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#Chapter 261: Shifting Blame
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2024-10-29 19:42:56Related chapters
Fake Vow, True Luna #Chapter 262: The Monster’s Return
NathanWith a heavy heart, I made my way to the Council building.The sun hadn’t fully risen yet, but the damage the marauders had done to the historic building was evident even in the early morning dim. The Council building, which had stood for generations as a symbol of our pack’s strength and unity, was now defaced.The entrance, which was built from the finest marbles, was vandalized with distasteful graffiti mocking our lineage. Windows which had withstood centuries of wear were shattered. Walking through the halls felt like traversing through a forgotten war zone, with every footprint echoing loss.I was met with the steely gazes of the three Elders—Mingan, Corbin, and Amara. Mingan’s silver hair, usually neatly pulled back, looked slightly disheveled. Corbin’s broad shoulders seemed more hunched than usual. And Amara’s normally sparkling eyes bore an angry fire.Behind them stood Freya, her auburn hair cascading over her shoulders. She was silent as usual, but her green eyes sp
Fake Vow, True Luna #Chapter 263: The Stone from the Sea
OliviaSoft, muted light streamed through the sheer curtains, casting elongated patterns across the floor of the cozy living space.The room’s warm, neutral colors, reminiscent of the beach that lay not far from our villa, usually soothed my restless soul. But today was different. Today, each step I took resonated with guilt, fear, and an encroaching sense of helplessness.I paced back and forth, wrestling with the tumultuous emotions coursing through me.Elliot, my heart, the center of my universe, had been the target of Ryan’s demands. How could I ever hand over my son? Yet, the destruction outside, the chaos that was beginning to unfurl – could I truly say it wasn’t my fault? Was this only the start of Ryan’s reign of terror?With every footstep, I felt the echoes of doubt reverberating through my soul.Ryan was merely testing the waters, gauging my reactions. I knew him well enough to recognize the predatory glint in his eyes.He was playing with us, and the terrifying realization
Fake Vow, True Luna #Chapter 264: Stories Behind Paintings
OliviaThe faint echo of the twins’ soft breathing still played at the edge of my hearing as I stood before the heavy basement door. It felt like a threshold to another world, a realm holding the whispered secrets of the past. The cool touch of the doorknob in my hand was a stark contrast to the warm afterglow of the nursery.Slipping the baby monitor into my pocket, I descended the stairs. As I did, the memories of past visits to the basement, specifically my aunt’s secret archive, came rushing back.But I couldn’t start there. Not before I had tackled the mountain of boxes in the basement. Only then, if I couldn’t find the peridot, could I move on to the archive itself.The basement was a treasure trove of memories, a space where the past met the present. Each box seemed to have a story of its own, and as I sifted through costumes and toys from days gone by, I couldn’t help but get a little lost in the whirlwind of emotions that accompanied each item.In the midst of this exploratio
Fake Vow, True Luna #Chapter 265: On the Hunt
NathanThe afternoon’s ambiance, painted in shades of gray and blue with the overcast sky, draped over the land as the weight of the impending search pressed on my shoulders.Clouds meandered lazily across the gray sky, occasionally dimming the silver radiance of the sun peeking through the haze that served as our guiding light.If Alvin was the ‘monster’, we had to find him. Not only for the pack’s safety but for Alvin’s sake too. And for my sake, partially—because I wanted to understand why he would do such a thing.Was Ryan forcing Alvin to work for him? Or had Alvin completely disregarded the lengths that Olivia and I had gone to all those months ago to restore his hand and keep him from being euthanized by my father?I had questions, and I wanted answers.I had assembled a search party in the clearing by an old ash tree, its boughs gnarled and twisted with age. All around me, members of the pack’s guard detail waited; many old, familiar faces, and some new ones.“Alright, everyon
Fake Vow, True Luna #Chapter 266: One Last Letter
