Chapter 18: The Moon’s Bitter Memory
Chapter 18: The Moon’s Bitter Memory
(Alexander’s POV)
Lucas’s breath reeked of wolf wine as he stumbled closer, his eyes glazed with inebriation but
still sharp with fire.
His golden eyes shimmered faintly in the dim tavern, his wolf pacing beneath his skin.
“You’re still hung up on her, aren’t you?” His words slurred slightly, but the taunt in his voice
was unmistakable.
He jabbed a finger toward my chest, his movements clumsy yet charged with aggression.
I stiffened but remained in my seat. My ice–blue eyes held his without a word, my wolf bristling
faintly under the visible tension between us.
“Don’t even try to deny it, Alexander.” He leaned closer, his voice dropping into a rough growl.
I know you look at her. I know what you’re thinking every time your precious silver wolf
crosses your path.”
I raised the glass of wolf wine to my lips, deliberately slow as I took a measured sip. The liquid burned slightly as it went down, but I kept my expression blank, my grip steady.
Lucas slammed his hand against the table, the wood creaking under the force. His wolf
surged forward, its dominance rippling through the air as he snarled,
“Don’t play coy with me. Scarlett’s your fiancée. She’s your future Luna. So why in the hell do I
still see your wolf bristling every time Celeste walks into the room?”
My wolf stirred beneath my skin, an uneasy rumble vibrating in my chest, but I held it back. ”
What’s your point, Lucas?” My voice was calm, cold.
Lucas let out a bitter, humorless laugh. He straightened slightly, his lips curling into something between a smirk and a sneer.
“My point? My point is that you need to stop. Stop whatever it is you think you feel for her.” His golden eyes burned as he added, “She doesn’t feel the same for you anymore. She hasn’t for a long time.”
I let his words hang in the air for a moment. Slowly, I tilted my head, observing him with the
same detachment I used in battle. “And you know this because…?”
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Chapter 18: The Moon’s Bitter M…
Lucas’s grin widened. “She’s ice now, Alex. Frozen over. You’ve seen it yourself. She doesn’t
look at anyone the same way she used to. Least of all, you.”
My grip on the glass tightened briefly before I set it down with deliberate care. I leaned back in my chair, my tone neutral. “I don’t recall saying I was pursuing her feelings.”
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“Bullshit,” Lucas snapped, his wolf growling softly beneath his words. “I know you. I know how you used to watch her. Hell, everyone thought you’d end up mated before Scarlett even came
back.”
I said nothing, but my silence only seemed to spur him on.
“Do you remember how she used to look at you?” he pressed, his voice rough with drunken emotion. “Chasing after you like the world depended on it. And you–you barely gave her the
time of day.”
My chest tightened faintly at his words, though I refused to let it show. My jaw ticked as I kept
my composure intact.
“That’s over now,” Lucas continued, his voice dripping with bitter satisfaction. “She’s not that girl anymore. She doesn’t chase anyone–not me, not this family, and certainly not you.”
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I met his gaze evenly, letting him see the frost in my expression. “And you’re telling me this
because you care?”
His wolf bristled visibly, its energy surging before retreating erratically. His mouth opened as if to retort, but something faltered in his expression–anger giving way to something rawer,/ almost fragile.
“She deserves peace,” he said finally, his voice low, rough. “And whatever it is you can fix in her… you can’t. Just let her go, Alexander.”
think you
For a brief moment, silence stretched between us, the tavern’s dim light casting shadows across his face. Whatever he didn’t say hung heavy between the words that had already been
said.
Leaning forward, I picked up my glass again, taking another slow sip. The burn trailed down my throat, steadier than the tumult inside me.
“Noted,” I said finally, my voice cold, detached.
Lucas’s expression twisted briefly, the fire in his eyes dimming into something more muted- and then he shoved away from the table, his steps uneven as he disappeared into the crowded
tavern.
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Chapter 18: The Moon’s Bitter M…
I exhaled sharply, setting the glass down with more force than intended. My wolf stirred uneasily, its mood mirroring my own as I stared at the empty space Lucas had left behind.
The full moon reached its peak that night, casting silvery light across the pack, grounds. The Winters Pack flocked to the ceremonial clearing, their wolves shimmering under the
moonlight’s glow.
I stood at the edge of the gathering, my posture casual but my wolf’s restlessness churning beneath my skin.
The air felt vibrant, almost electric, as the pack’s energy converged beneath the Sacred Moon’s
blessing. They shifted seamlessly, fur gleaming under the moon’s brilliance as their howls
filled the night.
It was a familiar sight. A tradition I’d participated in countless times.
Yet as my gaze swept over the gathering, I couldn’t stop the sharp pang of memory that cut
through me.
