Moonlight In Chains (Trinity and Asher) novel Chapter 69

CHAPTER 69

From outside, a sharp knock rattled the door. Gage’s voice came through, tense and urgent.

“You’re going to want to come out here.”

My blood ran cold at the tone in his voice. Asher and Petra exchanged a look, both instantly on guard.

I wiped my eyes, shoved my fear down deep, and nodded. Whatever waited outside, it wasn’t going to wait for me to be ready.

Asher stepped in front of me as we crossed the threshold. His hand gripped mine tightly, grounding me, but his senses were already flaring. Gage and Arlo were at the edge of the porch, their bodies coiled like predators, eyes scanning the yard with a vigilance I hadn’t seen since the last rogue attack. Every small rustle of leaves, every whisper of wind seemed magnified, as if the night itself were watching.

The sky had already shifted. The sun, which had been brilliant only moments before, was gone. In its place hung a massive, blood–red moon, low and unnervingly close. Shadows stretched unnaturally long, and the air felt thick, almost alive, buzzing against our skin. A faint metallic tang of danger lingered, and even the familiar scent of the woods seemed warped, threatening. My stomach churned, and I realized we were no longer just stepping into the yard–we were stepping into something far older and far more dangerous than anything I had faced before.

“What the hell…” I whispered, unable to look away.

Petra’s voice was calm but tight. “A blood moon. It’s not natural, not like this, and it’s dangerous.”

Gage’s jaw was tight. “It’s not just the moon. Something’s out there. Something… I’ve never felt this way before. And I don’t think it’s alone.”

Even Arlo, normally the fearless one, swallowed hard. “Whatever it is, it’s feeding off the blood moon. It’s… bigger than anything we’ve fought before.”

I shivered, clutching Asher’s arm. “What… what is it?”

People were coming out of their houses to see what was going on, their faces pale with fear, and Gage and Arlo started yelling at them to get to shelter. They needed to get the hell out of here, now. So they grabbed their families, shoving and urging them forward, and they ran off as fast as possible towards the nearest shelters, the sound of pounding feet echoing against

the empty streets.

CHAPTER 69

+25 Points

Before anyone could answer my question, a figure emerged from the shadows at the edge of the yard. It was tall, impossibly broad, and wrong in every way. Limbs too long, movements too fluid, head tilting as if measuring us, and a sense of malice radiating from its very presence. Its eyes glowed gold, piercing through the unnatural red light, staring straight into our souls like it already knew all our secrets.

My stomach turned. “It’s… it’s not human.” I breathed.

Asher’s hand tightened on mine, a silent warning. “No. Not human.” He said, voice low, steady but edged with danger.

The twins exchanged a look, and I could see the recognition flash in their eyes. Arlo whispered, “Skinwalker.”

“A… what?”

Gage’s expression hardened. “A skinwalker. Feeds on wolves. Especially strong ones. And that blood moon? It’s giving it strength. Whatever it’s here for… it’s serious.”

Petra’s gaze swept the yard, her lips pressed into a thin line. “It’s waiting for you.” She said quietly, and when she said it, I felt the weight of her certainty settle in my chest.

I swallowed hard. “Me? Why me?”

Asher’s jaw tightened. “Because it knows. Because it thinks you have what it wants.” His wolf senses flared, heat radiating from him in a way I could feel in my bones.

The creature shifted. Its form flickered, shimmering in the air like a mirage. For a heartbeat, it appeared human: dark hair, lean but terrifyingly strong, and a smile that sent chills down my spine. “You can’t hide.” it said, voice smooth, cold. “She belongs to me.”

I stumbled back, pressing closer to Asher. Gage and Arlo growled, low and threatening. Dennis stepped into the yard, massive and commanding, the Alpha of our pack, and even

then the creature didn’t retreat.

Dennis’s voice was calm, dangerous. “It’s not just a skinwalker. It’s been feeding, growing stronger. This blood moon… it’s amplifying it.”

The creature hissed, crouching like a predator. “I don’t need permission, Alpha. I only need her.”

My chest tightened. I barely noticed Asher shift forward, muscles coiling. His wolf was ready to protect, to attack, to destroy anything that dared move toward me.

And then the blood moon flared brighter. The red light washed over the yard, shadows deepening, the skinwalker pausing mid–step, its head tilting toward the sky. Its power visibly

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CHAPTER 69

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grew, and I felt it pulse through the ground beneath our feet, through my bones, and even into the air itself.

Petra shouted, “Stay back! Don’t give it fear! That’s how it grows stronger!”

I pressed against Asher, trying to keep myself steady. The creature’s golden eyes locked on me, unblinking. “Time to finish what your parents started.” It whispered.

I froze. My throat went dry. “What… what do you mean?”

“You don’t want to know.” Asher muttered, but his hand didn’t loosen its grip.

The skinwalker crouched again, ready to strike. I could see the tension in the twins, claws scraping the porch, eyes glowing amber as their wolves surfaced in warning. Dennis stepped closer, his presence a wall of authority and power, but even he didn’t immediately attack. The air was thick with the creature’s energy, and I could feel it pulling at the edges of my mind, whispering threats and promises I didn’t understand.

And then, with a sudden movement, it leapt. Faster than I could react, it landed just where I had been standing. Dirt and debris flew, and I screamed, ducking instinctively behind Asher.

Gage and Arlo lunged to intercept, flanking the creature, claws slashing, teeth bared. Dennis roared, a sound that could shake mountains, but even he stopped short of touching it

directly.

The skinwalker shimmered again, flickering between human and beast, feeding off the fear and tension that radiated from all of us. I felt it in my chest, a pulse that made my blood run

cold.

Petra’s voice cut through the chaos. “It’s feeding! Fear is its power. Fight it with calm, not rage. Don’t let it touch you!”

I gritted my teeth, trying to push down the terror. My wolf instincts screamed to run, to fight, to scream anything but stand there. But I held on to Asher’s arm, letting him anchor me as the skinwalker circled, stalking.

–

The red moon flared again, higher, brighter. The shadows seemed to thicken, wrapping the yard in darkness even as the red light burned. The skinwalker paused, head back, drinking in the energy of the eclipse. Its form pulsed and warped, stronger, larger, unstoppable – and then it vanished.

One second it was there, glowing gold and red, the next, nothing but shadows. But I felt it. Its presence lingered like smoke, curling around the yard, coiling toward me, promising it would

return.

< CHAPTER 69

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