Chapter 3 Eyes in the Dark

The morning sunlight filtered through the thin curtains, casting soft gold on Selara's face as she stirred awake. The warmth was unfamiliar. For years, the only light she knew came from the cold, commanding moon. She sat up slowly, her senses already reaching listening for danger, sniffing for lies. But the apartment was still. Peaceful. Kieran had left a note on the coffee table: "Went to the clinic. Make yourself at home. There's tea in the cupboard." It was simple, human... and kind. She folded the note carefully, as if it were sacred.

She wandered through the small space, her bare feet silent against the wooden floor. Pictures hung on the walls one of Kieran with a laughing woman and a little girl. Both gone, she could sense that. The sorrow lingered like perfume on a forgotten coat. Her fingers brushed the frame gently. She didn't know this man, but she felt his grief like it mirrored her own. Maybe that's why the pull between them was so strong two broken souls orbiting something they didn't understand.

Across town, Jules crouched in front of a map scattered with pins and strings. She had tracked patterns for months strange howling at the edges of the forest, disappearing animals, silver residue found near the creek. The Order dismissed it as scattered data, but Jules saw a trail. Something crossed over. And last night, a local nurse mentioned seeing Kieran drive into town with a bruised and barefoot woman who "moved like a shadow." Jules's jaw tightened. If this woman was what she suspected a Luna then Kieran was in danger. And if she was something else entirely... Jules needed to see it for herself.

That evening, Selara stood on Kieran's balcony, her eyes scanning the horizon. The city was noisy, fast, and full of distractions, but her instincts hadn't dulled. She felt it a presence. Someone was watching. She didn't flinch. Instead, she turned her face to the moon, letting its dim glow wash over her skin. Her power was sealed, yes but not gone. And if whoever stalked her wanted a fight... they had no idea what kind of wolf they'd just sniffed out.