Moon's Beloved

The morning sunlight filtered through the curtains, spilling soft golden hues across the bedroom. Serin stood on the balcony, her gaze distant, lost in thought. Today was important, a day that would test her and Kairan's bond in a way she hadn't anticipated. She turned when she heard him approach, shirtless and clearly distracted.

His broad shoulders were tense, his jaw set in a way that told her his mind was elsewhere. Kairan was rarely unsettled, but meeting his parents....especially his father was no small matter. Serin stepped forward, her hand brushing his arm, grounding him.

"Let me" she whispered softly, taking the shirt he held and beginning to button it. Her fingers worked deftly, but her touch lingered, a quiet reassurance in every motion.

Kairan watched her, his stormy eyes softening slightly. "You don't have to do this" he murmured, his voice low.

She looked up at him, her expression resolute. "I want to. For you."

A faint smile tugged at his lips, but it didn't reach his eyes. He leaned down, pressing his forehead against hers. "You're too good for this world, Serin."

"And you're my world" she replied simply, her voice steady.

_

_

They arrived at the Karassu family mansion, a sprawling estate vastly different from the house Kairan used for pack matters. This was a place of grandeur, designed to intimidate...a reflection of his father's personality.

Kairan's mother, Hyejin, greeted them at the door. Her warm smile was a balm to the tension crackling in the air. Dressed elegantly but with a softness that matched her demeanor, she immediately enveloped Kairan in a hug.

"My son," she said, her voice thick with affection. "You look thinner. Have you been eating properly?"

Kairan's lips twitched into a small smile. "I'm fine, Mother."

Her gaze shifted to Serin, and her smile widened. "And you must be Serin. I've heard so much about you."

Serin bowed politely. "It's an honor to meet you, Mrs. Karassu."

"Oh, nonsense. Call me eomma," she insisted, taking Serin's hands. "You're even more beautiful than I imagined. Come, let's sit inside."

The warmth of the moment was shattered when a sharp voice rang out from the hallway.

"Well, well. If it isn't the golden child and his little girlfriend."

Kairan stiffened, his body going rigid as his aunt entered the room. Her gaze was sharp, her lips curled in a disdainful smirk. "Surprised you showed up, Kairan. I half expected you to cower away like you did as a boy."

"Enough, Aunt Eda" Kairan said, his voice cold but controlled.

She ignored him, her gaze shifting to Serin. "And who's this? Another toy to distract you from your failures?"

Before Kairan could respond, Serin stepped forward, her expression calm but her eyes blazing. "I'm Serin, his mate. No wonder you're old that you can't recognize me from yesterday."

Kairan's aunt snorted, about to retort, but the steel in Serin's voice stopped her. " Careful oldie,If you think you can intimidate me, you're sorely mistaken. Kairan deserves better than your venom, and I won't stand for it."

Kairan's lips twitched into the faintest hint of a smile as he watched her defend him, pride swelling in his chest.

They entered the a room which looked to be like an office, where Kairan's father sat at the table. His presence was commanding, his sharp features and piercing eyes a reminder of the power he wielded.

"So" he said in Turkish as they sat, his tone dripping with disdain. "This is the woman who claims to love a monster."

Kairan tensed, his hands curling into fists under the table. But before he could respond, Serin spoke.

"Sevgimi neye dayandırdığıma şaşırmış olabilirsiniz," she said in perfect Turkish, her voice steady and clear. You may be surprised at what my love is based on.

Everyone froze. Kairan turned to her, his shock evident. He had no idea she could speak Turkish fluently.

She continued, meeting Kairan's father's gaze without flinching. "Kairan'ı seviyorum çünkü o güçlü ama merhametli. O yaralı, ama yine de başkalarına yardım etmeyi seçiyor. O karanlıkta bile ışık bulabilen biri." I love Kairan because he is strong yet compassionate. He is wounded, but he still chooses to help others. He is someone who can find light even in the darkness.

Her words hung in the air, each one a dagger aimed at his father's cold heart.

Kairan's father's expression darkened, but Serin wasn't finished. "Ve sizin aksinize, onun sevgisi koşulsuzdur. Bana bir canavar değil, bir kahraman gibi davranıyor." And unlike you, his love is unconditional. He treats me like a hero, not a monster.

Kairan's mother's eyes glistened with unshed tears, and even his aunt seemed taken aback.

Kairan stared at Serin, his heart pounding. She had not only defended him but done so in a way that left no room for doubt about her love.

The air in the room felt charged as Serin's calm yet resolute voice filled the space. Kairan's father leaned back in his chair, his gaze narrowing, his pride visibly wounded.

"Since when does a woman have the right to lecture my family?" he spat, the words laced with venom.

Serin remained unflinching, her gaze unwavering. "A woman has the right to defend the man she loves." she replied smoothly.

His father's lips curled into a sneer. "Only a fool would love a monster like him"

The words hit like a slap, and Serin felt Kairan stiffen beside her. She turned slightly, her hand brushing his under the table, grounding him. "Bir canavar mı?" she echoed, her tone deadly calm. "Eğer canavarsa, onun sayesinde güvende hissettiğim bir canavardır." A monster? If he is, then he is the kind of monster that makes me feel safe.

