Chapter 9
901 Words
The day before the full moon felt like the world was holding its breath.
I woke up in the Blackthorn Manor guest room with my skin on fire and my heart racing like I’d run a marathon. The whispers in my head were louder now, constant and urgent. My silver eye throbbed with every heartbeat.
I barely made it through breakfast before the twins insisted on driving me to school.
“You’re staying with us until after the shift,” Damien said, leaving no room for argument as we pulled into the parking lot.
I didn’t fight them. I was too tired, too wired, too overwhelmed.
The moment I stepped into the hallway, everything went wrong.
My senses exploded.
Every locker slam felt like a gunshot. Every voice stabbed into my skull. I could smell fear, excitement, jealousy, and lust from every student around me. The fluorescent lights burned my eyes. My hands started shaking violently.
Not here. Not now.
I tried to make it to my locker, but the world tilted. My vision sharpened so intensely I could see the individual threads in people’s clothes. A wave of dizziness hit me so hard I stumbled into the wall.
Darius was at my side instantly, hand on my lower back. “Nova. Breathe.”
“I’m trying,” I hissed through gritted teeth.
Sienna chose that exact moment to strike.
She appeared at the end of the hallway with her usual group of followers, a cruel smile twisting her perfect lips. Several students had their phones out already.
“Look at the little freak,” she called loudly. “Can’t even walk straight. What’s wrong, Kane? Too weak to handle what you are?”
Laughter rippled through the hallway.
I tried to ignore her, but the heat under my skin surged. My silver eye burned hotter.
Sienna stepped closer, emboldened by the crowd. “The twins will get bored of you soon. They always do. You’re just another toy they’ll break and throw away.”
Something inside me snapped.
The burning in my veins turned into power.
I straightened up slowly. When I looked at Sienna, my voice came out steady and cold.
“You talk a lot for someone who’s been promised to men who don’t want her.”
Gasps echoed around us.
Sienna’s face twisted with rage. She lunged forward, claws extended like she was half-shifted already.
I didn’t think. I just reacted.
Power surged through my arm. I shoved her back — harder than I meant to. Sienna flew several feet and crashed into the lockers with a loud bang.
The hallway went dead silent.
I stared at my hands in shock. They were glowing faintly with silver light.
Darius let out a low, dangerous growl. “Touch her again and I’ll rip your throat out, Sienna. I don’t care whose daughter you are.”
Damien stepped in front of me like a shield, his body vibrating with barely contained rage. His eyes were glowing. Students backed away quickly, sensing the storm about to break.
“Everyone out,” Damien commanded, voice laced with Alpha power.
The hallway emptied in seconds.
Sienna picked herself up, shooting me a look of pure hatred before storming off.
I leaned against the lockers, breathing hard. “I didn’t mean to do that.”
“You’re getting stronger,” Darius said, turning to me. His silver eyes were bright with something like pride. “That’s good. But you need to control it before tomorrow night.”
After school, Elias was waiting for me at the manor.
The twins let him in reluctantly. He looked older, more worn down than usual.
We sat in the large living room. The twins stood guard by the door like they couldn’t bear to leave me alone.
Elias didn’t waste time.
“If you shift without proper preparation, you could die,” he said bluntly. “Or worse — you could lose your mind. The Lunar Born power is ancient and volatile. Your mother barely survived her first shift.”
I swallowed hard. “Then tell me how to prepare.”
“You can’t fully prepare,” he admitted. “But you can ground yourself. Stay close to the twins. The mate bond can help stabilize you. Fighting it will only make the shift more painful.”
I glanced at Damien and Darius. Both of them were watching me with intense, protective eyes.
“I’m not running from this,” I said quietly. “I’m facing the full moon on my own terms.”
Elias looked proud for the first time. “Good. That’s the Kane blood talking.”
As the sun began to set, I stood on the balcony of the manor, staring at the horizon. The moon was already visible — huge, almost full, glowing with ominous silver light.
My body felt like a live wire. Power crackled just beneath my skin. The voices in my head were louder, clearer.
“Tomorrow…”
“Awaken…”
“Choose…”
My phone buzzed in my pocket.
Unknown number.
I opened the message.
“They’re not your mates. They’re your executioners. Run while you still can.”
My blood ran cold.
I stared at the screen, heart hammering. The wind picked up, carrying the scent of pine and coming rain.
Who sent this?
And how much danger was I really in when the moon rose tomorrow night?
- Writer
