The Last Moon Wolf

CHAPTER 7: FIRST HUNT

“Do not let them find the door.”

Nyx’s warning echoed inside my head.

I barely had time to breathe before the footsteps outside stopped.

Someone was standing on the other side of the hidden passage.

I pressed my hand against my mouth.

Kael stood directly in front of me, one hand raised, silently telling us not to move.

Lucian's breathing was barely audible.

Rowan was completely still.

Then the shelf moved.

Someone was trying to open it.

My heart slammed against my ribs.

“They're here,” Lucian whispered.

Kael shook his head.

Not yet.

The shelf moved again.

A small gap appeared.

Light from the library slipped through.

I could see a shadow standing outside.

Then a voice spoke.

“Aria.”

I knew that voice.

My blood ran cold.

“Gideon?”

Kael's eyes widened.

The shelf suddenly stopped moving.

“Aria, if you're in there, come out.”

It was Alpha Gideon.

My adoptive father.

The man who had raised me.

The man whose name was written on my mother's warning.

Do not trust Gideon.

I didn't know what to believe anymore.

Nyx whispered.

“Don't answer.”

“But it's Gideon.”

“That is why you must not answer.”

I stared at the narrow gap.

“Why?”

“Because he should not know about this place.”

My stomach twisted.

Outside, Gideon spoke again.

“I know you're frightened.”

His voice sounded gentle.

Familiar.

Almost like the voice I remembered from childhood.

“Aria, you need to come with me.”

I took one step toward the opening.

Kael immediately caught my wrist.

“Don't.”

I looked at him.

“He's my father.”

“He's also the man your mother told you not to trust.”

His voice was low.

“You don't know which version of him is standing outside.”

I froze.

Gideon's voice came again.

“The council is looking for you.”

Kael's jaw tightened.

Gideon continued.

“They won't stop.”

I whispered, “Then why are you here?”

Silence.

For several seconds, there was no answer.

Then Gideon said something that made my blood run cold.

“Because I know what they're hunting.”

My fingers tightened.

“What?”

Kael shook his head.

Don't.

But I couldn't stop myself.

I stepped closer to the shelf.

“What are they hunting?”

Gideon didn't answer immediately.

When he finally spoke, his voice had changed.

“They're hunting the last Moon Wolf.”

My heart stopped.

The shelf suddenly slammed open.

I screamed.

Kael pulled me backward.

But Gideon wasn't alone.

Two dark-clothed men stood behind him.

Council guards.

Gideon's eyes immediately found mine.

For one second, he looked relieved.

Then he looked at the others.

“Kael. Lucian. Rowan.”

His expression hardened.

“You shouldn't be here.”

Kael stepped forward.

“Neither should the council.”

One of the guards reached for his weapon.

Gideon raised his hand.

“Don't.”

The guard stopped.

Gideon looked at me.

“Aria, come with me.”

I shook my head.

“You lied to me.”

His face changed.

“I didn't.”

“My mother left me a message.”

Gideon went completely still.

Kael looked at him.

“What message?”

Gideon didn't answer.

I pulled the paper from my pocket.

“She said not to trust you.”

The words hung between us.

Gideon's eyes closed briefly.

When he opened them again, there was something in them I'd never seen before.

Pain.

“Your mother was afraid.”

“So she was wrong?”

“No.”

His answer came too quickly.

I stared at him.

Gideon looked away.

“She had every reason to be afraid.”

“Then tell me the truth.”

“I can't.”

“Why?”

“Because if I tell you everything, they will find you faster.”

I laughed bitterly.

“They already found me.”

Gideon looked at the glowing crescent beneath my collarbone.

“You don't understand what has awakened inside you.”

“Then explain it!”

The library shook.

Everyone froze.

A deep sound echoed from somewhere beneath the floor.

It sounded almost like a growl.

Nyx stirred.

“The Hollow.”

I swallowed.

Gideon's face went pale.

“You heard it.”

I stared at him.

“You know what that is.”

He didn't deny it.

Kael stepped closer.

“What is the Hollow?”

Gideon looked at him.

“Something that should never be awakened.”

Another tremor shook the floor.

Books fell from the shelves.

Dust filled the air.

One of the council guards shouted.

“Alpha Vale!”

Gideon turned.

The silver runes on the walls were beginning to glow.

“The barrier is weakening.”

My heart pounded.

“What barrier?”

Gideon looked at me.

“The one your parents died protecting.”

Silence.

My entire body went cold.

“My parents…”

Gideon took a slow breath.

“They weren't ordinary wolves.”

“I know.”

“They were guardians.”

“Guardians of what?”

He didn't answer.

The floor shook again.

This time, the hidden door behind us cracked.

Black smoke slipped through the opening.

Rowan's wolf growled.

“Everyone move!”

Kael grabbed my arm.

Lucian pulled Rowan toward the exit.

Gideon shouted at the guards.

“Get the students out!”

The guards ran.

But something moved inside the darkness.

A shadow.

Fast.

Too fast.

It rushed toward us.

I felt Nyx rise.

“Aria.”

Silver light spread across my hands.

“Don't fight it.”

“What?”

“Listen.”

The shadow stopped.

It was directly in front of me.

I couldn't see its face.

But I could feel something ancient staring at me.

Then it whispered.

“Moon Wolf.”

My body went cold.

Kael stepped in front of me.

“Stay behind me.”

The shadow laughed.

“You cannot protect her.”

Kael's eyes flashed.

“Watch me.”

He lunged.

The shadow disappeared.

Kael stopped abruptly.

“Where did it go?”

“Behind you!”

I shouted.

Kael turned.

The shadow struck.

He was thrown against the wall.

“Kael!”

Lucian rushed toward him.

Rowan stepped forward.

His wolf exploded to the surface.

For a moment, his eyes burned amber.

He growled at the darkness.

The shadow hesitated.

It recognized him.

Or perhaps it recognized something inside him.

Rowan's expression changed.

“You know me.”

The shadow didn't answer.

Instead, it looked at me.

“Not yet.”

Then it disappeared through the cracks in the floor.

The library went silent.

I stared at the place where it had vanished.

Gideon walked toward me.

“Aria.”

I turned.

“What was that?”

His expression was grim.

“The first warning.”

“Warning of what?”

He looked toward the floor.

“The hunt.”

My stomach dropped.

“What hunt?”

Gideon looked directly into my eyes.

“The council knows you're the last Moon Wolf.”

I already knew that.

But then he said something worse.

“They aren't the only ones looking for you.”

The lights flickered.

Nyx whispered inside my head.

“They've started.”

I looked at Gideon.

“Who?”

He hesitated.

Then the academy alarm sounded.

Once.

Twice.

Three times.

Students began screaming somewhere outside.

Gideon turned toward the door.

“What is happening?”

A guard came running down the corridor.

“Alpha Vale!”

Gideon faced him.

“Speak.”

The guard was breathless.

“There are wolves outside the academy.”

“How many?”

The guard swallowed.

“We don't know.”

Gideon's expression hardened.

“Are they council forces?”

“No.”

“Then who?”

The guard looked at me.

“They're asking for her.”

My blood went cold.

“Who?”

The guard's voice dropped.

“The hunters.”

The alarm continued to scream.

Gideon looked at me.

“Aria, we have to move.”

I didn't move.

Because Nyx was whispering again.

And this time, she sounded terrified.

“They found you.”

I stared toward the academy gates.

Beyond the walls, hundreds of eyes were watching Blackmoon.

Waiting.

Hunting.

And somehow, I knew this was only the beginning.