Chapter five
810 Words
CHAPTER FIVE
THE MOONSTONE
Liana couldn't take her eyes off the silver pendant.
It rested in Kael's palm, reflecting the pale light from the window.
“My mother wore that every day,” Liana said quietly.
Kael studied the symbol engraved on its back.
“Did she ever tell you what this meant?”
Liana shook her head.
“She only told me never to lose it.”
“And you did?”
“I thought I did.”
Kael handed it to her.
The moment Liana's fingers touched the pendant, a strange warmth traveled through her hand.
She gasped.
A faint silver light appeared across the symbol.
Everyone in the room froze.
Ethan stepped forward.
“Alpha…”
“I saw it,” Kael said.
The light disappeared almost immediately.
Liana stared at the pendant.
“What just happened?”
Kael didn't answer.
Instead, he looked at Ethan.
“Bring the oldest Moonstone records.”
Ethan hesitated.
“Those records are kept in the sealed archive.”
“Then open it.”
Ethan nodded and left.
Liana turned toward Kael.
“You know something.”
“I suspect something.”
“What?”
Kael walked toward the window.
“The Moonstone doesn't respond to ordinary werewolves.”
Liana's heart skipped.
“Then who does it respond to?”
“Only the bloodline chosen to protect it.”
Liana stared at him.
“And you think that's me?”
“I think your family knew more than they told you.”
Before Liana could respond, a bell rang throughout the mansion.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Kael immediately became alert.
“What is that?”
Liana looked toward him.
“An alarm?”
“Yes.”
He opened the study door.
Voices echoed through the corridor.
“Alpha!”
A guard hurried toward them.
“The northern gate has been breached.”
Kael's expression hardened.
“How many?”
“We don't know.”
“Seal every entrance.”
“Yes, Alpha.”
The guard ran away.
Kael turned to Liana.
“You're staying here.”
Liana shook her head.
“No.”
“Liana.”
“I want answers.”
“This isn't the time.”
“It never is!”
Kael stared at her.
She took a breath.
“I've spent my entire life being told nothing about my parents. Now I find out they were protecting some ancient relic, someone leaves my mother's pendant at your border, and a stranger tells me I don't know what I am.”
Her voice trembled.
“I deserve the truth.”
Kael remained silent.
Then he said, “Stay beside Ethan.”
Liana nodded.
Kael disappeared into the corridor.
Ethan approached her.
“Your husband is difficult.”
Liana almost laughed.
“You noticed?”
“Everyone notices.”
Suddenly, another sound came from outside.
A howl.
Then another.
Ethan looked toward the windows.
“The northern patrol.”
“What happened?”
“I don't know.”
He reached for his weapon.
“Stay behind me.”
They moved toward the main hall.
Pack members were gathering there, frightened whispers filling the room.
Liana noticed something strange.
Nobody looked toward the northern gate.
They were looking at her.
A woman near the staircase whispered, “It's because of her.”
Another replied, “The Alpha should never have brought her here.”
Liana's stomach tightened.
Ethan heard them.
“Enough.”
The room fell silent.
Then Kael returned.
There was dirt on his coat, but he wasn't injured.
“Alpha,” Ethan said. “What happened?”
“They're gone.”
“Who?”
“I don't know.”
Kael looked at Liana.
“But they left a message.”
He held out a folded piece of black paper.
Liana stared at it.
“What does it say?”
Kael opened it.
His expression changed.
He handed it to her.
Only one sentence was written.
THE MOONSTONE WILL RETURN TO ITS HEIR.
Liana's fingers went cold.
“Who is the heir?”
Kael looked directly at her.
“We're about to find out.”
Before anyone could speak, the silver pendant around Liana's neck began glowing again.
This time, the light didn't disappear.
It grew brighter.
A strange symbol appeared on the floor beneath her feet.
Everyone stepped backward.
Kael stared at it.
Ethan whispered,
“Impossible.”
Liana looked at Kael.
“What is happening to me?”
Kael's expression was unlike anything she had seen before.
Fear.
Not for himself.
For her.
“Liana…”
He took a step toward her.
“You're not just the Moonstone's heir.”
The symbol beneath her feet flashed brightly.
“You may be the last person capable of finding it.”
And somewhere far beyond the walls of the Black Moon Pack, a mysterious figure smiled.
The game had finally begun.
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