night of revelations

"But as she lay there, the thought brought no comfort only a chilling sense that her life would never be the same again."

Luna’s thoughts tangled with fear and confusion as she lay in bed, her mind unable to settle. She had only wanted a fresh start in a quiet town, a chance to breathe. But everything had unraveled in the last twenty-four hours, and now she was caught in a world she couldn’t understand, with a man she barely knew, claiming he could protect her from a danger she hadn’t even known existed.

A part of her wanted to trust Alexander, but another part wanted to run and never look back. But how far could she even get?

The moonlight was casting shadows across her room, filling the space with an eerie glow. She turned to look out the window, where the dark forest loomed. Despite her fear, she felt a pull toward it—toward the mysteries it held and the questions that haunted her.

Finally, unable to bear the silence, she rose from bed, threw on a sweater, and crept out of her room. She tiptoed down the hallway, her heart pounding as she moved through the darkened house. Everything was quiet, almost unnaturally so.

As she reached the staircase, a deep voice cut through the silence, making her jump.

“Couldn’t sleep?”

She whirled around, clutching her chest to steady her heartbeat. There, standing in the shadows at the end of the hall, was Alexander, his eyes watching her intently. The silver-gray of his gaze almost glowed in the dim light.

Luna hesitated, unable to shake the sense that he had been waiting for her, expecting her to wander the house in the middle of the night.

“I needed some air,” she whispered, her voice shaky. “There’s too much… too much to think about.”

He nodded, a flicker of understanding in his eyes. “That’s to be expected. It’s not easy learning that the world is far bigger and far darker than you thought.”

He gestured for her to follow him, leading her toward the sitting room where the embers from the fire were still glowing faintly. They both sat, an uneasy silence hanging between them as Luna tried to collect her thoughts. Finally, she looked at him, unable to contain her questions any longer.

“How… how did you know my name, Alexander?” she asked, trying to sound braver than she felt. “And why were you in those woods tonight, when the Rogues found me?”

Alexander’s gaze held hers, intense and unflinching. “There’s more at work here than you realize, Luna. Things that have been set in motion long before you came to Willow’s Edge.”

Her hands clenched into fists in her lap, frustration and fear building. “That’s not an answer. I deserve to know what’s going on.”

He studied her for a moment, as if weighing how much to reveal. Finally, he leaned forward, his expression somber. “I knew your name because I’ve been watching over this area for some time. Willow’s Edge is my territory, and it’s my responsibility to protect it.”

She frowned, suspicion mingling with her confusion. “But that doesn’t explain why you were in those woods, or why you knew where to find me. It’s like you… knew I’d be there.”

Alexander’s gaze darkened slightly, a shadow passing over his face. “You’re right, Luna. I sensed something—someone—crossing the boundary of my territory. When I realized it was you, I acted quickly, because I knew the Rogues would sense you too.”

Her mind raced, struggling to process what he was saying. “And… why would they be after me? What could they want with me?”

He paused, his jaw clenched, as if debating whether to answer. “I don’t have all the answers yet. But something about you… draws them. The Rogues are always searching for power, for anything they can use to gain strength. And somehow, they see you as a source.”

A shiver ran down her spine at his words, her fear deepening. She had spent her entire life feeling ordinary, unremarkable. To hear that there was something about her that could attract creatures like the Rogues was unsettling, as if her whole world had shifted in a way she couldn’t comprehend.

“Power?” she whispered, feeling the weight of the word. “But I don’t have any power. I’m just… me.”

Alexander’s gaze softened slightly. “You may not see it, but they do. And that’s enough to make you a target.”

The silence settled over them once more, heavy with unspoken questions. Luna could sense that there was more he wasn’t telling her, but before she could press him further, a distant howl echoed through the night, sending a chill down her spine.

She froze, her eyes darting to the window, where the dark forest loomed just beyond the glass. The sound was haunting, filled with a predatory hunger that made her skin crawl.

Alexander’s expression hardened instantly, his body tensing as he listened intently. “Stay here,” he said, his voice low and commanding. “Whatever you hear, don’t leave this room.”

Without waiting for her response, he rose and disappeared through the door, his movements swift and precise. Luna sat frozen, fear gripping her as she listened to the silence, her mind racing with questions and possibilities.

But as the minutes ticked by, the fear gave way to something else—a restless, unshakable urge to know the truth. She couldn’t sit here, waiting and wondering, not when everything she’d ever known was slipping through her fingers.

Taking a deep breath to steady herself, she rose and moved toward the window. She could see shadows moving in the trees, figures darting between the branches in a deadly dance. Her heart pounded as she watched Alexander step into the clearing, his gaze fierce as he confronted a figure lurking just beyond the edge of the trees.

A shiver ran through her as she recognized the Rogue from earlier, the same man who had chased her through the woods with that predatory smile.

The Rogue tilted his head, his eyes gleaming as he looked past Alexander, his gaze locking onto her with a twisted smile. Luna felt her blood run cold as he raised his hand, gesturing toward her as if she were nothing more than prey.

In an instant, Alexander lunged forward, his movements fluid and deadly as he attacked the Rogue. The two clashed in a flurry of movement, their snarls and growls filling the night air as they fought.

Luna watched, transfixed and terrified, as Alexander’s form shifted, his movements becoming more feral, his strength beyond anything she could have imagined. He fought with a brutal, unrelenting force, his silver-gray eyes gleaming with an intensity that bordered on savage.

The Rogue matched him blow for blow, his smile never wavering as he taunted Alexander, his words lost in the chaos of their fight. But even from a distance, Luna could sense the malice radiating from him, a dark, twisted hunger that seemed to be focused solely on her.

Just when she thought the fight would never end, Alexander managed to land a powerful blow, sending the Rogue staggering back. The man snarled, his eyes blazing with fury as he clutched his side, blood seeping between his fingers.

But instead of retreating, he looked up at Luna, his gaze filled with a chilling promise. “This isn’t over,” he spat, his voice echoing through the night. “You can’t hide her forever, Alpha. She’s ours.”

With that, he turned and disappeared into the shadows, leaving Luna trembling in the silence that followed.

Alexander straightened, his breathing heavy as he watched the Rogue vanish into the darkness. Slowly, he turned and looked up at her, his gaze unreadable as he walked back toward the house.

Luna backed away from the window, her heart racing as she tried to process what she had just witnessed. A part of her wanted to run, to escape this nightmare before it swallowed her whole. But another part—a part she couldn’t ignore—felt a strange, unexplainable connection to this world, as if she belonged here.

The door opened, and Alexander stepped inside, his gaze hard as he looked at her. He didn’t speak, but there was something in his eyes that made her feel exposed, vulnerable.

“Are you all right?” he asked, his voice softer now, a note of concern in his tone.

She nodded, unable to find her voice. But as she looked at him, the questions bubbled up again, stronger than ever. “Who was he?” she whispered, her voice trembling. “Why did he… why did he look at me like that?”

Alexander’s gaze darkened, his jaw tightening. “He’s a Rogue. They’re drawn to power, and right now, they see you as something they want to possess.”

She swallowed, the fear twisting her stomach. “But why? I don’t understand.”

He sighed, a look of regret passing over his face. “I wish I could explain, but there are things even I don’t fully understand about you, Luna. All I know is that as long as you’re here, they won’t stop. They’ll keep coming, and they’ll do anything to claim you.”

The weight of his words settled over her, filling her with a sense of dread she couldn’t shake. She had stepped into a world filled with dangers she couldn’t comprehend, and now, there was no way back.