Episode 13
1082 Words
The weight of betrayal pressed against my chest like a stone. I had spent the night pacing, replaying every glance, every half-smile, every careless word spoken by those I trusted. My own pack. My own blood. Somewhere among them was the traitor.
I sat at the edge of my bed, staring out at the thinning mist that clung to the trees. The morning was quiet, too quiet. Not even the usual howl from the patrol wolves had risen to greet the dawn. It was as though the forest itself knew what I had discovered.
A knock came at my door. Light, careful.
“Elara?” Kael’s voice.
I hesitated, then pulled the door open. His eyes searched mine instantly, as if looking for wounds deeper than skin. “You didn’t sleep.”
“Neither did you,” I said softly. His shirt was rumpled, his hair still damp from the rain that had fallen earlier.
He stepped inside, closing the door behind him. “You’re holding it all in. That’s dangerous. The betrayal isn’t just a rumor anymore, is it?”
I shook my head. “It’s real. I can feel it. Someone close to us is feeding the enemy. That’s how they knew about the meeting grounds.”
Kael’s jaw tightened, but instead of answering, he crossed the room and knelt before me. His hand brushed mine, hesitant at first, then firmer, grounding me.
“Elara,” he said, voice low, “whoever it is, we’ll find them. You’re not alone in this.”
The warmth of his hand made my chest ache. For a moment, I let myself breathe him in—the steadiness, the strength. The pull between us was becoming harder to ignore.
I looked away, afraid of what my eyes might give away. “The pack will fall apart if this gets out. They already whisper that I’m too young, too untested. If they knew I couldn’t even keep my inner circle loyal—”
“They’ll whisper,” Kael cut in gently, “but they’ll follow you. You’re their Luna, Elara. And you’ve already proven more courage than most Alphas I’ve ever known.”
The words made my throat tighten. I hadn’t realized until now how badly I needed to hear them.
I whispered, “Then stay close. Because if I lose my grip on this… if I lose myself—”
His other hand covered mine. “You won’t. I won’t let you.”
Silence lingered, heavy with the weight of words unspoken. His gaze held mine, and for a moment, I swore I felt the bond—the unbreakable Luna-Alpha bond—pressing at the edges of my soul.
But before I could answer it, the door burst open.
Ryker stormed in, eyes dark with frustration. “We’ve got a problem.”
Kael stood instantly, tension rippling off him. “What now?”
“Jace,” Ryker said grimly. “He disappeared from his post last night. No one saw him leave.”
I felt the blood drain from my face. Jace. My closest childhood friend, the one who had sworn loyalty to me even before I wore the title of Luna.
“That’s not possible,” I whispered. “Jace would never—”
“Wouldn’t he?” Ryker’s voice was sharp. “He was the one closest to the guards who slipped up at the borders last week. He was the last to speak to them before the ambush. And now he’s gone.”
“No,” I said again, shaking my head. “You don’t know him like I do.”
But doubt crept in anyway, burning like acid. Jace’s laughter, his quiet loyalty, his promises—it all felt too solid to shatter. Yet here we were.
Kael’s hand brushed against mine again, steadying me. “We’ll confirm it before we judge. But we need to move. If Jace is the traitor, he could already be feeding them our next move.”
I rose to my feet, heart pounding. “Then we’ll find him before he has the chance.”
We split into two groups—Kael and I searching the western edge of the forest while Ryker led others east. The air was heavy, each step through the mud echoing louder than it should.
As we walked, Kael’s shoulder brushed mine more than once. I didn’t know if it was on purpose, but every time, my heart stuttered.
At one point, he caught me staring. “What?” he asked quietly.
I shook my head quickly. “Nothing. Just… thank you. For not doubting me.”
His eyes softened, a rare gentleness breaking through his usual guardedness. “Elara, I’d fight the whole world before I’d fight you.”
The words left me breathless.
Before I could answer, a sound cut through the silence. A branch snapping.
Kael motioned for me to stay behind him. We crept forward, slow and silent, until we reached a clearing.
And there—kneeling at the riverbank, hands bloodied—was Jace.
“Jace!” I called, breaking free before Kael could stop me.
He spun around, eyes wide, guilt written across his face. “Elara—”
Kael’s growl rumbled low beside me. “He’s not supposed to be here.”
Jace’s gaze darted between us, panic flickering. “You don’t understand—”
“Then explain,” I demanded, stepping closer. “Tell me why you abandoned your post. Tell me why there are whispers linking you to the enemy.”
Jace’s throat worked as if he wanted to speak, but the words wouldn’t come. His hands trembled, crimson staining his palms.
“Elara,” Kael warned, moving closer to shield me.
But I held my ground. My heart was breaking, but I needed the truth. “Jace. Did you betray me?”
Silence fell, thicker than fog. Then—
A howl split the air. Not from our pack. An enemy’s call.
Within moments, shadows moved through the trees, circling us.
Kael shoved me back against him. “It’s a trap.”
Jace’s face twisted in anguish. “I didn’t mean for this—I was trying to protect you!”
But the enemy wolves were already closing in, teeth bared.
And as Kael shifted, ready to fight, I realized with a sickening certainty—
If Jace wasn’t the traitor, then the real one was still among us.
And they had just led me straight into the jaws of the enemy.
- Writer
