My tortured Luna

Chapter 14

Sages pov

The palace felt smaller every day. Not because the walls had moved. Because I had. Every step felt heavier than the last. My head throbbed constantly now, my stomach turned whenever I looked at food and even walking up the stairs left me breathless. Eleven kilograms. Amelia’s words refused to leave my head. I couldn’t stay inside anymore.

“I’m going for a walk.” I pulled my jacket over my shoulders as I stepped into the hallway. Valeria immediately looked up from the sofa.

“I’ll come with you.” She closed her book without hesitation. I smiled weakly before shaking my head.

“I just… need to be alone for a little while.” Concern flickered across her face.

“Are you sure?” I nodded.

“I won’t go far.” Jayden appeared from the corridor, a mug of coffee still in his hand.

“I can stay far enough away that you won’t even know I’m there.” He smiled, trying to make light of it. A small laugh escaped me.

“I think I’d still know.” He chuckled.

“Probably.” For a moment, neither of them said anything.

“I’ll be okay.” I wasn’t trying to convince them anymore. I was trying to convince myself. Valeria walked over first, gently brushing a loose strand of hair behind my ear.

“Come back before dark.”

“I will.” Jayden gave me one last look.

“If you need anything…”

“I know where to find you.” He smiled.

“Exactly.”

The fresh air hit my face the moment I stepped outside. I hadn’t realized how much I needed it. The forest was quiet today. Only the wind moved through the trees, carrying the scent of pine and damp earth with it. Normally it calmed me.

Today…

It didn’t. Every step felt harder than the one before it. My legs were heavy, my head pounded behind my eyes and I had to stop twice before reaching the small clearing I’d started visiting whenever I wanted to think. I closed my eyes. Just for a second. Then…

A scent.

My eyes snapped open.

No.

My heartbeat stumbled.

It couldn’t be.

I knew that scent.

Sia…

She didn’t answer. Not because she hadn’t heard it. Because she had. I slowly turned in a circle. Nothing. The clearing was empty.

“I’m imagining it.” I whispered, more to myself than anyone else. Then I heard it. A heartbeat. Slow. Steady. Not mine. Every hair on my body stood on end.

“No…” Another heartbeat answered it. Closer. A branch cracked somewhere behind me. I spun around so quickly my vision blurred. Still nothing.

“Who’s there?” My voice shook despite how hard I tried to steady it. Silence. Then…

He stepped out from behind one of the trees.

The Jason, Jacks head guard. My entire body froze. His dark uniform looked almost untouched despite the journey, his hands resting calmly behind his back as though we’d arranged to meet here.

“There you are.” His voice was as calm as I remembered. I couldn’t breathe.

“No…” A faint smile appeared on his face.

“I was beginning to think we’d been looking in the wrong territory.” I stumbled backwards.

“You…”

“I’ve been looking forward to this.” He tilted his head slightly, studying me. “You look.. thinner.”

The words made bile rise in my throat.

“No…” He took one slow step forward. I took two back.

“I wouldn’t do that.” His smile never reached his eyes. “Running has never worked particularly well for you.”

My heel caught on a root. I almost fell. Then… Movement. One wolf stepped out from the trees. Another. Then another. By the time I’d turned all the way around… There were seven of them. They didn’t say a word. They simply stood there. Blocking every path out of the clearing. My breathing became uneven. Too many, too many men, too many scents. Jason watched me carefully.

“I’d rather not hurt you.” My hands started shaking.

“Come with us.”

“No.” The word barely left my mouth. He sighed quietly, almost disappointed.

“You’ve always been stubborn.” Another step. Closer.

“I gave you a choice.” I couldn’t hear the birds anymore. Only heartbeats. Only boots against leaves. Only memories.

The arena.

The chains.

The screams.

My vision blurred.

“No…” I pressed both hands against my ears.

“They’re dead.” Jason frowned.

“What?”

“Jack is dead.” My voice broke.

“The Beta is dead.” For the first time, his expression changed. Not to anger. To amusement.

“Yes.” He smiled.

“I know.” The words stole the ground beneath my feet.

“He failed.” Another step.

“I won’t.” My knees gave out. The clearing disappeared. All I could see… Was the arena. And the men walking towards me. A roar broke the silence and my head turn towards the palace.

Valens..

———————

Valens POV

The roar hadn’t come from me. It came from Cain. It tore through my chest with enough force to make my vision blur as I ran between the trees, branches snapping against my shoulders without slowing me down.

Faster!

I’m trying!

NO!

His panic crashed into me again. Not fear. Rage. Pure, primal rage. I’d never felt him like this before. Not even when we’d fought rogues. Not even when I’d killed. This was different. Our mate. Someone had our mate. I could still feel her. Barely. The bond flickered like a dying flame.

Then…

Nothing.

I stopped so abruptly, dirt sprayed beneath my boots.

No. Cain slammed against every barrier inside my mind.

Find her!

