THE LUNAR KING 👑

Some encounters are written in the stars. Others are written in blood. The Blackthorn Empire stood tall in the heart of New York City, its magnificent glass tower reflecting the golden rays of the morning sun. It was more than just a business empire. It was a symbol of power, wealth, and fear. Owned by one of the most influential men in the world, Blackthorn Empire controlled hotels, banks, international businesses, and several underground operations that even the government knew better than to investigate. Alexander Blackthorn was the man behind it all. At thirty-two, he was a billionaire CEO, a ruthless mafia lord, and the Alpha King of the ancient Blackthorn bloodline. To the business world, he was a genius. To his enemies, he was a nightmare. But to the supernatural world, he was something far more terrifying. The Lunar King. A man whose blood carried the power of the first Alpha. And a man whose heart had been cursed for generations. 8:15 AM — BLACKTHORN EMPIRE "Miss Rose!" Isabella Rose almost dropped her handbag as she hurried through the enormous glass entrance. "Good morning, Mrs. Collins." "Good morning? You are twelve minutes late!" Isabella checked her wristwatch. "Actually, I'm only seven minutes late." Mrs. Collins gave her a disapproving look. "Do you want to lose your job on your first day?" Isabella sighed. "Of course not. I desperately need this job." She adjusted her cream-coloured blouse and black pencil skirt before following the older woman towards the elevators. At twenty-five, Isabella was a beautiful young woman with long dark hair, expressive brown eyes, and a confident personality. She had a way of attracting attention without even trying. But she wasn't interested in attention. She had bills to pay, a life to rebuild, and secrets she couldn't explain. After months of searching, she had finally secured a position as the personal secretary to Alexander Blackthorn. The salary was ridiculously generous. The working conditions, however, were rumoured to be terrible. Her new boss was known for dismissing employees over the smallest mistakes. Some even claimed he had never smiled in his entire life. Isabella wasn't particularly worried. She had worked with difficult people before. How bad could one billionaire possibly be? The elevator doors opened. "One more thing," Mrs. Collins said. Isabella turned. "Yes?" "Never enter Mr. Blackthorn's office without knocking. Never touch his personal belongings. Never ask questions about his family." "Anything else?" Mrs. Collins hesitated. "Whatever you do, don't make him angry." Isabella smiled politely. "I'll try my best." THE LUNAR KING Alexander stood before the enormous windows of his private office. His black tailored suit fitted perfectly against his broad shoulders. His dark hair was neatly styled, and his expression was as cold as winter. A glass of whiskey rested on his desk. Behind him stood his personal assistant, Daniel. "Sir, the board meeting has been moved to eleven," Daniel reported. "Why?" "Mr. Anderson requested an extension." Alexander slowly turned. "Did I ask for an explanation?" Daniel lowered his head. "No, sir." "Then give him five minutes to explain himself before I replace him." "Understood." Alexander's jaw tightened. Something was wrong. He could feel it. His wolf, Draven, had been restless since the previous night. Something is coming, Draven growled inside his mind. Alexander ignored him. He had more important things to worry about than the instincts of an impatient wolf. "Your new secretary has arrived," Daniel announced. Alexander glanced at his watch. "She's late." "Yes, sir." "Then she's already disappointed me." Daniel remained silent. Alexander returned his attention to the documents on his desk. "Send her in." THE FIRST ENCOUNTER Isabella stood outside the CEO's office, holding a tablet and several documents. She took a deep breath. You can do this, Isabella. She knocked twice. "Come in." She pushed the door open. "Good morning, Mr. Blackthorn." Alexander didn't look up. "You're late." Isabella blinked. "Good morning to you too, sir." His pen stopped moving. Slowly, he raised his head. For a moment, neither of them spoke. Alexander stared at her. There was something strange about the woman standing before him. Her scent. It wasn't perfume. It was something familiar. Something ancient. Something his wolf recognised. Mate. The word exploded inside his head. Alexander's fingers tightened around his pen. Mate! Our mate! Draven roared. Alexander immediately pushed the thought away. Impossible. He had already been married once. His first marriage had ended in a tragedy that haunted his family. The curse had taken enough from him. He would not allow another woman to become his weakness. "Your name?" he asked coldly. "Isabella Rose." "Age?" "Twenty-five." "Experience?" "Three years as an executive assistant." "Why did you leave your previous job?" Isabella hesitated. "My previous employer believed shouting was an acceptable form of communication." Alexander raised an eyebrow. "And you couldn't handle that?" "I could. I simply decided I deserved better." Daniel, who was standing near the door, almost choked. Nobody spoke to Alexander Blackthorn like that. Alexander leaned back in his chair. "Interesting." Isabella smiled. "Thank you, sir." "That wasn't a compliment." "Then I'll try not to take it as one." Silence filled the office. Alexander stared at her for several seconds. Then he pointed towards the documents. "Your first assignment. Organise these contracts, prepare my schedule, and cancel every unnecessary meeting." "Understood." "And Miss Rose?" She turned. "Yes, sir?" "Don't mistake my silence for friendliness." Isabella nodded. "Don't worry, sir. I don't mistake arrogance for intelligence either." Daniel's eyes widened. Alexander's expression darkened. For the first time in years, somebody had managed to leave him speechless. "Get out." "Gladly." Isabella walked out, closing the door behind her. Daniel slowly turned towards his boss. "Sir..." "Not a