The Moon Chose Me Twice

Chapter Two — A Mark That Should Not Exist

For several seconds, nobody moved.

Not me.

Not Kael.

Not even Lucian.

The forest seemed to hold its breath.

My eyes remained fixed on the stranger standing before me.

Lucian Blackthorn.

The dead Alpha.

The man my wolf had just called mate.

My mind refused to accept it.

"You're lying."

The words escaped my lips before I could stop them.

Lucian's expression didn't change.

"I don't lie about things like this."

"You can't be my mate."

"Why not?"

"Because..."

I looked down at my wrist.

The strange mark was still glowing beneath my skin.

Two crescent moons intertwined around each other.

"Because I already have a mate."

Lucian's eyes flickered toward the forest behind me.

Toward Kael.

Then back to me.

"You had a mate."

My heart tightened.

"Kael is still my mate."

"No."

Lucian stepped closer.

"Not anymore."

I shook my head.

"You don't understand."

"I understand more than you think."

His voice was calm, but there was something beneath it.

Something almost painful.

"You were rejected."

"That doesn't erase the bond."

"It doesn't have to."

He raised his hand.

"The Moon did it for you."

I stared at him.

"What are you talking about?"

His gaze dropped to my wrist.

"That mark."

I instinctively covered it.

"What about it?"

"It shouldn't exist."

My stomach twisted.

"Why?"

"Because there is no such thing as a second mate bond."

The words made my blood run cold.

"Then what is this?"

"I don't know."

"You just said—"

"I said it shouldn't exist."

He stepped closer.

"But I've spent seven years searching for the reason it might."

I stared at him.

"Searching for me?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

He didn't answer.

"Lucian."

His jaw tightened.

"Because before tonight, I thought you were dead."

I froze.

"What?"

He looked at me.

"Everyone believed you were dead."

I swallowed.

"I've been alive my entire life."

"That's not what I meant."

He glanced at the mark again.

"You were supposed to disappear eighteen years ago."

A chill ran through me.

"Who was I supposed to disappear from?"

Lucian didn't answer.

Instead, he looked toward the trees.

"We need to leave."

"No."

His eyes returned to mine.

"What?"

"I'm not going anywhere with you."

A faint smile touched his lips.

"You don't trust me."

"Should I?"

"No."

His answer surprised me.

"But you should understand something."

He stepped closer.

"I may be the only person in this forest who can keep you alive."

My heart began racing.

"Alive from what?"

Before he could answer, a growl came from behind him.

Kael.

He stepped into the clearing.

His chest was rising and falling heavily, his eyes fixed on Lucian.

"Step away from her."

Lucian slowly turned.

"You're giving orders now?"

Kael's eyes flashed gold.

"I said step away."

Lucian smiled.

"You rejected her."

Kael's jaw clenched.

"That doesn't concern you."

"It concerns me more than you realize."

Kael took another step.

"She's a member of my pack."

Lucian laughed quietly.

"Is that what she was when you broke her heart in front of everyone?"

Kael's expression hardened.

"Watch your mouth."

"Or what?"

The air suddenly changed.

Both men's wolves surfaced beneath their skin.

I could feel their power pressing against each other.

The trees around us trembled.

My wolf whimpered.

They're going to fight.

"Stop!"

My voice echoed through the forest.

Neither moved.

I stepped between them.

"Enough."

Kael looked at me.

His expression changed when he saw the tears still staining my face.

"Amara..."

I stepped back.

"Don't."

His face tightened.

"I didn't mean—"

"You did."

He went silent.

"You meant every word."

"I was wrong."

I stared at him.

The Alpha who had rejected me less than an hour ago was now standing before me, saying he was wrong.

It should have made me happy.

Instead, it made me angry.

"You're sorry because you saw another Alpha."

Kael's eyes darkened.

"That's not true."

"Then why did you follow me?"

He didn't answer.

I laughed bitterly.

"You didn't care when I was crying."

"Amara."

"You didn't care when I begged you to explain."

"I was trying to protect—"

"Protect what?"

He stopped.

I stared at him.

"Your reputation?"

His silence was enough.

I turned away.

Lucian watched me carefully.

Then he said quietly,

"You should come with me."

Kael immediately growled.

"No."

I looked at Lucian.

"Where?"

"Somewhere safe."

"I don't know you."

"You will."

That answer frightened me more than anything else.

I looked at the two men standing before me.

One was the Alpha who had broken my heart.

The other was a stranger who claimed he'd spent years searching for me.

Neither felt safe.

Then I remembered something.

Lila.

Her strange behavior.

