The night was absolute. Black and heavy, pressing down on the compound as if the sky itself waited for judgment.
The bond pulsed beneath my skin, tense, alert, alive. Every thread screamed warnings—danger incoming, deeper than anything before. The pack moved cautiously, senses stretched taut. Kael, Riven, and Solen flanked me, ready for attack.
Then, the air shifted. Cold, unnatural. The shadows deepened and twisted. And Lyris appeared—not alone. This time, she moved with certainty, her aura larger, more commanding, as though she had absorbed the darkness itself.
"You've anchored them well," she said, voice smooth and venomous. "But tonight, the Moon Goddess demands… reckoning."
My pulse quickened. The Moon Goddess? A chill ran down my spine. Astraea whispered urgently: Anchor, the threads of destiny shift. The goddess herself intervenes. Choices tonight will define all.
Kael growled low. "She's bluffing. The Moon Goddess doesn't intervene directly."
Riven's fists glowed faintly. "Doesn't mean we can ignore it."
Solen's gaze was sharp, calculating. "The bond is alive. But this… this is on another level. Anchor, your choice must be precise."
The first strike came swiftly. Shadows detached from Lyris's form, twisting into jagged shapes that lunged at the pack. Kael shifted instantly, intercepting attackers with wolf speed and precision. Riven flared energy, cutting through the waves of shadows. Solen's calm spread like ice, guiding every move of the pack.
And then she spoke again. "The Moon Goddess has decreed it: the Anchor must prove worth—or the pack will be fractured forever. Will you submit, or will you defy fate?"
The threads of the bond pulsed violently, screaming warnings. The weight of the Moon Goddess's demand pressed down, heavy and suffocating.
I inhaled deeply, centering myself, feeling the bond pulse in synchrony with Kael, Riven, and Solen. We face this together. We anchor the pack, not fear it.
Lyris lunged, her form blurring, aimed directly at me. The threads flared, wrapping around us, pulling her back with force. She hissed, eyes gleaming. "Clever… but do you have the courage to choose? To sacrifice… for the greater good?"
Kael's wolf bristled, energy coiling, ready to protect. "Anchor—don't let her manipulate you!"
"I know," I said, forcing the threads outward, anchoring every Alpha son and pack member, weaving protection, courage, and clarity. "But the choice isn't just for me—it's for all of them."
Then the truth hit. Through Lyris's attack, I glimpsed it—threads intertwined with the Moon Goddess herself, invisible yet undeniable. The goddess tests us… but not for cruelty. She weighs worthiness.
The realization was brutal: my choice tonight could either cement the pack as unbreakable—or shatter it irreparably.
Another shadow struck Kael. I reacted instantly, throwing the bond between him and the attack, but the force slammed into my chest. Pain flared, sharp and burning, as if the threads themselves tested my limits.
Riven shouted, energy flaring violently. "Anchor!"
I ignored the burning, the tightening of the bond, the pull toward surrender. Instead, I pulled all threads inward, toward me, centering the pack's trust, courage, and loyalty. I choose unity. I choose life. I choose them over fear.
The bond erupted in blinding brilliance, threads wrapping around every wolf, stabilizing, anchoring, and burning away the shadows. Lyris screeched, caught in the surge, unable to withstand the force.
Kael's shoulder pressed against me, steadying himself. Riven exhaled, fists dimming, and Solen's calm swept through the pack like dawn breaking over darkness.
The threads pulsed, alive, protective, unbreakable. Every Alpha son, every wolf, every hesitant member—anchored, unified, and alive.
Lyris fell to her knees, breath ragged, fury and fear mingling in her eyes. "Impossible… you… you defy the goddess herself!"
I stepped forward, the bond humming beneath me, alive and commanding. "The Moon Goddess demands courage, not submission. Loyalty, not fear. Strength through unity, not domination. The pack chooses—so do I."
Her body shimmered and then vanished, retreating into shadows, leaving only the whisper of danger behind.
The moon shone fully, silver and unyielding, and through the bond, I felt her presence, subtle but approving. Astraea whispered softly: Anchor, the choice was yours, and you proved worthy. The Moon Goddess herself acknowledges your strength. The pack is yours to lead.
Kael's gray eyes softened, admiration clear. "You… you are the Anchor. Truly."
Riven nodded, green energy pulsing faintly. "And the strongest we've ever known."
Solen inclined his head, calm and approving. "The bond thrives because of your courage. Tonight, you've anchored more than loyalty—you've anchored destiny itself."
I exhaled slowly, letting the threads pulse through me, steady, alive, and protective. "We've faced the storm," I whispered. "And we will face all that comes after… together. Always."
The pack's murmurs softened into reverent silence, understanding, and respect.
The Anchor had not only survived the ultimate test—she had risen above it. The Moon Goddess had passed judgment, and the pack now knew who they would follow.
And I—finally, irrevocably—was the heart of it all.