THE ALPHA’S SECRET LUNA

Chapter One: Captured by the Moonstone Pack The chains around Aria’s wrists bit into her skin with every step, but she refused to stumble. Not in front of them. The two guards flanking her grunted as they yanked her forward through the thick woods, moonlight slicing through the branches overhead. The cold wind stung her bare arms, and her torn cloak dragged along the damp forest floor. “You walk like you still have pride, rogue,” one of them sneered. Aria didn’t respond. Pride was all she had left. They didn’t know who she was. That was her only advantage. She had trained her whole life for this moment — not to be captured, but to survive it. She had studied the Moonstone Pack, their patrol routes, their rituals. She knew every border, every gap in their defense. But what she hadn’t counted on was their Alpha finding her himself. And now, she was being dragged into the heart of his territory like a criminal. The scent hit her before she saw the gates — that unmistakable mixture of pine, smoke, and something darker. Something that once made her heart race. Aria’s fingers clenched into fists as the tall iron gates creaked open. Moonstone Pack stood before her — sharp rooftops, glowing lanterns, and stone paths lined with guards. She felt the pull of old memories in her bones. This place was once her home. She had been born here, though no one knew it. Not even him. “To the Alpha,” one guard barked, gripping her arm tighter. She was shoved toward the massive building at the center of the pack grounds — the Alpha’s manor. Her heart thudded painfully in her chest. Every step brought her closer to the man who had unknowingly destroyed her. He had marked her once. Then rejected her. And now, she would stand before him… unseen, unrecognized. Perfect. The heavy wooden doors opened, revealing a warm hallway bathed in amber light. But warmth had no place in her heart anymore. She had buried it the night he turned away from her bleeding body and never looked back. The guards led her into a dim room lined with bookshelves and a fire crackling in the hearth. “Wait here.” The door shut behind them, locking her in. Aria exhaled shakily, rolling her shoulders to ease the ache. Her eyes scanned the room, memorizing every exit. She couldn’t afford panic. Not now. Her revenge depended on patience. She heard footsteps. Heavy, measured, dominant. Then she smelled him. That same scent — pine, smoke, and rain — filled her lungs like fire. The door creaked open. And there he was. Alpha Kael. He was broader now, taller, more powerful. His black hair was tousled, like he’d run a hand through it moments before. His eyes, once soft and boyish, were now hard and unreadable — like frozen obsidian. He stopped at the threshold, gaze locked on her. He said nothing for a long moment, just stared. She braced herself for recognition. But it never came. “You’re the rogue they found near the eastern ridge,” he finally said, voice low and commanding. She lifted her chin. “I was passing through.” “You crossed our border. That’s not something done by mistake.” “Maybe I don’t care about your borders.” His jaw ticked. “You’ve got a smart mouth for a prisoner.” “And you’ve got a short memory for an Alpha,” she snapped before she could stop herself. Kael’s eyes narrowed. A beat of silence passed. He stepped into the room, shutting the door behind him. The air thickened. Aria could feel the bond — the remnants of it — still humming faintly under her skin. A ghost of what once was. But he didn’t feel it. Or he ignored it. “What’s your name?” he asked. She hesitated. Then answered coldly, “Aria.” His brow furrowed faintly. The name stirred something, but he said nothing. Aria kept her expression blank. Let him wonder. Let him question. Let him suffer. “Why were you on our land?” he asked. “I told you. Passing through.” “I don’t believe you.” “Believe what you want. I’m not here to please you.” Kael’s eyes darkened, and he moved closer, towering over her. She refused to flinch. “The last rogue who disrespected me lost a hand.” “Then go ahead,” she said, tilting her chin up. “Cut it off. But that won’t give you the answers you want.” Their eyes locked. The bond pulsed — faint, distant, like a dying ember. Still, he didn’t flinch. Didn’t blink. He didn’t remember. Not her face. Not her voice. Not the blood that soaked her shirt the night he left her to die. Kael finally turned away. “Put her in the dungeons,” he said over his shoulder. “I’ll deal with her later.” Aria’s heart twisted, but she kept her face like stone. She had spent years surviving the wilderness, hiding from packs, burying her identity. She didn’t come back here to beg. She came to make him remember. And when he did… She would make him pay.