“Oh, they dare alright!” Elder Grace cut him off. “Because right now, we’re just a bunch of regular werewolves without the goddess’s blessing! Without
lambs to the slaughter for the other packs!”
the sacred ritual’s protection, Welc
Vivian finally got how serious things were. “But… but I followed all the steps…”
“Steps? What do you think this is, baking a cake?!” Elder Grace snapped. up? You don’t even know when to kneel or when to look up at the moon!”
“I…” Vivian looked at Ethan, hurt.
o you even know which herbs you got wrong? Which incantation you messed
“And to make things worse,” Elder Grace continued, “because the ritual failed, we’re also facing the Moon Goddess’s punishment. The pack’s fertility rate will drop, hunting will get harder, and even our healing abilities will be affected!”
Ethan slumped into his chair. “This… this can’t be happening…”
“Why can’t it?!” Grace said, furious. “Sophia warned us! Only a properly trained Luna can lead the sacred ritual! But you wouldn’t listen! You thought love could replace skill!”
Everyone turned to look at me when they heard my name.
I kept my expression calm, like none of this had anything to do with me.
“Now what?” Ethan’s voice trembled. “How do we fix this?”
“Fix this?” Grace scoffed. “You think the Moon Goddess’s anger is a joke? Without a real Luna, without the right ritual, we’re just waiting to die!”
Vivian suddenly burst out, “Why are you all blaming me? I tried my best! And no one ever taught me those herb recipes or how to say the chants!”
“No one taught you?” Grace’s voice got even angrier. “Sophia spent five years studying the sacred knowledge, gaining tons of experience! She’s the only one who could have performed the ritual perfectly!”
“But Sophia isn’t Luna anymore…” Ethan said weakly.
“That was your choice!” Grace roared. “You gave up the pack’s most valuable asset for some she–wolf who knows nothing! And now, the entire pack is going to pay for your stupidity!”
The call ended.
The banquet hall was dead silent.
Ethan sat there, stunned, his face white as a sheet. The confident man he’d been moments ago now looked like a total loser.
Vivian was still trying to defend herself. “This isn’t fair… How was I supposed to learn something so complicated in three days…”
Three days?” I couldn’t help but speak up. “Vivian, I spent five years learning the sacred ritual. Three days? You think the Moon Goddess’s ritual is a
crash course?”
She glared at me. “Then why didn’t you say something sooner?”
‘I did,” I answered calmly. “I told the Elder Council I was worried. But Ethan said you were ‘very talented.
Ethan covered his face, his voice muffled by his hands.
“What have I done…”
1/2
Chapter 4
+25 Bonus
His mate ceremony had turned into a funeral, and his pack was on the brink of destruction.
And this was all his own doing.
Vivian fidgeted in her chair and started complaining,
“This isn’t my fault at all! Who knew some stupid ritual would be so complicated?” she grumbled. “Nobody made such a big deal when I messed up healing rituals before!”
