Alpha's Forbidden Luna

CHAPTER FIVE

By the time we reached Aunt Clara's house, my legs were hurting and my mother's arm was still bleeding.

The house was at the edge of the territory, far enough from the pack that most people didn't even know it was there. It was small, with a broken fence around it and a few trees covering the front.

My mother knocked three times.

We waited.

Nobody opened.

She knocked again.

“Clara,” she called.

A few seconds later, the door opened.

A woman stood there with a cup in her hand. She looked at my mother first, then at me.

The cup nearly fell from her hand.

“Aria?”

I frowned.

She knew my name.

My mother had never told me much about her, but she had definitely never mentioned that we'd been here before.

“Come inside,” Clara said quickly.

My mother pulled me in.

Clara shut the door and locked it.

Then she looked at my mother's arm.

“What happened?”

“Wolves.”

Clara sighed.

“I told you this would happen.”

My mother looked at her.

“Not now.”

“Then when?”

I looked between them.

“Can someone please tell me what is going on?”

Clara looked at me.

For some reason, she looked nervous.

“You've grown.”

I almost laughed.

“That's what you have to say?”

She smiled a little.

“You used to be so small.”

“You've seen me before?”

My mother closed her eyes.

Clara didn't answer.

I looked at my mother.

“You said I'd never met her.”

“I never said that.”

“Yes, you did.”

My mother sighed.

“Aria, please. We have to deal with your arm first.”

I looked at Clara.

She pointed towards the kitchen.

“Sit down.”

My mother followed her.

I stayed where I was for a moment, still trying to understand what was happening.

Then I followed them.

Clara cleaned my mother's wound while I sat across from them.

She didn't say much. She just worked quietly.

After a few minutes, she looked at me.

“Show me the mark.”

I immediately covered my chest.

“How do you know about it?”

She looked at my mother.

My mother looked away.

That was all the answer I needed.

I stood up.

“No. I'm done.”

“Aria,” my mother said.

“No, seriously. Everyone knows something except me.”

I pointed at Clara.

“You knew I was coming.”

Clara didn't deny it.

“You knew about the mark.”

She nodded.

“And you knew my wolf was sealed.”

Another nod.

I laughed, but there was nothing funny about it.

“So everyone has been keeping secrets from me.”

Clara stood up.

“We were trying to keep you alive.”

I stopped.

“What?”

She looked at me.

“Your mother didn't tell you because she was scared. I didn't tell you because she promised me she wouldn't.”

“Promised who?”

Clara looked at my mother.

My mother finally spoke.

“My father.”

I stared at her.

“My grandfather?”

She nodded.

I didn't even know what to say.

Clara went to a small cupboard and brought out an old wooden box.

She placed it on the table.

“This belonged to your father.”

I stared at it.

My mother reached for the box, but Clara stopped her.

“No.”

She looked at me.

“I think it's time Aria sees it.”

My heart started beating faster.

Clara opened the box.

Inside was an old silver necklace, a folded piece of paper and a small black stone.

I reached for the necklace.

The moment I touched it, the mark on my chest started burning again.

I dropped it.

Clara grabbed my hand.

“Don't touch it.”

“Why?”

She looked scared.

“Because that necklace belonged to the last Luna.”

I stared at her.

“What Luna?”

Clara looked at my mother.

My mother was crying now.

“The first Luna of our bloodline,” she whispered.

I looked at the necklace again.

“And what does that have to do with me?”

Nobody answered.

Then the door shook.

Someone was outside.

Clara quickly closed the box.

My mother stood up.

Another knock came.

This time, it wasn't gentle.

Clara looked at me.

“Aria, go upstairs.”

“Why?”

“Now.”

I didn't move.

Then I heard a man's voice from outside.

“Open the door.”

I knew that voice.

Ronan.