When The Moon Hides Her Crown novel Chapter 221

SERAPHINA

Save the Crown?

Those three words alone sent a whirlwind of questions and possibilities crashing through my mind.

“But Alpha, shouldn’t we at least get some clue about what we’re stepping into?” one of the Alphas finally voiced, his tone echoing sharply across the grand hall.

At that moment, several Academy wolves entered, marching in two precise rows. Each carried an elongated object shrouded in rich velvet fabric.

“You’ll receive your clue the moment you enter the trial,” Alpha Hugo answered, his voice low and authoritative, commanding immediate attention. “For now, I can only reveal this: among the three victors, the first to rescue the crown from the eagle will secure a direct spot in the finals for the Supreme Alpha throne.”

A ripple of excitement and tension surged through the room. Every Alpha present seemed to ignite with renewed energy, the atmosphere thick with anticipation and fierce rivalry.

My heart thudded so loudly I could almost hear its frantic beat in my ears.

Save the crown first… then advance to the finals.

This was the moment I’d been waiting for—the turning point.

With a surge of determination, I clenched my fists tightly.

I wasn’t just going to survive this trial—I was going to be the one to save the crown.

“Now, accept your identities,” Alpha Hugo commanded, motioning toward the Academy wolves.

One by one, the wolves stepped forward, halting before each of us. In perfect synchronization, they peeled back the velvet coverings, revealing what were, in fact, masks.

Masks intricately carved to resemble various animals.

“Wow, I got a lion!” an Alpha exclaimed, pride shining in his voice.

“I’ve got an elephant!” another shouted, his excitement palpable.

“A bear!” someone else called out.

The hall buzzed with their voices, a blend of curiosity, eagerness, and underlying tension merging into a chaotic hum.

When it was my turn, the wolf standing before me bowed respectfully and handed me my mask.

A wolf.

Its fur was impossibly soft—almost unnervingly so—and when I brushed my fingers over it, it felt almost alive beneath my touch.

“So this is our identity,” Phina’s voice whispered in my mind, thoughtful and quiet.

I pressed my lips together, scrutinizing the mask carefully. Each of us had been assigned an animal mask, a new persona to conceal our true selves behind. Our mission was to save the crown from the eagle—but who held the eagle’s mask?

Raising my eyes to scan the others, I froze.

I couldn’t see any of their masks clearly.

Chapter 221: The Eagle

No matter how hard I tried, every mask appeared blank—featureless, colorless, shifting like shadows in the dim light. Judging by the expressions around me, everyone else was seeing the same unsettling sight.

Confusion rippled through the group.

Alpha Ethan leaned in slightly, as if attempting to glimpse mine, while others exchanged furtive glances, trying desperately to read what was impossible to read.

Slowly, the realization settled over everyone.

No one could see anyone else’s mask. No one could tell who was who.

That meant… anyone could be the eagle.

A heavy silence descended on the hall, thick with suspicion and unease. The usual chatter died away, replaced by tense, watchful quiet. Some gritted their teeth, revealing their frustration, while others remained utterly silent, their faces unreadable.

In that charged stillness, one thought echoed clearly in my mind—

This wasn’t just a trial. It was a hunt.

“Now, don your identities and enter the trial when I announce it, Alphas,” Alpha Hugo ordered, stepping down from the platform. Then, pausing mid-step, he turned back with a sly smile. “Ah, a hint… I will give you this: once you lose your mask, you fail the trial.”

The room froze in shock. Hands instinctively tightened around masks. Alpha Hugo descended the platform casually, leaving a heavy tension hanging in the air.

Everyone’s eyes flicked to one another, waiting to see who would be the first to put on their mask. My gaze, however, drifted to the solitary empty seat on the raised platform. Then it shifted upward to the door and the audience beyond.

Ronan was not there.

For the first time, I was about to enter a trial without him. Not just him, but everyone who had been punished was absent.

“Now, enter the trial!” Alpha Hugo’s voice rang out sharply.

In a flash, every Alpha pulled their mask over their face. I slid mine on slowly, lifting my head with measured breath. But the moment I opened my eyes, they widened in shock.

My body felt frozen as I realized I was no longer standing in the Academy’s Grand Hall.

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify