Blood moon , silver heart

Chapter 3

ARIAS POV

I didn't sleep.

Not properly, anyway.

Every time I closed my eyes, the same images returned.

The red moon.

The ancient forest.

Those crimson eyes.

And that voice.

I am you.

I had spent most of the night lying beneath my blankets, staring at the ceiling while rain tapped against my bedroom window.

My room was quiet except for the occasional crack of thunder.

Mooncrest was usually peaceful at night. The pack houses sat beneath the tall trees, their windows glowing warmly in the darkness. Somewhere beyond my bedroom wall, I could hear the faint voices of wolves returning from patrol.

Everything should have felt normal.

It didn't.

I sat up and pulled my knees toward my chest.

"Who are you?"

The question disappeared into the darkness.

No answer.

I had tried talking to the voice several times.

Nothing.

Perhaps I'd imagined it.

That was the only explanation that made sense.

Except...

I could still remember how real it had felt.

I touched my chest.

There was no pain there now.

Only an unfamiliar warmth.

I looked toward the silver pendant lying on my bedside table.

The moment I touched it, my fingers tingled.

I immediately pulled my hand away.

"Nope."

I wasn't touching that thing again.

Not until I knew what it was.

A loud knock suddenly sounded against my bedroom door.

I nearly jumped out of bed.

"Aria?"

My father's voice.

I quickly stood.

"Come in."

The door opened.

My father stepped inside wearing his usual Alpha attire—a dark shirt, black trousers and the silver Alpha ring that represented his position within the pack.

His expression was serious.

"You're awake."

"Couldn't sleep."

"I noticed."

I frowned.

"What does that mean?"

He closed the door behind him.

"The Beta told me you were awake most of the night."

I groaned.

"Of course he did."

My father smiled slightly.

"Get dressed. We're having breakfast with the council."

I stared at him.

"Why?"

"Because there are things we need to discuss."

Something about his tone made my stomach tighten.

"What things?"

He didn't answer immediately.

Instead, his eyes moved toward the pendant on my bedside table.

His expression changed.

Only for a second.

But I noticed.

My father knew something.

I picked up the pendant.

"You know what this is."

His jaw tightened.

"Where did you get it?"

"You gave it to me."

"When?"

"I don't remember. I was little."

He stared at the pendant.

"Aria, put it away."

"Why?"

"Because I said so."

I frowned.

That wasn't an answer.

My father was many things, but he wasn't usually secretive with me.

Something had changed.

And I knew exactly when.

Last night.

The forest.

The vampire.

The symbol.

I narrowed my eyes.

"Does this have something to do with the eastern boundary?"

His expression hardened.

"What happened at the boundary?"

My heart skipped.

So he didn't know.

At least, not everything.

"Nothing."

"Aria."

"I said nothing happened."

He studied me for several seconds.

Then he sighed.

"We'll talk later."

He turned toward the door.

I watched him leave.

The second the door closed, I grabbed my clothes.

There was no way I was letting this go.

---

By the time I entered the main house, the entire pack seemed to be awake.

Mooncrest wasn't simply a collection of wolves.

It was a family.

Hundreds of people lived within the territory.

Children ran between the houses.

Hunters returned from patrols.

Older wolves sat around the fire and exchanged stories.

The smell of breakfast filled the air.

For once, I almost felt normal.

Almost.

I walked into the dining room.

My father sat at the head of the table.

Beside him was the Beta.

Ethan Carter.

He was twenty-three, tall and broad-shouldered, with sandy-brown hair and green eyes.

He'd grown up with me.

He'd also spent most of my childhood treating me like his annoying little sister.

Which meant he had absolutely no problem embarrassing me.

He looked at me.

"You're late."

"I wasn't aware I had a schedule."

"You do now."

I pulled out a chair.

"Since when?"

"Since your father nearly tore the forest apart looking for you."

I glanced at my father.

"Seriously?"

He ignored me.

Ethan sat back.

"You scared everyone."

"I said I was sorry."

"Sorry doesn't stop an angry Alpha."

My father gave him a warning look.

Ethan immediately became quiet.

I tried not to laugh.

Breakfast was served.

For several minutes, nobody spoke.

That silence was worse than yelling.

