Marked by the moon

She woke up to fire. Not the burning kind,but the kind that bloomed underneath her skin. Her back arched off the bed,her fingers clutching at the sheets, a scream dying in her throat .The moon outside her window bled red. And then she saw it…. in the mirror,carved in glowing silver lines across her shoulder blades. A crescent moon wrapped in vines ,pulsing like it was alive. “Elara” her aunt whispered at the door ,pale and petrified. “You have to hide that .Now!!!” Elara stumbled back from the mirror ,nearly knocking over the stool behind her.Breath raged, heart crashing against her rib cage “No. No—what is that?” she whispered, heart pounding as the glowing crescent-and-flame mark stared back at her like a second spine. Aunt Maris crossed the room in two steps and yanked the curtain shut. The moonlight vanished. In the sudden dark, the mark’s glow dimmed but didn’t fade completely. “You need to calm down,” Maris said, her voice low and urgent. “Panicking will only make it burn more.” Elara backed away from her, clutching her shirt. “What’s happening to me?! Why is my back glowing like… like a lantern?!” Maris’ lips tightened. “I was hoping this day would never come. Not for you.” Elara shook her head. “You knew about this?” “I knew it was possible,” Maris said. “You weren’t supposed to get the mark until you turned eighteen—if ever. But the Blood Moon came early this year. Too early.” “I’m seventeen!” Elara snapped. “I’m still in high school. I get detention for forgetting my chemistry notebook. Not—whatever this is!” She turned, pacing in tight circles. “This can’t be real. This has to be some weird dream or prank or—” Maris grabbed her shoulders, firm but gentle. “Elara. Listen to me. That mark is ancient. Sacred. And extremely dangerous.” “Dangerous to who?! Me?” “To everyone,” Mae whispered. “Especially you.” Elara’s voice cracked. “What even is it?” “The Moonfire. A bloodline born once every century, always under the red moon. It’s power—pure, raw, and wild. It’s both a gift… and a curse.” Elara pulled away from her. “This is insane.” “You don’t have to believe it right now,” Maris said. “But others will. And when they do, they’ll come for you. Some to use you. Others to kill you.” Her stomach flipped. “Kill me?” Maris nodded. “That mark binds you to an old prophecy. It says the Moonfire child will either restore the balance between the packs—or burn it all to ash.” Elara sank onto the bed, numb. “So what… what do I do?” “You hide it,” Maris said firmly. “You don’t let anyone see it. Not even your friends. Not the kids at school. No one.” “Then what?” “Then we buy time,” Maris said. “Until you’re ready. Until I can find someone to help train you. Someone who understands what you are.” “What I am?” Elara echoed. “You make it sound like I’m not even human.” Maris looked at her for a long moment. Then said softly, “Because… you’re not.”