The Moon Chose Me Twice

Chapter Three — The Alpha Behind the Shadow

"I was there the night you were born."

Darius's words hung in the room like a death sentence.

I stared at him.

My mind refused to process what he'd just said.

"You knew my parents?"

Darius smiled faintly.

"I knew them better than anyone."

Mrs. Elara stepped forward.

"That's enough."

Darius turned toward her.

"You've hidden her for eighteen years, Elara."

"Because I promised."

"And now the promise is broken."

Her face tightened.

"Not by me."

Darius's eyes moved toward my wrist.

The two crescent moons were still visible beneath my skin.

"No."

His voice became darker.

"The Moon broke it."

Lucian stepped forward.

"You knew this would happen."

Darius looked at his son.

"I knew it was possible."

"You lied to me."

"I protected you."

Lucian laughed bitterly.

"You disappeared for seven years and left me to believe you were dead."

Darius's expression hardened.

"Because if you knew the truth, you would have come looking for her."

Lucian went silent.

I looked between them.

"What truth?"

Nobody answered.

My frustration finally exploded.

"Stop talking around me!"

Everyone looked at me.

"I am the person you're all talking about."

My voice shook.

"I deserve to know what is happening to me."

Darius studied me carefully.

Then he said,

"Your parents were not ordinary wolves."

I had heard those words before.

But coming from him, they felt different.

"Who were they?"

Darius walked slowly toward me.

"Your father was Alpha Adrian Vale."

My breath caught.

"Alpha?"

Mrs. Elara lowered her head.

I stared at her.

"You knew?"

She nodded.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because your father's enemies were still searching for you."

"My father had enemies?"

Darius's expression darkened.

"Your father was the most powerful Alpha of his generation."

Kael shifted behind me.

Even he seemed surprised.

Darius continued.

"He united three territories that had been fighting for decades. He refused to bow to the old bloodline laws. He believed every wolf deserved the right to choose their own destiny."

I swallowed.

"And my mother?"

"Your mother was not a werewolf."

Silence.

I frowned.

"What?"

Darius looked at me.

"She was a Moonborn."

The word meant nothing to me.

"What is a Moonborn?"

Lucian answered.

"A bloodline believed to have disappeared centuries ago."

Darius nodded.

"Your mother was the last known Moonborn."

I looked at my wrist.

The strange mark seemed to pulse beneath my skin.

"What does that mean?"

Darius's gaze sharpened.

"It means your mother carried the blood of the first wolves."

A chill ran through me.

"The first wolves?"

"The wolves created by the Moon Goddess herself."

Nobody spoke.

I laughed nervously.

"This is impossible."

"It's not."

Darius looked at my wrist.

"That's why the Moon chose you twice."

My heart stopped.

"Why?"

"Because you are the first person in centuries capable of carrying two sacred bonds."

Lucian's eyes narrowed.

"That's not the whole reason."

Darius looked at him.

"No."

"Then tell her."

Darius's expression became cold.

"Not yet."

I stepped forward.

"Not yet?"

I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

"Everyone keeps saying that!"

I pointed at Lucian.

"He knows something."

Then at Mrs. Elara.

"She knows something."

Then at Darius.

"And you definitely know something."

My voice broke.

"But apparently I'm the only person who isn't allowed to know anything about my own life!"

I turned toward the door.

"I'm leaving."

Kael caught my wrist.

"Amara."

I immediately pulled away.

"Don't touch me."

He released me.

His face fell.

I didn't care.

I was tired of being treated like something fragile.

I walked outside.

Lucian followed.

"Amara."

I ignored him.

"Wait."

I stopped.

He came to stand beside me.

For a moment, neither of us spoke.

Then I asked the question that had been haunting me.

"Why were you searching for me?"

Lucian looked toward the forest.

"Because my father told me you were alive."

"Seven years ago?"

"Yes."

"Why didn't you find me?"

His jaw tightened.

"Because someone erased your scent."

"What?"

"Your existence was hidden from every Alpha territory."

I stared at him.

"Who could do that?"

"My father."

I frowned.

"Why?"

"To protect you."

I shook my head.

"Everyone says that."

Lucian looked at me.

"Because it's true."

"Then why do I feel like I'm being protected from the truth instead of from danger?"

He didn't answer.

That was answer enough.

I stepped closer.

"Tell me."

Lucian's eyes met mine.

"There was a prophecy."

My stomach tightened.

"What prophecy?"

He hesitated.

"About a girl born under a blood moon."

I stared at him.

"Me?"

"Yes."

"What did it say?"

He looked away.

"Lucian."

His eyes returned to mine.

"It said the girl would be born carrying the blood of the first wolves."

My breathing slowed.

"Go on."

"She would be marked by two moons."

I looked down at my wrist.

"And?"

Lucian's expression darkened.

"She would either unite the werewolf world..."

He paused.

"...or destroy it."

I felt cold.

"That's why everyone is afraid of me?"

"Not everyone."

"Who isn't?"

He looked directly into my eyes.

"I've never been afraid of you."

Something about the way he said it made my heart skip.

I quickly looked away.

"You barely know me."

"I know enough."

"How?"

"Because I've watched you."

My eyes widened.

"What?"

"For years."

I stepped backward.

"That's creepy."

A small smile appeared on his lips.

"Probably."

"Where?"

"From a distance."

"Why?"

"Because I wasn't supposed to come near you."

"Who told you that?"

"My father."

"And you listened?"

"Until tonight."

I stared at him.

