The Alpha’s Forgotten Daughter

Chapter Two — The Secret Beneath My Blood

“Daughter of the Moonblood...”

The voice echoed inside my head.

I couldn't move.

I couldn't breathe.

Every wolf in the ceremonial grounds had gone silent.

Even the rain seemed to have stopped.

I stared into the forest.

Those golden eyes were still there.

Watching me.

Waiting.

Elara, run! Lyra screamed.

But my feet remained frozen.

“What is that?” someone whispered.

A growl rolled through the darkness.

Several warriors immediately shifted halfway, claws extending from their fingertips.

Alpha Kael stepped in front of me.

His body became a wall between me and the forest.

“Everyone inside,” he commanded.

His Alpha voice shook the ground.

Nobody questioned him.

The crowd began rushing toward the packhouse.

But I remained where I was.

So did my father.

And Seraphina.

The three people who should have known the truth about me.

“Father,” I whispered.

He didn't answer.

“Who was my mother?”

His jaw tightened.

“Not here.”

“Then where?”

“Elara.”

“Where?”

My voice grew louder.

People stopped moving.

I pointed at the forest.

“That thing just called me the daughter of the Moonblood. The priestess said my mother's bloodline died twenty years ago. You knew something about it.”

My father looked toward Kael.

That tiny movement told me everything.

They were hiding something.

Kael noticed it too.

“Alpha Darius,” he said coldly, “you have some explaining to do.”

My father glared at him.

“This doesn't concern you.”

Kael's eyes darkened.

“You rejected your own daughter's mate bond without even knowing what she is.”

My head snapped toward him.

“What did you say?”

Kael's expression changed.

For the first time since he'd rejected me, he looked uncomfortable.

“You heard me.”

“You knew?”

He didn't answer.

My heart began pounding.

“Did you know who I was before tonight?”

“No.”

“Then why did you reject me?”

His eyes met mine.

There was something in them.

Something I couldn't understand.

Fear?

Regret?

No.

It couldn't be regret.

He had looked me directly in the eyes and told me I wasn't worthy.

“Because you're dangerous,” he finally said.

I stared at him.

A bitter laugh escaped my lips.

“Dangerous?”

“You don't understand.”

“No, I don't.”

I stepped closer.

“Apparently nobody wants to tell me anything.”

Kael lowered his voice.

“Your blood isn't normal.”

I looked down at my wrist.

The silver crescent was still glowing faintly.

“What does it mean?”

Before he could answer, my father grabbed my arm.

“Inside.”

I jerked away.

“Don't touch me.”

His face hardened.

“I am still your Alpha.”

“And you're still my father.”

I stepped closer to him.

“So why have you spent my entire life treating me like I'm something you hate?”

His expression cracked.

Just for a moment.

Pain crossed his eyes.

Then it disappeared.

“You don't know what you're talking about.”

“Then tell me!”

My voice broke.

“Tell me about my mother!”

The silence that followed was unbearable.

My father looked away.

And that hurt more than anything.

I had spent eighteen years believing my mother died when I was young.

I had almost no memories of her.

Only fragments.

A warm embrace.

A soft voice singing.

The scent of lavender.

And a silver necklace she had once placed around my neck.

Then she disappeared from my life.

Whenever I'd asked Father about her, he'd always said the same thing.

She died.

Nothing else.

No story.

No explanation.

No grave I was allowed to visit.

Nothing.

Now I knew there was more.

“There was no accident, was there?” I whispered.

Father's face went rigid.

“What?”

“Mother didn't simply die.”

He said nothing.

My stomach twisted.

“You killed her.”

“No.”

The answer came too quickly.

I stared at him.

His eyes were burning.

“I did not kill your mother.”

“Then who did?”

He looked toward the forest.

That was when I realized something.

He wasn't afraid of me.

He was afraid someone else would hear.

“Not here,” he whispered.

I shook my head.

“I'm done with secrets.”

I turned away.

“Elara.”

I stopped.

Father's voice had changed.

It wasn't the Alpha's voice.

It was my father's.

For once, he sounded tired.

“Your mother was not who you think she was.”

I slowly turned.

“Then who was she?”

His lips parted.

But suddenly—

BOOM!

A massive force slammed into the ceremonial barrier.

The entire ground shook.

