BEYOND THE LUNAR VEIL

ing her lungs with the scent of blooming flowers and fresh earth. In the distance, a wolf's sound could be heard in the c

avement. Mia accelerated as her skin pricked. The bookstore had closed hours earlier, but

Mia's eyes searched the shadows. She had lived in this neighbourhood all her life, but tonight somethin

nstincts took over. She had taken self-defense classes, and she slowed her pace, he

e stepped into the moonlight, Mia's eyes widened. His eyes seemed to pierce her very being, and he was a tall, powerful man. Hi

herself, her heart racing. But before she could answer, the man stumbled forward, and

er throat, blurring her vision. The world swirled around Mia as if she were being pulled into a black

lood. She couldn't remember how she got there. The man's eyes opened for a moment and

leaned closer, her ear inches from his mouth. The barely a

him to her home, where the moonlight cast eerie shadows on the ground. She had no

, Kael, squinted and looked up from the couch. "M

before Kael could respond, the man's eyes snapped open and he glanced up

query could barely be

ensive expression. "Take him to the

ever. As she laid him on the bed, she searched his face for any distinguishable features. There was, howev

rned to leave, but her father's voi

at the stranger when she turned around o

efore I tell you everything,

the way his eyes appeared to be concealing something. Wondering

they were working, Mia couldn't help but glance at the stranger. His face was pale and his

l nodded and stepped back. "Let's get him clean

f Kael's old shirts. As they worked, the stranger's eyes appeared to occasionally fli

ack and nodded. "I'll go get some food

nto his face. As she waited for her father to return, she couldn't stop thinking about the

g at her so intently that it made her skin prickle. She felt a chill run down her spin

whispered, his voi

nt she felt as if she were drowning in their depths. His eyes

what seemed like an eternity, she gazed at the stranger's fac

red with a tray of food and water.

n up a couple times, but he has

tstand. "Let's get him some food and wat

nder. Who was this man, and what had brought him t

he kept thinking that this stranger was more complex than

he stranger's eyes briefly opened once more. This time, they loc

whispered, barely au

ith this mysterious stranger. "I'm Mi

she believed she was seeing into the stranger's so

ad a feeling that her life was about to undergo unthinkable changes.