Janet_Mark

Luna’s Bane

Lucia Grand has always been an outsider in her own home. Blamed for her mother’s death, ignored by her father, and tormented by her stepmother and stepsister, she has learned to live unseen, unheard—until the night she crosses paths with him.

Ezekiel Vale is cold, ruthless, and destined to inherit the mantle of Alpha. Feared by his own kind and untouched by weakness, he is bound by an ancient curse that dooms all werewolves: no wolf can take a human as their mate. To love a human is to be forsaken by the moon itself.

But the moment Ezekiel sees Lucia, the world shifts. His instincts scream one word—mate. It is impossible. It is forbidden. And yet, no force—not the laws of his kind, not the looming threat of war, not even the curse itself—can sever the pull between them.

As danger closes in, secrets unravel, and the true cost of their love is revealed, Ezekiel and Lucia must make an impossible choice: defy fate and risk destruction, or walk away and lose each other forever.

The moon watches. The curse lingers. And in the shadows, something even darker is waiting.

Some bonds are meant to break. Others are made to defy the gods.

LUNA’S BANE

Lucia sat on the edge of her bed, staring out of the window, her mind racing. The conversation with the man in the alley haunted her thoughts, his cold words lingering in her mind. Who was he? What did he want? She had felt something primal in his presence, something that called to her, even though she knew nothing about him.

Suddenly, a knock at the door startled her. She hadn't been expecting anyone. Her pulse quickened, and she hesitated for a moment before standing up. When she opened the door, her breath caught in her throat.

Standing in front of her was a woman she didn't recognize, her face soft with age but her eyes sharp and knowing. The woman wore a long, weathered coat, as if she'd been traveling for hours, maybe days.

"Who are you?" Lucia asked, trying to hide the unease in her voice.

"My name is Selene," the woman said softly, her voice tinged with a foreign accent. "I knew your mother."

The words hit Lucia like a slap to the face. Her mother? She barely remembered her, having been so young when she died. How could someone know her mother? And why was this woman standing in her doorway now, so suddenly?

"Come in," Lucia said, stepping aside reluctantly, unsure of whether she was inviting a stranger into her life—or a ghost from the past.

Selene stepped inside, her eyes scanning the room as if she was taking in every detail. Lucia watched her carefully, her suspicion growing with each passing moment. There was something about this woman that felt… different.

Selene sat down in the chair by the window, her hands resting on her lap, her gaze still fixed on Lucia. "Your mother… she was special," Selene said after a long silence. "She had a power. A power you've inherited."

Lucia's heart skipped a beat. "What do you mean? My mother died when I was a baby. How can I have inherited something I don't even know about?"

Selene hesitated, her expression hardening. "You don't know everything about your mother. There are things she kept hidden, things that were kept from you for your protection. Your father…" She trailed off, and Lucia noticed the sorrow in her eyes. "He never told you the truth, did he?"

Lucia felt a sudden rush of anger and confusion. Why hadn't anyone told her the truth about her mother? And what did this stranger mean by "power"? Her mind raced, but before she could ask another question, the woman stood up, her movements graceful but filled with urgency.

"You need to be careful," Selene warned, her voice low. "There are forces at work that you cannot understand. You are not just a regular human. You have a destiny, Lucia. And you must be ready to face it."

Before Lucia could respond, the woman turned and headed for the door. "What—what do you mean?" Lucia asked, her voice barely a whisper.

Selene paused at the door, her eyes meeting Lucia's. "You'll find out soon enough. Just know this: there is someone who's been watching you. Someone who knows what you are." She gave a small, almost sad smile. "And I suspect… that you're about to meet him."

The door closed with a soft click, leaving Lucia standing in the silence, her thoughts a whirlwind. What did Selene mean by "someone watching me"? Who was she talking about?

Lucia's thoughts turned back to the cold stranger in the alleyway. His presence had been so overpowering, so magnetic. She couldn't shake the feeling that somehow, their paths were destined to cross again.

But was she ready to face the truth? Could she even handle whatever secret her mother had left behind?

The answers, she knew, were just out of reach. And as she stared into the night sky, she wondered how much longer she could stay in the dark before everything came crashing down.

A STRANGER IN THE SHADOWS