The grand hall remained eerily silent, No one dared move, The silver light pouring from the Moon Altar wrapped around Elara like threads of moonlight, illuminating the crescent-shaped mark that had appeared on the inside of her wrist, Every elder present wore the same expression, Disbelief, Then fear, "The Mark of the True Luna..." an elder whispered, "Impossible," The words spread through the hall like wildfire, "It vanished centuries ago." "It only appears once in a generation." "But she's only a substitute bride..." The last statement carried enough contempt to slice through the silence, Elara instinctively hid her wrist beneath her sleeve, She didn't understand what the mark meant, only that everyone seemed terrified by it, Kael's sharp gaze never left her, His wolf, Fenrir, growled inside him, She isn't who they think she is, Or perhaps she's exactly who fate chose.
Before Kael could speak, another arrow whistled through the air, "Down!" He grabbed Elara by the waist and pulled her to the floor just as the arrow shattered a stained-glass window behind them, The hall exploded into chaos again, "Seal every exit!" Kael roared, The warriors of the Blackthorne Pack transformed in flashes of silver light, claws and fangs replacing human forms as they charged the masked assassins, The clash echoed across the chamber, Steel met claws, Growls drowned out screams, Elara crawled behind a marble pillar, her pulse hammering in her ears, She wasn't a fighter, She wasn't even supposed to be here, A masked assassin spotted her, "There she is!" He broke away from the battle and sprinted toward her, His sword flashed, Elara dodged just in time, The blade carved deep into the pillar instead, She grabbed a fallen candlestick and swung with all her strength, The heavy metal struck his wrist, His weapon clattered across the floor, Before he could recover, Kael appeared between them, His eyes glowed molten gold, "You chose the wrong prey." With a single punch, the assassin crashed through a banquet table, Another attacker lunged from behind, Kael twisted, caught the man's throat, and threw him into two more assassins, Within seconds, all three lay unconscious, Elara stared, She had heard stories about Alpha Kael's strength, None had done him justice.
Outside the hall, horns echoed through the estate, Selene Vale, Kael's Beta, rushed inside, blood streaking one side of her face, "Alpha!" Kael turned, "The western wall has been breached." "Casualties?" "Eight warriors injured. Two dead." A shadow crossed Kael's face, "Any prisoners?" Selene shook her head, "They're swallowing poison before we can question them." Someone didn't want these assassins talking, Kael's eyes narrowed, "This attack was planned."
As healers rushed to aid the wounded, an elderly priestess approached the altar, She leaned heavily on an ancient staff carved with lunar symbols, Though her eyes were clouded white, she walked without hesitation, Elder Mira, The Moon Priestess, She stopped directly in front of Elara, "Child." Elara swallowed, "Y-Yes?" Without asking permission, Mira reached for Elara's wrist, The silver mark flared again, The old woman's fingers trembled, "I know this power." "You do?" "I prayed I would never see it return." Murmurs swept through the hall, Victor Ashcroft stepped forward quickly, "My daughter is exhausted. Surely this can wait." Mira slowly turned toward him, "Your daughter?" Her blind eyes seemed to look straight through him, "You speak as though you've always cherished her." Victor stiffened, No one missed the accusation, Mira ignored him and faced Elara again, "Tell me..." "Have you ever touched an object and seen something that could not possibly be your own memory?" Elara froze, She had, As a child, Whenever she handled old keepsakes, strange images flashed through her mind, Faces, Voices, Places she'd never visited, She had always dismissed them as dreams, "I..."
Before she could answer- "Enough." A cold voice interrupted, An elderly council member stepped forward, Councilor Magnus, "The ceremony has been compromised." He looked at Elara with open suspicion, "This woman concealed her identity before entering a sacred union." Victor immediately bowed, "It was our family's only option to preserve peace." Magnus sneered, "Or your plan from the beginning." The accusation hung heavily in the air, Kael finally spoke, "That's enough." Every voice stopped, He walked toward Elara until only a single step separated them, His expression remained unreadable, "Were you forced into this marriage?" The question caught her off guard, She looked toward her parents, Her mother's warning stare told her everything, Lie, Or suffer the consequences, But after everything that had happened... She couldn't, "Yes." The single word echoed through the chamber, Victor's face turned pale, Kael slowly turned toward him, "You lied to my pack." Victor hurried forward, "Alpha, please-" "You presented one daughter." Kael's voice was calm, "Then offered another without my knowledge." "The alliance was at risk-" "So you gambled with my trust." The temperature in the room seemed to drop, Even the council members stepped back, Everyone knew Kael hated deception.
