Chapter 4

Fortunately, the cabin wasn’t so far from my pack, it's a few hours drive and I could easily trace my way back with Aster by my side.  Perhaps because everything happened at night but in the daytime, things were so much worse than I anticipated. I could smell blood mixed with decaying bodies way before we stepped foot on the property. 

With my hand covering my mouth, as if to stop myself from screaming in agony, I looked around the place, tears streaming down my face. I fall to the ground, overwhelmed with emotions. “No, no, no…” I cried, sobbing and unable to move. 

All the buildings have been destroyed, the whole place wrecked to the ground and reduced to nothing, a sign that the Shadow-Moon has completely taken ownership of the property. I didn’t know how long I stood there sobbing until I felt a hand clasped over my shoulder, I twisted around, coming face to face with the stranger that rescued me. 

He looked past me, then at the lifeless bodies laying all over the place, a horrific expression on his face. “What the hell happened here?" 

I sobbed harder. “I need…to find my Dad…and my best friend.” I started to get up but he stopped me. 

“It’s been three days, I’m afraid no one will survive something so horrible, you’re lucky I found you at the right moment. Don’t torture yourself by looking through the bodies, you’ve been through something traumatizing enough already.” I smack his hand away from my shoulder in anger. 

“Lucky?” I yelled. “You count this as being lucky? My people are dead! My family is gone and my life is over! What’s lucky about that?” 

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it that way—” I cut him off. 

“Your sorry isn’t going to fix everything Is it? Unless you have a way to bring them back.” I motioned towards the bodies. “They are all dead because of me!” I broke down again, my knees collapsing but before I made it to the ground, he broke my fall, slowly sliding down the floor while holding me at the same time. 

“It hurts so much, please make it stop, make it stop…please.” I cried, repeating over and over again, before finally giving in to the darkness consuming me. 

Waking up with a start, I screamed, looking around the place as my body quivered with fear. But then I start to relax when my surroundings begin to shape something familiar. Asher hurried out from the other room at my scream, seeing that I was unharmed, he visibly relaxed. 

“How are you feeling?” 

“I’m leaving.” I told him, trying to get out of bed…a bad idea because I weakly  collapsed back. 

“You’re pushing yourself too hard and opening your wounds, you need time to heal okay?” 

For the first time since I laid eyes on him, I paused and really looked at him. “Why are you helping me? What’s in it for you?” I demanded, regarding him suspiciously. How convenient that he happens to find me at the time which he did? “ Who are you?” The more I regard him, the more I get suspicious of him 

“I don’t usually tell people my last name because I hate to be linked with my family but if that will make you feel safe, I’m Asher Shadow-Moon.” He declared, sending shock waves through me. 

His declaration punched the air out of my lungs as his words continued to echo in my mind. Anger, accompanied with rage blinded me, he’s one of those people who took everything away from me! I wanted to attack him but I was too weak to do anything, fueling my anger more…the same weakness that brought about the downfall of my people. 

“Stay away from me!” I screamed, grabbing the standing lamp on the nightstand table and threw it at him. 

It went flying towards him and because he didn't see it coming, my attack caught him off guard, he couldn’t dodge it in time and I watched in satisfaction as the object smashed against his head, knocking him out! 

I stared at the unconscious figure of Asher, my breathing labored, my vision blurred by both tears and rage. I tightened my grip around the now-broken lampstand as I debated whether to strike him again or flee. 

The hatred burning inside my chest made me tremble. He was a Shadow-Moon, one of them. Those that murdered my people and destroyed my pack.

But before I could decide on what to do, I felt a strange sensation washed over me—a soft hum in my chest, almost like a pulse, radiating warmth. It was unfamiliar, comforting, yet unnerving. I froze, my anger momentarily dulled by the sensation.

A whisper, soft and melodic, echoed in my mind.

“You are not alone, my child. Your journey is only the beginning.” The voice said.

I gasped in fear, stumbling back until I hit the edge of the bed. 

 “ He is not what he seems.” The voice added then faded away.

My gaze darted back to Asher. Blood trickled from the cut on his forehead where the lamp had struck him, but even in his unconscious state, his face seemed… calm. The voice’s words unsettled me. How can I trust him, a Shadow-Moon?

The warmth in my chest faded, leaving me in silence. My thoughts swirled, the whisper haunting me. Was it real? Or was it my mind playing tricks on me in my brokenness?

Just then, Aster's eyes snapped open and we both stared at each other. He was confused, stunned and wondered why I hit him. 

Staring at him, I made my decision. Like me, he will be a tool in my hands

to get to the Shadow- Moon's. They must pay for what they have done to my pack.