Chapter 161 Chapter 161

Chapter 161 Chapter 161
Carlota’s POV

The ritual chamber was cold, carved from ancient stone that smelled of dust, and most probably the blood of the people they have used here before. Everything looked so different and look like we traveled back some years just looking at the entire place. No wonder it's the ritual chamber, it does look like the wood bring people here to be killed.

I sat on the floor between Gabriel and Paxton, my back straight, my breathing steady. Thick chains wrapped around our wrists, etched with glowing runes that burned against my skin. They were meant to weaken us. To remind us who held power here.

It wasn’t working. I just felt like I needed to hold it in to put them at ease anyway it's not like I come to break this if I wanted to they must have put a lot of effort in bringing this chains to life and now it was probably working out for them in the best way.

Paxton shifted beside me, testing his bonds again with a quiet growl.

“Are you okay?” he asked me.

“Why do you ask that? I think we are both here so you should understand how I feel right?”

“You’re too quiet,” he muttered, gold light flickering faintly in his eyes. “If there's anything you want me to do for you you can ask immediately. I can take you out of here if you want.”

“I’m thinking,” I said calmly. Too calmly. “About how to turn this place to dust.”

Gabriel looked at me then. He looked like he was in awe of me.

“If you unleash what’s inside you,” he said slowly, “there’s no coming back. You need to prepare yourself for whatever is going to happen, I'm still right here anyway.”

I stared at the runes biting into my wrists, at the faint glow under my skin that refused to dim.

“Then maybe the old me doesn’t need to,” I whispered. “I used to be careful in everything I do and didn't want to show my dominance anywhere but I don't think I can do that anymore.”

“How am I supposed to go back from this anyway what is going to happen has already happened.” The mark on my chest pulsed. It happened once and then twice.

The chains heated sharply, it was beginning to crack all over which meant it was going to break. Above us, the light through the narrow window shifted.

The moon eclipsed again. Blood-red light poured into the chamber, washing over stone and skin and fear. I stood up and the chains snapped like paper.

Metal hit the floor with a sharp clang, but I barely heard it. Power rushed through me, wild and controlled all at once, like a storm finally obeying its own name.

I turned to Gabriel and Paxton. They were staring at me, stunned and breathless.

I placed a hand on Gabriel’s wrist first. The chains shattered under my touch. Then Paxton’s, his chains broke with a violent crack, energy flaring bright before fading.

“We shouldn't listen to them anymore,” I said. “We are not their prisoners who they should keep in cages. I want to go out there. I'm done being obedient.”

Outside the chamber, the ground trembled. I felt it before I heard it—wolves gathering, pack after pack, drawn by something older than law or fear.

Drawn by me.

Shouts erupted beyond the doors. There was panic and confusion. The council’s carefully ordered world unraveling all at once.

I stepped forward. The doors burst open as I got close to it and the elders stumbled back, faces pale, eyes wide. I could smell their fear now, they deserve all this fear that they have now.

My power spilled into the hall like a storm breaking free, lunar energy crawling along the walls, lighting the ancient sigils until they burned white.

“You wanted an heir?” I said, my voice echoed around the entire place in a roar.

Everywhere went silence.

“You got a queen.”

Behind me, Gabriel and Paxton stepped into place in a formation that showed that they wanted to protect me no matter what it took them. Outside, the wolves dropped to their knees one by one. The sound was thunderous.

The council followed, trembling as they knelt on cracked marble, forced down by a power they could no longer deny or control.

The wolves’ howls echoed through the night, rising and falling beneath the crimson sky. It sounded like victory. It sounded like warning. Whatever was going on meant that our kind could be controlled by the moon as we didn't have any choice over this either.

I stood at the center of it all, the Blood Moon hanging heavy above me, painting the ruins in red. The council scattered in every direction, robes fluttering, fear sharp and desperate in the air.

I didn’t stop them. “Why do I need to stop them when I could actually see them in fear like this it was something good enough for me they were trying to kill me earlier and now they couldn't even wait for the consequences of their own actions look at them running around like rabbits running from a hunter.”

“Why are they running away so you don't they be here since day you wanted to deal with you?” Paxton asked from where he stood.

“Let them run,” I said calmly. My voice carried farther than it should have. “They’ll kneel later.”

They always did. Since I got the power of the moon I have been able to control more of the actions and I now understood clearly why they were scared of me and why they wanted to be afraid of me as soon as possible well they had the chance but they blew it up now they don't have the chance anymore to do that to me.

Gabriel stepped up beside me. There was blood on his hands, dark and drying, but his eyes were bright with something stronger than violence. He seemed to have a lot of pride right now I thought he would be scared of me seeing how I have already changed with everything that was happening but he seems to be proud of me.

“You did it,” he said quietly.

I shook my head, the weight of the incident settling into my bones. “No,” I replied. “We did.”

Paxton joined us a second later, his eyes flickering gold as he scanned the clearing, always alert, always ready. He looked at me like I was fire and home all at once.

“What now, Queen?” he asked.

I lifted my gaze to the Blood Moon, feeling its pull no longer as a chain, but as a choice.

“Now,” I said steadily, “we need to finish this.”

The power inside me answered, warm and unyielding.

“And we have to make sure it never happens again.”

I meant what I was saying if this is what it feels like to be the moon's heir I don't think anyone should go through this anymore why does the moon have to choose one when we already have a lot to go through what does this even mean any way and why did this start in the first place?