"Go down on your knees. The order hit harder than the slap that followed. My cheek burnt as I fell to the polished marble floor, one hand taking the brunt of my weight, the other instinctively covering my face. The silver tray I was carrying fell clattering at my side, the broken teacup spinning away across the room until it came to rest. The dining hall was quiet. Not that anyone was surprised. Because there was no one. The servants bowed their heads. My stepbrother leaned against the wall with a smirk on his face and my stepmother Marcy Voss looked down at me like I had stained the expensive carpet and not spilt a cup of tea. "I... I'm sorry," I whispered. "You should be," she replied coldly. "You know how much that tea set cost?" I swallowed. "No. "More than you ever were worth. The words were more painful than the hit. I looked down at the floor, knowing from experience that if I looked in her eyes, it would only bring me more punishment. "Every time you leave that attic, you embarrass this family," she continued. "What would our guests have thought if they had seen you?" That I lived. I could have laughed. Almost.  Instead I gathered up the broken pieces of porcelain, my fingers trembling. A razor-sharp edge cut my palm. Blood spattered instantly. I hissed quietly. Marcy didn't even flinch. "Clean it," she said, and turned away. Then return upstairs. The talk was finished. Just like that.  I wasn't her child. I was another mess she expected someone else to pick up. When I got to the attic, the cut on my hand had stopped bleeding. I pushed open the old wooden door and stepped into the only place that had ever been mine. It wasn't a lot. A narrow bed was under a cracked window. There was a small bookshelf against the wall, with the old novels people had discarded years ago. When the storms came, rain seeped through small holes in the roof, leaving dark stains on the floorboards. Most people would have called it a wretched one. For me... It was silent. No shouting.  No bullshit. Nobody told me I was unwanted. I sat down by the window and wrapped my hand in a clean cloth. Outside the gardens ran away towards the forest, bright with the flowers of early summer. Behind them, the iron gates of the Voss Estate, guards changing shifts in the afternoon sun. Sometimes I'd wonder what it was like outside those gates. Did they laugh together? Did daughters have dinner with their families? Did anyone wake up every morning thinking they belonged somewhere? A knock broke my reverie. Three soft taps. There was just one knock like that. "Come in. The door opened just enough for Mira to slip in. She brought a tray with fresh bread, soup and a little apple. 'You have not had breakfast. I couldn't help smiling. "You'll get in trouble. She shrugged. "I've been in trouble before. Mira was no older than I, only a year, one of the youngest of the servants in the manor. She wasn't meant to bring me extra food, but she always did. She set the tray on the table before she saw the cloth around my hand. "What happened?" "Nothing." She sighed. "It was Lady Marcy again." I looked away. "You don't need to answer. Her silence told me she knew already. She sat down beside me and passed me the apple. "I heard something." "What?" ("Tomorrow there are coming important guests".) I frowned. "We have guests all the time. Not like these. Her voice lowered. "The Ashthorne Pack." The name made the quiet attic feel colder. Every kid heard stories about them when they were growing up. The most powerful werewolf pack. The richest province. The scariest alpha. They said wars ended the moment Kael Ashthorne stepped onto the battlefield. Some said he'd never lost a fight. Nobody could agree on how much of the stories was true. Only one thing stayed the same in every version. Nobody wanted to stand up to him. 'What does he want here?' I asked. Mira shook her head. 'I don't know. She hesitated, then said, "The servants say your stepmother has been preparing for this visit for months. "Why?" "I've heard rumours of an alliance." A coalition. Politics had never been my thing. They were powerful people. I didn't have no. Mira stood up and dusted her skirt off. "I had better be going before someone notices I'm gone." She arrived at the door and stopped. "Oh... and Lyra?" "Yes? "'Tomorrow... Her eyes softened. "...don't let them put you away again. I forced a smile. "You know they're going to." She did not argue. Because she knew I was right.  