CHAPTER TWELVE RoxanneAlpha Ryker?I sucked in my breath afraid to make the slightest noise as I heard him walk in. I was terrified of his presence. Even in the dark his aura was oppressive. He made me want to sprint and hide. Good thing I was in a corner where he could barely see me.Ryker strolled into the cell with an air of dominance. “What's all this incessant racket, woman? One would think a banshee had taken residence down here.”I jumped when a spider fell into the chemise of my dress. God forsaken creatures.“You're just going to hide from me?” He demanded.“I'm scared,” I said, my voice merely a whisper.“On your feet,” He instructed.I went silent again. There was no way I could get on my feet. My ankle was injured.“Listen! If there's something I hate it's silence and disobedience. You may not be able to survive here little fly,” He reached for my neck.I gasped out in shock as his fingers closed around my small neck. He applied so much pressure I was scared I was either
CHAPTER THIRTEEN Roxanne What do you do when you're behind bars?I kept looking for something to do. Something to keep me occupied. I was bored to death by the constant conversations the guards had and I could bet I could complete their last sentences.Food had been sent to me and I was allowed to take my bath but it wasn't Kara who brought food to me. I longed to see her again. She had the kindest smile and was easy when it came to me.But the people whose faces I was getting used to seeing everyday irked me. They had grumpy faces and complained when I requested for little things like a bottle of water or to use the toilet.I mean crap! I could care less if they were having a bad day. It was easy- they could quit. At least they had freedom of movement and were not confined to this devil's lair like I was.Bored to death from pacing the hellhole I was in, I took my time to observe it for the first time.You never knew how intriguing it was to watch an ant crawling on the wall until
CHAPTER FOURTEEN ROXANNE Once again I was back to the dungeon I dreaded the most, the very first. After Ryker gave out his orders the Elders became really furious and had an argument. I had wanted to thank him but when I called for him, he ignored me and walked off. The guards weren't pleased with his decision too but the Alpha didn't spare any one a glance.His mind was made up.I wondered why he had showed up again today. He wanted to punish me and I was sure his vengeance was brutal. I was worried whenever someone did the slightest nice thing for me. I wasn't used to having someone come through for me all the time.I laid still on the cold floor and suddenly remembered the cell I was in previously. The intricate designs and the diary I had found. I was curious. I wanted to know what details it contained. I needed to have it within my reach but I was unsure how.There were two guards at the door. If only they weren't dullards I would've asked them to help me get it. But they woul
CHAPTER FIFTEEN Roxanne ‘The key to freedom in your hands.’The riddle left me confused. Was it an escape? Was someone else locked up here before? Could they have possibly found their way out and left it for the next person? Was that why it was secured within the wall? Did it have too much information?I had so many questions and although I had the book with the answers in my hands, I was scared.I bit my lip as I repeated the riddle. It seemed to hint at a location outside the cell, possibly somewhere within the Alpha’s territory. The mention of wolves dancing left me curious. Could that be the key to my escape?A willow…I had definitely seen one here but I couldn't recall where. I mean, why should I keep the location of a tree in my head?I never knew it had any significance.“L.W” I whispered, running my thumb across the initials. It was a mystery I wanted to unravel.Without hesitation I wore it around my neck, feeling a sense of connection to the past. It fit perfectly and I
CHAPTER SIXTEEN Ryker Me and my beta were in a pack meeting when I suddenly experienced an unsettling feeling of unease. I tried to block it out but it ate at me. My heart began to race, and a knot twisted in the pit of my stomach, leaving me feeling on the edge. This was the same sensation I had gotten when Roxanne was in trouble with X, a premonition I couldn't ignore.“Alpha,” my beta, Miles, called as he leaned in, “you look unsettled.”“I'm alright ,” I said flatly.I knew I wasn't but I ignored the feeling that ate at me and tried to focus on the meeting.What danger could she be in? No one came close to her now as she was segregated and I couldn't come to her rescue everytime.Fuck it. I had to go.“Beta Miles, take over. I've got to go check something,” I said.He shook his head, “Alpha, I could go and check. Your presence is needed here.”“You do this when I'm not present,” I said firmly. “Do it again and give me the details when it's over.”He nodded at me,“Got it.”I hast
CHAPTER SEVENTEENROXANNE “What do you think you're doing?” He asked in a thunder-like voice.My blood ran cold at the sound of his voice. I turned to see him and there he was, standing at the entrance. His eyes were blazing with an anger I had never known and in his hand was the knife I had previously used.With a sob I backed away, almost slipping in the guard's blood. I wanted to run but I was trapped in this room and I was weak. He didn't run. He just walked toward me, picking his steps carefully but his movements were powerful and threatening. I pinned my back against the wall, tears slipping down my eyes as he approached me.His voice was menacing and each word dripped with fury.“You dare trespass in my sanctuary? Weapons in Red Moon are not for your feeble hands to touch!”Please, I begged with my eyes.My eyes darted around for an escape route and finally settled on the window. I scurried to it, dragging my weak legs as fast as they could go.I forced it open and peered down
