All Chapters of The Last Moon: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

PROLOGUEThe first time the moon bled, the wolves screamed.Not the ordinary howling of animals calling to one another across the darkness. These were screams of pain. Of terror. Of something ancient waking after centuries of silence.And beneath the earth, something answered.Three hundred years before the fall of humanity, deep within the mountains of northern Europe, a woman stood barefoot in a circle of blood.Her silver hair hung down her back, tangled with dirt and leaves. Her white dress was torn, and blood covered her hands. Around her, twelve wolves lay dead, their bodies arranged in a perfect circle beneath an enormous oak tree.Above her, the moon was red.The woman lifted her face toward it."They are coming," she whispered.Behind her, a man emerged from the trees.He was tall, broad-shouldered, and dressed in black. His eyes glowed an unnatural shade of gold. A long scar ran from his left temple down to his jaw."You should have killed him when you had the chance."The w

CHAPTER TWO"He's the reason your parents died."The words echoed through Gianna's mind.She stared at Benjamin, waiting for him to take them back. Waiting for him to laugh and tell her it was some terrible joke. Waiting for anything that would make the world around her make sense again.But Benjamin didn't smile.He didn't look away.And Ryder Blackwood didn't deny it."Explain," Gianna whispered.Neither man answered.Her fingers tightened around her purse strap."Benjamin, explain what you just said."Benjamin glanced at Ryder."Not here."Gianna let out a humorless laugh."Of course. Not here. Not now. Not ever, apparently. You two seem to know everything about my life, but somehow I'm the last person who gets to find out anything.""Gianna," Ryder said.She turned on him."Don't."His jaw tightened."I understand you're upset.""Upset?" Her voice cracked. "You destroyed my house, turned into a giant wolf in front of me, told me you're an Alpha, and now my best friend says you're

CHAPTER FOUROctober 31 — 11:58 p.m.The forest had gone silent.Not a single bird called from the trees. Not a single insect moved through the grass. Even the wind seemed to have disappeared.Every werewolf in the clearing remained on its knees.Every human survivor stood frozen.And in the center of them all stood a magnificent white wolf.Gianna.Ryder couldn't take his eyes off her.Her fur shimmered beneath the red moonlight, almost silver in places. Her golden eyes were brighter than anything he had ever seen. The crescent marking on her forehead looked like a crown.She was enormous.Larger than any Alpha Ryder had encountered.Larger than his own wolf.And yet, somehow, he recognized her.Not simply as his mate.As something ancient.Something his family had sworn to protect.His wolf lowered its head.Our queen.Ryder fought against the invisible force holding him down.Get up.His claws dug into the earth.Get up!But his legs refused to move.Across the clearing, the silver

November 1 — 5:12 a.m.The Blood Chamber — Beneath the Mountain"She's your sister."The words echoed through Gianna's mind.She stared at the woman standing across the chamber.Same dark hair.Same facial features.Same shape of her eyes.But something was terribly wrong with her.Her eyes were silver, almost glowing beneath the dim lights. Her skin was unusually pale, and a thin scar ran from beneath her left ear to her jaw.Gianna shook her head."No."The woman smiled."That's understandable.""You're lying.""Am I?""Your name isn't even on my birth certificate."The woman's smile widened."That's because I was never supposed to exist."Gianna looked down at Benjamin.He was struggling to breathe.She pressed harder against his wound."Please, Ben. Stay with me."The woman sighed."Always so sentimental."Gianna glared at her."Who are you?"The woman stepped closer."Seraphina.""That's not an answer.""It's the only name I've ever needed.""How are you related to my mother?"Se

Chapter Eight The glass shattered.Gianna barely had time to react before Ryder threw himself in front of her.Thousands of fragments exploded into the room, scattering across the stone floor. A wave of freezing air rushed through the chamber, extinguishing every golden light along the walls.Something moved through the darkness.Fast.Ryder growled and shifted halfway, his claws extending as he reached for whatever had come through the broken glass.“Ryder!” Gianna shouted.A woman's laughter echoed around them.“Oh, this is precious.”The lights flickered.The woman stood in the center of the room, untouched by the shattered glass. She looked exactly like Gianna, down to the small scar above her left eyebrow.But her eyes were black.Not dark brown.Not shadowed.Completely black, with no visible pupils.Gianna took a step backward.“Who are you?”The woman smiled.“That's an interesting question.”“Answer me.”“I'm the daughter your mother never told you about.”Ryder moved in fro