"Why tonight?"

His expression changed.

"Because the second mark means the prophecy has begun."

Before I could ask another question, a scream echoed from inside the house.

"AMARA!"

Mrs. Elara.

I ran back inside.

She was standing beside the broken doorway, staring at the ground.

There was blood on the floor.

But no body.

"Lila?"

I looked around.

She was gone.

"Where is she?"

Mrs. Elara's face crumpled.

"They took her."

My heart stopped.

"Who?"

Darius looked toward the forest.

"The same people who killed your parents."

I felt my stomach drop.

"Why would they take Lila?"

Darius looked at me.

"Because they know she knows the truth."

I turned toward the door.

"I'm going after her."

Kael immediately stepped forward.

"No."

I glared at him.

"You don't get to tell me what to do anymore."

"It's dangerous."

"I don't care."

"You don't even know who you're dealing with."

"Neither do you."

Kael's expression tightened.

"Amara."

I walked past him.

He caught my arm.

This time, I didn't pull away immediately.

His voice softened.

"I know I hurt you."

I looked at him.

"I know."

"I'm sorry."

I swallowed.

"Sorry doesn't undo it."

"I know."

"Then let me go."

He hesitated.

Finally, he released me.

Lucian stepped forward.

"I'm coming with you."

Kael immediately moved between us.

"No."

Lucian's eyes narrowed.

"You're not her Alpha anymore."

Kael's jaw clenched.

"I know."

"Then move."

The tension between them returned.

I stepped between them.

"Both of you."

They looked at me.

"I'm going after Lila."

I pointed at Kael.

"You can come."

Then I looked at Lucian.

"You too."

Neither man argued.

We left the house together.

---

The trail led deep into the forest.

Lila's scent was faint, but it was there.

Blood.

Pine.

Fear.

My wolf became restless.

She's hurt.

"I know."

We followed the trail for almost an hour.

Then we reached an abandoned cabin.

The door was hanging open.

Kael raised his hand.

"Stay behind me."

I ignored him and walked inside.

"Lila?"

Nothing.

The cabin was empty.

A broken chair lay on the floor.

There were ropes near the fireplace.

And blood.

Too much blood.

My heart began racing.

"No."

I ran forward.

Lucian grabbed my shoulder.

"Don't."

I pointed at the floor.

"That's her blood."

Kael crouched beside it.

He touched the blood with two fingers.

His expression changed.

"She's alive."

I looked at him.

"How do you know?"

"Because this blood isn't hers."

I stared.

"What?"

He held his fingers up.

"It's rogue blood."

Lucian walked toward the fireplace.

Something was carved into the wooden wall.

Two crescent moons.

The same symbol as the mark on my wrist.

Beneath it were four words.

THE FIRST WILL RETURN.

Lucian's face went pale.

Darius's voice suddenly came from behind us.

"Leave."

I turned.

He was standing at the entrance.

"What?"

"Leave this place."

"Why?"

His eyes fixed on the symbol.

"Because this isn't a warning."

He swallowed.

"It's a declaration."

A sudden growl came from outside.

Then another.

Kael moved toward the door.

"How many?"

Lucian closed his eyes.

"Too many."

The cabin was surrounded.

Red eyes appeared between the trees.

Dozens of them.

Maybe hundreds.

I stepped backward.

"Who are they?"

Darius looked at me.

"The Blood Moon."

The name meant nothing to me.

"Who?"

"They've been waiting eighteen years for you."

My heart pounded.

"Why?"

Darius's eyes filled with something that looked almost like regret.

"Because your father didn't just hide you from them."

He paused.

"He stole something from them."

"What?"

Darius looked directly at my wrist.

"The first Moonstone."

I stared at him.

"What is that?"

Before he could answer, the cabin door exploded inward.

Wolves rushed inside.

Kael shifted instantly.

His body transformed into a massive black wolf.

Lucian followed.

His wolf was enormous, silver-black, with glowing golden eyes.

I stumbled backward.

Then I heard a familiar voice from outside.

A voice I never expected to hear.

"Lila."

My heart stopped.

She stepped into the doorway.

Her clothes were torn.

Her face was bruised.

But she was alive.

"Lila!"

I ran toward her.

She raised her head.

Her eyes met mine.

And then she whispered:

"Amara..."

She looked terrified.

"They know where you are."

I grabbed her hand.

"Who?"

She shook her head.

"You have to leave."

"Who?"

Her eyes filled with tears.

Then she looked past me.

At Lucian.

Her face changed.

"You."

Lucian froze.

"You know me?"

Lila took a step backward.

"I thought you were dead."

Lucian's expression hardened.

"So did everyone."

Lila looked at me.

Then at my wrist.

And finally whispered:

"Your mother told me never to let him find you."

Silence.

I slowly turned toward Lucian.

His face had gone completely still.

"Why?"

Lila began crying.

"Because..."

She swallowed.

"...Lucian isn't the Alpha who was supposed to be your second mate."

My heart stopped.

"What?"

Lucian stared at her.

"Lila."

She shook her head.

"I'm sorry."

She looked at me.

"He doesn't know the whole truth either."

A cold wind swept through the cabin.

The mark on my wrist suddenly burned.

The two crescents began glowing.

And somewhere beyond the trees, an ancient howl answered.

Lila whispered the words that would change everything.

"Amara..."

"Your second bond wasn't created tonight."

She looked at Lucian.

"It was created eighteen years ago."

My blood ran cold.

And for the first time...

Lucian looked afraid.