THE ALTAR OF THE GODDESS VALERIA I nced to the side , noticing the Alphas daughter had also stepped outside .


    Well , His Majesty takes protecting his pack very seriously , I replied with my best loyal and diplomatic servant voice .


    She started chatting with me casually , young and carefree .


    Excitedly , she talked about a night market held in the town square , where they sold local specialties .


    The fact that she wasnt staring at me strangely or treating me differently because of my scars earned her a point in my favor .


    It sounds really interesting .


    Id love to go , but I cant leave His Majestys side .


    Im sorry You can go with her if you want , Aldrics voice rumbled behind me .


    Ill be tied up here for a while .


    You can explore the market but dont go too far .


    Ill catch up with you both soon .


    I turned to see him digging into his pocket , already guessing what he was about to do .


    Thank you , sir , I replied quickly , practically dragging the girl away with me to escape .


    Wait , Valeria .


    He caught my arm , stopping me and forcing me to face him , Take this .


    Buy whatever you want .


    I dont care if you spend it all I brought more .


    He tried pressing the heavy pouch of coins into my hand , but I pulled back , clutching it to my chest .


    I have my own money , Your Majesty my wages .


    Ill pay for my personal things .


    If you need me to buy something for you … No , its for you .


    Buy dresses , makeup … I dont know , whatever you like , he insisted , stepping closer , still holding out the pouch .


    Its not necessary , King Lycan .


    I already received my payment this month for my service as a maid .


    I refused outright , full of defiance .


    Before he could react , I walked away , leaving him standing on the porch .


    His burning gaze lingered on my back , but I straightened it with pride .


    Im just your servant , King Aldric .


    Stop confusing me with your mixed signals , I snapped silently to myself .


    With all this rebellion , will I even make it to tomorrow with my head still on my shoulders ? I wondered , half joking , having no idea of the stormy night awaiting me or the dangers I would soon face .


    Look , Valeria ! These bracelets are so pretty ! Adele practically dragged me from stall to stall around the market .


    Atst , this gloomy pack seemed to show some life .


    Papernterns floated overhead , casting a warm glow across the bustling square .


    #  THE ALTAR OF THE GODDESS I got distracted examining some medicinal creams .


    I hadn given up hope of finding a miracle that could help speed up my healing .


    But when I turned back around Adele was gone .


    I scanned the crowd , finally spotting her near the end of the square .


    She was speaking to someone in the shadows of a dark alley The moment they noticed me watching , the figure slipped away into the darkness , and Adele returned .


    Her face looked different .


    Even though she tried to smile , something was clearly bothering her .


    Im so sorry , Valeria … Something came up with my mate .


    My parents dont really approve of him .


    She sounded distressed .


    I need to go for a little while , okay ? Of course , I told her it wasnt a problem .


    It was obvious she had used me as an excuse to leave the house and meet him secretly .


    I watched her disappear into that same dark alley and returned to the market , but I couldnt focus anymore .


    A raven cawed loudly above me , circling in the night sky .


    I looked up thoughtfully .


    I didnt know why , but I felt strangely connected to those birds like they had saved me more than once .


    Now , something was calling to me , stirring in the depths of this pack .


    My heartbeat quickened as the ravens cries grew louder , guiding me as it flew in a specific direction .


    I followed it without thinking drawn by a powerful instinct .


    Through narrow streets , into the shadows of old houses , I emerged into the wild forest beyond the town .


    The voice whispered softly in my mind : Come to me , my daughter … Come to me .


    I reached a clearing with ancient stone ruins , a ce that felt sacred like an abandoned temple to the Moon Goddess .


    At the center , beneath a massive weeping willow , stood a stone altar .


    Moss covered the cracks in the ancient rock , yet intricate carvings were still visible , and above the cube shaped altar , a crescent moon was sculpted with the delicate face of a woman etched along its inner curve .


    The power radiating from the monument was undeniable mystical and intense .


    A strange , addictive scent filled the air .


    Something about this ce felt … familiar .


    Memories tried to surface , shes of another temple like this one .


    Could this be where the stolen artifacts came from ? THE ALTAR OF THE GODDESS  The raven perched atop the stone moon , watching me closely .


    1 stepped forward , climbing the worn steps , brushing aside ivy and inoss until I revealed something beneath .


    Symbols .


    What I had first thought were just decorative patterns were actually letters .


    An ancient script , carved deep into the stone.- It was confusing , but I felt like I was starting to understand I leaned in closer , drawn to decipher the meaning , desperate to see what it said … Can you read whats written there ? A voice broke the silence behind me , making me jump .


    Adele .


    She had appeared out of nowhere , staring at me with wide , curious eyes too curious .


    Why did she seem so interested in whether I could read these symbols ? Couldnt she see them too ? The raven cawed again , taking flight as my unease grew stronger .


    L … I dont know what you mean .


    They just look like strange decorations to me , I lied , my instincts screaming that my survival depended on it .


    Now I just needed her to believe me .