Chapter 15 – The Truth Beneath the Moon
1081 Words
The forest fell into complete silence.
Hailey’s heart pounded so hard she could hear it echoing in her ears.
“The heir has awakened.”
The mysterious voice had disappeared as suddenly as it had come, but its words lingered in the cold night air.
The wolf inside her growled softly.
Not with fear.
With recognition.
Kael stepped in front of Hailey, instinctively shielding her from the darkness beyond the trees.
“Warriors!” he shouted.
Within seconds, armed wolves emerged from every direction, surrounding the clearing.
“Search the forest!” Kael ordered. “Find whoever was watching us!”
“Yes, Alpha!”
The warriors shifted into their wolf forms and disappeared into the woods, their paws barely making a sound against the forest floor.
Hailey watched them go before turning to Kael.
“You said they know.”
Kael’s jaw tightened.
“I did.”
“Who are they?”
He hesitated.
“Answer me.”
Luna gently placed a hand on Hailey’s shoulder.
“Maybe we should go back first.”
“No.”
Hailey pulled away.
“I’m tired of everyone protecting me with lies.”
Kael looked at her for a long moment before nodding.
“Very well.”
He led them away from the clearing to a small stone building hidden among ancient trees. It was older than any structure in the pack, its walls covered in vines and faded symbols.
“This place…” Hailey whispered.
“I’ve never seen it before.”
“You were never meant to.”
Kael pushed open the heavy wooden door.
Inside, candles flickered against stone walls lined with shelves of ancient scrolls and worn books.
At the centre of the room stood a large stone table engraved with the same crescent symbol that had appeared on Hailey’s wrist.
She stared at it in disbelief.
“It’s the same mark.”
Kael nodded.
“It is the Mark of the Moon Heir.”
Hailey’s stomach tightened.
“So… the voice wasn’t lying.”
“No.”
He looked directly into her eyes.
“You are the heir.”
The words stole the air from her lungs.
“The heir to what?”
Kael took a deep breath.
“Long before the Moon Shadow Pack existed, all werewolves lived under one kingdom.”
Hailey listened without speaking.
“It was ruled by a family chosen by the Moon Goddess herself.”
He rested his hand on the stone table.
“They were known as the Keepers of the Moon.”
Hailey frowned.
“And you’re saying…”
“You were born into that bloodline.”
She shook her head immediately.
“No.”
“It’s the truth.”
“My parents were ordinary wolves.”
Kael’s expression softened.
“The couple who raised you loved you as their own.”
Hailey stared at him.
“What do you mean… raised me?”
Luna gasped quietly.
Kael closed his eyes for a brief moment.
“They weren’t your birth parents.”
The room seemed to spin.
Hailey stumbled backwards.
“No…”
“They adopted you as a newborn.”
“No!”
“They promised to protect you.”
Tears blurred Hailey’s vision.
“They’re my parents.”
“They always will be.”
“But…”
Kael’s voice was gentle.
“Your birth parents died protecting you.”
Silence filled the room.
Hailey could hear nothing except her own breathing.
“My whole life…”
She looked at Luna.
“You knew?”
Luna lowered her head.
“I only knew that you were special.”
“You never knew the whole truth?”
She shook her head.
“No.”
Hailey felt anger rising inside her.
“So everyone has been keeping secrets.”
“To keep you alive,” Kael answered.
“Then tell me everything.”
Kael walked towards one of the shelves and removed an old leather-bound book.
Its pages were yellow with age.
“This has been passed down through every Alpha of Moon Shadow.”
He carefully opened it.
Inside was a painting.
A young woman with long dark hair and eyes that looked exactly like Hailey’s.
Hailey’s breath caught.
“She…”
Kael smiled sadly.
“Your mother.”
Hailey reached out with trembling fingers, gently touching the faded image.
“She looks like me.”
“You inherited her eyes.”
A tear rolled down Hailey’s cheek.
“And your courage.”
She swallowed hard.
“What was her name?”
“Lydia.”
“And my father?”
“King Orion.”
Her eyes widened.
“King?”
Kael nodded.
“They ruled the united kingdom before it fell.”
“What happened?”
His expression darkened.
“A betrayal.”
“The enemy?”
“Yes.”
“They murdered your parents?”
Kael’s silence was answer enough.
Hailey felt something stir inside her chest.
Not sadness.
Not fear.
Rage.
The wolf inside her growled again.
This time, louder.
The candles around the room flickered violently.
Luna stepped back.
“Hailey…”
Her silver-and-blue eyes began to glow.
“I can feel her.”
“Your wolf?”
Hailey nodded slowly.
“She’s angry.”
Kael looked concerned.
“You must stay calm.”
“They killed my family.”
“They wanted to erase your bloodline.”
Hailey clenched her fists.
“They almost did.”
Before anyone could speak again, the door burst open.
One of the warriors rushed inside, breathing heavily.
“Alpha!”
Kael turned immediately.
“What is it?”
“We searched the forest.”
“And?”
“We found footprints.”
“How many?”
“At least twenty.”
Luna’s face paled.
“They were watching us.”
The warrior nodded.
“And they left a message.”
He held out a black arrow.
Tied to it was a strip of dark cloth with words written in silver ink.
Kael untied it carefully and read the message.
His face lost all colour.
“What does it say?” Hailey asked.
He looked at her with deep concern before handing her the cloth.
Her hands trembled as she read the words.
“The heir belongs to the Shadow King. We are coming for her.”
The room fell silent.
Outside, thunder rolled across the night sky.
For the first time since her awakening, Hailey realised one terrifying truth.
The enemy wasn’t searching anymore.
They knew exactly where she was.
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