All Chapters of Dark Luna Rising: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

The training field was alive with the clamor of steel and the sharp crack of dummies breaking apart. The pack’s warriors took turns demonstrating their mastery of the special blades, each strike a testament to their skill and strength. The warm sun cast long shadows across the field as sweat glistened on brows and muscles strained in calculated movements.Erika stood on the sidelines, observing as Alessandro stepped forward, the crowd murmuring with anticipation.“Let’s see if our Beta still has his touch,” Pippo quipped, folding his arms as he leaned casually against a fence post.Alessandro smirked, twirling the blade in his hand before settling into a ready stance. “Watch and learn,” he retorted.The dummy in front of him didn’t stand a chance. Alessandro’s movements were sharp and precise, his blade slicing through the air with fluid grace. A quick feint to the left, followed by a pivot and an upward sla

The night pulsed with energy, the waxing moon a silver beacon overhead, casting its ancient pull on all who bore its curse and blessing. The mansion seemed alive, charged with tension as the pack succumbed to its instincts. In the courtyard, Aristide and Lucia sparred with a ferocity that bordered on feral. Their strikes rang out against the cool night air, each movement sharper, their growls deeper.Nearby, younger pack members ran drills under Pippo’s sharp commands, their footfalls echoing like a war drum. Their howls punctuated the night, blending with the rustling leaves of the surrounding forest.Erika stood on the balcony above, her hands gripping the cool iron railing as she watched the scene unfold. Every sense felt heightened, her skin tingling as if alive with the rhythm of the restless pack. Her heartbeat seemed to sync with the distant howls. The moon’s pull amplified everything—her doubts, her longing, and the tension that simmered betwe

Erika paced the length of her chambers, her thoughts circling like vultures. The distant sounds of movement outside gnawed at her nerves, a cruel reminder that she was trapped here while the pack fought to defend their home.Diego’s command still rang in her ears: “Stay here where it’s safe. Go to your chambers. Now.” The cold finality in his tone had stung worse than she cared to admit, and his abrupt retreat had left a hollow ache in her chest.But Erika wasn’t the type to wait idly while others bled.Grabbing her coat, she slipped into the dimly lit corridors of the mansion, the soft thud of her boots muffled by the thick carpets. Every step felt like defiance. She knew Diego wouldn’t approve, but staying put while the pack faced danger wasn’t an option. The training grounds were unrecognizable. The pristine blanket of snow had been churned into a chaotic canvas of blood, mud, and frost.

Erika watched the darkened silhouette of the Black Lake house grow larger as the SUV rumbled along the snow-dusted road. Hugo hadn’t spoken since they left Valentia. He had offered her no sympathy, no words of comfort—only silence. Perhaps that was better. She had no space left for small talk, not with her emotions running rampant.Anger, sadness, longing, guilt—each emotion struck her in waves, leaving her chest hollow and aching. The mansion at Valentia had never felt like home, but it had been a possibility, a fragile hope that maybe she could belong somewhere again.Instead, she was returning to Black Lake, the place she had fled, thinking she could escape its ghosts.Hugo brought the SUV to a stop at the edge of the property. The house stood before her, its dark windows like empty eyes staring into her soul. Snow blanketed the ground, muffling the world around her.“I’ll be staying nearby,” Hugo said, his voice low. “If you need anything, I’ll hear it.”Erika didn’t respond. She

Emily left with a spring in her step, promising to return soon. The sound of the front door clicking shut left a brief silence between Erika and Gabriel.Gabriel crossed his arms and raised a brow at Erika. “Seriously?”“What?” she replied, already anticipating his tone.“You’re letting her into this?”“Why not? She’s my best friend,” Erika shot back.Gabriel’s sigh was exasperated, his shoulders slumping. “Does she know you’re Lycan?”“Of course not!”“Exactly,” he said, his tone sharp. “What if whoever or whatever is behind the murders was Lycan? Or rogue? If Emily digs too deep, she could stumble into something she doesn’t understand. And if The Board gets wind of this—”“I won’t let that happen,” Erika interrupted, her voice firm. “I trust her. And I won’t let her get caught up in The Board’s mess.”Gabriel frowned, his gaze heavy. “Sometimes, the best protection is not knowing anything at all.”“Sometimes it’s the opposite,” Erika countered, stepping closer. “When I was fifteen,