The Alpha Prince's Forbidden Mate.

Mooncrest's Secret

Lena

By the time I arrived at Mooncrest Academy on Monday morning, I had made a promise to myself.

Today would be peaceful.

No arguments.

No accidents.

And most importantly—

No Adrian Sinclair.

Just thinking about it improved my mood.

I adjusted my bag and walked through the academy gates.

Students crowded the courtyard, laughing and talking as expensive cars pulled up one after another. Everything looked normal.

Almost.

After only a few days at Mooncrest, I'd already noticed something strange.

People behaved differently around certain students.

Some students walked through the halls like they owned them.

Others stepped aside when they approached.

And whenever certain names were mentioned, conversations suddenly became whispers.

Adrian Sinclair was the perfect example.

Unfortunately, I spotted him across the courtyard.

He stood with several students, looking as calm and untouchable as ever. His dark uniform was perfectly pressed, his posture relaxed, and his expression unreadable. He looked like someone who had never once been forced to wait in line, apologize, or explain himself.

His eyes met mine.

I immediately looked away.

Nope.

Not today.

I focused on the stone path ahead of me, pretending the sudden warmth in my face had nothing to do with him. I had no intention of giving Adrian the satisfaction of knowing he could still make me nervous simply by looking at me.

"Lena!"

I turned.

Mia came running toward me, with Sophie following behind her. Mia's bag was hanging from one shoulder, and several loose strands of hair had escaped from her ponytail. Sophie, as usual, looked completely composed, as if she had arrived early enough to organize the entire morning before anyone else had even entered the building.

"Good morning!" Mia said.

"Morning."

Sophie studied my face.

"You look tired."

"Is it that obvious?"

"Very."

"Thanks."

Mia grinned.

"So... what happened?"

I narrowed my eyes.

"Nothing."

"You're lying."

"I'm not."

Sophie smiled.

"She's definitely lying."

I sighed.

"You two are terrible friends."

"We're excellent friends," Mia said. "That's why we're concerned."

"I'm not telling you."

Mia opened her mouth.

I pointed at her.

"Don't."

She immediately closed it.

Sophie laughed.

I shook my head.

"Can someone explain something to me instead?"

"What?" Mia asked.

"Why does everyone here act like Mooncrest has a secret government?"

Both girls stopped walking.

I looked at them.

"See?"

"See what?" Mia asked.

"You both stopped."

"We did not."

"You absolutely did."

Sophie sighed.

"You're imagining things."

"Fine."

I continued walking, forcing them to hurry after me.

"Then explain the hierarchy."

Mia's expression changed.

"The hierarchy?"

"Yes. People keep acting like certain students are more important than everyone else."

Mia glanced around before lowering her voice.

"Because they are."

I raised an eyebrow.

"That's comforting."

"Mooncrest isn't an ordinary school."

"I've noticed."

Sophie nodded.

"Family names matter here."

"Because they're rich?"

"Not only because of money."

"Then what?"

"History."

I frowned.

"History?"

"Some families have been powerful for generations."

"And everyone just accepts that?"

Mia shrugged.

"Pretty much."

I sighed.

"Okay. Who's at the top?"

Mia hesitated.

"The royal families."

I blinked.

"Royal families?"

"Families with the greatest influence."

"Then?"

"Elite families."

"And then?"

"Influential families."

I stared at her.

"And everyone else?"

She smiled awkwardly.

"Everyone else."

I pointed at myself.

"Where do I fit?"

Neither answered.

Their silence was answer enough.

"Exactly."

Mia quickly changed the subject.

"There are other rules."

I immediately became interested.

"Rules?"

Sophie sighed.

"Unofficial rules."

"Why does a school need unofficial rules?"

"Because Mooncrest isn't like other schools."

"You're really good at making things sound worse."

She ignored me.

"First rule: Don't enter the forest."

I glanced toward the enormous windows.

Beyond the academy grounds stood a vast forest, its trees dark and impossibly dense. Even from this distance, it seemed to swallow the morning light. Mist clung between the trunks, moving slowly despite the lack of wind.

"Why?"

"It's dangerous."

"What kind of dangerous?"

"Just dangerous."

"That's not an answer."

"It's the only one you're getting."

I frowned.

"Fine. What's next?"

"Don't challenge someone above your rank."

"Again with the rank."

"It's important."

"What happens if you do?"

"Depends on who you challenge."

I stared at her.

"This place is insane."

Sophie raised another finger.