Kairan's father scoffed, his chair scraping the floor as he leaned forward. "Güvende hissetmek? Yanılıyorsun. Enigma doğası gereği tehlikeli ve kontrolsüzdür." Safe? You're mistaken. An enigma is dangerous and uncontrollable by nature.

Serin tilted her head, her voice never rising, her composure unshaken. "What's dangerous is a man who uses his power to hurt the people he claims to love."

That struck a nerve. His father slammed his hand on the table, his voice booming. "Bu kadar yeter! Bu kadar kendini bilmez birini ailemde istemiyorum!" Enough! I don't want such an insolent woman in my family!

Kairan's chair scraped against the floor as he stood, towering over his father. The air seemed to shift, thick with an unseen force as his enigma aura seeped into the room.

"Kapat çeneni" Kairan said in a low, deadly tone, his Turkish laced with fury. Shut your mouth.

Everyone froze. The room seemed darker, shadows stretching unnaturally as Kairan's wolf, Hades, surfaced slightly, asserting its dominance.

"Kairan—" his mother began, her voice trembling, but he raised a hand, silencing her gently. His eyes never left his father.

"You've insulted me for the last time," he said in, his voice steady and cold. "Serin is my mate, the other half of my soul. And if you disrespect her, you lose your place in this family."

His father's face turned a deep red, his anger barely contained. "How dare you speak to me like this?"

"For years, I tolerated your insults," Kairan continued, his voice rising slightly, his presence oppressive. "But she is here. And now, I will stop."

The tension was suffocating. His father opened his mouth to respond, but Kairan's eyes darkened, the enigma within him roaring to life. His father's voice faltered, his once-commanding demeanor shrinking under Kairan's power.

"You think you control this family?" Kairan said,his words sharp and biting. "You only have power because I allow it. Don't make the mistake of thinking I won't take it away."

The room was silent, save for the heavy breathing of Kairan's father. Hyejin's hand flew to her mouth, tears glistening in her eyes, but this time they were tears of pride.

As they left the room, Kairan's hand was on the small of Serin's back, guiding her. The moment they were alone, he stopped, his shoulders slumping slightly.

"You didn't have to do that," he murmured, his voice thick with emotion.

Serin turned to face him, her hand cupping his cheek. "Yes, I did. Someone needed to put him in his place."

Kairan's jaw tightened. "But now he'll hate you. He'll resent you."

"Let him," she said firmly. "I don't care about his opinion. I care about you."

For a moment, Kairan said nothing, his stormy eyes searching hers. Then he pulled her into his arms, holding her as though she were the only thing tethering him to this world.

The room was dimly lit, the air heavy with an unspoken tension. Kairan and Serin were nowhere to be seen...they had gone for a walk in the garden at his mother's insistence, leaving the family's dark dynamics to simmer in private.

Iskendar Karassu leaned back in his armchair, a glass of raki in his hand. His dark eyes, so much like Kairan's, scanned the room with disdain, finally landing on his wife. She sat opposite him, her hands folded neatly in her lap, a serene expression masking years of silent suffering.

"You spoil him" Iskendar said, his voice cutting through the silence like a blade. "Always have. That's why he's weak, why he lets women like that girl control him."

Hyejin's lips twitched into a faint smile, but her eyes held no warmth. "And you think being cold makes someone strong? Look where that's gotten you, Iskendar. Alone. Fearful. Afraid even your son will surpass you."

Iskendar's grip tightened on his glass. "Watch your tongue, hyejin. I allowed you to stay because you've been useful, not because I value your opinions."

Minju leaned forward, her tone as soft as silk but as sharp as a blade. "Allowed me to stay? Iskendar, you married me because I was the only one who could endure you."

The tension between them crackled, but Iskendar turned his gaze to the window, unwilling to engage further.

_

_

In a corner of the house, Eda Karassu sat in her private quarters, lost in thought. Her slender fingers traced the rim of a porcelain tea cup, though she hardly noticed it. Her mind was elsewhere, reliving a moment she'd long buried beneath lies.

Her daughter, Aylin, had come to her one evening, her voice trembling with excitement and something darker.

"I want him, Mama" she'd said, eyes glinting unnaturally. "Kairan will be mine. He's perfect."

Eda had stared at her daughter, horrified but unable to voice it. "He's very young, Aylin. A kid. Wait until he's older.....eighteen, at least. Don't ruin this family with your impulsiveness."

But Aylin had been high, her senses dulled, her reason clouded. She hadn't listened. And when she'd tried to force herself on Kairan, Hades had awakened to protect his young master. The scene had been a bloodbath, and Aylin's lifeless body had been the result.

To save face, Eda had woven the narrative that Kairan was the monster, unable to control his wolf. It was easier to paint him as an unhinged enigma than to admit her daughter had been the predator.

Now, sitting in her room, she smirked bitterly. "That boy's a curse" she muttered, her thumbnail in her mouth, anxiety overcoming her. "And that girl of his... we'll see how long she lasts."