The Rejected Luna’s Secret

Chapter Fifteen: The Brother’s Betrayal

The air in the camp was thick with tension as the rogues prepared for the coming fight. Elara stood near the edge of the clearing, her dagger in hand, her eyes scanning the forest for any sign of movement. Kael was beside her, his expression grim, his crimson eyes fixed on the tree line. She could feel the anger radiating off him, a storm brewing beneath his skin.

Lena approached them, her knife gleaming in the fading light. "They’re close. Maybe five minutes out."

Kael’s jaw tightened. "Elias wouldn’t do this. Not after everything."

Elara glanced at him, her voice quiet. "You said it yourself, Kael. People change."

Kael didn’t respond, but the muscle in his jaw twitched. She could see the conflict in his eyes—the disbelief, the betrayal, the fear. This wasn’t just about Dain anymore. This was about family. About trust.

A rustling in the underbrush made them all tense. Then, a figure stepped out from the trees, followed by a dozen of Dain’s hunters. The man was tall, his dark hair tied back, his armor similar to Kael’s but with a silver emblem instead of black. His eyes, a lighter shade of crimson, locked onto Kael’s with a cold, unreadable expression.

"Elias," Kael said, his voice low and dangerous.

Elias smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. "Brother. I was wondering when you’d show up."

Kael’s hands clenched into fists. "What are you doing here? With them?"

Elias’s gaze flicked to the hunters beside him, then back to Kael. "What I have to. Dain offered me something you never could."

Kael’s voice was a growl. "And what’s that?"

Elias’s smile widened. "A pack of my own. Power. Respect. Things you’ve always kept from me."

Elara watched the exchange, her heart pounding. She had never met Elias, but she could see the resemblance between the brothers—the same strong jaw, the same crimson eyes. But where Kael’s gaze was fierce and protective, Elias’s was cold and calculating.

Kael stepped forward, his voice low and deadly. "You’re making a mistake, Elias. Dain doesn’t keep his promises. He uses people. And when he’s done with them, he throws them away."

Elias laughed, a sharp, bitter sound. "And you do? You cast out your own mate, Kael. What kind of Alpha does that?"

Kael flinched, as if the words had struck him. Elara could see the pain in his eyes, the regret. But there was no time for that now.

Elias turned his gaze to Elara, his expression shifting to something darker. "And here she is. The famous Elara Veyne. Or should I say, the discarded Luna of Blackthorn."

Elara’s grip tightened on her dagger. "I’m not discarded. I chose to leave."

Elias’s eyes gleamed with amusement. "Did you? Or did Kael make that choice for you?"

Elara didn’t respond. She didn’t owe him an explanation. But she could see the way his words were affecting Kael, the way his shoulders tensed, his jaw clenched.

Elias turned back to Kael, his voice mocking. "You always were too soft, brother. Too sentimental. That’s why you’ll never be the Alpha Father wanted you to be."

Kael’s voice was a snarl. "And you think Dain will make you into that? He’ll use you, Elias. Just like he uses everyone."

Elias’s expression darkened. "I know what I’m doing, Kael. And I know what I want. And right now, I want her." His gaze locked onto Elara, a cruel smile playing on his lips. "Dain promised me her. And her child. A strong heir for a strong pack."

Elara’s stomach twisted. She had known Dain wanted her child, but hearing it from Elias, seeing the hunger in his eyes, made it real in a way it hadn’t been before.

Kael stepped in front of her, his voice a growl. "You’re not touching her. Or the child."

Elias’s smile didn’t waver. "We’ll see about that."

The hunters behind Elias shifted, their weapons raised, their eyes locked onto the camp. The rogues tensed, their own weapons at the ready. The battle was coming. And this time, it wasn’t just about survival. It was about family. About loyalty. About the future of Elara’s child.

Elara stepped forward, her voice steady. "You don’t have to do this, Elias. You can walk away. Now."

Elias’s gaze flicked to her, then back to Kael. "Oh, but I do. Because if I don’t, Dain will make sure I regret it. And I don’t plan on regretting anything."

Kael’s voice was low, deadly. "Then you leave me no choice."

Elias’s smile widened. "Neither do you, brother."

The hunters charged, and the camp erupted into chaos once more. But this time, it wasn’t just a battle. It was a reckoning. And Elara knew that no matter what happened, nothing would ever be the same.