Damien's piercing stare settled on me with hungry intensity. "That this naive little illiterate isn't our long-lost Luna at all. Just an unwitting stand-in, haplessly caught in the crosshairs of Fate's cruel games."
The bottom dropped out of my stomach as their sinister intimations coalesced into a horrifying reality. They knew I wasn't the real Luna. Which meant...
"You two tried to kill her," I gasped, sickened realization crashing over me. "The actual Luna, your brother's mate. You're the ones responsible for her disappearance!"
Valerie asked unsympathetically. "Don't look so betrayed, little one. That pathetic excuse for a Luna had far too strong a grip over my Alphas. I merely...removed an inconvenient obstacle to ensure they could reach their full potential under my guidance."
"You're both certifiable!" I spat, every hard-won instinct screaming at me to flee from their poisonous presence. "Zane, Caleb and Ryder would never..."
"What? Fall under the depraved sway of a usurping bitch like yourself?" Damien cut in with a low, mocking chuckle. "You'd be surprised what depravities an Alpha can be driven to when the dark forces of fate are amassed against him."
He circled me slowly, dark eyes glittering with sinister intent as his gaze raked over me in a way that made my skin crawl.
"But now that the gods have delivered us a...stand-in for our dearly departed Luna, perhaps my brother and his degenerate mutts will be more inclined to see reason. With you at our side as an...unwitting accomplice."
My breath caught in my throat as the full extent of their twisted machinations became devastatingly clear.
These two vile, power-mad monsters had disposed of the real Luna, then used me - some hapless pawn - as a stand-in to infiltrate the pack and bring down their sworn enemies from within.
"You're both out of your goddamn minds if you think I'll help destroy anyone," I spat, refusing to show them an ounce of the bone-deep terror spiraling through me. "I don't give a fuck about your little psychotic pack politics."
Damien's hand shot out, calloused fingers closing around my throat in a bruising grip as he hauled me against his rock-solid form.
I choked on a scream of surprise, scrabbling futilely against his implacable strength.
"You'll do exactly as I say," he hissed, hot breath fanning across my face as his obsidian eyes bored into mine. "Fate has marked you with the Luna's scent, pet -and my idiot brother and his loyal imbeciles are blind to your true identity."
He leaned closer, lips brushing against the frantic pulse thundering in my throat.
"You're our inside woman now...our instrument for tearing their wretched world asunder from within. Play your part, or I'll slaughter your former life and loved ones as retribution for your defiance."
Bile rose in my throat, choking me as the realization of my total and utter helplessness cemented in my psyche.
I was a mere pawn, a sacrificial lamb caught in the sadistic crossfire of these unhinged tyrants' quest for dominance.
There was no escaping their clutches. Not when they used my own family and loved ones as leverage to ensure my obedience.
Help them infiltrate and sabotage the pack from within...or suffer the consequences of my refusal.
My options were dwindling faster than grains through the merciless hourglass.
And as Damien's bruising grip tightened with ruthless promise, the last remnants of hope curdled to bitter ashes inside my hollow chest.
For several endless moments, all I could comprehend was Damien's bruising grip constricting my airway and the keening wail of sheer terror echoing through my mind.
Me - an insignificant human pawn drafted into this sadistic game of wolf politics through sheer cruel circumstance.
Valerie watched the display with cold calculation glittering in her sharp gaze. "Well, little one? What's your answer?"
Damien's palm scored burning brands across my flesh as his fingers tightened another cruel notch.
Dark spots sparked in my vision as the indisputable truth slammed home: they wouldn't hesitate to dispose of me just as callously as they'd eliminated the real Luna.
Except I wasn't some disposable casualty in their lust for power.
I was their secret weapon - their inside source to infiltrate and destroy their sworn enemies from within.
My family, my friends...their lives now dangled by a tenuous thread, to be snapped on a whim if I refused to play my role in this twisted game.
Panic and indignant defiance welled up in a choking surge, but I viciously stamped them down.
I was a dead woman either way - the only difference lay in whether my death would be a meaningless, fruitless one or a sacrificial play to save those I loved most.
Tears burned in my eyes as resignation's bitter sediment settled, cold and leaden, in the pit of my hollow chest. I couldn't defeat the forces marshaled against me...
...but perhaps I could undermine them from the inside.
