The Alpha Who Rejected The Moonborn

The Wolf Behind The Window

The howl came again.

Closer this time.

I stood beside the window, the silver pendant still clutched in my hand, my heart pounding so violently that I could barely think.

Kael.

I knew that howl.

I had heard it earlier that evening when the Blackthorn wolves arrived at the ceremony.

But there was something different about it now.

It wasn't the confident call of an Alpha heir.

It sounded urgent.

Almost desperate.

Another howl answered from deeper in the forest.

Then another.

My blood ran cold.

The stranger's words returned to me.

The Bloodfangs.

I didn't know who they were.

I didn't know why they wanted me.

I didn't even understand what being Moonborn meant.

But I knew one thing.

I couldn't stay inside this house.

I grabbed my cloak from the chair and slipped the pendant around my neck.

The moment the silver touched my skin, warmth spread across my chest.

The crescent mark beneath my collarbone glowed faintly.

I pulled the cloak tighter.

"Great," I whispered. "Because tonight wasn't already strange enough."

I moved toward the back door.

Before I could reach it, something crashed against the front door.

I froze.

A second impact shook the entire house.

I stepped backward.

The wooden door splintered.

A low growl came from outside.

Not human.

Not entirely wolf either.

Something in between.

My instincts screamed at me to run.

I turned toward the back door.

It burst open.

A figure rushed inside.

I screamed.

Then I recognized him.

"Ryder?"

Kael's closest friend stood in the doorway, breathing heavily.

His clothes were torn, and there was dirt across his face.

He looked nothing like the confident young wolf I'd seen at the ceremony.

"Where's Kael?"

I stared at him.

"Shouldn't you be asking why I'm not dead?"

He blinked.

"What?"

"Never mind."

He grabbed my arm.

"We have to go."

I pulled away.

"You're going to have to explain before you start dragging me into the forest."

Ryder looked toward the broken front door.

"We don't have time."

"Then talk quickly."

His jaw tightened.

"The Bloodfangs crossed the border."

I swallowed.

"The stranger said that."

"What stranger?"

"I don't know."

Ryder stared at me.

"You had someone here?"

"Yes."

"When?"

"Five minutes ago."

His expression darkened.

"Where did he go?"

"I don't know."

"Lyra."

"I said I don't know."

A howl echoed outside.

Ryder's face changed.

He immediately moved between me and the door.

"Stay behind me."

I rolled my eyes.

"I can protect myself."

"Can you?"

"I threw three guards across a clearing tonight."

He stared at me.

"Fair point."

Another crash sounded outside.

Ryder pulled out a short silver blade.

"That's not going to be enough," I said.

He glanced at me.

"What?"

I pointed toward the weapon.

"The blade."

"What about it?"

"The stranger had one."

Ryder's expression became serious.

"Then you really did meet someone."

"Yes."

"What did he tell you?"

I hesitated.

"That I'm the last Moonborn."

Ryder went completely still.

His eyes widened.

"You heard that word before?"

"Everyone has heard it tonight."

"No."

His voice dropped.

"I mean before tonight."

I shook my head.

"Never."

He looked away.

"That's not good."

"Could you stop saying things like that?"

He looked at me.

"Like what?"

"Like everything about me is some terrible secret."

He opened his mouth.

A sound from outside stopped him.

Footsteps.

Several.

Ryder raised his blade.

"Stay here."

I grabbed his sleeve.

"No."

His eyes narrowed.

"Lyra."

"I'm coming."

"You don't know what we're dealing with."

"And you apparently do?"

He hesitated.

I took the opportunity to move past him.

"Then don't waste time arguing."

We stepped outside.

The forest was silent.

Too silent.

Moonlight spilled between the trees.

The air smelled different.

Like rain.

And smoke.

Ryder scanned the darkness.

"Kael should have reached the village by now."

"Where is he?"

"At the eastern border."

"Why?"

"Because that's where they came through."

My stomach dropped.

"They came here for me."

Ryder didn't answer.

He didn't need to.

A rustling sound came from the trees.

I turned.

Nothing.

Then something moved.

Fast.

A dark wolf launched itself from the bushes.

Ryder pushed me aside.

The wolf slammed into him.

They crashed to the ground.

"Ryder!"

He grunted and shoved the creature away.

It landed several feet away.

For one terrifying second, I saw its eyes.

They weren't normal.

They glowed a strange crimson red.

Ryder stood.

"Run!"

I didn't.

The wolf charged.

Something inside me awakened.

The silver mark burned.

The world slowed.

I could hear everything.

Ryder's heartbeat.

The wolf's claws scraping against the earth.

The wind moving through the trees.

My own breath.

And beneath all of it—

a voice.

Not spoken aloud.

