Chapter 4 Secrets Under The Moonlight Revealed

Three days passed since Morgana's return. She grew stronger each day, but the questions in her mind grew too. The pack members watched her with strange looks. Some seemed afraid. Others looked at her like she was someone important.

Morgana sat by her window in the healer's hut. The moon was full tonight. Its silver light made everything look magical. She touched the mark on her shoulder. It felt warm under her fingers. Sometimes it glowed when she wasn't looking.

A soft knock came at her door.

"Come in," she said.

Eldra stepped inside. The old woman carried a wooden box and wore a serious face.

"We need to talk, child," Eldra said. She sat on the chair beside Morgana's bed. "About who you really are."

Morgana's heart started beating faster. "What do you mean?"

Eldra opened the box. Inside was an old book with strange writing on the cover. Next to it lay a silver chain with a moon charm.

"Your mother gave me this before she died," Eldra said. Her voice was soft but sad. "She made me promise to give it to you when the time was right."

"My mother?" Morgana's hands shook. "But I thought... Dolph said my parents died when I was a baby."

"Dolph doesn't know the truth. No one does except me." Eldra took out the chain. "Your mother was my daughter. That makes you my granddaughter."

The world seemed to spin around Morgana. "That's not possible."

"Your mother was Luna before me. She was strong and kind. But she fell in love with a man from another pack. When you were born, some people got angry. They said it was wrong." Eldra's eyes filled with tears. "I had to hide you to keep you safe."

Morgana stared at the chain. The moon ornament caught the light from the window. "So I'm..."

"You're the true Luna heir. The true leader of our pack." Eldra put the chain around Morgana's neck. The moment it touched her skin, warmth spread through her body. "And there's more."

Eldra opened the old book. The leaves were yellow with age. Strange images covered each page.

"There's a prophecy about you," Eldra said. "It says a Luna with secret blood will join three packs under the moon. She will have a mate marked by the stars."

Morgana touched her shoulder mark. "This mark..."

"It appeared when you were hurt. The magic in your blood woke up." Eldra turned the page. "Look at this."

On the page was a picture. It showed a woman with a half moon mark and a guy with star marks on his arms. They stood together under a full moon.

"The prophecy says you and your mate will save all the packs from a great danger," Eldra said.

"But I don't have a mate," Morgana said. Her voice was quiet.

Eldra smiled. "Don't you?"

Before Morgana could ask what she meant, the door opened. Dolph walked in without knocking. He looked angry.

"Eldra, what are you doing here?" he said. His voice was hard.

"Telling her the truth," Eldra said. She stood up and faced him. "Something you should have done years ago."

Dolph's eyes went to the book and chain. His face got even more angry. "You had no right."

"I had every right. She's my child."

Dolph stepped back like someone had hit him. "What?"

"Sit down, Alpha," Eldra said. "It's time you learned everything."

Dolph sat down slowly. His eyes never left Morgana's face. She could see many feelings there - surprise, anger, something that looked like fear.

Eldra told him the whole story. About Morgana's mother. About the forecast. About why Morgana had to be hidden.

When she finished, the room was quiet for a long time.

"So when I rejected her..." Dolph's voice was so low Morgana could barely hear him.

"You rejected your destined mate," Eldra said. "The one the prophecy said would be your partner."

Dolph looked at Morgana. His eyes were full of pain. "I thought I was guarding the pack. You were so wild, so angry. You got into fights with everyone."

"I was angry because I felt different," Morgana said. Her own anger was growing. "I felt like I didn't fit. Now I know why."

"If I had known..."

"Would it have mattered?" Morgana stood up. The necklace felt heavy around her neck. "You threw me away like trash. You made me feel useless."

"That wasn't my intention."

"But that's what you did." Tears started in her eyes, but she blinked them away. She wouldn't cry in front of him. Not again.

Dolph stood up too. He took a step toward her. "Morgana, I-"

"Don't." She held up her hand. "Don't say you're sorry. Sorry doesn't give me back nine years of my life."

"I know that. But please, let me explain."

"Explain what? That you were afraid of me? That you thought I was too dangerous?" Her voice got louder. "Well, guess what? I am scary now. I had to become dangerous to survive."

The mark on her shoulder started to glow. Power filled the air around them. Both Dolph and Eldra stepped back.

"Morgana," Eldra said softly. "Control your power."

"I don't want to control it." The light got brighter. "I'm tired of being told what to do."

Dolph moved toward her again. "You're going to hurt yourself."

"Stay away from me." But even as she said it, something strange happened. When Dolph got closer, the angry power inside her started to cool down. The glow from her mark got softer.

"What's happening?" she whispered.

Eldra smiled. "The mate bond. Even angry, your souls know each other."

Morgana looked at Dolph. For the first time, she really looked at him. He had gotten more handsome in nine years. His dark hair was longer now. His brown eyes were still the same - warm but careful. And on his arms, she could see small marks she had never noticed before. Star-shaped scars.

"Your arms," she said.

Dolph looked down at his arms. The star marks were shining softly, the same silver color as her moon mark.

"I got these scars the night you left," he said quietly. "I thought they were just from a fight. But now..."

"The prophecy," Eldra said. "You both carry the marks. Moon and stars."

Morgana felt dizzy. Everything was moving too fast. "I need air."

She walked past both of them and out the door. The night air was cold on her face. She could hear Dolph following her, but she didn't stop walking.

She went to the lake at the edge of the town. The full moon mirrored on the water like a silver mirror. She sat on a big rock by the shore.

Dolph sat beside her, but not too close.

"I used to come here when I was young," she said. "When the other kids were mean to me."

"I know. I used to watch you sometimes."

She looked at him with surprise. "You did?"

"You were always alone. I wanted to talk to you, but I was the Alpha's son. I had to be careful about who I spent time with."

"So you waited until I was sixteen to reject me?"

Dolph was quiet for a long time. "You want the real truth?"