BLOODBOUND:BENEATH THE MOON

The room was cold. Not physically in a way , but in the way a place could make your skin crawl,marble floors, steel chairs, glass walls. Expensive taste, the office screamed power before one spoke a word. ************* A long, polished table ran the length of the room. Around it sat five figures,sharp suits, sharper eyes.looking like normal human beings with money, influence and power. One of them, the oldest, a man with streaks of gray in his slicked-back hair, leaned forward. His voice was calm but very sharp. "The child is alive," he said. The words hung in the air, heavy as the tension that followed. "They suspect it's the one the Vales adopted some years ago," another said. A woman with a severe bun nodded, tapping her nails against the table. "And if it is... we've waited long enough to act,too long we cannot let him rise unchecked. The youngest of the council, a sharp-eyed man in his forties with a faint scar across his jaw, drummed his fingers on the table.Do we have someone on the inside because we won't seat still. That was when Elara stepped forward. She was tall looking, very dangerous. Every step was measured. Every word deliberate. She had a presence that made people flinch without her raising her voice. ************** "I have someone," she said. Her tone was cold, but commanding. There was no warmth in her voice. "He's unaware, completely human in appearance, but we've started him down the path. He's being set up. A fake dating profile. And I think... he's already taking the bait." There was whispers around the table. "And?" the oldest asked. "We're not here for updates, Elara. What else?" She exhaled softly, like smoke escaping a fire pit. "His birthday is coming up quickly. That's when everything could escalate. If he makes a wrong move, if he awakens something... we need control. I've prepared Marcus for this. Then came the pause. "Yes," she continued, eyes scanning each council member. "Marcus is... effective. Loyal. He knows what to do. And when the birthday comes, he'll be ready. But if the hybrid,if this Vale child is as strong as we suspect..." she leaned forward, voice almost a growl. "It could get messy." ********** One of the council members, a woman with steel-gray eyes, frowned. "Messy isn't good enough. We need precision. We can't afford mistakes,our future depends on this. Elara's lips curled into the faintest smirk. "I don't make mistakes. Not on this." A man sitting at the far end of the table cleared his throat. "We've all seen what the Vales produce. If this... child... has any of their brilliance, he won't just be a problem. He'll be a force. We need him under observation now, before the birthday gala, before the moon. ************ Elara's gaze snapped to him, sharp as a blade. "Enough with the theatrics. He's human, not something mystical. He's going to fall in love, he's going to trust Marcus. And when he does, we'll know exactly what we're dealing with. You'll have data, not speculation. The room went quiet for a moment. The weight of her words sank in. Not just power,but control. Precision. That's what they wanted. Not legends, not prophecies, not myths. "Fine," the oldest said finally. "Call a meeting. All resources,surveillance,background checks. Every asset available. We need eyes and ears on him immediately." Elara nodded once, tight and precise. "Already done." She turned, walking toward the door like she owned the entire building. Every council member watched her go, and you could feel it,fear, respect, anticipation. Outside the room, she paused for a second, staring down the empty hallway. She let herself think of the boy she'd never known, the brother she'd been told was a curse, the hybrid who could destroy everything. He didn't know her. She didn't know him. And yet... she felt it. A pull she couldn't name. A tension she couldn't shake. But there was no time for feelings. Not yet. She walked down the hall to the private elevator, her mind already on the plan. Marcus was ready. Louis,the fake profile, the bait was already working. And the birthday... The birthday would be the test. And if Noah Vale didn't play his part, the entire city, the entire world of human power and influence the council had built, could tip into chaos. Elara's hand brushed the pendant at her neck, a cold circle of silver. She'd been trained to follow orders, to trust no one but the court. But a single thought nagged at her. Unknown to her the child whom the Elders hated was her brother. ********* The council called for a meeting immediately. Everyone's phones pinged. Messages flew. Files were opened and closed. The room was alive with human energy,money, influence, power. And beneath it all, the sense that something monumental was about to happen. Because this wasn't a game anymore. The hybrid child-Noah Vale,was alive. And for the first time in decades, the council wasn't entirely in control. *********** Elara returned to her office later that night, eyes flicking over surveillance reports of the Vale family, Noah's schedule, even his online activity. The dating profile. She studied it, lips pressing together. "Good," she muttered. "He's curious. He's intrigued. The bait's working." Her fingers hovered over a tablet. Marcus's profile, waiting to send another message. She smiled faintly, approving. But even as she watched him, the pull in her chest returned. She hated that pull. She hated the flicker of recognition she felt when looking at the boy she'd only heard about in stories, in rumors, in nightmares painted by the Elders. ******** All she knew was that he was dangerous, irresistible, and human enough to walk right into her trap. And that made the game... more complicated than anyone anticipated. *********** By midnight, the council dispersed. Business as usual. Human faces. Human minds. Human schemes,but Elara stayed behind,staring at the city below,the birthday plan,the hybrid. Her heart a little heavier, her mind a little sharper. She whispered to herself, almost a warning, almost a prayer: "Don't screw this up, Marcus. And don't screw this up, me." The hunt had begun. And Noah Vale... had no idea how close the storm really was. ************