THE NIGHT SHE WAS TAKEN

“I was there the night your mother died.”

Marcus's words struck harder than any weapon.

For several seconds, I couldn't breathe.

The forest around us had disappeared.

The kneeling Bloodborn, the frightened guards, the red moon above us—none of it mattered anymore.

There was only Marcus.

And the truth he had just dropped between us.

“You…” My voice cracked. “You were there?”

Marcus didn't look away.

“Yes.”

My hands began to tremble.

“You knew my mother?”

“I knew her.”

“Who was she?”

His jaw tightened.

“You already know.”

“No, I don't!”

My voice echoed through the forest.

“I have spent my entire life being told that my parents died when I was a baby. I was told there was nothing left to remember. I was told I was an orphan with no family and no place in the royal bloodline.”

I stepped closer.

“And now you're standing here telling me my mother was the Moon Queen?”

Marcus's expression remained hard.

“She was.”

The word made my stomach twist.

The Elder lowered her head.

The guards remained silent.

Even the Bloodborn creature was watching us.

I looked around at all of them.

“How many people knew?”

No one answered.

I laughed bitterly.

“Of course.”

I wiped the tears gathering in my eyes.

“Everyone knew except me.”

Marcus stepped toward me.

I immediately stepped backward.

“Don't.”

He stopped.

For the first time, pain crossed his face.

“You deserve the truth.”

“Then give it to me.”

He glanced toward the Bloodborn.

“Not here.”

“I don't care.”

“You should.”

His voice hardened.

“Your life is in danger.”

“My life has been a lie.”

“And that is exactly why you need to come with me.”

I shook my head.

“You rejected me.”

His eyes darkened.

“That has nothing to do with this.”

“It has everything to do with this!”

My chest tightened.

“You knew who I was before you rejected me, didn't you?”

Marcus didn't answer.

I stared at him.

“You did.”

Silence.

My heart sank.

“You knew I was your mate.”

His expression changed.

Just slightly.

But it was enough.

“You knew,” I whispered.

Marcus finally looked away.

“Yes.”

The word was almost inaudible.

I felt as if the ground had disappeared beneath me.

“You knew I was your mate…”

He nodded.

“And you rejected me anyway.”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

He closed his eyes for a moment.

“Because if the bond was recognized publicly, the entire kingdom would have known who you were.”

I stared at him.

“So you humiliated me to protect my identity?”

“To protect your life.”

“You could have told me!”

“I couldn't.”

“Why?”

His eyes met mine.

“Because someone inside the royal court has been searching for you for eighteen years.”

A chill traveled down my spine.

“Who?”

Marcus looked toward the dark forest.

“The man who ordered your mother's death.”

The words silenced me.

My mother's death.

Not an accident.

Not an illness.

Murder.

“Who killed her?”

Marcus's expression became colder.

“The former High Alpha.”

I frowned.

“I don't understand.”

“You shouldn't. Not yet.”

“Stop telling me what I should and shouldn't know.”

I stepped closer.

“My mother was the Moon Queen. Someone killed her. Someone hid me. And you have known the truth all these years.”

Marcus remained silent.

“Tell me.”

He took a slow breath.

“Your mother was more than a queen.”

I waited.

“She was the last Luna capable of uniting all seven werewolf territories.”

My eyebrows drew together.

“The seven territories?”

Marcus nodded.

“For centuries, the kingdoms were divided. Your mother's bloodline was the only one respected by every pack.”

“And the High Alpha wanted that power?”

“He wanted control.”

Marcus looked at the Bloodborn.

“He believed your mother stood between him and the throne.”

The creature lowered its head.

“He was right,” it said.

Everyone turned toward it.

Marcus's hand tightened around his sword.

“You've said enough.”

The Bloodborn smiled.

“No. She deserves to know.”

I looked at the creature.

“Who are you?”

“My name is Kael.”

He slowly rose from his knees.

“I was one of your mother's royal guardians.”

My breath caught.

“You knew her?”

“I swore my life to her.”

“What happened?”

Kael's expression darkened.

“Betrayal.”

He looked at Marcus.

“From people she trusted.”

Marcus's eyes became dangerous.

“Careful.”

Kael ignored him.

“The night the palace burned, your mother ordered us to protect you.”

I couldn't move.

“I was a baby.”

“Yes.”

“What happened to her?”

Kael looked at me.

“She stayed behind.”

My throat tightened.

“Why?”

“To make sure you escaped.”

Tears slipped down my cheeks.

“Who took me?”

Kael hesitated.

Then he looked at Marcus.

Marcus closed his eyes.

“I did.”

Everything inside me went still.

“You?”

“I carried you out of the burning palace.”

I stared at him.

“You took me?”

“Yes.”

“Where?”

“To the western territory.”

“Why didn't you tell me?”

“Because you were being hunted.”

“By the High Alpha?”

Marcus shook his head.

“By everyone who wanted the Moon Queen's bloodline destroyed.”

I wiped my tears.

