LUNA ASTERBELLE’S POV
Pitch black. All of what surrounded me was replaced with a dark hue. I could no longer see any other color after what occurred to Lizzy. I thought that Alpha Shin would stop there, but he didn’t. My mind has been going berserk. I could imagine the entire scenery of Alpha Shin suffering from my own hands. But someone was telling me—stopping me from doing anything that I might regret in the end.
“When would you stop killing, Shin? I’m pretty sure that all those other Shamans helplessly died because of you as well. Is that how much you refuse to let the virus be cured in your pack?” I asked the Alpha.
“I’m not as cruel as you think, Luna.”
Shin let go of Lizzy, which urged me to quickly catch her before she fell to the ground. My hands, which touched her nape and forearms, sensed the amount of overflowing heat circulating in her veins. I glanced at Lizzy’s face, trying to find any sign that she’s alive, then I placed two of my fingers on her neck to detect her pulse—she’s alive.
The instant that I realized that there was still a chance to save her, I returned to both Yuki and Dawn’s sides. “I think she’s battling between life and death right now.”
Lizzy had nothing to rely on from the three of us. She was the only one who could possibly endure what she’s going through. I don’t have the power to heal her. I don’t want to make the same mistake that I did with Yve; Lizzy might also end up hating me if I turn her into another half-blooded vampire.
“That sign…” Yuki pointed over to my forearm. “You’re—”
Yuki couldn’t finish what she was about to say when Lizzy suddenly coughed twice. “Are you alright?” I asked before I carefully held her.
I’m not even sure if that’s the right question after I witnessed how Shin twisted her neck earlier. Even before I got to hear Lizzy’s response, Shin gawked at me with the intention of poking fun at me.
"Why are you acting so concerned, Luna? Didn't you wish for that girl to die for revealing how you ate those wolves?" Shin mumbled before he heaved out a short sigh to stop himself from laughing. "You're starting to be read like an open book."
The cold air brushed through my palms when Yuki stole Lizzy away from me.
"What's wrong?" I tried to get Lizzy back with my arms straightened, but she avoided me.
Yuki had a crimson aura that emitted from her entire body while she glared at me. "You're planning to kill Lizzy next, aren't you? Both you and King Dawn are from the same organization." Her vision traveled to my forearm, where she found the mark. "I can't be mistaken—you're part of the mafia!" She was having difficulties breathing as she yelled her lungs out.
I took a peek at Dawn to see how he would react, only to see that he had a straight face. I couldn't find the right words to say. Fortunately, Shin intervened between us.
"Go back to your room, Yuki. Let your big brother handle things here. I won't let them touch Lizzy anymore," Shin declared, like he already has full authority and possession over the Shaman.
The Alpha's sister marched towards him, then she willingly handed Lizzy to him. "Go easy on Luna. Even if it was for a short while, I had fun with her." She left while waving her hand without facing us.
Dawn grabbed me from behind. "We have to find a way out of this pack. Shin doesn't look like he's still doing all of these for entertainment," he whispered.
With how desperate Dawn sounded, I was the first one to run away. He had no choice but to follow my lead since he didn't want us to get separated from each other.
"Where are you going? Shin wouldn't have a hard time trying to find us, you know?" The king expressed his distrust of my decision.
"To the last person who might save us from the Alpha," I answered without giving any hints.
We reached the pack house in no time. Everyone had their eyes on us, they even stopped doing what they're supposed to do just to glare at me.
"Alpha Holmes told us not to let you in!" One of the butlers said, throwing a steel tray in my direction, which was blocked by Dawn's arm, making it crack into large pieces.
Dawn glanced my way without moving his head. "Who are you going to meet here? Don't tell me it's Nero?" he asked through our mind-link.
I slightly nodded my head. "He's our last and only hope right now. If he won't cooperate with us, then we'll be stuck here for good."
“What’s with the commotion?” The Beta jumped from the fourth floor. His landing made the ground shake a little bit. “You’re back,” he added as soon as he saw me.
I forced Dawn to let go as I stepped forward. “Beta Holmes! Please lead us to the path outside this pack.” I bowed down.
The murmuring noises from those that were standing by disappeared.
“I’ve heard that line more than a thousand times already. I got my hopes high for nothing; I thought you’d be the one to stop the never-ending cycle and also the curse, but I was mistaken,” Nero complained, telling me to raise my head.
Nero discussed how similar our current situation was compared to all the years Shin spent trying to find his mate. All of them either end up dead in the pack’s cell or get executed due to their demands to be set free. The Beta also mentioned how it might be the Moon Goddess’ scheme all along…
That she rebuilt our world, especially Grimstone, just to mess with us all over again.
“So you’re saying that you won’t help us?” I questioned him before he got the chance to talk about something else regarding their pack’s history.
Nero shrugged, which was followed by a sigh. “I told you before, I was simply following Shin’s orders. I can’t get the two of you out of here without Shin’s command and approval,” he replied.
In the attempt to hide somewhere within the mansion, Nero stopped me as if he saw through my plan.
“Don’t annoy Shin more than he already is; don’t be stubborn,” he said.
“What a sight to see—Nero is actually lending a hand to his enemy since birth?” Shin’s voice creeped into my mind as he walked side-by-side with Lizzy, who was still evidently fragile.
The beta repeatedly pressed my wrist, which he held, to give me some sort of message. Nero managed to slip a tiny sheet of paper into my clenched fist, stopping me from making it obvious.
“Dawn, I think Nero has a plan. Can you act as a decoy for a few seconds?” I asked the king in our mind-link, and he replied with a short hum.
“Didn’t Yuki tell you how she got hurt by the wolves there?” Dawn interrupted Shin’s attempt to get close to me. All of his further statements were obviously fake, but at least he tried.
“You’re not going anywhere,” Shin groaned when he raised his voice to pull Lizzy towards him.
With his mouth widely open, he deeply bit through Lizzy’s bare neck with his sharp teeth. She had no means to resist; all of her strength was still drained. And in less than a second, Shin immediately pushed her away after her blood filled his entire mouth; some were still dripping.
As I was about to ask the Alpha what his motive was, I felt my heart throbbing in immense pain just by the sight of Lizzy's overflowing blood. "Y-you're doing this on purpose, aren't you?" I gritted my teeth to prevent myself from getting thirsty.
Shin severed the distance between us, then he played with his tongue, which he somehow used to lure me with blood.
"That won't have any effect on me, Shin." The thought that Lizzy really lost her life now that Shin bit her made me sweat.
"I know…" Shin murmured before he vanished from my sight. "That's why I'm going to force you to know what Shaman's blood would taste like," he whispered from both sides of my ears, making it difficult for me to determine where he currently was.
My lips pressed against his—we kissed in front of everyone in the same area as us.
But that's not what concerned me.
I'm troubled by the fact that Dawn witnessed it.