CHAPTER 9: Matthew's POV

The east holding room was small and quiet.

A narrow cot sat against one wall, and a single chair faced it from the opposite side. Marta sat on the edge of the bed with both hands clasped tightly in her lap. She looked up the moment I stepped inside.

The door clicked shut behind me and she flinched at the sound.

"I'm not here to hurt you," I said.

A faint smile touched her lips, but there was no humor in it.

"That's what they always say."

I pulled the chair closer and sat across from her, leaving enough space between us that she wouldn't feel trapped.

For a few seconds, neither of us spoke.

"You said something today," I finally said.

She lowered her eyes.

"You called Irene by another name."

I watched her carefully before continuing.

"Luna Selene."

The moment I spoke the name, she closed her eyes. It was almost as if hearing it aloud caused her pain.

"I need you to tell me who she is."

"I shouldn't have said anything."

"Why?."

She tightened her hands until her knuckles turned white. Then she exhaled.

"It doesn't matter what I know."

"It matters to me."

"It won't when this is over."

I leaned forward slightly.

"Nothing is going to happen to you while you're here."

She let out a quiet laugh.

"So young."

Her eyes met mine again.

"You still believe being in someone's custody means you're safe."

"You don't?" I asked.

"I used to."

Something in the way she said it made me pause.

"You've been here before?"

She realized what she'd admitted and looked away.

"I shouldn't have said that."

"When?"

She shook her head.

"I won't answer."

I let the silence stretch for a moment before trying again.

"Marta."

She didn't look at me.

"The girl outside has no idea why you recognized her. She doesn't know who Luna Selene is."

Marta slowly raised her head and there were tears in her eyes now.

"You care about her?"

"This isn't about me."

"It is," she said quietly. "You wouldn't be here if it wasn't."

I ignored the comment.

"I only want the truth."

"The truth..." she whispered.

She gave a slow and tired shake of her head.

"The truth has ruined far better people than either of us."

"I'll decide that for myself."

"No."

Her voice became firmer.

"You won't."

She looked at me for a long moment before speaking again.

"I served the old Luna."

Every instinct in my body sharpened.

"When?"

"Many years ago, " she paused. "Before your father became High Alpha."

My heartbeat quickened.

"You knew her?"

"I just said I served her."

She swallowed.

"But that was before everything changed."

"What changed?"

She closed her eyes.

"The fire."

I frowned.

"What fire?"

Her face lost what little color it had.

"I said too much."

"Marta."

"No."

"You already started so just finish it. Please."

"I can't."

She looked genuinely frightened now.

"If they learn I've been talking..."

Her voice broke.

"They?"

I asked the question carefully.

"Who are they?"

She stared at me as though I had asked something impossible.

"The people who made sure nobody would ever speak that name again."

"Who?"

"I can't say anything about them."

"You can."

She shook her head again.

"They don't have to be standing in this room to know."

I studied her face and she wasn't lying. She truly believed someone would find out.

"I can protect you."

She chuckled bitterly.

"You can't."

"You don't even understand what you're trying to protect me from."

I held her gaze.

"Then help me understand."

For a long time she didn't speak. She just simply stared at the floor.

When she finally looked back at me, the determination was gone. Whatever fear she carried had won.

"I've already said more than I should have. I won't say another word."

I knew there was no point pushing harder. At least not today.

I stood from the chair.

"Get some rest."

She nodded faintly without looking up.

As I reached the door, I stopped.

"If you ever change your mind... I'm always here."

She didn't say anything or look up. I quietly left the room.

---

I found Julian in the watchtower just before sunset. He was sitting at the large wooden table with papers scattered in front of him. Books lay open on both sides, and several old maps had been pinned beneath a paperweight to stop the evening breeze from carrying them away.

He glanced up as I walked in.

"You look terrible."

"Good evening to you too."

Normally, he would have laughed but this time, he didn't.

He pushed the papers aside and leaned back in his chair.

"What happened?"

I told him everything. I started with the disturbance at the perimeter, then told him what the woman had shouted when she saw Irene. I repeated every word she had said during our conversation in the holding room, including the part about serving the old Luna and the fire she refused to explain.

Julian grew quieter with every sentence. By the time I finished, he had stopped pretending to organize the papers in front of him.

"Selene," he said slowly.

"You've heard the name too?"

"Once."

He rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"I came across it while I was sorting through some old family records a few months ago."

"What did it say?"

"Almost nothing."

He frowned.

"It was only a passing mention. I assumed it belonged to someone history had forgotten."

I folded my arms.

"It doesn't sound forgotten anymore."

"Yeah."

Julian met my eyes.

"If an old woman is still afraid to say that name after all these years," he continued, "someone worked very hard to erase it."

"I need you to find out who Luna Selene was." I declared.

"I already planned to."

"I don't care how small the information is."

Julian nodded once.

"I'll go through every record we have."

He was quiet for a moment before speaking again.

"Matthew."

"What?"

"You know that, if this secret has survived for decades, it didn't survive by accident."

"Yes, I know."

"People don't protect secrets like this unless they're willing to do anything to keep them secret."

I nodded slowly and he watched me for another moment.

"You're getting involved because of Irene, right?"

I didn't answer.

Julian sighed.

"I thought so."

He leaned back in his chair.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Go ahead."

"If keeping her alive meant walking away from her..." He paused before finishing. "Could you do it?"

The question caught me off guard.

"I don't see how walking away would protect her."

"Maybe it wouldn't."

Julian shrugged slightly.

"But if the people behind this secret decide she's a threat, anyone standing beside her could become one too."

He held my gaze.

"You've never been good at hiding who matters to you."

I looked away toward the window.

"I already know what this could cost."

"Do you?"

His voice softened.

"I don't think you do."

Silence stretched between us.

"I don't want to lose you over something neither of us understands yet."

A faint smile appeared despite myself.

"You suddenly sound sentimental."

"I'm serious."

"So am I."

He shook his head with a tired smile.

"I'll start searching tonight."

I nodded.

"Thank you."

As I turned to leave, he called after me.

"Matthew."

I looked back.

"Be careful."

"I always am."

"No."

He gave me a knowing look.

"You just think you are."

That made me smile a little. Then I left the watchtower and headed back toward the estate.

The sun had almost disappeared by the time I reached the east wing.

One of the estate stewards was waiting outside the entrance.

The moment he saw me, he straightened.

"Sir."

"What is it?"

He hesitated just long enough for me to know I wasn't going to like what came next.

"I was asked to inform you that the woman being held in the east room has been relocated."

Every step I had been about to take stopped.

"Relocated?"

"Yes, sir."

"By whose order?"

"The High Alpha."

My expression hardened.

"When?"

"Less than an hour ago."

I was already moving before he finished speaking. I walked quickly through the corridor, passing two guards who immediately stepped aside.

Neither of them looked me in the eye.

I reached the holding room and pushed the door open. It was empty and the narrow cot stood neatly against the wall.

The chair I had been sitting on was exactly where I had left it and there wasn't a single sign that anyone had been there.

I turned to the nearest guard.

"Where did they take her?"

He lowered his head.

"I wasn't told, sir."

"Who escorted her?"

"I don't know."

"But you were standing outside this room."

"Yes, sir."

"And you still don't know?"

His throat moved as he swallowed.

"I was ordered not to ask questions."

I looked back into the room and stood there for several seconds, just staring at the empty cot.

A cold feeling settled in my chest.

Whatever Marta knew and had been trying so desperately not to say...

It frightened my father enough to move her before I could question her again.

That meant Luna Selene was no longer the biggest mystery. The real question was why my own father was so determined to keep the truth buried.