CHAPTER 41: The Luna They Sought, The Sacrifice She Made.
CHAPTER 41: The Luna They Sought, The Sacrifice She Made.
Vargr felt unease as he scan the environment his eyes searching for the Luna but he couldn’t find her.
"Something’s happening to her."
Vargr shot to his feet. "Keep enjoying yourselves," he told Jaime. "I must find the Luna."
As if the gods themselves willed it, a child stumbled toward the gathering, her dress stained with blood.
"Some wolves..." she sobbed, her voice trembling.
The crowd hushed, encircling her in alarm.
"Whose blood is that?"
"Are you hurt?"
Questions flooded from the villagers.
"Do not frighten the child with your clamor," the old storyteller commanded. "Let her speak."
Silence fell like a stone.
Vargr knelt beside the girl, his voice calm yet firm. "What happened?"
"Three men came to the gate," she stammered. "They asked for Lena... they wanted to know which of us was her. None of us knew what to say... so they grabbed us, and..." Her breath hitched.
"And?" Vargr urged.
"They... they killed one of us," she whispered, her face crumpling. "Then they shouted, demanding to know where the rest of the villagers were."
Vargr’s knuckles turned white as rage coiled within him.
"Then... one of us said she was the one they wanted," the girl sobbed.
"And who was that?"
"The lady... the one they called Luna Kara. She told them to let us go." Her tears flowed freely now. "Milicent tried to protect her, but they struck her down... hit her hard... before dragging them both into the forest."
Vargr’s hands clenched into fists, his rage boiling beneath his skin.
Whispers spread like wildfire among the villagers, but Vargr heard none of it. He spun on his heel and bolted, his speed inhuman as he vanished into the night.
Jaime knelt beside the girl, brushing her blood-streaked hair from her face before pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead.
"Do not fear," he murmured. "We'll make them pay."
"Are you hurt?"
The girl shook her head.
Jaime stood and followed the path Vargr had taken, his steps swift and sure.
\---
"My lady, a man asks for you."
Selena turned sharply from the mirror, her reflection forgotten.
"How did they find this place?" she demanded, her voice low with panic.
"We must leave at once — we must protect the Alpha’s offspring."
Grabbing a cloak, she motioned for her maid to follow.
But before they could move, a shadow darkened the doorway. The man was already inside.
"Stay back!" Selena barked, snatching a knife from the table and leveling it at him. "Whoever you are, you must let us go!"
"Wait!" the man said, raising his hands. "I’m not one of the Beta’s men. The Alpha sent me."
"And you think I'll believe that?" Her grip on the knife tightened.
The man reached slowly into his pocket, producing a metal seal — the Alpha’s mark, unmistakable in its design.
"This was given to me by the Alpha himself," he said.
Selena’s fingers slackened around the blade. She lowered it, though her gaze remained sharp.
"Where is the Alpha?"
Silence.
Her heart sank. "He didn’t come... did he?"
"My lady..."
"Don’t," she cut him off, her voice brittle. "I understand."
She turned away, the weight of disappointment pressing down on her shoulders.
"Why did he send you?"
"The Alpha and I devised a plan — a way to draw the Luna out of hiding."
Selena’s breath hitched. Her fingers found the knife again, knuckles whitening.
"You’re lying," she said coldly. "The Alpha wouldn’t ask to find the Luna... she's with him."
"You’re mistaken," the man countered. "The Luna vanished after Alpha Demetrius discovered the other Luna was an imposter."
A tense silence stretched between them.
Slowly, Selena lowered the knife once more and sank into a chair.
"Tell me the plan."
"I am Beta Cedric of the Ravenwood Pack."
Selena’s eyes lifted sharply.
"The Alpha asked me to protect you... in exchange for handing over the Luna to me."
Her expression hardened.
Her instinct could not make her trust anyone from that pack.
"I don't believe you," she said. "Cedric of the Ravenwood Pack , you must leave now before—"
The sharp whistle of an arrow pierced the air.
Selena barely had time to react before Cedric lunged, snatching the silver-tipped shaft from the air inches from her face.
"Stay here. Don’t come out," he ordered.
Selena gave a quick nod, her hand pressing instinctively to her belly as Cedric stormed outside.
Five figures emerged from the tree line — wolves cloaked in dark fur, their eyes gleaming with malice. Without a word, they charged.
Cedric’s body convulsed as his bones shifted and cracked. His limbs stretched, his muscles contorting beneath thick brown fur. His wolf emerged — massive, powerful, a beast carved from battle.
The first wolf lunged. Cedric sidestepped, slashing his claws through the attacker's throat. Blood sprayed across the dirt as the wolf crumpled.
Two more came at once. Cedric spun, his jaws latching onto one’s leg while his claws raked across the other’s chest. The first wolf howled in agony, collapsing as its leg was torn from its body. The second staggered back, ribs gaping and raw.
A fourth wolf circled, seeking an opening. Cedric bared his teeth, growling low. The wolf leapt — but Cedric met him mid-air, crashing them both to the ground. His jaws snapped down on the wolf’s throat, crushing bone.
The fifth wolf tried to flee. Cedric was faster. He lunged, driving his claws deep into the wolf’s spine. A sharp yelp was the last sound it made before the body hit the ground.
Blood painted the earth in dark rivers.
When Cedric turned back toward the house, Selena and her maid stood frozen in the doorway. Their eyes widened in disbelief at the carnage before them.
"Fetch him some clothes," Selena said quietly.
"Yes, my lady," the maid answered, hurrying away.
Selena’s gaze lingered on Cedric — the wolf who had saved her life and her child's.
\---
Deep in the forest, the men circled Aria like wolves closing in on their prey. One of them grabbed her jaw, forcing her to look up as he sneered.
"So, you're the whore who bewitched our Alpha?"
Aria bruised lips curled. "Which Alpha?"
The man let out a sharp bark of laughter and turned to his companion. "You hear that? She pretends not to know!" He smirked.
"Seems she's not just a witch—she's ensnared more than one Alpha in her spell."
The others chuckled darkly, their laughter thick with malice.
Aria gathered the blood pooling in her mouth and spat at his feet.
The sound of it hitting the dirt rang louder than it should in the hush that followed.
"Rot in hell!!!"
The man's smile dropped. Without warning, his hand shot out, striking her hard across the face.
Pain exploded in her skull.
Blood dripped from the corner of her mouth.
Another slap.
"You wench! How dare a filthy slave raise her voice against me?" He seethed, his face twisting with rage. "You whores think too highly of yourselves!"
A weak stir caught Aria's attention.
Milicent groaned, blinking as she forced her eyes open. Recognition flickered in them, followed by dread.
"Luna Kara..." she rasped, barely above a whisper.
"Luna what?" One of the men stalked over and grabbed her by the hair, yanking her head back.
Milicent cried out.
"Look closely," he snarled, dragging her toward Lena. "Does she look like a Luna to you? You humans are so damn stupid."
Another man, younger than the rest, chuckled. "Yet they have such pretty faces." His gaze roamed over Aria , lingering where it shouldn’t.
"Get your hands off her!" Aria snapped, her bloodied face twisted in fury.
The man smirked.
"And a sharp tongue too," he mused, stepping closer. "I think it’s time we teach her a lesson."