The Moonstone HEIR

BLACKTHORN ACADEMY

CHAPTER TWO

Mara did not move.

Neither did Adrian.

Around them, the courtyard had become unnaturally silent.

The hundreds of students who had been talking only moments earlier were now staring at Mara as though she had walked into the academy carrying a secret that belonged to all of them.

Mara looked from one face to another.

Some students looked frightened.

Others looked angry.

A few looked fascinated.

And several looked as though they already knew her.

That was the part that frightened her most.

She had never seen these people before.

So why did they look at her like they had been waiting for her?

"Adrian."

He didn't respond.

"Adrian."

His eyes finally shifted toward her.

"We need to get inside."

"Why?"

"Because standing here is making things worse."

Mara glanced at the crowd.

"Everyone is already staring."

"I know."

"Then what's going to happen inside?"

Adrian hesitated.

"You'll find out."

Mara narrowed her eyes.

"I don't like that answer."

"I know."

He turned toward the academy.

Mara followed.

They had barely taken three steps when someone called out.

"Cross!"

Adrian stopped.

A tall boy pushed through the crowd.

He was perhaps Adrian's age, with blond hair, gray eyes and the kind of confidence that came from never having been told no.

Two boys followed him.

Mara immediately recognized the difference between them and the other students.

People moved aside.

Nobody wanted to stand in their way.

The blond boy stopped in front of Adrian.

"You weren't supposed to bring her."

Adrian's expression hardened.

"I didn't bring anyone."

The boy looked at Mara.

His eyes moved toward her wrist.

Then he smiled.

"Apparently you did."

Mara folded her arms.

"Do all students here introduce themselves by accusing strangers of things?"

A few students laughed nervously.

The blond boy's smile vanished.

Adrian looked at Mara.

For the first time, she saw something close to amusement in his eyes.

The blond boy noticed it too.

His expression darkened.

"I'm Lucian Ashford."

"I didn't ask."

Silence.

Someone behind Mara whispered, "She's going to die."

Mara turned.

"What?"

The student immediately looked away.

Lucian stepped closer.

"My family founded this academy."

Mara shrugged.

"Congratulations."

Another nervous laugh came from the crowd.

Lucian's jaw tightened.

"You clearly don't understand where you are."

"No," Mara said. "I understand perfectly. I'm at school."

"This isn't an ordinary school."

"I've noticed."

Lucian looked toward Adrian.

"You should control your friend."

"She's not my friend."

Mara raised an eyebrow.

"Thanks."

Adrian ignored her.

Lucian leaned closer.

"Then tell her what she is."

Adrian's eyes flashed gold.

"Not here."

Lucian smiled.

"Exactly."

A bell rang.

The students began moving again.

Lucian stepped aside.

But as Mara walked past him, he spoke quietly.

"Enjoy your first day, scholarship girl."

Mara stopped.

"How did you know I'm a scholarship student?"

Lucian smiled.

"Everyone knows."

He walked away.

Mara watched him disappear into the crowd.

"Who is he?"

"Trouble."

"That's not a name."

"It's enough of an answer."

Mara sighed.

"You are incredibly annoying."

"I've been told."

They entered the academy.

The inside of Blackthorn was even more impressive than the outside.

Huge chandeliers hung from the ceiling.

Ancient portraits covered the walls.

Every portrait showed a member of one of the great werewolf families.

Cross.

Ashford.

Ravencrest.

Silverfang.

And several names Mara had never heard before.

She slowed down.

"Why are there so many wolves in these paintings?"

Adrian glanced at them.

"They're pack leaders."

"All of them?"

"Most."

Mara studied one painting.

It showed a young woman standing beneath a full moon.

Unlike the others, she wasn't wearing a crown.

Instead, she held a silver stone in her hands.

Underneath the portrait was a name:

ELARA VALE

Mara froze.

Her suitcase slipped from her hand.

It hit the floor.

Adrian turned.

"What?"

Mara pointed.

"That name."

His expression changed.

He looked at the painting.

Then at her.

"Where did you see it?"

"That's my surname."

Adrian's voice became quiet.

"I know."

Mara stared at him.

"Who is she?"

He didn't answer.

"Adrian."

"Not here."

"Stop saying that."

He looked around.

Students were passing them.

Then his gaze returned to the painting.

"Come with me."

He led Mara down a corridor.

They passed classrooms, staircases and groups of students.

Eventually, Adrian stopped outside a classroom marked:

HISTORY OF THE PACKS

The teacher was already inside.

An elderly woman stood beside the board.

Her silver hair was tied neatly behind her head.

She looked at Mara.

Then at Adrian.

Her expression became strangely serious.

"Miss Vale."

Mara swallowed.

"Yes?"

"You're late."

Mara looked at the clock.

She was exactly on time.

The teacher smiled faintly.

"At Blackthorn, Miss Vale, being on time is not always the same as arriving when you are expected."

Mara didn't understand.

Adrian quietly took a seat.

Mara sat beside him.

The teacher turned to the board.

She wrote three words.

THE FIVE PACKS

"Before the modern pack system existed," she began, "werewolves lived under a single rule."

Mara listened.

"Five bloodlines eventually became powerful enough to challenge the old monarchy."

She wrote the names.

Cross.

Ashford.

Ravencrest.

Silverfang.

Vale.

Mara's pen stopped.

Vale.

She looked at Adrian.

He was staring at his desk.

"Professor?"

The teacher looked at her.