I can’t feel her!

FIND HER!

I reached with everything I had. Nothing. The bond was gone. It wasn’t fading. It had been severed. Not permanently. Magically.

“A barrier.” Realization hit me like a punch. A Mage. Someone had trapped her. Jayden caught up a second later, breathing hard.

“I’ve lost her.” I whispered.

“I know.” His face had gone completely pale.

“I can’t hear her anymore.” Neither could I. The silence inside my head was unbearable. For the first time since she’d become my mate… I didn’t know if she was alive. Cain exploded. The force of his howl nearly dropped me to one knee.

SHE’S ALIVE!

I know.

SHE’S CALLING FOR US!

“I CAN’T HEAR HER!” The words tore from my throat before I realized I’d shouted them. The entire forest fell silent. Jayden stared at me.

“Valens…”

“I can’t hear her.” My voice cracked.

“I can’t…” I’d failed. I was supposed to protect her. Instead… She’d disappeared. Again. Cain surged forward. Not asking permission. Taking it. For one terrifying second… I wasn’t in control anymore. My wolf was. He lifted my head towards the sky. Then we roared. The sound shook the forest. Birds exploded from the trees. The ground itself seemed to vibrate beneath our feet.

Jayden’s eyes widened.

“He can smell her.” I looked at him.

“What?”

“The barrier blocks the bond…” He pointed deeper into the forest.

“…not her scent.” Hope slammed into my chest. My legs moved because of Cain. Jayden followed us. Branches tore at my clothes as we pushed deeper into unfamiliar woodland. Every instinct screamed that we were close. Closer, closer. Then…

The trees opened. A clearing. Seven wolves. One Mage. A guard. And…

Sage.

She was on the ground. Curled against the invisible barrier, tears streaking her face while one trembling hand remained pressed against the shimmering wall. My entire world narrowed to that single image. Cain didn’t hesitate. He lunged at the barrier, but it didn’t break. His roar shook the clearing as every Alpha command inside me erupted at once.

“GET AWAY FROM HER!” Every wolf froze. Even the guard standing in front of Sage, turned slowly towards me. Then… He smiled.

“My King.” I had never wanted to kill someone so badly in my entire life. My fists slammed against the barrier again. Nothing. Not even a crack. Magic pulsed beneath my palms before throwing me backwards once more. Cain roared so loudly the trees around us trembled.

BREAK IT!

I’m trying!

BREAK IT!

“I CAN’T!” The word tore itself from my throat. On the other side… Sage barely moved. She simply stood there while the guard circled her. I couldn’t hear every word. I didn’t need to. The slap echoed through the clearing. Cain threw himself against the barrier.

MATE!

I hit it again. Blood coated my knuckles. Again. Nothing. The guard smiled. He enjoyed this. Another slap. Sage staggered. She didn’t fight back. She didn’t even lift her hands.

“No…” The whisper escaped before I realized I’d spoken. Jayden grabbed my arm.

“Valens.” I shook him off.

“No.” Another strike.

Then… Everything stopped.

Sage caught his fist. Not quickly. Not violently. She simply… Stopped it. The guard frowned. I saw his lips move. Then… His face changed. Confusion, pain. His scream echoed through the clearing. A sickening crack followed. His hand hung uselessly at his side. Nobody moved. Not even me. Sage slowly released him.

“I’m done.” Her voice barely reached us. The guard stumbled backwards. His knife fell into the grass. She picked it up.

One wolf rushed her.

He never reached her.

Another followed.

Then another.

The clearing dissolved into chaos.

I tried not to watch but I couldn’t look away. Three wolves lay motionless before anyone else even realized she’d moved. Jayden stared beside me.

“…Goddess.” Cain fell strangely silent. Not calm. Watching. The guard forced himself back onto his feet. He looked at Sage… Then towards the edge of the clearing. Only then did I notice Valeria. My heart stopped. Two wolves held her by the arms while she struggled to break free.

“Sage!” Her voice broke. She wasn’t looking at the dead wolves. She was looking at Sage. The guard smiled. He still thought he was in control. He walked over to Valeria. He said something I couldn’t hear.

Then…He struck her. I slammed against the barrier. No, Valeria! Everything changed. The air itself seemed to stop moving. Sage didn’t scream. She didn’t run. She didn’t even blink. She simply lifted her head. And my breath hitched.

One eye turned black.

Not the iris.

Everything.

The other…

White.

Brighter than moonlight. The guard took one involuntary step backwards. Even the Mage looked alarmed.

“What…” He whispered. Not to anyone but to himself.

Sage moved. I didn’t see her cross the clearing. One moment she stood beside the guard.

The next… The wolves holding Valeria were already falling. The guard barely managed to block the first strike before she threw him through the air. He hit the ground hard. She was already there. Again and again. Every blow shook the ground beneath my feet. The guard raised an arm. Too slow. She hit him again.

"You don't get to touch me anymore."