THE SEALED LUNA

CHAPTER SEVEN: EVERYONE LIES

CHAPTER SEVEN: EVERYONE LIES

I didn't sleep.

Tried.

Couldn't.

I lay on the cot with the blanket up to my chin, staring at the ceiling until my eyes burned. Every time I closed them I was back at the ceremony.

Cyrus.

I reject you.

Dad turning away.

Bella crying.

Blood on the stone.

And that voice right next to my ear.

Make sure she doesn't wake up.

My eyes snapped open.

The cell was still dark. That little slit in the door let in some light but not enough to tell the time. My whole body hurt. Shoulders, legs, back. That cot might as well have been wood.

I shifted and my wrist flared.

Pain shot up my arm.

I pulled my sleeve up.

The mark was still there. Black. Faint. Like ink under my skin. But darker than yesterday.

I stared at it. Stupid idea. I touched it anyway.

Heat ran up my arm and I jerked back.

"What the hell."

My heart was going too fast. I waited. Nothing. Touched it again, careful this time.

Nothing.

I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding. "Okay."

I pulled the sleeve down. Whatever this was, I didn't get it. And that scared me more than I wanted it to.

I needed answers.

The elder saw my wrist like he'd seen a ghost. I said "binding" and he freaked. People don't react like that if they don't know what it means.

A tray scraped outside.

I looked up. A hand pushed bread and water through the hole. Same as yesterday.

I waited until the footsteps started walking away.

"Wait."

They stopped.

I got up. Legs were still weak but I made it to the door. "Can I ask you something?"

No answer. I peered through the slit. Just part of his face. Same guard.

"What happened to my father?"

"He's fine." Too fast.

"Did you see him?"

"No."

"Then how do you know?"

His jaw ticked. "Those are my orders."

I almost laughed. "Everyone keeps saying that."

He looked at me then. Just for a second. There was something there. Pity? Fear? I couldn't tell.

"Eat your food, Selena."

Then he left.

I stood there until I couldn't hear him anymore. He was hiding something. Maybe not everything. But something.

I went back to the cot. The bread was hard. Hurt my teeth. I ate it anyway because my stomach was empty and apparently dying makes you hungry.

Halfway through I thought about home. Mom. Bella. Dad.

Did he ask where I was? Did he try?

Then I remembered his face when they dragged me. He didn't move.

I stopped chewing. My throat felt tight.

Maybe he couldn't. Or maybe he didn't.

I shoved the thought away. Too much already. I bit the inside of my cheek until the sting knocked the tears back.

Footsteps again. Three people this time. The lock turned.

The elder came in. Two guards behind him. He looked worse than yesterday. Tired. Old. Like he hadn't slept either.

"Selena."

I stood up. "What do you want?"

He glanced at the bread. "Have you eaten?"

"Is that what you came for?"

He sighed. "You need to rest."

I did laugh that time. "Everyone keeps saying that."

"Because you do."

"No. I need answers."

He stared at me. Then shut the door.

"About what?"

"Seriously?"

He didn't answer.

I stepped closer. "Why am I here?"

"You know why."

"No. I don't."

"You are unstable."

I blinked. "Unstable?"

"Your wolf came out of nowhere. Your body—"

"That's not an answer."

His face went hard. "You are not well."

"I know I'm not well!" My voice cracked and I hated it. I swallowed. "I woke up thinking I was going to die. My wolf showed up after 18 years of nothing. I have this thing on my wrist and nobody will tell me what it is. And now I'm locked up while everyone whispers."

I held up my wrist. "You want me to rest?"

His eyes dropped to the mark. There. Fear. Fast, but I saw it. My stomach dropped.

I pulled my sleeve down. "You know what this is."

"No." Too quick.

I stared at him. He stared back.

The silence stretched until it hurt.

"You're lying," I said quietly.

His face barely moved. But it did.

"Where did you hear that word?"

"What word?"

"You know what word."

I almost smiled. "So you do know."

"I didn't say that."

"You didn't have to."

He looked at the guards. They weren't even pretending not to listen.

"Selena. There are things you don't understand."

"Then explain."

"You're not ready."

"How do you know?"

"Because I do."

Something in me snapped. "Everyone keeps deciding what I'm ready for." My voice shook. "Nobody asks me anything."

He looked at me. And for a second I saw it. Guilt.

"Why were you scared when you saw the mark?" Nothing.

"Why did you stop the ceremony?" Nothing.

"Why does everyone look at me like I'm dangerous?" Still nothing.

I stepped closer. My hands were shaking so I shoved them into my pockets. "Why did my father tell them to take me?"

His face softened a little. "Your father was trying to protect you."

"From what?"

He looked away.

That was my answer.

"You don't even believe that."

"Selena—"

"No." I stepped back. My chest felt too tight. "Don't tell me to rest again."

He looked exhausted. "Some things are bigger than you."

I laughed. Bitter. "Funny. I've spent my whole life being told I'm not enough. Now I'm too much?"

He said nothing.

And that was worse. If he called me crazy I could fight. If he said the mark was nothing I could argue. But silence meant he was scared of what I'd do if he talked.

The woods. The wolves. How they backed away from me.

I looked at him. "When my wolf woke up..."

His eyes snapped to mine. "What about it?"

"The wolves were there."

He went still. "What wolves?"

"The two in the forest. They saw me shift."

"What did they do?"

"They ran."

"Why?"

"I don't know."

He stared. I stared back.

"What did you see?"

I frowned. "What?"

"When your wolf woke. What did you see?"

Gold. Silver in it. A growl that didn't sound like one wolf.

I lied. "Nothing."

He knew I was lying. But he didn't call me on it. He just turned to the door.

"Wait."

He stopped.

"Cyrus." His shoulders got stiff. "Does he know?"

"Know what?"

"About the mark."

He was quiet too long. "Acting Alpha Cyrus has more important matters."

"That's not an answer."

"It's the only one you're getting."

The door opened. Guards moved. He left. Lock clicked.

I stared at it. Cyrus. Why did that name feel like a warning now?

I went to the cot and sat down. My hands were shaking. I tucked them under my legs until they stopped. I saw it now. The elder lied. The guard too. And Cyrus was mixed up in it somehow.

I didn't know how. But I was done being the last to know.

I pulled my sleeve up. And froze.

The mark changed. Another line. Thin. Black. Wasn't there before. I knew it wasn't.

I touched it. Heat.

Then—

Thump.

I stopped breathing. Thump.

Not my heart. From under me.

I got on my knees. Pressed my palm to the floor. Cold. Thump again.

I ran my hand over the stones. One moved. I pushed.

It shifted. My heart was pounding. I looked at the door. No footsteps.

I pushed again. Saw it. A thin black line under the stone. Same as the one on my wrist.

I reached for it. The moment I touched it my wrist burned. I gasped and pulled back.

The sound stopped. Silent.

I stared. Then—

Knock.

Knock.

Knock.

Three slow knocks from under my cell.

I scrambled back until my back hit the wall. Couldn't breathe.

Who was down there?

And why did it feel like it knew I was there?

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