Page 7 of Full Moon
Shaking my head to clear the cobwebs of memory, I move into the main part of the house. As we step into the kitchen, the scene before us is one of utter chaos. Broken dishes litter the floor, their sharp edges glinting in the dim light filtering through the grimy windows.
"We figure the attack happened as your mom started dinner," Easton supplies, his voice tinged with sorrow.
I nod silently.
Determined to find answers, I search the untouched cabinets, my hands trembling as I pull open each door. In one, hidden amidst the debris, I find a cookbook—its pages yellowed with age and stained with years of use. I flip through until I come across a name that sends a shiver down my spine.Lyra.My mother's name.
Moving to the only chair left standing, I sink down and leaf through the pages. The front several dozen are filled with old family recipes, each one a cherished memory from a life long since lost. But as I reach the back half of the book, I stumble upon another secret: the names of the leaders of the eight biggest packs of that time. Holding the book up, I show it to Easton. "What happened to them? There used to be so many more packs."
Easton gently takes the book from me, his expression grave. "War happened. We don't know what set the southern packsoff, but suddenly they started attacking each other. It's why the northern packs are cut off from down here."
With a heavy heart, he hands the book back. I continue to flip through its pages, searching for answers in the faded ink of the past. As I carefully slide my mother's cookbook into my backpack, Khal's voice pierces the silence.
"Look at this." He holds up a cookie tin, his expression grave, beckoning me to join him.
"Does it have sewing thread in it?" I call back, memories of Torben's mother's sewing supplies flickering through my mind.
"No. It's definitely more important than that." With a sense of foreboding, he removes the lid, revealing a diadem nestled within.
The diadem is a thing of beauty and mystery. Its delicate curves form a V shape adorned with a crescent moon and an emerald teardrop at its center. The sides, wrapped in evergreen that should have long since withered away, are held together by a silver wire frame.
Easton takes the tin from Khal's hands, his eyes wide with awe. "Do you know what this is?"
I shake my head, fear and excitement warring within me.
"This is the Luna's crown," Easton declares. "It's fabled to be blessed by the goddess Selune. We need to get back to the others."
Without hesitation, Easton grabs my wrist and pulls me through the house. We burst out the side door and take off running, our footsteps echoing through the stillness of the deserted forest. I don't know what the diadem means, but as Easton drags meback to the alpha house, I can't shake the feeling that our discovery has set something in motion.
As the alpha house comes into view, Easton wastes no time. "Diaval!"
The cantankerous dragon emerges from the house, his expression shifting from annoyance to curiosity. "Where's the fire, Sparky?"
"Get inside. We found it." Easton gestures for us to follow.
Fear grips me as we hurry into the house. Torben sits on the floor, awakening from a nap. Once we're all gathered, Easton pulls out the diadem, blowing the dust from its surface before presenting it to me with solemn reverence.
"We found the Selune crown." He moves behind me, and I feel the weight of the diadem as it settles upon my head.
Suddenly, my mind is flooded with images—flashing before my eyes like a whirlwind of memories and visions. Lunas of the past, their faces etched in my mind's eye, each one revealing a different Luna gift.
Healing.
Calming.
Commanding.
Sensing.
Shielding.
Binding.
One after another, they pour their knowledge into me. Centuries of wisdom compressed into a single, searing moment. Dizziness overwhelms me, and I wobble on my feet. The world spins.
In an instant, I find myself enveloped in Torben's arms, his presence a steadying force in the chaos. "You scared me, little wolf," he murmurs, pressing his lips to my temple.
"What happened?" Diaval's voice cuts through the haze.
Shaking my head, I try to clear the fog. "I saw all the Lunas that came before me. They showed me their gifts." My voice trembles. "Mom said that I am the last of my kind and will bring about the change the wolves need." I sigh and shake my head again.
"You were staring into space, barely breathing for over an hour, Feray," Khal says. "The diadem glowed, and then you zoned out." As I struggle to make sense of the overwhelming experience, I can't shake the feeling that our discovery has set something monumental in motion. Clinging to Torben, I know that whatever challenges lie ahead, we will face them together. The crown of my ancestors rests upon my head.
And I am the last Luna.
Whether I'm ready or not.
