Chapter 20 Luna's Heart
He finished his coffee and went back upstairs. Got ready for school even though it was only 4 AM.
Better to be moving than sitting. Waiting. Thinking.
By the time he left the house, the sun was rising. Streets empty. Quiet.
Miguel walked to school. Same route he'd taken with Luna a hundred times.
Everything looked normal. Peaceful.
But it didn't feel that way.
He felt watched. Followed. Like something tracked his movements from the shadows.
Miguel walked faster. Looked over his shoulder.
Nothing. Just empty street and morning light.
He turned a corner. A shortcut through the park.
Mistake.
The park was dark. Trees blocking the dawn light. Too many places to hide.
Miguel's instinct screamed danger.
He started jogging. Needed to get through fast. Reach open ground.
Something moved in his peripheral vision.
He spun. Saw nothing. Just trees and shadow.
"Hello?" His voice cracked. Embarrassing.
No answer.
Miguel backed toward the park exit. Keeping his eyes on the tree line.
A growl. Low. Deep. Not a dog. Not anything natural.
Miguel ran.
Behind him, something gave chase. Fast. Getting closer.
He burst out of the park onto the street. Safety. Witnesses. Civilization.
The thing behind him stopped at the park boundary. Like it couldn't or wouldn't cross into open space.
Miguel kept running. Didn't stop until he reached school. Other students. Teachers. People.
He leaned against a wall. Gasping. Heart hammering.
What the hell was that?
He looked back toward the park. Nothing visible. But he felt it. Still watching. Still waiting.
Miguel pulled out his phone with shaking hands. No signal. That was weird. He always had signal here.
The screen flickered. Went dark. Then lit up again showing a message he hadn't written.
She can't save you.
Miguel dropped the phone. It clattered on concrete.
When he picked it up, the message was gone. Screen normal. Signal restored.
He wanted to believe he'd imagined it. Stress and lack of sleep playing tricks.
But he knew better.
Something from Luna's world was here. In his. Hunting him specifically.
And Luna was too far away to help.
POV: LUNA
Luna couldn't focus.
Shifter History was first period. Professor Cael teaching about ancient pack structures. Normally Luna paid attention. Cael's classes were interesting. Relevant.
But today the words washed over her. Meaningless noise.
All Luna could think about was the dream. Miguel's face. His voice. The sadness in his eyes.
And her mark. The way it had glowed. Burned. Like it was trying to tell her something.
"Miss Eclipse."
Luna's head snapped up. Professor Cael stood at the front of the classroom. Waiting. Everyone staring.
"Yes?"
"Perhaps you can tell us what happens when a marked wolf ignores their instincts?"
"I... sorry. I wasn't paying attention."
"Clearly. I asked what happens when instincts are ignored. Anyone else?"
A student in front raised their hand. Answered. Luna didn't hear it.
Cael's eyes stayed on Luna. Knowing. Assessing. Like she could see exactly what was wrong.
The class ended eventually. Luna gathered her books. Escaped before Cael could corner her with questions.
Lunch was next. Luna found Nova at their usual table. Marcus was there too. The shy second-year who'd helped with the rogue creature trial.
"You look terrible," Nova said bluntly.
"Thanks. Feeling terrible."
"The dream?"
"Yeah. Can't stop thinking about it."
"Was it bad?"
"Not bad. Just intense. Real. Like Miguel was actually there instead of just my imagination."
Marcus looked up from his food. "Dream-links are rare. Most wolves never experience them."
"I've heard that," Luna said. "But why? What makes them happen?"
"Strong emotional connections. Usually between mates. The bond creates a bridge between consciousnesses." Marcus hesitated. "Or... the dying."
Luna's blood went cold. "What?"
"Sometimes people dream-link right before death. One last connection. A goodbye."
"Miguel's not dying."
"Are you sure? You said things are getting worse in the human world. People disappearing. Strange attacks."
Luna's mark pulsed. Warm. Insistent.
She touched it absently. "It's nothing. Miguel's fine. He has to be."
But doubt crept in. What if Marcus was right? What if the dream-link meant something was wrong? Something dangerous?
"Luna." Nova's voice pulled her back. "Your mark. It's glowing again."
Luna looked down. Faint silver light leaked through her sleeve.
"Not here. Not now." She pulled her sleeve down harder. Tried to will it to stop.
The glow persisted. Growing brighter.
"Maybe you should go to the medical wing," Marcus suggested.
"I'm fine. It'll stop."
"You don't look fine."
The mark pulsed harder. Heat racing up Luna's arm. Spreading through her chest. Her vision blurred.
"Luna?" Nova's voice sounded distant. Worried.
Luna tried to respond. Couldn't. Her throat was tight. Her lungs couldn't pull air.
The lunch hall faded. Colors bleeding. Sounds warping.
Then she saw him.
Miguel.
Standing in the corner of the lunch hall. Looking directly at her.
But wrong. Translucent. Flickering like a projection. His clothes torn. Blood on his face.
His mouth moved. No sound. But Luna could read his lips.
Help me.
Luna gasped. Blinked. Miguel vanished.
The lunch hall returned to normal. Students eating. Talking. No one else had seen anything.
"Luna!" Nova grabbed her shoulders. "What just happened? Your eyes went silver. You weren't breathing."
"I saw him. Miguel. He was here. In the corner. He said 'help me.'"
"That's not possible. He's in the human world."
"I know. But I saw him. As clearly as I see you."
Marcus had gone pale. "That's not a dream-link. That's a distress beacon. He's in serious danger. Life or death."
Luna stood abruptly. Chair scraping. Other students looking.
"I have to go. I have to help him."
"You can't leave campus," Nova said. "They won't let you."
"Then I'll sneak out. I don't care. Miguel needs help and I'm the only one who can give it."
"Luna, think about this. If you leave without permission, they'll expel you. You won't be able to come back."
"Then I won't come back. I can't let Miguel die."
Her mark burned hotter. The image of his bloodied face seared into her mind.
Help me.
Luna grabbed her bag. Headed for the exit.
Nova and Marcus followed. Trying to talk sense into her.
But Luna wasn't listening.
Miguel was in danger. Real danger. And somehow, impossibly, he'd reached across the distance to warn her.
She didn't know how. Didn't care.
All that mattered was getting to him before it was too late.