Chapter 4

The pack was celebrating when Andreia decided to leave. Howls of joy echoed in the distance, mingling with the sound of drums and laughter.

Maximo's wedding was taking place that night — the union of the future Alpha King with the supposed Daughter of the Moon. All eyes were on the great hall, on the rituals, on the full moon bearing witness to promises Andreia knew were built on lies.

Everyone knew the legend. The Moon would gift the world of wolves with her only daughter — a divine being with nearly limitless power and a radiance that shone for all to see. They believed she was the Moon's daughter by another god, and they awaited her eagerly. They had no idea reality was nothing like that, and Andreia had no interest in explaining herself to anyone.

That night was the perfect chance. With a dark cloak covering her hair and her scent carefully masked, Andreia crossed the boundaries of the territory without looking back.

Every step deeper into the dense forest was also a step away from her past — away from the hunts, from the name they'd tried to strip from her. She was heading toward a new chapter of her life.

The ancient forest received her in respectful silence. The trees stood taller here, their trunks twisted by time, and the air carried a power that made Andreia's skin prickle. Few wolves dared to come near this place.

It was neutral territory — sacred, protected by something older than any pack. But it was also the place Andreia had been taught to go when she needed it. Even though she'd never been here before, she knew exactly where she was headed.

She walked for hours, guided only by instinct and the growing warmth in her belly.

The pregnancy was still early, but it already pulsed like a living flame inside her — responding to the moon, to the forest, to a calling she didn't fully understand.

When the sound of water began to emerge, soft and steady, Andreia knew she'd arrived. The Sacred Waterfalls — a place only beings like her and her baby could enter. Any other wolf would be consumed by the waters.

Crystal-clear water cascaded over moss-covered rocks, forming a silver lake that reflected the moon like a perfect mirror. The energy of the place was so intense that Andreia dropped to her knees at the edge, tears streaming down her face before she even realized it.

Here, there were no kings. No twisted prophecies. Only the moon... and the truth.

"Mother..." she whispered, her voice breaking. "Please hear me. I need you."

The wind shifted. The leaves began to sway in a slow dance, and the moon seemed to burn brighter, its light falling on Andreia alone, as if the rest of the world had vanished. The silver reflection on the water started to ripple, forming a soft, feminine silhouette made of light. The presence was warm. Ancient. Absolute.

"My beloved daughter," a voice echoed — coming from nowhere and everywhere at once. Selena took the shape of a woman, drawing Andreia into the water toward her. "I never stopped hearing you, my child. The only thing I regret is leaving you with your father."

Andreia's hand went to her belly instinctively, a sob catching in her throat.

"I was rejected. Hunted. By the man who swore he loved me," she said. "All I want is to protect my pup. I don't want power. I don't want thrones. Just peace."

Selena wrapped her in a tender embrace, trying to comfort her.

"And that is exactly why you were chosen," the Moon answered. "True power is born from love, not ambition."

The lake water began to glow, and Andreia felt the warmth in her belly expand — not as pain, but as strength. A living, conscious force. Her aura turned blue, the same shade as her mother's.

"You will give birth to a very powerful little being," the Moon continued. "A child who will carry within her the harmony between instinct and reason, between the beast and the heart. She will be more than a she-wolf... she will be a bridge. She will be change."

Andreia held her breath.

"My daughter...?" she whispered.

"My granddaughter," Selena corrected with tenderness. "And she will never be alone."

A beam of silver light descended from the sky, gently touching Andreia's belly. She felt the baby move for the first time — strong, determined, as if answering the Moon's own call.

"I will be with her through every shift," the voice promised. "Through every howl, every fear, every awakening. When your daughter calls to the Moon... I will answer."

Andreia's tears fell freely now, mingling with the sacred water.

"Thank you, Mother," she said, her voice steady for the first time in a long while. "I'll do everything to protect her."

"And I will protect you," Selena replied. "While the world believes in false prophecies, the true heir will grow far from the eyes that seek to control her."

The light began to fade slowly, the wind died down, and the forest returned to its natural silence. But Andreia no longer felt alone.

She stood, touching her belly with a small, tired smile... full of hope.

That night, while Maximo swore fidelity beneath the moon believing he possessed its favor, the true Daughter of the Moon was being blessed among sacred waters and ancient trees.

And destiny — silent and patient — began to fall into place.

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