Chapter 5 0005

The throne room was filled with murmurs and shifting glances. I sat beside Luca, my hands resting delicately in my lap, the perfect image of a devoted Luna. But behind my downcast gaze, my mind was spinning. The room smelled of wine and meat, the remnants of the feast still lingering in the air, but I had no appetite for any of it.

Luca leaned back in his chair, his sharp gaze scanning the gathered wolves. His presence alone was enough to command obedience. It was in moments like this that I was reminded why he was feared. But I wasn't like the others-I wasn't here to obey. I was here to destroy him.

A messenger stepped forward, bowing low before speaking. "Alpha, we've received word of an approaching threat. A rogue pack has been sighted near the eastern border."

I stiffened slightly. An external threat. This could be useful. Luca, however, remained unbothered.

"Have the patrols double their watch. I want them wiped out if they step foot on my land," he said dismissively.

The conversation moved on, but I was still stuck on the new development. Rogues were reckless, but they were also desperate. If I could somehow redirect their desperation, I might gain a powerful ally in my mission. But I had to be careful-Luca wasn't a fool. If I made a single wrong move, he would see through me.

"Zuriel."

His voice snapped me out of my thoughts, and I turned my head gracefully, offering him a gentle, inquisitive look. "Yes, Alpha?"

His dark eyes studied me for a long moment before he smirked. "Nothing. Just making sure you're paying attention."

The tension in the room shifted. I forced a small, obedient smile. "Of course, my Alpha. Your words are always my priority."

The moment the meeting ended, I stood, ready to leave, but Luca caught my wrist, his grip firm but not cruel. I turned back to face him, my heart pounding-not from fear, but from the intensity of the game we were playing.

"You've been... different," he said, eyes narrowing slightly. "Quieter. More obedient."

I lowered my gaze, pretending to be flustered. "I only wish to be a Luna worthy of you."

He didn't let go immediately, his thumb grazing my wrist in a way that made my skin crawl. He was trying to read me, to see if my submission was real. I held my breath, waiting for his next move.

Finally, he released me. "Good. Keep it that way."

I left the room before he could change his mind, my mask of submission firmly in place.

---

A Test of Loyalty

Later that night, I was summoned to Luca's private chambers. The room was dimly lit, shadows stretching along the walls like watching eyes. He sat on the edge of the bed, his shirt unbuttoned slightly, revealing the toned lines of his chest. A sight that once filled me with rage, but now, I had learned to suppress my emotions.

He gestured for me to sit beside him. I obeyed, careful to keep my expression neutral.

"You intrigue me, Zuriel," he murmured.

I tilted my head slightly, feigning innocence. "Why is that?"

"You came into my life filled with fire, full of hate, yet here you are, acting like a Luna who has finally accepted her place."

I held his gaze, letting a touch of vulnerability seep into my voice. "Perhaps I've realized that fighting only brings me pain. That resistance is pointless."

His smirk deepened. "Or perhaps you're just waiting for the right moment to betray me."

My breath hitched. Did he know? Did he suspect me that deeply?

I let out a small, trembling laugh, lowering my eyes. "If you believe that, then you should kill me now." I reached for his hand, placing it against my throat. "Go ahead. If you think I am still your enemy, end me here."

Luca's fingers twitched, his claws threatening to extend-but then he pulled back, his expression unreadable.

"Interesting," he murmured. "But I think I'll keep you alive a little longer."

I bowed my head, but inside, my resolve burned hotter than ever.

---

The Shape-Shifter's Task

When Luca finally drifted to sleep, I slipped out of the chamber, my bare feet silent against the cold stone floors. I made my way to the kitchen, where my new accomplice waited. The shape-shifter.

He sat on a wooden stool, flipping a knife between his fingers with casual ease. His familiar smirk appeared as I entered. "So? Did he suspect anything?"

I let out a breath. "He's suspicious, but he doesn't know for sure."

The shape-shifter chuckled. "Good. Because we don't have much time."

He slid a small, leather pouch across the table toward me. I picked it up carefully, feeling the weight of something inside.

"What is it?" I whispered.

"Something that will make him trust you completely. A test of loyalty."

I frowned. "What do you mean?"

The shape-shifter leaned forward, his grin dark and full of mischief. "Luca wants proof that you're truly his Luna? Give him what he wants. Bring him the head of someone who betrayed him."

My blood ran cold. "You're asking me to kill someone?"

"Not just anyone. A rogue. Someone who wouldn't hesitate to slit your throat if given the chance. You do this, and Luca will believe in your loyalty more than ever."

I swallowed hard. I had never killed anyone before, but if it brought me closer to my goal... if it made my revenge more achievable...

I nodded. "Tell me what I need to do."

---

The Moment of Conflict

By dawn, I was at the eastern border. The rogues had indeed made camp nearby, and my target had been chosen-a man who had once sworn loyalty to Luca but had abandoned the pack.

I found him easily enough. He was alone, sharpening a blade near a dying fire. He didn't even hear me approach.

I raised my dagger, my hands steady. This was it. The moment I would prove my place beside Luca, gain his trust, and sink my claws deeper into my revenge.

But then-

A sound. Footsteps.

I turned to see Luca standing a few feet away, watching me with an expression I couldn't decipher.

"You hesitated," he said quietly.

Panic shot through me. Had he been following me? Did he plan this?

"I-I wasn't sure if this was the right man," I lied smoothly.

Luca stepped closer, his gaze never leaving mine. "Kill him now."

I clenched my jaw, steeling myself. Then, without another thought, I plunged the dagger into the rogue's throat.

Blood splattered onto my hands, warm and sticky. The man choked, eyes wide with shock, before slumping lifelessly to the ground.

I turned to Luca, my heart pounding.

His smirk returned, pleased.

"Maybe you are learning, after all," he murmured, brushing a hand against my cheek, smearing blood against my skin like a twisted mark of affection.

I forced myself to smile.

But inside, I felt something crack.

Was it guilt?

Or was it the realization that I was truly becoming the monster I needed to be?