Chapter 4
Through a haze of pain and freezing
numbness, I felt strong hands pulling me out
of the ice lake.
Healer Amos’s weathered face hovered over mine, pale and trembling. His fingers pressed frantically under my nose, searching for breath.
When he found the faintest sign of life, he let out a shaky sigh of relief before whirling on Alpha Raymond, voice cracking like thunder.
“Alpha Raymond! Are you trying to kill your own Luna? Do you want the Moon Goddess to curse you and burn Shadowmoon Pack to the ground?”
Raymond hesitated, his gaze lingering on
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my bloodless face and bluish lips. For a heartbeat, something almost heartache flickered in his eyes.
But then his expression hardened. “You worry too much, Amos. She’s the Moon Goddess’s chosen Luna. She’s protected. She won’t die.”
Amos’s face crumpled with disbelief.
He pointed a trembling, bloody finger toward the sky. “You blind fool! Can’t you see the Blood Moon rising? In three minutes, if her heart stops beating, the Moon Goddess’s wrath will descend upon us all–our lands will burn, our wolves will perish!”
Tears streamed down his lined cheeks. His voice broke into a desperate plea.
“Strip that witch of her title. Fall on your
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knees and beg your Luna’s forgiveness! There’s still time to save this pack–our home!”
For the first time, uncertainty slithered into Raymond’s stance. He glanced between me and Amos, his Alpha composure cracking. Slowly, he stepped closer, leaning down as if to take my limp body from Amos’s arms.
But before he could, Charlotte’s pitiful sobs filled the cold night.
“If my dear sister truly hates me so much,” she whimpered, clutching her swollen belly, “then when this pup is born, I’ll vanish forever… never trouble her again. But Amos… why deceive our Alpha like this? It’s the Night of the Eclipse. Strange skies are normal tonight…”
Her words were sweet poison.
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Around us, the tense warriors relaxed, their fear fading as quickly as it had come.
Raymond’s grip on my wrist tightened like a shackle. His voice turned frigid.
“Charlotte’s right.”
Without warning, he threw me to the ground. Pain lanced through my body, curling me up, cold sweat dripping from my brow.
He didn’t even look down.
Bulging veins ran across his temples as he let out a cruel laugh. “You almost had me fooled. Both of you.”
Bending low, he fisted a hand in my hair, yanking my head back until my bloodshot eyes locked with his blazing Alpha stare.
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I felt like a beaten stray, my entire body trembling from exhaustion and pain.
I’d taken poisoned silver blades for this man. I’d ripped out my own wolf soul to heal his wounds. Even the Alpha power burning in his eyes now–that came from me.
And still… every sacrifice, every ounce of devotion… he called it deception.
A rasping, broken laugh tore from my chest, shaking my ribs until I vomited blood onto the frozen earth.
Raymond barked at me to stop laughing, his voice like an Alpha command, but I didn’t. I simply closed my eyes, waiting for death to finally claim me.
Above, the Blood Moon burned brighter, as if
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it hung there to witness my release.
Suddenly, Amos charged forward.
With a snarl, he struck Charlotte hard across the face. The crack of his palm echoed in the night.
“Alpha!” Amos roared. “Stop letting Charlotte poison you! Our Luna isn’t some divine goddess! She’s an ordinary wolf who bled and suffered for this pack! The Moon Goddess only chose her because of her sacrifice!”
But Raymond didn’t believe a word.
With a flick of his hand, warriors slammed Amos to the ground and bound him, lashing his back with a silver whip.
I froze, horror slicing through my haze.
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Fifty lashes with silver… it would kill him.
“Stop!” I croaked, my voice breaking. “Are you insane? If you execute the pack’s only healer, you’ll doom yourself!”
Raymond chuckled darkly, as if I’d just told him a fine joke.
He crouched, his thumb brushing my cheek in a mockingly tender gesture.
“Why would I need Amos… when I have you, my precious goddess? Your love alone could keep me alive for a century. Who needs a healer?”
His smirk twisted, eyes glinting with suspicion.
“Besides… how much did you bribe him to
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defend you so fiercely?”
He straightened, his voice loud and commanding for all to hear.
“If the healer claims divine punishment awaits us, then let’s not waste time. My Luna will perform a ritual tonight–pray to her Moon Goddess. And ”
He leaned down, his breath hot and cruel in my ear.
“…will finally see if you can truly die.”