"Don't ask certain students about their bloodlines."

I stopped.

"Bloodlines?"

Mia immediately looked at Sophie.

"Sophie."

"What?"

"Why would you say that?"

"She asked about the rules."

I looked between them.

"What do you mean by bloodlines?"

Mia quickly answered.

"Family history."

"Then why is it a secret?"

"Because some families are protective of their history."

"Why?"

"Because they are."

I stared at her.

"That sounded rehearsed."

"It wasn't."

"It definitely was."

Sophie suddenly spoke.

"There's one more."

I looked at her.

"What?"

"Never ask why certain students disappear."

I stopped walking.

"Students disappear?"

Mia groaned.

"Sophie."

"What?" Sophie said. "She's going to notice eventually."

I looked at both of them.

"What exactly is happening at this school?"

For a moment, neither girl answered. Around us, students continued moving through the corridor, laughing and talking as though we were discussing nothing more serious than homework. A group of younger students passed by, but one of them glanced at us and quickly looked away.

That small reaction made my stomach tighten.

The first bell rang.

Sophie smiled.

"Looks like you'll have to find out yourself."

That was not reassuring.

---

At exactly eleven-thirty, I got my first clue.

A student quietly stood and walked out of the classroom.

The teacher didn't stop him.

A second student followed.

Then a third.

Nobody reacted.

The teacher simply continued writing on the board, his chalk moving steadily across the blackboard as if students leaving in the middle of class were perfectly normal. No one turned around. No one whispered. Even the students closest to the door kept their eyes on their books.

I slowly looked at Mia.

She was suddenly fascinated by her notebook.

I looked at Sophie.

She was examining her pen like it contained the secrets of the universe.

I raised my hand.

Mia immediately grabbed my wrist beneath the desk.

I looked at her.

"What?"

She shook her head.

I lowered my hand.

A minute later, she whispered,

"Not here."

"Why?"

"Because."

"That's not an explanation."

"Later."

I narrowed my eyes.

"Promise?"

She hesitated.

"Fine."

I smiled.

"Good."

The teacher suddenly turned around.

"Something amusing, Miss Whitmore?"

My smile disappeared.

"No, sir."

"Good."

I lowered my eyes to my notebook.

For the rest of the lesson, I tried to focus on the notes in front of me. I copied every word from the board, but none of it stayed in my mind. My attention kept drifting toward the empty desks near the door.

Three students had left.

No one had questioned them.

No one had even seemed surprised.

Mooncrest was hiding something.

I could feel it.

---

By lunchtime, my curiosity had become impossible to ignore.

Mia and Sophie sat across from me in the cafeteria.

I wasn't eating anymore.

I was watching.

The cafeteria was louder than usual, filled with the clatter of silverware and the constant hum of conversation. Yet certain tables remained strangely quiet. Students sat in carefully arranged groups, and no one seemed to cross the invisible boundaries between them.

At one table, students wearing silver pins spoke in low voices while everyone around them kept a respectful distance. At another, a girl stood up the moment an older student approached, giving him her seat without being asked.

I noticed everything now.

"You're doing it again," Sophie said.

"Doing what?"

"Observing everyone."

"I'm not observing."

"You've been staring at that table for five minutes."

"Because those students are whispering."

Mia sighed.

"Lena."

I leaned closer.

"Listen."

Behind us, two students were speaking quietly.

"The bloodline is weakening."

"Keep your voice down."

"What if it's true?"

"It doesn't matter. The test will reveal everything."

My fork stopped halfway to my mouth.

The test?

The words seemed to hang in the air, far louder than they had actually been spoken.

I slowly turned.

The students immediately stopped talking.

One of them looked at me with open alarm. The other grabbed his tray, and they both walked away without finishing their food.

I looked at Mia.

"What test?"

She picked up her drink.

"People say strange things."

"Bloodline."

She took another sip.

"People say strange things."

"Test."

She lowered the drink.

"Please eat."

I put my fork down.

"What is going on here?"

Neither answered.

Mia's fingers tightened around her cup. Sophie glanced toward the cafeteria entrance, as if checking whether someone was listening.

Then a voice spoke from behind me.

"You're asking too many questions."

I turned.

Adrian stood there.

Of course.

He had a book tucked beneath one arm, though I doubted he had come to the cafeteria to read. His attention was fixed entirely on me, and the calm expression he wore in the courtyard had been replaced by something sharper.

"Do you have a hobby besides appearing whenever I'm trying to investigate something?"

