Chapter 14: The Man from Lunaris

All three of us turned toward the shadows.

A tall man stepped into the moonlight.

He looked somewhere in his early thirties, dressed in a charcoal coat with no visible Pack insignia.

His hair was dark brown, almost black, but what caught my attention were his eyes.

Gold.

Not amber.

Not hazel.

Gold.

My wolf surged forward so violently that I nearly shifted.

Rowan moved in front of me immediately.

"Who are you?"

The stranger didn't seem impressed.

"Still protective, Vale."

Rowan went still.

"You know me."

"I know your family."

Knox stepped closer.

"Answer the question."

The stranger looked at him with mild amusement.

"Stormridge's heir. The boy who gave away a Lunaris descendant because he didn't like her weight."

Knox's face hardened.

"Careful."

"Why? Worried I'll ruin your reputation further?"

I stepped around Rowan.

"Who are you?"

The stranger finally looked directly at me.

His expression changed.

For one brief second, grief crossed his face.

"You look like Selene."

My pulse jumped.

"You know my mother."

"Very well."

Rowan's tone sharpened.

"Name."

The man sighed.

"Cassian Lunaris."

Everything inside me stopped.

"Lunaris?"

"Yes."

"That's impossible."

"People have been saying that about our family for nearly twenty years."

He smiled without humor.

"It gets repetitive."

I stared at him.

"My mother said most of Lunaris died."

"Most did."

"Then what are you to her?"

"Her cousin."

My mouth went dry.

"You're family."

"Technically."

There was bitterness in the answer.

"Where have you been?"

"Hiding."

"For twenty years?"

"Survival takes commitment."

Rowan remained suspicious.

"Prove it."

Cassian looked at him.

"I don't need to prove anything to you."

"Then you don't get near her."

Cassian's golden eyes narrowed.

For a second, power hummed in the air.

My wolf reacted immediately.

Not fear.

Recognition.

Pack.

That feeling was so strong I grabbed Rowan's sleeve.

"Wait."

He glanced at me.

"My wolf recognizes him."

Cassian's expression softened slightly.

"Good."

Knox frowned.

"What does that mean?"

"Old blood recognizes old blood," Cassian answered.

"Lunaris wolves could always sense one another more easily than ordinary Pack members."

I looked at him.

"Why did you call me a Lunaris Alpha?"

"Because you are one."

I laughed once.

"No, I'm not."

"Your wolf disagrees."

"My wolf cracked a crystal. That's not exactly an election."

"There hasn't been a Lunaris Alpha in eighteen years."

Cassian stepped closer.

"Your mother renounced her claim when she disappeared. The remaining bloodline scattered. But Alpha inheritance doesn't vanish because people stop using the title."

My stomach tightened.

"Why me?"

"Because Selene was the last Alpha's daughter."

I stared at him.

"My grandfather was Alpha?"

"Aurelius Lunaris."

The name sent a strange pulse through my chest.

"And you're saying that makes me his heir?"

"Potentially."

"Potentially?"

"There are rituals, blood confirmation, Pack recognition."

"Wonderful."

I crossed my arms.

"Anything else my family forgot to mention? Secret crown? Underground castle? Prophecy?"

Cassian almost smiled.

"No prophecy."

"Finally, some good news."

Rowan didn't laugh.

"Why reveal yourself now?"

Cassian looked toward him.

"Because her markings were exposed."

"You saw the photos?"

"Everyone who has been waiting for Lunaris to resurface saw them."

A chill moved through me.

"Waiting?"

"Not everyone believed the bloodline was dead."

"Who?"

"Old enemies. Old allies. Opportunists."

His eyes shifted toward Knox.

"Stormridge."

Knox bristled.

"My father doesn't speak for me."

"You carry his name."

"And you carry Lunaris. Doesn't mean you're trustworthy."

Cassian gave him a look that was almost approving.

"Fair."

I stepped between them.

"Enough. What do you actually want from me?"

Cassian's expression became serious.

"To keep you alive long enough to make your own choices."

Rowan's posture changed.

"Is there an immediate threat?"

"Yes."

"From who?"

"I don't know yet."

Rowan's eyes hardened.

"That's not useful."

"Neither is pretending Nightvale can protect her from something it failed to stop twenty years ago."

The insult landed hard.

Rowan's wolf flashed in his eyes.

"Choose your next words carefully."

Cassian didn't flinch.

"Your father controlled security during the gathering where Nessa was recognized."

"And helped hide Selene afterward."

"After the mistake had already happened."

I raised my voice.

"Stop."

Both men looked at me.

"I am done listening to old Pack grudges when nobody has bothered telling me the full story."

Golden light flickered across my fingers again.

Cassian noticed.

"Your Alpha instinct is developing quickly."

"Don't change the subject."

"Fine."

He reached into his coat.

Rowan immediately moved.

"Slowly."

Cassian rolled his eyes and pulled out a small metal case.

Inside was a photograph.

Old.

Damaged at the edges.

He handed it to me.

A group of people stood beneath a stone arch.

My mother was there.

Younger.

Beside her stood a man with the same gold eyes as Cassian.

Behind them was a silver-haired older man.

And in front...

A little girl.

Round-faced.

Chubby.

Smiling.

Me.

Beside me was a thin black-haired boy.

Rowan.

His breath caught.

"Where did you get this?"

"Lunaris archives."

I touched the photograph.

A memory flashed.

Music.

Lanterns.

Rowan pulling me toward a table full of desserts.

Then blood.

Someone shouting.

My mother grabbing me.

A carriage leaving in darkness.

I sucked in a breath.

Rowan reached toward me, then stopped.

"Nessa?"

"I remembered something."

Cassian's expression sharpened.

"What?"

"Someone was bleeding."

"Who?"

"I don't know."

The memory vanished.

Cassian looked troubled.

"Your memories may have been suppressed."

"By trauma?"

"Maybe."

"Maybe?"

"Lunaris had techniques for sealing dangerous memories in children."

I stared at him.

"You think someone did that to me?"

"It's possible."

Knox muttered, "This keeps getting worse."

For once, I agreed with him.

Cassian looked toward the university buildings.

"You shouldn't stay exposed."

"I'm not leaving school."

"Then security needs to change."

Rowan nodded.

"Agreed."

I pointed at both of them.

"Nobody assigns me guards without asking."

Cassian smiled faintly.

"Definitely Selene's daughter."

"And nobody uses that as an excuse to ignore me."

"Understood."

My phone rang.

Mom again.

I answered immediately.

"Mom, you're going to want to sit down."

Cassian spoke before I could stop him.

"Hello, Selene."

Silence.

Then my mother whispered through the phone:

"Cassian?"

His expression changed completely.

"It's been a long time."

Mom's voice turned sharp.

"Get away from my daughter."

Cassian closed his eyes.

"There it is."