Chapter 5 - CELESTE'S TRUE FACEAdrien dragged Nora through the smoke.
"Move!"
Behind them, the mansion burned.
Warriors screamed.
Wolves crashed through windows.
The Northern army had breached the walls.
But Adrien barely noticed.
All he could think about was Nora.
She had changed.
Something ancient had awakened inside her.
They reached the underground tunnel beneath the training hall.
Adrien slammed the stone door shut.
Nora collapsed.
Her eyes returned to normal.
"Brother..."
Adrien knelt.
"What happened?"
"I don't know."
"You told me to run."
"I heard another voice."
"What did it say?"
Nora looked toward him.
"It said you would die if I stayed."
Adrien pulled her closer.
"I don't care."
"You should."
"No."
He pressed his forehead against hers.
"You're my sister."
Nora began to cry.
"I thought you hated me."
"What?"
"Before I disappeared."
Adrien stared.
"Who told you that?"
"Celeste."
Adrien went still.
"What else did she tell you?"
Nora whispered.
"That you sent me away because you were ashamed of me."
Adrien's expression hardened.
"She lied."
He stood.
"Where is she?"
A slow clap echoed through the tunnel.
Adrien spun.
Celeste stepped from the shadows.
There was no fear in her face.
No tears.
No panic.
Only satisfaction.
"You finally understand."
Adrien drew his sword.
"You."
Celeste smiled.
"You never deserved to be Alpha."
Adrien lunged.
She moved faster.
Her eyes flashed red.
She struck him across the chest.
Adrien crashed into the wall.
Nora screamed.
"Brother!"
Celeste laughed.
"Do you know why?"
Adrien pushed himself up.
Celeste approached.
"Because your father chose you."
She pulled a pendant from beneath her dress.
The same royal symbol on Nora's necklace.
Adrien froze.
"You."
Celeste touched the pendant.
"I was there the night Nora was born."
Nora stared.
"That's impossible."
Celeste smiled.
"Your mother begged me to save you."
Adrien looked at Nora.
"You knew my mother?"
"She was my sister."
Everything stopped.
Nora's face drained of color.
"My aunt?"
Celeste's smile vanished.
"Your mother's bloodline was supposed to end with you."
Adrien's voice was low.
"So all of this..."
"Was never about becoming Luna."
Celeste looked toward Nora.
"It was about making sure she never awakened."
Nora trembled.
"What did you do to Rex?"
Celeste's expression changed.
"Rex remembered."
Adrien stepped closer.
"Remembered what?"
"The night your father ordered the slaughter."
Adrien stared.
"What slaughter?"
Celeste looked at him.
"The Northern wolves."
Silence.
"Your father killed them."
She pointed at Nora.
"Except her."
Nora covered her mouth.
Adrien shook his head.
"You're lying."
Celeste laughed.
"Ask the Alpha King."
The tunnel door opened.
The Alpha King stood there.
His face looked ancient.
Adrien turned.
"Is it true?"
The king's eyes fell.
"Yes."
Adrien's sword dropped from his hand.
"Why?"
"Because the prophecy said Nora would destroy the throne."
Adrien stared.
"So you killed an entire bloodline."
The king's voice cracked.
"We thought we had no choice."
Nora stepped forward.
"And my mother?"
The king couldn't look at her.
"She survived."
Nora froze.
"Where is she?"
Nobody answered.
Then Rex limped into the tunnel.
Blood ran down his side.
He dropped a torn piece of cloth at Nora's feet.
A woman's scent clung to it.
Nora picked it up.
Her face changed.
"Mother."
Adrien looked toward the burning mansion.
"She's alive."
Celeste smiled.
"Yes."
Then the tunnel ceiling began collapsing.
May you like
Celeste whispered:
"And she's coming for you."
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