She grabbed my wrist. “Come with me, Luna. I feel safer when you’re near….”
“Don’t touch me,” I shouted, pulling away.
We fell back together. Selene hit the table beside the bed. Moon glass shattered, cutting into our arms. Pain burned through my skin as blood ran.
The door burst open. Alden rushed in, his wolf flaring, but not toward me.
“Selene!” the Alpha shouted. “What happened? Are you injured?”
His hands brushed the shards from her skin.
“She pushed me,” Selene cried. “I didn’t want… she just…”
He turned to me, anger clear. “What is wrong with you, Liora?! You ruin everything!”
I stood frozen, blood dripping down my arm.
“She grabbed me,” I said weakly. “I told her to stop….”
He didn’t listen. Draven entered, his eyes sharp. “You’re always like this, Luna,” he said. “Possessive. Loud. You can’t stand being admired.”
Even though my arms are bleeding, I was blamed for hurting the adopted wolf.
Draven seized my arm. “You will return to the feast. You will not shame the Stormfang clan again.”
So I went. Bruised, bleeding and humiliated, I stood beneath the moonfire while the pack celebrated.
One last time. One final effort as Luna.
I joined the circle around the fire pit, forcing a smile for the pack.
The drums played. Wolves cheered. Then someone shoved me. Alden? Why?
I fell against the edge of the fire pit. Flames burned my arm.
Pain tore through my wolf. I screamed.
Selene shouted too and rushed to me. “Oh no! Luna Liora is hurt! Call the healers!”
Alden shook his head. “It’s nothing. A small burn. She will live. Consider it repayment for earlier.”
And Draven did not even look at me.
No one helped.
I pulled myself away from the fire and called for a carriage. No pack member followed me to the healer sanctum. No one cared that their Luna was bleeding.
And that was fine. Because under the full moon, this Luna swore an oath. This was the last time any of them would ever hurt me.
“It is good that you arrived when you did,” the pack healer said, her fingers working gently over the burned flesh on my arm. “This is a second-rank degree wound and truthfully, Luna Liora, you also require binding stitches.”
I did not reply. I only nodded, my eyes fixed on the pale stone ceiling of the Healer Sanctum, wide and endless. I remained within the healing chambers for two full days.
Not a single mindlink reached me. Not even sending a word.
No “Are you healed, Luna?”
No, “Forgive us for the fire.”