Chapter Title: Chapter 4: The Price of Power
The Shadow King, whose real name Elara discovered was Malphas, didn't offer her a soft bed or warm food. Instead, he took her to a clearing where the silver moonlight felt like liquid fire.
"If you want to make them crawl," Malphas said, his sapphire eyes cold and demanding, "you must first survive the awakening. Your wolf isn't an Omega, Elara. She is a Silver Moon Heir, a bloodline thought to be extinct."
Elara's heart skipped a beat. A Silver Moon Heir? Those were the ancient guardians of the werewolf race, possessing powers that could nullify an Alpha's command.
"Kaelen felt that power in you," Malphas continued, circling her like a predator. "He was afraid of it. That's why he rejected you. He wanted to break you before you could surpass him."
Anger, cold and sharp, flared in Elara's chest. "How do I wake her up?"
"By embracing the pain," Malphas replied. Suddenly, he shifted. In a blur of black fur, the giant midnight wolf stood before her, letting out a roar that shook the trees. "Shift, Elara! Or my wolf will show no mercy!"
For the first time in her life, Elara didn't feel fear. She felt a surge of lightning under her skin. She closed her eyes, thinking of Kaelen's disgusted face and her stepsister's laughter.
"I am not weak!" she screamed in her mind.
A bone-cracking sound echoed through the clearing. White fur, tipped with silver, began to sprout from her skin. The agony was immense, but she welcomed it.
When she opened her eyes, she was no longer looking up at the world. She was standing on four powerful paws. Her fur was glowing, and her vision was sharper than ever.
Malphas shifted back to his human form, a rare, dark smile playing on his lips. "Welcome back, little Queen. Now, the real hunt begins."