: The Mysterious Courtyard
: The Mysterious Courtyard
(Olivia’s POV)
More Rewards >
I was taken aback when I saw Faelan Moonstone standing before me. My heart hammered against my ribs as recognition hit me like a physical blow.
I had only met him once before. It was at that tense dinner when Caelan Mooncrest had taken me to that upscale restaurant. Theodore Redgrave and Lydia Miles were also present that night.
The memory made my skin crawl. The way Faelan had watched me then, like a predator studying prey.
I knew he was Ethan Moonstone’s father. My “Cipher” tracking system had confirmed something crucial – the photograph of my mother, Lyra Blackwood, was taken here at the
Moonstone Estate.
The coordinates matched perfectly. The architectural details in the background were
unmistakable.
I couldn’t help but wonder if the five years my mother was missing before going to Port Silverwood were spent with the Moonstone Pack. The timing matched perfectly with her disappearance.
What had she been doing here? Why had she never told me about this place?
Faelan introduced me to his mate with formal courtesy. “This is Alpha King Kane’s Luna,” he said, his voice respectful but distant.
His eyes held secrets. I could feel it in the way he looked at me, like he knew something I
didn’t.
Annelise stepped forward, her smile warm and welcoming. Her attitude toward me was very respectful, almost deferential.
“What an honor to have you here,” she said, bowing slightly. “Please, come in. You must be tired from your journey.”
But my mind was fixed on the whip marks I’d seen on my mother’s arm in those photographs. The brutal welts that had covered her skin like a map of pain.
Ethan’s words about “letting her go” echoed in my thoughts. What had he meant by that?
1/4
What had happened to my mother in this place?
My demeanor turned cold as ice. “I’m looking for Ethan,” I stated bluntly.
More Rewards
Faelan’s expression flickered for just a moment. But Annelise’s smile seemed somewhat forced, which didn’t feel right–there was definitely something I didn’t know about.
“Oh, he was transferred to overseas territories just last week,” Annelise replied apologetically. “Such a shame you missed him.”
Her words felt rehearsed. Like she’d been expecting this question.
I was about to leave when she quickly added, “But please, stay for our pack gathering! We have many acquaintances present tonight.”
Her gaze drifted past me meaningfully. I followed her gaze and couldn’t help but sigh, thinking that some people are truly persistent ghosts.
Theodore stood in the courtyard, his arm linked with Audrey’s. They looked intimate, comfortable together.
Audrey was laughing at something he’d said, her hand resting possessively on his chest.
I thought it would be safe with so many pack members around. And I was desperate to find clues about my mother.
This might be my only chance to search this place. To find answers about what had happened to her here.
“I’ll stay,” I decided.
(Tristan’s POV)
As Luna stepped into the Moonstone family’s courtyard, a plainclothes enforcer assigned to protect her discreetly placed a call to me.
“Beta Tristan, the Luna has entered the Moonstone Estate,” he reported quietly. “There’s a large gathering here. Alpha Theodore is also present.”
My blood chilled. This was not good.
Meanwhile, at the Stonehaven Council Hall, Alpha King was presiding over a territorial meeting. The atmosphere was tense with political negotiations.
Representatives from five different packs sat around the massive oak table. Maps and documents were spread everywhere.
More Rewards >
I entered quietly and whispered in his ear, “My King, the Luna has gone to the Moonstone family’s estate.”
Matthew’s pen stopped moving across the document he was signing. His entire body went rigid.
I explained quickly about the pack gathering, an invitation Matthew had declined earlier that week. “Theodore is also in attendance,” I added carefully.
The temperature in the room seemed to drop several degrees. The other pack representatives shifted uncomfortably.
“Could she be in danger?” I fretted, watching his expression darken like a storm cloud. “I’ve cleared two hours for you, perhaps you should…”
Matthew’s golden eyes turned cold as winter steel. The wolf in him was barely contained beneath the surface.
But he replied evenly, “She has enforcers protecting her. She’ll be fine.”
His voice was steady, but I could see his hands clench into fists under the table.
The meeting resumed without missing a beat. The screen displayed a research proposal from Killian Vance.
But I could see the tension in his shoulders, the way his jaw clenched. Every muscle in his body was coiled like a spring ready to snap.
He wasn’t as calm as he pretended to be. Not even close.
(Olivia’s POV)
At the Moonstone Estate, after exchanging a few pleasantries with other pack members, I excused myself. “Could you point me to the washroom?”
A young pack servant gestured toward the main hall. “Just down that corridor, Luna. Past the portrait gallery.”
But I went in the opposite direction instead. My wolf senses were on high alert as I moved through the ancient halls.
I headed deeper into the ancient, preserved inner residence. The architecture here was older, more traditional than the modern sections.
Stone gargoyles leered down at me from shadowed alcoves. Tapestries depicting ancient battles hung from the walls.
3
>
My steps halted before a small courtyard. Its gate was secured by a heavy iron chain, rusted with age.
The metal was old but strong. Someone had wanted to keep people out of this place.
Peeking through a c***k in the iron gate, I saw something that made my heart stop. The wall inside was strikingly different from the rest of the house.
Instead of traditional pack heraldry, it was covered in an abstract mural. Geometric shapes and solid colors created a flowing, artistic design.
My breath caught in my throat. As a designer myself, I instantly recognized this artistic style.
It was my mother’s work. Every brushstroke, every color choice screamed her name.
When I saw the mural of moonlight flowers in the bottom right corner, my eyes widened in shock. It was her iconic signature, exactly the same as the one she had always used.
The same delicate petals, the same flowing stems. The same subtle shading technique she’d taught me when I was just a pup.
A
