**CHAPTER 12**
**The Weight of the Moon**
I stood, legs trembling as I pushed away the remnants of my nightmare. The weight of the dream lingered, like a shadow clinging to me. I tried to shake it off as I walked toward the door. My mind buzzed, each step heavy, as if the very air was thick with anticipation.
The door opened, revealing a guard—a stranger this time. His eyes were cold, calculating, but his stance was respectful.
"You're to follow me," he said, voice emotionless.
I nodded, my throat tight as I stepped out of the room. The hallway was dimly lit, shadows creeping along the stone walls. The silence felt suffocating, like the entire castle was holding its breath.
We walked in silence, the only sound the echo of our footsteps. The guard led me through narrow corridors and past towering doors. Finally, we reached a large, imposing set of double doors—an ornate, ancient symbol carved into them, the moon etched in silver. The Trial Room.
I had expected the room to feel imposing, but the moment I stepped inside, the atmosphere shifted. It felt… heavy. Like it knew what was coming.
The room was vast, with high, vaulted ceilings that disappeared into shadow. A circular platform sat in the center, surrounded by tall stone pillars that seemed to hum with ancient power. At the far end of the room, seated on an elevated throne, was the Council. They were watching me, all of them, eyes sharp and unblinking.
My heart skipped a beat. The same faces I had seen before, but now they were more than just figures in my memory. They were judges. Executioners.
I took a breath, trying to steady myself, but the air felt thick, suffocating. Aerie's presence in my mind was a constant, his emotions a tangled mess of fear, anger, and protectiveness.
**"Stay strong, Rory,"** he whispered, his voice a low growl in my mind. **"You have the strength of more than just your bloodline. You have the moon itself within you."**
I nodded, though I wasn't sure if I believed it. The moonlight flickered against the stone, casting long shadows over the Council as I approached the center of the room. The weight of their gaze pressed against me, each one of them silently assessing, judging.
A tall woman with silver hair stood from her seat. Her eyes gleamed like molten silver, her gaze never leaving me as she stepped forward. "Rory," she said, her voice echoing through the chamber, cold and commanding. "You stand before the Council today, not as a child of the moon, but as a creature born of both light and darkness."
The words hit me like a physical blow, sending a chill through my veins. My mouth went dry. I could feel Aerie stir, his anger rising like a tide.
**"They don't know what they're dealing with,"** he warned, but his voice was thick with something else—regret? Longing?
"You are a threat to the balance," the woman continued, her eyes narrowing. "Not just to us, but to the entire world of werewolves."
The words stung, but I refused to let them break me. My eyes narrowed, my back straightening as I raised my chin in defiance.
"I didn't ask for this," I said, my voice steady despite the tremor in my chest. "I didn't ask for any of it. But I'm not a threat to anyone, least of all you."
She looked at me, her expression unreadable. "We shall see."
The room fell silent. My heart pounded as I stood before them, waiting for the next blow.
Then the man seated at the farthest end of the Council stood. His face was unreadable, like a mask of stone, but I couldn't shake the feeling that he was watching me in a way that was… different.
"You speak of balance," he said, his voice calm, almost soothing. "But you don't yet understand what balance truly means, Rory. You are part of something much greater than yourself. And whether you accept it or not, your bloodline carries a weight that you cannot escape."
I wanted to speak, to ask him what he meant, but the words stuck in my throat. My mind was reeling with questions I didn't have answers to.
The silver-haired woman stepped forward again, a slight smirk curling her lips. "We have only one question for you, Rory." She paused, letting the silence stretch between us. "Are you willing to embrace your true nature, no matter the cost?"
I could feel the eyes of the Council, the weight of their expectations pressing against me. My wolf stirred within, restless, angry, wanting to tear free. Aerie was there, too, his presence an overwhelming force.
**"You have a choice,"** he growled. **"Don't let them break you."**
I took a deep breath, the words forming on my lips before I even fully understood them. "I will not be controlled," I said, my voice sharp with conviction. "I will not bend to anyone's will. Not now, not ever."
A murmur rippled through the Council, some of them shifting in their seats. But it was the man at the far end of the room who spoke next.
"You're not ready for the power you wield, Rory," he said softly. "But that doesn't change the fact that it's yours."
His words hung in the air like a warning, and for a moment, I thought I saw something flicker in his eyes. But then it was gone, and all I was left with was the weight of their gaze.
The silver-haired woman nodded to the guard behind me. "Take her to the testing chamber."
The door opened again, and the guard gestured for me to follow. With one last glance at the Council, I turned and walked out of the room.
But as the door closed behind me, I couldn't shake the feeling that whatever was coming next would change everything.