Login to ManoBook
icon 0
icon TOP UP
rightIcon
icon Reading History
rightIcon
icon Sign out
rightIcon
icon Get the APP
rightIcon
Bared By The Moon

Bared By The Moon

Ama Laurel

5.0
Comment(s)
View
5
Chapters

Hazel's passion for photography leads her into the untamed wilderness...and straight into the magnetic gaze of Kian, a dangerously alluring Alpha. Their connection is instant, a forbidden fire igniting between them. But Hazel's about to uncover a shocking secret that will change everything: she's not just human, she's werewolf royalty, her bloodline dominant, and a descendant of a lineage thought extinct. This revelation makes their forbidden love even more perilous, placing them in the crosshairs of ancient pack rivalries, a looming betrayal from within, and her best friend's terrifying transformation.These forces conspire to tear Hazel and Kian apart, and their forbidden passion is caught in the withering fire. Can their passion survive the storm of pack politics and a centuries-old feud, or will the weight of history shatter their dreams and tear them apart forever?

Chapter 1 The Exhibition

The scent of damp earth and pine needles clung to me, a ghost of the morning's walk. I'd needed that quiet moment before the storm, before the exhibition. Closing my eyes, the image of the wolf, silhouetted against the dawn, burned into my mind – magnificent, wild, free. Opening them, the glass doors of the Crestwood College gallery loomed ahead. Showtime.

(Hazel's POV)

"The brie bites! They've vanished!" Mrs. Dubois flapped her hands like a frantic hen. I winced. This was my first exhibition, ever, and Mrs. Dubois's "emergencies" were already legendary. Our faculty advisor, not quite a curator but close enough in the chaotic pre-show prep, was a petite woman with large brown eyes and perpetually swirling hair.

I'd only been at Crestwood College for a month, still navigating the labyrinth of lecture halls and the even more complex social dynamics of the art department.

I sidestepped Mrs. Dubois, the familiar aroma of printer ink and slightly stale coffee filling my nostrils – the scent everyone else associated with countless opening nights. For me, it was just...anxiety.

The projector coughed, a dry, rattling sound, and the image on the wall – my "Frozen Moments" logo, a stylized snowflake – flickered. Tonight was the culmination of months of work.

My photography. Finally on display. This was my chance. To prove I belonged. To prove I wasn't just some transfer student trying to fit in. But this exhibition was about more than just my art. It was about answers.

Crestwood wasn't just any college. It was the Crestwood, the town where, just a month ago, everything had changed. My first visit, taking photos for this very exhibition, had led me to the woods. And in those woods, I'd met a wolf. And then...him. Kian. I'd felt drawn to this place ever since, an inexplicable pull that had ultimately led to my transfer.

Tonight, I felt like I was walking a tightrope, high above the ground, with no safety net.

Liam, my close friend, attempted to hang a large canvas print, his arms flailing precariously as he balanced on a wobbly chair. Liam was handsome, with striking blue-green eyes and a broad build.

At the far end of the hall, Chloe, my ride-or-die, meticulously arranged programs, her brow furrowed in concentration. Chloe, petite with beautiful brown hair and plump lips just like mine, was the anchor in my life. People always commented on how much we looked alike, a bond that went beyond mere physical resemblance.

"Liam, for the love of Ansel Adams, be careful!" I exclaimed, my voice cracking with a nervous laugh. "That's the centerpiece!"

Liam grinned, unfazed. "Relax, Hazel. I've got this. Besides," he added with a wink, "a little drama is good for the soul, right?"

Chloe rolled her eyes. "Only if it doesn't involve your clumsy self destroying Hazel's art." My face relaxed into a grateful smile.

This exhibition, "Urban Wilds," was my baby, a collection of photographs capturing the hidden beauty in the heart of the city – the stark contrast of nature reclaiming urban spaces, and the quiet resilience of life persisting amidst concrete and steel.

Each image held a piece of me, a reflection of my journey. But it was also a test, a chance to prove myself after the...incident. The gallery owner's dismissive remarks still stung. "Interesting...but lacking a certain...spark." Tonight, I was determined to show them all.