OliviaThere was still so much I didn’t know about this place, about my destiny. But when I stumbled upon the safe, cleverly hidden behind a painting in what once served as my aunt's private archive, it felt like I had unearthed a direct link to those secrets.The solid steel door, adorned with an electronic keypad, seemed oddly out of place against the aging wallpaper and dark mahogany bookshelves. I hesitated for a moment, tracing my fingers over the cold metal, contemplating the importance of what might lie within.“What are you hiding?” I whispered to it, my breath causing dust particles in the air to stir. Was the peridot inside? Was the peridot the second artifact?Trying a few generic combinations—birthdays, anniversaries, the current year—all yielded the same beeping refusal. The safe was locked tightly, and I didn’t know the passcode.Frustrated, I turned around to face the rest of the archive. The room felt bigger now that I knew what secrets it held, filled with shelves str
Fake Vow, True Luna #Chapter 267: The Second Artifact
OliviaThe delicate weight of the letter still lingered in my hands as I rushed downstairs, my feet barely grazing the rich rugs and polished wooden floors.My heart drummed wildly, racing with the urgency of my steps. The code written at the bottom of Aunt Gertrude’s letter had unlocked more than just memories; it had promised to reveal a puzzle piece that lay waiting, hidden behind layers of steel and security.As I reached the archive room, the faint glow from the overhead chandelier cast a muted light, making the safe’s keypad glisten eerily. The room seemed to hold its breath, waiting, anticipating.I took a moment to steady myself, my fingers trembling as I began to punch in the numbers: 2-3-1-7-8-4.There was a soft click and a sigh from the mechanism, and then the door slowly creaked open.Inside, amidst a layer of velvety cushion, lay a small ornate box, its surface a dance of dark woods and ivory inlays.It was beautifully old-fashioned, a relic from another era. Without thi
Fake Vow, True Luna #Chapter 268: An Empty Home
NathanBy the time the search party had disbanded, the first hints of sunset touched the horizon. The dense woods that had been the site of our search now seemed quieter, with most pack members returning home.Despite the tiring hunt, there was a satisfaction in knowing we had done our best to ensure the safety of the territory.As I approached the Council building, the structure stood tall and defiant against the vandalism from the night before.Pack members, both young and old, were scattered around the building, scrubbing off the harsh graffiti that marred its grand facade. I could feel their determination, their urge to erase every trace of the violation.Though my muscles screamed in protest, and exhaustion weighed down every limb, seeing them work so diligently reignited my resolve.Without hesitation, I joined the group, scrubbing alongside them. Each stroke of the brush felt like a declaration of resistance against those who sought to undermine us.The coarse texture of the br
Fake Vow, True Luna #Chapter 269: Reckless Abandon
OliviaWhen Nathan finished recounting his conversation with Freya to me, my resolve was made clear.I had to find the last artifact as soon as possible.So much was on the precipice of disaster if I didn’t find it before Ryan; not only would Ryan remain unhindered in his bloodthirsty quest for war and my son, but the Elders would also overthrow Nathan—and there was no telling what the Elders would do if they were in complete control of our pack.As exhausted as I was, I knew that I had to go now. There was no other choice. For all I knew, Alvin was spying for Ryan right then and there, and Ryan would beat me to the final artifact.God, I thought to myself, thinking back on what Nathan had confirmed earlier. I would love to beat some sense into Alvin right about now…But right now was not the time for revenge against an old friend. Right now, I needed to focus on the ritual. And I knew what to do.“Very well then,” I said, nodding. “I’ll find the last artifact as soon as I can. For ev
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Fake Vow, True Luna #Chapter 568: True Vows
OliviaI gripped the edges of the podium, my knuckles whitening from the strain as I stared out over the sea of faces. All eyes were trained squarely on me, awaiting my words. But I was frozen.A tremor of nausea wormed its way up my throat as I stared out at them. What was I thinking—how could I have ever agreed to this? Speaking to crowds had never been my forte; that was Nathan’s arena, not mine. I was just the woman behind the scenes, the young mom who had never gone to college, the one who had been handed her job by her husband…Suddenly, a flicker of motion off to the side caught my eye—Nathan, standing just at the edge of the stage with his arms folded across his chest. Even from this distance, I could feel the weight of his steady gaze, that piercing Alpha stare that always seemed to see straight into the depths of my soul.He must have sensed my faltering because, slowly, deliberately, he offered me the faintest of smiles and a single, reassuring nod.And just like that, the
