The Alpha's Secret Virgin Bride

Secrets in the Stacks

Alina woke the next morning with a plan.

If Lucien wouldn't give her answers, she would find them herself. And the best place to start looking was the pack's library, every old pack had records, histories that might explain what was happening to her.

She dressed carefully in jeans and a sweater, trying to look casual. At breakfast, she forced herself to act normal, even though her stomach churned every time she looked at Lucien. He sat across from her reading the morning reports, his face giving nothing away. Did he suspect she'd been listening outside his study?

"I thought I'd explore the library today," she said, keeping her tone light. "Sarah mentioned you have an extensive collection."

Lucien glanced up from his papers. "Looking for anything in particular?"

“Yes information about bloodlines and Councils and why my husband is afraid of me.” But she just smiled. "Just getting to know the pack's history. I should understand where I fit in."

Something moved in his dark eyes, but he only nodded. "The library is on the second floor, east wing. Mrs. Chen is the librarian, she'll help you find what you need."

After he left for his morning pack duties, Alina made her way to the library. It was a beautiful room with floor-to-ceiling shelves and tall windows that let in streams of morning light. Mrs. Chen, an elderly woman with kind eyes, welcomed her warmly.

"Luna Alina! How wonderful. We don't get many visitors to the old sections." She gestured around the room with obvious pride. "What interests you?"

"Pack histories, maybe? Genealogies? I'd love to learn more about the founding families of the region."

"Ah, a scholar! Come, the historical section is over here." Mrs. Chen led her to a corner where older books were carefully preserved behind glass. "Some of these date back centuries. We have records of all the major bloodlines—Blackthorn, Silvermoon, Ashwood, Rivers..."

Alina's heart jumped at her own family name. "Rivers? My family?"

"Oh yes, dear. The Rivers line is one of the oldest in the region, though the records are... incomplete." Mrs. Chen pulled out a thick, leather-bound volume. "There was some kind of tragedy about eighty years ago. Most of the family records were lost."

Lost, or destroyed? Alina wondered as she accepted the heavy book. "What kind of tragedy?"

Mrs. Chen's expression grew troubled. "I'm not entirely sure. Some kind of attack, I believe. The survivors scattered, and the bloodline was thought to have died out. Your grandfather must have been one of the ones who escaped."

Alina spent the morning poring over the fragmented Rivers family records. Most were frustratingly useless—births, deaths, pack affiliations. But one entry made her blood run cold:

1943 - The Luna Bloodline Purge. Seven families eliminated by Council decree. Survivors unknown.

Luna Bloodline. The words seemed to pulse on the page, and for a moment, Alina could swear they glowed with that same silver light she'd been seeing.

"Mrs. Chen?" she called softly. "What was the Luna Bloodline Purge?"

The elderly woman looked up from her desk, her face going pale. "Where did you see that term?"

"In the Rivers family records."

Mrs. Chen was quiet for a long moment, then walked over to join Alina at the table. "It's not something we talk about much. Before the modern pack system, there were certain bloodlines that carried special powers. The Luna lines were the strongest, they could enhance an Alpha's power, could see visions, sometimes even manipulate energy itself."

Alina's hands began to tremble. "What happened to them?"

"The Council, the governing body that oversees all supernatural creatures, decided they were too dangerous. In 1943, they ordered the elimination of all known Luna bloodline families." Mrs. Chen's voice was barely above a whisper. "It was one of the darkest periods in our history."

"But some survived?"

"A few, supposedly. They went into hiding, suppressed their powers, tried to live as normal wolves." Mrs. Chen studied Alina's face carefully. "Why do you ask, dear?"

Before Alina could answer, footsteps echoed through the library. They both turned to see Veronica approaching, her blonde hair perfectly styled, her smile sharp as a blade.

"Luna Alina! How studious of you." Veronica's eyes flicked to the open book on the table, and something powerful gleamed in her gaze. "Learning about your family history?"

