Chapter 184: Vampire Luna

Why would Ava do something like this to me? Why right now, of all times? Just when I needed her most in this dark world, she turned her back on me and walked away.

I slumped against the cold, grimy wall of the cage, resting my head against the unyielding stone as the heavy silence of the dark hallway wrapped around me. A sudden, violent twist tore through my stomach, and a loud, painful rumble echoed off the metal bars. The hunger was no longer just a faint ache; it felt as if a hundred starvation worms were crawling and biting inside my gut, churning my insides until I could barely force my mind to form a single clear thought. My vision wobbled at the edges, the dim room tilting slightly every time I tried to focus my eyes.

A heavy, suffocating wave of nostalgia washed over me, dragging my mind back through the dark shadows of my past. Sitting here in this cramped, filthy space, my mind drifted straight back to the painful beginning—back to the dark cellar where my aunt and uncle used to lock me away like a broken toy. I remembered how cold those stone floors used to be, how the damp air smelled of mold, and how I would curl into a tight ball in the corner, feeling like an absolute nobody. Back then, I had no title, no strength, and not a single soul in the entire world to stand up or fight for me.

All I ever dreamed of during those long, tearful nights was a simple escape. I prayed until my voice went raw, begging to be freed from the cruel, abusive hands of my aunt and uncle. All my young heart ever craved was pure, unadulterated freedom.

I used to sit in that dark cell and promise myself that if I could just break away from them, everything in my life would automatically become peaceful and perfect forever. I genuinely believed that once I stepped outside their heavy wooden door, every single one of my nightmares would dissolve into thin air. I pictured a bright, beautiful future where I could have anything my heart desired. I imagined living side-by-side with a powerful, noble man who would cherish and love me far more than I could even fathom—a man who would listen to my voice and do whatever I asked of him. I dreamed of sitting at grand, golden tables stacked high with every delicious food imaginable, eating until my stomach was full without ever fearing a harsh slap across my face. I wanted power, I wanted authority, and I desperately wished for a life where people would look at me with deep respect, listening closely whenever I spoke.

A bitter, dry laugh bubbled up from my throat, turning into a hollow cough that shook my frail ribs. To be entirely fair with myself, the Moon Goddess had actually answered those desperate prayers. I had eventually gotten the supernatural power, I had found the fierce, protective Alpha who loved me, and I had tasted the finest riches the wolf packs had to offer.

Yet, even after achieving every single thing I used to weep for in the dark, life simply presented me with a far more terrifying set of chains. It felt as though life was just a cruel, endless game. It waits patiently for you to fight your way through one painful phase of suffering, watching you bleed and struggle until you finally think you have won the battle. Then, the very second it notices you taking a deep breath of relief, it strikes you with a brand new, terrifying problem—one that is ten times worse than the last.

My eyes welled up with hot, burning tears as I looked down at my bruised hands, tracing the faint dirt lines on my skin. Even after escaping my aunt's house, even after gaining incredible hybrid strength, high status, and endless wealth, here I was again. Locked inside a cage. It was the exact same nightmare I had spent my entire youth running from—the very same metallic prison that had left deep, permanent scars on my soul.

Freedom had always been the single most important thing to me in this life. I wanted the absolute liberty to walk wherever I pleased, to choose my own path, and to do whatever my spirit desired without answering to anyone. When I first arrived in this pack territory, it genuinely felt as though every quiet prayer I had ever whispered into the night sky had been miraculously granted. The Moon Goddess had looked down upon my suffering and remembered me, bestowing upon me far more glory, love, and hidden power than a broken girl could have ever imagined in her wilder dreams.

I closed my eyes slowly, letting a single heavy tear trace a path down my dusty cheek, splashing quietly onto my lap. Sitting in the quiet dark, listening to the agonizing throb of my own hungry heart, a terrifying, quiet truth finally broke through the chaotic noise in my mind.

There was never a physical cage holding me back in this life. The real prison had been living inside me all along... the true probl

em was me.