Chapter 5: Moon-Marked
1111 Words
The penthouse smelled like blood and rain.
Shattered glass covered the marble floor while cold wind rushed through the broken windows, carrying distant thunder into the room. Security guards flooded the hallway outside, barking orders into communication devices as Silvercrest’s emergency alarms continued pulsing faintly through the building.
But Elias barely noticed any of it.
His attention remained locked on Damon.
You’re something they’re willing to start a war for.
The words echoed violently inside his head.
Elias stared at him. “What the hell does that mean?”
Damon didn’t answer immediately.
That alone made panic creep colder through Elias’s chest.
The future Alpha stood a few feet away, black shirt streaked faintly with blood from the attack, gray eyes glowing subtly in the dim light.
Dangerous.
Beautiful.
Terrifying.
And somehow still trying to place himself between Elias and every threat in the room.
The realization unsettled Elias more than he wanted to admit.
Footsteps approached quickly.
Selene entered the penthouse with two armed guards behind her, silver eyes immediately scanning the destruction.
Her expression darkened when she saw the dead intruder.
“So it’s true,” she murmured.
Damon’s voice turned sharp. “You knew this would happen?”
Selene ignored the accusation.
Instead, her attention shifted directly toward Elias.
For the first time since meeting her, Elias saw something close to concern in her expression.
“How much do you remember?” she asked quietly.
Elias frowned. “Remember what?”
Selene and Damon exchanged a look.
A bad one.
The kind adults gave each other before revealing something life-changing.
Elias’s heartbeat quickened.
“No,” he said immediately. “Don’t do that.”
Damon looked at him carefully. “Do what?”
“That thing where everyone acts like they know something about me except me.”
Silence.
Rain crashed harder against the open windows.
Finally, Selene sighed softly.
“There are stories older than Silvercrest itself,” she began carefully. “Stories about wolves chosen directly by the Moon Goddess.”
Elias crossed his arms tightly. “You can’t seriously expect me to believe this.”
“Normally, no,” Selene admitted. “But rejected mate bonds do not survive naturally. Yours did.”
Damon stepped closer slowly.
“And the attackers called you moon-marked.”
Elias shook his head immediately.
“That could mean anything.”
“It doesn’t,” Selene said quietly.
The room suddenly felt too small.
Elias laughed once under his breath, but there was no humor in it.
“So what now? You’re going to tell me I’m secretly magical or some ancient prophecy?”
No one answered.
Elias’s stomach dropped.
“…You’re serious.”
Selene folded her arms. “Centuries ago, certain bloodlines carried stronger connections to the Moon Goddess. They were rare, powerful, and nearly impossible to control.”
Damon’s expression darkened slightly at those last words.
“The royal lunar bloodlines disappeared during the territory wars,” Selene continued. “Most believed they were extinct.”
Elias stared at her blankly.
“This is insane.”
“Maybe,” Damon said quietly. “But someone crossed pack borders tonight just to get to you.”
That part Elias couldn’t ignore.
The intruder’s words replayed sharply in his memory.
Moon-marked omega.
A chill crawled beneath his skin.
“I’m not special,” Elias whispered.
Damon’s gaze softened slightly.
“You keep saying that.”
Before Elias could respond, another guard entered quickly from the hallway.
“Alpha Damon,” he said urgently. “The council has assembled.”
Damon’s jaw tightened instantly.
“Already?”
Selene nodded grimly. “Word spreads fast.”
“Of course it does,” Damon muttered darkly.
The guard hesitated before adding—
“There’s another issue.”
Everyone looked toward him.
“The intruder carried the Black Fang insignia.”
The room went silent.
Even Damon went completely still.
Elias frowned immediately. “What’s Black Fang?”
No one answered right away.
Which terrified him.
Finally, Damon spoke.
“A rogue Alpha faction.”
Selene’s expression hardened.
“They disappeared years ago after the border massacres.”
Elias blinked slowly. “Massacres?”
Damon looked away briefly before answering.
“They believed the strongest wolves should rule all territories. They slaughtered weaker packs, omegas, and anyone they considered ‘impure.’”
Elias felt sick instantly.
“And now they’re after me?”
Selene’s voice became quieter.
“If Black Fang truly believes you carry lunar blood…”
“They won’t stop,” Damon finished coldly.
Silence swallowed the room again.
Elias suddenly wished he could wake up from all of this.
Two days ago, his biggest concern had been helping his mother pay medical supply costs for the clinic.
Now rogue Alphas were breaking into penthouses trying to kidnap him because of some ancient bloodline story.
It felt unreal.
Damon noticed the panic flickering across his face.
“Elias.”
The softer tone surprised him.
Elias looked up reluctantly.
Damon stepped closer again, lowering his voice.
“Look at me.”
Their eyes locked.
And somehow the chaos around them faded slightly.
“I won’t let anyone take you,” Damon said quietly.
The certainty in his voice hit harder than it should have.
Elias swallowed.
“You barely even know me.”
Damon’s expression shifted into something more dangerous.
“My wolf does.”
Heat rushed unexpectedly into Elias’s face.
The bond reacted instantly to the words, warm and alive beneath his skin.
Damon noticed.
Of course he noticed.
Gray eyes darkened faintly.
The atmosphere changed immediately.
Too close.
Too warm.
Too intense.
Elias stepped back first, breaking the moment.
Selene cleared her throat lightly.
“The council chamber is waiting.”
Damon’s face hardened again instantly.
The softer expression vanished so quickly Elias almost thought he imagined it.
Damon turned toward the guards.
“Double security around the penthouse.”
“Yes, Alpha.”
“And no one approaches Elias without my permission.”
The guards immediately nodded.
Elias opened his mouth. “I don’t need bodyguards—”
“You were almost kidnapped ten minutes ago,” Damon interrupted flatly.
“That doesn’t mean I need a babysitter.”
Damon stepped closer again.
This time close enough that Elias could smell cedarwood and rain on his skin.
“It means,” Damon said quietly, “that people are willing to kill for you.”
Elias’s breath caught slightly.
Damon’s gray eyes remained locked onto his.
“And until I understand why,” Damon murmured, “you stay where I can protect you.”
The words should have sounded controlling.
Instead, they sounded terrifyingly sincere.
And that was far more dangerous.
- Writer