That night he could not sleep. The wind rattled the old window and the smell of rain came into the room. I had one of my books open across my lap, but I hadn't turned a page in almost an hour. There was... something... Other. There was a feeling of restlessness. Even the forest around the estate was unnaturally quiet. There were no birds. No bugs. Simple. I closed my book and went to the window. Clouds passed across the moon and the gardens were in darkness. Then. Movement. There was a figure at the front gate. Tall.  All in black. Too distant to see clearly. I blinked.  The figure had vanished. A shiver ran down my spine. Maybe it was my imagination. I turned my back to the window. A loud knock came from downstairs. Not on my door.  The front door of the house. Voices in the corridor. The doors swung open. Footsteps pattered hurriedly along the marble floor below. Someone yelled an order. Then another one. I went to the attic door, drawn by curiosity. I cracked it open enough to hear. "They're here!" The servants' voices were full of excitement. "The Ashthorne Pack has come!" I should've shut the door. Or rather... Quietly I crept into the hallway. If I stood by the staircase I could get a little glimpse before they sent me back upstairs. One. I crept down the narrow hall, careful to avoid the loose board that always squeaked. Below it was the great entrance. Black cars were parked outside along the driveway. But still dozens of guards were dead. And the crowd divided. A man walked through the front doors. All was transformed. The room seemed to contract about him. He was not smiling. he was not trying to impress anybody. He strode along with the quiet confidence of a man who had never doubted his own strength. His black coat swept the polished floor. His golden eyes calmly scanned the room. Everyone stopped talking. All the servants bowed their heads. Even my stepmother, who was always the alpha in this house... She dropped her. I had never seen fear so deferential. I ought to have gone back up. More like... I made the mistake of looking him square in the face. And then... His eyes locked on mine. The world seemed to hold its breath. He stopped his walking. His face was motionless. But something passed over those golden eyes. Surprise.  Perplexity. Recognition.  And then before I could duck or hide... He took one slow step toward the stairs. Toward my person. And he whispered so low that only I could hear, "...Impossible."

Who's that chick? The question was a soft one. It wasn't shouted across the hall, or said in anger. But the second Alpha Kael Ashthorne asked that question, the mansion went silent. I gasped. His golden eyes were fixed on me. "I should have averted my head. I should have ducked my head like everyone else. Instead I just froze, hanging halfway down the stairs, not knowing why the strongest Alpha in the kingdom was looking at me like he'd just found something he'd lost years ago. My stepmom got better first. Her smile was tight as she moved between us. "Alpha Kael," she said smoothly. "She's only a servant. Please don't let her lead you into trouble." A servant.  The lie came so easily from her tongue. I glanced at the floor. It shouldn't have been painful. I had heard worse. Somehow, though, saying it in front of strangers made the words feel heavier. Kael didn't move. "I wasn't speaking to you. Her smile disappeared at his calm reply. The room was as still as death. He stepped forward again. His polished boots echoed on the marble floor. I said, 'Who is she?' Lady Marcy's fingers clung to the edge of her gown. "My...my husband will tell you." Victor Voss came running across the hall as if fear had summoned him. His expensive suit was perfect, but the nervous sheen on his forehead betrayed him. "Alpha," he said, respectfully bowing. "Welcome to the Voss property. Kael returned the greeting with a slight nod. "The girl." Victor followed Kael's look. For a moment a strange expression crossed his face. Not frustration No shame. Fear. "She..." His voice faltered, but he recovered quickly. She is my dead brother's daughter. My eyes grew wide. Brother late ? I lived in this house for twenty years and I never heard anyone mention a brother. Kael looked at Victor's face and said nothing. They sat in silence. Victor shuffled uneasily under that unwavering gaze. Then finally Kael spoke. "Call her down. All my instincts were telling me to go back upstairs. I couldn't move. Lady Marcy spun around sharply to face me. "Lyra." Her smile was almost painful. "Come and meet our guest. That was the nicest thing she ever said to me. This scared me more than her anger ever had. I went down the rest of the stairs, my hands clenched tight so they wouldn't shake. I got to the bottom and stopped a few feet away. I bowed my head politely. "Good day, Alpha. He didn't respond right away. But he stared at me. Really looked.  At my shabby dress no. Not at my patched sleeves.  