Alpha's Hidden Luna

Chapter Three: A Bond Rekindled

The villagers erupted into cheers when Evelyn carried Thomas back into Willowbrook. His parents clung to him, their relief palpable. But Evelyn’s mind was elsewhere. Her encounter with the black wolf haunted her, the name she’d spoken—‘Lucien’—ringing in her ears.

How had she known that name? Why had the wolf reacted as if it knew her too?

Evelyn’s thoughts were interrupted as Greta approached, her face pale.

“Evelyn,” she said in a hushed voice. “We need to talk.”

Evelyn frowned, following Greta to her cottage. Inside, the elder closed the door and lit a single candle.

“You’ve seen them, haven’t you?” Greta asked, her voice trembling.

“The wolves?” Evelyn replied cautiously.

Greta nodded, her hands trembling. “They’ve always been near, but they’ve stayed hidden. Until now. Something has changed, Evelyn. And it’s no coincidence they’re interested in you.”

“Why would wolves care about me?” Evelyn asked, trying to keep her voice steady.

Greta hesitated before pulling out a dusty old tome from her shelf. She flipped through the pages, stopping at an illustration of a crescent moon surrounded by wolves.

“You carry the mark of the Moon Goddess,” Greta said, pointing to Evelyn’s scar. “The stories say those who bear her mark are destined for greatness—or destruction. The wolves sense it. They always have.”

Evelyn recoiled, her heart pounding. “This is just a scar. I’m no one special.”

Greta’s eyes softened. “You may not believe it, but the wolves do. Be careful, child. You’re part of something much bigger than this village.”

That night, sleep evaded Evelyn. The weight of Greta’s words—and the memory of the black wolf—pressed heavily on her mind. She sat by the window, staring at the crescent moon.

‘Destined for greatness or destruction?’ The thought chilled her.

Unable to bear the stillness, she slipped on her cloak and ventured into the woods. The villagers would call her reckless, but she needed answers.

The forest was eerily quiet, the air thick with anticipation. Evelyn’s feet carried her to the riverbank where she’d found Thomas. Her scar tingled faintly, guiding her deeper into the shadows.

“Evelyn.”

The voice came from nowhere, smooth and commanding. She spun around to see the man from before—Lucien—emerging from the trees. His golden eyes glowed faintly in the moonlight, and this time, she noticed the raw power radiating from him.

“You shouldn’t be here,” he said, his tone laced with frustration. “It’s dangerous.”

“You keep saying that,” she snapped, anger bubbling to the surface. “But you won’t tell me why. Who are you, really? And what do you want from me?”

Lucien sighed, running a hand through his dark hair. “You’re asking the wrong questions.”

“Then what are the right ones?” Evelyn shot back, her voice trembling.

For a moment, he just looked at her, as if debating whether to say more. Finally, he stepped closer, his gaze intense. “What do you feel when you’re near me?”

The question caught her off guard. “What?”

“Answer me,” he insisted, his voice low and steady.

Evelyn hesitated. She wanted to deny the pull she felt, but the truth slipped out before she could stop it. “I feel… like I know you. Like I’ve known you forever.”

Lucien’s jaw tightened, and a flicker of pain crossed his face. “You’re not wrong.”

“What does that mean?” she demanded.

He didn’t answer. Instead, he took another step closer, close enough that she could feel the heat radiating off him. “You need to leave this forest. Forget about me. Forget about the wolves.”

“I can’t,” Evelyn said, her voice firm despite the storm of emotions inside her. “There’s something going on, and I deserve to know what it is.”

Lucien reached out as if to touch her but stopped himself. His golden eyes locked on hers, and for a moment, the world seemed to fade away.

“I erased your memories to protect you,” he said quietly, his words like a blow to her chest.

Evelyn froze, her breath catching in her throat. “What?”

“You were mine once,” he continued, his voice heavy with regret. “My mate. My Luna. But I couldn’t keep you safe. I made a choice to let you go, to erase everything we had.”

Her mind reeled. “You… you’re lying.”

“I wish I were,” Lucien said softly.

Evelyn took a shaky step back, her scar burning fiercely now. “Why? Why would you do that?”

Lucien’s expression darkened. “Because you were being hunted. By enemies far worse than rogues. And now, they’ve found you again.”

The ground beneath them trembled, a low growl rumbling through the trees. Lucien’s head snapped toward the darkness, his body tensing like a predator ready to strike.

“They’re here,” he said, his voice deadly calm.

Evelyn turned, her heart racing as glowing red eyes appeared in the shadows, one by one.

Lucien shifted in front of her, his voice a low snarl. “Stay behind me.”

Before she could respond, the first rogue lunged from the darkness, its jaws snapping inches from Lucien’s throat.