Dawn broke over the ancient temple, its light pale and silvery—more moon than sun, as though the sky itself bent toward Aria’s awakening. She stood barefoot in the training circle, the ground etched with runes that glowed faintly beneath her feet. Her body still ached from the illusion trial, but her resolve was stronger than it had ever been.
Selene stood across from her, cloaked in midnight robes. “The magic we awaken today is not the kind taught in noble courts. It’s older. Wilder. Forbidden by most packs because it doesn't just draw on the moon—it bends it.”
Aria swallowed. “Because it’s dangerous?”
Selene’s eyes glittered. “Because it chooses. It won’t obey. It either accepts you… or burns you alive.”
She raised a hand, and the shadows around the circle trembled.
“This is the ess
