Chapter 146 The cradle of shadow

Chapter 146 The cradle of shadow


Kai's POV

Months passed after the fall of the First Moon ruins.

What had once been a quiet pack territory slowly became a sanctuary filled with broken werewolves from different places. 

Every week, more of them arrive. Some came injured, while others were frightened and barely trusted anyone enough to speak. A few couldn't even remember what had happened to them after years of being controlled.

But Ophelia never turned them away. She stood before them, listened to their stories, and made sure they knew they were finally safe.

I watched her change with every passing day, no longer the woman who doubted herself but the one who became the face of the sanctuary. And somehow, watching her lead made me fall deeply in love with her. 

I found her standing outside, watching some werewolves gather around the fire.

“You're staring again.” She suddenly said without turning around. 

And when she finally looked at me over her shoulder, a small smile curved her lips. I moved closer to wrap my arms around her waist from behind. 

“Can you blame me?” 

“You do this all the same.” She said, 

“That's because I can't help it.” I smirked. 

When it was just us, alone in the room, we shared a tender, passionate night. While she rested beside me on the bed, I stared at the ceiling, unable to shake the thought that had returned to my mind. 

“Elders!” The Architect's dying words.

It still haunted me. 

I frowned. 

Who were they? 

“Kai?” Ophelia's sleepy voice snapped me out of my thoughts. 

“Hmm?” I turned my head to look at her. 

“What were you thinking?” She asked. 

“Nothing, really. I'm fine.” I gave her a small smile. 

Before I could say anything else, a voice came from outside the room, “Ophelia?” 

It was Vera, Luna's aged nursemaid. 

Ophelia quickly got dressed to sit upright on the bed, “Come in.” 

Vera stepped in and immediately walked to us. 

“I need to show you something.” Ophelia held out her hand with a curious look on her face. 

Then I knew she had sent for her…

Vera took her hand and turned her palm upward. She examined the faint residual brand that had remained after the severing. 

“This mark has been changing.” Vera said. 

I leaned closer to take a look too… 

“What do you mean?” Ophelia asked. 

And right then before Vera could respond to her, Luna made a small sound from where she was nearby. We all turned toward her, seeing a faint layer of frost that had formed around her little fingers. 

“Luna?” Ophelia's widened, her own palm starting to glow. 

Vera's expression changed instantly as the mark pulsed again before fading. 

“It reacted to her.” Vera said. 

I looked at Luna, then back at Vera, “What does that mean?” 

“The brand is responding strongly to Luna's emerging ice abilities.” Vera responded. 

“What are you saying?” Ophelia's expression tightened. 

Vera took a slow breath, then responded, “It could mean you and Luna carry different fragments of the original hybrid power.”She said. 

There was silence after her words.

Ophelia climbed off the bed to reach for Luna, carrying her in her arms, “She's only a child.” 

“I know.” Vera said quietly. 

None of us knew exactly what the connection meant yet, but the sight of that mark reacting to Luna was enough to remind us that there were still things about Morwen's power we didn't understand.

Ophelia and I stood together outside to look over the territory. The hybrids had begun settling into their new lives, but there were still many who remained missing.

“Kai?” Ophelia uttered as she looked at me. 

“Hmm?” 

“I want to find them.” She said. 

I frowned, “Find who?” 

“Every last hybrid Morwen enslaved.” Her voice was firm. “The ones who escaped and the ones still hiding. Even the ones we haven't heard from yet.” She added, looking straight into my eyes. 

Is she really sure about this? 

“I don't want any of them left out there.” She continued. 

I stared at her and nodded, “We'll find them.” I said, my words making her expression soften. 

“You agree?” She asked. 

“Ofcourse, I do.”

She reached for my hand to squeeze it gently. 

I had just made a promise to her, but I still couldn't get rid of the fear that was slowly taking hold of me. 

Ophelia's POV. 
Luna was five years old when I first saw her create something that shouldn't have been possible. 

We were outside with Kai, watching her play when she suddenly stopped. She looked down at her hands with a curious expression, “Mommy!” 

I shifted my attention to her, “What is it, sweetie?” 

She lifted her little hand to my face, “Look.” 

My eyes widened at the mere sight of a snowflake on her palm. I stared at it in disbelief as it floated in the warm air for a few seconds before landing on her skin softly to disappear. 

“Luna…” 

She looked at me with an innocent smile, “I made snow.” 

Kai leaned closer with a shocked expression too, “How did you do that?” He asked her. 

She shrugged, “I don't know.” 

I couldn't speak. She was only five. 

I hadn't manifested my own hybrid abilities until I was much older, yet Luna was already showing signs of hers.

How can a child of her age be this powerful? 

Pride swelled in my chest, the feeling soon overshadowed by fear. 

If anyone outside our pack discovered what she could do, they would see her the same way Morwen had seen hybrids.

They would see her as something to control and something to use. 

I quickly pulled Luna into my arms, “Don't do that again unless mommy is with you, okay?” 

“Why?” She pouted when she pulled away. 

“Because I want you to be safe.” I responded to her. 

She nodded innocently, wrapping her arms around my neck. 

Back inside, Luna fell asleep. I sat beside her bed to watch her features. She looked so small and innocent that it was difficult to believe the power she carried inside her.

While she remained asleep, I saw a faint glow appear around her sleeping body. And at the same time, the residual brand on my palm burned. 

“Ah!” I froze, quickly grabbing my hand. 

“Ophelia?” Kai rushed over when he heard my voice. 

I looked at him, then back at Luna, “It's happening again.” My heart pounded in my chest. 

Luna's power was somehow connected to mine. 

I didn't know why or how. But I just knew I had to protect her no matter what. 

Kai moved closer to her bed to fix his eyes on her. 

Then he looked back at me, “We have to protect her more carefully than we protected you.”