Marked By The Alpha's Cursed Blue Moon

Chapter 112: 112. Heroic Plan

Hadizah stood in the center of the living room, her lips trembling, opening and closing without words. No sound escaped her mouth.

Only the tears told the story...thick and heavy, rolling endlessly down her cheeks.

Across from her, Laura’s face had gone pale with fear. "Please talk to me. What is happening, ma’am?" Her voice shook as she tried to hold back tears of her own. Panic was already tightening around her chest.

But Hadizah couldn’t speak. The words clung to her throat like thorns. Laura, determined to find the truth, turned away and ran down the hallway. She pushed open the door to Mrs. Spencer’s room—only to find it empty.

"No..." she whispered, staring into the quiet space. Everything was in its place, yet something vital was missing—something that made the whole room feel cold and foreign.

She turned back toward the living room, her footsteps quick and heavy. As she entered, Hadizah finally broke the silence.

"Mrs. Spencer is going to be dead in two days," she said in a hollow, absent voice, as though the sentence had lost all meaning from being replayed in her head so many times.

Laura blinked, confused. "What are you talking about, ma’am?" Her voice was filled with disbelief, her brows furrowed in confusion.

Hadizah looked up at her with red, puffy eyes. "Do you remember the path we opened—the one we forgot to seal?"

"Yes... the one you and Auntie said you’d find help to fix," Laura said slowly, starting to put the pieces together.

"We found that help," Hadizah explained, her voice barely above a whisper. "But it came with a price. They told us there was only one way to seal the path, to send the demons and the wandering souls back. One of us had to offer ourselves as a sacrifice."

Laura gasped, her lips trembling. "No..."

"I tried to reason with them, tried to offer myself. But before I could stop her, Mrs. Spencer walked into the court of sacrifice. She gave herself to be the offering. Her blood... her life will restore the balance." The tears streamed down Hadizah’s face once more.

Laura screamed. The sound ripped through the room as she collapsed to the floor. Her body trembled violently as the weight of the news settled on her shoulders. In seconds, her face was buried in her hands, her sobs loud and raw.

"No! There has to be another way! I won’t let her go—I can’t!" she wailed.

"I said the same thing. I begged them to take me instead," Hadizah said through clenched teeth. "But they told me it was too late. The spirits have accepted her soul. There’s nothing more that can be done."

Laura sat up on her knees, her face drenched in tears. "I want to see her. I want to talk to her. Maybe I can convince her—maybe there’s still time!"

Hadizah knelt beside her, wrapping her arms around the girl’s shoulders. "Child, I know this pain is unbearable. But all we can do now is be there. Say our goodbyes. She would want to see you too. She loves you like a daughter."

The two of them sat together, lost in their grief. The house, once filled with Mrs. Spencer’s warmth, now echoed only with the sound of shared sorrow.

***

At the College...

Maria was dropped off by Mr. Frederick’s driver at a quiet spot, just outside the back road of the campus. She had specifically asked not to be seen.

After what Mr. Frederick told her, she wasn’t ready to face anyone with a fake smile.

As she slipped past the hedges and toward the basketball court, she kept her head down. Her steps were quiet, calculated. The basketball team was finishing up their training session, and the court was buzzing with students.

She found a secluded bench near the dressing room, far enough not to draw attention, yet close enough to see everything.

James was out there with his teammates, drenched in sweat, his energy focused on the ball and the goal. It was the last week of practice before the regional games, and everyone was watching the team closely.

Maria didn’t expect him to notice her. She had picked the farthest bench for a reason. But when James turned toward her usual spot in the stands and didn’t find her there, his face dropped. She watched him scan the court, disappointment etched into his expression.

Just as he was about to leave, his eyes caught hers.

A wide smile spread across his face and he jogged straight to her. "Where have you been? I thought you weren’t coming to watch me and the boys today," he said, his voice bright with excitement.

"I’ve been here the whole time," Maria replied with a small smile. "I just didn’t want to distract you. You all looked focused."

He shook his head playfully. "You’re not a distraction. You’re my muse. I play better when you’re around."

Maria blushed, her cheeks glowing as she lowered her gaze. She didn’t know what to say.

"Wait here for me, okay? I’ll take a quick shower and be right back," James said, squeezing her hand gently.

Maria nodded and sat back, watching him run off with his teammates.

As she sat alone, her thoughts drifted to Mr. Frederick’s words. "Play along... wait for the right moment." It all sounded so simple when he said it, but now that she was back in reality—surrounded by people who had no idea of the power struggle happening behind the scenes—everything felt heavier.

She looked up toward the sky, whispering to herself, "I just hope everything goes as planned."

Maria was stunned. She hadn’t seen Bernard approach, and his sudden appearance left her breathless with shock. Her first instinct was to panic, wondering if he’d heard the words she had just whispered to herself about James and her secret plans.

