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Chapter 12: Liability
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2024-09-16 23:47:43Related chapters
Under the Shadow of the Moon Chapter 13: Exiled
Delaney“Are you going to tell me why the hell there are people after you?” Pollux asks right away. “And don’t lie to me. Don’t tell me that you don’t know what they’re talking about.”I feel extremely helpless right now. Having to explain myself to him is not something I ever thought I would have to do, but right now, he’s the one in charge, and unless I want to leave this place and try my luck elsewhere, I’ll have to cooperate. “I might have an idea,” I admit. “But I’m not sure. Nothing makes a lot of sense to me.”His rigid stance speaks volumes about his impatience. I lick my lips and say, “When I left the prison, they gave me an envelope with a new identity and instructions to leave the city. But Paola brought me here, and I fell in love with this place and what you were all fighting for, so I decided to stay.”“Who sent that to you?” he asks evenly. I shrug. “I don’t know. The letter wasn’t signed.”“Who do you think could’ve sent it?”I never really thought about it. I tell h
Last Updated : 2024-09-17Under the Shadow of the Moon Chapter 14: Setting Out
DelaneyAfter making our way to the surface, Paola and I don't say much to each other. I tried to convince her that she should stay behind. There's no reason why she should have to suffer because of me; because I was exiled. But Paola refuses to listen. I don't have many belongings. Everything I own fits in a plastic bag, and she mentioned the same thing. The surface feels different this time around. I didn't think I'd see the sky again, but here I am, walking down a lone road with my best friend next to me. Do we have a plan? Absolutely not. I have some money, and it'll really come in handy. I haven't told her about it yet. I guess I'll just have to see where we'll go. "I know a place," Paola tells me. "It's pretty rough, but unless we want to spend the night in the streets, that's is the only place we have to go."I agree, and we head there. Whenever I think about the fact that my plan practically blew up in my face, I feel slightly embarrassed and disappointed. I should’ve kn
Last Updated : 2024-09-18Under the Shadow of the Moon Chapter 15: In The Alleyway
DelaneyI hold in my gasp and press my back against the rough brick wall, praying to the goddess that the two men didn’t see me. The man in the alleyway continues whimpering while his assailants hover above him, raining kicks and punches down on him. I look from left to right and don’t spot a single person that I could call for help. They’re going to kill that man. I can’t do a thing to stop them. Years in prison has taught me to mind my own business. What could I do against two men? The least I can do is call for help. I decide to turn away and head back to the hotel, and I run directly into someone. A man. He’s tall and wearing a fitted black suit. A scar is running down the left side of his face, and his hair is tied back in a ponytail. The smile he gives me is wicked, and instills fear in me. Before I know it, he grabs my arm and starts dragging me toward the alleyway. No. I use my free hand to punch him in the face, but that does more damage to him than to me. My fingers ar
Last Updated : 2024-09-19Under the Shadow of the Moon Chapter 16: Heavy Heart
Delaney Pollux shoots the old man a glare and yells at him to mind his business when he ogles me. I’m covered in mud, and I have a few scrapes on my arms. Plus, there’s the dead man’s blood in my hands. I look like I walked straight out of a crime scene, which is exactly what happened. Paola exclaims when she sees us, and her eyes are as wide as saucers. “By the goddess. What happened!?” “We can’t stay here long,” Pollux barks as he heads into the bathroom. I think of sitting on the bed, but decide that I’ll just make it dirtier. But it seems we aren’t staying anyway, so I just sit. “What happened?” Paola asks me hurriedly. “I saw a man being killed, and then I was attacked by the assailants,” I briefly explain. “Pollux showed up and killed one of them, I think.” Paola touches her chest. She glances at the entrance of the bathroom, where Pollux is wiping his wet hands on a dirty towel with a scowl. He casts it aside, and then says to us, “We have to move. We’ll be bla
Last Updated : 2024-09-20Under the Shadow of the Moon Chapter 17: Convincing Speech
