Bound by the Moon

Chapter 10

The late afternoon sun cast long shadows across the grand hall of the Silverclaw packhouse, but no one inside took notice of its fading warmth. The air was charged with a kind of tension that made the walls themselves seem to hum with anticipation, as though they could feel the weight of the moment hanging over them. The packhouse, a place of pride and tradition, felt like a cage to Astrid. The stone walls that had once symbolized strength and security now closed in around her, pressing her toward an impossible decision.

Astrid stood at the edge of the room, her back against the cool stone, the rough surface grounding her as she tried to make sense of the chaos unfolding around her. Her breathing was shallow, her pulse a frantic rhythm in her ears. The room buzzed with agitated murmurs, her pack members restless, angry, and afraid. Astrid's hand trembled as she gripped the edge of the long oak table, seeking something—anything—to steady herself. Her chest was tight, the dread she had felt since Alpha Lucian's arrival twisting into something deeper, darker.

Lucian's presence dominated the room. The moment he'd stepped inside, everything had changed. There was no mistaking the authority he carried with him, the raw power that pulsed just beneath the surface of his calm exterior. Tall and broad-shouldered, Lucian moved with a quiet confidence that belied the danger he represented. His pale blue eyes—sharp and cold as ice—swept across the room, taking in every detail, every reaction, every fear. He was a predator, and this was his hunt.

Darius, Astrid's older brother and the Silverclaw Alpha, stood opposite him, his face red with fury, fists clenched at his sides. Astrid could see the strain in his posture, the effort it took for him to keep his wolf in check. Beside him stood Marcus, their Beta and Darius's most trusted advisor, his hand resting on the hilt of a knife at his belt. Every muscle in his body was coiled tight, ready to spring at the first sign of threat.

"I've made my terms clear," Lucian said, his voice smooth but unyielding. It was the kind of voice that left no room for negotiation. "The northern territories will come under my control, and Astrid will join my pack as my Luna."

Her? Lucian wanted her? The quiet, overlooked girl who spent her days doing menial tasks, never expecting more than what little life had given her?

The words hit like a sledgehammer, the finality of them echoing in the silence that followed. For a split second, no one moved, no one spoke. The air itself seemed to still, waiting for the inevitable explosion.

And then it came.

Darius lunged forward, snarling. "Over my dead body!"

The room erupted in chaos. Several of the Silverclaw wolves growled in unison, their eyes flashing gold, the primal instinct to protect rising to the surface. Marcus stepped in front of Darius, blocking his Alpha from advancing on Lucian, but he too was seething. His voice shook with barely contained rage. "You think you can just waltz in here and take what's ours? You don't have the right!"

Lucian remained unmoved. His calm, icy demeanor was in stark contrast to the fury around him, and that only made him more dangerous. He didn't flinch, didn't blink. His gaze never wavered from Darius, as if the Alpha's anger was nothing more than an irritating buzz in his ear.

"This isn't a request, Darius," Lucian said, his voice cutting through the noise like a blade. "I don't negotiate. I give terms. You want peace between our packs? Then this is the price."

"I won't allow it!" Darius shouted, his voice booming through the hall. "Astrid stays here. She's my sister, my blood! You have no claim to her."

Lucian's expression darkened, and for the first time, a flicker of something dangerous passed through his eyes. "Your sister is a member of this pack, yes. But from what I understand, you've treated her more like a liability than family."