"They're punishing people because of me."
Damon shook his head.
"They're sending a message."
"What message?"
"That helping the Moon Queen means death."
Ava stood up slowly.
Her wolf growled loudly inside her mind.
"No."
Kael looked at her.
"No what?"
"No more running."
Ronan raised an eyebrow.
"That's usually the smart option."
Ava's silver eyes flashed again.
"They want a war."
Kael watched her carefully.
"They'll get one."
Damon studied her expression.
"You're thinking about something."
Ava nodded slowly.
"Yes."
Kael crossed his arms.
"Should I be worried?"
"Probably."
Ronan sighed.
"That's never a good sign."
Ava looked at the captured wolves.
Then back at Kael.
"You said the Moon Queen united packs."
"Yes."
"How?"
Kael answered without hesitation.
"By making them stronger together."
Ava smiled slightly.
"Then that's what we're doing."
Ronan frowned.
"I feel like I'm missing something."
Ava looked toward the forest.
"The council wants everyone afraid of helping me."
Damon nodded.
"That's their strategy."
"Then we change the game."
Kael's eyes narrowed.
"How?"
Ava's voice became calm.
Confident.
"We gather every pack they're trying to scare."
Ronan blinked.
"You want to unite the packs?"
Ava nodded.
"Yes."
Damon looked surprised.
"That hasn't happened in centuries."
Kael studied her carefully.
"You realize what that means."
Ava met his gaze.
"Yes."
"You'll officially challenge the council."
"I already did."
Kael slowly smiled.
Ronan shook his head.
"This is going to be chaos."
Ava looked at the moon again.
Her silver eyes glowed faintly in the darkness.
"Good."
Damon frowned.
"Good?"
"Yes."
She turned back toward them.
Because the council just made a huge mistake.
Kael raised an eyebrow.
"What mistake?"
Ava's voice was steady.
"They reminded the world that the Moon Queen exists."
The wind moved through the trees again.
And far away—
Inside the council's ancient chamber—
The silver-haired woman slowly opened her eyes.
She had felt it.
The command.
The awakening.
And now something else.
Hope.
She whispered quietly to the other council members.
"The Queen has chosen rebellion."
The old man beside her sighed.
"Then prepare the armies."
Because when the Moon Queen unites the packs…
The wolf world will never be the same again. 🌙