THE ALTAR OF THE GODDESS VALERIA I glanced to the side , noticing the Alphas daughter had also stepped outside . Well , His Majesty takes protecting his pack very seriously , I replied with my best loyal and diplomatic servant voice . She started chatting with me casually , young and carefree . Excitedly , she talked about a night market held in the town square , where they sold local specialties . The fact that she wasnt staring at me strangely or treating me differently because of my scars earned her a point in my favor . It sounds really interesting . Id love to go , but I cant leave His Majestys side . Im sorry You can go with her if you want , Aldrics voice rumbled behind me . Ill be tied up here for a while . You can explore the market but dont go too far . Ill catch up with you both soon . I turned to see him digging into his pocket , already guessing what he was about to do . Thank you , sir , I replied quickly , practically dragging the girl away with me to escape . Wait , Valeria . He caught my arm , stopping me and forcing me to face him , Take this . Buy whatever you want . I dont care if you spend it all I brought more . He tried pressing the heavy pouch of coins into my hand , but I pulled back , clutching it to my chest . I have my own money , Your Majesty my wages . Ill pay for my personal things . If you need me to buy something for you … No , its for you . Buy dresses , makeup … I dont know , whatever you like , he insisted , stepping closer , still holding out the pouch . Its not necessary , King Lycan . I already received my payment this month for my service as a maid . I refused outright , full of defiance . Before he could react , I walked away , leaving him standing on the porch . His burning gaze lingered on my back , but I straightened it with pride . Im just your servant , King Aldric . Stop confusing me with your mixed signals , I snapped silently to myself . With all this rebellion , will I even make it to tomorrow with my head still on my shoulders ? I wondered , half joking , having no idea of the stormy night awaiting me or the dangers I would soon face . Look , Valeria ! These bracelets are so pretty ! Adele practically dragged me from stall to stall around the market . At last , this gloomy pack seemed to show some life . Paper lanterns floated overhead , casting a warm glow across the bustling square . # 25 BONUS THE ALTAR OF THE GODDESS I got distracted examining some medicinal creams . I hadn given up hope of finding a miracle that could help speed up my healing . But when I turned back around Adele was gone . I scanned the crowd , finally spotting her near the end of the square . She was speaking to someone in the shadows of a dark alley The moment they noticed me watching , the figure slipped away into the darkness , and Adele returned . Her face looked different . Even though she tried to smile , something was clearly bothering her . Im so sorry , Valeria … Something came up with my mate . My parents dont really approve of him . She sounded distressed . I need to go for a little while , okay ? Of course , I told her it wasnt a problem . It was obvious she had used me as an excuse to leave the house and meet him secretly . I watched her disappear into that same dark alley and returned to the market , but I couldnt focus anymore . A raven cawed loudly above me , circling in the night sky . I looked up thoughtfully . I didnt know why , but I felt strangely connected to those birds like they had saved me more than once . Now , something was calling to me , stirring in the depths of this pack . My heartbeat quickened as the ravens cries grew louder , guiding me as it flew in a specific direction . I followed it without thinking drawn by a powerful instinct . Through narrow streets , into the shadows of old houses , I emerged into the wild forest beyond the town . The voice whispered softly in my mind : Come to me , my daughter … Come to me . I reached a clearing with ancient stone ruins , a place that felt sacred like an abandoned temple to the Moon Goddess . At the center , beneath a massive weeping willow , stood a stone altar . Moss covered the cracks in the ancient rock , yet intricate carvings were still visible , and above the cube shaped altar , a crescent moon was sculpted with the delicate face of a woman etched along its inner curve . The power radiating from the monument was undeniable mystical and intense . A strange , addictive scent filled the air . Something about this place felt … familiar . Memories tried to surface , flashes of another temple like this one . Could this be where the stolen artifacts came from ? THE ALTAR OF THE GODDESS +25 BONUS The raven perched atop the stone moon , watching me closely . 1 stepped forward , climbing the worn steps , brushing aside ivy and inoss until I revealed something beneath . What I had first thought were just decorative patterns were actually letters . An ancient script , carved deep into the stone.- It was confusing , but I felt like I was starting to understand I leaned in closer , drawn to decipher the meaning , desperate to see what it said … Can you read whats written there ? A voice broke the silence behind me , making me jump . She had appeared out of nowhere , staring at me with wide , curious eyes too curious . Why did she seem so interested in whether I could read these symbols ? Couldnt she see them too ? The raven cawed again , taking flight as my unease grew stronger . L … I dont know what you mean . They just look like strange decorations to me , I lied , my instincts screaming that my survival depended on it . 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