Hour of the Moon

Chapters 36: Confessions on the Council

The flickering fire in the council chamber cast jagged shadows across the stone walls, creating the illusion that the ancient glyphs carved into the room pulsed with life. I stood in the center, flanked by Ahiga on my right. His broad shoulders squared, and his jaw set like iron, he radiated a quiet, steady power. My second-in-command. My oldest ally. The only one in the room who hadn't already judged me.

The elders sat in their ceremonial thrones, each carved to reflect their lineage and authority. Elder Enola, the head of the council, reclined in his throne with an air of heavy finality. His sharp cheekbones caught the light as he folded his hands, his lips pressed into a thin line of disapproval.

"Speak, Waya," Enola commanded, his deep baritone cutting through the tense silence. "You summoned this council. What is it you hope to gain by wasting our time?"

Ahiga bristled at the insult, but I raised a hand, staying his anger. I stepped forward, meeting the head elder's gaze.

"What I hope to gain," I said, my voice firm but measured, "is the survival of this clan and its future."

Elder Hosa let out a sharp, derisive laugh. The firelight danced on his gnarled features, making him look even more like the garden gnome his detractors mocked him for. "You've already jeopardized the future by ending your engagement with Nani. Do you think the clan can endure the fallout of your selfishness?"

"You don't understand," I snapped, my voice rising, though I worked to rein it in. "Our survival doesn't hinge on a loveless union."

"It hinges on tradition," Elder Elu interjected, his unseeing eyes locked on me as if he could pierce through my soul regardless of his blindness. "Tradition is what has kept us alive for centuries. You would toss that aside for a mate we haven't even accepted into our clan."

"She's not just a mate," I said. "Kieran is marked by the Moon Goddess. This union was chosen by Kamari herself."

"That remains to be seen," Enola said, his voice sharp. "We've heard nothing from the goddess in decades. You dare presume to speak for her?"

"I don't presume," I said, stepping closer, my voice steady. "I know. I feel it in my blood. The gods chose Kieran. Denying her is denying them."

Ahiga finally spoke, his voice cutting through the mounting tension. "Enough of this posturing. You're so focused on Waya's decisions that you've missed the larger threat."

Enola turned his sharp gaze to Ahiga. "And what larger threat is that, Ahiga?"

"Wohali," Ahiga said. His words landed like a thunderclap in the room. "He's back."

The council fell into stunned silence. Elder Tallulah sat forward, her sharp features etched with concern. "Explain," she said, her voice steady but urgent.

I met her gaze, my chest tightening as I recalled the fight. "He's not the man we remember. He's been corrupted—twisted into something monstrous. A wolf demon. He attacked me outside Cherokee, and I barely escaped with my life."

Tallulah pressed a hand to her chest, visibly shaken, but the others erupted into accusations.

"You dare bring such heresy into this chamber?" Elder Hosa spat. "Wohali has been dead for years!"

"I saw him with my own eyes!" I roared, silencing him. "I fought him. And he's not alone. There are more wolf demons outside Cherokee. They've merged with witches, vampires, and other supernaturals. They're building an army, and they're coming for us."

The council exchanged uneasy glances.

"And what is your solution, Waya?" Enola demanded.

"We call every clan, every pack, and unite against this threat," I said. "We can't stand alone. If we do, we'll be wiped out."

"Your actions have already divided us," Elu said coldly. "You broke the bond with Nani. The supermoon in December was our hope to strengthen our defenses."

"Nani deserves more than a bond built on obligation," I said, my voice low but firm. "And so do I. Kieran is my mate. That's the truth, whether you accept it or not."

Ahiga stepped forward, his voice steady and commanding. "Waya speaks the truth. We cannot cling to the past while the world around us crumbles. The wolf demons are a threat to us all, and it will take more than tradition to defeat them."

The council fell into silence, the weight of the moment pressing down on the room. Finally, Elder Tallulah spoke. "We will deliberate. But know this, Waya—your actions have set us on a dangerous path. The supermoon approaches, and with it, a reckoning. Pray that your choices have not doomed us all."