THE MARK

The gates shook again.

Luna flinched.

A second impact followed, louder than the first.

CRASH.

The metal bars rattled violently, and several wolves around the courtyard growled in response.

Kael stepped forward.

"Everyone inside."

No one moved.

His eyes flashed gold.

"Now."

The command rolled across the courtyard.

The wolves immediately obeyed.

Luna watched them disappear through the doors of the mansion.

She remained where she was.

Kael turned toward her.

"I said inside."

"And I said I'm not leaving."

"This isn't a discussion."

"Then stop talking to me like I'm a child."

Another impact struck the gate.

This time, a crack appeared in the metal.

Kael's expression hardened.

"Luna."

She looked at him.

"I can feel them."

"What?"

"The hunters."

His eyes narrowed.

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know."

Luna pressed a hand against her chest.

"They're angry."

Kael stared at her.

"You can sense them?"

"I think so."

"How?"

"I don't know!"

Her voice cracked.

The mark on her wrist suddenly burned.

Luna grabbed it.

Kael stepped toward her.

"What is happening?"

"I don't know."

The crescent-shaped mark glowed beneath her skin.

A strange silver light spread from her wrist toward her arm.

Luna gasped.

Kael reached for her.

The moment his fingers touched her wrist, the light disappeared.

They both froze.

For one strange second, neither of them moved.

Kael looked at her wrist.

Then at her face.

"Don't touch it again."

"Why?"

"Because I don't know what it is doing."

"You said you knew about Moonborn."

"I know about the legends."

"That's different."

"Yes."

Another crash shook the courtyard.

Kael immediately turned toward the gate.

"We're out of time."

He pulled a sword from the weapon belt at his side.

Luna stared at it.

"You have a sword?"

"Silver."

"Of course."

Kael looked at her.

"Stay behind me."

"Kael—"

"Please."

The word stopped her.

It was the first time she'd heard him say it.

Not as an Alpha.

Not as a command.

As a request.

Luna nodded.

Kael moved toward the gate.

The pack formed behind him.

Dozens of wolves gathered in the courtyard.

The air smelled like rain.

The sky had turned dark.

Clouds covered the moon.

Then the gate exploded inward.

Luna screamed.

Kael grabbed her arm and pulled her behind him.

Several hunters rushed into the courtyard.

They wore dark clothing and carried silver weapons.

The wolves attacked.

Everything happened at once.

Growling.

Shouting.

Footsteps.

The clash of metal.

Luna backed against the wall.

She couldn't move.

She had seen violence before.

But never like this.

These weren't ordinary people fighting.

The wolves moved with impossible speed.

The hunters were trained.

Every time a wolf attacked, the hunters knew exactly how to counter it.

Kael fought at the center of the courtyard.

He moved faster than Luna could follow.

One hunter charged him.

Kael blocked the attack.

Another came from behind.

Kael turned just in time.

Luna's heart pounded.

Then she saw someone behind him.

A hunter was raising a silver blade.

"Kael!"

He turned.

Too late.

The hunter lunged.

Luna didn't think.

She screamed.

"STOP!"

Everything stopped.

The hunter froze.

Kael froze.

The wolves froze.

Even the wind seemed to stop.

Luna stared.

Her voice echoed across the courtyard.

"Put it down."

The hunter's hand trembled.

Slowly, the silver blade fell from his fingers.

It struck the ground.

Luna's breathing became shallow.

She hadn't done that.

She couldn't have.

Could she?

The hunter looked at her.

His face had gone pale.

"You."

Luna stepped backward.

"What?"

He stared at her as though he'd seen a ghost.

"You're alive."

Kael moved between them.

"Who are you?"

The hunter didn't answer.

His eyes remained fixed on Luna.

"After eighteen years..."

Kael grabbed him by the collar.

"Who sent you?"

The hunter smiled.

"The Moonborn."

Kael's expression changed.

"What did you say?"

The hunter laughed.

"You still don't understand."

Kael slammed him against the ground.

"Talk."

The hunter coughed.

"She's not supposed to be here."

Luna stared.

"What does that mean?"

The hunter looked at her.

"Your mother should have taken you farther."

Kael's grip tightened.

"Don't mention her."

The hunter smiled.

"She knew what you were."

Luna stepped closer.

"What am I?"

The hunter's eyes moved to the mark on her wrist.

"You're the reason your mother died."

Luna stopped breathing.

Kael's expression became dangerous.

"Enough."

The hunter laughed.

"She never told you, did she?"

"Kael..."

"Don't listen to him."

"She never told you why they came after her."

"Kael."

"Get her inside."

Luna shook her head.

"No."

Kael looked at her.

"Luna."

"I want to hear him."

The hunter smiled.

"Good."

Kael moved toward him.

"Say one more word and you'll regret it."

The hunter looked amused.

"You think killing me will stop them?"

"Who?"

"The others."

Kael's face hardened.

"How many?"

The hunter didn't answer.

Instead, he looked at Luna.

"They're already here."

A howl sounded beyond the walls.

Everyone turned.

Another howl answered.

Then another.

Kael's face changed.

"Pack?"

The hunter smiled.

"No."

A chill ran down Luna's spine.

"Then what?"

The hunter whispered:

"Rogues."

The courtyard erupted again.

This time, the sound came from the forest.

Hundreds of glowing eyes appeared between the trees.

Luna's heart stopped.

Kael looked at the wolves.

"Protect the house."

Then he turned toward Luna.

