The Moonstone HEIR

THE FIRST CHALLENGE

CHAPTER SIX

Mara stared at Nia.

The note trembled between her fingers.

YOUR FRIEND HAS ALREADY BETRAYED YOU.

For several seconds, neither girl spoke.

The cafeteria remained strangely quiet.

Then Nia whispered, "Mara, please."

"What did you do?"

"I didn't betray you."

"Then why did you say you could explain?"

"Because I knew something would happen."

Mara's eyes narrowed.

"You knew?"

Nia looked around.

"Not here."

"Everyone is already watching."

"Exactly."

Nia grabbed Mara's hand.

"Come with me."

Mara hesitated.

Then she followed.

They hurried through a side corridor and entered an empty music room.

Nia locked the door.

Mara folded her arms.

"Talk."

Nia took a deep breath.

"My family works for the Council."

Mara blinked.

"What?"

"My father is a Council investigator."

"So?"

"He was assigned to Blackthorn six months ago."

Mara stared at her.

"To investigate what?"

Nia looked at the floor.

"The Vale bloodline."

Silence.

Mara felt as though someone had pulled the ground from beneath her.

"You became my friend because your father wanted information about me?"

"No."

"Then why?"

"At first, I was supposed to watch you."

Mara's expression hardened.

"And now?"

"Now you're my friend."

Mara looked away.

Nia continued quickly.

"I didn't know what the Council wanted. I thought they were investigating some old family dispute. Then I saw your mark."

"And you reported it."

Nia didn't answer.

Mara's heart sank.

"You did."

"Once."

"When?"

"Yesterday."

Mara stepped backward.

Nia's eyes filled with tears.

"I told them you had arrived. I told them about the Moon Mark."

"You told them everything."

"No. I didn't tell them about the key."

Mara froze.

"You knew about the key?"

Nia nodded.

"How?"

"My father showed me a drawing."

"What drawing?"

"The silver key."

Mara reached inside her jacket.

She pulled it out.

Nia stared.

"That's it."

"Why is my father interested in it?"

"Because the Council has been searching for it for seventeen years."

Mara's fingers tightened around the key.

"Why?"

Nia shook her head.

"I don't know."

Mara stared at her.

"You really don't?"

"I swear."

Mara wanted to believe her.

But trust had become difficult.

Very difficult.

Before she could respond, the music-room windows suddenly rattled.

Both girls turned.

A shadow moved across the courtyard.

Nia whispered:

"They're here."

"Who?"

"The Council."

---

A bell rang throughout Blackthorn.

Every student was ordered into the main assembly hall.

Teachers stood at every entrance.

Mara and Nia joined the crowd.

Adrian was already there.

Their eyes met.

He noticed Mara's expression.

Something was wrong.

He started toward her.

Lucian stepped between them.

"Not now, Cross."

Adrian looked at him.

"Move."

Lucian smiled.

"Still protecting her?"

"Move."

"Interesting."

Lucian glanced toward Mara.

"Everyone knows she has a secret."

Adrian's expression hardened.

"So do you."

Lucian's smile disappeared.

Before the argument could continue, the headmaster walked onto the stage.

Beside him stood three strangers.

They wore long black coats bearing the Council emblem.

The headmaster spoke.

"Students, remain calm."

Nobody looked calm.

"The Council has come to conduct a routine investigation."

A murmur spread through the room.

Mara looked at Nia.

Nia looked terrified.

One of the Council members stepped forward.

His eyes moved through the crowd.

Then stopped on Mara.

"Miss Vale."

Mara didn't move.

"Yes?"

"Come with us."

Adrian immediately stepped forward.

"No."

The Council member looked at him.

"Adrian Cross, this does not concern you."

"It concerns me if you're taking her."

"You are not in a position to decide that."

Adrian's eyes flashed gold.

The Council member's expression remained calm.

"Control your wolf."

Adrian's fists tightened.

