Nora considered herself the luckiest girl in the Moon Shadow Courtyard.
Her roommate and best friend, Emily, had returned from "serving" the Alpha last week with a carefully bandaged cut on her wrist, but she was positively glowing. The matron had not only excused her from a week of chores but had also gifted her a precious silk handkerchief.
Nora was filled with envy and a touch of… jealousy.
A few days ago, she had seen Lord Kaelen from a distance. He had been speaking with that southern Luna, Aila, in the corridor. Though his expression was cold, his powerful, kingly charisma was seared into Nora's heart like a brand.
She believed Clara was right. A half-blood like Aila, who couldn't even shift, was completely unworthy of the Alpha.
After that, the Alpha had begun summoning Aila every night to "serve" him. Nora had thought her chance was gone, but the fantasy in her heart had never truly died.
Her chance came when she had almost given up.
That night, not long after Aila had been taken away by Lord Drake, the matron suddenly appeared in her room.
"Nora," the matron said in her emotionless tone, "tonight, the Alpha requires your service as well."
Nora's heart nearly leaped out of her chest. She instinctively clenched her fists. The ruby ring her father had given her, on the ring finger of her right hand, dug painfully into her palm. After tonight, she would no longer need this ring to prove her worth.
She yearned to remember every detail of her time with the man she adored.
When she drank the dark black "Soul-Forgetting Potion," she used her immense willpower to only drink half, holding the rest under her tongue and spitting it out when the maid turned away.
However, she was blindfolded and taken to a cold place that smelled of herbs and blood.
She had not been taken to Lord Kaelen's chambers.
When the blindfold was removed, she saw a woman in a priest's robe, hunched over, her face indistinct, as if it had melted together. Nora couldn't even tell where her eyes and mouth were.
Then, to her horror, she was bound to a cold altar. She saw a massive, twisted black rune carved into the floor around the altar, its lines seemingly drawn with dried blood, exuding an evil aura.
"No… this isn't the Alpha's room…" she began to struggle in terror.
"Be quiet, child," the ghoulish face's voice was like a viper's hiss. "It is your honor to sacrifice yourself for the Alpha's health."
Her wrist was cut with a sharp blade, and her blood flowed uncontrollably into a crystal vial. At the same time, she was forced to drink a foul-smelling potion that emitted black smoke.
As the potion went down her throat, an intense pain and a feeling of madness instantly swept over her. A moment later, she felt as if she were on an ancient battlefield, surrounded by countless zombie-like werewolves. Their eye sockets burned with red flames, and they stared at her, as if countless black hands were tearing her to pieces…
The next morning, she was returned to the courtyard, on the verge of unconsciousness from blood loss.
She was terrified of what had happened, and she found her emotions had become extremely volatile. She would often lose her temper with those around her for no reason.
What terrified her even more was that a few days later, her best friend, Emily, the one who had been glowing with health, had completely vanished from their room, never to be seen again.
Everyone said Emily had been "sent home due to illness."
But Nora knew that wasn't true.
Her friend's disappearance, intertwined with the horror of that night, was the final straw that broke her mind.
She had gone completely mad.
Ever since Aila had pleaded for his help in the courtyard, Liam had been keeping a close eye on the Moon Shadow Courtyard. Now, with his brother's parting instructions, he felt an even greater sense of responsibility.
A few days later, rumors began to circulate among the castle guards.
"Did you hear? That girl Nora in the Moon Shadow Courtyard has gone mad."
"Mad? What happened?"
"I don't know. She was fine one day, then suddenly started acting crazy and talking nonsense. The matron has her locked up now."
Nora? Liam remembered the name. He knew this could be his breakthrough.
Late that night, he avoided all the patrols and snuck into the Moon Shadow Courtyard.
He found a guard he knew on the outer perimeter and, with a few gold coins and a bottle of good wine, pried some information out of him.
"Yes, Lord Liam," the guard whispered. "A few nights ago, the matron took her away personally. She wasn't right when she came back. Oh, and she was always wearing a ruby ring, a ruby with no impurities at all."
Following the guard's information, he found Nora locked in a secluded room. The girl was sometimes curled up in a corner, other times standing and frantically tearing at her hair, constantly muttering to herself.
"Lord Alpha?" When she saw him, a flicker of clarity crossed Nora's eyes. She opened her arms and threw herself at Liam. "Are you here to… take me away? I knew you wouldn't abandon me!"
Liam caught her, trying to keep his voice gentle. "Nora, don't be afraid. Do you remember… the place where we had our 'date'?"