Delaney I make sure not to make any noise as I open the door to the basement, and step out. It’s almost six in the morning, and everyone is asleep. This is the best time for me to slip out because nobody will see me and ultimately, this is the best decision that I’ve made for myself. I can’t stay and hurt the people around me. It’s a selfish thing to do. Paola is the only friend I’ve ever had, and to know that I’m endangering her with my presence makes me feel sick to my stomach. Pollux is right; he cares for her, which is why he can’t stand me. I’ve been pulling his sister into my messes and it hasn’t been three full days since my release. I’m trouble. Perhaps I always have been. I left some money for her under the pillow. It’ll help her figure some things out, and I hope it’ll also double as an apology for bringing her into this. When I get upstairs, there isn’t anyone around. Their uncle left the front door unlocked yesterday, probably so make it easy for us to slip out befor
Last Updated : 2024-09-21Under the Shadow of the Moon Chapter 18: Investigation
Alec Alpha Fredrick slams his fists on the table. "That traitor was my Beta! I don't think any of you understand what my pack is going through right now!"I rub my eyes, and feel exhaustion spreading all through my body. I don't like the topic of rebels, for some reason. It creates this sickening feeling in my gut that I don't know what to do with. Rebels in our midst. The last time it happened, it was disastrous. My father had been Alpha then; I was just a kid that didn't understand much of what was happening. "I feel quite ashamed," he adds before rubbing his reddened face. Everyone else is quiet and looking at him, even my Betas. I make eye contact with Trevor's father, and he stares back at me blankly. I don't know what anyone is thinking right now. All I know is that this has put a stop to the investigation of Delaney Waters, so I couldn't be more relieved. That gives her more than enough time to leave the city and establish herself somewhere far away from here. And maybe, j
Last Updated : 2024-09-22Under the Shadow of the Moon Chapter 19: Nothing Is For Free
Delaney The matter of me trying to get away while Paola was sleeping is forgotten.Pollux doesn't mention it to his sister when she wakes up, and neither do I. I don't know how I feel about sharing secrets with him, mostly because I'm not sure that I trust his intentions one hundred percent. It feels like he's doing all of this for an ulterior motive, only, I have no idea what it could be. Pollux is a mystery to me, but my hope is that I'll figure him out the longer we stay in each other's presence. I don't want to assume the worst just yet, but I'll definitely be more cautious around him. We leave as soon as Paola wakes up. On our way to the car, I ask him, "Where are we going?""Somewhere," he simply answers.His vague responses infuriate me, but I'm trying to be patient. He saved my life, and so far, he hasn't made a decision that got us into trouble. I don't have anywhere to go in any case, so it's only natural to let him take charge. I’ll keep an eye out, though. There’s no
Last Updated : 2024-09-23Under the Shadow of the Moon Chapter 20: Escaping Reality
AlecThings have gotten extremely complicated since I found out that Delaney Waters is still in the city. I’ve been having a hard time locating her; that’s a good thing and a bad one. It’s good because that means the other Alphas can’t find her either, and it’s bad because I need to make her leave the city before she gets herself in more trouble. Shit, I wish I didn’t care what happened to her. I don’t know why I feel so responsible for her. I got her arrested because at the time, I had no control and my father was in charge. I didn’t want her to die. But I’ve since corrected that mistake and got her out at the first opportunity. Whatever she chooses to do with her freedom is on her. But if she’s caught, they will kill her. There’s no way around it. As I head into the next meeting, I find everyone there, and their faces are all grave. Fear course through me, as thick as blood, as I make my way to my seat. There’s always the possibility that someone found her before me, of course,
Last Updated : 2024-09-24
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Under the Shadow of the Moon Epilogue 2