His eyebrow lifted.

"Apparently not."

I crossed my arms.

"Did you hear them?"

"Hear what?"

"The students talking about bloodlines."

His expression changed.

Only slightly.

But I noticed.

The muscles in his jaw tightened, and his eyes flicked briefly toward the doors through which the students had disappeared.

"You should forget it."

I smiled.

"Now I definitely won't."

"Lena."

"What?"

"Stay away from things you don't understand."

"Why?"

"Because some things at Mooncrest are dangerous."

His voice was quieter than usual. There was no teasing in it, no arrogance, and no hint that he was trying to provoke me. For the first time since I had met him, Adrian sounded genuinely serious.

Before I could respond, another voice interrupted.

"Adrian."

We both turned.

A tall boy stood several feet away.

Dark hair.

Sharp features.

Mooncrest uniform worn with effortless confidence.

He wasn't surrounded by anyone.

He didn't need to be.

The students nearest to him had already gone silent. A few shifted aside, creating a clear path between him and Adrian. He carried himself differently from the other students, not with Adrian's cold stillness but with a quiet certainty that made people watch him.

Adrian's expression immediately hardened.

The boy looked at him.

Then at me.

His expression softened.

Interesting.

Mia whispered,

"Oh no."

I looked at her.

"What?"

She shook her head.

"Nothing."

"Stop saying that."

Sophie sighed.

"His name is Evan Vale."

"Evan Vale."

The name sounded nice.

Too nice.

Mia grabbed my arm.

"Lena."

"What?"

"Don't."

"Don't what?"

"Get interested."

I looked at Evan again.

He was ridiculously attractive.

His eyes were a striking shade of gray, and there was something almost amused about the way he studied the room. Unlike Adrian, who made people feel as though he could see through them, Evan seemed to invite people closer before reminding them that he was still in control.

I smiled.

"Too late."

Mia covered her face.

Sophie sighed.

"He's not someone you should get involved with."

"Why?"

Mia lowered her voice.

"The Vale family and the Sinclairs don't get along."

"Rival families?"

"Something like that."

I looked between them.

"That's not very specific."

"It's complicated."

"Of course it is."

Evan suddenly looked directly at me.

My heart skipped.

I immediately looked away.

Mia stared.

"You panicked."

"I did not."

"You moved like your life was in danger."

"I wasn't prepared for him to look back."

Sophie laughed softly.

Before I could defend myself, Evan walked toward us.

"New girl."

I froze.

He stopped in front of me.

"That's you, right?"

I blinked.

"Me?"

He smiled.

"Unless there's another new girl hiding behind you."

I glanced at Mia.

She suddenly became very interested in the ceiling.

I looked back at him.

"Yes. That's me."

Great.

Brilliant answer.

He held out his hand.

"Evan."

I shook it.

"Lena."

His hand was warm.

"Lena," he repeated.

For some reason, hearing my name from him made my heart beat faster.

"I'm new."

"I noticed."

He smiled.

"Everyone has been talking about you."

My eyes widened.

"Why?"

"The coffee incident."

I covered my face.

"Oh, God."

Evan laughed.

"I think it's impressive."

I lowered my hands.

"Impressive?"

"Most people are afraid of Adrian."

I glanced at Adrian.

He was still watching us.

"I'm not."

Evan smiled.

"Clearly."

There was a playful edge to his voice, but his eyes remained focused on me. He seemed genuinely curious, which was more unsettling than if he had simply been flirting.

Then he looked at me again.

"Would you like to get something to drink after classes?"

My brain stopped.

Mia stared at me.

Sophie stared at me.

Evan waited.

For one second, I considered pretending I hadn't heard him. Then I remembered Adrian's warning, the strange rules, and the way everyone seemed to react to Evan and Adrian being in the same room.

If Evan was dangerous, I wanted to know why.

If he wasn't, I still wanted to know why everyone acted as though he was.

"Yes."

Mia grabbed my arm.

"Lena."

I looked at her.

"What?"

She gave me a warning look.

I smiled sweetly.

"I'm getting a drink with Evan."

Her expression fell.

"Why?"

"Because he asked."

"That's not the point."

"Then what is the point?"

Sophie stepped in.

"You barely know him."

Evan raised both hands.

"She's right."

I looked at him.

"I'd like to change that."

Something shifted in his expression.

For one strange second, everything around us seemed to disappear. The cafeteria noise faded into the background, and I became aware only of his hand still resting near mine and the faint smile at the corner of his mouth.

