Chapter 3 The Luna's Betrayal

The following morning, the mansion was silent. Too silent. Like fog, the dense silence pressed against the stone walls. When the golden light began to filter through the velvet curtains, Elena opened her eyes slowly and blinked. In Kael's bed, she lay. His scent was still on the sheets. Powerful, untamed, and recognizable. However, the area next to her was chilly and deserted.

He had left.

She was hit by reality like a blast of cold water. There had been pain, passion, and fire last night. But the truth arrived this morning. She wasn't his partner. Not at all. No longer. He had made a mistake with her. He was trying to conceal a secret. He didn't want to be burdened.

Pulling the sheet around her body, Elena sat up. Her head ached. Her chest hurt. She had given herself permission to have one night. Just one night to experience something besides sadness. But nothing had changed since that night.

Then she heard it.

Voices.

Beyond the heavy door, they reverberated through the stone corridor. Immediate. Warm. Even though she couldn't hear every word, the tone chilled her.

Careful not to make a sound, she slipped toward the door. Her bare feet ached on the chilly marble floor. She listened, pressing her ear to the wood.

The voice of a woman was harsh and resentful. "Kael, she shouldn't be here. What if Maya discovers?"

Elena's throat tightened with breath. Maya. The name cut like a blade through her. Kael was engaged to Maya. Luna of the Blood Moon Pack is a woman selected by the Elders. Lovely. powerful. Honored. Elena was not all of that.

Kael's response was a low, irate one. "She won't learn. I'm taking care of it.

Elena balled her fists. Dealing with it. Like she was an issue. A stain that required cleaning with a scrub.

The woman's voice was poisonous as she spoke again. She is a liability. You ought to have killed her".

Elena's blood turned to ice. She felt her knees weaken. Her heart beat like a war drum inside her chest.

Dark and sharp, Kael's voice returned. "I won't kill my mate. Not even one that was turned down.

Then there was silence.

Elena's breath stopped when the woman said something.

What about the kid? Will Maya also bring up your bastard?

Elena covered her mouth with her hand. The world whirled around her. Her legs moved by themselves. Step by shaky step, she retreated from the door. She felt her mind screaming at her.

Her hands shook. Her nose was filled with the smell of dust and old stone. The wooden panel leading to the stable yard was pushed open by her.

The deep blue and purple hues of the early morning sky were still dark. A horse was already saddled when she arrived at the stables in a hurry. In the hurry, the stable boy must have been called away.

She grabbed the reins with her fingers.

From behind, a hand seized her shoulder.

She whirled around, gasping.

Rian was the one.

He had a hard face. His eyes were grave. Like a soldier about to issue an order, he gazed at her.

"You can't run," he said.

"I must," she muttered in a terrified voice. "They'll kill us."

Rian declared, "I will not allow that to occur." However, Kael will pursue you if you depart right away. Not to take you back.

He came to a halt.

The rest was revealed by their silence.

The air was suddenly broken by a scream. The mansion was the source.

Elena's blood became icy.

Rian's gaze expanded. "That was Maya."

He started to run. Elena didn't think and followed. Before her mind could react, her legs began to move. There had been a horrible incident. It was in her bones.

Just as the guards were assembling, they arrived at the mansion's front steps. Weapons were drawn by a few. Others appeared perplexed. Nobody was aware of what was happening.

The doors to the Luna's quarters were ajar in the opulent corridor. Shouting came from inside. Elena forced her way through the throng.

Her stomach twisted at what she saw.

With her long, dark hair tangled around her shoulders, Maya stood in the middle of the room. Her eyes were gold with rage. She had trembling hands.

Her fingers were dripping blood.

A maid was at her feet. youthful. Still. dead.

Maya felt her chest heave. In her other hand, she held something. A piece of fabric. Torn. Known.

Elena's throat tightened with breath.

It was from her robe.

Like a banner, Maya lifted the cloth into the air.

Maya cried out, "She was here." Madness rang in her voice. "This room contained Kael's whore."

Whispers broke out in the room. Shocks. Startle.

Elena's legs started to tremble. Once more, her mind screamed. She had exercised caution. She had made an effort to blend in. However, it had not been sufficient.

Maya was aware.

She was well-informed.

The truth was now known. Another woman had been taken by the Alpha. A mate who was turned down. A woman with his child in her arms.

To maintain her position, the Luna had killed.

Now there was no safety. No more hiding. No more quiet exits or hidden routes.

This was no longer about rejection or shame.

It was war.