Chapter 5
1295 Words
The Luna suite in my old pack house is exactly where Catherine said—hidden behind a false wall in the attic where I lived.
All those years, my mother's secrets were just inches from where I slept.
"Let me go in first," Byrde says, his body tense.
We both know this is a trap. Vera made sure we knew she'd be here, waiting. But we need that letter.
"Together," I say firmly.
He takes my hand, and we enter through the front door. The house is eerily quiet. Too quiet.
Marcus appears at the top of the stairs, smiling coldly. "Welcome home, Wendy."
"This isn't my home anymore."
"No? But there's so much you still don't know." He descends slowly. "Like how your mother really died."
My breath catches. "She was sick—"
"She was murdered." His smile widens at my gasp. "By me."
Byrde steps forward, but I grip his arm, stopping him. I need to hear this.
"She was getting too strong," Marcus continues. "Her Hybrid nature was awakening. She would have exposed what she was, brought the Council down on us. So I poisoned her. Slowly. Made it look like illness."
Rage floods through me. Luna roars inside, demanding blood.
"You killed her because you were scared," I say, my voice surprisingly steady.
"I killed her because she was an abomination. Just like you."
"Enough." Byrde's voice is death itself. "Where's the letter?"
"Oh, that?" Vera steps out from behind him, holding an envelope. "You mean this letter?"
My heart drops. "Give it to me."
"I don't think so." She pulls out a lighter. "You know, sister, I've been thinking. Even as a Hybrid, you can still die. Fire, for instance, is very effective."
She flicks the lighter open.
"No!" I lunge forward, but Marcus throws something—powder that burns my lungs. Wolfsbane, but stronger. Mixed with something else.
I hit the floor, gasping. My body won't shift. The Hybrid power that saved Byrde is suddenly gone.
"Hybrid suppressant," Marcus says proudly. "Had it made special. Your mother died breathing this."
Byrde roars, shifting instantly. His wolf tears through Marcus before he can blink. Blood sprays across the walls.
But Vera just laughs, holding the burning lighter under the letter.
"One more step and it burns."
Byrde freezes, his wolf eyes on me as I struggle to breathe.
"Here's what's going to happen," Vera says calmly. "Wendy is going to reject the mate bond. Publicly. Today."
"Never," I gasp.
"Then you'll never know what your mother wanted you to know." She lets the flame touch the envelope's edge. It starts to blacken.
"Wait!" My voice cracks. "Wait. What else do you want?"
"Leave. Disappear. Let everyone think you ran away because you couldn't handle the Trials."
I push myself up, every movement agony. The suppressant makes me feel hollow, wrong.
"And if I do?"
"I'll give you the letter. You'll have answers. But you'll have them alone, far from here."
I look at Byrde. His wolf form trembles with rage, but his eyes are on me. Trusting me.
"Okay," I whisper.
"Louder."
"I said okay!" I stand on shaking legs. "I'll reject him. I'll leave."
Vera's smile is triumphant. She extinguishes the lighter, waving the slightly charred envelope. "Smart choice."
I take a step toward her. Another. She doesn't see the subtle change in my posture, the way Luna suddenly goes quiet.
"You know what your problem is, Vera?" I ask softly.
"What?"
"You think I'm still that scared little girl you tortured."
I move faster than human, faster than wolf. The suppressant only works on Hybrid abilities—but I'm still an Alpha's mate, still strong in my own right.
My hand closes on her throat before she can blink.
"But that girl died when you locked me in that cell." I squeeze slightly. "When you threatened my mate."
She tries to speak but can't. The letter falls from her hand. Byrde, still in wolf form, catches it gently in his teeth.
"You want to know a secret?" I lean close to her ear. "The suppressant is already wearing off. I can feel it. In about thirty seconds, I'll be fully Hybrid again."
Her eyes widen in terror.
"But I won't need it." I release her, and she collapses, gasping. "You're not worth it."
She scrambles backward. "You can't... the Council... I'll tell them—"
"Tell them what?" Catherine walks in, surveying the scene—Marcus's body, Vera cowering, me standing tall despite the fading suppressant. "That you attempted to blackmail an Alpha's mate? That your father murdered the previous Luna?"
"You have no proof!"
"Actually, we do." Catherine holds up a recording device. "We've been recording since you arrived. Your confession about the letter, the threats, all of it."
Vera goes pale.
"The Council has already been informed," Catherine continues. "You're banished from all pack territories. Effective immediately."
"You can't—"
"Leave," Byrde says, having shifted back and pulled on pants. "Before I finish what I started with your father."
Vera runs, not even looking at Marcus's body.
I collapse into Byrde's arms, the adrenaline fading.
"The letter," I whisper.
He hands it to me. My mother's handwriting makes my eyes burn with tears.
My dearest Wendy,
If you're reading this, then you've discovered what you are. What we are.
Hybrids aren't monsters, despite what others say. We're bridges—between human and wolf, between savage and civilized. We exist to unite, not divide.
Your father—your real father—was the most powerful Hybrid ever born. His name was Adrian Blackstone, and he loved us both fiercely. He died protecting our secret, ensuring you'd have a chance at a normal life.
But normal was never your destiny.
You'll face challenges I can't imagine. Your power will frighten some, inspire others. But remember this: you are not alone. There are others like us, hidden but waiting. When you're ready, they'll find you.
Trust your mate. The Moon Goddess doesn't make mistakes. Your bond is sacred, stronger than most because of what you are.
Be brave, my daughter. Be strong. But most importantly, be yourself.
The Trials will test you, but they can't break you. You're a Blackstone. We don't break.
All my love,
Mom
P.S. – Check under the floorboard beneath your old bed. Your inheritance awaits.
I look up at Byrde through tears. "Blackstone. My father was Adrian Blackstone."
Catherine gasps. "The Ghost Alpha? The one who united five packs before vanishing?"
I nod, unable to speak.
Byrde helps me stand. "Come on. Let's see what else your mother left."
Under the floorboard, we find a box. Inside: documents, photos, and a ring with a strange symbol.
"That's the Hybrid mark," Catherine breathes. "With this, others will recognize you."
There's also a deed. To land. Lots of land.
"This is..." Byrde trails off. "This is half the unclaimed territory between four packs."
"Your father acquired it legally," Catherine says, reading the documents. "It's yours, Wendy. You're not just powerful—you're wealthy."
I stare at the papers. This morning I was nobody. Now I'm a Hybrid heir with land and legacy.
"The Trials are tomorrow," I say quietly.
"You don't have to—" Byrde starts.
"Yes, I do." I put on the ring. It fits perfectly. "But now I know who I am. What I am."
I stand straighter, feeling Luna's strength merge with my Hybrid nature.
"I'm Wendy Blackstone. Daughter of Anna and Adrian. Hybrid. Alpha's mate." I meet Byrde's eyes. "And after tomorrow, Luna of the Byrde Pack."
He kisses me hard, possessive and proud.
"That's my girl," he murmurs against my lips.
Tomorrow, the Trials begin.
But for the first time in my life, I'm not afraid.
I'm ready.
- Writer