word." "Yes, sir." But Alexander wasn't listening anymore. His wolf was still restless. She's ours. "Shut up, Draven." A STRANGE CONNECTION Outside the office, Isabella placed her tablet on the desk and released a long breath. "That man needs serious help," she whispered. "Excuse me?" She turned and found Daniel standing behind her. "Nothing." Daniel studied her. "You're surprisingly brave." "Is that a compliment?" "More like a warning." Isabella laughed softly. "Well, I'll try not to get fired before lunchtime." Daniel smiled. "Good luck with that." As he walked away, Isabella suddenly felt a sharp pain in her head. She grabbed the edge of her desk. Images flashed through her mind. A giant mansion. A full moon. A woman wearing a white wedding gown. Blood-red roses scattered across a marble staircase. And a man's voice. You were never supposed to return. Isabella gasped. The images disappeared as quickly as they had appeared. "What was that?" She looked around. Nobody seemed to have noticed. Her hand moved instinctively towards the silver pendant hanging around her neck. It had belonged to her grandmother. She had worn it since childhood. For some reason, it suddenly felt warm. THE BLACKTHORN FAMILY SECRET That evening, Alexander arrived at the Blackthorn mansion. The mansion was an architectural masterpiece surrounded by enormous gardens and ancient trees. It had belonged to his family for more than three hundred years. Inside the grand living room, his grandmother, Eleanor Blackthorn, sat beside the fireplace. At seventy-eight, she remained an intimidating woman. Her silver hair was perfectly arranged, and her eyes carried the wisdom of generations. "Alexander," she greeted. "Grandmother." "You're late." "I had work." "You always have work." Alexander loosened his tie. "What do you want?" Eleanor studied him carefully. "I heard you've hired a new secretary." He frowned. "How does that concern you?" "What's her name?" "Isabella Rose." The teacup slipped slightly from Eleanor's fingers. Alexander noticed. "Grandmother?" She stared at him. "Repeat that name." "Isabella Rose." For several seconds, Eleanor remained completely still. Then she whispered something that made Alexander's expression change. "Impossible." "What?" Eleanor stood. "Where did you find her?" "At the company. She applied for the position." "What does she look like?" Alexander frowned. "Why are you asking?" "Answer me!" Her sudden outburst surprised him. "Long dark hair. Brown eyes. Twenty-five years old." Eleanor's face lost its colour. She slowly walked towards the fireplace and opened an old wooden drawer. From inside, she removed a faded photograph. She handed it to Alexander. He looked down. The photograph showed a beautiful young woman standing beside a man dressed in royal clothing. The woman had long dark hair. Brown eyes. And a face almost identical to Isabella Rose. Alexander stared at the photograph. "Who is she?" Eleanor swallowed. "Her name was Seraphina." "And?" "She was the woman your great-great-grandfather was forbidden to love." Alexander looked up. "Why?" Eleanor's voice dropped. "Because she belonged to the bloodline that cursed our family." THE PROPHECY Deep beneath the Blackthorn mansion was an ancient room that only members of the royal bloodline could enter. Its walls were covered with strange symbols. At the centre stood a stone altar. Eleanor entered the room alone. She placed her palm against the altar. Immediately, the symbols began to glow. A voice echoed through the darkness. "The lost blood shall return." Eleanor stepped backwards. Another voice followed. "The woman who died beneath the blood moon shall be reborn." Her eyes widened. "No..." The room trembled. "The Lunar King shall recognise his fated bride. But love shall awaken the curse, and revenge shall demand its price." Eleanor covered her mouth. The prophecy was beginning. And Alexander had already met her. 11:47 PM — A NIGHTMARE Isabella tossed beneath her bedsheets. She was dreaming again. This time, she stood inside an enormous ballroom. She wore a white wedding gown. A man stood before her, his face hidden in darkness. "Why did you betray me?" she whispered. The man stepped closer. "I never betrayed you, my love." "Then why did you let them kill me?" Silence. Suddenly, the ballroom doors burst open. Several people entered. Their faces were familiar, but she couldn't recognise them. The man in front of her grabbed her hand. "Listen to me, Seraphina. Whatever happens, you must never trust the Blackthorn family." A loud crash echoed through the room. Isabella screamed. Her eyes flew open. She sat up, breathing heavily. Her room was dark. The clock beside her bed read 11:47 PM. She touched her face. There were tears on her cheeks. "Who is Seraphina?" Her phone suddenly vibrated. An unknown number. UNKNOWN: Stay away from Alexander Blackthorn. Isabella stared at the message. Before she could respond, another message arrived. UNKNOWN: You have already died once. Don't make the mistake of dying for him again. Her blood ran cold. She slowly lowered the phone. Then she looked towards the window. A pair of glowing golden eyes stared back at her from the darkness. Isabella froze. The eyes disappeared. And somewhere across the city, inside the Blackthorn mansion, Alexander suddenly woke from his sleep. His wolf was roaring. She's in danger. Alexander grabbed his phone. "Daniel!" "Yes, sir?" "Find out everything about Isabella Rose." "Everything?" Alexander stared into the darkness. "Her family, her past, her relatives. I want every single detail." "Understood." He ended the call. For the first time in centuries, the Lunar King's wolf had recognised its fated mate. But Alexander didn't know that the woman he wanted to protect was the same woman whose soul had once sworn to destroy his family. And the blood moon was only three nights away. TO BE CONTINUED... 🌙 END OF CHAPTER ONE Coming in Chapter Two: The mysterious woman in the photograph, Alexander's first wife, and Isabella's shocking discovery about her grandmother.