THE MAFIA’S LUNA

Episode 1 — The Warning Luna Vale had always believed that secrets belonged to other people. Her life was simple. She lived with her mother in a quiet house at the edge of the city, far away from the dangerous streets where powerful men settled their disputes. But everything changed on the night her mother disappeared. The storm had started just after midnight. Rain struck the windows while Luna sat in the living room, waiting for her mother to return. She had called her several times, but there was no answer. Then the front door opened. Luna stood immediately. Mom? No one answered. She walked toward the entrance and stopped. Her mother’s handbag was lying on the floor. Her phone was beside it. But she was gone. Luna’s heart began to race. She searched every room, calling her mother’s name again and again. Nothing. Then she noticed something on the dining table. A small black envelope. Her name was written across it. LUNA. With trembling hands, she opened it. Inside was a single piece of paper. Luna, if you are reading this, I could not come back. Do not look for me. Do not trust anyone who claims to know our family. And most importantly… Never trust the man with the black ring. Luna stared at the words. What does that even mean? She turned the paper over. There was nothing else. Except a tiny symbol drawn in black ink a crescent moon surrounded by strange markings. Luna had seen that symbol before. It was on the necklace her mother had given her when she was a child. She touched the necklace hanging around her neck. For the first time, she wondered why her mother had always told her never to remove it. The following morning, a black car stopped outside the house. Luna watched from the window as two men stepped out. They were dressed in dark suits. A third man emerged from the back seat. He was younger than she expected, tall and calm, with an expression that made the entire street seem silent. Luna did not know his name. But she noticed the black ring on his finger. Her blood ran cold. The warning flashed through her mind. Never trust the man with the black ring. A knock sounded at the door. Luna didn't move. Another knock. Then a deep voice came from outside. “Luna Vale. We need to talk. She stepped backward. “How do you know my name?” Silence. Then the voice answered. “Because your family has owed mine a debt for twenty years.” Luna slowly opened the door. The stranger looked directly at her. “I’m Adrian De Luca.” The name meant nothing to Luna. But judging from the fear in the eyes of the neighbors watching from their windows, it meant everything to them. Adrian's gaze moved briefly to the necklace around Luna’s neck. His expression changed. Only for a second. But Luna noticed. “You know this?” she asked. Adrian did not answer. Instead, he asked, “Where is your mother?” “I don’t know.” “Where did she go?” “I said I don’t know!” Adrian studied her carefully. Then he stepped closer. “Your mother disappeared because someone found her.” “Found her?” “Yes.” “Who?” Adrian’s expression hardened. “Someone who has been looking for your family for a very long time.” Luna felt a chill run through her. “What does my family have to do with you?” “More than you realize.” Before Luna could ask another question, one of Adrian’s men approached him and whispered something. Adrian's eyes immediately shifted toward the road. His expression became serious. “Get inside.” Luna frowned. “What?” “Now.” “I don't take orders from strangers.” For the first time, Adrian almost smiled. “You will when you understand what is coming.” A loud sound came from somewhere in the distance. Then another. The men around Adrian immediately became alert. Luna stepped backward. “What's happening?” Adrian looked at her. “Your mother's enemies found you.” Before Luna could react, Adrian grabbed her arm and pulled her away from the doorway. “Wait!” “Stay close.” “I don't trust you!” “You shouldn't.” Luna stared at him. His answer surprised her. Adrian looked toward the dark road. “Your mother was right about one thing.” “What?” “Trusting me could be dangerous.” He paused. “But trusting the people coming for you will be worse.” Luna's mind raced. Her mother was missing. A mysterious Mafia leader had arrived at her house. Someone was searching for her. And the necklace around her neck suddenly felt heavier than ever. Then Adrian noticed something beneath the collar of her dress. A faint silver mark. His face changed completely. “What is that?” Luna looked down. “I've had it since I was born.” Adrian stared at the mark as though he had just seen a ghost. “That’s impossible.” “What is?” He didn't answer. Instead, he whispered a name Luna had never heard before. “Moonborn.” The word seemed to make the air around them grow colder. Luna frowned. “What does Moonborn mean?” Adrian looked into her eyes. “It means your mother wasn't hiding you from the Mafia.” He glanced toward the dark forest beyond the road. “She was hiding you from something much older.” Luna's heart pounded. And somewhere beyond the trees, a distant howl echoed through the night. Adrian's eyes hardened. “The people searching for you aren't human.” Luna stared at him. For the first time, she realized her mother's disappearance wasn't the beginning of her nightmare. It was the beginning of the truth. And the truth was coming for her.