BLOODBOUND ALPHAS

CHAPTER FOUR — The Attack

The carriage moved faster than Luna had ever experienced.

Its wheels struck the stone streets of Blood Moon Hollow as the royal guards cleared the road ahead. Luna sat rigidly inside, her hands gripping the edge of her seat.

Across from her sat Kael.

Draven sat beside the carriage door.

Neither Alpha spoke.

Luna couldn't stand the silence.

"What exactly happened?"

Kael looked at her.

"The message said there was an attack in the lower district."

"That's not an answer."

"It's the only information we have."

"Then find out more."

Her voice trembled.

Kael didn't respond.

Draven glanced at her.

"Your parents may already be safe."

"May?"

His eyes hardened.

"We don't know."

Luna looked away.

She hated him for saying it.

She hated Kael for remaining calm.

Most of all, she hated herself for being trapped in a carriage while her parents might be in danger.

She closed her eyes.

Please be safe.

Please.

The carriage suddenly slowed.

Luna looked through the window.

The wealthy streets had disappeared.

The buildings became smaller.

The roads were narrower.

The familiar streets of the lower district came into view.

Her heart dropped.

Smoke was rising several streets ahead.

"No."

She pushed the door open before the carriage had fully stopped.

"Luna!"

She jumped down.

A guard tried to stop her.

"Miss Asteria, wait!"

She ran.

Her feet carried her through streets she had known her entire life.

People stood outside their homes.

Some were crying.

Others were whispering.

A shop had been damaged.

Several windows were shattered.

The smell of smoke hung heavily in the air.

Then Luna saw her family's street.

She stopped.

Her house was still standing.

But the front door was broken.

One of the windows had been shattered.

Luna couldn't breathe.

"Mum!"

She ran inside.

"Mother!"

No answer.

"Dad!"

She rushed through the kitchen.

A chair had been overturned.

A plate lay broken on the floor.

The table was covered with scattered papers.

Luna's heart pounded.

"Mother!"

She ran toward the back room.

Nothing.

Her parents were gone.

Luna stood frozen.

"No."

Draven entered behind her.

His eyes immediately scanned the room.

Kael followed.

Luna turned toward them.

"Where are they?"

Neither answered.

"They were here."

Her voice broke.

"They were here when I left."

Kael crouched near the floor.

"Don't touch anything."

Luna ignored him.

She moved toward the kitchen table.

Her mother's pendant was gone.

She knew because she had seen it every morning for years.

The tiny crescent moon.

Three lines around it.

Gone.

Luna's stomach twisted.

"Something was taken."

Kael stood.

"What?"

"My mother's pendant."

Draven's expression changed.

"The symbol?"

Luna nodded.

Kael looked at Draven.

"They knew."

Draven's jaw tightened.

"Apparently."

Luna turned toward them.

"Knew what?"

Neither answered.

She stepped closer.

"Knew what?"

Kael looked at her.

"That pendant may be connected to your family bloodline."

"So someone attacked my house because of it?"

"We don't know."

"You keep saying that!"

Luna's voice echoed through the ruined room.

She turned away.

Tears filled her eyes.

She refused to let them fall.

Not in front of them.

Not now.

She heard footsteps outside.

A royal guard entered.

"Your Highness."

Draven turned.

"What did you find?"

The guard bowed.

"We searched the surrounding streets."

"And?"

"No bodies."

Luna immediately looked up.

"What?"

The guard looked at her.

"We found no bodies."

"Then where are my parents?"

"We don't know."

Luna's chest tightened.

"But if they're alive—"

"We're searching."

Draven looked toward the broken door.

"Any witnesses?"

"One."

"Bring them."

A few moments later, an elderly woman was brought inside.

She looked frightened.

Luna recognized her.

Mrs. Harlow lived two houses away.

Luna hurried toward her.

"Mrs. Harlow, what happened?"

The woman looked at Luna sadly.

"Your parents were taken."

Luna stopped breathing.

"Taken?"

Mrs. Harlow nodded.

"Three men came."

"Who?"

"I don't know."

"What did they look like?"

"They wore dark clothing. Their faces were covered."

Luna's hands curled into fists.

"Did they hurt my parents?"

"I don't know."

"Did they say anything?"

Mrs. Harlow hesitated.

"One of them said something."

"What?"

"Something about a bloodline."

Luna looked toward Kael.

"What exactly?"

Mrs. Harlow swallowed.

"He said..."

She closed her eyes, trying to remember.

"'The Asteria blood must not awaken.'"

Silence.

Luna stared at her.

"What does that mean?"

Mrs. Harlow shook her head.

"I don't know."

Draven's expression became darker.

Kael stepped toward the woman.

"Did they mention anyone else?"

"No."

"Did you see where they went?"

Mrs. Harlow pointed toward the western road.

"They took your parents that way."

Draven immediately turned.

"Kael."

"I know."

They moved toward the door.

Luna followed.

"I'm coming."

Draven stopped her.

"No."

She stared at him.

"No?"

"You stay here."

"My parents were kidnapped."

"And we're going to find them."

