the mark of the moon

I watched in stunned silence as Kieran was thrown several feet from where I stood.

What... just happened?

"What the hell are you, Selene?" he asked, brushing dirt from his suit, his eyes wide with disbelief.

"I wish I knew," I said, my voice quieter than I intended. "That’s why I need to leave the palace—to find answers. Who knows, maybe I’m dangerous to be around. It's safer for everyone if I go."

Kieran’s expression shifted from confusion to something far more intense. "Selene, you're my mate. Do you even know how long I've been searching for you? I can’t just let you walk away. Let’s go back inside. We’ll figure this out—together."

I hesitated. As terrifying as this was, maybe I needed to trust him. Whatever was happening to me… it was big. And facing it alone was no longer an option. At least with Kieran, I had protection. A guide. Something.

"Can you pull up your sleeve for a second?" he asked gently.

I did.

Beneath the fabric, glowing blue carvings twisted along my arm—delicate yet powerful, like lunar phases etched into my skin. I looked at Kieran, confused. He stared intently at the markings.

"I’ve seen symbols like this before," he murmured. "In one of the ancient scrolls. Let’s check the archives—maybe we’ll find something useful."

Before we moved, I stopped him.

"Can I ask something first?"

He turned. "Go ahead."

"That woman in your office earlier… who is she?"

Kieran's brow furrowed. "She’s no one. I know she was trying to seduce me. But ever since I found out you were my mate, I’ve stayed away from her."

I folded my arms. "So you were with her before? How long ago exactly?"

"Selene…" he sighed. "Does that even matter right now?"

"It does to me," I snapped, and immediately the wind around us stirred, rising with my anger. "Answer me."

His voice dropped to a whisper. "Yesterday. Before the ceremony."

I said nothing. Just turned and began walking back to the palace. He followed silently, falling into step beside me. I noticed a shift—his eyes turned gold.

The wolf was in control now.

"What’s your name?" I asked without looking at him.

"You talking to me, mate?" he sounded… surprised.

"Yes. I’d rather talk to you than Kieran for a while."

He chuckled softly. "Alouis, my lady."

I laughed at the old-fashioned tone. "Alouis. I like you."

He grinned like a lovesick puppy, and I could practically feel Kieran’s embarrassment through the bond. As we neared the palace gates, he suddenly sped up and took the lead—definitely Kieran again.

Inside, he led me to the Royal Archives.

“Found it,” he said, pulling a scroll from the shelf. As soon as it touched the table, my markings glowed faintly—and so did the scroll.

It unrolled itself.

We leaned in. The scroll spoke of a chosen one—someone blessed by the Moon Goddess, connected deeply to the phases of the moon. Emotions would trigger their power. But there was no mention of a wolf.

Kieran must have seen the disappointment in my eyes.

“What’s wrong?”

“It doesn’t say anything about my wolf,” I said. “I haven’t transformed in so long… I wonder if this ‘gift’ is the reason.”

“Why does that worry you?”

I looked up at him. “Because I’m stronger than most werewolves. My senses are heightened. I heal faster. But from what I’ve learned, those without a wolf can’t access these abilities. Something doesn’t add up.”

Kieran frowned, processing it.

“You might be right. But let’s take a break, get something to eat. Then we’ll dig deeper—maybe the library has more answers.”

Right on cue, my stomach betrayed me with a loud grumble. I winced.

He chuckled. “Come on.”

At the dining hall, the chef served us just as the King’s Council arrived, dressed in ceremonial robes—green for most, except for one man in purple.

“Good day, Alpha,” they said in unison, bowing slightly.

Kieran nodded. “What brings you here, Desire?”

The man in purple stepped forward. “We heard you found your mate in the Moonrose Pack. We’ve come to evaluate if she’s fit to be Luna.”

I stiffened, but Kieran remained composed.

“Her name is Selene,” he said, “and she will not be evaluated by anyone. If the Moon Goddess chose her, no one has the right to question that.”

Desire didn’t back down. “According to the laws, evaluation is necessary—especially after hearing what the people from her previous pack had to say.”

His gaze toward me was filled with disdain.

Kieran’s expression darkened. “And who do you propose as Luna if not her?”

Another elder spoke up. “Lady Elisa has been by your side. She understands the duties of a Luna. Even if you mate with Selene, she should be your concubine.”

I laughed. Couldn’t help it. “I’m sorry—did you just say concubine?”

Their glares could’ve burned holes through me.

“She has no nobility,” Desire said coldly. “She’s not even originally from the Moonrose Pack. The late Alpha and Luna found her on the roadside, returning from Elemental City.”

“That’s enough,” Kieran snapped. “Selene is my mate. She will be Luna. End of discussion.”

“If you insist,” another elder said, “you’ll face opposition from the pack.”

“Let them come,” Kieran said, his voice shifting into that commanding Lycan growl. “Now leave.”

The weight of his command hit the room hard. The council members were physically forced from their seats. Even the maids winced under the pressure.

Then—of course—she walked in.

The woman from yesterday.

Wearing a smug smile like she owned the palace, she strolled in, placed a hand on Kieran’s, and purred, “What has you so worked up this early, darling?”

I clenched my fists. If I ever fully unlocked my powers, she’d be the first to go.

“Elisa, what are you doing here?” Kieran asked, his tone sharp.

“I came to see you,” she cooed. “Is that any way to treat your future Luna?”

She glanced at me like I was something stuck to her shoe.

“Elisa,” Kieran said, voice now like thunder, “whatever fantasy you’ve built in your head—it’s not happening. I won’t leave my mate for you. Now get out.”

She hesitated, eyes flaring with rage. But when his aura flared again, she started bleeding from her nose and stormed off in defeat.

The moment she left, a strange calm washed over me.

And then I heard it.

A voice in my mind—clear, ancient, powerful.

“You are not just a werewolf…”