The next morning came quietly.
The rain from the night before had stopped, leaving the ground wet and the air cool. Faint sunlight broke through the clouds, painting golden lines on the window.
Mia woke up early. Her head was heavy, but her heart was heavier. The words from last night replayed in her mind — Lunaris, celestial energy, Selene's blessing.
She sat up slowly, her fingers brushing against the silver pendant on her wrist. It still glowed faintly, as if alive. For a moment, she wondered if it was all a dream, but the mark's warmth told her it was real.
Laura was by the stove, preparing tea. The smell of herbs filled the air. She looked tired, but when Mia stirred, she turned with a soft smile.
"Morning, sweetheart. You should rest more."
Mia shook her head. "I couldn't sleep."
Laura poured the tea and handed her a cup. "I know."
They sat in silence for a while. The sound of birds outside was the only thing filling the space.
Finally, Mia spoke quietly. "Mom… I don't understand why it had to be me. You said you wanted to protect me, but now I don't even how this is protecting me. It feels more like exposing me to danger."
Laura sighed and sat beside her. "I know it's confusing. I was hoping you'd never have to know. I thought my genes suppressed that of the king, I thought you were human, not until that day. And Rowan was right — you can't hide from what's already inside you. That's who you are."
Mia looked down at her hands. "He said I need to learn to control it."
"Yes. You will," Laura said softly. "But you have to be careful, don't let anyone find out. The moment people find out who you are, everything will change."
Mia nodded slowly, though deep inside, fear mixed with curiosity. What am I really capable of?
Before she could speak again, there was a knock on the door.
It was Rowan. Laura insisted on him to pass the night at their home, so he slept at the only couch they had. He woke up very early and performed his morning rituals outside.
He stood with his cloak folded neatly in his hands, his expression calm. Laura greeted him and offered him tea which he rejected.
"I must leave before sunrise reaches the forest's edge," he said. "But before I go, Mia — remember this: power without balance leads to ruin. Your emotions guide your light. Fear and anger can twist it."
Mia nodded. "I'll try."
He looked proud for a second. "Good. I will send word when it is time for you to begin training."
Laura bowed her head. "Thank you, Elder Rowan."
He gave her a knowing smile. "Keep her safe, Laura. And keep her hidden. You both should stay safe." Then, with a faint shimmer of silver light, he turned and walked away into the mist.
Mia watched him until he disappeared between the trees. Her chest tightened. A strange feeling washed over her — a sense that she had just stepped into something much bigger than herself.
The thought of Leon's family being the cause of her own people's demise was too heavy for her to comprehend.
At the Voss palace, Darius Voss stood on the balcony of his study, his eyes dark and focused. The morning sun reflected off the marble pillars, but there was no warmth in his gaze.
A shadow moved behind him —it was Yaqut, his most trusted guard.
"Your highness, about the girl you assigned us to monitor. She was last seen leaving the academy the day before yesterday, she lives with her mother," the guard said. "They live near the southern woods. There was also an old man seen entering the house yesterday night — he left today very early."
Darius's lips pressed into a thin line. "An old man, you say? Interesting."
"Anything about her father?" He asked again.
"No, she is an orphan, she grew up with only her mother. She is her only guardian."
"An orphan? And she dared mess up with a noble? A Voss?" His frown slowly turned into a vicious smirk.
Yaqut hesitated. "Sir, what do you want us to do?"
Darius turned slowly. "Watch her. No attack yet. I want to know what she is hiding first. Whoever that old man is — find out everything about him."
"Yes, Alpha."
When Yaqut left, Darius leaned on the balcony rail. "A girl with glowing eyes, with moon energy…" he muttered. "If she's connected to the Lunaris legend, then she could be dangerous. Or useful." He smirked.
His mind was already plotting some moves.
Meanwhile, somewhere at Prowess Eclipse institute, Leon had just returned from an early run through the forest. His hair was damp, his shirt clinging to his chest from the mist. But what unsettled him wasn't the weather — it was the strange pull in his chest that hadn't stopped since dawn.
He had felt something.
A whisper in the bond he didn't understand.
A warmth that didn't belong to him.
Xavier's voice came faintly inside his mind.
"She's awake."
Leon stopped walking. "Who?"
"You already know who."
Leon's heart thudded. He looked toward the southern woods, where the morning fog still lingered. For some reason, the thought of Mia alone there made his wolf restless.
"Why do I feel like this?" Leon muttered.
"Because fate doesn't care what you want," Xavier growled. "It only cares about what must happen."
Leon clenched his jaw. "She's a human. She shouldn't affect me this way."
The wolf chuckled lowly. "Then tell your heart that."
Leon ran a hand through his hair, annoyed at himself. The more he tried to ignore the feeling, the stronger it became. He could still sense her presence somehow — faint, but real.
At the same time, Mia sat outside the small cottage, her eyes on the trees. The forest looked peaceful, but she could sense something beneath it — whispers she couldn't hear, movements she couldn't see.
She remembered what Rowan had said: "The moon always calls her own."
As she stared at the sky, the silver mark on her wrist shimmered faintly again. Her breath caught. She felt it — that same strange pull she had felt near Leon before.
It was as if something was connecting them, like invisible threads. Her heart skipped.
"What's happening to me?" she whispered.
The air grew colder, and her surroundings fell quiet, almost as if the world was holding its breath.
Then, suddenly, a low sound echoed through the forest — a growl.
Mia froze.
The sound came again, closer this time. Not a wolf's growl — it was deeper, rougher.
"Mia!" her mother's voice called from inside. "Get in!"
Mia stood quickly and backed toward the door, but before she could move further, a dark figure stepped out from the trees.
It was a rogue — its eyes red, its claws out, its fur patchy.
Fear shot through her, but this time, she didn't scream. She raised her hand slightly, feeling something stir under her skin — light, soft but sharp, rising like a wave.
The rogue charged.
Laura screamed from the doorway, but before it could reach her, a bright flash burst from Mia's hand, sending the rogue flying back into the woods with a snarl.
The light faded as fast as it came. Mia dropped to her knees, shaking. The pendant around her wrist glowed hot, then dimmed.
Laura ran to her, eyes wide. "Mia, what did you just do?"
"I… I don't know," Mia breathed. "It just happened."
She looked down at her hand, trembling. "Mom, I think the light listened to me."
Laura hugged her tightly. "You have to learn to control it. Or next time, it could destroy you instead."
Mia buried her face in her mother's shoulder, fear and wonder mixing in her heart.
Far away, Leon stopped mid-step in the forest. His eyes widened.
"You felt that?" Xavier's voice came again.
Leon didn't answer. He could feel the energy — the same light he had felt that night of the attack. It was her. He didn't know how, but he knew.
He whispered under his breath, "Mia."
In another part of the city, Darius received word from his guard.
"Alpha," the guard said, "our men saw a burst of light near the southern woods this morning."
Darius turned slowly, his eyes narrowing. "That means my hunch is right. She's not human. Rachel wasn't lying. This is going to be interesting."
He smiled faintly — a cold, dangerous smile. "Good. Then let's see how far she's willing to hide it. And Leon, I will make you regret treating my daughter like that. For someone that is an enemy." He said tightening his fist.
"What about the old man? Have you found him?" He asked.
"Not yet sir, we couldn't find him. We tried following his track or even his scent. I think he uses some kind of power to mask it up." Yaqut replied. Alpha Darius didn't respond. His gaze wandered into the space.
The game had begun, and none of them knew just how deep the threads of fate had already been woven.