Chapter 10 **LUNA REBORN
CHAPTER TEN
LUNA REBORN
ZARIAH NIGHTBORNE POV
The word tore from my throat like a blade.
Mine.
The Alpha Don's creature form froze mid-lunge, his crimson eyes widening in shock.
Every wolf in the cathedral felt it—the shift, the claim, the raw dominance bleeding from my bones despite the poison burning through my veins.
"Impossible," he snarled, his voice distorted, monstrous. "You're dying."
"Then I'll die a queen," I spat back.
The wolfsbane was spreading fast, shutting down my organs one by one. My vision blurred. My legs trembled.
But the Luna Code blazed hotter.
Elara's hand gripped my arm. "Zariah, you need to stop. The poison—"
"I know." My voice came out hoarse. "But if I stop now, we're all dead."
The Alpha Don shifted back to human form, naked and bleeding, his silver hair matted with blood. He stood slowly, his expression calculating.
"You're strong. Stronger than your mother. Stronger than any Luna I've seen." He smiled, and it was terrible. "Which is why you'll make the perfect weapon once we break you properly."
"I'm done being broken."
"Are you?" He tilted his head. "Then prove it. Kill me. Right here. Right now."
I wanted to. God, I wanted to.
But my body was failing. The silver burns on my wrists throbbed. The wolfsbane clawed at my insides.
I wouldn't make it three steps.
"That's what I thought," he said softly. "You're not ready. Not yet."
"She doesn't have to be."
Damien stepped forward, bloodied but standing. Beside him, impossibly, stood Lucien.
Both brothers. Both watching their father with identical expressions of disgust.
"What is this?" The Alpha Don's voice dropped, dangerous. "Betrayal?"
"No," Lucien said quietly. "Evolution."
He lunged.
Not at me. At his father.
The two collided with brutal force, and the chamber erupted into chaos again.
Veda grabbed my arm. "We're leaving. Now."
"Not without answers," I gasped. "My mother—"
"Is bait," Veda cut me off. "Can't you see that? He's using her to control you."
"I don't care." I pulled free, stumbling. "I need to know if she's alive."
"She is."
The voice came from above.
I looked up.
A figure stood on the balcony, hooded, watching.
"Who—"
The figure pulled back the hood.
A woman. Young. Scarred. With eyes that burned like mine.
"She's alive," the woman repeated. "Barely. And you have less time than you think."
"Who are you?" Elara demanded.
The woman smiled sadly. "Someone who tried to save you both. And failed." She looked at me. "The stasis chamber is in the Shadow Syndicate compound. Underground. Three levels down. But Zariah..." Her voice broke. "Even if you reach her, she won't be the mother you remember."
"What does that mean?"
"It means they've been draining her. Using her blood to create more Lunas. More weapons." The woman's hands clenched. "She's hollow. A shell. And freeing her might kill you both."
My heart stuttered.
"You're lying."
"I wish I was." The woman turned to leave, then paused. "There's a healer. In the Rogue Territories. She can slow the poison. Maybe even stop it. Her name is Kai. Find her before dawn, or you won't make it to your mother at all."
Then she was gone, disappearing into the shadows.
I turned to Veda. "Do you know this healer?"
"Kai?" Veda's expression darkened. "Yeah. I know her. But Zariah, she doesn't help people out of kindness. She'll want something in return."
"I don't care what she wants."
"You should." Veda's voice dropped. "She collects debts. And she always collects."
The poison surged again, and I collapsed.
Elara caught me before I hit the ground. "We need to move. Now."
Around us, the battle between the Alpha Don, Lucien, and Damien raged. The other wolves had scattered, some fleeing, some fighting each other in the chaos.
We were losing control.
"Veda," I gasped. "Get everyone out. Regroup at the compound."
"What about you?"
"I'm going to find this healer." I met her eyes. "And then I'm going to get my mother back."
"You can't even stand."
"Watch me."
I pushed myself up, every muscle screaming. Elara steadied me, her face set with determination.
"I'm coming with you," she said.
"No. You're not trained—"
"I said I'm coming." Her voice was steel. "You're my sister. And I've wasted enough time being their weapon. Let me be yours."
I stared at her. Saw myself in her eyes.
Savage. Broken. Refusing to stay down.
"Fine." I turned to Veda. "Go."
She hesitated, then nodded. "Don't die, Luna."
"Not planning on it."
The rogues retreated, vanishing into the night, leaving me, Elara, and the sound of wolves tearing each other apart.
We stumbled toward a side exit, moving slow, agonizing.
Behind us, the Alpha Don's roar shook the walls.
"You think you can run?" His voice echoed. "You think you can hide? I made you, Zariah! And I will unmake you!"
I didn't look back.
Didn't respond.
Just kept moving.
One step. Then another.
The poison was winning. My vision tunneled. My heartbeat slowed.
But I wouldn't stop.
Couldn't stop.
We burst through the side door into the night air, cold and sharp and clean.
"Which way?" Elara asked.
"North. Toward the territories."
We ran.
Or tried to.
I managed maybe fifty yards before my legs gave out completely.
I hit the ground hard, tasting blood.
"Zariah!" Elara dropped beside me. "Stay with me. Please."
"Can't..." My voice was barely a whisper. "Poison..."
"No. No, you don't get to die." Elara's voice cracked. "I just found you. You don't get to leave."
I wanted to answer. Wanted to tell her it would be okay.
But the darkness was pulling me under, cold and absolute.
The last thing I heard was Elara screaming for help.
And then—nothing.
\---
I woke to pain.
Pure, searing, agonizing pain.
Someone was carving into my chest with fire.
I tried to scream, but a hand clamped over my mouth.
"Quiet." A woman's voice, sharp and clinical. "Unless you want to die."
I forced my eyes open.
A face hovered above me—angular, scarred, with eyes like frozen amber.
"You must be Kai," I rasped.
"And you must be the Luna everyone's hunting." She didn't smile. "Lucky for you, I owe Veda a favor. Unlucky for you, this is going to hurt."
She pressed something against my chest—burning, chemical, wrong.
I screamed into her hand.
"The wolfsbane bonded with your bloodstream," Kai said, her voice detached. "I'm burning it out. If you're strong enough, you'll survive. If not..." She shrugged. "Well, at least you'll die interesting."
The pain intensified, white-hot, obliterating thought.
Then, slowly, it began to fade.
My breathing steadied. My vision cleared.
Kai pulled back, wiping blood from her hands. "You'll live. For now."
I sat up slowly, every muscle aching. We were in a cave—small, hidden, lit by a single lantern.
Elara sat against the wall, watching with wide eyes.
"How long was I out?" I asked.
"Three hours," Kai said. "Your sister carried you here. Impressive, considering she's half your size."
I looked at Elara. "Thank you."
She nodded, not trusting her voice.
Kai stood, packing her supplies. "You owe me now, Luna. Remember that."
"What do you want?"
She paused, her back to me. "When the time comes, I'll tell you. Until then..." She glanced back. "Don't die. Dead Lunas can't pay debts."
Then she was gone, melting into the shadows.
I turned to Elara. "We need to keep moving."
"To the compound?"
"No." I stood, testing my legs. Still weak, but functional. "To the Shadow Syndicate."
"That's suicide."
"Probably." I met her eyes. "But our mother's there. And I'm not leaving her to die alone."
Elara stared at me for a long moment.
Then she smiled—sharp, feral, mine.
"Then let's go start another war."
We walked out of the cave and into the pre-dawn darkness.
Behind us, in the distance, the cathedral burned.
Ahead of us, somewhere in the shadows, our mother waited.
And between us and her stood an army that wanted us dead.
Perfect.