Packless
705 Words
Chapter 4: Packless
The attack ended just before dawn.
Luna stood outside the damaged building, staring at the destruction around her.
Broken windows.
Deep claw marks across the walls.
The ground was covered with footprints from the wolves that had attacked during the night.
But Luna barely noticed any of it.
She kept looking at her hands.
The silver light was gone.
Yet she could still feel its power beneath her skin.
“What happened to the rogue?” Mia asked quietly.
Luna shook her head.
“I don't know.”
A group of pack warriors approached.
They stopped several feet away from her.
Their expressions were different now.
Some looked frightened.
Others looked suspicious.
One warrior whispered,
“She did that.”
Another answered,
“The silver light came from her.”
Luna heard them.
Her chest tightened.
Then Kael appeared.
Everyone immediately became silent.
His clothes were torn from the fight, and there was a small cut across his cheek.
His eyes went directly to Luna.
“Are you hurt?”
“No.”
Kael looked at the warriors.
“Leave.”
They obeyed immediately.
When they were alone, Luna folded her arms.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
Kael didn't answer.
“Kael.”
He finally spoke.
“Because I know what you are.”
Luna's heart skipped.
“You know about the Moon Queen?”
Kael nodded slowly.
“My father spent years searching for her bloodline.”
“Why?”
“Because whoever carries that blood has the power to unite every wolf territory.”
Luna stared at him.
“And you rejected me because of that?”
Kael looked away.
“I rejected you because I was afraid.”
“Afraid of me?”
“Afraid of what would happen if the wrong people discovered who you were.”
Luna laughed bitterly.
“You humiliated me to protect me?”
“I thought it was the only way.”
“You were wrong.”
Kael's expression tightened.
Before he could respond, the Elder approached them.
“Alpha.”
Kael turned.
The Elder looked at Luna.
“Word has already spread.”
Luna frowned.
“About what?”
“The Moon Queen.”
Silence followed.
The Elder continued.
“Other territories will come searching for you. Some will want to protect you.”
He paused.
“And others will want to control you.”
Luna felt a chill run through her.
Kael stepped forward.
“She can't stay here.”
Luna stared at him.
“What?”
“You must leave the pack.”
Her heart sank.
“After everything you've done, you're sending me away?”
Kael's voice softened.
“If you stay, they will come for you. And they will use this pack to reach you.”
Luna looked around.
For the first time, she realized that the pack no longer felt like home.
The whispers.
The frightened faces.
The rejection.
Everything had changed.
Mia stepped beside her.
“If Luna leaves, I'll go with her.”
Kael looked at Mia.
“This isn't a journey you understand.”
Mia lifted her chin.
“Then I'll learn.”
Luna smiled faintly.
For the first time that night, she didn't feel completely alone.
She turned back to Kael.
“When do I leave?”
Kael stared at her.
“Today.”
Luna nodded.
“Good.”
She walked past him.
But just before she reached the door, Kael spoke.
“Luna.”
She stopped.
“I never wanted to hurt you.”
Without turning around, she replied,
“But you did.”
Then she walked away.
By sunset, Luna stood at the edge of Blackthorn territory with Mia beside her.
She looked back one last time.
This was the place where her heart had been broken.
She had entered as a girl hoping to find love.
She was leaving as someone completely different.
The silver mark on her shoulder suddenly began to glow.
A whisper filled her mind.
Go to the old forest.
Luna took a deep breath.
Then she stepped beyond the pack border.
She was officially packless.
And somewhere deep inside the forbidden forest, something ancient was waiting for her.
To be continued…
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