"Stay with Elena."

"But—"

"Go."

Luna didn't argue.

She ran.

She reached the mansion entrance just as Elena appeared.

"Luna!"

Elena grabbed her hand.

"Come on."

They ran through the hallway.

Behind them, another howl echoed.

Luna looked back.

Kael was still outside.

She stopped.

"I can't leave him."

Elena turned.

"You have to."

"No."

"Luna, listen to me."

"He'll get hurt."

"He's the Alpha."

"So?"

Elena stared at her.

"He can handle himself."

Luna shook her head.

"I don't know."

She could feel him.

Somewhere inside her chest.

Like an invisible thread connected them.

Fear.

Pain.

Anger.

She could feel all of it.

Then she felt something else.

A warning.

Someone was inside the mansion.

Luna grabbed Elena's arm.

"Stop."

"What?"

"Someone's here."

Elena looked around.

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know."

Luna closed her eyes.

There.

A heartbeat.

Slow.

Controlled.

Not human.

Not wolf.

Something else.

"Someone is upstairs."

Elena's face changed.

"That's impossible."

"Why?"

"Everyone was evacuated."

"Then who is it?"

Elena didn't answer.

Luna began walking toward the stairs.

Elena followed.

"Luna, wait."

They reached the second floor.

The hallway was dark.

Luna's mark began glowing again.

She followed the sensation.

One door.

At the end of the hall.

She stopped.

"This."

Elena looked at it.

"That's the old study."

"Whose?"

"Kael's father's."

Luna reached for the handle.

Elena grabbed her wrist.

"No."

"Why?"

"Kael forbade anyone from entering."

Luna stared at the door.

"There's someone inside."

Elena's face went pale.

"Are you sure?"

Luna nodded.

The heartbeat stopped.

Both girls froze.

Then a voice came from behind the door.

"Luna."

Her blood turned cold.

It was a woman's voice.

A familiar voice.

Her mother's voice.

Luna's eyes filled with tears.

"Mom?"

Elena stared at her.

"Luna..."

The voice came again.

"Open the door."

Luna reached for the handle.

Elena pulled her back.

"Don't."

"But that's my mother."

"No."

"How do you know?"

"Because your mother is dead."

Luna stared at her.

The voice behind the door laughed softly.

Then it changed.

It became deeper.

Older.

Something that didn't sound human.

"Very good."

The door exploded open.

Luna and Elena were thrown backward.

A figure stepped from the darkness.

Tall.

Dressed in black.

His eyes glowed red.

Luna couldn't breathe.

He smiled.

"Finally."

Luna felt the mark on her wrist burn.

The figure looked directly at it.

"You're awake."

Then the entire mansion shook.

And from outside came Kael's roar.

"LUNA!"

She looked toward the staircase.

The red-eyed stranger smiled.

"Your Alpha is coming."

He stepped closer.

"Let's see if he can save you this time."

Luna backed away.

"What do you want?"

"You."

"Why?"

"Because your blood is the key."

"To what?"

He smiled.

"The Moon."

Before Luna could respond, Kael appeared at the end of the hallway.

His clothes were torn.

There was blood on his sleeve.

His eyes were completely gold.

He looked at the stranger.

"Get away from her."

The stranger laughed.

"Still protecting her?"

Kael stepped forward.

"You won't touch her."

The stranger tilted his head.

"You said the same thing eighteen years ago."

Kael froze.

Luna looked between them.

"What does he mean?"

Neither answered.

The stranger smiled.

"Ask him about the night your parents died."

Kael's face became cold.

"Leave."

The stranger laughed.

"You still don't understand, Alpha."

He looked at Luna.

"Your parents weren't killed because they were weak."

His red eyes glowed brighter.

"They were killed because they knew what you would become."

Luna's heart pounded.

"What will I become?"

The stranger smiled.

"The most powerful creature the Moon has ever created."

Then the windows shattered.

The stranger disappeared into the darkness.

Kael rushed toward Luna.

"Are you hurt?"

She stared at him.

"Who was that?"

"I don't know."

"You're lying."

"Luna—"

"He knew my parents."

"I know."

"He said you were there eighteen years ago."

Kael said nothing.

"He said you failed to protect them."

His jaw tightened.

"Where were you?"

"I was there."

Luna's eyes widened.

"Tell me what happened."

Kael looked away.

"I can't."

"Why?"

"Because if I tell you now, you'll never look at me the same way."

Luna stepped closer.

"I already don't know how to look at you."

Kael stared at her.

Outside, the wolves howled.

The battle continued.

But neither of them moved.

Then Luna's mark began glowing again.

Kael looked down.

"Luna."

"What?"

The silver light spread across her wrist.

Then up her arm.

Then toward her shoulder.

Luna gasped.

The room became cold.

Kael reached for her.

"Don't."

She pulled away.

"I can't stop it."

"Look at me."

She did.

"Stay with me."

Her breathing shook.

"I don't know what's happening."

"I do."

"What?"

"You're shifting."

Luna stared at him.

"I thought Moonborn didn't shift like normal werewolves."

"They don't."

"Then what is this?"

Kael's eyes darkened.

"I don't know."

For the first time, he looked genuinely terrified.

Luna felt the world spinning.

Then a voice whispered inside her mind.

Not the stranger.

Not the wolves.

Something older.

Something that felt like it had been waiting for her.

*Find the truth.*

Luna closed her eyes.

The last thing she heard before everything went dark was Kael shouting her name.