Marked by the Silver Moon

The Detective

Nora woke to the smell of food.

Warm, real food. Not the half-rotten scraps she used to sneak from the kitchen at her foster home.

Her eyelids fluttered open. She was in a room dim and quiet, the faint hum of fluorescent lights above. A soft blanket was draped over her. She didn’t remember anyone putting it there.

“Morning,” a voice said gently.

Nora jerked up, heart racing. The woman from last night stood a few steps away, holding a paper cup and a sandwich wrapped in foil. She wasn’t wearing the long coat now, just a black shirt and jeans, her badge clipped at her belt.

Detective Mara Soren.

“I figured you’d be hungry,” Mara said, setting the sandwich on the small metal table between them. “It’s not much, but it’s warm.”

Nora said nothing. Her throat felt dry. She glanced at the food, then back at Mara, suspicious.

“Where… am I?” Her voice came out rough, small.

“Safe,” Mara replied simply. “You’re at the precinct. I found you last night near Seventh Street. You were freezing.”

Nora’s hands tightened around the blanket. “I didn’t ask you to.”

“I know.” Mara smiled faintly, but her eyes stayed steady,sharp and watchful. “Eat anyway.”

Nora hesitated, then looked away. “I’m not hungry.”

“Sure,” Mara murmured. She didn’t push, just sat across from her, sipping from her cup. Silence filled the space between them, heavy but not uncomfortable.

The clock on the wall ticked. Nora’s stomach growled.

Mara pretended not to notice.

Finally, with a small sigh, Nora reached for the sandwich. Her fingers trembled as she unwrapped it, the scent of egg and cheese hitting her nose. She took a bite tiny and cautious.

Mara’s lips curved into a quiet smile. She’d seen this before; runaways, scared kids, walls built so high you could barely see over them. But there was something about this girl that felt different.

When Nora finally finished, she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, glancing at the detective. “So… what now?”

“Well,” Mara said, setting her cup down, “we’ll talk to your foster family, maybe social services—”

“No!” Nora’s voice cracked as she pushed back her chair. “I’m not going back there. You can’t make me.”

Mara’s expression softened, though her jaw tightened. “Hey, slow down. I didn’t say I was sending you back. I just said we’d talk to them.”

Nora’s breathing came fast. She shook her head. “You don’t understand.”

“Then help me understand,” Mara said quietly.

But Nora only crossed her arms and stared at the wall.

By noon, Mara was back at her desk, typing up her report. The rain hadn’t stopped; it beat softly against the tall windows of the station. The hum of printers and chatter filled the background, but her thoughts kept drifting back to that girl in the interrogation room.

She’d dealt with dozens of runaways before. Kids broken by people who were supposed to protect them. But Nora felt… different.

There was something electric about her silence. Like she wasn’t just scared. She was hiding something deeper.

“Detective Soren,” her captain’s voice called across the bullpen. “You finished your report?”

“Almost,” Mara replied, glancing up.

Captain Rowan leaned on the edge of her desk. “Another runaway, huh? File it under ‘missing youth’ and let social handle it. We’ve got bigger problems, g**g fights out east again.”

Mara frowned. “With all due respect, sir, she’s not just another runaway. She’s… off. I can’t explain it.”

He gave her a tired look. “You say that about half the kids you find.”

“Yeah, but this one…”

Rowan raised a hand. “Finish your paperwork, Mara. Then go home. You’ve been pulling doubles all week.”

She watched him walk away, jaw tight. He’d never understand. Not when her gut told her something wasn’t right.

***

The loud rumble of an engine snapped her from her thoughts. Outside, the rain had lightened, and a motorbike pulled into the parking lot; black, sleek, way too fast for the drizzle.

Mara sighed, already recognizing the sound.

Moments later, Kaia burst through the door, helmet under her arm, damp curls sticking to her face. “You look like death, sis.”

“Nice to see you too,” Mara muttered, rubbing her temple.

Kaia grinned, tossing her helmet onto the counter. “Heard you picked up a stray.”

Mara arched her brow. “Who told you that?”

“Rafi at the front desk. You know he can’t keep secrets.”

“Remind me to fire him,” Mara said dryly.

Kaia laughed, a low, warm sound that made a few officers glance over. She didn’t belong here,her leather jacket, the ring on her lip, the faint smell of smoke that followed her.

Mara gave her a look. “You shouldn’t even be here. You know what Rowan would say.”

Kaia shrugged. “Rowan can bite me. I came to see the girl.”

Mara sighed. “You’re not turning this into one of your little g**g projects, Kaia. She’s just a kid.”

“Relax. I just wanna look.”

Against her better judgment, Mara led her down the hallway. The interrogation room was quiet now. Nora sat in the corner, knees tucked to her chest, eyes fixed on the floor.

Kaia leaned against the doorframe, studying her. “She’s tiny,” she murmured. “But she’s got fire in her eyes. Like she’s ready to bite anyone who comes close.”

“She’s been through hell,” Mara said softly.

Kaia tilted her head, her gaze narrowing. “No… that’s not all it is.”

Mara frowned. “What do you mean?”

Kaia didn’t answer right away. Instead, she rolled back her sleeve, the dim light catching the ink across her forearm sharp and swirling tattoos that seemed to move when she did.

For a second, the lines glowed faintly. Not bright enough to draw attention, but enough for Mara to see it.

Her stomach dropped. “Kaia…”

Kaia’s eyes stayed locked on the girl through the glass. “You feel it too, don’t you?” she whispered. “That energy. It’s like she’s not just running from someone. She’s running from something.”

The faint light from the tattoo flickered again, as if reacting to Nora’s quiet heartbeat inside the room.

Mara’s breath caught. Her pulse quickened, the memory of those strange golden eyes from last night flashing in her mind.

The air shifted between them heavy and humming.

Kaia turned to her slowly, voice barely a whisper. “Whatever she is, sis… she’s not ordinary.”

Mara’s eyes widened, the faint reflection of Kaia’s glowing runes dancing in her pupils.

Outside, thunder rolled.

And somewhere in the distance, a wolf howled again.