The way she had stared at my wrist.

The way she'd told me to go home.

I suddenly felt cold.

"Lila knew."

Lucian's expression changed.

Kael frowned.

"Who?"

"My best friend."

I looked toward the direction she'd disappeared.

"She knew something would happen tonight."

Lucian's eyes narrowed.

"Where is she?"

"I don't know."

"Then we need to find her."

Kael stepped forward.

"I'll find her."

Lucian looked at him.

"No."

Kael's eyes flashed.

"I wasn't asking."

Lucian smiled.

"And I wasn't giving permission."

I stepped between them again.

"Stop fighting."

They both went silent.

I looked at Kael.

"I need answers."

Then I looked at Lucian.

"Both of you are going to give them to me."

Neither spoke.

I lifted my wrist.

"What is this mark?"

Lucian's face became serious.

"That is what we're going to find out."

---

We returned to the pack grounds before dawn.

Nobody spoke to me.

Not because they didn't want to.

Because they were afraid.

The moment I stepped into the clearing, conversations stopped.

Every wolf turned toward me.

Some stared at my face.

Others stared at my wrist.

The mark had stopped glowing, but it hadn't disappeared.

Two crescents remained visible against my skin.

I pulled my sleeve over it.

It didn't help.

Whispers followed me everywhere.

"Is that another mate mark?"

"Impossible."

"She already had one."

"Who was the second Alpha?"

"Was that Lucian Blackthorn?"

"He's alive?"

I lowered my head.

I wanted to disappear.

But then Elder Malachi stepped forward.

His face was unusually pale.

"Amara."

I stopped.

He looked at my wrist.

For the first time since I'd known him, I saw genuine fear in his eyes.

"What is it?" I asked.

He didn't answer.

"Elder?"

He looked toward Kael.

Then toward Lucian.

Then back at me.

"Where did you get that mark?"

"The Moon gave it to me."

His face went completely still.

Kael frowned.

"What does that mean?"

Malachi ignored him.

"Who else saw it?"

"Lucian."

The elder's eyes widened.

"Lucian?"

"Yes."

Malachi took a step backward.

"That is impossible."

I stared at him.

"Why does everyone keep saying that?"

He didn't answer.

"Elder Malachi."

His hands tightened around his staff.

"That mark hasn't appeared in over a century."

My heart skipped.

"What mark?"

"The second crescent."

The clearing fell silent.

Kael stepped closer.

"What does it mean?"

Malachi looked at him.

"It means the Moon Goddess has broken one of the oldest laws of our kind."

"What law?"

"The law of one soul..."

His eyes settled on me.

"...one mate."

A shiver ran through me.

"Then what am I?"

Malachi looked away.

"I don't know."

I stared at him.

"You're lying."

His eyes snapped back to mine.

"I would never—"

"You know something."

He didn't respond.

"You all know something!"

My voice cracked.

"Kael knows. Lila knows. You know. And now Lucian says he's been searching for me for years."

My breathing became uneven.

"Everyone seems to know who I am except me."

Malachi's face softened.

"Amara..."

"Tell me!"

The elder closed his eyes.

Then he whispered:

"Go home."

I stared at him.

"Why?"

"Because your guardian is waiting for you."

---

Mrs. Elara's house was dark when I arrived.

It sat at the edge of the pack territory, surrounded by tall trees and a small garden she'd spent years caring for.

It had always been home.

The place where she'd raised me after my parents died.

The place where I'd felt safe.

But when I pushed the door open, something felt different.

Wrong.

I heard voices.

I stopped.

Mrs. Elara was speaking to someone.

"...she can't know yet."

My heart stopped.

Another voice answered.

"She already has the mark."

I recognized it.

Lila.

I slowly moved closer.

"Then we have no choice," Lila whispered.

"We have every choice," Elara replied.

"What happens when Lucian tells her?"

"He won't."

"How can you be sure?"

"Because he knows what will happen if he does."

I covered my mouth.

They were talking about me.

I pushed the door open.

Both women turned.

Silence.

Lila's face went white.

Mrs. Elara dropped the cup in her hand.

It shattered on the floor.

"Amara."

I stared at them.

"What are you hiding?"

Neither answered.

"Lila?"

She looked down.

"How long have you known?"

Her lips trembled.

"Amara..."

"How long?"

"Please."

"Tell me!"

Mrs. Elara stepped forward.

"You're frightened."

"I'm terrified."

Tears filled my eyes.

"And you're both making it worse."

She reached for my hand.

I pulled away.

"Don't."

Her expression broke.

"Amara, there are things you aren't ready to know."

