Chapter 27: Trial of Strength

The Elder raised her hand. The crowd went silent.

"The Luna Trials have not been done in over a hundred years," she said. Her voice carried across the clearing. "They test three qualities every Luna must have. Strength. Wisdom. Heart."

She turned to me. "The first trial begins now. Trial of Strength."

A wolf stepped forward. Massive. Twice my size. All muscle and scars.

"This is Ragnar. Alpha of the Northern Pack. Strongest wolf in North America." The Elder looked at me. "You must defeat him in combat. Shift or human form. Your choice."

People whispered.

"That's not fair," Cole said. "She just fought demons all night. She's injured."

"Life isn't fair," The Elder said. "Our enemies won't wait for us to be rested. If she can't fight when she's weak, she can't lead."

She looked at me. "Do you accept?"

I looked at Ragnar. He was huge. Three hundred pounds of muscle. Scars everywhere.

And I had to beat him.

"I accept," I said.

Ragnar smiled. Not nice. "I'll try not to hurt you too badly."

"Don't hold back."

The crowd formed a circle. Gave us space.

The Elder raised her hand. "The trial begins when I drop my hand. It ends when one yields or cannot continue." She paused. "There are no other rules."

She dropped her hand.

Ragnar shifted immediately. His massive wolf was terrifying. Dark gray fur. Yellow eyes. Teeth like knives.

I started to shift.

But then stopped.

Something told me not to. Stay human.

Trust your instincts, James's voice whispered.

Ragnar charged. Fast.

I dodged. Barely. His jaws snapped where my head had been.

The crowd gasped.

"Shift!" someone yelled. "You can't fight him as human!"

But I didn't shift. I moved. Ducked. Rolled away from his claws.

I was faster as human. More agile.

Ragnar snarled. Frustrated.

He charged again. This time I didn't dodge.

I dropped low. Slid under him. Grabbed his back leg.

Used his speed against him.

He went down. Hard.

The crowd went silent.

Ragnar got up. Shook himself. Looked at me different now. With respect.

Then he charged again. Smarter this time. Cutting off my escape.

I couldn't dodge forever. He'd catch me.

I needed a new plan.

The pendant pulsed. Warm.

An idea formed.

I stopped running. Stood still.

Ragnar stopped. Suspicious.

"What are you doing?" he growled through the bond.

"Testing something."

I closed my eyes. Reached for my Luna power. Not to shift. Something else.

The pendant grew warmer. Silver light began to glow.

Ragnar backed up. "What is that?"

"My strength."

The light grew brighter. Filled my body.

I opened my eyes. They glowed silver.

Ragnar attacked. Jaws aimed for my throat.

I caught him. Midair. With my bare hands.

The crowd gasped.

I held his massive wolf form. Held him like he weighed nothing.

"Impossible," The Elder whispered.

I looked at Ragnar. "Do you yield?"

He struggled. Tried to break free. Couldn't.

My Luna power made me strong. Stronger than any normal wolf.

"Do you yield?"

Ragnar stopped struggling. Looked into my eyes.

He shifted back to human. I set him down.

"I yield," he said loud. "The Luna is victorious."

The crowd erupted. Some cheered. Some looked shocked.

The Elder stepped forward. "The first trial is complete. Lita Dillard has proven her strength."

She looked at me different. With respect.

"You did not shift. Why?"

"Because shifting wasn't the answer. The trial wasn't about being the strongest wolf. It was about being smart enough to use what I had."

The Elder almost smiled. "Wise words. Which brings us to the second trial."

She gestured to another council member. Smaller. Older. Gray fur and kind eyes.

"This is Sage. Keeper of Wolf History." The Elder was serious. "For the Trial of Wisdom, you must answer three questions. Answer correctly and pass. Answer wrong and fail."

"What kind of questions?"

"The kind with no easy answers." Sage stepped forward. "Are you ready?"

I nodded. But I was nervous.

Fighting I could do. But wisdom? I was eighteen.

"First question," Sage said. "A pack member commits murder. But they were possessed by a demon. Not in control. What is the just punishment?"

I thought about Erica. About Tyler.

"Banishment," I said. "They're responsible even if they weren't in control. But killing them serves no purpose. They need a chance to atone elsewhere."

Sage nodded. "Second question. You discover another pack is harboring criminals. Wolves who broke the old laws. But exposing them will start a war. Innocent wolves will die. What do you do?"

I thought carefully. "I go to their Alpha. Speak privately. Give them a chance to handle it. If they refuse, then I take it to the council. War should always be last."

Sage smiled. "Third question. The hardest." She looked in my eyes. "You can save the wolves. Unite the packs. Defeat the demons. But the cost is your mate. Your bond with Cole. Your happiness. Do you pay the price?"

The clearing went silent.

Everyone looked at me.

I looked at Cole. His face was tight.

I looked back at Sage. "Yes. I pay the price. One life, even my happiness, isn't worth more than all wolves. A true leader puts their people first. Always."

Cole's face fell. But through the bond, I felt pride. Love.

Sage smiled. "You have passed the Trial of Wisdom."

The crowd murmured.

Two trials down. One to go.

"The final trial," The Elder said. "The Trial of Heart. This one is different. This one comes from fate itself."

"I don't understand."

"You will." The Elder looked at the sky. "The trial will present itself when you're ready. Until then, you wait."

"Wait? For how long?"

"Hours. Days. Weeks. We don't know."

"That's not helpful."

"Wisdom rarely is." The Elder turned to the crowd. "Lita Dillard has passed two trials. But until the third is complete, she is not yet Luna."

She looked at me. "Go. Rest. When the trial comes, you'll know."

The crowd began to leave.

Cole came to me. Pulled me close. "That last question."

"I meant it. If saving all wolves meant losing you, I'd do it."

"I know. That's why I love you." He kissed my forehead. "But let's hope it doesn't come to that."

"Yeah."

But I had a bad feeling. The Trial of Heart wouldn't be simple.

And I was right.

Three hours later, my phone rang.

The hospital.

"Is this Lita Dillard?"

"Yes."

"Your mother escaped police custody. She attacked officers. Killed two. She's armed and dangerous. And she's headed to your location."

My blood went cold.

"Is she possessed?"

"Excuse me?"

"Never mind. Thank you."

I hung up. Looked at Cole.

"My mother's coming. And she's possessed."

The Trial of Heart had begun.