The Moonstone HEIR

CHAPTER ONE Mara Vale had learned three things about rich people before she ever met one. They had gates. They had secrets. And they never liked being reminded that someone poorer had found a way inside. She discovered the fourth thing on the morning she arrived at Blackthorn Academy. They hated being challenged. Mara stood outside the enormous iron gates with one battered suitcase beside her. Beyond the gates rose Blackthorn Academy. The school looked less like a school and more like a castle someone had forgotten to remove from a history book. Dark stone towers reached toward the cloudy sky. Tall windows reflected the gray morning. Black flags bearing a silver wolf hung from the walls. At the center of the main building was a giant crest. A wolf. A crescent moon. And beneath them, a single silver stone. The Moonstone. Mara stared at it. For one strange second, the symbol seemed to glow. She blinked. Nothing. "First day?" Mara turned. A boy stood several feet behind her. He wore the academy uniform perfectly—black jacket, white shirt, silver tie. Everything about him looked expensive. His dark hair was slightly messy, but somehow deliberately so. His expression was unreadable. Mara glanced at the crest. Then at him. "Is it that obvious?" "You're holding your suitcase like you're preparing to escape." She looked down. Her fingers were wrapped tightly around the handle. "I'm considering it." The boy almost smiled. Almost. Then his eyes changed. Only for a fraction of a second. Mara noticed a strange golden flash. His pupils seemed to narrow. The boy immediately looked away. "What's your name?" "Mara." He waited. She raised an eyebrow. "Mara Vale." Something changed in his expression. Not surprise. Fear. He took one step backward. "You shouldn't be here." Mara frowned. "That's a strange welcome." "I'm serious." Before she could respond, a black limousine stopped beside the gates. The rear door opened. A girl stepped out. Everyone nearby became quiet. She was dressed in the same uniform, but somehow made it look like it belonged to her. Two students immediately moved aside. Another lowered his head. The girl walked toward the academy without looking at anyone. Her long black hair moved behind her like a dark curtain. As she passed Mara, she stopped. For a moment, the two girls stared at each other. The girl's eyes widened. Mara felt something cold move through her chest. The girl whispered: "Impossible." Then she walked away. Mara looked at the boy. "What was that about?" He didn't answer. Instead, he looked toward the academy. At the top of the tallest tower, a bell began to ring. Once. Twice. Three times. Students started moving toward the entrance. The boy finally spoke. "Welcome to Blackthorn." Mara picked up her suitcase. "Thanks." His eyes met hers. "My name is Adrian Cross." Mara froze. She knew that name. Everyone did. The Cross family owned half the businesses in the northern territories. Their wealth was legendary. Their influence was even greater. And according to the stories Mara had heard growing up, Adrian Cross was expected to become the next Alpha of the most powerful werewolf pack in the country. Mara looked at him again. "You didn't tell me." "Tell you what?" "That you're an Alpha's son." His expression hardened. "Don't say that here." "Why?" Adrian stepped closer. His voice dropped. "Because at Blackthorn, people listen." Mara looked around. Hundreds of students were entering the building. Nobody appeared to be watching them. Then she heard it. A whisper. Not from Adrian. From somewhere behind her. "Vale." Mara turned. Nobody was there. She frowned. Adrian's expression had gone pale. "What?" "You heard it too?" Mara nodded. "Someone said my name." Adrian looked toward the forest surrounding the school. His jaw tightened. "That's impossible." "Why?" He didn't answer. Instead, his gaze fell to Mara's left wrist. She instinctively covered it. A small silver birthmark shaped like a crescent moon rested against her skin. She had possessed it since birth. Her mother had always called it a harmless birthmark. Adrian stared at it as if he'd seen a ghost. "Mara..." "What?" "You need to leave." She laughed nervously. "You're the second person who's told me that in ten minutes." "I'm not joking." Neither was she. "I'm not leaving." Adrian looked at her for several seconds. Then he whispered something that made her blood run cold. "Your mother didn't tell you what happened here, did she?" Mara's smile disappeared. "What do you know about my mother?" Adrian looked toward the academy.