The first howl echoed through Blackwood Forest just before dawn.
Lyra Ashcroft paused with a bundle of firewood balanced against her shoulder, listening as dozens of wolves answered from every corner of the territory. Their voices rolled through the trees like thunder, reminding every member of the Blackwood Pack that tonight was the Full Moon Ceremony.
Everyone would celebrate.
Everyone would shift.
Everyone would belong.
Everyone...
Except Lyra.
She adjusted the worn leather strap on her basket and continued walking. The damp morning air clung to her skin, and the familiar whispers followed her long before she reached the village.
"There she is."
"The wolf-less girl."
"What a shame."
"I heard she's twenty already."
"Still no wolf."
She kept her eyes on the dirt road.
It was easier that way.
The village bustled with excitement. Children chased one another between market stalls while women decorated homes with silver ribbons and moonflowers. Hunters returned with fresh game, laughing as they prepared for the feast.
Lyra carried her firewood to the bakery without looking at anyone.
Old Martha accepted the bundle with a tired smile.
"Thank you, dear."
Lyra nodded.
"I'll come back tomorrow for more."
Before Martha could answer, another voice cut through the shop.
"Don't let her touch the bread."
A young woman stepped inside wearing an expensive white dress embroidered with silver thread. Her long blonde hair was braided with moon blossoms, and two girls followed close behind her.
Clara.
The future Beta's daughter.
She smiled sweetly, though nothing about her eyes was kind.
"We wouldn't want bad luck before the ceremony."
The girls beside her giggled.
Lyra quietly wiped the flour from her hands.
"I wasn't touching anything."
"No," Clara said. "You never do."
She looked Lyra up and down.
"You just watch everyone else live."
The laughter stung more than Lyra cared to admit.
She picked up her empty basket.
"I should go."
"Probably for the best."
As Lyra stepped outside, the door slammed behind her.
She let out a slow breath.
Someday...
Maybe someday...
She wouldn't care anymore.
The cabin sat nearly a mile beyond the village.
Most pack members refused to come this far into the woods.
YOU ARE READING
The last moon queen
FantasyThe Last Moon Queen Lyra has spent her entire life as an outcast, believing she was ordinary-until the day the powerful Alpha of Blackwood discovers she is his fated mate. As ancient secrets awaken, Lyra learns she is the last surviving heir to a fo...