At me.  His eyes studied my face quietly, intensely, as if he were trying to remember something just beyond his reach. The silence was strange and it made my heart pound. Did I know him?  Nope. I'd have remembered a man like him. His presence filled the room with no effort. He was impossible to miss, even standing still. "You've been living here?" he asked. His voice fell. Less severe. "Yes." "For how long?" "I... I don't know. Victor laughed too fast. "Since she was a little girl." Kael stared at him. "Was I asking you?" Victor's smile faded. "No, Alpha." Kael turned back to me. "You go to packing meetings? I shook my head. "No. "Training?" "Nope. "The Moon Festival? Another shake of the head. 'Never been. A fine line appeared between his brows. "Wolf inspections?" "I have never had a one. Whispers began to spread around us among the visiting guards. One of them scowled. 'How can that be? All children are tested. Another whispered: "Unless... His companion nudged him hard, cutting off the thought before it could become words. Kael's face was blank, but something in his eyes hardened. "You've never been outside this estate?" "I've been into the gardens. "Have you left the estate?" I asked. "No. The answer was a bitter taste. 20 years of age. The world outside those gates might as well have been someone else's. But for reasons I couldn't explain, embarrassment began to creep into my chest. I didn't want this stranger to know how small my life had been.  Kael looked at the high windows that overlooked the gardens. "You've been behind walls for twenty years. It was not a question. I managed a weak smile. "I guess I'm used to it." His eyes flicked back to me. "Nobody should get used to that." The words were frozen somewhere inside me. And nobody'd ever said anything like that before. Not for me. Not me. Before I could speak a servant hurried into the hall. "Join us for dinner." Victor cleared his throat. Thank goodness for a distraction. "Alpha, let's move our conversation to the dining room?" Kael's eyes stayed on me for a heartbeat longer, then he nodded. "As you wish. Finally the room breathed again. The guests followed Victor into the dining room and I moved quietly out of the way. Here I vanished. The guests ate. I tidied up. That was the way it always was. I started toward the kitchen, when a deep voice stopped me. "Lyra. I glanced around. Kael was a few steps away. "Come join us?" This question stunned everyone. Lady Marcy laughed nervously. "Oh, Alpha, she couldn't- " "I asked Lyra," I said. You are not. Unspoken words hung in the air. I looked at him, sure I'd misunderstood. "Dinner?" "Yes. "I... I never ate with guests." "Well, then, you're on your first today. Before I could answer Lady Marcy moved closer to him. "Alpha, she's not properly educated. She won't know what to do." "I can handle it." "But-" "I said..." His voice was still calm, but had enough weight to mute the whole room. "...I can handle it. For a moment Lady Marcy looked as if she was going to argue again. Instead she forced another smile. "Sures. She looked at me, the warmth in her eyes went out. "Go and change your dress." It sounded like kindness.  It wasn't. It was a warning shot. I nodded and ran upstairs. I closed the attic door behind me and leaned against it, trying to get control of my breathing. What was going on? Why did Kael enquire about me? Why did you ask me to dinner? Nothing was working. I opened the little wooden chest by my bedside. Inside were only two dresses. The one I was in. And another, faded blue dress that was my mother's once--or at least, the woman I always thought was my mother. I pulled it out gently. It still smelt a little of lavender. I pulled it on, my fingers grazing the crescent-shaped birthmark beneath my collarbone. For a brief moment... The mark was warm. Not painful.  ...just... Warm. I scowled. Before I could think of it, there was a loud crash from somewhere outside. There were shouts. Then a blast of horn, warning sharp. Not one.  Three.  The sound stopped every drop of blood in my body. The mansion echoed with footsteps. Somebody shouted from below. I hurried to the window. Black smoke was curling up above the front gates. Guards were rushing everywhere. And then I saw them. Figures in dark cloaks pouring through the broken entrance like shadows. One of them lifted a sword and bellowed words that lingered over the courtyard. "Search every room! Another responded with chilling urgency. "Find the Moon Child!" My heart leaped. I had no idea who they were searching for... But I couldn't explain it, but a cold certainty settled deep in my gut. They weren't looking for someone else They were looking... ...for me.