"Yes, Miss Vale?"

"Why is my family name on the board?"

The room became silent.

The teacher smiled.

"An excellent question."

"Is my family one of the five?"

"Your family was."

Mara's heart skipped.

"Was?"

The teacher turned back toward the board.

"The Vale bloodline disappeared seventeen years ago."

Mara's hand tightened around her pen.

"Disappeared?"

"According to official records."

Mara stared at her.

"My mother is alive."

The teacher's eyes widened slightly.

"I see."

Mara noticed.

She wasn't surprised that Mara had a mother.

She was surprised by something else.

"What?"

The teacher looked directly into her eyes.

"Nothing."

Mara didn't believe her.

Neither did Adrian.

The lesson continued.

But Mara heard almost none of it.

Seventeen years.

The exact number of years since she was born.

A family that supposedly disappeared.

A mysterious mark on her wrist.

A Moonstone that reacted to her.

And a portrait of a woman named Elara Vale.

Her mother had never mentioned any of it.

Not once.

At lunch, Mara sat alone.

She opened the small container her mother had packed that morning.

Rice and vegetables.

Simple.

Familiar.

Comforting.

She had barely taken a bite when someone sat opposite her.

A girl with curly brown hair and bright eyes.

"Hi."

Mara looked up.

"Hi."

"I'm Nia."

"Mara."

"I know."

Mara laughed.

"Everyone seems to know me."

Nia leaned closer.

"That's because you're the most interesting thing that's happened here in years."

Mara sighed.

"That's not comforting."

Nia smiled.

"I'm not trying to comfort you."

Mara couldn't help smiling.

For the first time since arriving, someone seemed normal.

Nia pointed at the empty seat beside Mara.

"Can I sit here?"

"Sure."

Nia sat down.

"You should know something."

"What?"

"Never trust anyone from the Ashford family."

Mara glanced toward Lucian.

He was sitting at the center of a large table surrounded by students.

"Why?"

Nia lowered her voice.

"The Ashfords and Crosses have hated each other for generations."

"Why?"

"Power."

Mara looked at Adrian.

He was sitting alone.

"What's the difference?"

"Between them?"

"Yeah."

Nia shrugged.

"The Ashfords want to rule the packs."

"And the Crosses?"

"They already do."

Mara frowned.

"So what's the problem?"

Nia leaned forward.

"The Moonstone."

Mara's heart stopped.

Nia continued.

"Legend says whoever is chosen by the Moonstone can unite every werewolf pack."

Mara looked toward her wrist.

Nia noticed.

Her expression changed.

"Wait."

"What?"

"Your wrist."

Mara instinctively covered it.

Nia's eyes widened.

"That's a Moon Mark."

Mara whispered, "What's a Moon Mark?"

Nia stared at her.

"You really don't know?"

"No."

Before Nia could answer, a tray slammed onto the table.

Lucian stood there.

"Leave."

Nia looked up.

"No."

Lucian frowned.

"I wasn't asking."

Nia smiled.

"And I wasn't listening."

Mara almost laughed.

Lucian looked at Mara.

"Come with me."

"No."

His eyebrows lifted.

"Excuse me?"

"I said no."

"You're making a mistake."

"So I've been told all day."

Lucian's expression hardened.

He reached for Mara's wrist.

Adrian appeared beside them instantly.

His hand caught Lucian's arm before he could touch her.

"Don't."

The cafeteria fell silent.

Lucian looked at Adrian.

"Let go."

"Walk away."

Neither moved.

For several seconds, they stood staring at each other.

Then Lucian pulled his arm free.

"This isn't over."

Adrian's eyes narrowed.

"It never is."

Lucian walked away.

Nia exhaled.

"That was terrifying."

Mara looked at Adrian.

"Why does everyone keep trying to tell me what to do?"

"Because they know something you don't."

"Then tell me."

Adrian looked at her.

"I can't."

"Why?"

"Because if I tell you, there's no going back."

Mara stood.

"Maybe I'm tired of people deciding what I can handle."

She walked away.

Behind her, Adrian whispered:

"I am too."

That night, Mara couldn't sleep.

Blackthorn Academy was quiet after midnight.

Too quiet.

She sat beside the window in her dormitory.

Outside, the forest stretched beneath the moonlight.

Her wrist had been burning for hours.

She finally removed the bandage she had wrapped around it.

The silver crescent mark was glowing faintly.

Mara touched it.

The room suddenly became cold.

A whisper came from the window.

"Mara."

She froze.

Someone was standing outside.

No.

Something.

A shadow moved between the trees.

Then two golden eyes appeared.

Mara stepped backward.

The creature didn't attack.

It simply stared at her.

Then it turned.

A silver object fell onto the grass.

The creature disappeared into the darkness.

Mara stared at the object.

Her heart raced.

She opened the window.

The cold night air rushed inside.

She climbed carefully down onto the balcony and looked over the edge.

The object was still there.

A key.

Silver.

Engraved with a crescent moon.

Mara picked it up.

The moment her fingers touched it, a voice whispered inside her head.

Find the chamber beneath the school.

Mara dropped the key.

Her breathing became unsteady.

Then another voice followed.

This one sounded like a woman's.

A voice she recognized.

Her mother's.

Never trust the boy who carries the silver wolf.

Mara stared at the key.

She knew exactly who carried the silver wolf.

Adrian Cross.

And somewhere beneath Blackthorn Academy, something ancient had just begun waiting for her.