Mara stepped forward.

"I'll go."

Adrian turned toward her.

"Mara—"

"It's okay."

"It isn't."

"If I refuse, they'll come after everyone."

Adrian lowered his voice.

"Don't trust them."

Mara looked at him.

"I don't trust anyone anymore."

Then she walked toward the Council.

---

The Council members led Mara into a private room.

A silver circle had been drawn on the floor.

Mara stopped.

"What is that?"

"A truth circle."

"I don't like the sound of that."

"You will answer several questions."

"And if I refuse?"

"You won't."

Mara stared at the Council member.

"That's not an answer."

The man smiled.

"You have your father's attitude."

Mara's heart stopped.

"You knew my father?"

"Everyone on the Council knew Elias Vale."

"What happened to him?"

The man's expression changed.

"He betrayed the five packs."

Mara shook her head.

"That's not true."

"You don't know what happened."

"My father wouldn't—"

"You don't know your father."

The room became silent.

The Council member placed an old photograph on the table.

Mara picked it up.

Her father stood in front of a large stone building.

Behind him was the Cross family crest.

Adrian's family.

Mara looked up.

"Why was my father with them?"

"Because the Cross family helped him."

"With what?"

"Escaping."

"From who?"

The man leaned closer.

"From your mother."

Mara froze.

"What?"

"Your mother ordered the destruction of the Vale archives."

"You're lying."

"We have records."

He placed a folder on the table.

Mara opened it.

Inside were documents.

Names.

Dates.

Locations.

Her mother's signature appeared on several pages.

Mara's hands trembled.

"Why would she do this?"

"Because your mother knew what you were."

Mara looked up.

"What am I?"

The Council member smiled.

"That's the question we're trying to answer."

Suddenly the door burst open.

Adrian stood there.

Behind him were two teachers.

"Enough."

The Council member stood.

"You broke into a Council interrogation."

"I don't care."

"Leave."

"No."

Adrian looked at Mara.

"Are you okay?"

She nodded.

Then the lights went out.

A howl echoed through the building.

The windows shook.

Students screamed in the assembly hall.

The Council member turned toward the door.

"Blackfang."

Adrian's eyes narrowed.

"Why would they attack now?"

Mara suddenly understood.

"They're not attacking."

Everyone looked at her.

"They're distracting you."

Adrian stared.

"For what?"

Mara looked at the folder.

"The Moonstone."

---

They raced back to the main hall.

Chaos had spread throughout the school.

Teachers were moving students toward safe areas.

Several windows had been shattered.

No one was seriously injured, but the panic was enormous.

Lucian stood at the center of the hall.

His eyes were fixed on Adrian.

"Where is she?"

Adrian stopped.

"Where is who?"

"Mara."

"Why?"

Lucian stepped closer.

"Because someone entered the restricted wing."

Adrian's expression changed.

"The chamber."

Lucian nodded.

"The Moonstone chamber."

Mara appeared behind Adrian.

"Who entered it?"

Lucian looked at her.

"You."

"No."

"Then someone has your key."

Mara reached inside her jacket.

The key was gone.

She froze.

Someone had taken it.

Adrian saw her expression.

"What?"

"My key."

"Was it in your pocket?"

"Yes."

Nia rushed toward them.

"I saw someone."

Everyone turned.

"Who?"

Nia pointed toward the east corridor.

"A student."

"What did they look like?"

"Black uniform. Hood."

Adrian immediately ran.

Mara followed.

Lucian followed them.

Nia hesitated.

Then followed too.

---

They reached the restricted wing.

The corridor was empty.

Adrian stopped beside a locked door.

He touched the handle.

"Someone opened this."

Lucian looked at him.

"How?"

Adrian looked at Mara.

"With her key."

Mara felt sick.

They entered.

The corridor descended beneath the school.

At the bottom stood the stone door.

It was open.

The Moonstone chamber was empty.

The fragment was gone.

