Chapter 7 New Moonlight Radiance

Elena's warning haunted me through the restless night. My father—alive and somehow connected to the silver blood epidemic. The scientist who had stolen me from the wolves, erased my memories, and apparently spent decades studying my blood. The silver-eyed man from my childhood memories.

By morning, Elena had recovered enough strength to sit up and take fluids. Her transformation back to human form had stabilized, though she remained weak. Connor had called an emergency meeting with his most trusted pack members—Lydia, two senior guards, and surprisingly, Ezra. Despite our differences, the old shaman's knowledge was invaluable.

"The silver ritual hasn't been practiced since the Great Division," Ezra explained when Connor showed him my sketch of the pattern from Elena's blood. "When our ancestors split from the Old World packs."

"What exactly does the ritual do?" I asked.

Ezra's expression was grave. "It allows a wolf to absorb the power of another by corrupting their blood to silver, then consuming it at the moment of death."

"That's horrific," I said, unable to hide my disgust.

"It's forbidden knowledge," Ezra agreed. "Lost to most. The fact that someone is using it suggests a connection to the ancient texts."

Elena, wrapped in borrowed clothes and propped up on pillows, spoke weakly. "Three days ago, a man came to Shadow Creek claiming to be a historian researching wolf folklore. He gained access to our archives."

"What did he look like?" Connor asked.

"Ordinary. Gray hair, glasses. Scholarly." Elena paused. "But his eyes... when the light caught them just right, they reflected like silver mirrors."

My heart pounded. "Did he give a name?"

"Professor Carter," Elena replied, watching my reaction carefully. "I made the connection to you, but I assumed it was coincidence."

The room fell silent. All eyes turned to me, some suspicious, others concerned.

"My father's name was Michael Carter," I said finally. "He was a pharmaceutical researcher specializing in immunology. He died of pancreatic cancer five years ago. I watched him die."

"Or you watched what he wanted you to see," Connor suggested gently.

The possibility was too disturbing to contemplate. "If it is him, what does he want? Why target the packs now?"

"The prophecy," Ezra said, as if it were obvious. "If you are truly the silver mother returned, your father would know the power your blood holds. And he would know that power increases when the silver curse manifests."

"He's been experimenting for decades," Elena added. "Using your blood to develop something. Perhaps the final phase requires active silver blood to combine with your antibodies."

It made a terrible kind of sense. My father's careful monitoring throughout my childhood. The monthly blood draws. The research facility he never allowed me to visit. Even my career path—had my interest in medicine been my own, or subtly guided to ensure I understood enough biochemistry to be useful to him?

"We need to protect the remaining Alphas," Connor decided. "And we need to find this man before he causes more harm."

"I know where to start," I said, an idea forming. "My patient who died—the one with the injection marks. If my father was behind it, there would be traces of his research method. I need access to the full autopsy report."

"It's sealed," Connor reminded me. "Part of your settlement agreement."

"Then we'll need to unseal it." I turned to Elena. "Can your pack's contacts in the human world help? Someone with legal or law enforcement connections?"

She nodded. "I'll make some calls when I'm stronger."

"In the meantime," I continued, "we need to secure both villages and alert the other regional packs. If my father is systematically targeting Alphas, they need to be warned."

Connor looked impressed by my strategic thinking. "We'll send runners today."

"And the council?" Ezra asked pointedly. "They must be informed of these developments."

"You'll inform them," Connor replied. "But emphasize that Dr. Carter is our ally in this, not a threat. Her connection to the man targeting us may be our greatest advantage."

Ezra studied me thoughtfully, his previous hostility somewhat diminished. "Perhaps the prophecy has meaning after all. The silver mother returns when blood turns to silver."

"I don't care about prophecies," I said firmly. "I care about stopping a biological attack on your people and finding the truth about my past."

The meeting disbanded with clear assignments for everyone. Elena would remain at Gray Ridge to recover while her second-in-command protected Shadow Creek. Runners would be sent to neighboring packs with warnings and samples of my serum. Ezra would inform the council while keeping them from interfering with our work.