He quickly played along with her delusion.
"A date? Our first time… have you forgotten?" Nora looked at him sweetly.
"Of course I remember," Liam said patiently, continuing to lead her on. "Shall we… go back to that place again?"
To his surprise, Nora suddenly became agitated, shoving him away and shrieking, "I don't want to go to that place! There's… there's an old hag… and a lot of faceless women! And on the floor… there are a lot of drawings made of black blood!"
"Drawings? What kind of drawings?" Liam asked urgently.
"Kiss me, and I'll tell you," Nora said, looking at him adoringly and standing on her tiptoes.
Liam's brow furrowed, but to get the information, he had no choice but to quickly press a stiff kiss to her forehead.
Nora smiled in satisfaction, clinging to him and whispering nonsensical endearments.
"Alright, Nora," Liam said, trying to gently push her away while coaxing her, "now can you tell me what the drawings looked like?"
With a trembling finger, Nora drew chaotically on his chest. "A… a twisted… like a snake… and a claw… an eye… red eyes everywhere… and a lot of twisted faces…"
At that moment, he keenly sensed a dark figure flash past the door!
He immediately pushed Nora aside and gave chase, but the corridor was empty.
Just then, the courtyard matron appeared at the door with several guards, a humorless smile on her face.
"Lord Liam, visiting the Moon Shadow Courtyard so late at night seems to be against the rules, doesn't it?"
She paused, her gaze sweeping over him with a malicious, mocking look, and added slowly, "Oh, I almost forgot. I'm afraid you're a little late tonight. The 'Miss Aila' you're so fond of has just been taken away by Lord Drake to 'serve' the true Lord Alpha."
"You should… stop being so sentimental."
Liam's face turned to ice. He knew he was being watched. He gave the matron a cold look and turned, leaving the courtyard.
Leaving the Moon Shadow Courtyard, Liam's usual gentle expression was gone, replaced by a cold gravity. He knew he couldn't uncover the truth on his own.
He needed help. Someone absolutely loyal to Kaelen, yet old and steady enough to not be easily exposed.
He thought of one person—Hakon.
He avoided all eyes and found the old soldier, Hakon, in a secluded corner of the guards' barracks, polishing his weapon.
"Hakon."
Hakon was surprised by Liam's late-night visit but immediately stood and bowed. "Lord Liam."
"I need your help," Liam said, getting straight to the point. "Regarding the matter of the Moon Shadow Courtyard."
Hakon's face immediately became troubled, his weathered brow furrowing. "Lord Liam, the matters there… we… we have no authority to interfere."
"I know," Liam said, his gaze exceptionally serious. "But what if I told you that my brother's safety might be at stake?"
Hakon's body jolted, his hand tightening on the hilt of his sword.
"Hakon," Liam's voice dropped to a low whisper. "I know my brother's curse needs to be suppressed. But the girls in the courtyard have been disappearing lately. This isn't normal. I suspect someone is using the guise of 'treatment' to do something that harms the Alpha and the entire pack. I need to know the truth."
Hakon was silent. He was an old soldier who only trusted the Alpha's command. He knew Liam and Kaelen were close, but he couldn't be sure if this was Liam's own idea.
"Is this… the Lord Alpha's will?" he asked cautiously.
Liam looked at the loyal but stubborn old soldier, knowing that a simple request would no longer work. He took a deep breath and decided to take a gamble.
"No," he said, looking Hakon straight in the eye and enunciating each word. "This is an order my brother cannot speak."
Hakon was stunned.
"You know his situation, Hakon," Liam's voice was filled with pain. "He is bound by the curse, watched by our uncle and the priestess. There are many things he wants to do but cannot; many things he wants to say but cannot. That is why he sent me to stay in the castle."
He stepped forward and placed a hand on Hakon's shoulder.
"He needs a pair of eyes to watch for him in the shadows, a pair of hands to uncover the truth for him. Do you understand now?"
Hakon looked at Liam's eyes, so like Kaelen's, but now filled with a sincere and earnest plea. His loyal heart finally wavered.
"…What do you need me to do, my lord?"
Liam let out a breath of relief.
"Get me the records of all 'personnel transfers' in the Moon Shadow Courtyard for the past few months," Liam said. "And look into the families of the 'disappeared' girls. See if their families have received any news of their 'death by illness' or 'repatriation'."
"I understand," Hakon nodded heavily, his gaze sharpening. "Leave it to me."