The Luneria Omega-Born to Burn

Melissa's POV I knocked twice before opening the door, carrying the heavy containers from the palace. I already know Jane will pretend she didn’t hear me. I think it's her way of maintaining a sliver of control, a silent protest against the life she’s trying so hard to ignore. “What a pleasant surprise,” Jane says, though her voice lacks its usual bite as she helps me with the stuff. She’s already digging into the first container before I can even find a seat. “You brought the palace buffet,” she says, her hunger winning out over her pride. “You’re welcome,” I mutter, dropping into the chair opposite her. “I figured you wouldn’t say no to real food for once.” “I’m not thanking him,” she snaps automatically, stuffing her face with a ferocity that tells me she hasn't eaten all day. I head into the small kitchen to grab a plate. “At some point, you need to come around, Jane. He’s still your father.” “Mommy?” Luca’s voice is small as he tugs at the hem of my shirt. “I left my toy in the car. Can I go get it?” “No, baby. When I’m done eating, I’ll get it for you.” I peck his forehead, watching him wander off before I rejoin Jane in the sitting room. I watch her for a moment, then frown. "Don't tell me you’re still determined to stay away." Jane pauses, her expression tightening into a mask of old pain. "Not after what he did, Melissa. You of all people know how much that hurts." I sigh, caught in the middle of a conflict with no easy exit. I am trapped between my best friend and her father—the Lycan King. The man who is also my benefactor. I don't want to choose, but the silence between them is becoming a weight I just can’t carry. "At least talk to him," I try one last time. “Even if you don’t forgive him.” Jane shoots me a look—sharp and suspicious. "Why are you so adamant about this? It sounds like you’re taking his side." My heart skips a beat and I shift uncomfortably, my palms starting to sweat. "W-what do you m-mean?" "Did that old man bribe you?" she asks, her eyes narrowing. I bite my lower lip. "Of course not," I say, forced laughter bubbling up as I rubbed the nape of my neck. "I just don't like to see you two apart. And... he did me a huge favor. I thought getting you to talk to him might be a way to repay him." It’s a lie. Or at least, a half-truth. I live under his roof. I am definitely not falling for him behind her back. The guilt is a physical thing, a constant pressure in my chest. "Now I dislike him even more," Jane murmurs. "That man is stealing my best friend’s support, too." I rolled my eyes, my heart finally slowing down. She doesn't suspect the truth… Well, at least not yet. But the thought haunts me: if she knew I was sleeping under her father’s roof by choice and not by force, would she ever forgive me? “Truce offering,” I say, nudging a box toward her. “From me. Not him.” Her jaw softens. “Fine. Truce.” She sinks into her favorite leather chair—the crooked one she rescued from behind the science building. For a moment, watching her curled up there, it almost feels peaceful. Until she speaks again. “Can you believe today makes it five years?” The air leaves my lungs. “I don’t keep track.” “You never think about him?” she asks, her gaze a little too knowing. “If I think about what would happen if he found us… if he found out about Luca… I won’t survive it," I say, my voice trembling. "So no. I don’t think." She doesn't push. She knows some wounds have teeth. “Okay,” she whispers. “Let’s change the su—” She doesn't get to finish her statement because the door slams open unexpectedly. The frame shakes as the door slams against the wall. My fork clatters to the floor and Jane jerks upright, a scream dying in her throat. And there he stands. The nightmare I’ve spent five years outrunning. But it isn't his face that freezes the blood in my veins. It’s the tiny hand gripped in his. “Luca,” I breathe. My son is pressed against his chest, silent and terrified. He is being held like a bargaining chip, his eyes wide and searching for me. “Let him go,” I whisper. A slow, cruel smile curves the man’s mouth. “Five years, Melissa. Did you really think you could hide my son from me?” Jane’s eyes go wide, horror dawning as she looked from the intruder to Luca, then to me. The pieces of my secret life are finally putting themselves into place for her, but there’s no time for explanations. My hand slides under the table, fingers brushing the cold, familiar metal hidden in my bag. “You don’t scare me anymore,” I say, my voice surprisingly steady. “Leave now, or I’ll call the guards… the palace. Someone will come.” He chuckles, a dark, mocking sound. “The palace? The Lycan King? You think he’ll get here before I pull the trigger?” He raises his gun. The barrel gleams under the light, aimed straight at me. Luca whimpers, trying to twist away, and the man’s grip only tightens. “Please,” I beg, my composure breaking. “He has nothing to do with this.” “He’s my child,” he spat. Something inside me snaps. The fear doesn't vanish, but it hardens into a singular purpose. My gun comes up, trembling but leveled at his chest. “He will never be yours. Let. Him. Go.” He looks amused, as if this is all a game he’s already won. But then, my fingers slip and a gunshot is heard throughout the place, a deafening sound. Smoke fills the room, thick and choking. I hear Jane shouting my name through the ringing in my ears. I hear Luca’s cry. My arms are still raised, my hands shaking violently as the reality of the flash and the noise crashes down on me. I lower the weapon, my breath coming in jagged gasps. “Oh my God,” I whispered into the haze. “What have I done?”