Damien's calloused thumb stroked over the wildly fluttering pulse in my throat, his lips quirking in a sinister smirk of triumph as I sagged in tacit surrender. "A wise choice, pet."
Valerie's low chuckle grated like nails over scorched flesh. "Now the real fun begins."
Air wheezed past my bruised windpipe as Damien released me, leaving me to crumple in a gasping, trembling heap at his feet.
Rage and loathing for my tormentors blazed through me even as dread's icy tendrils encased my shattered psyche.
I was the sacrificial virgin, the Judas lamb sent willingly into the wolves' den as a harbinger of brutal, inescapable destruction.
There were no allies in this macabre game, only a winding trail of blood and heartbreak destined to be my ultimate demise.
And as the visions that had been haunting me resurged with visceral clarity - of howling beasts, splintered bones and spilled crimson beneath a bleeding hunter's moon - a terrible truth slammed home with cold, brutal finality.
I was never meant to rise victorious from this brutal power struggle.
My role was to be the spark that ignited an all-consuming blaze of violence, death and ruination.
Whatever entities presided over this arcane supernatural realm had delivered me to their door marked for sacrifice upon the blackened altars of vengeance and domination.
My ordinary human existence was erased, unceremoniously ushered into literal nightmare's foul womb to play a part my rational mind could scarcely fathom.
But as Damien's harsh chuckle joined Valerie's mocking scorn, I clung to the flicker of strength still burning stubbornly in my core.
Play their game I would.
But not as the willing executioner they envisioned.
My role would be that of a wolf among the jackals, a sleeper agent who feigned obedience while seeking a path to bring the whole rotten edifice crumbling down from within.
If I was fated to ignite a blaze that consumed us all, I'd be damned if I went down as the helpless victim they craved.
This was war.
And like any good tactical campaign...it began with deception.
Chapter 6Keira’s Pov“Meet us in the woods by midnight. We will leave a scent for you to follow. Ensure that you do not keep us waiting.” Valerie said, and then both her and Damien walked out of the living room.I breathed a sigh of relief, and it felt as if their presence had been a weight on my shoulders, and with them gone, it was a big relief. They didn’t even wait to hear if I was going to be in or not; I guess they could smell my fear and knew I would end up doing their bid. Well, I couldn’t really say I was going to deceive them totally; I was going to do their bid a little just to save my neck, and that of my family and friends.But on a second thought, I felt if I could sneak out into the woods, then I could also escape that way. The thought of that made my heart leap for joy, and I just couldn’t wait until midnight.I tried my best to stay patient just until midnight would be here because with the thought of escaping here, my whole body just couldn’t stay here one more seco
Luna’s PovMy eyes opened slowly, and to my shock, I was in a strange room; simple, yet beautiful. The things around were arranged neatly; the wall was painted pink, and there were many papers stacked on the study desk. The floor I saw from a distant was really nice and pretty, but how did I get here? The last thing I remembered was that Valerie and Damien threw me down easily into the raging water fall during a rainy day. They had found a way to inject me with something that weakened every fiber of me.“Son and daughter of a bitch!” I said sharply under my breath.That was the only way they were able to get to me. But right now, where could I be? Did the people who own here, save me perhaps? As I sat up, and looked around again, I saw a framed photo of myself standing before a college.“What the hell.” I never took those photos, and so far, I haven’t seen a place like this in our city. Was this their way of idolizing me or what? Besides, how did they make it? No, I couldn’t just si
Keira’s PovJust before I fell too far from the cliff top, I was able to grab a hold of a part of the cliff, but my hands were slipping.“Help!” I screamed out and my voice echoed.The rogue came closer, and bent to me.“No one is going to save you, Luna. It’s time I cause a fatal pain to Alpha Zane’s heart.” The rogue said, and rose to his feet, raising his right foot as he prepared to hit my hand.“No, please don’t! Don’t do this.” I pleaded as I felt my hand slipping.He began to cackle and just when he was about to kick me off, someone from nowhere pushed him off the cliff and he fell, screaming in fear. That made me to look down at him, and just seeing the mighty river and everything got me so overwhelmed in fear that my hand slipped at once.“Ahh!” I screamed out the moment I realized I was going to fall and die.But fortunately, a hand grabbed me, and pulled me up back to the ground.Tears strolled down my eyes and I began to cry out as the feeling of being so close to death wa