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN ROXANNE For the third time, I was moved to a new cell. One that wasn't so far away. One that was smaller. One that I could be watched from, closely.But I wasn't the only one. I had company.Ryker had ordered his men to keep the guards I had murdered in the same cell with me and immediately they did as they were told, they stayed far away from me. They avoided me like a plague.They knew I had taken two more lives and they were more than terrified of me. I was trying to get accustomed to this new change. In White Moon I used to avoid people but here in Red Moon people avoided me.I didn't know if it was a good thing or not but what I did know was that it got me into more trouble.I had stayed in the far end of the cell. As always. It was the coldest and a dim light reflected in it.I didn't want to stay anywhere close to the bodies. Today's events replayed in my mind. I was sure I didn't kill these guards. I had waited for them to kill me. I may have passed out beca
CHAPTER NINETEENRYKERI sat in my office surrounded by the solitude of my work. The weight of responsibilities bore down on me but I found solace in the quiet of my own thoughts.My focus was momentarily shattered by the soft knock on my door. I lifted my head when my beta, Miles, entered the room with a cautious step, his face etched with a hint of excitement.“You seem so excited,” I said, “It's not payday yet.”He chuckled. “Alpha I hope I'm not interrupting, but your sister Selina is here,” He announced, his tone lighter than usual.My brow arched in surprise. “Selina? She didn't mention coming sooner in her letters. Well it's about time she graced us with her presence,” I teased with a chuckle. “Let her in.”“Yes Alpha.”As my Beta turned to retrieve Selina, I leaned back in the chair, a rare smile tugging at the corners of my lips. I had missed my sister's infectious energy and free spirit, qualities I lacked as a leader of Red moon.The door swung open and there stood Selina,
EPILOGUE (THE END)ROXANNE A YEAR LATER.It’s shocking how a year has passed, yet the souls of the dead remain with us, their memories fresh and haunting. The pain, the struggles, the healing—none of it has come easy. Losing someone you knew is like losing a part of yourself. It leaves a hole in your life, a constant ache that never truly fades. Each day feels like a battle to keep your sanity, to remember who you are without them.I walked slowly, each step heavy with sorrow, to the graves of Lilith and Kara. The ground was soft beneath my feet, the scent of damp earth mingling with the fresh aroma of the carnations and lilies I carried. After much contemplation, we decided to bury Lilith in Red Moon, beside her dead mate. Tears slipped down my cheeks, but I brushed them away quickly. Ryker mustn't see me cry.As I laid the flowers on the graves, memories of Lilith’s fierce spirit and Kara’s gentle smile flooded my mind. The pain of their loss was still raw, a wound that had not yet
CHAPTER SEVENTY FOURROXANNE Anger boiled inside me, hot and relentless. I didn’t like Lilith, but she was still my sister. War had been declared, and now swords clashed against swords, claws ripped into flesh. The three packs—White Moon and Red Moon—united against Blue Moon, turning the battlefield into a bloody nightmare.I watched as Colin joined Beta Miles, their ruthlessness clear. We clashed, our bodies moving in deadly grace. The anger and betrayal fueled my every move and for the first time I felt the extent of my powers. I fought with a strength I never knew I had.Miles plunged a knife into Ryker’s stomach, igniting a fury within me that I couldn’t contain. I wolfed out, throwing myself at Miles, my claws tearing at his flesh, my teeth sinking deep.Gasps echoed around me as everyone saw the size of my wolf form. But Miles was fast. He grabbed a knife and stabbed me, forcing me to morph back. Blood poured from my wound, but it wasn’t mine. It was his. Smiling through the pa
CHAPTER SEVENTY THREEROXANNEI'll let Beta Miles continue his side of the story but first let me tell you how we connected,” Lilith said and beamed at me. “Kara was a chatterbox and she couldn't keep secrets to herself. So she got so happy one day and told Beta Miles that she knew the prophecy, not caring that it could put me at risk. She told him it was Roxanne and me and they were faraway.”She sounded disappointed. “Beta Miles got interested and wanted to work for me so I could get what I wanted and he could get what he wanted. All of us wanted something and we burned for it. For me, it was revenge, for Kara it was peace.” Lilith touched my shoulder but I shrugged her hands off. “I knew kara was going to fail me someday. She stopped writing to me after receiving my letter, then one day, she said she couldn't kill you because she liked you and you were nice.”Tears slipped down my eyes. Kara… she had always told me she would never hurt me. It wasn't a promise, it was the truth. Sh
