---- Chapter 4. Ethan's smug grin froze. Vivian looked at Ethan, confused. "What do you mean? I did everything the book said..." "The book? What book?!" Elder Grace was practically roaring. ''The real heart of the sacred ritual isn't in any book! It takes secret knowledge, passed down from Luna to Luna for generations!" Ethan's face went white. "Elder Grace, what exactly happened?" "Exactly? You want to know exactly?" Elder Grace's voice turned icy. "The Blood Moon pack has sent a challenge! They say we've lost the Moon Goddess's protection and don't deserve our territory anymore!" Murmurs rippled through the banquet hall. "And the Silver Fang pack," Grace went on, " they're demanding we hand over the eastern ---- hunting grounds, or it's war!" "What?!" Ethan yelled, shocked. "How dare they... " "Oh, they dare alright!" Elder Grace cut him off." Because right now, we're just a bunch of regular werewolves without the goddess's blessing! Without the sacred ritual's protection, we're lambs to the slaughter for the other packs!" Vivian finally got how serious things were. "But... but I followed all the steps..." "Steps? What do you think this is, baking a cake?! " Elder Grace snapped. ''Do you even know which herbs you got wrong? Which incantation you messed up? You don't even know when to kneel or when to look up at the moon!" " Vivian looked at Ethan, hurt. "And to make things worse," Elder Grace continued, "because the ritual failed, we're also ---- facing the Moon Goddess's punishment. The pack's fertility rate will drop, hunting will get harder, and even our healing abilities will be affected!" Ethan slumped into his chair. "This... this can't be happening..." "Why can't it?!" Grace said, furious. "Sophia warned us! Only a properly trained Luna can lead the sacred ritual! But you wouldn't listen! You thought love could replace skill!" Everyone turned to look at me when they heard my name. I kept my expression calm, like none of this had anything to do with me. "Now what?" Ethan's voice trembled. "How do we fix this?" "Fix this?" Grace scoffed. "You think the Moon Goddess's anger is a joke? Without a real Luna,