“So what happened after you took me?”

“I gave you to a family who could hide you.”

“My family?”

“No.”

My heart sank.

“A couple in a small village. They had no connection to the royal court.”

“Why don't I remember them?”

“Because you were too young.”

I shook my head.

“Then how did I end up here?”

Marcus looked at me.

“Because the protection spell was broken.”

A cold silence followed.

“What protection spell?”

“The one placed on you eighteen years ago.”

My skin prickled.

“The spell erased your memories and concealed your scent. No Alpha could recognize your royal blood.”

I looked at my hands.

“And tonight?”

“The red moon weakened it.”

My eyes widened.

“That is why I felt different.”

“Yes.”

“And the bond?”

Marcus hesitated.

“The bond was always there.”

My heart clenched.

“But you rejected me.”

“I had no choice.”

“There is always a choice.”

His face hardened.

“Not when your enemy has spies in every pack.”

He stepped closer.

“If I accepted you tonight, every Alpha in the kingdom would have felt the bond.”

I stared at him.

“And they would have known.”

“Yes.”

“So you chose to make me hate you.”

Marcus's expression softened for the briefest moment.

“I chose to make you survive.”

His words hurt more than I expected.

I looked away.

A sudden scream came from behind us.

Everyone turned.

One of the guards had fallen.

Blood spread across his chest.

Kael immediately shifted.

“More are coming.”

Marcus looked toward the forest.

“How many?”

“Too many.”

The trees began moving.

Shadows appeared between them.

Dozens.

Then hundreds.

Bloodborn warriors emerged from the darkness.

My heart raced.

Marcus stepped in front of me.

“Take Elena to the palace.”

The guards moved.

I grabbed Marcus's arm.

“No.”

He looked down at my hand.

“What?”

“I can fight.”

“You don't know how to control your power.”

“Then teach me.”

“This isn't the time.”

“Then when?”

His eyes locked onto mine.

“After you survive tonight.”

The first Bloodborn warrior attacked.

Marcus blocked the strike.

Steel collided with claws.

The forest erupted into chaos.

Wolves shifted.

Guards charged.

The moonlight flashed across weapons and fur.

I stood frozen for only a second.

Then something inside me awakened again.

My wolf growled.

We can help.

“How?”

Stop fighting what you are.

Silver light spread across my hands.

I stared at it.

The power didn't feel frightening anymore.

It felt familiar.

Like something that had always belonged to me.

A Bloodborn warrior lunged toward Marcus from behind.

I didn't think.

I raised my hand.

A burst of silver energy exploded through the air.

The warrior was thrown backward.

Everyone stopped.

Marcus turned.

His eyes widened.

“Elena…”

I stared at my glowing hands.

“I did that?”

Kael smiled.

“The Queen has awakened.”

A roar came from the forest.

Something much larger emerged from the shadows.

A massive black wolf.

Its eyes were crimson.

The other Bloodborn immediately stepped aside.

Kael's expression changed.

“The Alpha of the Bloodborn.”

Marcus raised his sword.

“Stay behind me.”

But the giant wolf didn't attack.

Instead, it lowered its head.

And then it spoke.

“Moon Queen.”

I froze.

The creature looked directly at me.

“Your mother's throne is waiting.”

My heart pounded.

“What throne?”

The giant wolf raised its head.

“The throne that was stolen from your family.”

Marcus stepped forward.

“Enough.”

The creature ignored him.

“Your mother did not die that night.”

My breath stopped.

The entire world seemed to go silent.

“What did you say?”

Marcus's face turned pale.

The creature smiled.

“She survived.”

I looked at Marcus.

He couldn't meet my eyes.

And suddenly, I understood.

There was still another secret.

One much bigger than the truth about my blood.

My mother might still be alive.

I took a trembling step toward Marcus.

“You knew.”

He remained silent.

“Marcus.”

His eyes finally met mine.

And this time, there was no denial.

Only guilt.

“I thought she was dead.”

The giant wolf laughed.

“Then you were lied to as well, Alpha King.”

A cold wind swept through the forest.

The silver light around my body intensified.

And somewhere beyond the mountains, a wolf began to howl.

A howl that sounded strangely familiar.

My wolf whispered inside me.

Mother.

I stared toward the distant mountains.

For eighteen years, I had believed I was alone.

Now I knew the truth.

My mother might be alive.

My kingdom had been stolen.

My mate had lied to me.

And someone had spent eighteen years making sure I never remembered who I was.

I looked at Marcus.

“Take me to her.”

His face hardened.

“You don't understand what you're asking.”

“I understand enough.”

I lifted my chin.

“For eighteen years, everyone decided what I was allowed to know.”

The silver light burned brighter.

“That ends tonight.”

The forest fell silent.

Even Marcus seemed unable to speak.

I looked toward the mountains.

For the first time in my life, I wasn't searching for somewhere I belonged.

I was going home.

And whoever had stolen my mother's crown had better be ready.

Because the Luna they had tried to erase was finally awake.