The Betrayed Luna: Twin For My Mate

Seven

I stand on the edge of the dense woods, feeling the nerves coil in my stomach like a writhing serpent. Aiden and Ember flank me, their presence offering a fragile sense of security. Ryder asks us to solve the whole thing. But I'm too tense and weak for this. My secret, the one I've been carrying like a heavy stone, hangs heavy in the air.

The forest is dark and scary, with many hidden things. The wind’s whispers chill me. I feel sick from the smell of blood and rot. We step into the shadows, following the trail of destruction left by who did this.

I feel sicker as we go deeper in the woods. My stomach revolts, and I bend over, vomiting repeatedly, my body trembling with each retch. Ember runs to me, worried, and touches my back.

"Elara?" her eyes wide with concern.

I shake my head. The truth that Aiden must never know. I'm too embarrassed to let him know. 'Maybe it's because you like him.

I forced a weak smile, trying to reassure her. “I’m fine,” I lied. “Just a little dizzy, it must be the heat.”

She doesn’t look convinced, but she doesn’t press me further. She knows I have my reasons for keeping my secret, even from her. She knows I wanna impress Aiden.

Aiden.

I glance at him, hoping he doesn’t notice my gaze. He’s still busy examining the scene, oblivious to my turmoil. Or so I think.

His eyes snap to mine. His expression is unreadable, but there’s something in his eyes that makes me uneasy. A flicker of curiosity, suspicion, or maybe something else.

He walks back to us, his steps slow and deliberate. He stops, his eyes piercing mine.

“Are you okay?” he asks, his voice low and serious.

I nod, avoiding his stare. “Yeah,” I say, hoping he doesn’t hear the tremor in my voice. “I’m fine.”

He studies me for a moment longer, as if he can see right through me. As if he knows my secret.

But he doesn’t say anything. He nods and looks away.

I sigh, relieved but disappointed.

'I... I don't care... it doesn't matter what he thinks...' Why do I want his care?

He’s just my partner, nothing more.

Right?

He walks deeper into the woods again, leaving me alone with Ember. She gives me a sad smile and hugs me.

“C’mon on,” she says gently. “Let’s sit down for a while. You’re pregnant, Elara. You need to rest.”

She helps me find a fallen log to rest on, her eyes filled with concern. She silently questions my decision to join this mission in my current state.

Just as Aiden returns, there’s a peculiar look on his face. He frowns but doesn’t say a thing. ‘Did he hear Ember?’ I don’t think he did.

“I’m good to go now,” I lie, wanting to do anything but sit down under his piercing stare.

I feel Aiden’s piercing gaze on me as we walk through the dark woods, following Ember’s lead.

He’s quiet for too long, and I sense he’ll ask me something I dread.

I try to avoid his eyes, hoping he’ll drop it, but he doesn’t.

“Are you pregnant?” he blurts out, his voice low and tense.

I freeze, feeling a surge of panic. How did he find out? Did he overhear Ember and me talking earlier? I wish I could disappear, or at least lie, but his expression tells me he already knows the truth. He looks hurt, angry, betrayed. I don’t know what to say, how to explain, how to apologize.

Before I can utter a word, a loud noise startles us. We turn around and see several police officers emerging from the trees, their guns drawn. They shout at us to stop and identify ourselves, saying this is a crime scene and we’re trespassing. We have no idea what they’re talking about, but we don’t want any trouble. We raise our hands and try to back away slowly, hoping they’ll let us go.

But then, something unexpected happens. A powerful gust knocks us down. We hear screams and gunshots, and when we look up, we see the officers lying on the ground, bloodied and motionless. We’re shocked and terrified, wondering what just happened. Who did this? Why?

I can feel my heart pounding in my chest as I shift into my beast form, unleashing my claws and fangs. I need to help Ember and Aiden, who are already fighting for their lives against the enemy, a vicious werewolf. He’s faster and stronger than any of us, and he doesn’t show any mercy. He rips my back with his claws, making me bleed. I hiss and strike back, but he evades. He then pounces on Aiden, who tries to shield me, but gets injured instead. The werewolf raises his paw, ready to end him.

“Get away from them!” Ember screams, slashing at the werewolf. But he dodges it easily, and she claws a tree instead.

The beast snarls. I can see the fear in Aiden’s eyes, the rage in Ember’s face, the blood on the ground. I can taste the metallic tang of my own blood in my mouth. The werewolf lunges at Aiden again but out of nowhere, someone gets between them.

Ryder.

He growls and charges at the werewolf, knocking him off his feet. He snaps at his neck, but the werewolf resists. He claws at Ryder’s chest, piercing his heart. Ryder gasps and falls limp, his eyes wide with pain.

“Ryder!” Ember cries out, shocked and heartbroken by his sacrifice. He was her friend, like a brother. And now he’s gone.

We have no time to grieve or help him. We have to get out of here, before the werewolf kills us too. We turn around and run for our lives, leaving Ryder’s body behind. We run through the woods, the werewolf’s howls closing in. They sound like a death sentence, a reminder of the horrors that lurk in the night.

We’re not safe.

We’re not alone.

We’re hunted.