Loving Luna

The Brother in the Road

Kael.

The Book whispered the name again.

Softly.

Relentlessly.

The black line spread farther across Darius's wrist.

Luna grabbed the Book and pulled it away from him.

Instantly, the darkness stopped climbing.

Darius flexed his hand, staring at the fading mark.

"What was that?"

No one answered.

Outside the SUV, Ethan stood completely still.

The black wolves behind him watched the vehicles with glowing amber eyes, but none of them moved.

They were waiting.

Mason rested one hand on his pistol.

"Alpha?"

Darius never looked away from Ethan.

"No one attacks."

Mason blinked.

"They brought an army."

"I know."

"And we're... not attacking?"

"They haven't crossed onto Blackwood land."

Evelyn narrowed her eyes.

"They're standing right on the border."

Luna looked through the windshield.

She hadn't noticed before.

Ethan stood with one boot on the old stone marker splitting Blackwood territory from the wild lands beyond.

He hadn't stepped over it.

Not once.

"He doesn't want a fight," Luna whispered.

Darius finally looked at her.

"You don't know that."

"I know he could’ve started one already."

Their eyes met.

The bond carried Darius's conflict.

Protect her.

Trust her.

Prepare for war.

He slowly opened the SUV door.

Everyone else followed.

The morning air was weirdly still.

Not even the wolves made a sound.

Luna stepped beside Darius.

Right beside him.

He noticed.

A faint smile tugged at his mouth.

"I didn't have to remind you."

"I learn eventually."

"Very eventually."

She nudged his arm.

"I heard that."

"You were supposed to."

Across the road, Ethan watched the exchange.

Something softened in his expression.

"So," Mason muttered quietly, "the mysterious brother smiles."

"I noticed," Evelyn replied.

"I don't like it."

"You don't like anyone."

"I like you."

Evelyn looked surprised.

Mason shrugged.

"Don't make it a thing."

Luna almost laughed.

The tension eased just enough for her to breathe.

Then Ethan spoke.

"You remember laughing."

His voice was calm.

Gentle.

Nothing like she had imagined.

Luna's heart skipped.

"I remember... pieces."

His blue eyes warmed.

"I'll take pieces."

Darius shifted slightly in front of her.

Not blocking her.

Just protecting her.

Ethan noticed.

"I wondered how long it would take."

Darius's expression stayed unreadable.

"For what?"

"For you to stand between us."

"I stand between Luna and anything I don’t trust."

Ethan nodded once.

"Fair enough."

"I wasn't asking for your approval."

"I know."

Silence stretched.

Finally Luna stepped forward.

Just one pace.

"My name is Luna."

A sad smile crossed Ethan's face.

"I know."

"My name was never Solara."

"I know."

"I'm not your queen."

He smiled a little wider.

"You never were."

That answer caught everyone off guard.

Even Darius.

Luna frowned.

"What do you mean?"

Ethan glanced toward the Book.

"The Queen died a thousand years ago."

His gaze returned to her.

"I've been waiting for my sister."

The words hit harder than she expected.

Not the Queen.

His sister.

Luna swallowed.

"You really know me."

"I changed your diapers."

Mason coughed.

"...Well."

Ethan actually laughed.

"You used to bite everyone."

Luna stared.

"I did not."

"You bit me six times."

"I don't believe you."

"You still have the scar."

He rolled up his sleeve.

Near his wrist...

A tiny crescent-shaped mark.

Luna froze.

Her teeth.

The memory flashed.

A little girl crying because someone took her toy wolf.

A boy trying to calm her down.

Tiny teeth.

Loud crying.

Then laughter.

The memory vanished.

Her knees weakened.

Darius's hand settled quietly against the small of her back.

Grounding her.

Not controlling.

Just steadying her.

"You remembered," Ethan said softly.

"A little."

His smile faded.

"That's enough."

Luna looked at him carefully.

"Where have you been?"

"Looking for you."

"For twenty years?"

"For eighteen."

She frowned.

"What happened two years ago?"

Ethan's expression darkened.

"The Book woke up."

Everyone went still.

Alden stepped forward.

"The Book called you?"

Ethan nodded.

"It started showing me dreams."

"What kind?"

"A little girl."

His blue eyes found Luna again.

"Always crying."

Luna's chest tightened.

