Moonlight In Chains (Trinity and Asher) novel Chapter 123

**The Day He Forgot He Hated Me by Evangeline Marrow**
**CHAPTER 123**

The night was thick with an almost palpable tension, wrapping around us like a heavy cloak. Under the soft glow of the moonlight, the border shimmered faintly—a silvery luminescence spilling across the ground where the barrier met the trees. It was then that I knew the Eclipse Pack had arrived.

I found myself at the forefront of our group, every muscle in my body tense, my heart pounding like a war drum in my chest. The energy in the air was electric, thick as the silence that precedes a storm. As their eyes fell upon me, they locked on with a predatory intensity. It wasn’t mere curiosity that drove their gaze; it was hunger. Recognition.

They knew who I was.

“The heir,” one of them muttered, his voice slicing through the night air like a knife. “The blood that should’ve been ours.”

A low growl rippled through our ranks, a warning that echoed the rising tension. Arlo stood firmly beside me, his stance wide and ready for battle, eyes glinting with determination. Asher was positioned a few paces ahead, every sense attuned to the danger that loomed. Gage and Dennis flanked our right, while others formed a protective wall behind us, their presence a solid reminder of our unity.

I hadn’t anticipated the entire pack showing up. Warriors, scouts, even those who typically shied away from conflict—they all gathered. Their eyes glimmered in the dark, glinting gold and silver under the moon’s gaze. The loyalty I saw in their expressions hit me like a physical blow. They weren’t merely defending their territory; they were standing guard over me.

The Eclipse wolves advanced, their shadows stretching ominously across the dirt. The Alpha emerged from their ranks, a tall woman with striking pale eyes and long black hair woven into a braid cascading down her back. “So, you’re the last one,” she declared, her tone dripping with disdain. “The true heir. I can feel it—your blood calls to ours.”

Her words sent a shiver down my spine, a prickling sensation that ignited something deep within me—a pulse, faint yet powerful.

“I’m not yours,” I replied, forcing my voice to remain steady despite the turmoil inside.

Her smile twisted into something dark and menacing. “You were never meant to exist outside our bloodline. Your mother fled, your father disappeared, and now you bear what rightfully belongs to us.”

Beneath my skin, my claws itched, eager to break free. I could sense the ancient power she spoke of—the same wild energy that had terrified Lupa, the very force that had nearly consumed me when I had forced the shadows back. It was old, primal.

Asher stepped closer, his protective instincts flaring. “You’ll have to get through all of us first,” he said, his voice cold and unwavering.

The woman’s smirk remained, unfazed by our defiance. “Oh, I fully intend to.”

Then chaos erupted.

The Eclipse wolves surged forward like a dark wave crashing against the shore. The sound of claws scraping against the ground, guttural growls tearing through the night—it was pure pandemonium. The earth trembled beneath us as wolves collided, bodies slamming into one another with a bone-jarring force. Dust and loose dirt flew up, blurring the line between shadow and moonlight.

Asher shifted mid-run, his dark fur glinting silver under the moon’s glow. Arlo followed suit, though his fighting style leaned more towards raw strength than finesse. I remained in human form initially, relying on the control I had over the swirling energy around us, feeling it twist and coil beneath my skin like liquid fire. Each step I took resonated with the pulsing power of the land itself.

The moonlight pulsed brighter as I raised my hand. The earth beneath me hummed, vibrating as if alive. The energy lines that coursed through this land—the same ones we had tracked before—lit up with a blue-white glow, tracing intricate veins across the battlefield. Wolves from both sides froze for a heartbeat, startled by the unexpected display. But I didn’t stop. I unleashed a wave of power, pushing back the first line of Eclipse wolves with a force that made the air crackle.

They stumbled, growling and snarling, but their rage only intensified. They charged again—stronger, faster, teeth bared and claws extended, circling us like predators honing in on their prey. My chest burned with the strain of maintaining the energy, each pulse drawing me closer to my limit.

Lupa watched from behind, her eyes wide, a mix of fear and pride etched across her face. She didn’t interfere, just as she had promised. Yet I could feel her heartbeat through the tension, rapid and unsteady, betraying the unease she tried to conceal. Deep down, I understood this battle was merely the beginning.

I dodged an attack from a towering male wolf, landing hard and rolling through the dirt. Asher was there in an instant, snapping his jaws around the attacker’s neck before he could reach me. Blood splattered across the ground.

“Stay close!” he shouted through our bond, urgency lacing his voice.

I nodded, pushing myself up, but then I felt it—something else.

A new power.

It wasn’t mine. It wasn’t from the Eclipse wolves. It was heavy, ancient, and emanating from deep within the forest.

The Eclipse Alpha froze mid-fight, her eyes darting toward the trees. Even her wolves hesitated. For a moment, the night fell silent.

Then, a figure emerged from the shadows.

A tall man, cloaked in black, his hood pulled low over his face. He moved with an otherworldly grace—silent, dangerous, as if the shadows themselves parted for him.

Everyone—both sides—watched in stunned silence.

He walked straight past the Eclipse wolves, stopping beside me.

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