As the others left, Connor and I returned to the clinic to continue our research. The solution to neutralizing the silver blood was working, but required my direct blood donation for each patient—an unsustainable approach if the condition continued to spread.

"We need to synthesize the antibodies," I said, examining cellular samples under the microscope. "Create a vaccine that packs can administer themselves."

"Is that possible?" Connor asked, organizing our notes.

"Theoretically, yes. But it would require equipment we don't have here." I straightened, rubbing my tired eyes. "We need a proper laboratory."

Connor was quiet for a moment. "Your father would have one."

The implication was clear. "You want to find his lab."

"If Elena's contact can get us the autopsy report, it might contain clues. Trace elements, unique compounds that could be tracked to a source."

The idea was both terrifying and necessary. Confronting my father—if he truly was alive—meant confronting everything I'd believed about my life. But people were suffering, possibly dying, because of his actions.

"We'll need more of my blood samples," I said, already rolling up my sleeve. "And we should document everything we've learned about the silver patterns."

Connor watched me prepare the needle with a troubled expression. "You've given too much blood already, Alison. You need to rest."

"We don't have time for rest," I countered. "The next full moon is in two weeks. If the pattern holds, the silver blood cases will accelerate as we approach it."

Before he could argue further, the clinic door opened and Lydia entered, carrying a satellite phone. "Call from Shadow Creek," she announced. "They've found something in their archives that you both need to see."

The document arrived via encrypted email an hour later—a scanned copy of an ancient text, the ink faded but still legible. The language was unfamiliar to me, but Connor read it with growing concern.

"It's a detailed account of the silver ritual," he explained. "More complete than anything our pack possesses. It describes how to induce the silver blood condition and how to harvest it at its peak potency."

"During the full moon?" I guessed.

"Yes. But it requires a specific catalyst." His eyes met mine. "Blood of the silver mother, freely given."

I felt sick. "My father has had access to my blood for years."

"But perhaps not in the right form," Connor suggested. "The text specifies that the blood must be given freely, with knowledge of its purpose. Blood taken by deception wouldn't work."

"So he needs me to willingly donate blood, knowing it will be used in this ritual?" I shook my head. "That would never happen."

"Unless he found a way to manipulate you," Lydia suggested quietly. "Just as he manipulated your memories before."

The thought was chilling. What else might my father have planted in my mind? What triggers or compulsions might be lurking beneath my consciousness?

"We need to assume I'm compromised," I said finally. "That he may have left some kind of psychological backdoor."

Connor's expression hardened. "Then we keep you away from him at all costs."

"That won't solve the immediate crisis," I pointed out. "People are still getting sick. We still need a cure."

"The cure is in your blood," Lydia said. "But we need to understand why. What makes you different, Alison?"

I thought about my recovered memories—the childhood among wolves, the healing ability I'd demonstrated even as a small child. "I need to know more about my origins. Not just who raised me, but where I came from before the packs found me."

Connor and Lydia exchanged glances. "There's someone who might know," Connor said cautiously. "The midwife who was present when you were brought to Shadow Creek as an infant. She's very old now, but her mind remains sharp."

"Where is she?" I asked eagerly.

"Living in isolation at the sacred hot springs," Lydia replied. "She left pack life decades ago to serve as guardian of the healing waters."

Connor checked his watch. "It's a three-hour hike. If we leave now, we can reach her by sunset."

The journey through the forest was arduous but strangely peaceful. As we hiked deeper into the wilderness, I felt an increasing sense of familiarity—not from recovered memories, but something more primal. My body seemed to know this landscape intimately, responding to its rhythms and challenges with unexpected ease.

"You move like one of us now," Connor observed as I navigated a tricky rock formation. "Your stride has changed since you arrived."

I hadn't noticed, but he was right. My movements had become more fluid, more efficient. Even my senses seemed sharper—I could detect subtle shifts in the wind, identify various animal trails by scent, hear movements in the underbrush that would have escaped my notice before.

