Chapter 2 2

Luna stood there, rooted to the spot, her heart racing with a mixture of confusion and frustration. Elias's words lingered in the air like smoke, impossible to shake off. If he knows who you really are...

The mention of Ronan Shadowfang had only heightened her unease. The Shadowfang alpha was a name whispered in fear among the packs, a leader so power-hungry he would stop at nothing to claim what he desired-power, control, and now, apparently, Luna herself.

But she wasn't some helpless omega to be claimed. She wasn't going to be a pawn in anyone's game.

Her breath came out in a sharp exhale as she turned on her heel and marched back down the path, her mind spinning. What did Elias mean? What was she missing?

The moon was now fully visible in the sky, its pale light casting long, eerie shadows over the forest floor. Luna's pace quickened, and her footsteps echoed through the silence, growing louder with every step.

She wasn't sure where she was going, only that she needed to be far away from Elias and his cryptic warnings. She was fine. She didn't need anyone's help-least of all someone who clearly had secrets of his own.

Her thoughts were interrupted by another rustle in the trees, and her heart skipped a beat.

She stopped dead in her tracks, her senses on high alert. This time, she didn't turn around. She listened closely, waiting for the next movement.

Then, a voice rang out from the shadows.

"You're running from something, Luna."

It was Elias again. She should have known. She clenched her fists, her frustration boiling over. "What do you want now?"

"Not what you think," Elias's voice came from behind her, calm as ever. "I'm trying to warn you."

"I don't need your warnings," Luna shot back, spinning to face him. "If you're here to scare me, it's not going to work. I'm not afraid of you or Ronan."

Elias stepped into the clearing, his tall figure looming with an air of quiet authority. His eyes locked on hers, but this time, there was something softer in his gaze-a flicker of something vulnerable, hidden beneath the surface.

"I don't want to scare you," he said, his voice lower now, as though he were speaking a truth he wasn't ready to admit. "I'm trying to protect you."

Luna's breath caught in her throat. "Protect me? From what? From who?"

"From him," Elias said, his eyes darkening with a hint of something dangerous. "Ronan will come for you, Luna. He'll do whatever it takes to get what he wants."

"And what does he want from me?" she asked, her voice tight.

"Your power," Elias answered without hesitation. "But more than that...he wants your bloodline."

Luna's heart skipped. She knew the stories, of course. Every omega did. The Moonborn bloodline, the fated rulers of the werewolf world, hidden for centuries. But she never believed any of it. She had been raised to think of herself as just another omega, no more important than any other.

And yet, Elias's words made her wonder.

"He won't stop until he has what he wants," Elias continued, his voice steady, but his eyes burning with intensity. "You need to understand that. Your power is something Ronan won't let go of."

Luna took a step back, the weight of his words settling on her shoulders. She had never felt more lost in her life. Everything she had thought she knew about herself-about who she was-was now in question. Was there really something inside her that Ronan wanted?

"You're not just any omega, Luna," Elias said, his voice softening. "You're someone far more important than you realize."

The warmth in his tone caught her off guard. For a moment, she forgot to be angry, forgot to be afraid. There was something in his eyes-a depth she couldn't quite understand.

"I'm not...important," she said quietly, looking away, unwilling to meet his gaze. "I'm just a healer, a nobody."

Elias stepped closer, his presence overwhelming in the stillness of the night. "That's not true. You're the last of the Moonborn, Luna."

Her breath hitched. "No," she whispered, shaking her head. "You're wrong. My parents-"

"They were killed by Ronan's pack," Elias interrupted softly. "And the moment you were born, the prophecy was set into motion. You are the last heir to a throne that hasn't existed in centuries. And Ronan will stop at nothing to claim it."

Luna's world tilted on its axis. The weight of the revelation pressed down on her, suffocating her. She stumbled back a step, the ground suddenly feeling unsteady beneath her feet.

"You're lying," she managed to choke out. "This is some kind of sick joke. I'm not royal. I'm just Luna."

"You're the Moonborn, Luna," Elias said, his voice thick with something that almost sounded like reverence. "The blood that flows through your veins is the same as the rulers who once commanded all the packs. That's why Ronan is coming for you."

The moon overhead seemed to glow brighter, casting a silver light over the clearing, and Luna felt a shiver run through her. Could it be true? Could she really be someone... important?

Elias reached out, his hand hovering near her arm as though he wasn't sure if he should touch her.

"Luna," he said softly, "you need to understand. You're not just an omega. You're the key to everything. If Ronan gets to you first..." He trailed off, unable to finish the thought.

Luna stared at him, her chest tight with fear and confusion. "What do I do?"

Elias looked at her then, truly looked at her, and she saw something raw and honest in his eyes that made her breath catch in her throat. "You fight. You fight, or you die."

There was a long pause, and then Elias stepped back, his expression hardening. "I'll be watching. Don't make me regret trusting you."

With that, he turned and disappeared into the darkness, leaving Luna standing in the moonlight, her thoughts a tangled mess.

What had she gotten herself into?