Since the beginning of the cursed history, the Western wolf packs have kept the last line of White Wolves hidden from all others. Unfortunately, many of the White Moonlight Wolves are already dead," Lord Trion, an elder from the Clan of the Waning Moon, revealed. "Your mother and father were brutally murdered." His bluntness brought shivers down her spine. "Your clan is also known as the White Wolf Clan. Because of the curse, Eastern Wolves, honestly, even some of our own, have brutally hunted down anyone even suspected of having a drop of the Moon Lord of Light's blood in them."

"We failed them. We didn't protect them!" Lord Trion was abruptly interrupted by Lady Vira, the representative of the Portia Clan. "I apologize for his crassness, but he is not wrong. Ultimately, we have failed at protecting the members of your clan. Yet, you live, my dear child." Her voice began to crack with emotion.

"According to the prophecy, we must unite the clans of the Moon Lord of Light and Darkness. The Fireleaf Clan are the last descendants of the Moon Lord of Darkness. I, Lady Armita, our Alpha, Xion Fireleaf, and Dante are the last living members of this clan. We are the last to manipulate the powers of fire." As she spoke, she snapped her fingers, and a fountain of fire appeared. She waved her hands through it before snapping her fingers again, willing the flames away. "To fulfill the prophecy, you, the last descendant of the Moon Lord of Light, must unite with Dante... through marriage."

MARRIAGE!

Raven looked around at the council members in disbelief, but their serious expressions helped her realize that this was not a joke. The weight of the council's words swirled around in her head, and her heart raced as she tried to make sense of her destiny. She looked to Lady Armita, her eyes pleading for some respite from the onslaught of emotions. "Please, I need some time to process all of this," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. The council members nodded understandingly, and Lady Armita began to descend from her seat to go to Raven. She took her by the arm, leading her out of the chamber and back to her room. Unfazed by the magic of the door this time, Raven was too consumed by thoughts of her destiny to notice it. As they reached Raven's room, Lady Armita turned to her and asked, "Are you alright, Raven? That was a lot to take in."

Raven took a deep breath and nodded. "I think so. It's just... a lot to process, you know?"

"I know," Lady Armita said with a sympathetic smile. "Take all the time you need. And if you have any questions, we'll discuss things more in the morning."

"Thank you, Lady Armita," Raven said, feeling grateful for the elder's kindness. "I'll try to get some rest now."

As Lady Armita departed, Raven was left alone with the overwhelming thought of her arranged marriage to Dante. It consumed her thoughts. She tossed and turned, but despite the luxurious silks on the bedding, she couldn't seem to get comfortable as her thoughts kept her awake. She couldn't believe she had to marry someone she barely knew. The powers of fire and ice that were mentioned earlier lingered in Raven's thoughts as she pondered their meaning. She continued to toss and turn, and her mind raced with uncertainty and confusion about her future. The weight of her destiny felt heavy on her shoulders, and she didn't know how to face it. She sighed and whispered to herself, "Let's just see what tomorrow has for me. I've made it this far," before shutting her eyes and hoping that sleep would find her soon.