My heart hammered against my ribs, a trapped bird desperate for escape, as I surveyed the gallery, taking in the controlled chaos. Izzy, from my art class, chewed her lip, adjusting the lighting, muttering about "warm tones and dramatic shadows." Javier, a classmate of ours, fine-tuned the sound system, fingers dancing across the trackpad.

Even my parents bustled about, beaming with pride, oblivious to the secret that simmered beneath my skin – the secret I suspected was connected to the forest, the wolf, the strange crescent-shaped birthmark on my hip.

A shiver ran down my spine as I glanced out the window at the dark silhouette of the forest against the cityscape. Ever since my encounter with the wolf, I'd felt a strange pull towards the woods, a sense of...recognition? The image of those piercing golden eyes was burned into my mind.

He was magnificent. Powerful. Wild. And there was something...familiar about him.

"Earth to Hazel!" Chloe's voice broke through my reverie. "Everything okay? You seem a million miles away."

"Just pre-exhibition jitters," I mumbled, forcing a smile.

"Well, snap out of it," Liam said, finally managing to hang the print. "We've got a show to put on!"

As the gallery filled, my mind raced with worst-case scenarios. All those eyes, judging my work, judging me. Relief washed over me as I spotted my parents near the entrance, their faces beaming.

They had always encouraged my passion, nurturing my talent. They had no idea of the other side of me, the part drawn to the wild, the part that dreamt of wolves, the part that had unknowingly ventured into real-life wolf territory.

Taking a deep breath, I reminded myself why I loved photography. It wasn't about accolades. The room hummed with polite chatter. I moved through the crowd, exchanging smiles, until I stopped before a group gathered around my photograph of a lone wolf.

"He was silhouetted on a ridge," I said, my voice filled with excitement. "A speck against that vast, breathtaking landscape." The image came alive in my mind – the fiery sunset, the wolf's piercing gaze, the awe that had washed over me.

Interest rippled through the group. "And the condors," I continued, my voice gaining momentum. "They were circling above the canyon, riding the thermals.

You could feel the power in their wings, the ancient wisdom in their eyes." The atmosphere shifted. Polite smiles gave way to engaged expressions.

Then I saw him. Kian. He stood near the back, his tall, imposing figure radiating quiet power.

He moved through the crowd, his gaze never leaving mine. Dressed casually, he still possessed an untamed elegance.

His deep brown hair was tied back loosely, revealing a rugged face, etched with lines and a faint scar along his jaw. His golden eyes, flecked with amber, held a mystery as deep as the forest. His lean, muscular body suggested a quiet strength. His golden eyes, flecked with amber, met mine, and my breath hitched. The air between us crackled.

"There was something in his eyes – an intensity that made my breath catch, and beneath it, a flicker...was it long? Curiosity?"

He stopped before me, his presence filling my senses. He smelled of pine needles and something else, something wild and intoxicating. "Your photographs are...extraordinary," he said, his voice deep and resonant.

"Thank you," I replied, breathless.

"They capture the essence of the city," he continued. "The wildness that lies beneath the surface."

"That's what I was trying to convey," I said.

He smiled, a slow, captivating smile that made my stomach flip. "You succeeded," he said.

We stood there, the silence charged with unspoken energy.

I could feel his gaze on me, searching mine. A strange pull, a connection I couldn't explain. It's like I know him. Like I've known him my whole life.

"I...I should probably mingle," I said, breaking the silence.

"Of course," he replied. "I'll let you get back to your guests."

He stepped back, his gaze lingering. "I'll be around," he murmured.

I watched him disappear into the crowd, unable to shake the feeling that our encounter was more than chance.

There was something about him, something about the way he looked at me, that made me believe our paths were destined to cross.

The rest of the evening was a blur – smiles, clinking glasses, snippets of conversation. My mind kept drifting back to Kian, his golden eyes, the strange connection.

As the exhibition closed, the tension unwound. I had survived. More than that, I connected with people, shared my vision, and made a lasting impression.

Liam and Chloe gathered around me, beaming. "You were amazing, Hazel!" Liam exclaimed. "Everyone loved your work!"

