Page 94 of The Onyx Covenant

The light pulses gently now, almost comforting. “You need to let go.”

“Let go of what?” I whisper.

“Of who you believe you should be. Of the boundaries that limit what you could become.”

As the being speaks, I feel something within me shifting, like a key turning in a lock I didn’t know existed. The silver light grows brighter, enveloping me completely, and I feel myself falling, spinning?—

I gasp awake, the sensation of falling jerking me back to consciousness. Instead of hitting the ground, I feel strong arms catch and cradle me against a solid chest. Theron. His scent fills my senses as my eyes flutter open.

“I’ve got you,” he murmurs, his silvery gaze smiling at the corners. “You’re back. Thought I’d lost you.”

“What… what happened?” My voice comes out raspy, my throat dry.

“You don’t remember?” Theron asks, helping me stand, though his hands linger on my arms as if worried I might collapse again.

Kieran hovers nearby, his usual cocky expression replaced by something close to awe. “You went full moon priestess on us. Floating, glowing, the whole ancestral spirit package.” He gestures vaguely at my face. “Your brow is still doing the glow thing, by the way.”

I reach up, feeling warmth under my fingertips, where the most intricate of my priestess markings trace a delicate pattern across my forehead.

“You were possessed or something,” Kieran continues, keeping a careful distance. “That’s some serious priestess shit, even for an Elios.” Despite his flippant words, I can see he’s genuinely unsettled. “I was expecting you to start prophesying the end of the world or demanding virgin sacrifices.”

“Shut up, Kieran,” Theron growls.

I take a steadying breath, images from my vision still vivid in my mind. “I think I just spoke with the Elios Moon God.”

“The what now?” Kieran blinks.

“The deity of my pack,” I clarify. “At least, I think that’s who it was. A being of light, ancient, powerful.”

Theron’s expression grows serious. “What did it want?”

I look at him, really look at him, at the man who once held my heart and perhaps never truly relinquished his claim on it. The vision’s message echoes in my mind.

“I need to be honest,” I say, the words feeling like stones in my throat. “I’ve been struggling with something…” I pause, gathering courage. “I’ve been battling with the idea of you winning, with my pack coming second again, with whether I should ensure Aria and Orion win instead.”

Theron’s expression doesn’t change, but something in his eyes darkens. He says nothing, just watches me, his jaw tight.

“Don’t ask me how I could do it, but I’ve been torn,” I continue, needing to get this out. “Part of me has been holding back, wondering if I should sabotage our chances.”

A muscle twitches in Theron’s jaw as he glances down, then back up at me. The silence stretches between us, heavy with unspoken emotions.

“I think it’s been holding me back, us back,” I admit. “Working against everything we’ve accomplished together. It goes against everything I want for myself, but…” I take a deep breath. “The vision showed me that I need to help you win. That it’s what the Elios Moon God wants. This must be a vision for a reason, right?”

Theron is quiet for a long moment, his expression unreadable.

“I can’t say it doesn’t hurt to hear that, Lyra, but I can’t blame you.” He runs a hand through his dark hair. “The division between our packs has brought up so much anger and hatred when we should be one. That’s my goal—to unite the packs, not suppress yours.”

I blink at his sincerity. He’s hinted at similar things before, but I wasn’t sure how he would actually ever achieve that without a full-out war.

“But your father…” I start. “And the others who don’t want that…”

“Will have to be dealt with,” Kieran interrupts, stepping closer. His amber eyes burn with determination. “Listen, Lyra, you just had a fucking divine vision. A god spoke to you. So let’s go change this shit.” He grins suddenly, wild and reckless. “Fuck the old farts. We have a god on our side!”

Despite everything, I feel a laugh bubble up from somewhere deep inside me.

Theron steps closer, his eyes finding mine, unwavering.

“Then we do this together, all the way,” he says, his voice low and resolute. “No more doubts between us. My father, the packs, all of it—we face it as one.” He extends his hand to me, a gesture that carries more weight than words could express. I accept it, and he drags me into a powerful hug. I melt into it, and my next breath hiccups all the way down to my lungs.

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