Chapter 36: Whispers in the Dark

Luna's POV

The moon hung low in the sky, casting eerie shadows across my room as I paced restlessly. Sleep eluded me, my mind racing with thoughts of Ash, the curse, and the constant threat from Pack A. A soft breeze rustled the curtains, carrying with it a scent that made me freeze.

Blood. And something else... paper?

My heart pounding, I approached the window. There, pinned beneath a small, sharp rock, was a folded note. Dark spots stained its edges - blood, without a doubt. With trembling fingers, I retrieved it, my enhanced senses picking up a familiar yet unplaceable scent.

As I unfolded the paper, a small object fell out. A ring - my father's ring. The one he was wearing the day he died.

My breath caught in my throat as I read the hastily scrawled message:

"The attempt on your life was just the beginning. Your father discovered the truth, and it cost him everything. If you want answers, come to the old willow at midnight. Come alone, or all will be lost."

The words blurred as tears filled my eyes. My father's death, my assassination attempt - connected? A thousand questions swirled in my mind, but one thing was clear: I had to go.

I glanced at the clock. 11:30 PM. Just enough time to slip out unnoticed.

As I crept through the silent pack house, guilt gnawed at me. I should tell Ash. We were a team, partners. But the note's warning echoed in my head. Come alone, or all will be lost.

The forest was alive with night sounds as I made my way to the old willow. Every snapping twig made me jump, my senses on high alert. As I approached the meeting spot, a figure emerged from the shadows.

"You came." The voice was low, gravelly, and vaguely familiar. "I wasn't sure you would."

"Who are you?" I demanded, my voice steadier than I felt. "What do you know about my father?"

The figure stepped into a patch of moonlight, and I gasped. It was Garrett, my father's old beta - a wolf I hadn't seen since the day of my father's funeral.

"I know that his death was no accident," Garrett said, his eyes darting nervously around the clearing. "And I know that the same people who killed him tried to kill you."

My head spun with this revelation. "But... why? Who are these people?"

Garrett opened his mouth to respond, but suddenly stiffened, his nostrils flaring. "We're not alone," he growled.

Before I could react, a blur of motion burst from the underbrush. Ash materialized beside me, his eyes blazing with a mixture of anger and concern.

"Luna, what the hell are you doing out here alone?" he demanded, then turned to Garrett with a snarl. "And you - start talking. Now."

For a moment, I thought Garrett might flee. But then his shoulders slumped in defeat.

"I suppose you both need to hear this," he sighed. "It's bigger than I thought."

Over the next half hour, Garrett unraveled a tale that left both Ash and me reeling. A secret council, comprised of members from multiple packs. A prophecy about a wolf who could unite all packs - a wolf they feared would upset the balance of power.

"Your father discovered their existence," Garrett explained, his voice heavy with regret. "He was getting too close to the truth, so they silenced him. And when Luna started showing signs of extraordinary power..."

"They tried to eliminate the threat," Ash finished, his voice tight with barely contained rage.

I felt numb, the implications of Garrett's words sinking in. My entire life, everything I thought I knew about my father's death and my own identity, was a lie.

"There's more," Garrett said, reaching into his jacket. "Your father left this for you, Luna. He told me to give it to you if anything happened to him."

He handed me a small, worn journal. As my fingers brushed its leather cover, a jolt of energy surged through me. Images flashed before my eyes - my father writing furiously, a symbol I didn't recognize, a gathering of hooded figures.

I gasped, staggering back. Ash caught me, his touch sending another kind of electricity through my system.

"Luna? What is it?" The concern in his voice was palpable.

"I... I saw something," I mumbled, my head still spinning. "When I touched the journal. It was like... a vision."

Garrett's eyes widened. "It's true then," he whispered. "The prophecy... you really are the one."

Before either Ash or I could question him further, a howl split the night air. Pack A. And they were close.

"You need to go," Garrett said urgently, already backing away. "It's not safe here. Read the journal, Luna. It holds the key to everything."

With that, he melted into the shadows, leaving Ash and me alone with more questions than answers.

"We should head back," Ash said, his voice tight with tension. "It's not safe out here."

I nodded, clutching the journal to my chest. As we turned to leave, a gust of wind whipped through the clearing, ruffling the journal's pages. A small piece of paper fluttered out, landing at my feet.

With trembling hands, I picked it up. It was a photograph, worn and creased. My breath caught as I recognized the faces - my father, standing with a group of unfamiliar wolves. And there, in the background, barely visible but unmistakable, was Ash.

But not the Ash I knew. This Ash looked younger, harder somehow. And the way he was looking at my father... it wasn't the look of an ally.

My mind reeled. How could Ash have known my father? And why had he never mentioned it?

As I turned to confront him, another howl pierced the night, much closer this time. Ash grabbed my hand, pulling me towards safety.

"Luna, we have to go. Now."

I allowed him to lead me away, the photograph burning a hole in my pocket. My mind was a whirlwind of confusion, betrayal, and fear.

One thing was clear - everything I thought I knew was about to change. The truth about my father, about Ash, about my own identity... it was all hidden within the pages of that journal.

As we raced back to the pack house, the weight of destiny settled heavily on my shoulders. I was the wolf of prophecy, the one with the power to unite the packs. But at what cost?

And could I trust anyone - even Ash - to stand by my side as I unraveled the truth?

With Pack A closing in and secrets threatening to tear us apart, I knew one thing for certain: the real battle was only just beginning.