The Alpha's Forbidden Luna

The Mark

Aria didn't sleep.

Every time she closed her eyes, she saw the silver light falling from the moon.

She saw the way the elders had looked at her.

And she remembered Alpha Damon's words.

It means nothing.

She sat on the edge of her bed, staring at the mark on her wrist.

It was still there.

A crescent surrounded by three tiny stars.

During the ceremony, it had glowed brightly.

Now it looked almost ordinary.

Almost.

Aria touched it carefully.

The moment her finger brushed the center of the crescent, pain shot through her arm.

She pulled back.

A strange warmth spread beneath her skin.

Then she heard a whisper.

Run.

Aria froze.

She looked toward the window.

Nothing.

The room was silent.

"Who's there?"

No answer.

She slowly stood.

Another whisper came.

They know.

Aria's heart began racing.

"Who knows?"

Silence.

Then footsteps sounded outside her door.

Aria quickly stepped away from the window.

The door opened.

Her mother entered.

"You're still awake?"

Aria stared at her.

"Mom."

Her mother's expression changed when she saw the mark.

For one brief second, fear flashed across her face.

Then it disappeared.

"What happened?"

Aria narrowed her eyes.

"You know what this is."

Her mother didn't answer.

"You knew something would happen tonight."

"Aria—"

"The elders knew."

Her mother's lips parted.

Aria stepped closer.

"Why?"

Her mother looked toward the door.

"Lower your voice."

"Why?"

"Because there are things you don't understand."

"Then explain them."

Her mother shook her head.

"I can't."

Aria laughed bitterly.

"You can't or you won't?"

Before her mother could answer, a knock came from outside.

Three sharp knocks.

Her mother's face drained of color.

"Stay here."

She hurried toward the door.

Aria followed.

"Mom—"

"Stay."

She opened the door slightly.

A Nightfall guard stood outside.

"Alpha Damon wants Aria brought to the packhouse."

Her mother immediately refused.

"She isn't going anywhere."

The guard's expression remained firm.

"The Alpha's orders."

Aria stepped forward.

"I'll go."

Her mother grabbed her arm.

"No."

Aria looked at her.

"Mom, if Damon wanted to hurt me, he wouldn't need to send a guard."

Her mother didn't seem convinced.

But she finally released her.

Aria followed the guard into the night.

---

The packhouse was unusually quiet.

Damon stood in his study with his back turned toward the door.

Cassian was there too.

Aria entered.

"You wanted to see me?"

Damon turned.

His expression was unreadable.

"Sit."

Aria remained standing.

"I'd rather stand."

Cassian almost smiled.

Damon noticed.

"Fine."

He walked toward the desk and placed an old book on it.

Aria looked at the cover.

There was no title.

Only a symbol.

A crescent surrounded by three stars.

Her stomach dropped.

"Where did you get that?"

Damon studied her reaction.

"That's what I want to know."

Aria looked between them.

"I've never seen that book before."

Cassian opened it.

The pages were yellowed with age.

"This book belonged to the first Alpha of Nightfall."

Aria frowned.

"Why are you showing me?"

Cassian turned several pages.

Then stopped.

His finger rested on an illustration.

Aria leaned closer.

Her blood ran cold.

The symbol on the page was identical to the mark on her wrist.

"What is that?"

Cassian looked at Damon.

Damon answered.

"A warning."

Aria's eyes moved across the ancient writing.

"What kind of warning?"

Damon hesitated.

Then he said quietly,

"About a Luna who was never supposed to exist."

Aria's breath caught.

Cassian continued.

"The records say she would appear when the Moon Ceremony was performed under a blood moon."

"But tonight wasn't a blood moon."

"No."

Cassian closed the book.

"Which is why this doesn't make sense."

Aria looked at Damon.

"And what happens to this Luna?"

Neither man answered.

That frightened her more than anything else.

Finally, Damon spoke.

"The records say she will bring the end of the old Alpha line."

Aria stared at him.

"So you think I'm going to destroy your pack?"

"I don't know what to think."

For the first time, his voice didn't sound angry.

It sounded uncertain.

Aria stood.

"Then stop treating me like I'm your enemy."

Damon's eyes met hers.

"You don't understand."

"Then make me understand."

Silence.

Damon looked away.

"Until we know what that mark means, you will remain inside the packhouse."

Aria's eyes widened.

"You're keeping me prisoner?"

"Under protection."

"I didn't ask for your protection."

"I wasn't asking."

Aria glared at him.

"I am not afraid of you, Alpha."

Something shifted in Damon's expression.

"I know."

Cassian watched them carefully.

Then a crash sounded outside.

Everyone turned.

A guard burst through the door.

"Alpha!"

Damon immediately reached for his weapon.

"What happened?"

"The eastern boundary."

The guard was breathing heavily.

"We found three patrol wolves unconscious."

Cassian's face hardened.

"Any signs of an attack?"

The guard nodded.

"One."

He looked at Aria.

"There was a symbol carved into the ground."

Aria felt the blood leave her face.

"What symbol?"

The guard swallowed.

"The same one on her wrist."

Silence filled the room.

Damon slowly turned toward Aria.

She looked down at the silver crescent.

For the first time, it was glowing again.

Brighter than before.

And somewhere beyond the walls of Nightfall Pack, a wolf howled.

Not like a normal wolf.

It sounded almost like a warning.

Aria's wolf answered.

Without her permission.

Damon's eyes widened.

Cassian immediately reached for his weapon.

Because the howl had come from inside the pack's territory.

Someone or something was already inside.