THE LUNA'S SECRET

THE LUNA'S SECRET CHAPTER ONE THE GIRL WHO DREAMED OF THE MOON The moon had always frightened Aria. Not because it was beautiful, nor because its pale light covered the world in silver. It frightened her because every time she looked at it, she felt as though something was looking back. Something ancient. Something that knew her name. For twenty years, Aria had experienced the same strange dream. A forest covered in silver mist. A woman dressed in white standing beneath an enormous moon. And a voice that whispered three words before everything disappeared. "Find your kingdom." She never understood what it meant. Tonight, however, the dream felt different. "Aria!" She woke suddenly, sitting upright in bed. Her heart was beating rapidly, and her breathing was uneven. The room was dark except for the moonlight slipping through the curtains. She looked around. Nothing. Just her small bedroom, the old wooden wardrobe, and the clock ticking beside her bed. Another dream. She rubbed her forehead and reached for the glass of water on her bedside table. Then she noticed something strange. The small silver necklace around her neck was glowing. Aria stared at it. It was an old necklace her mother had left behind before disappearing from her life. A crescent moon surrounded by a tiny silver wolf. She had worn it for as long as she could remember. But it had never glowed before. "What is happening?" she whispered. The glow disappeared. Aria quickly pulled the necklace beneath her nightdress and glanced at the clock. Three fifteen in the morning. She sighed and lay back down. Tomorrow was supposed to be an ordinary day. At least, that was what she believed. *** By eight in the morning, the little village of Rosewood was already awake. People hurried through the narrow streets, shopkeepers opened their stores, and children walked toward school. Aria stepped outside her small apartment, holding a cup of coffee. "You're late again!" She turned. Standing beside the gate was her best friend, Lyra Ashford. Lyra was twenty-one, had auburn hair, bright green eyes, and a personality that made silence almost impossible. "I'm not late," Aria replied. "You said we'd meet at eight." "It's eight." Lyra pointed toward her wristwatch. "Eight twenty." Aria laughed. "Then perhaps your watch is too fast." "Of course. Blame the watch." They started walking together. For several minutes, they discussed ordinary things: work, the weather, and Lyra's latest disagreement with her landlord. But Aria's attention kept drifting toward the necklace beneath her clothes. "You're unusually quiet," Lyra observed. "Didn't sleep well." "Another dream?" Aria stopped walking. "How did you know?" Lyra shrugged. "You always look like you've seen a ghost whenever you have those dreams." Aria lowered her voice. "I saw something strange last night." "What?" "My necklace." Lyra glanced at her. "What about it?" "It was glowing." Lyra stopped. For a brief moment, something resembling fear crossed her face. Then she laughed nervously. "Maybe you need more sleep." "I'm serious." "I know. But perhaps it's just the reflection of the moonlight." "It was three in the morning." "Then perhaps the moon was working overtime." Aria shook her head. Lyra continued walking, but she was no longer smiling. *** At the other end of the village, a black car stopped outside an abandoned-looking building. The driver stepped out and opened the rear door. A tall man emerged. He wore a black coat, dark trousers, and polished shoes. His expression was unreadable. His name was Kael Blackthorn. And he had travelled hundreds of miles to find one person. A young man approached him. "Alpha, we've located her." Kael adjusted his coat. "Are you certain?" "Yes, Alpha. Her name is Aria. She lives in Rosewood." Kael's jaw tightened. "Does she know?" "No." "Does she have the necklace?" The young man nodded. "She has never taken it off." For a moment, Kael said nothing. Then he looked toward the distant village. "After twenty years," he murmured, "the missing princess has finally been found." *** That evening, Aria returned home exhausted. She placed her bag on the chair and walked toward the kitchen. But before she could switch on the light, someone knocked. Three slow knocks. She frowned. Nobody visited her this late. "Who is it?" Silence. She approached the door and looked through the peephole. A stranger stood outside. He was tall, dressed in a black coat, with dark hair and an expression that seemed strangely familiar. Aria opened the door slightly. "Can I help you?" The stranger studied her face. For several seconds, he said nothing. Then his eyes moved toward the necklace around her neck. His expression changed. "Where did you get that?" Aria instinctively touched it. "It's mine." "Who gave it to you?" "My mother." "What's your mother's name?" Aria frowned. "Why are you asking me so many questions?" The stranger took a breath. "My name is Kael Blackthorn. I have been searching for you for a very long time." "Well, you've found me. Now, what do you want?" He looked directly into her eyes. "I want to take you home." Aria almost laughed. "Home? I already have a home." "No," he replied quietly. "You have been living in a place that was never meant to be your home." She stepped back. "Listen, I don't know who you are, but you need to leave." Kael didn't move. "Aria, your mother was not an ordinary woman." Her expression changed. "What do you know about my mother?" "More than you can imagine." "Then tell me." He hesitated. Then he delivered the words that would change her life forever. "Your mother was the Luna of the Silver Moon Pack. And you, Aria, are her only daughter." Aria stared at him. "A werewolf pack?" "Yes." She shook her head. "This is ridiculous." "I understand that this is difficult to believe." "Difficult? You're telling me I'm some kind of princess from a werewolf kingdom!" Kael remained calm. "Not just a princess." He looked at the necklace again. "You're the rightful heir to the Silver Moon throne." Aria's fingers tightened around the pendant. Before she could respond, the necklace suddenly began to glow. A strange warmth spread across her chest. The lights inside the apartment flickered. Then, from somewhere deep within her, she heard a voice. A voice she recognized from her dreams. "Welcome home, my child." Aria stumbled backward. Kael immediately stepped forward. "Aria?" She looked at him, terrified. "What is happening to me?" For the first time since arriving, the Alpha looked genuinely worried. He glanced toward the dark sky outside. The moon was rising. And somewhere beyond Rosewood, an ancient force had just awakened. The missing Luna had been found. And the secret her mother had protected for twenty years was about to return. END OF CHAPTER ONE.