The Man Beyond the Window
961 Words
Mara couldn’t move.
The stranger stood beyond the rain-streaked window, completely still.
His eyes were fixed on her.
Not Lucian.
Not Kael.
Her.
And somehow, that frightened her more than the army of wolves surrounding the manor.
“Daughter.”
The word replayed inside her head.
Mara touched her chest.
Her heartbeat was so violent it hurt.
“Who is he?”
Lucian grabbed her shoulders.
“Don’t look at him.”
“Tell me who he is!”
“Mara”
“Who is he?”
Her voice cracked.
She hated that she was crying.
She hated that everyone seemed to know something about her except her.
Lucian’s hands loosened.
For a moment, his expression softened.
Then a terrifying howl came from outside.
The stranger disappeared.
Mara rushed toward the window.
“Wait!”
Lucian caught her around the waist and pulled her back.
“Don’t!”
“Let me go!”
She struggled against him.
“He called me his daughter!”
“You don’t know what you saw.”
“I know what I heard!”
Her voice broke.
“He knew me.”
Lucian went silent.
Mara looked at him.
“You know him too.”
It wasn’t a question.
Lucian’s eyes hardened.
“No.”
“Liar.”
Kael stepped forward.
“Alpha, we need to move her.”
Mara turned toward him.
“Move me where?”
“To the underground chambers.”
Her stomach twisted.
“Why?”
Kael hesitated.
“Because they’ll breach the manor soon.”
Mara stared at him.
“Who are they?”
“Rogues.”
“Why do they want me?”
Neither man answered.
Mara laughed bitterly.
“Of course.”
She wiped her cheeks.
“Another secret.”
Lucian stepped toward her.
“Mara, listen to me.”
“No.”
She backed away.
“You listen to me.”
Her hands were trembling.
“I’ve spent my entire life being told I was nobody. I was told my parents died. I was told I had no wolf. I was told I was lucky anyone took me in.”
Her eyes filled with tears.
“And now I walk into this place and suddenly everyone knows my name.”
Lucian’s face tightened.
“Because you were never nobody.”
“Then who was I?”
He didn’t answer.
“Who am I?”
Still nothing.
Mara’s voice dropped to a whisper.
“Why can’t you just tell me?”
Lucian looked at her for a long moment.
Then he said something that made her blood freeze.
“Because the last time the truth came out, an entire family was slaughtered.”
Mara stared at him.
“What family?”
“Yours.”
The room went silent.
Mara’s lips parted.
“No.”
Lucian continued.
“Your parents weren’t killed by rogues.”
Her breathing became uneven.
“Then who killed them?”
Lucian looked away.
Mara grabbed his arm.
“Who?”
Before he could answer.
CRASH!
A window shattered.
Kael drew his sword.
“Down!”
Lucian pulled Mara behind him.
Glass flew across the room.
A black arrow struck the wall.
Attached to it was a piece of parchment.
Kael carefully removed it.
His face changed as he read.
“What does it say?” Mara demanded.
Kael looked at Lucian.
“Read it.”
Lucian took the parchment.
His eyes moved across the words.
Then his expression became murderous.
Mara snatched it from his hand.
There were only six words.
THE DAUGHTER OF THE MOON HAS RETURNED.
Mara stared at them.
“The daughter of the moon?”
Lucian said nothing.
“That’s me, isn’t it?”
Silence.
Mara’s fear turned into fury.
“You know.”
Lucian finally met her eyes.
“Yes.”
The admission crushed something inside her.
“You knew.”
“I suspected.”
“You knew!”
Mara shoved him.
“You knew who I was the moment you saw me!”
Lucian didn’t fight back.
“I knew the pendant.”
“And you still let me walk around here like a servant?”
“I needed to know if it was really you.”
Mara stared at him in disbelief.
“So I was an experiment?”
“No.”
“You used me.”
“No.”
“You lied to me.”
Lucian stepped closer.
“I was trying to protect you.”
“From what?”
His eyes darkened.
“From the people who are coming.”
A tremendous roar shook the manor.
The walls trembled.
Kael looked toward the door.
“They’ve breached the eastern gate.”
Lucian reached for Mara’s hand.
“This time, you have to trust me.”
Mara pulled away.
“I don’t trust you.”
Another roar.
Closer.
Lucian’s eyes flashed gold.
“Then trust your instincts.
Mara froze.
Something was moving beneath her skin.
A pressure.
A heartbeat that wasn’t hers.
Then the voice returned inside her mind.
Run.
Mara gasped.
The voice grew louder.
RUN, MARA.
She grabbed her head.
“Stop!”
Lucian stared at her.
“What is it?”
Mara looked up.
Her eyes widened.
“Someone is coming.”
“Who?”
She swallowed.
“I don’t know.”
The voice whispered again.
This time, Mara understood.
Your father.
Her blood turned cold.
Then someone knocked on the manor door.
Three slow knocks.
Knock.
Knock.
Knock.
Everyone froze.
Lucian’s face drained of color.
Kael whispered,
“That’s impossible.
Mara stared at the door.
“Who is it
A man’s voice came from the other side.
Deep.
Calm.
Familiar.
“Open the door, Mara.
Her heart stopped.
“I’ve been looking for my daughter for twenty-two years.
And Mara knew that voice.
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