"It's like my body is remembering what my mind forgot," I said, pausing to look back at the valley we'd climbed from. From this height, both pack territories were visible—Gray Ridge to the west, Shadow Creek to the east, separated by the river that cut through the center of the valley.

"Two packs, divided by old grievances," Connor mused, following my gaze. "The prophecy speaks of the silver mother uniting what was divided."

"I'm not sure one person can heal generations of mistrust," I said skeptically.

"You've already begun," he pointed out. "Your treatment protocols are being shared between packs for the first time in decades. Elena and I are cooperating in ways our fathers never would have considered."

There was truth in his words. The crisis had forced cooperation where tradition had maintained separation. Perhaps there was something to the prophecy after all.

We reached the hot springs as the sun dipped behind the western peaks. Steam rose from a series of natural pools nestled among ancient boulders, creating an ethereal atmosphere. A small cabin stood nearby, smoke curling from its chimney.

An elderly woman emerged as we approached, her white hair bound in a simple braid. Despite her age, she stood straight, her movements deliberate and graceful.

"I've been expecting you," she said, her voice surprisingly strong. "The signs have spoken of your coming for weeks."

"Grandmother Sage," Connor greeted her respectfully. "We seek your wisdom."

Her sharp eyes fixed on me. "The lost cub returns. Come closer, child."

I approached cautiously, unsure what to expect. She reached up, her gnarled fingers tracing the scar on my collarbone with surprising tenderness.

"You wish to know your beginning," she stated rather than asked. "Before the wolves, before the hunter."

"Yes," I replied simply.

She gestured toward the cabin. "Come. Such stories are best told by firelight."

Inside, the single room was neat and sparsely furnished. Herbs hung from the rafters, and shelves lined the walls, filled with ancient texts and curious artifacts. She bade us sit at a small table while she prepared tea.

"Twenty-eight years ago," she began without preamble, "a woman came to these springs. She was human, young, and heavy with child. She sought sanctuary, saying those who hunted wolves also hunted her."

I leaned forward, heart pounding. "Was she my mother?"

Sage nodded. "Isabel was her name. She carried special blood—blood that could heal or harm our kind. The packs had protected her family for generations, keeping their gift secret from those who would misuse it."

"The silver mother lineage," Connor murmured.

"Indeed." Sage placed steaming cups before us. "But Isabel had fallen in love with a scientist who discovered her secret. When she realized he wanted her blood more than her heart, she fled. She was eight months pregnant when she reached us."

"With me," I whispered.

"Yes. You were born here, in this cabin, during a lunar eclipse—a rare alignment that occurs only once every few decades. Hence your true name: Eclipse."

The name resonated within me like a forgotten melody. "Eclipse," I repeated softly.

"Isabel was weak after the birth," Sage continued. "The journey had taken its toll. She lived long enough to name you and extract a promise that you would be protected from your father."

"Michael Carter," I said.

Sage shook her head. "That was the name he used later. When Isabel knew him, he called himself Dr. Silverman."

The significance wasn't lost on me. "Silver eyes. Silver blood. It's all connected."

"Isabel warned us he had discovered ancient wolf magic and was combining it with modern science to unlock immortality. He believed the key lay in the union of silver mother blood with Alpha wolf essence."

"The silver ritual," Connor realized. "He's been working toward this for decades."

"Isabel died three days after your birth," Sage said gently. "The packs honored her wish that you be raised among us, protected from your father. You spent your early years moving between Gray Ridge and Shadow Creek—a living symbol of unity."

"Until the raid," I said, memories flowing more freely now. "Until my father found me."

"Yes." Sage sipped her tea. "We failed in our promise to Isabel that day. But perhaps the wheel turns as it must. Perhaps you needed to learn the ways of humans to fulfill your true purpose."

"Which is what, exactly?" I asked, frustration edging my voice. "Everyone speaks of prophecies and purposes, but no one will tell me plainly what I'm supposed to do."

Sage's expression was serene. "Heal the silver blood. Unite the divided packs. Stop the one who would corrupt our essence for his own gain. The how of it must be your own discovery."