Hours later, the estate had finally grown quiet, The bodies had been removed, Broken glass swept away, Yet the sense of danger lingered, Kael stood alone on a balcony overlooking the moonlit forest, Someone approached, Selene, "You've made a decision?" Kael didn't answer immediately, "The council wants the marriage annulled." "And you?" His jaw tightened, "My wolf disagrees." Selene blinked, "What?" "Fenrir recognizes her." "Recognizes her as what?" Kael's eyes drifted toward the moon, "I don't know."
Unable to sleep, Elara wandered the unfamiliar corridors of Blackthorne Manor after being escorted there under heavy guard, The walls were lined with portraits of former Alphas, One painting made her stop, It depicted a regal woman wearing a crescent pendant, The very same pendant now hidden beneath Elara's dress, As her fingertips brushed the frame- The world disappeared, A vision slammed into her mind, Flames, Screams, A child crying, A man wearing a raven-shaped crest drove a dagger into the chest of a silver-haired woman, "No..." The dying woman looked directly toward Elara, Not through her, At her, With her final breath, she whispered, "Protect the heir..." The vision shattered, Elara stumbled backward, gasping, Footsteps echoed behind her, She spun around, Kael stood at the end of the corridor, His eyes searched her face, "You saw something." It wasn't a question.
Before Elara could answer- A loud crash echoed from outside, A guard burst through the doors, breathing hard, "Alpha!" Kael turned sharply, "What is it?" The guard's voice shook, "We found one of the assassins alive." Hope flickered across every face, "But..." The guard swallowed, "Before he died..." "He left a message." Kael stepped forward, "What message?" The guard looked directly at Elara, "He said..." "The real bride was never the target." A chill ran through Elara's body, If Iris hadn't been the target... Then someone had planned this entire nightmare... For her.
The words refused to leave Elara's mind, The real bride was never the target, She stood frozen in the corridor while the guard's voice echoed over and over inside her head, Someone had planned the attack long before Iris disappeared, Someone had wanted her dead, Kael studied her carefully, For the first time since they'd met, the fear in her eyes didn't look like guilt, It looked like recognition, "Take me to the assassin," Kael ordered, The guard hesitated, "He won't survive much longer." "Then every second matters."
Deep beneath Blackthorne Manor, the scent of blood and damp stone filled the prison cells, The surviving assassin had been chained to a wall, His black mask had been removed, revealing a young man no older than twenty-five, His lips were stained dark from poison, He was dying, Kael dismissed everyone except Selene and Elara, The assassin laughed weakly when he saw Elara, "So..." "...they failed again." Kael stepped closer, "Who sent you?" The man smiled through blood, "You already know." "I asked who." The assassin ignored him, Instead, he looked at Elara, "They told us you were just a servant's daughter." "They lied." Elara frowned, "What do you mean?" His breathing grew ragged, "You should've died..." "...eighteen years ago." The room fell silent, Kael's expression hardened, "Eighteen years?" Elara's heart pounded, She was twenty-two, What had happened when she was four? Before anyone could ask another question, the assassin suddenly convulsed, His eyes widened in terror, Blood trickled from his nose, "No..." "They found me..." "What?" "They're listening..." With his last ounce of strength, he grabbed Elara's sleeve, "Don't trust..." His body went limp, Dead, Selene immediately searched him, "No hidden weapon." "No poison vial." Kael frowned, "Then how did he die?" Selene looked confused, "It was like... something inside him stopped his heart." Someone had silenced him, Without ever entering the room.