I just hope he didn’t hear what I said, she thought, quickly forcing a smile onto her face to mask the unease creeping into her chest.

Bernard returned the smile, but something about it felt off—measured and too calm.

"Maria, how are you doing?" he asked, his tone laced with a quiet gentleness that didn’t match the intensity in his eyes.

"I’m doing fine, Bernard," she answered quickly, trying to steady her voice.

Though he smiled, Maria noticed the tension in his posture. It was clear he had something on his mind. The way he kept shifting slightly in his seat and glancing at her, only to look away again, confirmed her suspicion.

Maria decided to break the silence.

"Bernard, it seems like you have something you want to talk about," she said softly, her eyes locking with his.

Bernard’s face registered mild surprise. Her words had clearly caught him off guard. After a brief pause, he let out a breath and nodded.

"Yeah, I do. I wasn’t sure if I should say anything, but I’m glad you noticed," he admitted. He sat straighter and looked at her more directly now.

"I want to talk about James," he continued. "I’ve been noticing some closeness between you two... and I want to know what’s going on."

Maria’s heart skipped a beat, but not from fear—relief washed over her. At least this wasn’t about her earlier visit to Mr. Frederick. Still, Bernard’s question made her uncomfortable.

"Yes, James and I are becoming close friends. Why do you ask?" she replied calmly, deciding to meet the situation head-on and flip the conversation back on him.

Bernard exhaled heavily, his gaze drifting from her face to the court beyond.

"Nothing really," he muttered. "I’m just not comfortable seeing you both laughing and smiling together. It doesn’t sit right with me."

Maria could feel a laugh bubbling up at the irony of his jealousy, but she bit it back. Now wasn’t the time to play games—at least not openly.

"Bernard, what exactly are you trying to say about me and James?" she asked with more firmness now, narrowing her eyes.

"I’m not saying you’ve done anything wrong," he said, looking back at her. "I’m just saying I don’t like it. It bothers me."

Maria stared at him in disbelief. "So... in one word, Bernard, you’re jealous of me being close to James? A guy who has never shown me anything but respect?"

"Yes. I’m jealous," Bernard said firmly. "You being with him is an insult to everything I represent. I’m the Alpha—and you are my Luna. Why would you be close to another Alpha from a lesser pack?"

The arrogance in his words hit Maria like a slap. But she kept her emotions in check.

"I became close to James because you’ve never really been there for me, Bernard," she said, her voice quiet but steady. "He listens. He understands me. That’s all there is to it."

Bernard’s expression softened. His bravado began to crumble, and for the first time in a while, he looked uncertain.

"I... I’m sorry for making you feel that way," he said. "I promise to do better from now on. I’ll be there for you—always."

He stood up and stepped closer to her, wrapping his arms around her in a tight hug. Maria stood frozen in his embrace, her face resting against his shoulder, but her thoughts were racing.

Just then, the dressing room doors opened. James stepped out with a few of his teammates, laughing and drying sweat from his face with a towel. But as his eyes scanned the court and landed on Maria locked in Bernard’s arms, everything stopped.

Their eyes met.

James froze mid-step. For a moment, he didn’t move. His gaze searched hers, trying to understand what he was seeing. But before Maria could make a move or explain, James turned sharply and walked away without a word.

Maria’s heart shattered inside her chest.

A part of her wanted to break away and run after James, to tell him everything—that it was all part of the plan, that her heart only beat for him.

But another part knew she had to keep playing this game with Bernard. Her freedom depended on it.

Bernard pulled away, still smiling. Maria forced herself to smile back.

"Don’t worry, Maria," he said brightly. "Soon everything will be settled, and we won’t have anything to worry about again. I’ll make it up to you, I promise."

She nodded in silence.

"I’ll always talk to you about everything from now on," she told him, carefully choosing her words, her voice laced with false affection.

Together, they walked back toward the classroom.

--- noveldrama

Elijah Simons sat in his luxurious living room, his wristwatch catching the light as he checked the time for what seemed like the hundredth time.

His foot tapped anxiously on the marble floor while his eyes flicked to the door every few seconds.

After what felt like an eternity, one of his guards entered.

"Sir, he’s here."

"Let him in!" Elijah ordered with impatience. "You didn’t need to ask me."

Moments later, the door swung open and Mr. Frederick stepped in, his expression serious, his steps purposeful.

"Welcome, my friend," Elijah said, standing to greet him with a firm handshake and a smile.

"Thank you. But let’s not waste time on pleasantries," Mr. Frederick said sharply. "We need a solid plan—one that will take back everything that rightfully belongs to us from the Gilberts."

Elijah’s face lit up at the words. He nodded eagerly.

"Exactly what I wanted to hear," he said. "So... what’s the plan?"

"A strategy that makes you a hero," Mr. Frederick said, his voice calm but intense. "One that paints them as the enemy—and positions us as the saviors."