AlecI wake up suddenly, in the middle of the night. It’s another one of those nightmares that make my fucking ankle burn like shit. I sit up, reaching for it in hopes that it’ll remember to stop hurting, and that’s when I realize that Delaney isn’t in bed beside me like she has been for the past seven years. “Delaney?” I say loudly. “Here,” I hear her say. She’s standing near the balcony, which I only realize now is open. The curtains are billowing in the wind, covering her from view. I get out of bed, and limp to where she’s standing. She turns to look at me, and fuck, my heart stops beating for a moment. She’s never not stolen my breath from me. Snatched it right out of my lungs. “What’s wrong, baby?” I ask her as I approach her. “Just thinking,” she says as she turns to face me. She places her hands on either side of me, and I inch closer to her and kiss her lips. “I didn’t mean to wake you,” she says. “No, it wasn’t you, it was my foot,” I explain briefly. I then pay clos
Under the Shadow of the Moon Epilogue 1
DelaneyAlec comes up behind me, his arms circling my waist. It startles me because I was so deep in my thoughts that I completely forgot that he was somewhere behind me. All I can think about is the election that will start in about twenty minutes. We’ll be late if we don’t leave the house now. “You okay?” he asks while placing a tender kiss along my jawline. I find it in me to smile at him. “Never been better.”“It’s finally happening,” he claims as he steps back. I turn around to face him, and he hops back on his one good foot to circle my waist with his arms again. “I hope that’s not sadness I see in your eyes.”“No, I’m just thinking,” I admit. The memories claw at the edges of my mind as Alec’s arms tighten around my waist. His warmth anchors me in the present, but it’s not enough to silence the ghosts of the past. Faces flash before my eyes—people we lost, friends who sacrificed everything, moments drenched in pain and blood.But here we are. The war is over. We won.It doe
Under the Shadow of the Moon Chapter 118: The Real Rebel Army
Alec Delaney. No. Pain courses through me, thick and intent to kill. She shouldn’t be here. When I realized she wasn’t in the car that came speeding down the road, I was relieved. But now she’s here, with the few other rebels who came here to save me. I don’t know what is going on. “Ah,” the sick fuck next to me says. He has his eyes on Delaney. On my girl. And the gleam in his eyes is twisted. “Miss Renner. You’ve finally joined us. I thought you’d never come.”At the sound of the man’s voice, her face completely transforms. She appears fierce. Ready. A warrior. My heart swells with pride, then shrinks with fear in the same beat. “You’ll unhand him,” she says, stepping into the role of a rebel leader swiftly. Seamlessly. “Or, we’re going to rain bullets down on you. On all of you.”The man laughs, and the crowd gasps. I stare at her face, and pray to the goddess that she won’t die here, right before my eyes. That’ll kill me faster than the silver will. “How typical of rebe
Under the Shadow of the Moon Chapter 117: Pushing Forward
Delaney I drive around in circles, and nothing springs to mind. I don't find Alec, nor do I figure out what to do. I even drive all the way to our pack, and nothing. I think it's ridiculous for me to assume that I'd find information on him so quickly. Who would tell me? How would I just know? I guess what made me run so fast was the need to get away from Pollux. The fact that he'd hated on me for so long simply because I hadn't recognized him as my mate means a lot. He was always toxic and problematic, but at least I didn't fall for his schemes. I have this distinct feeling that tonight, everything is about to change. Thinking about Alec makes me cry. If it weren't for Pollux, he would've been safe. He doesn't deserve whatever will happen to him. He's a good person and all he ever tried to do was help us. I feel so responsible. Now, I don't know where to find the others or why they even left the camp to begin with, and I have no clue where to find Alec.I've never felt so lost
Under the Shadow of the Moon Chapter 116: The Trap
Alec When I open my eyes, I realize that I’m in a very bright room. That’s the first thing. The second thing is that there’s someone standing right next to me. On my right, to be precise. I look up and see the man from earlier. He’s peering down at me with disdain written all over his face. When he sees that I’m awake, he smiles a little and asks me, “Ready for what’s to come?”I look down at my body and realize that I’m still in wolf form. Pain immediately shoots down my paw when I try to move, and a growl leaves my lips. I’m chained to a metal table, and I have to way of moving without feeling a crippling kind of pain. “Yes, I think you are,” he claims. Before I know it, the table starts to move and I’m being wheeled out. The sharp screech of metal grates in my ears as the table wheels over the polished floor. Because all my senses are sharper in this form, I see and hear a lot better, so these little sounds while I’m disoriented are too loud and obnoxious in my ear. But not
