All Chapters of The Ex-Luna's Revenge: Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

/-Alora-/Following Lucien's departure, the woodland was deathly silent, as if the trees were holding their breath. My pulse pounded in my ears, a continuous reminder of the fury brewing within me. His words lingered, like venom oozing into my mind. We'll alter everything together.Randall stood close to me, his black eyes fixed on mine. "You're not thinking about his offer, are you?" His voice was calm, but it was clear that he was frustrated.I did not respond promptly. My intuition told me not to trust anyone, but I couldn't shake the sense of interest he'd aroused in me. He spoke with such confidence that I was drawn in. If Randall is to be believed, and Lucien is attempting to influence me, why do his words seem like the key?"I don't know what I'm thinking about," I eventually muttered, my tone rougher than I had intended. "But one thing I am sure of is that none of you has been telling me the truth."Randall flinched as if I had hit him. "I've done everything to protect you."

/-Alora-/I walked down the hallway with a great sense of anxiety. My steps were the only sounds within this prison of Night Terrors. Such pressure-my new power-so weighed upon me, gnawed at the edges of my thoughts. Powerful beyond anything else, not yet did it consume me, until I knew just what I faced.Finally, I arrived at the door to Randall's rooms, the only refuge in this fortification where I might find some peace. It creaked as I opened it, and Randall sat up by the fire, his face lit by the broken shadows of the flames. He was the picture of a king: brooding, strong, remote; and yet, in that strength, there seemed a part of him broken.His sight, his bearing, nudged surface and depth within me anew. The truth of my bloodline, the reports of a problem beyond untangling, my next step forward-all spoke to question. This pull toward him was obvious, as if our fates were interwoven in ways I had not even started to understand."Alora, " he said low, with an almost growl to his vo

/Alora/Allison's words continued to replay in my head, long after she disappeared into nothingness. The warning replayed in my mind as I trailed behind Randall out of the room, unable to clear the mess from inside with the pack on edge and not with the weight of the growing tension pressing down upon us. Every step felt heavier. Each breath felt shallow because the air felt different now that she was here.Randall quickened his pace the closer we came to the northern edge of the clearing, where Celia was already standing with a knot of warriors, circling in grave formation around something that lay upon the ground. My heart plummeted at the sight of her face, pale, her eyes deep with concern."What happened?" Randall demanded.Celia only threw a backward glance at me hastily. "You need to see this for yourself."The group parted, showing the mangled remains of a pack member. Blood drenched the earth below him, his body rent apart with an almost surgical precision. My belly churned,

/-Alora-/The stillness after Allison had left was overwhelming. The heavy cloud she had brought in had cleared, but the discomfort stayed, clinging to me like a straitjacket. I couldn't get over what she said: "You've opened the door." You'll have to cope with whatever comes through."What does she mean?" I inquired, my tone barely above a whisper.Randall's jaw tightened, his gaze moving around the clear side as if she may appear at any minute. "She's playing with us; she's trying to unsettle us.""But what if it isn't?" I responded, my voice rising as my chest tightened from terror. "What if I did? unlock something?"Randall looked at me, his eyes both irritated and alarmed. "Alora, listen to me. This curse, the visions, and the power are all meant to drive you mad. To consume you. It is not going to happen.It was easy for him to say that he wasn't experiencing anarchy inside of him, ready to burst forth at the most inconvenient moment. I took one sharp breath and attempted to cal

/-Alora-/If he had been there, it would have been a big, green silence—after Tyrone left, even the trees appeared to have held their breath, always murmuring with leaves stirring and evening creatures silent. I could still feel the urgent yet faint hum beneath my feet, like a pulse ready to erupt.Randall stepped forward, standing before me, his eyes dark and deep, studying the shadows as if Tyrone may appear at any time. His palm remained solid and grounded on my arm, but my thoughts were too agitated to burst into tears."Whatever he's planning," Randall remarked quietly, "we'll be ready."I nodded, but I didn't look away from where Tyrone had disappeared. His words echoed within me, accompanied by the curse's perpetual ache: It's awakening."What if he's right?" I had muttered, the words flowing out before my inner editor caught them.Randall turned to me, scowling. "Alora, no. He's attempting to convince you to doubt yourself. That is what he does."And what if this time he's no