Moonlight In Chains (Trinity and Asher) novel Chapter 137

**TITLE: The Day He Forgot He Hated Me by Evangeline Marrow**

**CHAPTER 137**

The old floorboards of the packhouse creaked ominously once more, a jagged crack slicing through the very heart of the room. Startled gasps erupted as a surge of dark energy coursed through the air, striking like a bolt of lightning and sending an electric shiver through everyone present.

Rafe’s laughter echoed, a low and bitter sound that sent a chill down my spine. “You feel that? That’s merely the beginning,” he taunted, his voice dripping with malice.

“Get everyone outside! Now!” Dennis barked, his commanding tone slicing through the chaos. The flickering lights above us only added to the sense of urgency, casting erratic shadows across anxious faces.

With swift precision, guards rushed to usher people out, their movements frantic yet purposeful. The walls groaned under the pressure, and dust cascaded from the ceiling like a shroud. I desperately reached for Asher’s hand, but before I could grasp it, another shockwave of energy slammed into me, forcefully propelling me against the wall.

“Trinity!” Asher’s voice pierced through the tumult, and in an instant, he was by my side, helping me to my feet. His touch was a grounding force amidst the chaos, tempering the wild pulse of my power, though it did little to quell the tremors that rippled through the floor beneath us.

Rafe’s eyes glimmered with a sinister light, the silver hue twisting into a foreboding dark gray. His veins stood out starkly against his skin, dark as the ink that stained ancient texts. “You thought the shadows were gone,” he hissed, the words slithering through the air. “But they were merely slumbering.”

Eryx moved with lightning speed, a blur of motion as he channeled a surge of energy into a strike aimed at Rafe. The impact sent Rafe crashing into the far wall, the sound reverberating like distant thunder, a warning of the storm brewing within.

But the damage had already been inflicted.

The ground beneath the packhouse began to glow faintly, lines of dark light snaking outward, curling ominously toward the depths of the forest.

Eryx’s expression hardened, his brow furrowing in concern. “He’s opened a fracture,” he stated, urgency lacing his voice. “A link to the old Eclipse seal. It’s highly unstable.”

Arlo stumbled in behind him, his face ashen. “Can we close it?” he asked, a hint of desperation creeping into his tone.

“Not yet,” Eryx replied, his voice steady but filled with tension. “Not until I fully understand what he’s unleashed.”

Rafe knelt on the ground, coughing violently. Dark energy shimmered around him, twisting and curling like smoke. “You can’t stop it,” he whispered, his voice a chilling promise. “It’s already spreading. The Eclipse line belongs to me.”

I stepped closer, ignoring Asher’s warning hand that reached out to me. “You don’t even grasp the magnitude of what you’ve done,” I challenged, my heart racing.

He lifted his gaze, his eyes sharp yet devoid of humanity. “Understanding is irrelevant. What I need is power, and I already possess it.”

Before we could react, Rafe slammed his hands onto the ground with a ferocity that sent a shockwave of energy radiating outward, knocking everyone back once more. The floor split wider, a blinding flash of light cutting through the encroaching darkness.

“Get out!” Eryx shouted, his voice rising above the chaos.

In the blink of an eye, the packhouse floor gave way beneath us.

When I regained consciousness, the biting night air felt like ice against my skin. I lay outside, the acrid smell of smoke and dust heavy in the atmosphere. The packhouse roof had partially collapsed, its walls emanating a faint glow of Eclipse energy.

Asher was beside me, shaking off debris with a concerned look. “You okay?” he asked, his voice gravelly, filled with urgency.

“Yeah,” I managed to reply, pushing myself up with effort. “Rafe?”

Dennis was nearby, barking orders to the guards with a grim expression. “He’s gone,” he said, his tone heavy with defeat. “Vanished into the forest before we could apprehend him.”

Eryx stood a few feet away, his eyes fixed on the glowing cracks snaking across the ground. His expression was inscrutable, but I could sense the tension radiating off him in palpable waves.

Arlo rushed up, clutching a small scanner device he had crafted to detect energy signatures. “The fracture’s still active,” he reported quickly, his brow furrowed in concentration. “It’s spreading underground, following the same pattern as the old seal.”

Eryx turned to me, his gaze intense. “He’s exploiting your connection to the bloodline to amplify it. The energy he siphoned came from you—your mark, your link to the Eclipse line.”

A frown creased my brow. “How is that possible? I didn’t permit him to take anything.”

“He didn’t require your permission,” Eryx explained, his voice steady. “He’s part of your pack bond, which grants him access to the fringes of your power.”

“But he only just arrived at this pack! He doesn’t belong here!” I protested, confusion lacing my words.

“I’m not referring to this pack,” Eryx clarified, his eyes narrowing.

Asher swore under his breath, frustration evident in his tone. “So he’s corrupted the bond.”

Eryx nodded solemnly. “And now the fracture is feeding off it.”

We stood in silence for a moment, the air buzzing faintly with an unsettling energy. The ground glowed with faint, winding lines that stretched toward the trees, almost appearing alive in its ominous dance.

Dennis broke the silence, his voice grave. “What happens if we fail to stop it?”

Eryx’s gaze drifted toward the forest, his expression grave. “If we don’t intervene, it will open completely, and whatever resides on the other side will come through.”

A cold dread settled in my stomach. “You mean the shadows.”

He didn’t meet my eyes. “No. Worse.”

By the time dawn broke, the pack was on high alert, locked down with heightened patrols and reinforced barriers. The training field had transformed into a command center, maps sprawled across tables, ancient relics placed strategically near Eryx’s tools.

Everyone moved with a quiet determination, though an undercurrent of fear lingered just beneath the surface.

Asher and I exchanged few words that morning. He appeared focused and composed on the outside, yet I could sense his worry through our bond, mirroring my own anxious thoughts.

Eryx stood by the map, tracing the lines of energy that spread through our territory. “If Rafe continues to follow the trail of the Eclipse seal, he’ll reach the northern ridge in two days,” he stated, his voice steady. “That’s where the largest relic is buried. If he gets there first…”

“He’ll attempt to control it,” I interjected, the realization dawning on me.

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