Under the Shadow of the Moon Chapter 115: Clarity
Delaney “How!?” I yell as I continue punching his chest. “How could you have done such a thing!? HOW!?”Pollux takes the punches and doesn’t say anything. I grow angrier with his sudden silence, and punch him even harder. After a while, my arms start to hurt and my throat grows hoarse from all the screaming. I step back, and let my arms drop to my sides. By the goddess. What the hell is happeningHow did things take such a terrible turn in a matter of hours?I realize that I’m screaming in the streets while people are driving and walking by, and that somehow, I lost my beanie. My hair is out, red and wild, but I could’ve give a shit less about that. Alec has been captured. Everything has gone to shit. Shit, shit, shit.A strangled sound leaves my throat as I try not to cry. I can’t cry now. I have to use this anger to focus on what the hell I’m going to do. I bite my knuckles and think deeply. Where could they have taken Alec? “Delaney,” Pollux has the audacity to say. “You’re not
Under the Shadow of the Moon Chapter 114: Evil Confession
Delaney Upon reaching the bar, I find it empty. The doors are barricaded and it looks like there hasn’t been anyone in here for a while. The windows are broken, and when I peer inside, everything is covered in dust. What’s worse is that I don’t even see footprints, so I know that nobody was in here. They aren’t here. I’ve wasted my time coming all the way here. Bile rises up my throat, and I have to throw up on the side of the road, right next to Cade’s car. I don’t feel better afterward. Instead, this has made me more nauseous. I don’t have much left inside of me, though, just breakfast from earlier. I get in the car, and shut the door. I run my fingers through my hair as wave after wave of despair crash into me. I pull my knees up to my chest and rest my forehead against the steering wheel as despair takes hold of me. This wasn’t supposed to happen. They were supposed to be here. I hoped they’d be. I’d imagined walking through those doors and finding them—safe, together, alive.
Under the Shadow of the Moon Chapter 113: Captured
Alec It doesn’t take me long to find out that there will be a raid in a newly discovered rogue camp not too far from the city. They were hidden in the middle of nowhere, but someone leaked the information and now, everyone will be headed there when the sun sets. I have a feeling deep inside of me that Delaney is in that camp, and I now regret telling her not to tell me the address of where she was staying. That way, I’d be sure.Fuck. That doesn’t mean I can’t call her though. I tell myself that as soon as I can, I’ll give her a call and ask for her exact location. Right now, I’m just waiting for this meeting to end. I notice that the hall is uncommonly empty, which makes me wonder where the hell everyone else is. Where have they gone? I’m not in the state of mind to ask, though. Carla’s burial was meant to be today, but I’ve asked for them to cremate her instead. I’ll keep the ashes at home and…I don’t know. I don’t know what I’ll do with them. So much is going on. I don’t have
Under the Shadow of the Moon Chapter 112: Empty Lands
DelaneySaying goodbye to Alec is always a bittersweet moment. This time, it’s more bitter than it is sweet. He drops me off near the car, and after saying goodbye to each other for the hundredth time, I start making my way back to the rebel camp. At least now I know that we have Alec’s support. What happens next can’t be predicted by anyone, we’ll just have to wait and see. And keep fighting, of course. I hope I won’t find the group as demoralized as they were last night. I come bearing good news, I hope. I hope it’ll cheer them up. We’ll see.The drive back feels longer than it should. Maybe it’s the silence in the car. The rebels don’t exactly have state-of-the-art vehicles, and the rumbling engine is loud enough to drown out my thoughts if I let it. But my brain insists on working overtime, replaying Alec’s words over and over again.I clench the steering wheel tighter, his words curling like smoke in my mind. I’ve never felt this desperate, not even when I was in the prison.