Keira’s Pov“What's… what's going on?” I asked, trying to understand why everyone was a little tense and all.Then they all looked at me, and Alpha Zane sighed.“When the Luna goes away for a while, maybe on a trip or something, a Luna Rite is performed where she has to fight with a skilled warrior in the pack to see if she still has the knack or capability to be a Luna. Besides, no one in the pack except the pack house knows that you were missing and not on a trip.” Zane explained to me.My heart skipped a beat and my palms become sweaty and cold.How was I supposed to get into a Luna Rite when I didn't know how to fight? The rogue who had tried kill me could have succeeded if Caleb didn't interfere.“I can't… I can't avoid it?” I asked, feeling so nervous and anxious.“No, it's an important tradition. But I'll find a way around it. For now, go to your room.” Zane said to me, and I nodded my head and walked back to my room.I slowly walked back to my room, thinking so much on what w
Keira’s PovMy body felt good, and even the warm sun rays that shone on my face made me feel more good today. This was a feeling which doesn’t come to me so easily, and it was nice to finally have a taste of it.Hold on. This really happened.I opened my eyes immediately, and I let out a soft gasp as I saw Zane beside me, sleeping comfortably.“Oh, no.” I uttered under my breath and covered my mouth with my hand.Then I gently got down from the bed just so as not to wake him, and I quickly ran into the bathroom, and locked the door, then placed both hands on the sink, and bowed my head as I tried to calculate what had just happened between us.Although, I recall that we had something together, but at first, it seemed like a dream; or maybe the feeling was a dream come true. “Shit!” I cursed under my breath.The real Luna was going to be mad at me if she found out that I slept with her main man. Would she come after me or make me regret this? Oh, good God.“Luna?” I heard Zane call ou
Keira’s Pov“Is it… Is it going to claim my life?” I asked, out of anxiousness.“Claim your life? Why should it? You just have to be careful of any trap and try your best not to get caught. I’ll be expecting the heirloom key as soon as possible.” Valerie said, then walked out of my room.I let out a sigh, thinking of how I was going to get that heirloom key because I needed it as fast as possible just so I could leave this place quickly and avoid committing any sin which would make the real Luna angry if she came back.“Think, Keira.” I said under my breath as I sat on the bed, staring hard into blank space.“I have to find a way to it, and it has to be very soon.” I said, with determination.~It was past midnight, and everywhere was quiet; a perfect time for me to sneak into wherever I had to get into. Just as I wanted to go out of bed, I heard footsteps heading towards my room, so I immediately laid on my bed, and covered myself up just in case it was really my room the person was
Luna's Pov My back was leaned against the headboard and I couldn't help but think about when the wolf attacked me the other night. In fact, it had been most of what i was thinking of throughout today.“How could that be?” I asked myself, still feeling really baffled about everything.How was it possible that the wolf didn't fear me and tried to jump at me? I also felt powerless and weak. If not that Emily interfered right in time and hit the wolf with a big stick, I would have been torn into pieces by now.Definitely, I had lost my powers. Something must have happened to me somehow because there was no explanation to how I felt weak and unable to defend myself.“Gosh.” I said under my breath and buried my face in my palms.This was all too much for me to take in and there was no one I knew around here that could explain the situation. Besides, I had found out that there was no way back to my pack from here. This place was more like an entirely different world for me.A knock on my doo
Luna's PovBefore anything else happened, the woman turned away and ran off.“Shit!” I cursed under my breath.“What's going on?” Emily asked, but I ignored her and jumped on my feet, then ran towards the corner I had seen the strange woman.“Keira! Keira!” I heard Emily call out to me, but I didn't look back or respond.I didn't want to lose that woman as she might have an answer to the weird things I was experiencing by being here.As soon as I got to that corner, I saw her running off in the distance. She also looked back at me, but looked forward again, trying to run as fast as she could.“Hey! Hold on, please!” I voiced out to her, and my voice echoed, but she didn't halt.I swung my arms back and forth with the wind brushing past my hair, but I wasn't as fast as I used to be, and it was really frustrating.But thankfully, before I lost sight of her, I saw her turning to the right side, so I ran towards that place. On getting there, I discovered it was a warehouse just down the s