Chapter Four: The Moonborn Blood
1698 Words
Elowen woke to the sound of dripping water.
Slow.
Steady.
One drop at a time.
Her head throbbed.
For several seconds, she couldn't remember where she was.
Then she tried to move.
Pain shot through her wrists.
She looked down.
Rough rope was wrapped tightly around them.
Her breathing stopped.
The forest.
The hood.
The old man.
The silver blade.
Everything came rushing back.
She lifted her head.
She was sitting against the trunk of an enormous tree. The moon was partially hidden behind thick clouds, leaving only enough light for her to see the figures standing around her.
Five men.
All armed.
All wearing black.
And at the center stood the old man.
The same one who had called her Moonborn.
Elowen swallowed.
"Who are you?"
The old man looked at her.
"I told you already."
"I want your name."
He smiled.
"You have your mother's temper."
Elowen's expression hardened.
"Don't talk about my mother."
"Why?"
"Because you don't know her."
The old man's smile disappeared.
"Oh, I knew her."
Elowen froze.
"You knew my mother?"
"Better than you think."
She stared at him.
"My mother never mentioned you."
"She wouldn't."
"Why?"
"Because if she had, you would have known what you were."
Elowen looked away.
She hated this.
Everyone seemed to know something about her life except her.
Aurek.
Elder Maeve.
Soren.
Now this stranger.
They all spoke as if her existence came with some secret history she had never been allowed to read.
"What is Moonborn?"
The old man stepped closer.
"An ancient bloodline."
"That's not an answer."
"It is the only answer you are ready for."
"I'm not a child."
"No."
His eyes studied her carefully.
"You're twenty-one."
Elowen's stomach tightened.
"How do you know my age?"
"We've been watching you."
Her blood went cold.
"Since when?"
"Since you were born."
Elowen's breathing became shallow.
"You've been watching me?"
"Your mother made sure you stayed hidden. She changed territories. Changed names. Kept you away from the old bloodlines."
He paused.
"But hiding you couldn't last forever."
Elowen looked at the men surrounding her.
"Why?"
"Because of what happens when a Moonborn turns twenty-one."
She remembered the ceremony.
The moon.
The bond.
Aurek.
The rejection.
Her chest tightened.
"That's why you came after me?"
The old man nodded.
"Your awakening began tonight."
Elowen shook her head.
"I don't feel different."
"You survived a mate rejection without losing your wolf."
She looked at him.
"What?"
"Most wolves who are rejected by their fated mate experience weakness. Some lose control. Some become physically ill."
His gaze moved over her.
"But you walked away."
Elowen remembered the moment Aurek rejected her.
She remembered the pain.
The feeling of something tearing inside her.
But she had remained standing.
She had thought it was simply because she refused to let anyone see her break.
"You think that's because I'm Moonborn?"
"I know it is."
Elowen clenched her fists.
"Then why did Aurek reject me?"
The old man's expression became almost amused.
"Now you're asking the right question."
He turned toward one of the men.
"Tell her."
The man stepped forward.
"Aurek Draven was ordered to reject you."
Elowen's eyes widened.
"Ordered?"
"The council gave him a choice."
"Between what?"
"His pack..."
The man paused.
"...and you."
Elowen felt something twist inside her chest.
Aurek's face flashed through her mind.
His cold expression.
His voice.
I reject Elowen Veyre as my mate.
She had spent hours believing those words meant he didn't want her.
That he was ashamed of her.
That she wasn't enough.
But now...
Maybe there had been something else behind his eyes.
"Why didn't he tell me?"
The old man laughed.
"Would you have believed him?"
Elowen didn't answer.
"You hated him."
"I still do."
"Then perhaps he made the correct decision."
She looked up sharply.
"What?"
"If Aurek had chosen you publicly, the council would have declared war on Blackthorn."
"You're saying he rejected me to protect his pack?"
"I'm saying he was afraid."
Elowen's jaw tightened.
"That's not the same thing."
"No."
The old man looked toward the dark forest.
"It isn't."
A howl suddenly echoed between the trees.
Every man around Elowen became alert.
The old man turned.
"He's here."
Elowen's heart jumped.
"Soren?"
The old man looked at her.
"So you trust him already?"
"I never said that."
"You don't know him."
"Neither do you."
A faint smile appeared.
"You should be careful with Alpha Soren Valcrest."
"Why?"
"Because men like him don't protect things without a reason."
Before Elowen could respond, a violent crash came from the trees.
The nearest assassin raised his weapon.
Then a black wolf burst from the darkness.
It moved so quickly that Elowen barely saw it.
One second the man was standing.
The next, he was thrown into a tree.
The others attacked.
The wolf dodged a silver blade and sank its teeth into another man's shoulder.
Someone screamed.
Elowen pushed herself backward.
Then she heard a familiar voice.
"Elowen!"
Soren.
She looked toward the trees.
The black wolf shifted.
Soren stood there, breathing heavily.
Blood covered one side of his shirt.
His eyes immediately found her.
"Are you hurt?"
Elowen shook her head.
"My hands."
Soren crossed the distance between them.
He crouched and cut the ropes.
The moment her hands were free, she rubbed her wrists.