People screamed.

The wolves scattered.

I fell backward.

Kael caught me around the waist.

His chest pressed against my back.

For one brief second, everything disappeared.

His scent surrounded me.

Pine.

Rain.

Smoke.

My wolf whimpered.

Mate.

I hated that word now.

I pushed him away.

“Don't touch me.”

Kael released me immediately.

His eyes remained fixed on the forest.

The golden eyes were gone.

But something was moving between the trees.

Several warriors rushed forward.

“Protect the Alpha!”

“Secure the grounds!”

“Everyone inside!”

Then another howl exploded through the night.

This time, every wolf in the pack shifted.

The ceremonial grounds became chaos.

Clothes tore.

Bones cracked.

Wolves emerged.

I backed away.

Lyra was trembling.

That creature isn't ordinary.

What is it?

I don't know.

You've never felt anything like it?

No.

A giant black wolf suddenly burst through the trees.

It was enormous.

Much larger than any wolf I'd ever seen.

Its fur was darker than the night.

Its eyes burned gold.

The warriors attacked.

The wolf moved.

Fast.

Too fast.

One warrior flew through the air.

Another crashed into the stone altar.

Kael shifted.

His transformation was terrifying.

Bones cracked.

Black fur covered his body.

Within seconds, an enormous dark-gray wolf stood where he had been.

He charged.

The two wolves collided.

The impact sent dirt flying.

I couldn't look away.

Kael was powerful.

But the black wolf was stronger.

It grabbed Kael by the throat and slammed him against the ground.

“Kael!”

The name escaped my lips before I could stop it.

His eyes found mine.

The black wolf turned toward me.

Its golden eyes locked onto mine.

Everything stopped.

The creature released Kael.

It walked toward me.

Slowly.

Every warrior froze.

My heart pounded.

Elara...

Lyra's voice was barely audible.

Don't be afraid.

The wolf stopped directly in front of me.

It lowered its enormous head.

Then—

It bowed.

Every wolf around us froze.

I stared.

The creature was bowing to me.

“Why?”

The wolf lifted its head.

Then that same voice entered my mind.

Because you are the heir.

My blood ran cold.

“Heir to what?”

The wolf stared at my wrist.

The Moon Throne.

I frowned.

“There is no Moon Throne.”

A quiet growl came from it.

Your father made sure everyone believed that.

I turned toward my father.

He had gone pale.

“Father?”

He didn't speak.

The black wolf looked at him.

Tell her.

My father's face hardened.

“Leave.”

The wolf growled.

You have hidden her long enough.

Kael shifted back into human form.

Blood ran down the side of his face.

“What the hell is going on?” he demanded.

My father looked at him.

“Get out of my territory.”

Kael laughed bitterly.

“Your daughter is apparently the heir to a supernatural throne that everyone believed was extinct, and you want me to leave?”

He pointed at me.

“She is my mate.”

I stiffened.

“Was.”

Kael's expression changed.

I folded my arms.

“You rejected me.”

“I know.”

“Then stop calling me your mate.”

His jaw tightened.

“I can't.”

“That's not my problem.”

“It becomes your problem if someone else finds out what you are.”

I stepped closer.

“Then perhaps you should have thought about that before humiliating me.”

Kael stared at me.

For a moment, I thought he would argue.

Instead, he said quietly:

“I was trying to protect you.”

I laughed.

“By telling everyone I'm not worthy?”

His eyes dropped.

“You don't know the whole story.”

“Then tell me.”

He remained silent.

“Exactly.”

I turned away.

Seraphina suddenly grabbed my arm.

“You need to come with me.”

I looked at her hand.

Then at her.

“Why?”

“Because Father is trying to protect you.”

“Since when?”

Her expression changed.

“I'm serious, Elara.”

“So am I.”

I pulled my arm away.

Seraphina lowered her voice.

“People are going to come for you.”

I frowned.

“Who?”

“Everyone.”

She looked around nervously.

“Alphas who have heard about the Moonblood. Rogues. Hunters. Other supernatural clans. If the wrong people discover that you're alive—”

“Why would they care?”

She stared at me.

Then she whispered:

“Because your mother wasn't just a Moonblood.”

My entire body went still.

“What?”

Seraphina looked toward Father.

He was speaking to the priestess.

