CHAPTER 9
The night the jungle remembered blood.
Luna was going to meet miss hyper and to check for Maya,
Aiden stood a few steps ahead of her. His back was tense. His shoulders tight like he was carrying too much weight inside his chest.
"This is where it happened," he said quietly.
Luna nodded. She did not trust her voice.
The diary pressed warm against her side. Not humming. Not warning. Just waiting.
Then the air shifted.
Dorian stepped out from the shadows.
He did not look relaxed. His eyes were sharp. Cold. Focused. His coat moved slightly with the night wind, but his body stayed still.
"You shouldn't be here," Aiden said.
Dorian's gaze flicked to Luna. Then back to Aiden. "Neither should you."
Luna stepped forward. "Stop. Both of you."
Neither listened.
Aiden took a breath. "You knew."
Dorian frowned. "Knew what."
"That she was going to die," Aiden said. "You vampires clean blood too well. The scent was wrong."
Dorian's jaw tightened. "Careful."
"You were here," Aiden pressed. "After she died."
Dorian's eyes flashed. "And you were here before she did."
Silence snapped between them.
Luna felt her heart start to race. "This is not true," she said. "Both of you. This is exactly what Malvex wants."
Dorian looked at her. His voice softened just slightly. "He wants chaos. Yes. But that does not mean Aiden is innocent."
Aiden laughed once. Bitter. "Says the vampire who hides his tracks."
That did it.
Dorian moved first. Fast. Too fast for Luna to stop.
Aiden shifted. Bones cracked. Fur tore through skin.
The sound was violent. Real.
The forest exploded.
Claws met stone. Fangs met flesh. Tree bark shattered as Aiden slammed Dorian into a trunk. Dorian vanished and reappeared behind him, slamming his elbow into Aiden's spine.
Luna screamed. "STOP"
The diary burned.
Pain shot through her chest like fire.
Aiden roared and swiped. Dorian barely dodged, claws slicing his coat. He kicked Aiden hard, sending him crashing through underbrush.
"You think you're protecting her," Dorian snapped. "You are the danger."
Aiden rose slowly, blood dripping from his mouth. "I would die before I let her fall."
They collided again.
The ground shook.
Miles away, Maya grabbed her chest.
Something inside her awake.
She gasped. Light flared under her skin. Her knees buckled.
"Maya" Ethan shouted, catching her before she fell.
The forest answered her power.
Something moved in the dark.
Too quiet.
Too old.
Back in the clearing, Luna dropped to her knees.
"Please," she whispered. "Please don't make me choose like this."
The diary flew open.
Pages tore themselves.
Words bled.
CHOICE DRAWS BLOOD
BLOOD DRAWS WAR
Luna screamed.
Power rushed out of her like a storm. The wind howled. Trees bent. The ground cracked between Aiden and Dorian, throwing them apart.
They both froze.
Both stared at her.
She was glowing.
Not wolf. Not human.
Something else.
Then a scream echoed through the trees.
"MAYA"
Ethan's voice.
Luna spun and ran.
They found Maya surrounded by shadow. Her hands glowed bright now, power spilling out wild and uncontrolled. Ethan was bleeding, dragged across the ground, trying to reach her.
A shape moved behind Maya.
Tall.
Smiling.
Malvex.
"Perfect," he murmured. "She awakens faster than expected."
Luna's rage snapped.
The forest erupted.
Light and darkness clashed.
Malvex stepped back, amused. "Not tonight," he said softly. "Soon."
He vanished.
Maya collapsed into Luna's arms, shaking.
Aiden and Dorian stood behind them, both breathing hard. Both wounded. Both silent.
They finally understood.
This was never about Elena alone.
This was war being born.
And Luna was standing at the center of it.
The diary closed.
The forest went still, too still.
Malvex messenger ran back, the one who was told to spy on Dorian to tell him what he has seen.