Mara's heart sank.

"Someone stole it."

Adrian shook his head.

"No."

"What?"

He pointed toward the center of the room.

The pedestal was empty.

But a silver trail stretched across the floor.

It led toward another door.

Lucian crouched.

"Someone dragged something."

Mara looked at him.

"Something?"

"Or someone."

A terrible silence followed.

Adrian looked at the trail.

"We need to move."

They followed it.

The trail ended at a second chamber.

Inside was a boy.

He was unconscious but breathing.

Mara recognized him.

"That's Caleb."

Nia gasped.

"He's a first-year."

Adrian knelt beside him.

"He's alive."

Caleb slowly opened his eyes.

Everyone leaned closer.

His voice was barely audible.

"She took it."

Mara frowned.

"Who?"

Caleb's eyes moved toward her.

"The girl."

"What girl?"

He swallowed.

"She said..."

His eyes closed again.

Adrian shook his shoulder gently.

"Caleb."

The boy whispered:

"She said the Vale girl would know her."

Mara's heart raced.

"Who?"

Caleb opened his eyes one last time.

Then he spoke a name.

"Elara."

Mara froze.

Her mother's name.

---

That evening, the school gates were sealed.

No student was allowed to leave.

The Moonstone fragment was missing.

A Council investigation had begun.

And someone inside Blackthorn had betrayed them.

Mara sat alone in the empty classroom.

Adrian entered.

He closed the door behind him.

"Are you okay?"

"No."

He nodded.

"I figured."

Mara looked at him.

"My mother is involved."

"We don't know that."

"The Council had documents."

"Documents can be forged."

"You think they're lying?"

"I think everyone is lying."

Mara gave a tired laugh.

"That's exactly what I said."

Adrian sat beside her.

For a moment, neither spoke.

Then Mara asked:

"Why did your family help my father escape?"

Adrian looked down.

"I don't know."

"You're lying."

"I wish I was."

Mara looked at him.

"My father trusted your family."

Adrian nodded.

"Yes."

"Why?"

"I don't know."

Mara sighed.

"You really don't know anything."

Adrian looked at her.

"I know one thing."

"What?"

"I know I won't let them take you."

Mara stared at him.

"Why?"

Adrian didn't answer immediately.

Then he said:

"Because your father once saved my life."

Mara's eyes widened.

"How?"

"That's a story for another night."

He stood.

"We need to get you somewhere safe."

Mara stood too.

"Where?"

"The old dormitory."

"Why?"

"Nobody uses it anymore."

As they walked into the hallway, a voice echoed from the darkness.

"Cross."

Adrian stopped.

Lucian stepped from behind a pillar.

"Not so fast."

Adrian turned.

"What do you want?"

Lucian looked at Mara.

"A challenge."

Mara frowned.

"What kind of challenge?"

Lucian smiled.

"The old pack trial."

Adrian's expression darkened.

"No."

Lucian continued.

"Tomorrow morning."

"Absolutely not."

"Unless you're afraid."

Adrian stepped forward.

"I'm not afraid of you."

Lucian's eyes flashed gold.

"Then prove it."

Mara looked between them.

"What happens in a pack trial?"

Adrian didn't answer.

Lucian did.

"The winner earns the right to command the school pack for one month."

Mara looked at Adrian.

"You're not doing this."

Lucian smiled.

"Too late."

He walked away.

Adrian watched him disappear.

Mara whispered:

"Why does everyone here solve everything with challenges?"

Adrian sighed.

"Because Blackthorn was built on one rule."

"What rule?"

He looked at her.

"Power belongs to whoever is strong enough to claim it."

Mara looked toward the dark windows.

Outside, the moon was rising.

And somewhere beyond the forest, another wolf was watching Blackthorn Academy.

Waiting.

Watching.

Preparing.

Because the first challenge was not really between Adrian and Lucian.

It was the opening move in a much larger war.