CHAPTER SEVENTY TWO LILITHWe all gasped back to reality and took indrawn gasps while the necromancer removed the needles from our foreheads. Roxanne and Zane stared at me like they were seeing a ghost and I motioned for the necromancer to stay with me and not leave yet.“Mom– oh my God,” Roxanne whispered in disbelief as she placed a hand over her head.Zane stared at me with pity. An expression I loathed with my being.“I know it's hard to decipher,” the necromancer said. “It's also overwhelming. Your mother sacrificed Lilith’s life to save you because you were a powerful child, Roxanne. You were the prophecy blue moon had years ago and I knew I had to seal your powers. Your mother was in so much pain that day but she had to do what she needed to do.”Roxanne shook her head as tears slipped down her face. “She had a choice.”“But she still had to make a choice from both,” the necromancer said. “You were chosen, Roxanne. Sealing your powers away was what made you weak. You were neve
CHAPTER SEVENTY ONEROXANNE What do you do when you're face to face with the demons that have been lurking in the dark, hurting you, whispering fear and terror in your dreams? What do you do when the secrets of the past, the secrets you've longed to know, are finally before you? Do you turn away because you know it won't end well, or do you stay because you've been kept in the dark for too long?My eyes darted to a corner, and there he was—Ryker, bound with chains. Just like my vision had revealed. He looked exhausted and in pain, his clothes stained with blood, and wounds covering his skin. A raw gasp escaped my lips, and my heart clenched.The girl smiled and approached me. My heart thumped loudly in my chest, as I watched her movement. There was something hauntingly familiar about her.It scared me that we looked exactly alike. It was as if I was staring at a reflection of myself, except this reflection had blue eyes while mine were hazel."What's going on?" Zane demanded, his voi
CHAPTER SEVENTY ROXANNE Selina briefed me on the plan as we moved quickly towards the area where Ryker was.She told me that she could trace the way they went since Beta Miles was her mate, but I couldn't scent Ryker since he had rejected me. If my wolf had surfaced earlier, I would have been able to sense that he was in danger, but now I couldn't. My heart pounded loudly as I thought about the battle. I was unsure about myself. I had no idea if I could defeat Beta Miles.We headed towards Blue Moon. Confusion sprawled on my face as I wondered what had brought the Beta and Alpha here. It must be his way of reuniting the three packs so they could turn against me. After all, I was a threat.As we neared the location, the air grew tense. The sound of battle echoed through the trees.“Stay close,” Selina whispered, her eyes scanning the area. “We need to find Ryker and get him out of here.”I nodded, my senses heightened. The scent of blood and fear filled the air , and I could feel th
CHAPTER SIXTY NINEROXANNE As I traipsed through the unfamiliar terrain, everything began to make sense. The reason for everything that had happened. The clues were there from the beginning but they had been ignored.Of course, no one paid attention to things that didn't involve them, just like I hadn't.The paths where wolves once danced, the willow tree, the freedom in your hands. It was all in the book. Ryker's mom had known it would happen someday, and that's why she wrote, hoping it would reach the person who truly needed to see it.The key to freedom in your hands wasn't what I had thought it was. Back then in the dungeon, I had thought the key to freedom was an actual key that could take me out of the dark place and out of Red Moon. But it wasn't. It was about realising who I was and accessing my powers. The willow tree at the cliff was what I needed to find first, for everything to make sense.And I guess it found me. And the prophecy… I still didn't know how I was the chosen
CHAPTER SIXTY EIGHT ROXANNE I plunged deep into the sea, the icy water turning crimson around me. The stab of betrayal cut deep, the cold blade intent on ending my life. I couldn't fight the water, couldn't fight death. I struggled, but every gasp drew more water into my lungs. My heart slowed, each beat fainter than the last, ticking away my final moments.As the cold seeped into my bones, I thought about when I was thirteen. Yet again I was living my nightmare and facing my worst fear. Zane, Ryker, and Beta Miles. The people I loved. The people I trusted. How did it all come to this?Desperate for survival, I kicked towards the surface. My vision blurred, but I could see a faint shimmer of light above. I had to reach it, had to see the sky one last time before darkness consumed me. With a burst of strength, I pulled the knife from my throat, the blade slick with my blood, and clutched it in trembling hands.But the sea seemed intent on claiming me. The more I fought to stay afloa
CHAPTER SIXTY SEVEN ROXANNE I was stupefied, staring at Ryker in utter confusion. Anger, sadness, and pain engulfed me as I tried to understand what was going on, but I couldn't make sense of it. Ryker was my mate? How? Memories flooded back—how he lashed out at me when we first met, telling me I had no wolf. Subconsciously, I touched my neck. Was that why he kept touching it, searching for my wolf mark? Was that why he brought me to the Red Moon pack? It dawned on me then—I had just been rejected.Since I had no wolf, I couldn't feel the mate bond or the pain of rejection. But Ryker could. He groaned in agony, placing a hand on his chest. Selina squealed in delight, clapping her hands together."Finally, I won't have a mentally deranged woman for a sister-in-law," she jeered.Anguish washed over me. This was Selina's endgame. She had set me up so I would be rejected and chased away. But I didn't utter a word. Instead, I turned to Ryker."If that's the situation, why didn't you tel