Bless the One
The journey back to the Stellar Pack lands felt longer and heavier than it should have been. The closer they got to the ancestral grounds, the more power surged through Selene’s veins. Amora, her wolf, was fully awake now, strong and proud, feeding on the energy of the land, the trees, and the approaching eclipse. The mark Ace had left on her neck was nothing more than a faint, silvery scar now — invisible unless you knew exactly where to look. The bond was severed, yet fate still forced them onto the same path.
As their carriages and vehicles passed through the great iron gates of the Stellar Pack House, Selene’s heart clenched. The familiar white stone towers rose high against the evening sky, draped in banners of silver and blue. Thousands of wolves from every rank and every region had gathered here for the once-in-a-decade ceremony. The air hummed with magic; the Blood Moon was already beginning to peek over the horizon, painting the clouds in shades of crimson and violet.
But what made Selene’s blood run cold was the sight waiting for them at the entrance.
Standing beside Alpha Ace, dressed in fine silk robes and leaning gently on his arm, was Rica Salvador.
She looked radiant, her hair styled perfectly, her smile soft and innocent. One hand rested protectively over her stomach — a clear, silent declaration of what she carried inside. When she saw Selene step down from Alpha Marco’s carriage, Rica’s eyes widened, and she immediately let her shoulders droop, her expression shifting into one of pure vulnerability and sorrow.
“Ace… look,” Rica whispered, her voice loud enough for everyone nearby to hear. She stepped back slightly, as if afraid, and pressed herself closer to his side. “It’s Selene. I… I hope she isn’t angry with me. I never wanted to come between anyone. I only wanted to be useful, to help…”
Ace’s entire body stiffened. He wrapped his arm firmly around Rica’s waist, pulling her right against him, shielding her with his broad frame. His eyes snapped toward Selene, sharp and warning, like an Alpha guarding his most precious treasure.
“You stay back,” Ace said low, his voice carrying authority. “She is delicate. She carries my heir — the future Alpha of the Heavenly Demon Pack. Do not even think of causing trouble for her, Selene. I won’t allow it.”
Marco stepped instantly in front of Selene, his own Alpha power flaring up to meet Ace’s challenge. “She has done nothing but return to her home. It is you who brought your affairs into her territory, Ace. Show respect.”
Rica let out a soft, trembling sob, covering her face with her hands. “I’m so sorry… I didn’t mean to ruin anything. I just wanted to be here for the blessing. They say Selene is blessed by the Moon Goddess, that her touch can purify and strengthen… I was hoping maybe… maybe she would be kind enough to share a little of that power with my baby. He needs to be strong, you know? Since his father is such a great leader…”
She looked up at Selene with large, watery eyes, feigning humility, while deep inside, her wolf Vespera laughed coldly.
“She doesn’t know what she has. And tonight, while everyone watches her shine, I will take it all. Her power, her status, her place… it will all be mine. And Ace will hold my hand the whole time, because he loves his heir more than he ever loved her.”
Selene saw right through the act. Amora growled deep within her chest.
“She is leeching off you, Selene. She smells of greed and false sweetness. She knows your power awakens here. She came not to pray, but to steal your essence while you offer it to the Goddess.”
“I don’t want anything from you, Rica,” Selene said calmly, her voice steady despite the rage building inside her. She walked past them, her head held high, her silver eyes glowing softly. “The blessing belongs to the Goddess. If you are worthy, you will receive it. If you are not… no amount of taking will make you strong.”
Ace frowned, misinterpreting her words as cruelty. He glared at Selene’s retreating back. “How cold you have become,” he muttered, comforting Rica by rubbing her back. “Don’t worry, my love. I will make sure you and my son get everything you deserve. She is nothing now. Just an Omega girl who forgot her place.”
As night fell, the atmosphere changed completely. The sky turned a deep, dark red, the Blood Moon hanging overhead like a giant, glowing eye. The sacred ceremony was about to begin. Wolves of all ranks gathered in the Great Courtyard, arranged in circles according to their hierarchy. At the center stood the Altar of Mother Sera — a stone structure carved with ancient runes, pulsing with raw lunar energy.
Selene stood near the altar, right at the center, where her parents — Alpha Aris and Luna Jaz — had placed her. They knew what she was. They knew that beneath the mark of the Omega lay the true heart of the pack: a child blessed with the ability to channel the Goddess’s power more purely than any Lycan or Alpha in history.
When the High Priestess called for the offering, silence fell over thousands of wolves.
“Let the blessed one step forward! Let the daughter of the moon give her light to us all!”
Selene walked toward the altar. As she moved, a golden aura began to surround her, seeping from her skin, from her very soul. The crowd gasped in awe. Even Ace, standing in the front row with Rica, felt the pull of that power — warm, ancient, and incredibly beautiful.
But then, Rica made her move.
As Selene raised her hands to the sky, channeling the energy of the eclipse, Rica suddenly broke the line and ran toward her. She stumbled dramatically, crying out in pain, clutching her stomach, tears streaming down her face.
“Ace! Help me! The power… it’s too strong! It’s hurting the baby!” she screamed, drawing every eye in the courtyard.
She fell to her knees right beside Selene, grabbing onto the hem of Selene’s dress, gripping it tight. “Please! Please don’t let it hurt him! I know you hate me… I know you think I took your husband… but please, have mercy on my child! He is innocent! Share your light with us, please! I beg you!”
She pressed her forehead against Selene’s legs, and unseen by everyone else, Rica’s fingers glowed with a dark, violet magic — forbidden magic used to drain energy. She was touching Selene, using the physical contact to siphon away the golden blessing as it flowed out, trying to redirect it into her own body and her unborn child.
“Get off her!” Marco roared, stepping forward, but he was blocked instantly.
Ace was faster. He rushed over, his face twisted in panic and anger, and fell to his knees beside Rica, wrapping his body around hers to shield her completely. He glared up at Selene with pure hatred, misunderstanding the scene entirely.
“What are you doing?!” Ace shouted, his voice booming across the grounds. “She is pregnant! Can’t you see she is in pain?! You are throwing this power around like a weapon, Selene! You are hurting her! You selfish, heartless woman!”
He cradled Rica’s head against his chest, rocking her gently as she sobbed fake tears into his coat.
“It burns, Ace… it burns so much,” Rica whimpered, looking up at him with adoring, innocent eyes. “I just wanted our son to be strong like you… I didn’t mean to upset her. I’m sorry… I’m just an ordinary wolf, I don’t have special gifts like she does… I’m just trying to be a good mother.”
Ace kissed her forehead, his expression fierce and protective. “Shh… don’t apologize. You are worth more than all her magic combined. You carry my heir. That makes you royalty. She is nothing.”
He looked back at Selene, who stood frozen, her hands still raised, the golden light flickering and unstable because Rica was stealing it. Selene looked down at him, her heart shattering all over again. He couldn’t see the truth. He refused to see it. To him, Rica was the fragile mother of his child, and Selene was the cruel ex-wife who had lost everything and was now lashing out.
“Ace… she is draining me,” Selene said softly, her voice trembling not from fear, but from exhaustion as her power was leeched away. “She is not hurt. She is stealing the blessing meant for the pack.”
“Lies!” Ace snapped, standing up.