It wasn't the clear answer I'd hoped for, but it aligned with what I already knew I needed to do. Stop my father. Cure the silver blood condition. Bring the packs together.

"There's one more thing you should know," Sage added, her tone more serious. "The mark you bear—" she gestured to my collarbone, "—is not just a symbol. It's a key."

"A key to what?" Connor asked.

"To the balance between human and wolf. Those who bear it can cross between worlds without losing themselves. They can transform without the pain and madness that sometimes claims our kind."

I stared at her in disbelief. "Are you saying I can transform? Like a werewolf?"

"You are neither fully human nor fully wolf, Eclipse. You are the bridge between. Your mother's lineage carried the silver mother gift. Your father, unknown to Isabel when they met, carried dormant wolf genes from an ancestor who abandoned the pack. You were born of both worlds."

The revelation stunned me into silence. Connor looked equally shocked.

"Why hasn't she transformed before now, if she has the ability?" he finally asked.

"The memory suppression blocked more than her mind—it blocked her wolf nature as well," Sage explained. "But that blockage is dissolving. I suspect you've already noticed changes."

She was right. The enhanced senses, the improved physical abilities, the way my body healed with unnatural speed. All signs of something awakening within me.

"How do I control it?" I asked, practicality asserting itself through my shock. "If I'm going to transform, I need to understand how it works."

"The hot springs can help," Sage said. "The mineral waters amplify our connection to our dual nature. They may help you find balance as the transformation approaches."

"You mean it could happen soon?"

"The lunar eclipse returns in thirteen days. The same alignment under which you were born. It will likely trigger your first shift."

Connor cursed softly. "The eclipse coincides with the full moon. The peak of the silver blood cycle."

"And likely the time my father plans to complete whatever ritual he's preparing," I added grimly.

Sage nodded. "All paths converge. As they must."

She directed us to bathe in separate hot spring pools before resting for the night. "The waters will help clarify your path forward," she promised.

The pool she led me to was secluded, surrounded by smooth boulders that glowed faintly in the moonlight. The water steamed invitingly, smelling of minerals and something else—an earthy, primal scent that called to something deep within me.

As I slipped into the warm water, a sense of profound rightness enveloped me. My muscles relaxed, and my mind cleared of the confusion and fear that had plagued me since discovering the truth about my past. Here, in this ancient place, the dual nature Sage had described didn't seem frightening or impossible. It felt natural, a completion rather than a division.

I floated in the mineral-rich water, watching stars appear in the darkening sky. For the first time since arriving at Gray Ridge, I felt truly at peace with what I was becoming. Not human. Not wolf. But something uniquely my own.

When I finally emerged from the pool, I found clean clothes laid out for me—simple garments in the style worn by pack women, but comfortable and practical. I changed and followed the path Sage had indicated back to the cabin.

Connor was already there, his hair still damp from his own ritual bath. Something had shifted in him as well—a new clarity in his eyes, a steadiness in his posture. Whatever guidance the springs had offered, he seemed to have found what he sought.

Sage prepared a simple meal, and we ate mostly in silence, each processing what we had learned. After dinner, she showed us to sleeping pallets on opposite sides of the cabin's main room before retiring to her own small chamber.

In the quiet darkness, Connor's voice reached me softly. "Are you afraid? Of what's coming?"

I considered the question honestly. "Not of transforming, strangely enough. That feels... right, somehow. I'm afraid of facing my father. Of what he might still be able to make me do."

"You're stronger than his conditioning," Connor assured me. "Your true self is emerging more each day."

"And if it's not enough? If he's planned for this all along?"

"Then you won't face him alone." The conviction in his voice was unwavering. "I made a promise to protect you when we were children. That promise stands."

His words brought unexpected tears to my eyes. "Thank you, Connor."

We fell silent, but I felt our connection across the darkened room—stronger than before, deepened by shared understanding and purpose.

Morning brought new clarity and determination. Over breakfast, Sage provided us with herbs to aid my transition and protect against memory manipulation. She also gave me a small stone pendant carved with the same horseshoe symbol as my birthmark.

