Moonlight In Chains (Trinity and Asher) novel Chapter 146

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**The Day He Forgot He Hated Me**

The forest lay in an eerie stillness, a silence that felt anything but secure. Each leaf trembled, each branch quivered, as if the very fabric of nature was holding its breath in anticipation. The energy of the Eclipse pulsed around us like a living thing, and Kaelen, older now and unfamiliar with the depths of this full-bloodline power, stood beside me, his posture tense yet resolute.

Asher’s presence anchored me, a steady warmth that seeped into my bones. Behind us, the pack formed an unwavering barrier of strength and loyalty—Gage, Dennis, Arlo, and others who could fight had taken their places, ready and waiting. Yet, even their combined might did little to quell the gnawing unease that hung in the air like a storm cloud pregnant with rain.

Kaelen shifted slightly, his silver hair glinting in the moonlight, and broke the silence. “I’ve never encountered anything like this before,” he confessed, his voice tinged with awe and fear. “The energy… it’s colossal. I can sense it everywhere, wrapping around us.”

Eryx, his gaze sharp as he scanned the shadows lurking just beyond the clearing, nodded in agreement. “You’ve survived all these years, Kaelen. Your bloodline may be diminished, but it still serves as a tether—a connection that could be pivotal tonight.”

I turned to Eryx, surprised by the strength he exuded, a stark contrast to the uncertainty I had felt before. “We will get through this together,” I declared with conviction, my voice steady. “Just follow my lead.”

He swallowed hard, a flicker of determination igniting in his eyes. The tension in the clearing thickened, building like a tempest, each heartbeat resonating louder than the last. The shadows summoned by Rafe were regrouping, swirling at the edges of our perimeter, alive like smoke, restless and eager for chaos. But now, something darker stirred behind them, a weighty presence that made the air vibrate, as if the very forest was holding its breath, waiting for what was to come.

Then, it happened—the first sign of our impending doom. A black shape materialized from the treeline, moving with a speed that seemed almost supernatural, gliding effortlessly across the forest floor. It showed no signs of hesitation, no desire to conceal itself. It advanced towards us, a predator driven by purpose.

“Rafe!” I hissed, feeling his energy surge from the shadows, a twisted echo of our own. “They can’t stop me!” he shouted defiantly, stepping into the clearing. But even he faltered as the black shape fully emerged, revealing its true form.

It was colossal, a grotesque amalgamation of shadow and solidity, as if smoke and stone had fused into a living nightmare. Its eyes glowed a fierce red, scanning the pack with a predatory intelligence that felt as though it could see straight through our souls. A wave of fear washed over me, sharp and electric, igniting every nerve in my body, making the hair on my arms stand on end and my chest constrict with icy dread.

“What… what is that?” Kaelen murmured, his body tensing beside me, claws instinctively digging into the earth.

Eryx’s voice dropped to a near whisper, heavy with the weight of knowledge. “That is the original Eclipse… the entity that ignited this bloodline conflict. It was never truly destroyed. It has been lurking, feeding, evolving. And now it knows we possess the last true heir.”

I clenched my fists, feeling the bloodline within me stir like a tempest, coiling with energy in my veins. My power flared in response to the creature’s presence, a brilliant pulse that shot through Kaelen, Asher, Gage, and the rest of the pack, awakening their instincts. The being recoiled slightly, momentarily taken aback by the strength we wielded.

“This is it,” I whispered, my teeth grinding together. “Everything we’ve trained for… it all comes down to this moment. There’s no turning back now.”

Rafe’s laughter rang out, a sharp, bitter sound that grated against my nerves. “You really believe you can stop it? You’re just children playing with forces you don’t comprehend!”

Without warning, he lunged from the shadows, unleashing a torrent of writhing, dark tendrils aimed at the pack. I reacted instinctively, drawing upon the Eclipse energy to conjure a glowing, pulsing shield. Kaelen mirrored my actions, his energy smaller yet steady, trembling like a candle flickering in a storm. The tendrils struck the shield with a hiss, shattering upon impact like glass, but another wave surged forward, faster and angrier.

Asher pressed close against me, his warmth a reassuring presence. “Don’t let it invade your thoughts. Focus on the bond we share,” he urged, his voice steady.

I nodded, inhaling deeply to center myself. I could feel the pack’s energy, my father’s guiding presence weaving through the bond, Kaelen’s tether anchoring the Eclipse in place. The being roared, a sound that reverberated through the trees, shaking the ground beneath us like liquid shadow. It advanced again, claws forming, jagged and gleaming, aimed directly at the relics.

“Protect the relics!” Eryx commanded, surging forward, channeling his energy through the stones. They pulsed rhythmically with ours, a heartbeat of power that synchronized with the tension in my chest.

Gage moved alongside him, fists igniting with flickering energy, the air around him shimmering with potential. Arlo remained slightly behind, arms outstretched, feeding energy into the circle from a distance. Even though he was weaker than Kaelen and me, his strategic contribution felt essential, like the quiet keystone holding a crumbling arch together.

Kaelen’s grip tightened on my hand. “I can do this,” he declared, and for the first time, a sliver of certainty broke through the fear that had enveloped us. I believed him, and with that belief, I steeled myself for the storm ahead.