Fake Vow, True Luna #Chapter 567: True Luna
Olivia I looped my arm through Nathan’s as we stepped down from the podium, the applause from the crowd and the flashing of cameras having finally subsided after what felt like an eternity. “It’s over,” Nathan beamed, giving my arm a squeeze. “That wasn’t so bad.” I couldn’t help but grin back at him. “No, it wasn’t. You were great up there.” And he really had been great; the press conference had been an overwhelming success—any lingering doubts or trepidation we had harbored before had been utterly blown away by the sheer force of the crowd’s enthusiastic response. For so long, it had felt like we were fighting this battle alone, like the victims who had suffered under Dan’s horrific operation were little more than nameless, faceless casualties. But today, we had finally given them a voice. Their stories had reached the masses, had resonated and struck a chord with everyone who watched. Nathan had handled all of the questions that were thrown his way with poise and ease
Fake Vow, True Luna #Chapter 566: Vignettes
OliviaI rapped my knuckles lightly on the door to Nathan’s office. A moment later, his voice called out, “Come in.”Stepping into the room, I placed my hands on my hips upon seeing the scene in front of me: Nathan was standing in front of the mirror, his shirt still untucked and his tie loosened. His desk was a mess of papers and folders, and it was clear that he had been checking over his notes last-minute before the press conference.
Fake Vow, True Luna #Chapter 565: By Your Side
OliviaI wiped a bead of sweat from my brow, slowly turning to survey the progress that had been made in the park. The banners we had hung were a bold purple color, signifying our support of the women who had been affected by the trafficking ring.I couldn’t help but smile a bit as I looked at our progress. With the press conference today, followed by a festival to help raise funds for the shelter we were building, the park was bustling with activity as our pack members worked hard
Fake Vow, True Luna #Chapter 564: One Step
NathanI leaned back in my chair with a weary sigh, pinching the bridge of my nose in a futile attempt to stave off the encroaching headache. Spread out on my desk was an array of file folders, legal pads scrawled with notes, and printed transcripts—a minefield of information that would need to be carefully navigated on the day of the upcoming press conference.It had been two weeks since Dan and Montgomery’s bodies were found in the confinement pit, and it had been a dizzyin
Fake Vow, True Luna #Chapter 563: The End of an Era
OliviaMy hands shook uncontrollably as I stepped up to the edge of the pit, clutching the metal grating until my knuckles turned white. A thick, cloying stench wafted up from the darkness below—the unmistakable reek of death and decay.Despite the waves of nausea already roiling in my gut, I leaned forward for a closer look.
Fake Vow, True Luna #Chapter 562: The Rise & The Fall
OliviaThe air coming through the open windows smelled like the fresh sea breeze as we made our way from room to room, touring every nook and cranny of the newly completed cottage. It was perfect—cozy and quaint, while still boasting all the modern amenities one could want. But more than that, it was a sanctuary, a haven.A fresh start.
Fake Vow, True Luna #Chapter 561: Spring Air
OliviaThe sound of power tools outside streamed in through the window while I folded the laundry, a distant backdrop to my swirling thoughts. I had grown used to the sound, and actually kind of enjoyed it. It was a reminder that life went on, that our family was growing.It had been a couple of weeks since I had made the decision to take a temporary leave from work in order to really focus on my family—on rebuilding that long-severed bond with my mother—and I was glad I did.
Fake Vow, True Luna #Chapter 560: Rage
NathanI couldn’t stop the rage from simmering just beneath the surface as I made my way through the darkened forest toward the confinement pit. No one knew I was here—I was coming under the cover of night, my hair and face concealed by a hood.But I had to come. I couldn’t stop thinking about Dan and Montgomery, and I needed to see them.