"I was crying?"

"You kept calling my name."

Silence settled over the road.

Darius looked toward Alden.

"You knew about this?"

The Keeper shook his head.

"No."

Ethan folded his arms.

"Nobody did."

"Then explain."

Ethan took a slow breath.

"When Luna was eight..."

He stopped.

Pain crossed his face.

"...someone tried to kill her."

Luna felt the world tilt.

"What?"

"You don't remember."

"No."

"They erased it."

"Who?"

"The Order."

Alden went pale.

"No..."

Ethan looked at him.

"Yes."

Darius's voice dropped dangerously low.

"What Order?"

"The Order of Ash."

No one spoke.

Even Mason’s expression changed.

Evelyn whispered,

"I thought they were extinct."

"They wanted Solara's soul."

Ethan's voice stayed calm.

"They found Luna instead."

Luna's hand unconsciously covered the Sun Mark on her wrist.

"They couldn't take it."

"So they erased everything."

Darius looked at Luna.

"Your memories..."

"Weren't an accident," Ethan finished.

"They were stolen."

Luna struggled to breathe.

"My parents..."

"They died protecting you."

The words shattered something inside her.

"No..."

"I'm sorry."

"You were there?"

"Yes."

Her eyes filled.

"You watched them die?"

"I tried to stop it."

His voice finally cracked.

"I was fourteen."

The wolves behind him lowered their heads.

Almost like they were mourning.

Luna couldn't move.

Every memory she'd ever questioned...

Every blank space...

Every missing piece...

Had been taken.

Not lost.

Stolen.

Darius slipped his hand into hers.

She held on without thinking.

"I'm sorry," he whispered.

She barely heard him.

Ethan reached slowly into his jacket.

Every Blackwood warrior tensed.

He stopped.

"I'm not drawing a weapon."

"What are you drawing?" Darius asked.

"A promise."

Very slowly...

Ethan pulled out half of a silver pendant.

Moon-shaped.

Old.

Worn smooth by time.

Luna stared.

Without knowing why...

Her own hand moved under her shirt.

She pulled out a chain.

Darius looked down.

"You've always worn that."

Luna nodded slowly.

"I never knew where it came from."

Hanging from her necklace...

Was the other half.

The two broken pieces began glowing.

Neither Luna nor Ethan moved.

The pendants pulled toward each other.

Golden light flowed between them.

The Book suddenly flew from Luna's arms.

It opened midair.

Pages flipping wildly.

One sentence burned across both pages.

THE HEIRS OF THE GUARDIAN HAVE BEEN REUNITED.

The ground shook.

Not violently.

More like it was... relieved.

As if the world had been waiting.

Ethan smiled through tears.

"I finally found you, Luna."

Before she could answer...

Every wolf behind Ethan suddenly snarled.

Their ears flattened.

Their eyes snapped toward the forest.

Ethan's smile vanished instantly.

"No..."

Darius stepped forward.

"What?"

Ethan stared into the trees.

"They followed me."

The temperature dropped.

One by one...

The wolves backed away.

Not from Darius.

From something deeper in the forest.

Something they feared.

Branches snapped.

Heavy footsteps echoed between the trees.

Even the birds fled.

Mason slowly raised his weapon.

"I don't think that's one of yours."

"No," Ethan whispered.

His face had gone completely white.

"It's him."

A man stepped from the shadows.

Tall.

Broad-shouldered.

Long white hair spilled over a black military coat.

A silver mask covered the upper half of his face.

He carried no weapon.

He didn’t need one.

Every wolf immediately lowered itself to the ground.

Not in fear.

In obedience.

The stranger looked directly at Luna.

Then at Darius.

Finally, his gaze settled on the floating Book.

He smiled.

"Excellent."

His voice was smooth.

Polished.

Way too calm.

"I've been searching for all three of you."

Darius moved in front of Luna and Ethan without hesitation.

"Who are you?"

The stranger gave a slight bow.

"My name..."

He removed one black glove.

"...is Cassian."

The Book slammed shut.

A single name appeared across its cover in blazing gold.

CASSIAN DRAKE

Underneath, new words slowly formed.

FIRST IMMORTAL.

FOUNDER OF THE ORDER OF ASH.

THE MAN WHO STOLE LUNA'S CHILDHOOD.