Years ago, a smaller, swifter wolf had once danced among the pack, her silver–white coat
glowing with an almost ethereal light. She had darted between us with unmatched grace, her violet eyes gleaming with joy as the moon embraced her.
The Celeste of then was nowhere to be found tonight.
I glanced toward the distant pack house, my sharp eyes lingering on the faint light coming
from one specific set of quarters.
Her quarters.
Even with the full moon at its peak, even with the ceremony flowing as it always had, she
remained hidden.
My wolf whined softly, its energy dipping faintly as I exhaled and turned back toward the
clearing.
(Celeste’s POV)
I could hear the howls even from my quarters.
They drifted faintly through the air, carrying the pack’s collective joy as they celebrated beneath the full moon. It was a song I had known well once, a melody that used to stir
excitement in my chest.
That was years ago.
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I sat by the small window, staring out at the silvery glow illuminating the pack grounds. My
wolf remained curled deep within me, tired and withdrawn, unbothered by the celebration
outside.
“Do you ever miss it?”
Nina’s voice broke the quiet as she stood behind me, her gray eyes thoughtful. Her wolf hovered faintly beneath her surface, its energy calm but watchful.
“Miss what?” I asked softly, though my gaze stayed fixed on the moonlit clearing in the
distance.
“The run. The ceremony,” she said, her tone careful but curious. “Your wolf used to love it,
didn’t she? Especially when…” She trailed off slightly, though the meaning was clear.
Especially when Alexander’s white wolf ran beside mine.
I felt my chest tighten faintly at the reminder, but I forced my expression to remain neutral.
“That was a long time ago,” I said simply.
Nina hesitated, visibly torn between speaking further or letting the subject drop. Finally, she asked gently, “What changed?”
My hands gripped the window’s frame lightly, the faint throb of my silver–burned scars
grounding me in the present. “In prison, on nights like these, they would chain me with silver.”
Nina stiffened faintly, her wolf bristling in silent anger, but she said nothing, waiting for me to
continue.
“They made me watch,” I added quietly. “Watch the other wolves celebrate. Shift. Dance
beneath the moon. But I couldn’t–not shackled like that.”
My wolf whimpered softly, the pain in the memory still raw despite the years. I shook my head faintly, my voice softer now. “I learned to hate those nights.”
Nina’s gray wolf whined, pressing closer to the surface as Nina bent slightly to meet my gaze. “I’m sorry, My Lady,” she whispered, her tone thick with emotion.
I offered no response, only leaning my head faintly against the cool windowpane. The
moonlight felt distant, indifferent as ever.
“Some things aren’t meant to be reclaimed,” I said finally, my voice almost inaudible.
Nina lowered her head quietly, respecting the boundary those words created.
The next morning, I woke to chaos.
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Chapter 18: The Moon’s Bitter M…
The pack house buzzed with energy, tension crackling in the air as servants scurried hurriedly through the halls.
Nina greeted me just outside my door, her expression grim as she offered a hurried explanation.
“Elder Eleanor,” she said quietly, her wolf bristling in worry. “Her healer’s been summoned urgently.”
My heart clenched immediately, my wolf crying out faintly in alarm. Without waiting for further explanation, I moved quickly toward Eleanor’s quarters.
The closer I drew, the more palpable the weight in the air became.
By the time I arrived, the doorway was crowded with familiar figures–my parents, Scarlett, Lucas–all gathered tensely around the healer..
Eleanor’s frail figure lay against her bed’s pillows, her shallow breathing audible even above the murmurs surrounding her.
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The healer stepped back from her bedside, addressing Alpha James directly, his voice grave. Her wolf is fading rapidly. The emotional strain has accelerated her illness. I suggest preparing…” He hesitated. “…for the worst.”
Scarlett wept openly, her emerald eyes glimmering as she leaned against Victoria for support: Lucas stood stiffly near the bed, his expression tight with barely concealed guilt.
Alpha James’s shoulders slumped faintly as he exhaled sharply. His gaze swept briefly to me, but no words followed.
“She needs stronger help,” Scarlett said suddenly, her voice trembling as she clung to Luna.” The Alpha King’s personal healer could-”
“No,” Alpha James interrupted, his tone firm. “Our current healer has always handled wolf illnesses better than any outsider. Summoning another would waste precious time.”
I clenched my fists tightly, my wolf keening sorrowfully in my chest.
Unable to bear the suffocating atmosphere, I turned on my heel and retreated, my steps echoing sharply as I made my way back to my quarters.
The ache in my chest burned with each step, the image of my grandmother’s fragile form
seared into my mind.
When I finally closed the door behind me, Nina was waiting, her expression lined with quiet
worry.
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Chapter 18: The Moon’s Bitter M…
“My Lady,” she said softly, her wolf hovering close. “Luna Victoria wishes to speak with you.”
