Daughter of the Red Moon.

I was already exhausted before the day even started, and it had nothing to do with sleep. It was the kind of tired that lingered in my bones and followed me around like a second skin. I stood in front of the mirror in my small shared room, adjusting my simple clothes and tying my hair back the same way I had always done. Neat. Practical. Forgettable. That's how I survived at Moonfang University. The city was already alive outside my window. Cars moved like streams of light between towering buildings that reached the sky. People wearing expensive uniforms walked as if they owned the world. Perhaps they did. In Moonfang City, power determined everything. I grabbed my bag and stepped outside. The air outside seemed colder than it should have. Perhaps it was just me. I walked through the campus gates, keeping my head down as I had learned to do. If you didn't look at them, they wouldn't look at you. This was not always true. "Watch where you're going, Stormfang." The voice came from behind me, sharp and amusing. I came to a complete stop but did not fully turn. I was already aware of who it was. Kiera Langston. Daughter of a prominent pack family. She was the type of girl who would never walk alone because she didn't have to. Her friends chuckled softly around her. I moved slightly to the side so they could pass. My fingers tightened around my bag strap, but my expression remained calm. That was something I had also learned. The reactions only made matters worse. Keira bumped into my shoulder as she passed. "Still pretending to be a student like the rest of us?" she asked. "Funny." One of her friends added, "Be careful, Keira. She might scratch you with her low energy." They laughed again before walking away. I continued on my way. I told myself I didn't care. I'd said it so many times that it almost seemed real now. But my chest tightened in that familiar way, as if something inside me was shrinking slightly each time. Moonfang University was extremely large. It's too big for someone like me to feel comfortable inside. Glass buildings, wide halls, and polished floors reflected the people who lived here. I did not fit in. I entered my lecture hall and took a seat in the back. It's always the back. It was safer there. Less attention. There's a lower chance of being noticed. Professor Hale entered a few minutes later, instantly silencing the room. He was one of the few people here who wasn't concerned about bloodline politics. Perhaps he simply pretended to be better than others. "Today, we continue with emergency trauma responses in supernatural cases," he explained. I straightened slightly because this was my favorite subject. Not because it was simple. It wasn't. But it made sense to me in a world that often didn't. Injuries. Healing. Trying to save lives. There were rules there that I could understand. I wrote quickly in my notebook, attempting to capture every word. A small part of me pictured myself wearing a hospital uniform one day. Not here. Somewhere I could help people without constantly being reminded that I was inferior to them. A pen tapped behind me. Slow, deliberate. I didn't turn around. The tapping stopped, then resumed. I finally looked back long enough to recognize who it was. Dorian Vale. Of course. He smirked when he noticed me looking. He whispered, "Stormfang." "Are you still trying to be a doctor?" I went back to my notes. I returned to my notes. "That is the plan," I replied quietly. "Doctors typically have strong bloodlines. Not from families who remain in the shadows." I tightened my grip on my pen. I did not respond. Professor Hale continued to speak as if nothing were happening. That was another thing I'd learned. People in places like this saw everything while also ignoring it. The lecture ended. My next shift was at the university's library. The library was one of the few places I didn't completely despise. It was silent. No loud voices. No eyes that judge all the time. Silence and books alone. I changed into my work apron and began sorting returned books. The smell of paper and ink always made me feel calmer. For a while, I forgot everything else. Then I heard some footsteps. Initially, I did not look up. I knew it was going to be trouble. "Selene Stormfang." I froze at the sound of my full name. I turned slowly. Two students stood near the counter. One of them had already started laughing. "Yeah?" I asked. The girl c****d her head. "My book was not positioned properly. "Do you even understand how to do your job?" I walked over to inspect the shelf. It was correct. I showed her politely. "It's here." Her smile faded a little. The boy next to her leaned closer. "Perhaps she cannot read properly. "That would explain a lot." I felt heat rising in my face, but I remained calm. "I put it where it belonged," I explained. The girl suddenly took the book from my grasp. "Careful," she uttered. "You may damage it. "Your kind typically does." They walked away before I could reply. I stood still for a moment, breathing slowly. This was normal. This was the norm for me. I returned to work. Hours passed. The library gradually emptied, leaving me alone with the silence. I enjoyed this part of the day the most. No voices. No demands. Just shelves that need to be organized. I was reaching up to place a book on a high shelf when I heard a voice behind me. "Stormfang." I spun quickly. A senior administrator stood near the entrance. He looked serious, as if he didn't want to be here either. "You are being reassigned," he stated. I blinked. "Reassigned?" He nodded. "The restricted section needs to be organized. After several hours of work. There were no students allowed during that time. My stomach tightened slightly. I rarely visited the restricted section. It was deeper in the library, older, and quieter. The air felt different there. "I understand," I replied. He handed me a small key card. "Be careful," he advised. Then he left without saying anything else. I stood there, holding the card. For a moment, I simply stared at it. Something about it felt heavier than it should have, but I had no option. I looked around at the empty library and then down the long hallway that led deeper inside. I gripped the card more tightly. I walked towards it. As I moved deeper into the room, the lights dimmed. The silence intensified. Even my footsteps sounded different here, as if the building were listening. I reached the final door. Restricted section. I swiped the card. The lock clicked open. I pushed the door slowly. Inside, it was colder. The rows of books stretched farther than I expected. High shelves. Narrow spaces. Everything felt older, as if this part of the university had been purposefully forgotten. I stepped inside. The door shut behind me. And I had no idea at the time how much this place would change my life. Not yet. I walked deeper between the shelves, brushing my fingers lightly against the books as I passed. The majority of them appeared to be untouched for many years. I laid my bag down and took a deep breath. "Just organize and leave," I whispered to myself. That was the plan. It's simple and safe. I began pulling books from one shelf and sorting them carefully. Time went by aimlessly. It felt strangely peaceful. And then I heard it. A low, deep sound. As if something were moving when nothing should. I paused. My hand remained on the book I was holding. Silence resumed. I exhaled slowly and kept working. Then it came again. There was a growl, not loud but close. My heart paused for a second. I slowly turned to face the darker end of the room. There was nothing but shelves and shadows. I swallowed and took a small step backward. "Hello?" I said quietly. No response. I should have left, that thought came quickly, sharp, and clear. However, my feet had not yet moved. Instead, I made another step forward. The air seemed heavier now. My instincts yelled at me to turn around. I heard it again. This time it's closer. Right behind me. A voice followed. "Mate." My entire body froze. The book in my hand slipped slightly, but I caught it before it dropped. Slowly, I turned around. And everything inside of me came to a stop. Lucien Knight stood between the shelves, looking at me as if I had stumbled into his world by accident. And the way he looked at me indicated one thing. This was not a coincidence.