Luna's Hidden Strength

'I wasn't a school reporter for no reason!'

Their class was slated for physical education today, and upon disembarking from the school's court, Seraphyne had caught his attention.

'That woman looks 95% similar to Uncle Zephyir's newly wedded wife! How could she be here? And what's up with her talking to the school's leaders, especially the dean?'

He had even informed Kieiran of his stepmother's presence.

'Is she finally willing to move her tentacles after a week's rest? She must be planning to add more problems to Brother Ran! I must hurry and stop her! I can't let this woman ascend and become a witch that will haunt Brother Ran with terror every day!'

Yet, the reality before him felt baffling.

'But how could she look so different?'

He vividly recalled their last encounter at the Bloodmoon's main house, where Seraphyne had appeared almost ethereal, her beauty shrouded in a quiet reserve. Seeing her engage in animated conversation with Dean Emerson, radiating happiness, left him momentarily stunned.

Had he mistaken her identity?

'Could Brother Ran's stepmother have a sister who looks similar and could easily take her role? Her glow and aura changed too big!'

He thought Kieiran's stepmother was too introverted and incapable of performing so naturally while conversing with others. Caelum ran towards the group.

"Ah, Luna?" Caelum exclaimed, his voice a mix of surprise and bewilderment.

The stark contrast between the Seraphyne he had previously encountered and the woman before him was enough to raise myriad questions.

'She can't be the Luna! Will plastic surgery heal in a few days? So fast?'

Caelum's exclamation pierced the air, and Seraphyne turned her attention toward him. As their gazes met, Caelum couldn't help but feel an unexplained shiver run down his spine.

'Why do I feel that there's something terrible in her stare?'

Caelum could roughly guess that there was something different about the Luna, a hidden strength that seemed to exude from every pore of her being.

Unbeknownst to Caelum, Seraphyne harbored a secret that set her apart from the norm.

Underneath her seemingly delicate exterior, she concealed the heritage of not just one but two powerful supernatural lineages—a hybrid of both werewolf and vampire blood. This unique combination granted her a potency that was rare even within the supernatural realm.

In this particular moment, the air around Seraphyne seemed to thicken with a dangerous aura, a pulsating energy that only heightened her sibylline allure. Her eyes, usually warm and inviting, now held a hint of something more, something ancient and primal that hinted at the depth of her concealed power.

'I feel stuck!'

As Caelum stood before her, he found himself struggling to draw a full breath.

'Did the weather affect the air's flow today?'

The very atmosphere seemed to constrict around him, and he experienced an odd sensation of suffocation.

Seraphyne's lips curved into a gentle smile as she greeted him. "Hello there."

Her voice was like a soothing balm, dispelling some of the tension that had gripped Caelum.

'It's weird, and I'm feeling less suffocated. It's like someone's holding me, but there's no one near me.'

Yet, it did little to alleviate the underlying current of mystique that surrounded the Luna. At that moment, Caelum realized that there was much more to Seraphyne than met the eye.

'She can't be a witch, right? They have long been extinct, like what my grandmother said, and finding one at this age seemed even more impossible! Is she a mage, then? But I never heard Brother Ran mention about it.'

A depth of power and history that he could only begin to fathom. And he wanted to share the news with Kieiran.

'I should ask Brother Ran about this! Should I chat with him or tell him personally?'

Seraphyne stood before Caelum, her mind a blank canvas when it came to the original owner's memories.

'I must be the most unfortunate soul to transmigrate! I can't even possess the stepmother's memory!'

She lacked any recollection of what the hero in the novel, the character she now knew as her stepson, looked like. Naturally, she couldn't identify the person standing before her.

Upon hearing the title 'Luna,' her first instinctual response was, 'This can't be my son.'

For one, the novel depicted the hero as someone who had exuded an air of cold detachment since childhood.

'This kid does not even possess a cool kid aura! How can those skinny arms fit the hero's image? This kid can only be a supporting character at most.'

The hero was described as the most striking teenager, with a personality far from warm or inviting.

'This kid also looked sunny! No wrinkles on his face!'