Soren noticed the marks.
His expression darkened.
"Who did this?"
Elowen pointed.
"The old man."
Soren looked at him.
Something dangerous entered his eyes.
The old man smiled.
"Alpha Valcrest."
Soren stood.
"You broke into my territory."
"You brought her into it."
"She is my guest."
"No."
The old man shook his head.
"She is much more than that."
Soren's eyes narrowed.
"What did you call her?"
"Moonborn."
Soren went still.
Elowen noticed.
"You know what that means."
Soren looked at her.
His silence was answer enough.
Elowen's frustration returned.
"Of course you do."
"Elowen—"
"Everyone knows something about me!"
Her voice broke.
"Aurek knew. Maeve knew. You knew. And I'm the only person who apparently doesn't!"
Soren stepped closer.
"I was trying to protect you."
"By lying?"
"I wasn't lying."
"You didn't tell me."
"Because I didn't know everything."
"Then tell me what you do know."
Soren looked at the old man.
Then back at her.
"Moonborn blood is old."
"How old?"
"Older than the packs."
Elowen stared.
Soren continued.
"Before Alphas ruled territories, there were bloodlines that governed the wolves. The Moonborn were one of them."
"Governed?"
"They weren't ordinary leaders."
His voice lowered.
"They were chosen by the moon."
Elowen gave a bitter laugh.
"So I'm some kind of princess?"
"No."
Soren looked directly into her eyes.
"Something more dangerous."
Before Elowen could ask what he meant, a familiar growl came from behind them.
Aurek.
He emerged from the trees with several Blackthorn wolves.
His eyes immediately went to Elowen.
Then to Soren.
Then to the blood on Soren's shoulder.
"What happened?"
Soren scoffed.
"Your council happened."
Aurek's face hardened.
"What?"
"They kidn*pped her."
Aurek looked at the old man.
Recognition flashed across his face.
"Elder Varos."
Varos bowed mockingly.
"Alpha."
Aurek's voice dropped.
"What were you doing here?"
"You know what we were doing."
Aurek's gaze shifted toward Elowen.
"Why her?"
Varos laughed.
"You still don't understand."
"Explain."
"Your rejection was supposed to drive her away."
Aurek's expression changed.
"It did."
"No."
Varos shook his head.
"It awakened her."
Silence.
Elowen looked at Aurek.
"Is that true?"
Aurek didn't answer immediately.
"Elowen..."
"Is it?"
He looked at her.
"I didn't know."
She stared at him.
"You knew something."
"I knew the council feared you."
"Why?"
"Because of your blood."
Elowen's eyes filled with anger.
"Then why didn't you tell me?"
Aurek looked away.
"Because I was trying to keep you alive."
The words struck harder than she expected.
Soren watched them both.
Something inside him twisted.
He didn't like the way Aurek looked at her.
He didn't like the regret in his eyes.
And he especially didn't like the fact that Elowen still cared enough to be hurt by him.
His wolf growled.
Our mate.
Soren's jaw tightened.
Not now.
He couldn't tell her.
Not here.
Not while she was still trying to understand what had happened with Aurek.
He would not turn her confusion into another burden.
Elowen looked between the two Alphas.
"Then what happens now?"
Aurek stepped forward.
"You come back with me."
Soren immediately moved between them.
"No."
Aurek glared at him.
"She isn't yours."
Soren's eyes darkened.
"Neither is she yours."
Aurek's fists tightened.
Elowen stepped forward.
"Stop."
Both Alphas looked at her.
"I am not going anywhere with either of you until someone tells me the truth."
Varos suddenly laughed.
"You still think you have a choice."
Elowen looked at him.
"What does that mean?"
The old man pointed at her wrist.
"Look."
Elowen lowered her eyes.
A faint silver light was glowing beneath her skin.
Her breath caught.
"What..."
The light spread slowly across her wrist.
Soren's face changed.
Aurek stepped forward.
"Elowen."
Pain suddenly exploded through her chest.
She fell to her knees.
Soren caught her before she hit the ground.
"Elowen!"
Her body trembled.
"I don't know what's happening."
Soren held her tightly.
"Stay with me."
"I can't..."
Her voice shook.
"It's burning."
The silver light climbed from her wrist to her arm.
Every wolf in the forest suddenly lowered its head.
One by one.
Even the Blackthorn wolves.
Even the Valcrest guards.
Aurek stared.
"What is this?"
Varos whispered,
"The awakening."
The mark reached Elowen's shoulder.
A crescent moon appeared beneath her skin.
Then another symbol formed beneath it.
A wolf.
But not an ordinary wolf.
Its eyes were silver.
Its head was raised toward the moon.
Soren stared at the mark.
His wolf fell completely silent.
Then a voice echoed through the forest.
Not from any living wolf.
Not from any Alpha.
It came from Elowen herself.
Her eyes opened.
They were no longer their usual color.
They glowed silver.
Every wolf bowed lower.
Varos dropped to one knee.
Aurek looked horrified.
Soren could only stare.
The voice came again.
Ancient.
Female.
Powerful.
Rise, Moonborn.
Elowen gasped.
And the entire forest went silent.
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