(Mei Lin's POV — First Person)
Morning came quietly at Mooncrest.
No birdsong greeted the dawn. No distant chatter of staff starting their day. Instead, the mansion woke the way a predator did—slowly, deliberately, as if it had never truly slept.
I sat on the edge of my bed, staring at the pale light filtering through tall windows, trying to convince myself that the unease coiled in my chest was nothing more than first-day nerves.
You imagined it, I told myself.
The pull. The heaviness. The way the night had seemed to breathe.
Still, when I rose and dressed, my hands trembled.
My quarters were modest compared to the rest of the mansion—clean, functional, tucked away in a quieter wing. Someone had thoughtfully left fresh clothes on the chair beside my bed. They fit perfectly.
That should have comforted me.
Instead, it unsettled me.
I stepped into the corridor and nearly collided with Kael.
He stood there as if he'd been waiting, posture rigid, eyes sharp. In daylight, he looked even more intimidating—his presence dense, coiled, like violence held tightly in check.
"Good morning," I said quickly.
He nodded once. "You'll breakfast first."
Not a question.
We walked in silence through winding halls until we reached a dining room bathed in soft morning light. The long table was already set, though only two places were occupied—Selene Blackwood at the head, and an empty chair beside her.
"Sit," she said kindly.
As I ate, she watched me with an intensity I couldn't quite decipher. Not suspicion. Not judgment.
Expectation.
"There are rules you must follow if you are to remain here," she said once the servants had withdrawn.
I straightened instinctively. "Of course."
"First," she continued, "you do not wander the estate without escort."
I nodded.
"Second, there are areas of the mansion that are off-limits. Kael will show you which."
Another nod.
"Third"—her gaze sharpened—"you do not ask questions about things you do not understand."
That made my stomach tighten.
"I—"
"In time," she added gently, "answers may come. But curiosity here can be dangerous."
I swallowed. "Understood."
Kael exhaled softly, as if relieved.
After breakfast, he escorted me on a brief tour. He pointed out rooms I could access, hallways I should avoid, and doors that were never—ever—to be opened.
"What happens if I break a rule?" I asked, attempting lightness.
His jaw tightened. "You won't."
That was answer enough.
Eventually, we stopped outside a sunlit chamber.
"The Alpha will see you now," Kael said.
My heart jumped.
Inside, Alaric sat near a desk cluttered with old books and papers. In daylight, he looked different—less haunted, more severe. His gaze flicked up as I entered, cool and assessing.
"You're late," he said.
"I was told to wait," I replied, surprised by my own steadiness.
Something like amusement flickered across his face—and vanished.
"You will address me as Lord Blackwood," he said.
I hesitated. "Yes… sir."
He watched me closely, as if testing something.
"You will assist with daily routines only," he continued. "No unnecessary conversation. No personal questions."
"That won't be a problem," I said, though a small part of me bristled.
As I helped him organize his desk, I became acutely aware of the space between us. The way the air felt thicker near him. Warmer.
"You don't belong here," he said abruptly.
I froze. "I'm sorry?"
"This place," he clarified. "It devours things that don't belong."
The words sent a chill through me. "Then why keep me?"
His hands clenched briefly. "Because my mother insists."
Because the moon whispers, something inside me added—unbidden and unwanted.
I finished my task and stepped back. "If that's all?"
"Yes," he said curtly. "Leave."
As I turned toward the door, he spoke again—quietly.
"You felt something last night."
My breath caught.
"I don't know what you mean."
"Good," he said. "Then forget it."
I left the room with my heart racing, mind spinning.
As I walked the corridor, one thought echoed louder than the rest:
Whatever Mooncrest was hiding…
It was already aware of me.
And it was watching closely.