"I think I'm ready."

"No."

"Why?"

"Because knowing the truth will put you in danger."

I laughed through my tears.

"I'm already in danger!"

My voice echoed through the house.

"The Alpha rejected me. The Moon gave me a mark that shouldn't exist. A supposedly dead Alpha appeared in the forest and said he's been searching for me. And now I find out you've all been keeping secrets!"

Lila started crying.

"I'm sorry."

I looked at her.

"Did you know?"

She nodded.

"About the mark?"

She nodded again.

"About Lucian?"

Her silence answered me.

My heart sank.

"How?"

She wiped her tears.

"Because your mother told me."

I froze.

"My mother?"

Mrs. Elara closed her eyes.

Lila immediately realized she'd said too much.

I turned toward Elara.

"What did she tell you?"

"Nothing."

"Liar."

"Amara—"

"What did my mother tell you?"

Mrs. Elara's hands began trembling.

"She told me to protect you."

"From what?"

"From them."

"Who?"

She looked toward the window.

Outside, the first light of dawn was beginning to appear.

"The Alphas."

I stared at her.

"Why?"

She didn't answer.

I stepped closer.

"Who were my parents?"

Her eyes filled with tears.

"You were told they died in a rogue attack."

"Yes."

"That wasn't the whole truth."

My heart stopped.

"What do you mean?"

Mrs. Elara looked at Lila.

Then back at me.

"Your parents were not ordinary wolves."

I swallowed.

"What were they?"

Before she could answer, something slammed against the front door.

All three of us jumped.

Another impact.

The door shook.

Mrs. Elara's face went pale.

"Get behind me."

"What is it?"

She didn't answer.

A third impact nearly broke the door from its hinges.

Lila grabbed my hand.

"Amara, run."

"Where?"

"Anywhere."

The door burst open.

A group of black-cloaked wolves stood outside.

Their eyes glowed red.

Mrs. Elara stepped in front of me.

"Take her."

Two wolves moved forward.

Then a roar shook the entire house.

Not human.

Not entirely wolf.

Something powerful.

Something terrifying.

The attackers froze.

A shadow moved behind them.

Lucian.

His eyes burned gold.

"Touch her..."

His voice was dangerously calm.

"...and I'll bury every one of you."

The wolves stepped backward.

But before they could retreat, another howl echoed from behind Lucian.

Kael.

He appeared in the doorway.

His eyes immediately found me.

Then his gaze moved to the attackers.

His expression turned murderous.

"What is happening?"

Nobody answered.

Lucian looked at him.

"They've come for her."

Kael's jaw tightened.

"Who are they?"

Lucian's eyes returned to me.

"They're the reason your identity was hidden."

My heart began pounding.

"What identity?"

Lucian stepped closer.

"Ask your guardian."

I turned to Mrs. Elara.

She was crying now.

For the first time in eighteen years, she looked at me not as a child...

but as someone she was afraid of losing.

"Tell me."

She shook her head.

"Please."

Her lips trembled.

Then she whispered the words that shattered everything I thought I knew.

"Your parents weren't killed by rogues."

I stopped breathing.

"Then who killed them?"

Mrs. Elara looked toward Lucian.

Then Kael.

And finally at me.

"They were murdered..."

She swallowed.

"...because they were protecting you."

My heart pounded.

"Protecting me from what?"

She couldn't answer.

Because suddenly, a powerful voice echoed from outside the house.

"Enough."

Every wolf froze.

A tall man stepped through the broken doorway.

He wore a black cloak decorated with silver.

His presence silenced everyone.

Even Lucian.

Mrs. Elara's face went white.

"No..."

The man looked directly at me.

Then smiled.

"Hello, little Moon."

I didn't know him.

But Lucian did.

His entire expression changed.

"Darius."

The stranger's eyes narrowed.

"You're still alive."

Lucian stepped forward.

"So are you."

My eyes moved between them.

"Who is he?"

Lucian didn't answer.

Mrs. Elara whispered the name.

"Alpha Darius."

Lucian's father.

The legendary former Alpha of the Silver Moon Pack.

The man who had supposedly disappeared seven years ago.

The man whose disappearance had been blamed on rogues.

But he wasn't dead.

He was standing in front of me.

And he was looking at me like he knew exactly who I was.

Darius smiled.

"You've grown so much."

A cold feeling settled in my stomach.

"How do you know me?"

His smile widened.

"Because, Amara..."

He paused.

"...I was there the night you were born."

The room fell silent.

And for the first time, I understood something terrifying.

The story I'd been told about my life...

was a lie.