Chapter 1 — The Wolf Moon Ball

Kassi

The silver glow of the full moon spilled through the intricately carved skylight of Wolfstone Hall, illuminating the gathering below in a pale, ethereal radiance. The moonlight danced over the carved wolves and celestial symbols that adorned the walls, casting shifting patterns of light and shadow across the smooth stone floor. The air was thick with tension, a tenuous thread binding the solemnity of tradition to the simmering uncertainty that clung to the pack like a shadow. Somewhere in the depths of her chest, Kassi felt the weight of it, pressing heavier with every breath.

She stood on the apex of the circular dais, the Lunar Veil draped over her shoulders. The shimmering fabric clung tightly, its threads heavier than she remembered, as if absorbing the gravity of her thoughts. Beneath her gown, the Pact Seal pulsed faintly against her skin, sending chilling waves through her body. Its rhythm, a sinister echo of her heartbeat, grew sharper with each passing hour. Kassi exhaled slowly, her piercing silver eyes sweeping over the crowd below. They had gathered, as they always did under the Wolf Moon, to remember, to honor, to fortify their unity. And yet tonight, with the Pact Seal growing heavier by the day, Kassi couldn’t shake the sensation that their bond as a pack was fraying.

The hall buzzed with life—wolves of all ages mingling in muted clusters. Whispers intertwined with muffled laughter and the occasional clink of goblets. The younger ones danced in loose, spirited circles, their tunics embroidered with celestial motifs catching the torchlight. Jewelry glinted like liquid silver against their movement. Flutes and drums wove a steady rhythm that should have lifted hearts, yet Kassi sensed the strain beneath the revelry. The massacre, though years behind them, lingered like a ghost, a silent presence at every ball since. Tonight, the weight of that memory was palpable.

Her gaze found Amity near the edge of the hall, leaning against one of the carved pillars. The girl’s auburn hair gleamed under the torchlight, her amber eyes darting around the room with restless energy, as though searching for an escape. Arms crossed tightly over her chest, her entire posture screamed defiance. Yet there was something else in the set of her jaw—a flicker of sorrow or pride, perhaps, that Kassi couldn’t quite place. She bit the inside of her cheek. Amity’s need to rebel, her constant pushing against every expectation, was both a frustration and a painfully familiar reflection. She could feel the distance yawning between them, a chasm she hadn’t yet found the courage—or the words—to bridge.

“She looks ready to bolt,” Rhys murmured at her side, his golden eyes flicking to where Amity lingered. His voice was low, almost reverent, but threaded with concern. “I can’t say I blame her. This isn’t an easy night for any of us.”

Kassi’s lips pressed into a thin line before she replied, her tone calm but edged with steel. “They feel it, Rhys. All of them. They sense the weight we carry, even if they don’t understand it. The moon doesn’t lie to its children.”

Rhys reached for her hand, brushing his fingers over hers in a quiet gesture of support. The warmth of his touch offered a momentary reprieve from the cold pulse of the Pact Seal. “They’ll endure,” he said softly, his confidence steady but not unshakable. “We always do.”

Kassi didn’t respond. Instead, she released his touch and stepped forward, letting the Lunar Veil catch the moonlight. The shimmering threads briefly brightened, only to dim as her unease deepened. The drums shifted, their rhythm growing deeper, slower—a ceremonial cadence to herald the remembrance. A hush fell over the hall as Kassi inclined her head. The pack, as one, bowed in unison, their movements precise and reverent.

“Tonight,” Kassi began, her voice resonant and commanding, though sorrow laced each word, “beneath the Wolf Moon, we gather to honor those we lost. Their courage, their sacrifice, their love—these are the foundations upon which we stand. We are their legacy, and it is our duty to uphold it.”

As she spoke, flashes of the massacre crept unbidden into her mind—blood against snow, howls choked with agony, the moon itself veiled in shadow. She pushed the memories down, but they clung to her words like frost. Her hands tightened on the edges of the Lunar Veil, her nails biting into her palms, but she held her composure.