"I'm going too."

"You'll slow us down."

Luna's face hardened.

"Then leave me behind."

Draven looked at her.

Something flickered in his eyes.

Kael intervened.

"She's coming."

Draven turned.

"Kael."

"She's the reason we're going."

Luna looked at Kael.

"What does that mean?"

Kael didn't answer.

Draven sighed.

"Fine."

He looked at Luna.

"But you stay between us."

"I can protect myself."

"I didn't ask whether you could."

Luna glared at him.

"I don't like you."

"I didn't ask you to."

Kael almost smiled.

"Good. We're all getting along."

Luna rolled her eyes.

They left the house.

---

The western road led toward the edge of the city.

The streetlights became fewer.

Buildings disappeared.

Trees appeared.

Luna recognized the old boundary.

Beyond it was the forest.

She stopped.

"They went into the forest?"

Kael studied the ground.

There were footprints.

Several.

"Yes."

Luna stared into the darkness.

Her wolf stirred.

For the first time since she'd arrived at the palace, Lyra spoke clearly.

Danger.

Luna's breathing caught.

She hadn't heard Lyra this clearly in years.

Where?

Silence.

Then—

Ahead.

Luna stepped backward.

Draven noticed.

"What?"

"My wolf."

"What about her?"

"She says there's danger."

Draven's expression changed.

Kael looked toward the trees.

"We should proceed carefully."

They entered the forest.

The temperature dropped immediately.

Moonlight filtered through the branches.

Their footsteps were nearly silent.

Luna walked between the two Alphas.

Every few seconds, she looked around.

Nothing.

Then Kael stopped.

"What?"

He pointed toward the ground.

A piece of fabric lay beneath a tree.

Luna recognized it.

Her mother's dress.

She rushed forward.

"Mother!"

Draven caught her before she could run farther.

"Wait."

"But that's hers!"

"There may be a trap."

Luna stared at the fabric.

Tears burned her eyes.

"She was here."

Kael crouched.

He examined the ground.

"There are footprints."

"How many?"

"At least four."

Draven's expression hardened.

"Four?"

Kael nodded.

"Three attackers. One other person."

Luna looked at him.

"What do you mean?"

"The fourth set of footprints is different."

"Different how?"

"Smaller."

Luna's heart stopped.

"Could it be my mother?"

Kael shook his head.

"No."

"Then who?"

Before he could answer, a sound came from the trees.

A branch snapped.

Draven immediately stepped in front of Luna.

Kael moved in the opposite direction.

"Who's there?" Draven demanded.

No answer.

Another branch snapped.

Luna's wolf growled inside her.

Run.

Luna's heart pounded.

A shadow moved between the trees.

Then another.

Then another.

Three figures emerged from the darkness.

Their faces were covered.

Draven's eyes changed.

A faint golden glow appeared in them.

"Where are the Asterias?"

One of the figures laughed.

"You shouldn't have come."

Kael stepped forward.

"You attacked an innocent family."

The figure tilted his head.

"Innocent?"

His voice was cold.

"You know nothing about the Asterias."

Luna stepped forward.

"Where are my parents?"

The figure looked directly at her.

For a moment, nobody moved.

Then he smiled.

"You really don't know."

Luna's blood ran cold.

"Know what?"

The stranger took a step closer.

"What you are."

Draven's expression changed.

"Enough."

The Alpha power in his voice shook the trees.

The stranger stepped back.

But he didn't look afraid.

Instead, he laughed.

"Moonveil."

Draven's eyes narrowed.

"You know my name."

"Everyone knows your name."

The stranger looked toward Kael.

"And Ashwood."

Kael's expression became unreadable.

"Who sent you?"

The stranger smiled.

"You're asking the wrong question."

Then he looked at Luna again.

"The right question is..."

He paused.

"...why did the Asteria bloodline disappear?"

Luna couldn't move.

The stranger reached inside his coat.

Draven immediately stepped forward.

But instead of attacking, the stranger threw something onto the ground.

A small silver object landed at Luna's feet.

She stared.

Her mother's pendant.

Luna rushed toward it.

"Mother!"

The moment she touched it, a violent pulse of energy passed through her body.

She gasped.

The forest disappeared.

For one second, she saw flames.

A woman running.

A baby crying.

A wolf howling beneath a red moon.

Then—

A voice whispered inside her mind.

Find the blood.

Luna collapsed.

"Luna!"

Draven caught her before she hit the ground.

Kael turned toward the strangers.

They were gone.

Only darkness remained between the trees.

Draven looked down at Luna.

Her eyes were closed.

The pendant lay in her hand.

And beneath her skin, something faintly glowed.

Kael noticed it.

His expression changed.

"Draven."

"What?"

"Look."

Draven followed his gaze.

The strange light disappeared.

Luna opened her eyes.

She stared at them both.

"What happened?"

Neither Alpha answered.

Because neither of them knew what they had just witnessed.

But somewhere deep inside the forest, the enemy was already disappearing into the darkness.

And one sentence followed them through the trees.

The Asteria blood has awakened.