Chapter 2
Zara's POV
The black Rolls-Royce tore through the mountain roads outside Seattle.
I gripped the door handle so tight my knuckles went white. These people claimed to be my birth parents, but why didn't I believe a word of it?
"Relax, sweetheart." Helena turned from the passenger seat, flashing a perfect smile. "We'll be home soon."
Home? I let out a bitter laugh. "My home is that shitty apartment in the slums."
"That's not your home." Matthias's voice carried from the driver's seat, laced with unquestionable authority. "You belong to the Silverstone Pack."
I glared at the back of his head. "Then why did you dump me there in the first place?"
Silence fell over the car. Helena and Matthias exchanged a look—a detail I caught immediately.
They were hiding something.
Half an hour later, the car pulled up to a massive estate.
I stepped out and looked up at the structure before me, my jaw nearly hitting the ground.
The main building was a three-story European castle complete with carved stone columns, arched windows, and intricate relief decorations. Manicured lawns and rose gardens stretched as far as the eye could see.
"Impressive, isn't it?" Helena appeared beside me. "This is the life you should have had."
I didn't answer, just followed them silently toward the entrance.
Two uniformed servants immediately approached.
"Welcome home, Alpha, Luna." They bowed respectfully, then looked at me.
I noticed something odd in their expressions—curiosity mixed with confusion, like they were looking at something that didn't belong.
"This is our daughter, Zara." Matthias introduced me. "She'll be living here from now on."
"Yes, Alpha." The servants bowed again, but I clearly saw one of them frown slightly.
My hands clenched involuntarily. Even the servants looked down on me?
The living room was so luxurious it was almost blinding.
Crystal chandeliers hung from ten-foot ceilings, leather sofas surrounded a marble coffee table, and priceless paintings adorned the walls.
"I know this is all foreign to you." Matthias sat down, gesturing for me to do the same. "Let me explain our world first."
I sat warily in the armchair farthest from him. "What world?"
"The werewolf world." Helena gracefully poured me tea. "We're all werewolves, Zara. You are too."
Werewolves?
I stared at them, searching for any sign they were joking. "Are you screwing with me?"
"Look at your eyes." Matthias pointed to a mirror on the wall. "Back in the slums, when you were angry—that golden flash in your eyes? That was your wolf awakening."
I whipped around to stare at the mirror, studying my reflection intently. Sure enough, something seemed to flicker in the depths of my pupils.
"We're divided into different ranks." Helena continued explaining. "Alphas are leaders, Betas are followers, Omegas are the lowest tier. And you have Alpha bloodline."
"Alpha?" I scoffed. "Then why was I dumped in the slums to suffer for eighteen years? Aren't Alphas supposed to be powerful?"
"I can't explain that right now." Matthias said. "But you need to know—we love you."
"Celeste! Come meet your sister." Helena called toward the staircase.
Footsteps echoed from upstairs, light and slow, like someone barely had the strength to walk.
I turned toward the stairs, my heart lurching.
A girl descended slowly, looking about two years younger than me. Her skin was so pale it was almost translucent, her frame so fragile a strong wind could knock her over. But what shocked me most were her eyes—filled with fear and pain.
"This is Celeste, your sister." Matthias introduced her.
Celeste looked at me timidly, her voice barely a whisper. "H-hello, sister."
I immediately stood and walked toward her. "What's wrong with you? Why are you so weak?"
"She just has a cold." Helena quickly interjected. "Let's sit down for lunch—it's almost noon."
The atmosphere in the dining room was suffocating.
The long wooden table could seat a dozen people, but only the four of us sat there. Servants brought out elaborate Western dishes, but no one had any appetite.
I kept watching Celeste. She barely ate, just pushed food around her plate with her fork.
"Celeste, how are things at school?" I asked tentatively.
Her hand jerked violently, the fork clattering against her plate.
"F-fine." She wouldn't even lift her head.
She was obviously lying.
I asked directly, "Is someone bullying you?"
"No!" Celeste shook her head frantically, but tears were already welling in her eyes.
I was furious. "What the hell is going on? Tell me!"
"Zara, don't pressure her." Matthias frowned. "Crescent Moon Academy is a prestigious school with its own rules."
"What rules?" I slammed my hand on the table. "Rules about bullying people?"
Celeste jumped at my sudden movement, tears finally spilling over.
"Don't be angry... I'll tell you... I'll tell you, okay?" She choked out the words. "There's this Alpha at school named Damien Bloodfang. He... he bullies me constantly."
My blood turned to ice.
"How does he bully you?"
"Locks me in storage closets... makes me kneel and apologize to him..." Celeste started shaking as she spoke. "He says trash like me doesn't deserve to attend a prestigious school."
My fists clenched so tight my nails nearly broke skin.
"Damien Bloodfang, huh?" I said each word deliberately. "I'll remember that name."
"Zara, calm down." Matthias tried to stop me. "You can't just—over something this minor—"
"Minor?" I cut him off with a cold laugh. "You call this minor?"
I spun toward Helena. "I really don't understand your werewolf world."
Helena's reaction was strange.
Instead of immediately addressing my accusation, she rushed to Celeste and pulled a small vial from her bag.
"Celeste, time for your medicine." Her voice trembled slightly.
"I don't want to... it tastes awful..." Celeste protested weakly.
"You have to!" Helena's tone suddenly turned harsh. "It's for your own good!"
I frowned at the scene. Helena's reaction was too intense, like... like she was covering something up.
Celeste reluctantly took the vial and downed it in one gulp, then grimaced in pain.
"What kind of medicine is that?" I asked.
"Just nutritional supplements." Helena avoided my gaze.
"Mom... I want to go rest in my room..." Celeste said weakly.
"Go ahead." Helena looked relieved.
I watched Celeste stumble upstairs, my suspicions growing stronger.
After Celeste left, I laid my cards on the table.
"I'm transferring to Crescent Moon Academy."
"What?" Matthias and Helena exclaimed simultaneously.
"I'm going to protect her." I said calmly. "Since you two can't, I will."
"Absolutely not!" Helena suddenly stood, her voice shrill. "You can't go there!"
Her reaction only deepened my suspicions. "Why not?"
"Because... because..." Helena stammered, clearly scrambling for an excuse. "Because you haven't had a proper elite education. You won't fit in."
"I don't give a damn about fitting in." I said firmly. "I only care that my sister stops getting bullied."
Matthias thought for a moment. "If you're truly determined, I can arrange it. But be prepared—it's nothing like the slums."
"I've been ready." I stood up. "And that Damien Bloodfang? I'm going to teach him what happens when you mess with people."
With that, I headed for the stairs without looking back.
But as I turned, I caught a flash of panic on Helena's face.
What exactly was she afraid of?
And from upstairs, muffled sounds of pain came from Celeste's room—like something was tearing at her body from the inside.
This family was definitely hiding something.
