INITIATION
I swallow, nodding, a sense of nervous anticipation curling in my stomach. I remind myself that I’ve already proven my strength to them. Initiation is not a test. It is a rite of passage, a sacred ritual that will bind me to the Darkguard. Yet, despite the reverence of the moment, a faint sense of foreboding lingers, whispering in the back of my mind.
Lucian rises, and I follow him through the dim corridors of the cottage, the stillness around us making each step feel momentous. Outside, under the silver glow of the full moon, the Darkguard stands in a solemn formation, a circle of shadowed figures, waiting. Their eyes glint in the darkness, expectant and reverent.
Lucian steps forward, his presence commanding as he addresses the gathered wolves. “Tonight, under the light of the full moon, Talia joins us fully, not as an outsider but as one of us,” he intones, his voice deep and resonant. “The Initiation is a rite of passage, a sacred bond. She will lead us on the Moon’s Path, and we will honor her as our commanding guard.”
He turns to me, his gaze piercing. “The Moon’s Path is no ordinary patrol. It’s a passage through our ancestral grounds, a journey to honor those who came before us. The path shifts as we walk, leading those who traverse it where they are meant to go. At the end lies Lunara’s Oracle, the First Luna, who watches over us all. The journey isn’t just a rite; it’s a journey through the very soul of our lineage.”
A tremor runs through me, equal parts awe and anticipation. This isn’t just a patrol; it’s a journey steeped in history and reverence. I nod, my heart pounding with the gravity of it all, and step forward to take my place at the head of the formation. Lucian steps beside me, and for a moment, he holds my gaze, his eyes gleaming with something deep and unspoken. Together, we take a breath, and then, in perfect unison, we begin to transform.
The shift is immediate and all-consuming, a tingling rush that spreads through my body, stretching my limbs and sharpening my senses. Bones shift, muscles coil with newfound strength, and my skin prickles as fur ripples along my back. But tonight, with Lucian beside me, it feels different—more intense, more alive. His energy pulls at me, magnetic, as though our transformations are inextricably linked, two forces aligning in perfect synchronicity.
I turn to him, and my breath catches. In his full wolf form, Lucian is a vision of raw power and grace, his fur gleaming like molten silver and midnight woven together. His eyes burn with an intensity that pierces through the darkness, and for a moment, the sight of him steals the air from my lungs. Pride surges through me, fierce and unrelenting, and with it, a devotion so powerful it borders on reverence. Side by side, we are unstoppable, bound by something deeper than words, stronger than any oath.