10

The library fell into complete silence. Serafina stood motionless, the ancient scroll trembling slightly in her hands. Darius stared at it without blinking. His expression had lost its usual calm.

“Give it to me.” His voice was low and careful. Not a command, but almost cautious.

Serafina hesitated. “It’s just a map.”

“No, it isn’t.” Darius slowly approached.

Something in his tone made her loosen her grip. He took the scroll carefully, as though afraid it might crumble into dust. The olf parchment was brittle with age, its edges blackened by time. Across the center stretched the faded outline of mountains, rivers, and forests.

Near the northern border, a crimson moon had been drarn in intricate detail. Around it were symbols Serafina couldn’t understand. But Darius could. His heartbeat quickened. Ancient royal markings. He hadn’t seen them since he was a child.

“Do you know something about this map?” Serafina’s voice broke the silence.

Darius didn’t answer immediately. “My father showed me something similar once.”

She looked surprised. “You’ve seen it before?”

“Only once. When I was ten.” His gaze remained fixed on the parchment.

“My father told me never to speak of it ever again.”

“What is it?”

He finally looked up. “A map to a kingdom history tried to erase.”

Serafina’s chest tightened. “Blood Moon.”

“Yes, Blood Moon.” Darius nodded once.

Before either of them could continue, the library doors swung open. Kael strode inside carrying several documents.

“Alpha, the council has finally...” He stopped. His eyes landed on the map.

His expression changed instantly. “Where did you find that?”

Darius looked toward Serafina. “She found it.”

Kael blinked. “What do you mean, she found it?”

“It rolled to her feet.”

Kael stared at Serafina as though she’d grown another hear. “That’s impossible.”

“So it would seem.”

Kael crossed the room quickly. He studied the parchment. His face became unusually serious.

“I thought every copy had been destroyed.”

“So did I.”

“Alpha, if the neighboring packs discover we have this...” The Beta lowered his voice. “We’ll have another big war.”

Darius carefully rolled the map closed. “They won’t know about this.”

Kael looked unconvinced. “Can we be certain?”

“No. But until we know why it appeared now, no one outside this room hears about it.” Darius answered honestly.

Kael nodded. “Agreed.”

Serafina looked between them. “You keep talking like I’m not here.”

Both men turned toward her. She folded her arms. “Someone can explain it to me.”

Kael sighed. “Centuries ago...” Darius spoke first.

“There was a kingdom powerful enough to unite every werewolf pack. It’s called Blood Moon Kingdom.”

“It disappeared. So I’ve heard.”

“No. It was destroyed.” Kael corrected quietly.

The room fell silent. Serafina frowned. “By whom?”

Neither man answered. That silence told her enough. Someone had deliberately hidden the truth.

***

Later that afternoon, the rain finally stopped. Sunlight poured through the library windows. Martha entered carrying a basket of freshly washed linens. She immediately sensed the tension.

“Did something happen?”

Kael hlanced toward Darius. The Alpha gave a small nod. Martha deserved to know. After hearing everything, Martha’s face lost its color.

“The map choose her?”

Serafina frowned. “What do you mean, chose me?”

Martha looked startlef. “You don’t know?”

“Know about what?”

“The library has been here for nearly eighty years.” She looked at Darius. “That scroll has never moved once.”

Serafina laughed softly. “Scrolls don’t choose people, Martha.”

“No.” Martha whispered. “But sometimes, old magis does.”

Those words echoed in Serafina’s mind long after the conversation ended. Old magic. That was something impossible. Magic wasn’t real. Was it? Everything she’d ever learned suddenly felt uncertain.

That evening, unable to quiet her thoughts, Serafina wandered into the gardens. The air smelled so fresh after the rain. Drops of water clung to the flowers like tiny cyrstals. She sat beneath the old oak tree she had climbed during her escape attempt. For the first time in years, she allowed herself to simply breathe. No mission, no orders, and no training. Just silence.

“Couldn’t sleep?”

She didn’t need to turn around. “Darius.”

He walked over and stopped beside the tree. Neither of them spoke for a while. Finally, Serafina broke the silence.

“Do you ever regret it?”

“What?”

“Claiming me?”

Darius looked toward the moon rising above the trees. “No.”

“You didn’t even hesitate.”

“I didn’t.”

“Why?”

He considered the question. “Because killing you would’ve ended the story.” He answered honestly.

She frowned. “And?”

“I wanted to know how it began.”

Her breath caught. No one had ever cared where her story began before. Only where it ended.

“You keep asking about my past.”

“I do.”

“What if there’s nothing there?”

Darius met her eyes. “I don’t believe that.”

“You barely know me though.”

“I know enough.”

“What do you know about me?”

Darius was quiet for several seconds. “I know that someone spent years trying to convince you that your life had no value outside of following orders.”

Serafina looked away. The accuracy of his words hurt more than she wanted to admit.

“You also don’t know how to accpet kindness. You’ve never celebrated your birthday.”

Her head snapped toward him. “How do you know about that?”

“You didn’t answer when Martha asked how old you were becoming next month.”

“I don’t know.” Her voice was barely above a whisper. “I was never told about it.”

Silence. Darius felt something tighten inside his chest. Not pity, but anger. Whoever had raised her had stolen even the simplest parts of being human. A birthday. A family name. A childhood. Suddenly a cold breeze swept through the garden. The air shifted. Darius’s expression sharpened instantly.

“Stay behind me.”

Serafina stood. “What is it?”

He didn’t answer. His eyes scanned the darkness beyond the trees. A branch snapped. Then another. Kael appeared from the opposite path, one hand already resting on the hilt of his sword.

“Alpha, I smell wolves.”

Darius nodded once. “So do I.”

The scent wasn’t Black Fang. Nor was it one of the allied packs. It was Shadow Fang. Several dark figures emerged from the forest, cloaked by the night. One stepped forward. A scar crossed the left side of his eyes. His cold eyes locked onto Serafina.

“There you are...”

Serafina’s blood ran cold. She knew that voice. “Kieran...”

Kieran smiled without warmth. “The Alpha wants his weapon back.”

Darius slowly moved in front of Serafina, shielding her from the newcomers. His crimson eyes darkened.

“She stopped being your weapon...” His Alpha Aura rolled across the garden like a gathering storm. “The moment I claimed her.”

The wolves of Shadow Fang bared their teeth. The first real confrontation had finally begun.