"Nobody escapes from the mansion! The command thundered through the entrance hall just as another horn split the afternoon air. For one frozen heartbeat, nobody moved. Then the panic began. Servants shrieked and fled in every direction. Someone stumbled, a silver vase went crashing across the marble floor, splintering into glittering shards. Another group of armed guards burst in, their boots skidding streaks of mud and blood across the polished floor as the heavy front doors slammed against the walls. I couldn't breathe. The quiet afternoon had disappeared so quickly my mind could hardly keep up. 'What did you do?' I whispered. Nobody answered. From the top of the stairs I saw the courtyard fall into chaos. A dark cloud of smoke curled above the front gates and covered the afternoon sun. Behind the smoke, steel clanged against steel and the cries of fighting wolves echoed across the estate. They weren't simply attacking. They were breaking open. I gripped the bannister until it hurt. "They're inside!" someone shouted from below. "We've lost the eastern wall!" Another guard lurched through the door, armour ripped open across his shoulder. Blood stained the sleeve of his uniform, dripping to the marble floor with each step. Victor Voss rushed toward him. "How many are there?" We... we don't know. The guard gasped for breath. "They came out of the forest. "More are on the way. Lady Marcy grasped the front of her dress, and her face was as white as death. "This is not happening." Victor seized the injured guard by the shoulders. "Who are they? The answer came in gasps. "They want one person." My heartrate slowed. For just a second. The guard looked around the hall and lowered his voice. "They're looking for... the Moon Child." The words spread through the room like winter's frost. No one said a word. And even those who did not understand the name were frightened by the silence that followed it. I scowled. > Moon Child? I didn't care about the title. But something in me clenched deep in my chest, as if those words had woken a memory I couldn't get to. A strange heat was under my collarbone. I instinctively pressed my hand to the crescent-shaped birthmark hidden beneath my dress. It was warm. Not painful, at all. Just... being. I jerked my hand back. “Must have been my imagination. Did it not? "You. The sharp voice made me raise my head. Lady Marcy was at the foot of the stairs, staring right at me. "What are you still doing here?" "I... "Back to your room." This time her voice was harsher than before, lacking any trace of the false kindness she'd given in front of Kael. "Now. I stopped. But everyone –“ I don’t like all.” She took two steps toward me. “I care that no one sees you.” The words stung more than they ought to have. Before I could reply another voice interrupted. “That won’t be necessary. Alpha Kael. As soon as he spoke the room seemed to fall quiet. He made his way across the hall, measured steps, a face unreadable in the middle of the battle outside. Debris powdered one shoulder of his black coat, but otherwise he appeared untouched by the chaos. His eyes, golden, met mine. "You stay where I can see you." Lady Marcy forced another smile. “Alpha, she’s safer upstairs. I don't think so. He spoke in a low voice. It needn’t have been. Every word found its natural authority. Victor took a step forward, carefully. "Alpha Kael, perhaps we can have this conversation somewhere else." Kael stared at him for some time. "Your gates are down." Another distant explosion rumbled through the mansion. "Your guards are pulling back." Almost immediately there was another explosion, this time nearer. "And someone's going through your estate looking for a girl you've kept hidden for twenty years." His eyes grew cold. “I think this conversation is already at the right place. Victor’s mouth came open. Shut it again." He had no reply. My stomach went cold. Secret. Why did everybody keep using that word? I wasn’t hiding. Was I? No, I had only lived upstairs. For... Because... The thought slipped away before I could finish it. Had anyone ever actually explained why I wasn't allowed beyond the estate? Why I had never been to school with other children? Why was every festival happening without me? I searched my memory. Zip. Just locked doors. The curtains were shut. Lame excuses. Excuses all the time. Then a loud crash broke in upon my thoughts. The front doors burst inward. A guard stumbled into the hall before collapsing onto one knee. "Alpha!" Kael turned immediately. "Report." "They've broken through the outer courtyard." "And the attackers?" "They're moving straight toward the mansion." The guard swallowed hard. "They're ignoring everyone else." He looked up with frightened eyes. They want only the girl. There was silence. I could feel all the eyes turn on me. Confusion twisted in my chest. Why? I had not met these people before. I'd never left this estate. What could strangers want with me? Then... From the broken doorway there was a sound. Not yelling. Not metal. The cry of a wolf. Low long Strong enough to silence every voice in the mansion. I got goosebumps on my arm hair. Kael's face changed for the first time since he'd come. Not afraid. Acknowledge. He knew the scream. He came up in front of me, slow. Not a lot. Not that he was seeking praise. Just… like it was the most ordinary thing in the world to protect me. The howl came once more. Further This time, someone else answered it. Then another one. Till even the forest seemed alive with voices. One of Kael’s guards dashed to his side. “Alpha…” Kael kept his eyes on the entrance. "I