Finally, my father placed his cup down.

"We've had reports from the eastern patrol."

My hand stopped halfway to my mouth.

"What kind of reports?"

"Movement."

My stomach tightened.

"What kind of movement?"

"The patrol found tracks."

"Wolves?"

My father shook his head.

"No."

The room became silent.

Ethan's expression turned serious.

"Vampires?"

My father nodded.

A cold feeling moved through my body.

I thought about Lucian.

The tree.

The way he'd disappeared.

The strange creature in the forest.

My father continued.

"They've been seen closer to our territory than usual."

"Why?"

"We don't know."

I stared down at my plate.

There was something I wanted to tell them.

I had seen one.

I'd spoken to one.

And that vampire had been Lucian Veyre.

But something stopped me.

Maybe it was fear.

Maybe it was the feeling that if I told my father about Lucian, everything would change.

"Aria?"

I looked up.

My father was watching me.

"Yes?"

"You've gone quiet."

"I'm just tired."

Ethan narrowed his eyes.

"You look like you've seen a ghost."

I forced a smile.

"Maybe I have."

Nobody laughed.

Great.

I picked up my glass.

Then—

A sharp pain exploded inside my chest.

I dropped it.

The glass shattered against the floor.

Everyone jumped.

"Aria!"

My father stood immediately.

I grabbed the edge of the table.

Something was happening.

The room became blurry.

Voices faded.

My heartbeat became deafening.

Aria.

That voice.

Again.

Listen to me.

I squeezed my eyes shut.

"Who are you?"

The room disappeared.

I was standing in the forest.

But this wasn't the forest I knew.

Everything was covered in snow.

The trees were dead.

The sky was black.

And in front of me stood a woman.

She had long silver hair.

Her eyes were crimson.

She looked at me sadly.

"You're awake."

I couldn't move.

"Who are you?"

The woman smiled.

"You don't remember me."

"No."

"You weren't supposed to."

I looked around.

"Where am I?"

"Between worlds."

"What does that mean?"

She stepped closer.

"You have very little time."

"For what?"

Her expression suddenly changed.

Fear appeared in her eyes.

"They know."

"Who?"

She looked behind me.

I turned.

Nothing.

Then I heard footsteps.

Slow.

Heavy.

Getting closer.

The woman grabbed my shoulders.

"Whatever happens, don't let the vampire prince take you."

My eyes widened.

"Lucian?"

She stared at me.

"You know his name already."

Before I could ask another question, the world shattered.

---

I woke up on the dining room floor.

My father was kneeling beside me.

"Aria!"

I blinked rapidly.

The room slowly came back into focus.

Ethan stood nearby, looking terrified.

"What happened?"

My father touched my forehead.

"You collapsed."

"I..."

I looked around.

Everyone was staring at me.

"What did you see?"

My father asked.

I swallowed.

"Nothing."

He knew I was lying.

I knew he knew.

But he didn't push me.

Not yet.

Then I heard something.

A whisper.

Not from the room.

Inside my head.

He is coming.

I froze.

"Who?"

My father frowned.

"What?"

I looked at him.

"I didn't say that."

Ethan exchanged a worried glance with my father.

Then a howl sounded outside.

Every wolf in the house went silent.

It wasn't a normal howl.

It was a warning.

My father immediately stood.

"Everyone stay here."

He walked toward the door.

Ethan followed.

I stood too.

"Where are you going?"

My father looked back.

"Stay inside."

"But—"

"Aria."

His Alpha voice left no room for argument.

He and Ethan disappeared through the doorway.

I stood there for a moment.

Then I heard the voice again.

Go outside.

I frowned.

"No."

Go.

"Absolutely not."

A pause.

Then—

He's there.

My heart stopped.

I knew exactly who she meant.

Lucian.

I rushed toward the window.

Beyond the trees, on the far edge of the territory, stood a lone figure.

Black clothes.

Dark hair.

Crimson eyes.

Lucian.

He was looking directly toward my house.

And even from that distance...

I knew he could see me.

His expression was unreadable.

Then his lips moved.

I couldn't hear him.

But somehow, I understood.

Run.

And behind him, deep within the forest, something enormous moved between the trees.