"Wear this close to your heart," she instructed. "It will help ground you when the changes begin."

As we prepared to leave, she pulled me aside. "The path ahead is dangerous, Silver Daughter. Your father has had decades to plan, while you are just awakening to your power."

"I know," I acknowledged. "But I have something he doesn't."

"And what is that?"

I glanced at Connor, who was checking our supplies by the door. "People I trust. People who know the real me, even when I didn't know myself."

Sage smiled approvingly. "Trust in that bond. It may be your greatest strength."

The journey back to Gray Ridge was quicker than our ascent had been. We moved with renewed purpose, stopping only briefly to gather certain herbs Sage had recommended for strengthening the serum.

When we reached the village, we found it transformed. In our absence, Ezra had mobilized the pack to prepare for what he now openly called "the coming battle." Guards patrolled the perimeter, and the central gathering area had been converted into a combination medical center and strategic headquarters.

Elena met us at the clinic, looking much recovered. "We've received word from three neighboring packs," she reported. "All have Alphas showing early symptoms of silver blood."

"The serum samples we sent?" Connor asked.

"Working, but slowly. They're not as effective as your direct treatment." She turned to me. "Your father is accelerating his timeline. We think he's tracking the distribution of the serum—two couriers were attacked on their return journeys."

"He's trying to cut off our communication with the other packs," Connor concluded. "Isolate each Alpha so they can be targeted individually."

I moved to the laboratory area I'd set up, examining the latest batch of serum. "With what we've learned from Sage, I think I can improve this. Make it more potent, less dependent on my direct blood donation."

"How soon?" Elena asked.

"Give me twelve hours."

Connor nodded. "In the meantime, I want to consolidate our forces. Elena, bring your most vulnerable pack members here. We'll defend both packs together."

It was a significant departure from tradition—Shadow Creek members living within Gray Ridge territory—but Elena agreed without hesitation. The crisis had indeed brought the packs together in ways I could never have imagined when I first arrived.

As Elena left to arrange the transfer, Connor turned to me. "There's something else we need to discuss. The council has been deliberating in our absence. They've reached a decision about your status."

My hands stilled over the laboratory equipment. "And?"

"They want to formally recognize you as a pack member. Not just an ally, but one of us. With all the rights and responsibilities that entails."

I hadn't expected this. "Even Ezra agrees?"

"Especially Ezra," Connor said with a hint of irony. "Once he accepted the prophecy applies to you, he became your strongest advocate. The old ways are important to him—if you're the silver mother returned, tradition demands you be honored."

"And what about you?" I asked quietly. "What do you want?"

Connor's expression softened. "I want you to choose freely, Alison. Or Eclipse, if you prefer that name now. Your place here shouldn't be determined by prophecy or tradition, but by your own desire."

His consideration touched me deeply. "I don't know who I am yet—Alison, Eclipse, human doctor, silver mother. I'm still discovering. But I do know I belong here, with the pack." I paused, gathering courage. "With you."

The admission hung between us, charged with unspoken emotion. Connor moved closer, his hand finding mine. The mark on my palm flared brilliantly at his touch.

"The ceremony would be tonight," he said, his voice low. "Before the pack gathering."

"Then I accept," I replied simply.

The hours that followed were a whirlwind of activity. I worked on the improved serum formula while Connor coordinated security and welcomed the Shadow Creek refugees. By late afternoon, the first families were arriving, creating an unprecedented mingling of the two packs.

Lydia helped me prepare for the ceremony, explaining its significance. "The ritual acknowledges your dual nature," she said as she braided small white flowers into my hair. "You won't be expected to transform—that will come in its own time—but you will be recognized as both human and wolf."

The traditional dress she provided was simple but beautiful—soft leather decorated with subtle beadwork that caught the light as I moved. Around my neck hung Sage's pendant, warm against my skin.

As sunset approached, the entire village gathered in the ceremonial circle. Both Gray Ridge and Shadow Creek members stood together, their traditional divisions temporarily set aside. Connor and Elena waited at the circle's center, both dressed in ceremonial attire that marked their Alpha status.