know." "They've brought more than soldiers. His jaw hardened. "They've brought wolves. It seemed to reduce the temperature of the room. Something huge moved past the screen of smoke outside. The remaining guards began to draw back from the gates. One at a time. As if they knew just what was coming. Then... A great shadow stepped through the smoke. It walked on two feet. Its eyes were an unnatural silver, shining. And when it grinned... It was an icy certainty that settled in my bones. It wasn't here to seize the estate. It had arrived... For myself, The creature paused just outside the crumbling entrance. For a long moment no one moved. Even the fight outside seemed to die down. I didn't want to take my eyes off. It was larger than any man I’d ever seen, robed in dark cloth that whipped in the wind. There was a hood that covered most of its face, but two silver eyes burnt below it, glowing with a weird light that made my skin crawl. It grinned. Not warm. Like someone who had finally found what they'd been looking for for years. "Interesting," it said. The hall swallowed its voice. "So this is where you were hiding. I looked behind me, expecting someone else to come forward. Nobody had. The creature looked at me. My mouth went dry. “I... I don’t know you.” "No," it answered. But I’ve known about you since the night you were born. I got chills down my spine. Kael stepped in front of me again, completely blocking the creature from sight before I could ask what he meant. You will not go any further. The stranger laughed softly. "I knew you would say that." His eyes never left Kael. “The infamous Alpha Ashthorne. I've heard you're difficult. Kael's face was expressionless. "And I hear you're a fool." The smile faded from the stranger's face. The air around him started to shimmer. Shadows swarmed around his boots, rippling over the broken marble like water, black water. The guards immediately tightened their ranks. I saw something at that time. They weren’t protecting Victor. They were not protecting Lady Marcy. Kael had made a circle around each of them... And me." I felt my heart pound. Why ? Why would total strangers risk their lives for someone they just met a few minutes ago? The stranger turned his head a little. "Do you even know who you are protecting? Without a moment’s hesitation Kael replied. "I know enough." "You don't," His silver eyes moved to me. "Ask her if she knows her real name." I was confused. “Lyra. That's my real name.” The stranger laughed. "That's what they called you. His words dropped like a stone into still water. They buried your past before you could even remember it I glanced at Victor. His face had turned white. Lady Marcy would not look me in the eyes. Something tightened inside me. "What does he mean?" Neither of them answered. “Victor.” Kael's voice was calm, but heavy enough to make the elder man flinch. Tell her. Victor swallowed thickly. “I…” “Now.” “Now. "I was trying to save her." "By lying?" "It wasn't so simple." Then make it simple. Stillness. The kind that squeezes your chest until you can barely breathe. I stared at the man I'd called Father for twenty years. "Please. My voice sounded small. “If you know something…” "...say it." Finally, he looked at me. For a moment I thought I saw guilt in his eyes. And then fear swallowed it. "I can't. The stranger gave a theatrical sigh. "I suppose I'll do it for you. He took a slow step forward. Every guard lifted their weapons up. “I said stop. Kael's voice rang in the hall as steel. The stranger did as he was told. Not because of fear. Because it amused him. "You know," he said, "this whole battle could end right now." "No." "It might." He lifted a hand, pointed right at me. "Give me the girl." “I won’t kill no one else. The room was still. Kael didn't even look in my direction. "No." "Too many lives..." The stranger shook his head. "...all for one girl. "I said no," I said. The stranger smiled again. “You’ve always had that trouble. “You save people who can't save themselves. A flicker of something in the gold of Kael's eyes. Suffering. It was gone as suddenly as it had come. 'You ought to have learnt your lesson twenty years ago. The words felt like a punch in the For the first time .... Kael snapped. Just a little. His shoulders tensed. The stranger saw. 'You remember. My heart jumped. What remember? Then, before anyone could say another word, a tremendous roar came from outside. The mansion shuddered. One of the stained glass windows blew out. The wind blew down the hall, smelling of rain and pine. Then I heard it. A yowl. Deep. Strong. Antique. Every wolf in the room stopped. Even the stranger's smile stopped. Kael raised his head. His golden eyes were more luminous now, almost glowing. The air around him shifted. It grew heavier. Warmer Living. I could feel it on my skin. Above my heart beat. So . . ." whispered the stranger, half to himself. "...you are willing to change. I drew my breath. Change? Right here? Kael rolled the cuffs out, never breaking eye contact with the enemy. His voice was softer when he spoke again. "Lyra." I looked at him. "Whatever happens next..." He turned his head just enough for our eyes to meet. "Don't leave me." Something in the way he said it tightened my chest. Not a command. Like a vow. Or maybe not… See you. Bye. Then his golden eyes flashed with blinding light. The ground beneath our feet split open. A blast of energy so immense it ripped open every last window in the mansion. I automatically covered my face. I looked up again... Kael was no more. And stood where he once stood... Was the largest black wolf I had ever seen