"Just doing some reading," Alina said carefully, closing the book.

"How fascinating. I love history myself, especially the dark chapters everyone tries to forget." Veronica's smile widened. "Mrs. Chen, would you mind giving us some privacy? I have pack business to discuss with our Luna."

Mrs. Chen looked between them nervously, then nodded and retreated to her desk.

Veronica waited until they were alone, then leaned closer to Alina. "You know, I couldn't help but notice you seemed... upset last night. After our little chat in the garden."

"I'm fine."

"Are you? Because I heard the most interesting things after you left." Veronica's voice dropped to a whisper. "Did you know your husband had a very revealing phone conversation last night? About dangerous bloodlines and Council interference?"

Alina's blood turned to ice. Veronica had been listening too.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh, I think you do." Veronica pulled out her phone and showed Alina a recording app. "Amazing what you can hear when you know where to listen. Something about powers manifesting faster than expected? And the fascinating fact that Lucien refuses to mark you because he's afraid of what you might be?"

The silver light began building in Alina's chest again, fueled by panic and rage. "What do you want?"

"Smart girl. I want information. You're going to find out everything you can about your little... condition. And you're going to share it with me."

"Why would I do that?"

Veronica's smile turned vicious. "Because if you don't, I'll make sure everyone in the pack knows that their Luna is some kind of freak that even her own husband won't touch. I'll make sure they know that Lucien married you not for alliance, but because you're a threat that needed to be contained."

The words hit like physical blows. Alina felt the power inside her responding to her emotional turmoil, making the air around them shimmer slightly.

"And if that doesn't motivate you," Veronica continued, apparently oblivious to the supernatural energy building around them, "I'll make sure the recording of Lucien's conversation finds its way to the Council. I'm sure they'd be very interested to know that a Luna bloodline survivor has been hiding in plain sight."

She'll destroy everything. The realization hit Alina like a lightning strike. Veronica would expose her to save herself, would use the information to either gain power or sell it to the highest bidder.

"You have one week," Veronica said, standing to leave. "Find out what you are and report back to me. Or everyone you care about suffers the consequences."

She started to walk away, then paused. "Oh, and Alina? Next time you decide to eavesdrop on your husband, you might want to check for other listeners. You're really not very good at this eavesdropping thing."

After Veronica left, Alina sat in the library trying to calm her racing heart. The power inside her was stronger now, responding to her fear and anger. She could feel it pressing against her skin, demanding release.

One week. She had just one week to figure out what she was before Veronica destroyed everything.

She reopened the Rivers family book, determined to find answers. But as she flipped through the pages, something fell out, a small piece of paper with handwriting she didn't recognize:

If you're reading this, the awakening has begun. Find the Moonstone Chronicle. Trust no one else. -A.R.

A.R. Someone with the same initials as her. A relative, maybe? Someone who had hidden this message for her to find?

Alina looked around the library with new eyes. If there was a book called the Moonstone Chronicle hidden here, she was going to find it. And she was going to discover the truth about what she was, before Veronica could use it to destroy her.

As she searched the shelves, she felt watched. When she glanced toward the library entrance, she caught a glimpse of dark hair and a familiar silhouette.

Lucien had been watching her.

But when she looked again, he was gone, leaving her to wonder how much he had seen, and whether her time for finding answers was running out faster than she thought.

The silver light pulsed stronger in her veins, and for the first time, instead of trying to suppress it, Alina welcomed it. Whatever power was awakening inside her, she was going to need it.

Because she was beginning to realize that everyone around her—her husband, Veronica, maybe even the pack itself, had their own agendas.

And she was caught in the middle of a game whose rules she didn't understand yet.

Hidden in the restricted section of the library, behind books that haven't been moved in decades, lies the Moonstone Chronicle—a book that will reveal not only Alina's true heritage, but the real reason Lucien agreed to marry her. But she's not the only one searching for it...