“Seraphina.”

She swallowed.

“I shouldn't have said that.”

I grabbed her wrist.

“Tell me.”

“Elara—”

“Tell me!”

She flinched.

Her eyes filled with something I had never seen before.

Fear.

“Your mother was the last Moon Queen.”

I released her.

The world tilted.

“No.”

Seraphina shook her head.

“She wasn't supposed to have a child.”

My hand moved unconsciously to my stomach.

“Why?”

“Because the Moonblood line was cursed.”

My throat went dry.

“What curse?”

Seraphina looked at me.

“Every heir is born with the power to command wolves.”

I glanced toward the enormous black wolf.

“That's why it bowed.”

She nodded.

“And that's why Father hid you.”

I looked toward him.

Everything suddenly made sense.

The isolation.

The strange training restrictions.

The secrecy.

The way my father had always been terrified whenever my wolf showed unusual strength.

But one question remained.

“Why did my mother die?”

Seraphina's face fell.

“She didn't.”

I stopped breathing.

“What?”

Seraphina stepped closer.

“She disappeared.”

My heart pounded.

“Where?”

“We don't know.”

“Father said she died.”

“I know.”

I stared at my sister.

“Why would he lie?”

Her gaze dropped.

“Because if people knew the Moon Queen was alive, they would search for her.”

“And me?”

Seraphina nodded.

“You were the key.”

“To what?”

She opened her mouth.

A gunshot rang through the night.

BANG!

Seraphina screamed.

I turned.

The priestess collapsed.

Blood spread across her white robe.

Everyone froze.

Another gunshot.

BANG!

A warrior fell.

“Attack!”

Chaos erupted.

Kael grabbed my waist and pulled me down.

“Stay low!”

I shoved his arm away.

“Get off me!”

“Do you want to die?”

“I'm not dying because of you.”

Another bullet struck the stone altar.

Kael cursed.

He looked toward the trees.

“Snipers.”

My father's warriors rushed toward the forest.

Then I heard a voice.

Not from outside.

Inside my head.

Find the hidden door.

I froze.

Lyra?

No.

My blood turned cold.

It was the ancient voice.

Under your mother's room.

I looked toward the packhouse.

My mother's room.

I'd never been allowed inside.

The voice continued.

Your crown is waiting.

I stared at the building.

Then at my father.

He was shouting orders.

He didn't notice me slipping away.

I ran.

“Elara!”

Kael's voice followed me.

I didn't stop.

I sprinted through the back entrance of the packhouse and raced upstairs.

My mother's room was at the end of the corridor.

The door had been locked for eighteen years.

I had tried opening it countless times as a child.

Tonight, I reached for the handle.

It turned.

My breath caught.

The door opened.

Dust covered everything.

A bed.

A dressing table.

Old photographs.

A silver mirror.

My heart ached.

For the first time, I was standing inside the room where my mother had lived.

I walked toward the dressing table.

There was a small wooden box sitting on it.

My name was carved into the lid.

ELARA.

My fingers trembled.

I opened it.

Inside was a letter.

I unfolded it.

The handwriting was elegant.

Familiar.

My breath stopped.

I knew those letters.

I had seen them on the birthday cards my father had kept hidden.

My mother's handwriting.

I began reading.

My precious Elara,

If you are reading this, then your eighteenth birthday has arrived.

My eyes filled with tears.

Your father will tell you that I abandoned you.

He will tell you that I died.

Believe neither.

I covered my mouth.

The letter continued.

You were never weak.

You were never a mistake.

And you were never meant to live as an ordinary wolf.

My hands shook.

You are the last daughter of the Moon Throne.

A noise sounded behind me.

I spun around.

The door slammed shut.

Someone had entered the room.

I stepped backward.

“Who's there?”

Silence.

Then a familiar voice answered.

“Your worst mistake was opening that door.”

My heart stopped.

Seraphina stepped out of the shadows.

But she wasn't smiling anymore.

And there was blood on her hands.

“Seraphina?”

She locked the door behind her.

Then she looked directly at the letter in my hands.

“You weren't supposed to find that.”

My stomach dropped.

“What did you do?”

She slowly raised her eyes to mine.

“I'm sorry, Elara.”

The lights went out.

And somewhere beneath the floorboards, something ancient began to howl.