Anthom's Luna

Chapter 4

The wind was sharp in her ears as she dashed through the silent woods. Her phone gripped tightly in her hand, Aurora followed the last known signal Landre had sent. Her heels had been kicked off halfway through the run. There was no time for vanity or form. Her feet bled, but her body didn’t complain—not when her best friend was in danger.

The forest was colder than it should be. A bad sign.

Branches cracked beneath her and brushed against her skin. Her instincts pulsed under her ribs. Something wasn’t right. And it wasn’t just the silence. There was a smell—copper, blood. Aurora slowed, her senses alert, breaths silent.

Then she saw it. A body. Landre.

She was crumpled by a tree trunk, unconscious but breathing. Aurora bolted to her, dropped to her knees and shook her. "Landre! Landre! Hey, wake up."

Landre didn’t move.

That’s when she felt it. Not heard. Not saw. Felt.

They were behind her.

Aurora turned her head slightly. Shadows stepped out from the dark. Three figures. Dressed in black. Masked. Tall. Male. And quiet.

They weren’t wolves. That much she could tell. Too slow. Too heavy.

But they weren’t just men either.

Aurora stood slowly, letting Landre’s head rest gently on the ground. Her arms cracked at the elbows as she rolled her shoulders.

"You picked the wrong night," she muttered.

The first man lunged.

He came fast, knife drawn. Aurora pivoted sideways and punched his temple with precision. He dropped. No hesitation.

The second came from her right.

This one was more skilled. She had to duck low, swipe his feet from beneath him, and elbow his chest as he hit the ground. He gasped, winded, and didn’t get up.

The third stepped forward. Taller. Masked. Calm.

He didn’t rush.

Aurora narrowed her eyes and moved first. Her fist went straight for his neck, but he caught her arm. Their strength clashed, and she stumbled slightly.

He smirked under the mask. Her body twisted and she landed a knee to his ribs. He grunted. That was enough. She followed with a headbutt that split his lip even under the mask.

He fell. Stayed down.

Aurora stood over them, heart pounding but steady.

Not professionals. Not wolves. Who were they?

She returned to Landre and checked her pulse again. It was weak but steady.

From the shadows, she sensed movement but nothing came.

"Cowards," she spat, wiping blood from her knuckles onto her dress.

She lifted Landre onto her back and began the walk back. It would be slow, but she'd done harder things. She’d carried heavier.

Back at the Gava residence, the dinner had ended in silence. No one said a word as Anthom pushed his chair back and rose.

The blood from the maids still stained the floor. No one dared move them.

Anthom didn’t look at Serena. Didn’t glance at the crying man she was supposed to marry. He said nothing to her parents.

He walked out.

His guards were already waiting. The sleek black car door opened.

"Home," he said.

"Yes sir."

The car pulled away from the Gava estate.

Inside, Anthom removed his gloves. Stained. The silence inside the car was broken only by the engine and the faint buzz of his phone.

A message blinked.

Aurora found the girl. All three down. No casualties.

Anthom leaned back. He shut his eyes for a moment. A rare breath escaped him.

So, she could fight.

Good.

He opened his phone and texted one line:

Clean it up. Erase all traces. Leave a mark.

Then he shut it off.

He watched the stars outside the window.