"You were a star," Chloe added. "I told you you had nothing to worry about."

My eyes welled up. "I couldn't have done it without you," I whispered.

"Where are Izzy and Javier?" I asked.

"They left early," Liam replied.

Chloe patted my cheek. "Stop it now, Hazel, you'll make us cry too" we laughed.

As we packed up, my parents came over, their eyes filled with love. "We're so proud of you, sweetheart," my mom said. "You're so talented," my dad added. "You're going to go far."

I smiled a genuine smile. I felt peaceful, and at ease. I was lucky to have such supportive parents. And maybe one day I'd be bold enough to tell them about the wild dreams.

As we packed the last photographs, I noticed a small, folded piece of paper on the floor. I picked it up and unfolded it. It was a note, written in elegant script.

"I know what you are."

My breath hitched. My hand trembled, the paper crinkling slightly. I looked around. The guests were all gone.

Who wrote this note? What did they mean by "What" instead of "Who"?

Goosebumps erupted on my arms.

Continue Reading

You'll also like

After Rebirth, She Became a Real Billionaire

After Rebirth, She Became a Real Billionaire

Rashmi
4.3

Renea was trying the wedding dress, when suddenly the man rushed in the dressing room and held her neck tightly... “Bitch! Are you still trying to pretend innocent!” Jasper said as he tightened his grip on her neck and choked her harder. Then he used his other hand and took out the phone from his suit pocket and played the video of two people having sex in front of Renea… However, what was even more shocking, was that the woman in the video was, Renea Morris, however, the man in the video was not Jasper. Renea struggled to take a phone away from Jasper’s hand and tried to explain, “Jasper, it was not what you think… I… I can…” Jasper looked at Renea with his eyes full of disgust, as he said, “Let’s call of the wedding. I can’t marry a woman like you.” After saying that Jasper walked out of the shop Renea chase after Jasper... But then she sees Jasper passionately kissing her sister Kailey. And she hears everything, that her sleeping with strange men was all a plan of the vipers of the last two days, and that their goal was to get out of this stupid marriage. Even her adopted parents were also involved in this matter... They all do this with her because of the inheritance left by her grandfather... Renea heart was filled with anger and she wanted to expose their true colors to the public... However before she could do anything, Kailey had pushed her in front of the car and she got killed... However, when Renea open her eyes, she found herself sitting in the car with Kailey... She realized that she was reborn and went at the time when everything started... Renea looked at the people who had hurt her in her previous life and her lips curled up in a cold smile... She was back... However, this time... she was back for revenge...

Begging His Billionaire Ex Back

Begging His Billionaire Ex Back

Rashmi
5.0

Looking at the divorce papers my lips curled up into a mocking smile. 'How big fool I am? How can I think that he will give a chance to this marriage? How can I forget that I was nothing more a tool in his eyes to vent his anger until his beloved Tara is back. Since, she was back, how can he let me stay there?' "After you will sign these papers, you will receive 100 million dollars as alimony." the lawyer added. Because of his words, I came back to my senses took the pen from him, and signed the name. I have also gotten exhausted from this marriage both physically and mentally. Even though I had wanted my child to be born into a complete family, I didn't want my child to have a stepmother and live miserably like me for the rest of his life. After taking the papers from my hand, the lawyer gave me the bank card, turned around, and was about to leave when he paused at the door. He then turned around and added, "Mr. Carter said that he hoped that you won't pester him, or you have to bear the consequences." The lawyer's words were like a knife stabbing in my heart, but I still nodded. Anyway, I also don't plan to have anything to do with him anymore. I just want to live a good life with my children. After the lawyer left, the ward fell into silence. I placed my hand on my belly and said to my children, "Baby, I am sorry, Mommy can't give you a complete family! But I promise you, I will do my best to give the love of both mother and father." 'As for giving one of my child, I will never do that. They are my babies and my alone. I and I will give birth to all of them and raise them no matter what.' Four Years Later... Anya came back to the country with her three kids, to inherit the company left by his grandfather...

Chapters
Read Now
Download Book