Embers of the Forbidden Moon

Prologue

      The moon hung low over Moonshadow Ridge, its silver light threading through the ancient trees like a delicate lace of shadows. The wind whispered secrets through the branches, carrying with it the scent of pine and earth. In the heart of the forest, where the shadows grew deepest, a fire burned—fierce, wild, untamed.

      Luna Aria Emberwood stood at the edge of the flames. The fire danced at her feet, curling around her toes, responding to the silent command of her will. She felt its heat, its power, and the uncontrollable desire to unleash it upon the world. But tonight, she held back.

For Aria, fire was both a blessing and a curse. It was the gift that set her apart, the power that made her feared, the curse that made her unwanted.

She knew the stories the elders whispered—of the Luna born with fire in her veins, destined to bring either ruin or rebirth. She had been feared for as long as she could remember, not for what she had done, but for what she might do. And now, as the unwanted Luna of Moonshadow Ridge, those fears had only grown.

Tonight, though, the flames held a promise of something more. As she stood there, the world around her seemed to hold its breath, waiting. She could feel it in the air, a tension that had been building for weeks, ever since the decree was made: she was to be mated to Alpha Kael Nightshade.

The very name sent a chill down her spine. Kael, the brooding, aloof alpha of the Nightshade pack, was known for his ruthless leadership and cold heart. The union was not born of love or even choice, but necessity. Their packs needed to unite against the growing darkness that threatened them all. But what hope did a bond have when it was forced, and worse, when it was between two souls as different as fire and shadow?

Aria closed her eyes, the weight of her future pressing down on her like the very flames she controlled. She could feel the doubt, the suspicion, the cold stares of those who believed she would bring nothing but destruction. Yet beneath the doubt, there was something else—something she dared not name. A flicker of hope, buried deep within her heart, that perhaps this bond, this union, could be more than just a means to an end.

But hope was a dangerous thing. It could burn as brightly as fire, and just as easily, it could consume her.

As the last embers of the fire began to fade, Aria opened her eyes. The night was quiet, the forest still. But within her, a storm was brewing. She knew, without a doubt, that the path ahead would be fraught with danger, betrayal, and heartbreak. But it was a path she could not avoid. She would face it, as she had always faced the fire within her—with courage and with the knowledge that no matter how fierce the flames, they would never truly consume her.

For she was Aria Emberwood, Luna of Moonshadow Ridge, and her destiny was not to destroy, but to protect.

And if she had to burn the world to save it, then so be it.