The pack tilted their heads back, and a low, mournful howl rose from their throats. The sound grew, filling the hall, spilling out into the forest beyond. It carried grief, defiance, and a fragile, unyielding strength. Kassi closed her eyes, letting it wash over her. For a moment, it felt as though they were truly united—bound by their shared pain and resilience. But the Pact Seal throbbed sharply against her chest, a stark reminder that unity alone might not be enough.

As the howl faded, Kassi stepped back. The tension that had gripped the hall began to ease, replaced by the quiet murmur of conversation. The drums resumed their steady beat, and the festivities slowly crept back in. Yet Kassi remained rooted, her silver eyes scanning the crowd.

Amity had slipped further into the shadows, her fists clenched at her sides. There was a fire in her gaze, but also something jagged—an unspoken question, a raw accusation. Kassi caught herself wondering—not for the first time—what her niece saw when she looked at her. A protector? A manipulator? A failure?

The torches flickered suddenly, their flames guttering as a chill swept through the hall. The air grew unnervingly cold, the kind of cold that seeped into the bones. The wolves froze, their whispers silenced as every gaze turned toward the entrance. The shadows there deepened unnaturally, twisting and writhing like living things. A faint metallic tang hung in the air.

Kassi’s breath caught, her instincts screaming a warning. The Pact Seal pulsed violently, almost searing her skin. She knew who it was even before the figure emerged.

At first glance, the man seemed ordinary—tall, cloaked in black, his sharp features undeniably handsome. His dark hair was slicked back, and his movements exuded a languid grace. But his eyes, black as a starless void, betrayed his nature. They gleamed with quiet amusement and boundless menace.

Hades.

He entered the hall as though it belonged to him, his presence suffocating and absolute. The crowd parted instinctively, fear rippling through them like a current. Kassi’s heart thundered, but she forced herself to step forward, her posture unyielding even as the Pact Seal grew heavier.

“Hades,” she said, her voice firm, though every word felt like lifting a boulder. “You are not welcome here.”

His smile was a blade wrapped in silk. “Ah, Queen Kassi. Such formalities. But surely you knew I would come.”

He reached into his cloak and withdrew the Pact Seal, holding it aloft. The obsidian medallion shimmered darkly, its engraved sigils glowing faintly. A collective gasp rippled through the crowd, and the murmurs began anew.

“Let us not waste time with pleasantries,” Hades said, his tone velvety and laced with menace. “I’ve come for what is mine.”

Kassi’s blood ran cold, though she didn’t falter. “You will not have her.”

Hades tilted his head, his smile widening. “Such defiance. Did you think your little pack could escape the terms of our deal forever?” His gaze slid to Amity, who stepped forward slightly, her amber eyes blazing with fury.

“The prophecy,” Hades murmured, his voice dropping to a whisper that rippled unnaturally through the hall. “The girl’s fate is sealed, and you know it.”

“No,” Kassi snapped, her voice cutting through the growing unease. “You will not take her. I made the pact. If payment is due, it will be me you’ll deal with.”

A low, chilling laugh escaped him. “You misunderstand. This is not a negotiation.”

The torches dimmed further, the shadows stretching across the hall like creeping tendrils. Hades stepped closer, his presence pressing down on them all. “But I will give you time, dear Kassi,” he said mockingly. “Time to prepare. Time to say your goodbyes. When the next full moon rises, I will return. And if the girl is not delivered to me…” He trailed off, his smile holding the promise of devastation.

Then, just as suddenly as he had arrived, Hades turned. His form dissolved into a swirling mass of shadows, which dissipated into the night.

For a moment, the hall was utterly silent. Then, all at once, the murmurs erupted—fear, confusion, and anger spreading like wildfire.

Kassi turned to Rhys, her expression grim. “Get everyone out of here. Now.”

He nodded, his voice cutting through the chaos as he barked orders, commanding the wolves to leave.

Amity stepped forward, her body trembling—not with fear, but with barely-contained fury. “What the hell does he mean by prophecy? What aren’t you telling me?”

Kassi couldn’t answer. The Pact Seal’s weight was suffocating, and the edges of the Lunar Veil seemed to dim further, mirroring the doubt clawing at her resolve. She had made her choice long ago, but tonight, the cost of that choice had come to claim them all.