Bound by the Moon

Chapter 18

The air inside the Bloodmoon Pack's fortress was heavy, thick with tension as Astrid was led from her cell for the final time. The guards, silent and cold as ever, flanked her on either side, their faces unreadable beneath their helmets. The clanging of their boots against the stone echoed through the halls, a slow, ominous rhythm that seemed to resonate deep within her bones. Each step brought her closer to the final trial—the one that would determine if she lived, if she was accepted, or if she died, another forgotten soul consumed by the darkness of the Bloodmoon Pack.

She had survived two trials already, each one designed to test her physical and mental limits, but she knew this last challenge would be something far worse. The final trial was always the deadliest, the one that had claimed countless others before her. There were whispers in the fortress of warriors who had fought valiantly only to fall at the last hurdle, their names erased from history, their bodies discarded without ceremony. Failure here meant not just death, but obliteration.

Astrid's heart pounded in her chest, her pulse quickening with each step as they led her deeper into the heart of the fortress. They passed through dark, narrow corridors lined with grimacing statues of wolves, their eyes cold and unblinking, as if watching her every move. Torches flickered, casting eerie shadows along the walls, making the stone itself seem alive, pulsing with the energy of the countless wolves who had passed through here before her. Each shadow felt like a warning, a reminder of how close she was to the edge.

Finally, they reached a massive iron door. It was adorned with intricate carvings of wolves locked in battle, their snarling faces frozen in time. A single, jagged symbol was etched into the center of the door—the mark of the Bloodmoon Pack. One of the guards stepped forward, pushing it open with a groan of rusted metal. Beyond the door was a large chamber, dimly lit by a handful of torches mounted high on the walls.

In the center of the room stood Lucien.

His dark eyes met hers the moment she stepped inside, his expression cold and unreadable. He didn't speak as the guards took their place by the entrance, their eyes trained on Astrid. Lucien stepped forward, his tall figure casting a long shadow across the room. Behind him was something massive, a structure she couldn't quite make out in the dim light, but its presence was oppressive, like it was watching her.

"You've survived the first three trials," Lucien said, his voice low, almost a growl. "But this is the one that will decide your fate."

Astrid swallowed hard, her hands trembling as she clenched them into fists to steady herself. She forced herself to meet Lucien's gaze, her heart thudding painfully in her chest.

"This trial is different," he continued, pacing slowly in front of her. "It will test every aspect of who you are—your strength, your mind, your will. It will push you beyond the limits you've faced so far."

"You've proven yourself resilient," Lucien said, his voice echoing through the corridor like a low growl. "You've survived the first three trials. Few have made it this far." His lips curled into something between a smirk and a snarl. "But the final trial is different. This time, there will be no room for hesitation. No margin for error. This trial will test every part of who you are—your body, your mind, and your soul."

Astrid's heart clenched in her chest. She had barely made it through the last trials: the physical challenges that left her scarred and bruised, the mental games that twisted her mind until she doubted her own reality, and the brutal test of survival that forced her to the brink of death. She hadn't even had time to recover, to process the harrowing experiences, and now she was being thrust into the final challenge.

"There is one more test," Lucien continued, his voice a dangerous whisper. "If you succeed, you will earn your place within the pack. But remember this—surviving the trial does not mean you've earned anyone's trust. You will have to prove yourself worthy every single day if you wish to remain."