Later that morning... Elara sat alone in the manor's library, The events of the night replayed endlessly, Eighteen years ago, The number refused to leave her thoughts, She barely remembered her childhood, Only scattered moments, A lullaby, A burning house, Someone carrying her through smoke, Everything before the age of five felt wrapped in fog, The library door creaked open, Elder Mira entered slowly, "I thought I'd find you here." Elara stood respectfully, "You knew I'd come?" "The books did." Elara blinked, "The books?" Mira smiled faintly, "People hide in libraries when they're searching for answers." She reached into her robes and placed an ancient leather journal on the table, "This belonged to the last Moon Oracle." Elara carefully opened it, Most pages were blank, Except one, A single sentence had been written in faded silver ink, When memory is stolen, truth hides in blood, "What does that mean?" Mira sighed, "I wish I knew." "You don't?" "I know many things." The old priestess looked toward the window, "But someone has spent decades making sure no one knows everything."
Meanwhile... Kael stood in his private office with Selene and Rowan, His younger brother leaned casually against the wall, "So..." "Our bride attracts assassins." Kael shot him a warning look, "Not helping." Rowan shrugged, "I'm serious." "Someone attacked one of the most heavily guarded weddings in pack history." "They weren't afraid of dying." Selene nodded, "They were afraid of failing." Kael walked toward the large map hanging on the wall, Three locations had been marked, Ashcroft Manor, Blackthorne Manor, Moon Temple, Every attack connected to recent disappearances had occurred near one of them, He drew another line, "They're searching for something." Selene folded her arms, "Or someone." Kael didn't answer, His silence said enough.
That afternoon... Elara wandered through the manor gardens hoping fresh air would calm her thoughts, Instead... She found something strange, Near the oldest oak tree lay a white wolf cub, Its leg was caught beneath a fallen branch, The tiny creature whimpered but didn't struggle, Elara hurried over, "It's alright." She gently lifted the branch away, The cub didn't run, Instead, it licked her hand, The silver mark on her wrist glowed, The cub's amber eyes widened, It lowered its head, Almost... As if bowing, "What are you doing?" A familiar voice interrupted, Kael approached from the stone path, His gaze shifted between Elara and the cub, "That cub trusts no one." Elara looked surprised, "You know him?" "He belongs to no pack." Kael knelt beside the animal, "He appeared outside our gates three months ago." "He lets no warrior near him." Yet the cub leaned happily against Elara's leg, Kael stared, Fenrir stirred again, Everything recognizes her.
As sunset painted the sky crimson, a messenger hawk landed on the manor balcony, Selene removed the scroll tied to its leg, Her face immediately changed, "Alpha." Kael accepted it, The wax seal bore the symbol of the Werewolf Council, He broke it open, His eyes narrowed, "What is it?" Rowan asked, Kael read aloud, "By order of the High Council..." "...Elara Ashcroft is to appear before the Council within three days." "They're moving quickly," Selene muttered, Rowan frowned, "They've never summoned a newly bonded Luna before." Kael continued reading, His jaw clenched, "They're accusing her of possessing forbidden blood." Silence followed, Elara felt the ground shift beneath her feet, Forbidden blood? She had never harmed anyone, She barely understood her own gift, "On what evidence?" she whispered, Kael handed the letter to Selene, At the bottom was a single line, Evidence provided by House Ashcroft, Elara stopped breathing, Her own family... Had accused her.
That night... Unable to sleep, Elara unfolded the crescent pendant once more, Moonlight reflected across its polished surface, Then- Click, A hidden compartment inside the pendant sprang open, A tiny strip of folded parchment slid into her hand, Her pulse quickened, Someone had hidden a message inside, With trembling fingers, she opened it, Only five words were written, Your mother was never Ashcroft, Before she could process the message- A loud explosion shook the entire manor, The windows shattered, War horns echoed through the estate, Guards shouted from outside, "Enemies inside the walls!" Kael's furious voice thundered across the courtyard, "Protect the Luna!" Elara rushed toward the doorway- Only to find a hooded figure already standing there, He wore a black cloak, On his chest... A silver raven crest, The same symbol Iris had warned her about, The stranger slowly removed his hood, Elara's breath caught, She recognized his face, Impossible, She had seen him before, Not in real life, In her vision, He smiled as though greeting an old friend, "Hello, Princess."