Then—

CRASH.

We all turned.

A book had fallen to the floor.

Adrian stood several feet away.

Ethan was beside him.

Adrian's eyes weren't on me.

They were on Evan.

Evan's smile disappeared.

The hallway suddenly felt colder.

Neither boy spoke.

They didn't need to.

Something was wrong between them.

It wasn't the ordinary dislike of two students from rival families. There was too much history in the silence between them, too much anger held carefully beneath the surface. Adrian's shoulders were tense, and Evan's expression had gone completely blank.

I looked at Mia.

"Rival team?"

She didn't answer.

Evan stepped closer to me.

Adrian's jaw tightened.

Evan glanced at him.

Then back at me.

"I'll see you after class."

I smiled.

"Okay."

"See you around, Lena."

He walked away.

I watched him disappear through the cafeteria doors, trying to ignore the strange feeling that I had just agreed to something far more important than a simple drink after school.

Then Adrian's voice came from behind me.

"Are you planning to keep staring?"

My smile vanished.

I turned.

"Why do you care?"

"I don't."

"Then mind your business."

His eyes narrowed.

"Stay away from him."

I blinked.

"Excuse me?"

"You don't know him."

"And you do?"

"Yes."

"Then tell me why I should stay away."

For a moment, Adrian said nothing. His gaze shifted toward the doors Evan had gone through, and something unreadable crossed his face. It looked almost like fear, but I couldn't be sure.

Silence.

I crossed my arms.

"Exactly."

I turned and walked away.

But as I passed him, I heard him quietly say—

"You have no idea what you've just stepped into."

I stopped.

I looked back.

Adrian was already walking away, Ethan following close behind him. Neither of them looked back.

The cafeteria had returned to normal, but it no longer felt normal to me. The whispers, the empty desks, the warnings about bloodlines, and the strange tension between the Sinclairs and the Vales all seemed connected somehow.

And now I had placed myself directly between them.

For the first time, I wasn't sure whether Adrian's warning was about Evan...

or about Mooncrest itself.

‎

‎

Adrian

I watched Lena walk away.

I should have let her go.

Instead, my eyes followed her until she disappeared into the crowd.

Ethan came up beside me.

“You look angry.”

“I’m not.”

He glanced toward the direction Lena had gone.

“You are.”

“I’m fine.”

Ethan gave me a look.

I ignored him.

My attention shifted toward the cafeteria doors.

Evan Vale had disappeared through them only moments ago.

With Lena.

The thought irritated me more than it should have.

She barely knew him.

She didn't know what kind of person he was.

She didn't know what his family was capable of.

And yet, she had agreed to meet him after class.

Why?

I clenched my jaw.

It wasn't my concern.

Lena could do whatever she wanted.

She wasn't my responsibility.

She wasn't—

“Are you going to keep staring at the door?”

Ethan's voice pulled me from my thoughts.

I looked at him.

“I wasn't staring.”

“You've been staring for almost a minute.”

“I was thinking.”

“About Evan?”

My expression hardened.

“No.”

Ethan smiled.

“About Lena?”

“Drop it.”

He laughed softly.

“You're jealous.”

I turned toward him.

“I'm not jealous.”

“Then why do you look like you're planning Evan's funeral?”

“Because he shouldn't be anywhere near her.”

Ethan raised an eyebrow.

“Why?”

I opened my mouth.

Nothing came out.

Why?

Because Evan was dangerous.

Because the Vales couldn't be trusted.

Because there were things about him that Lena didn't know.

That was the answer.

It had to be.

I looked toward the cafeteria doors again.

“She doesn't know him.”

“Neither did you when you first met her.”

I frowned.

“That is different.”

“How?”

I didn't answer.

Because I didn't have one.

Ethan shook his head, clearly amused.

“You're in trouble.”

“I don't know what you're talking about.”

“Sure.”

He walked away.

I stayed where I was.

My hands slipped into my pockets as I stared at the empty hallway.

I didn't care about her.

I didn't care who she talked to.

I didn't care if she went for a drink with Evan.

So why did the thought of them alone together make something inside me tighten?

I exhaled slowly.

My wolf stirred.

I ignored him.

He growled again.

I clenched my jaw.

“Enough.”

A strange tension settled in my chest.

I couldn't explain it.

I didn't want to.

I turned away from the cafeteria and started walking.

Then my wolf suddenly became restless.

A low growl moved through my mind.

Mine.