Semua Bab The THORN LUNA: Bab 111 - Bab 120

Emily's POVThe room still hummed with the remnants of our closeness—skin on skin, breath against breath, the weight of secrets momentarily stripped away by the warmth of his touch. I lay beside Fayne, the sheet barely covering me, my body still tingling from everything he’d given me… and everything he hadn’t said.He was quiet now, one hand tucked beneath his head, his other resting over my waist like a quiet claim. The rise and fall of his chest matched the rhythm of my thoughts—slow, cautious, a beat away from asking the one question that had been clawing its way up my throat.I tilted my head toward him, watching the soft lines of his face. He looked peaceful, even beautiful in that brutal kind of way only warriors are—scarred and carved by life but still standing. Still mine.For now.“Fayne,” I said softly.His eyes opened, deep and golden, flicking to mine. “Yeah?”I swallowed the hesitation. There was no space left for fear. Not between us.“If it ever came down to it… would y

Emily's POV"Do you think he’ll survive?"I asked the question aloud, even though I already knew the answer. Maybe I just wanted to hear someone else say it—to confirm it, or deny it. Either way, the air in the room was too still. The silence made my skin crawl.Melissa, perched across from me in her usual way—elegant, smug, and mildly amused—raised an eyebrow. "You mean Fayne?"I didn’t bother answering. She knew."You sent him with a letter that would have any Alpha slit his throat on sight." She tilted her head. "So tell me, Emily… why are you suddenly hoping he survives?"I looked down at the wine glass in my hand. The red liquid swirled slowly, dark as blood. Everything was too quiet. Too calm. Too perfect."I don’t like attachments," I said finally. "They make me soft. Unfocused. Vulnerable."Melissa leaned forward. "You didn’t answer the question."I hated how sharp she was. She could slice through pretense in a single sentence. A weapon in silk."Maybe," I said slowly, "it’s t

Emily's POV “She tripped and fell.”Link stood at the edge of my chamber, hands behind his back, posture razor-straight as always. But there was a glint in his eye—calculated calm, the kind only he could wear like second skin.“She was walking back from the infirmary alone,” he continued. “Fell down the slope near the west barracks. Hit her side on a rock. The medics said the internal bleeding was too much. She died before she could be saved. So did the child.”My spine remained stiff, but I felt my hands twitch slightly where they rested on the arms of the chair. I kept my expression composed, but a strange tightness curled around my chest.Esther.And the child.I looked away, fixing my eyes on the fireplace. The flames danced innocently, unaware—or perhaps completely complicit. I didn’t speak for a long moment. My thoughts churned beneath a surface I refused to crack.“I see,” I finally said.“She didn’t suffer long,” Link added.He wasn’t offering comfort. He wasn’t the comfortin

Emily's POV Rosie didn’t blink. “Not the way you mean. But yes. He was family. He would’ve bled for me. I would’ve bled for him. That’s the kind of bond we had.”That was dangerous.That kind of bond meant she wouldn’t give up until she found answers—and if she ever sensed the truth, she’d become a problem I couldn’t ignore.“I miss him too,” I said softly, folding my hands. “But the pack needs strength now. Not ghosts.”“And yet,” she murmured, “I don’t see his strength in you. I see ambition. Cold hands, warm smile. Like someone who’s already buried too many secrets.”I tilted my head, keeping the mask of calm in place.“Secrets are necessary. Especially when enemies linger at the gate.”“And what do you consider *me*, Emily? An enemy?”“No,” I said. “But I’ve been surrounded by wolves who smiled while sharpening their teeth. You learn not to trust too easily.”“I’d say the same of you.”We were silent for a beat. She was testing me. Measuring. And I needed to guide her toward the

Emily's POV Three days passed. Rosie was still in Galahad, still watching. Fayne was recovering, though he still hadn’t asked the question I knew was burning inside him—why I hadn’t finished him off when I had the chance. The Blood Moon rose that night, bathing the land in crimson light. It was a night of power, a night when old oaths were tested and new ones were forged. And I intended to use it. The Great Hall was filled once more, the pack gathered for the ritual under the high arches of stone and firelight. Warriors stood at the ready, elders sat in their honored places, and Rosie— Rosie stood beside me. I turned to her, my voice soft but laced with meaning. “The Thorns and Galahad have always stood side by side. That is why Jacob trusted you.” She stiffened at the mention of his name. I let the moment stretch before I continued. “And now, I ask you to do what he would have wanted. Stand beside *me*.” A ripple of tension ran through the room. Rosie’s gaze locked