The training grounds smelled of sweat and churned earth, the pack's energy a living thing under the midday sun. Luna's fists slammed into a leather-wrapped post, each strike a release for the storm raging inside her. The blood moon mark on her collarbone pulsed, a faint burn that hadn't stopped since Mara's cabin, since that vision of chanting wolves and vampires, of betrayal under a red moon. Elijah's face haunted her—his sharp jaw, his guarded eyes, that damn confession: "It ties you to me." She growled, hitting harder, the post creaking under her strength. She was a werewolf, a daughter of the pack, not some pawn in a prophecy. But the mark didn't care. It whispered, tugging at her senses, and she swore she felt him—Elijah, his hunger, his loneliness—like a shadow in her veins.
"Luna!" Tala's voice cut through her thoughts. Her friend jogged over, her braids swinging, concern in her dark eyes. "You're gonna break that thing. What's eating you?"
"Nothing," Luna lied, wiping sweat from her brow. The mark flared, and a flash hit her: Elijah, centuries ago, standing over a fallen wolf, his hands bloodied, his face twisted with guilt. She staggered, catching herself on the post. Tala grabbed her arm.
"You're not fine," Tala said, voice low. "Talk to me."
Luna pulled away, her heart pounding. "Just... training too hard." She couldn't tell Tala about the mark, about Elijah. Not yet. The pack would smell betrayal, and Kael, their alpha, was already watching her too closely. She forced a grin. "Need a sparring partner?"
Tala smirked, but before she could answer, Luna's senses sharpened. A familiar scent—ash, leather, blood—hit her nose. Elijah. The mark thrummed, pinpointing him in the forest beyond the camp. "I'll be back," Luna muttered, jogging toward the trees, her claws itching. He had no business here. This was her territory, her rules.
The forest was cool, dappled light filtering through pines. Luna tracked his scent to a clearing, where Elijah leaned against a tree, his black coat blending with the shadows. His eyes locked on hers, red flecks glinting, and the mark burned hotter. "You don't get to stalk me," she snapped, stopping a few feet away, fists clenched.
"I'm not stalking," Elijah said, his voice low, almost soft. "The Veil's still out there, Luna. I'm making sure they don't get to you first." His gaze flicked to her collarbone, where the mark hid under her jacket. She felt his guilt through it, sharp and heavy, like he'd carried it for centuries.
"Bullshit," she said, stepping closer, her wolf snarling beneath her skin. "You're here because you can't stay away. This mark—it's messing with both of us." The air crackled between them, her anger warring with something deeper, something the mark amplified. His scent was too close, his presence too much.
He straightened, his jaw tight. "I betrayed my clan once, for a wolf. It cost me everything. I won't let the Veil take you too." His voice broke, just a fraction, and the mark let her feel it—his pain, raw and old.
Luna's breath caught, but before she could respond, a twig snapped. Jace, a young pack scout, burst into the clearing, his eyes wide. "Vampire!" he shouted, lunging at Elijah with a knife. Luna moved faster, grabbing Jace's wrist and twisting, sending the blade flying.
"Stop!" she roared, shoving Jace back. Her heart raced, the mark pulsing wildly. Elijah hadn't moved, his eyes on her, trusting her to handle it. Jace glared, his chest heaving.
"He's a bloodsucker, Luna! Why's he here?" Jace's voice was loud, too loud. Others would hear.
"He's my prisoner," Luna lied, the words sharp and quick. "I'm interrogating him about the Silver Veil. Back off." She stepped between them, her stance daring Jace to challenge her. The mark hummed, amplifying her authority, and Jace hesitated, his eyes narrowing.
"You're playing with fire," he muttered, but he backed away, disappearing into the trees. Luna knew he'd run straight to Kael. She turned to Elijah, her glare fierce.
"You're making this harder," she said, voice low. "Get out of sight. Now."
Elijah nodded, his lips twitching like he wanted to argue but didn't. "There's a barn, half a mile east. I'll wait." He melted into the shadows, his speed unnatural, leaving her alone with the mark's lingering echo of his trust.
The pack meeting that night was a powder keg. The bonfire roared, casting flickering shadows across the gathered wolves. Kael stood at the center, his broad frame commanding, his eyes locked on Luna. "You've been distant," he said, his voice carrying over the crackling flames. "And now Jace says you're hiding a vampire. Explain."
Luna stood, her chin high, the mark a quiet burn under her shirt. "I'm not hiding anything," she said, meeting his gaze. "I caught a vampire sniffing around our territory. He knows about the Silver Veil, so I'm keeping him alive for answers. You want us safe, don't you?" Her voice was steady, but the mark pulsed, and she felt Elijah's presence, hidden but close. Too close.
Kael stepped forward, his scent sharp with suspicion. "You smell of him, Luna. Blood and ash. If you're lying, you're risking us all." The pack murmured, some nodding, others watching her with doubt. Tala's eyes were soft, pleading, but Luna couldn't waver.
"I'm protecting this pack," she said, her voice rising. "The Veil's hunting us, and I'm the one getting answers. Trust me, or don't—but I'm not the enemy." The mark flared, lending her words a weight that silenced the murmurs. Kael's jaw tightened, but he didn't push further. Not yet.
She left the meeting with her heart pounding, slipping into the night toward the barn Elijah had mentioned. It was a crumbling thing, its wood gray and splintered, the air thick with dust and old hay. Elijah waited inside, leaning against a rusted tractor, his eyes glinting in the dark. "You're good at lying," he said, a hint of amusement in his voice.
"Don't get used to it," Luna snapped, shutting the barn door. "I'm keeping you here because I need answers, not because I trust you." The mark hummed, betraying her words—she felt his sincerity, his need to protect her, and it pissed her off. "This mark's screwing with my head. What else aren't you telling me?"
Elijah stepped closer, his voice low. "I've told you what I know. The mark binds us, but it's your choice what to do with it. I'm here because you're in danger, Luna. That's all."
She wanted to argue, to push him away, but the mark let her feel his truth. She took a breath, steadying herself. "Fine. You stay out of sight, and we figure this out. But I'm in charge. Got it?"
He nodded, his eyes holding hers. "Got it, wolf."
Luna turned, the barn's shadows swallowing her as she stepped back into the night, the mark a constant reminder that her world was changing—and she'd have to fight to keep it hers.