I walked slowly through the parted crowd, feeling their eyes upon me—not with suspicion as before, but with a mixture of hope and reverence that was almost more difficult to bear. I was still just a doctor, despite everything I'd learned about my origins.

Connor extended his hand as I reached the circle's center. When our fingers intertwined, the mark on my palm illuminated so brightly it cast shadows across our faces.

"Tonight we recognize one who walks between worlds," Connor announced, his voice carrying across the gathered packs. "Born of the silver mother's line, raised among wolves, tested by fire and blood."

Elena stepped forward. "Shadow Creek acknowledges Eclipse, daughter of Isabel, protected child of Marina, bearer of the horseshoe mark."

"Gray Ridge acknowledges Alison Carter," Connor continued, "healer of our bodies, keeper of our secrets, blood-bonded to our Alpha."

Ezra approached, carrying a small wooden bowl filled with a mixture of earth, water, and what appeared to be a drop of blood. "The elements recognize you," he intoned. "Earth from both territories, water from the sacred springs, blood freely given by both Alphas."

He dipped his thumb in the mixture and drew a symbol on my forehead—the horseshoe mark I bore on my collarbone. "With this, the packs are united in your protection and service, as you are united in theirs."

I had expected to feel different somehow—transformed or imbued with some mystical energy. Instead, I felt a profound sense of homecoming, as if a piece that had always been missing had finally clicked into place.

"The silver mother stands among us," Ezra proclaimed to the gathering. "In the days of crisis ahead, remember this moment of unity."

As the formal ceremony concluded, the gathering transitioned into a celebration. Food was shared, music played, and for a few precious hours, the threat hanging over us seemed distant.

Connor found me at the edge of the festivities, offering a cup of ceremonial wine. "How does it feel?" he asked. "To be officially one of us?"

"Like I've finally stopped fighting against myself," I admitted, accepting the drink. "Though I'm not sure about the 'silver mother' title. It comes with expectations I'm not sure I can fulfill."

"You already are fulfilling them," he pointed out. "Look around you. Gray Ridge and Shadow Creek sharing a meal, planning a common defense. That hasn't happened in generations."

He was right. Throughout the gathering, I could see members of both packs intermingling, sharing stories, even laughing together. Children played without regard for pack distinctions.

"There's something else," Connor said, his tone more serious. "Something I've wanted to tell you since you arrived, but couldn't until you remembered who you were."

"What is it?"

His eyes held mine with an intensity that made my heart race. "The promise I made when I saved you from the wild wolf—it wasn't just a child's impulsive vow. In our tradition, when an Alpha bloodline protector saves the life of a silver mother's child, it creates a bond. A destined connection."

"Like fate?" I asked skeptically.

"Like recognition," he corrected gently. "Not forcing anything, but acknowledging what already exists."

He was right again. From that first night when he'd held a fang to my throat, something had pulled us toward each other—something beyond physical attraction or even our shared past.

Before I could respond, a commotion at the edge of the gathering caught our attention. A young guard was running toward us, face pale with urgency.

"Alpha!" he called. "Perimeter breach at the north boundary!"

Connor was instantly alert. "How many?"

"Unknown. But they have vehicles, equipment. And silver weapons."

The peaceful celebration dissolved into organized chaos. Connor issued rapid commands, sending families with children to the designated shelter caves while organizing defense units. I hurried to the clinic to secure our medical supplies and research.

As I gathered the vital materials, the door opened behind me. Expecting Connor or Lydia, I turned with arms full of serum vials—and froze.

An older man stood in the doorway, his silver hair neatly trimmed, his posture academic rather than threatening. Behind wire-rimmed glasses, his eyes caught the light strangely, reflecting it back with a metallic sheen.

"Hello, Alison," he said, his voice achingly familiar despite the years. "Or do you prefer Eclipse now?"

The vials slipped from my suddenly numb fingers. Connor had been right all along.

My father was alive.