Restrained

Restrained
ARIA

I can't deny how her words seem to travel down my spine and send goosebumps all over my body. 

What does she mean by I'm no longer wanted here?

"You were supposed to cooperate with us like an ally, but instead, you proved to be unreliable." She looks up at the woman who claimed to be the real Luna of this pack, then adds, "You were tested and failed."

I stare at the woman and she simply smiles at me. I then shake my head, refusing to believe this. 

"That's not true," I let out. "There's something you must've done to cause all this! I don't believe you're who you say you are!"

The old man outside wrote Wilson on the dirt and pointed at himself. I have to trust my instincts here, no matter what she says. 

But what if...what if everything was truly fabricated? What then?

Yarina throws her head back and laughs. The people around the table shift uncomfortably. Some are still staring at me with blank expressions on their faces. Others are starting to get a little angry. 

"My, my...you're all lost, aren't you?" She clicks her tongue against her teeth. "Wilson thought that we'd be able to convince you to become one of our allies, but I'll let him know that he was wrong. There's no saving you. In the meantime, you'll await your punishment."

"Punishment?" I echo. "What right do you have to punish me? I want to go home!"

She shakes her head. "You should have thought of that before you believed blatant lies against us. I only sent Olga in there to tell you those things to see your reaction, and you failed the test, Luna Aria. To stand against us as Nocturns? It's a disgrace. It's unforgivable. But don't worry—you'll have your use." A smile spreads across her face. "Someone wants you, and they're willing to damn the whole world for you. Olga, call the guards."

The woman who lied about being the true Luna of this pack turns on her heel and disappears from the dining room. I glance at Zach one more time but his eyes are glued to the table and I'm too furious to even spend time thinking about what he's doing. 

Betrayal is coming from all sides and I won't let these people get the better of me.  

I stand up and Yarina does the same. Everyone else is silent and it's like we're the only two people here. "I wouldn't recommend doing that, Luna. You're only going to make your situation worse."

"I won't stay here a second longer," I spit. "You have no right!"

"I have every right," she proclaims dryly. "You lost your chance to be a part of something big. You want to live your whole life beneath Alphas. Heck, maybe that's why you're mated to one."

"I want what's right. Fairness. We all do! You can't get rid of all the Alphas without being just as cruel as they are. Can't you see that!?"

"And why don't they deserve to be punished the same way we were!?" she questions almost hysterically. "Why should we show any of them mercy? If it depends, I'll make sure every single one of them suffers, and don't worry. We'll start right in Ironclaw."

Behind her, Olga returns with a group of guards, and I realize I've run out of time. I act quickly, looking around the table and wrapping my hand around the first thing I find that can be used as a weapon. 

A steak knife. 

In the few seconds it takes before the guards reach me, I realize that my options are limited. If I run toward the exit, they'll catch me. I won't be able to reach Yarina on time either.

"I'll never let you do that," I grit out before throwing the knife right at her. She only has time to turn her head to the side, so the serrated blade slices across her cheek. Blood blooms from the uneven cut and fury lights up her eyes. 

She lets out an enraged cry just before the guards reach me. They're not gentle and I won't play the part of the helpless wolf. I struggle against them, kicking and scratching whoever I can. 

We're outside when Zach catches up to us. He manages to put himself between the guards and me, saying, "Yarina told me to step in. You can follow us."

I stare at his face in pure disbelief, wondering how the hell this could've happened. I don't hold back. "You're a traitor!"

He says nothing and we keep walking. I'm sure I'm being taken to the farm right now, and from there, who knows what will happen? I'm fuming at this point. 

I have to find a way out of this place. 

I need to warn Ryder. 

We knew they were up to something, but I had no idea that they wanted more than just Ironclaw. At this point, everyone is at risk, even the packs that are supporting this war. Hell, I don't know how we went from worrying for our lives to this. 

It's wrong. All of it's so wrong. 

Fifteen minutes later, we've reached the farm. A few people dressed in overalls stop to stare at us, but the guards yell at them to get back to work. My heart breaks. These are Ironclaws and we sent them here. They were supposed to be safer. Protected. 

I'm dragged toward a barn similar to the one Luca dragged me into. We're ahead of the guards now, and Zach's fingers are digging into my arm painfully. I think of shifting and getting the hell out of here, but how would I make it through the pack's walls? 

I'll have to think of a better plan. I can't risk being bound with silver again. 

"Don't eat or drink anything," Zach whispers, ripping me from my thoughts. I look at him in confusion but he doesn't meet my gaze. Once I'm inside, Zach stands by and watches as the guards start closing the doors. We make eye contact and I'm pretty sure he nods his head a little.

What's he doing? Goddess, I have no idea what's going on anymore.

I don't stay put. I start looking around for an exit. This barn has no animals inside or anything I could use as a weapon. Apart from the stacks of hay and wooden planks, there's nothing else. 

They planned this. I bet they had this place emptied just for me. 

Yarina sent Olga because she suspected I would buy the story. That, or she's trying to derail me from figuring out the truth. Maybe she thinks the old man told me something he shouldn't have, and this is her way to make me feel like everything has been a conspiracy theory from the start. 

It makes no sense for Moon Rose leadership to be Nocturns. Surely, people would have noticed it. 

I won't even mention how 'Alpha Dorson' was trying to lie to everyone about being Alpha-born. 

Don't eat or drink anything. 

What does Zach know? Is he betraying Ironclaw or is he on our side?

What's real and what's not? 

How do I get out of this? How do I fix this? 

I throw myself on one of the haystacks after searching for a way out and failing. 

It genuinely feels like I'm going crazy.