Moonlight In Chains (Trinity and Asher) novel Chapter 140

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

**CHAPTER 140**

The forest remained enveloped in an eerie silence long after the Guardians had disappeared from view.

Not a single word was uttered. No one dared to move. The very air felt as if it were ensnared, thick and frigid, as if the ancient trees themselves were holding their breath in anticipation.

Eryx stood motionless for what felt like an eternity, his gaze fixed on the spot where the ethereal light had vanished. His expression was a mask of inscrutability, yet I could sense the waves of fear radiating from him. It wasn’t mere panic; it was something far more profound. It was recognition—a realization of the weight of what had just transpired.

Asher’s grip tightened around my hand once more. “Eryx,” he spoke cautiously, “what deal were they discussing?”

Eryx remained silent, his only response a slow pivot as he began to walk back toward the packhouse. His voice emerged low and gravelly, laced with an urgency that sent shivers down my spine. “You all need to hear this inside. Not out here.”

We followed him in a heavy silence, the moonlight filtering through the branches overhead, casting peculiar shadows upon the forest floor. Every sound—every crunch of leaves underfoot, every hurried breath—seemed magnified in the stillness.

Once we entered the packhouse, the warmth enveloped us, yet it did little to soothe the growing unease within me. The others had gathered in the main hall: Gage, Arlo, Dennis, Petra, and several of the higher-ranking warriors. The fire in the fireplace crackled softly, its flickering orange glow illuminating the room in a dim, comforting light.

Eryx stood near the flames, his shoulders taut with tension, his face etched with fatigue. “What I’m about to share with you,” he began in a hushed tone, “has been hidden for centuries. My family ensured it remained buried.”

He lifted his gaze, locking eyes with mine. “When the first Eclipse wolves came into existence, they were not a natural occurrence. The Guardians fashioned them… fashioned us… to maintain the delicate balance between light and shadow. They believed that power must be controlled, shaped, and secured away from the potential to destroy everything.”

Arlo’s brow furrowed in confusion. “So, they engineered your bloodline to contain this power?”

“Precisely,” Eryx replied, his voice heavy with the weight of history. “But they failed to comprehend the consequences of their actions. Our lineage was not merely designed to hold power; it was crafted to absorb it. With each generation, we grew stronger, our bonds became more burdensome, until it began to tear us apart from within. The power was never meant to dwell within flesh.”

He paused, the gravity of his words hanging in the air. “The Guardians recognized their error far too late. Thus, they forged a deal—one intended to rectify their mistake. When the next full eclipse arrives, they would return to reclaim what they had given. They would draw the energy back into themselves, extinguishing the bloodline.”

My stomach knotted at the implication. “End it how?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

Eryx’s eyes flickered toward me, filled with regret. “By eliminating whoever carries it.”

The silence that followed was sharp, a painful tension that hung heavily over us.

Asher stiffened beside me. “No. They won’t get anywhere near her.”

“They will try,” Eryx warned. “And they won’t relent until they succeed. That’s precisely why they’re here now.”

He pointed directly at me. “Because the eclipse is imminent, and you…”

I felt the weight of his words settle over me like a shroud. “You’re the last one left. The final piece of the deal.”

I stared into the fire, feeling its heat on my face but not the warmth it should have brought. My heart raced, pounding so fiercely it felt like it might burst. “So, I was born just to die?”

Eryx’s voice softened, his tone almost sorrowful. “You were born to bring closure to this. One way or another.”

Dennis crossed his arms, his expression tight with concern. “So what do we do now?”

“Prepare,” Eryx replied simply. “Train. Strengthen the bonds. The Guardians believe she will willingly surrender herself. But if she learns to harness the Eclipse power before they return, she might not have to.”

Asher straightened, determination radiating from him. “Then that’s exactly what we’ll do.”

Yet, even as he spoke those words, I could feel the tension that permeated the room, thick and suffocating.

Some of the warriors exchanged furtive glances. Gage’s jaw was clenched tightly, and even Dennis’s gaze lingered on me a moment too long. It was the kind of look one gives to something dangerous.

That unspoken barrier between me and the rest of the pack felt sharper than ever.

Later that night, sleep eluded me. I found myself sitting on the porch outside, cocooned in a blanket, my eyes tracing the clouds as they drifted lazily across the moon. The air was fragrant with the scent of impending rain and pine, and somewhere deep within the forest, a wolf howled—a haunting, low sound that echoed through the stillness.

Asher joined me a few moments later, settling beside me in silence. He offered me a steaming mug of tea, the warmth of his arm brushing against mine, a small comfort amidst the chaos.

“They’re scared of me,” I murmured, my voice barely above a whisper.

He let out a weary sigh. “They’re frightened of what they cannot comprehend.”

I turned my gaze toward the trees, their silhouettes dark against the night sky. “I don’t understand it either.”

He shifted to face me, his expression earnest. “That’s why we will learn together. You, me, Eryx, Arlo, Gage… all of us. We will unravel this mystery before they arrive.”

“Before they kill me, you mean,” I replied, my voice tinged with bitterness.

“Before they try,” he asserted, his tone resolute. “And they will try, Trin. But they won’t prevail. Not while I’m still breathing.”

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