The Alpha’s Rejected Moonborn

“If your dad asks about this, you never saw it. Do you understand me? And if he asks if I came to your room tonight, you say no.” I stared at my mum. Tears ran down her face in the moonlight,her hands shook so hard the silver chain almost slipped through her fingers. I had never seen her look like this. “Mum?” She didn’t answer. She just reached forward, brushed my hair off my neck, and put the thin chain around me. The crescent moon touched my skin, cold at first, then warm. “Never show this to anyone,” she whispered. “Not the pack,not your friends,no one.” I touched it with two fingers. “Not even Dad?” Her face fell.“Especially not him.” “Why? Did I do something wrong?” “No.” She held my face hard. “You did nothing wrong,this is all my fault. All of it,but you have to listen to me now. This pendant stays hidden,If anyone asks ,you tell them you never saw it. Say it back to me.” “I never saw it.” “Again.” “I never saw it.” She pulled me into her arms so tight I could barely breathe. “I love you more than the moon itself. Never forget that,no matter what they say about me. No matter what your dad tells you when I’m gone.” My fingers held onto her clothes. “Where are you going?” She leaned in close and spoke strange words against my ear. Fast words,words I did not know. Then she pulled back. “Go back to sleep.” I grabbed her wrist. “Mum please stay.” “I can’t,when you’re grown you’ll understand why.” She stood up, fixed the blanket once, and walked out without looking back. The door had barely closed when I heard voices in the corridor. “she’s gone,” a man said. “Search the house,” Dad snapped. “Every room,every drawer. If she left it behind, I want it found before morning.” My hand flew to the pendant when I heard footsteps coming straight to my door. I pulled the chain off my neck, shoved the silver moon deep into the pocket of my nightdress, and pulled the blanket up just as the door slammed open. Dad stood there with two men behind him. He checked the window, the wardrobe, then me, and stopped there. “Elena. Did your mother come in here tonight?” My pulse pounded in my throat. “No.” “Did she give you anything?” “No.” He turned to the men and spoke low. “Where could she have kept it? I need that pendant.” He stepped into the hallway. “Check the rest of the floor. Then take a full search party into the woods,find her,I want her brought back in here tonight.” The door closed. Their footsteps moved away, already giving orders. I lay still, one hand pressed over the hidden pocket. Then I heard Dad’s voice again, just outside my door. “If you find her, do not let her speak to Elena.” He paused. His voice dropped even lower. “And if she resists ,do what is necessary. I will not lose everything because of her.” He paused one more time. “Kill her if you have to.”