The musty scent of old books and dried herbs filled my nostrils as I followed the ancient werewolf through the hidden library. My footsteps echoed on the stone floor, each one reminding me how far I was from home, from my pack.
"Watch your step, young alpha," the old wolf growled, his voice like gravel. "Some of these tomes are older than your entire bloodline."
I bit back a sarcastic reply. After everything we'd been through to find this place, I wasn't about to risk pissing off our only source of answers.
"Speaking of bloodlines," I said instead, "you mentioned something about my true lineage?"
The ancient werewolf - he'd never given us his name, just called himself the Keeper - stopped abruptly. His yellow eyes narrowed as he studied me.
"Impatient, aren't you?" he snorted. "Just like your grandmother."
I froze. "You... you knew my grandmother?"
A wry smile twisted his lips. "Knew her? Girl, I helped train her. Fiercest werewolf I ever met - until you came along, that is."
My head spun. I'd always known I was adopted, that my birth parents had died when I was young. But my grandmother? No one had ever mentioned her.
"But that's impossible," I protested. "You're... well, ancient. My grandmother would have lived, what, 60 years ago at most?"
The Keeper's laugh was more like a bark. "Time moves differently for some of us, pup. Now come on, we're almost there."
He led me deeper into the library, past towering shelves filled with scrolls and artifacts. Finally, we reached a small alcove. A single pedestal stood in the center, holding a large, leather-bound book.
"This," the Keeper said solemnly, "is the Codex of Lineages. Every werewolf bloodline, every significant birth and death, recorded for millennia."
With surprising gentleness, he opened the book. The pages seemed to glow faintly in the dim light.
"Now, let's see," he muttered, flipping through the pages. "Ah, here we are. Skylar Johansen, born to... oh."
His sudden silence sent a chill down my spine. "What is it? Who were my parents?"
The Keeper looked up at me, his expression unreadable. "Girl, do you know what a Moonborn is?"
I shook my head, confused by the sudden change of subject.
He sighed heavily. "Of course not. The knowledge has been lost for generations. A Moonborn is a werewolf conceived and born during a lunar eclipse. They're incredibly rare, and incredibly powerful."
My heart raced. "And... you're saying I'm one of these Moonborns?"
"Not just a Moonborn," he said gravely. "According to this, you're the first one born in over a thousand years."
The weight of his words hit me like a physical blow. I steadied myself against a nearby shelf, my mind reeling.
"But that's not all," the Keeper continued. "Your mother... she wasn't just any werewolf. She was a direct descendant of the First Pack."
"The First Pack?" I repeated, the term vaguely familiar. "You mean, the original werewolves?"
He nodded. "The very ones. And your father... well, that's where things get really interesting."
I braced myself, not sure I could handle any more revelations. "Just tell me."
The Keeper's eyes met mine, filled with a mixture of awe and concern. "Your father wasn't a werewolf at all. He was fae."
For a moment, I was sure I'd misheard him. "Fae? As in, fairy?"
"As in one of the most powerful and dangerous supernatural races in existence," he corrected. "It explains a lot, doesn't it? Your ability to shift into forms other than a wolf, your unusual connection to nature..."
My legs gave out, and I sank to the floor. It was too much. All this time, I'd thought I was just a normal werewolf who'd happened to become an alpha. But this... this changed everything.
"Why?" I finally managed to ask. "Why was I given up? If I'm so special, why didn't my parents keep me?"
The Keeper's expression softened slightly. "They didn't have a choice, pup. A union between a werewolf and a fae? It broke all the rules. There are forces out there that would have stopped at nothing to get their hands on you."
"Forces like what?" I demanded, anger replacing my shock. "Who's so afraid of me that my own parents had to give me up?"
He shook his head. "It's not that simple. The balance between supernatural races is delicate. A being with both werewolf and fae blood? You could tip that balance. Some would see you as a savior, others as a threat."
I stood up, my fists clenched. "So what am I supposed to do with this information? Go back to my pack and pretend nothing's changed?"
"No," the Keeper said firmly. "You need to prepare. Now that you've come into your power, they'll be coming for you."
A chill ran down my spine. "Who's 'they'?"
Before he could answer, a deafening roar shook the library. Books tumbled from shelves, and dust rained down from the ceiling.
The Keeper's eyes widened in fear - the first time I'd seen that emotion on his face. "No," he whispered. "They've found us. We need to go, now!"
He grabbed my arm, pulling me towards a hidden door I hadn't noticed before. As we ran, I heard the sound of breaking stone and splintering wood behind us.
"Wait!" I yelled over the noise. "What's happening? Who's attacking us?"
The Keeper didn't slow down, practically dragging me through winding tunnels. "The Veiled Ones," he shouted back. "Guardians of the supernatural balance. They've come for you, Skylar."
We burst out of the tunnels into a moonlit forest. The Keeper pushed me forward. "Run, child! Find your pack, find Liam. You'll need them for what's coming."
"But what about you?" I protested, even as I felt the urge to shift and flee.
He gave me a sad smile. "I've lived long enough. Now go! And remember - trust your instincts. They're the key to your power."
Another roar, closer this time. I saw shadows moving at the tunnel entrance, huge and terrifying.
With one last look at the Keeper, I let the shift take me. But instead of my wolf form, I felt feathers sprout along my arms. In moments, I was airborne, my new owl form carrying me swiftly through the trees.
As I flew, my mind raced. Moonborn. Werewolf and fae. A threat to the supernatural balance.
Who was I really? And more importantly, what was I capable of?
The answers, I feared, might change everything.