Inside my mind.

Stand.

I froze.

The wolf leaped.

I lifted my hand.

A wave of silver energy exploded from my palm.

The wolf was thrown backward.

It crashed into a tree.

Silence followed.

I stared at my hand.

Ryder stared too.

"What did you just do?"

"I don't know."

The wolf rose.

It shook itself.

It wasn't dead.

It looked at me.

Then it bowed its head.

I stopped breathing.

"What..."

The creature slowly stepped backward.

Then it turned and disappeared into the forest.

Ryder looked at me like he'd never seen me before.

"What?"

"You just controlled it."

"I didn't."

"You did."

"I didn't tell it to stop."

Ryder shook his head.

"You didn't have to."

A sound came from behind us.

"Lyra."

I turned.

Kael stood at the edge of the clearing.

He was alone.

For a moment, I forgot everything else.

His dark hair was disheveled, and his breathing was uneven.

His eyes locked onto mine.

Relief crossed his face.

Then he noticed Ryder standing beside me.

His expression hardened.

"What happened?"

Ryder answered.

"Bloodfang scout."

Kael's gaze immediately returned to me.

"Are you hurt?"

"No."

He approached.

I stepped backward.

His jaw tightened.

"Lyra."

"Don't."

He stopped.

I touched the pendant around my neck.

"Why did you reject me?"

Kael stared at me.

"I already told you."

"No."

"You don't understand."

"Then explain."

He glanced at Ryder.

"Give us a moment."

Ryder looked between us.

"I'll check the perimeter."

He walked away.

Kael waited until he was out of earshot.

Then he looked at the pendant.

"Where did you get that?"

"My mother."

His expression changed.

"Where?"

"My house."

"Lyra..."

"Don't."

I stepped closer.

"You don't get to avoid my questions anymore."

He remained silent.

"Your father knew my mother."

Nothing.

"He knew about the mark."

Still nothing.

"And you knew what Moonborn meant."

Kael's eyes hardened.

"Yes."

The admission stunned me.

"You knew."

"Yes."

"Since when?"

"Before tonight."

I stared at him.

"How?"

"My father."

"What did he tell you?"

Kael looked toward the forest.

"That the Moonborn were dangerous."

"Is that why you rejected me?"

He hesitated.

"Partly."

"Partly?"

His eyes met mine.

"I was trying to protect you."

I laughed.

It came out bitter.

"By humiliating me?"

"By making everyone believe I wanted nothing to do with you."

"Why?"

"Because if my father believed I cared about you, he'd use you against me."

I stared at him.

"That makes no sense."

"It will."

"When?"

"When you're ready to hear the truth."

"I'm ready now."

He stepped closer.

"The Moonborn were never supposed to return."

"Why?"

"Because your bloodline has a power the Alpha families fear."

I touched the mark.

"What power?"

Kael's gaze followed my hand.

"You can challenge an Alpha's authority."

I frowned.

"That doesn't sound like much."

"It is."

He stepped closer.

"An Alpha's power comes from the Moon Goddess."

I listened.

"The Moonborn were created to keep that power from being abused."

My heart began beating faster.

"So I'm some kind of... balance?"

"Something like that."

"Then why would anyone want me dead?"

"Because your existence threatens the entire Alpha hierarchy."

I looked at him.

"And your family?"

His expression darkened.

"Especially my family."

The words hung between us.

Suddenly, a howl echoed through the forest.

Kael turned sharply.

Another answered.

Then another.

Ryder came running back.

"Kael."

"What?"

"We have a problem."

Kael's expression hardened.

"How many?"

Ryder shook his head.

"It's not the number."

"Then what?"

Ryder looked at me.

"They're not attacking the village."

My stomach tightened.

"Then what are they doing?"

"They're surrounding it."

Kael's face went pale.

"They're trapping us."

"Why?"

Ryder swallowed.

"Because they're waiting for someone."

A voice came from the darkness.

"They're waiting for her."

I froze.

A man stepped between the trees.

He was tall, dressed in black, with silver markings running across his arms.

His eyes glowed red.

Several wolves stood behind him.

But unlike the others, he didn't look at Kael.

He looked directly at me.

Then he smiled.

"Finally."

Kael stepped in front of me.

"Who are you?"

The stranger's smile widened.

"You know exactly who I am, Alpha."

Kael's hands curled into fists.

The stranger laughed.

"I suppose your father never told you."

"Told me what?"

The man looked at me.

"That your mother didn't disappear."

My breath caught.

Kael turned sharply.

"What?"

The stranger's eyes remained fixed on mine.

"She was taken."

The world seemed to stop.

"By whom?"

He smiled.

"Your Alpha."

Then the forest erupted with howls.