Moreover, the hero played the role of an unstoppable school bully, hardly the type to address anyone with a deferential 'Luna.'

'My stepson can't be this polite, right? It's only our first meeting. Shouldn't the hero glance and look away like nothing happened? But this kid can stare a lot without any guilt! Yes, thankfully, this is not my kid!'

In the story, the hero maintained a deliberate distance from his father and the second wife, refraining from any show of obedience.

Disregarding the stepmother and treating her as if she were invisible was, in fact, Seraphyne's expected approach.

However, the atmosphere shifted when Dean Emerson interjected, his tone carrying a tinge of reprimand. "Caelum, it's time for class. Shouldn't you be in the classroom?"

It was a name that broke the tension of the moment.

Caelum Grimclaw, a figure who now stood in front of Seraphyne, emerged as the hero's best friend in the novel.

A genuine smile graced Seraphyne's lips as Caelum's presence became distinct. She recognized the camaraderie between the characters, and the smile was as much a transparent approval to her understanding of the story's dynamics as it was an expression of warmth.

Even without a memory of the original owner, she had the uncanny ability to adapt and respond.

"Hello! Tell my regards to Kieiran," she greeted Caelum with authenticity, acknowledging the character in front of her and the narrative itself. Her smile held a touch of intrigue, inviting a shared connection with the world unfolding around her.

Caelum, too, possessed a streak of arrogance. Dean Emerson's reprimand didn't rattle him; instead, he responded with a confident smile. "Physical education, and I believe the elders wish to convey their greetings," he quipped, a hint of playful assurance in his tone.

Dean Emerson's face contorted into bewilderment. His thoughts raced, 'Elder? What on earth is he talking about? Who? Where?'

Observing the dean's utterly perplexed expression, Caelum grew slightly astonished. Surprisingly, the Luna hadn't yet introduced herself. He blurted out, eager to clarify, "This is Uncle Zephyir's new wife, the Luna of the Bloodmoon pack!"

Dean Emerson's surprise was immeasurable as he gazed at Seraphyne.  'The Alpha remarried such a young wife? But we haven't heard any news from other packs! The relationship must be so sacred that they kept it a secret. Will this contribute to Kieiran's behavior that day?'

The news that the Alpha had remarried was new to him, and the fact that his new wife appeared no older than a recent college graduate left him momentarily stunned.

Seraphyne's hand lightly brushed her hair, a gesture that concealed her amusement. "If there's no further need, I shall take my leave. Dean, regarding this matter..." She paused, considering her words before continuing, "My husband will handle it."

Caelum registered her statement but found himself harboring a subtle sense of unease.

Perhaps his indulgence in summer vacation harem dramas with his mother and sisters influenced his thinking.

After absorbing countless tales of treacherous stepmothers and their wicked schemes, his initial thought was, 'Brother Ran, be cautious. The stepmother is bound to be a cunning demon plotting against you!'

Caelum's mind raced as he contemplated the unfolding situation. 'Uncle Zephyir is away on a business trip, and many details remain hazy. Besides, the relationship between father and son isn't exactly warm,' he mused.

'What if this stepmother is deliberately sowing discord and igniting jealousy to tarnish Brother Ran's image?'

His imagination spiraled onward. 'This might just be the first step. Next, the stepmother might seize the chance to conceive right away. Once the Luna has a biological child of her own, will there even be a place left for Brother Ran within this family?'

As Caelum let his thoughts run wild, a tinge of unease gripped him. He was no stranger to tales of intrigue and manipulation, having consumed his fair share of such narratives through those harem dramas. The notion that a stepmother might be cunning enough to exploit the vulnerabilities of the situation weighed heavily on his mind.

Meanwhile, Dean Emerson remained caught in a maelstrom of astonishment, the news of the Alpha's remarriage still echoing in his thoughts. The unexpected turn of events had shaken his understanding of the dynamics at play within the Bloodmoon pack.

As Seraphyne prepared to depart, her expression remained composed. She was aware of the perceptions that might swirl around her, but she trusted in her connection with Zephyir, the Alpha. She left with a final nod to Caelum and Dean Emerson, leaving an air of mystery and elegance.