CHAPTER4
1063 Words
Laura’s POV
I feared he might blow up for a second as his jaw tightened. Rather, he stepped forward, his massive body looming over me.
He tightened his teeth and said, "This isn't about the past." You vanished after leaving the pack. Are you aware of what might have happened to you?
I gave a sour laugh. "Oh, you're worried now?" When you made fun of me in front of everyone, where was that worry?
The tension between us crackled like a live wire, and the room went silent.
Eric lowered his voice without lessening its ferocity and commanded, "Answer me."
Refusing to give him the satisfaction, I looked him down. "What's the point? I made it through. You only need to know that.
Something—angry, frustrated, perhaps even guilty—flitted through his look, but I didn't stay to examine it. I turned and walked away, letting him process his feelings on his own.
The whispers of the pack members followed me like an echo as I went by them. I was aware that they were gossiping about me, but I didn't give a damn. I was more concerned with surviving than with what they thought.
Later that day, Damon came up to me, his smile as fake as ever. His voice was full of fake charm as he said, "Well, look who's back."
I kept my distance and crossed my arms. "Damon, what do you want?"
He laughed. I wanted to check in. Everyone wants to know where you fled to.
I yelled, "I don't have to give you an explanation."
A trace of venom crept into his eyes as his smile wavered. Be careful, Laura. People may begin to question whether you were hanging out with rogues during your brief excursion.
Despite my stomach churning, I kept my dread hidden from him. "You can say anything you want. I don't need to convince anyone of my worth.
Damon lowered his voice to a whisper as he leaned closer. Yes, but you do. The pack isn't as understanding as you may believe.
Fighting the need to lash out, I clenched my fists. Even though Damon's remarks were poison, I refused to let them shatter me.
I located a peaceful area close to the pack's boundary later that night. I was exhausted from the day's events, yet I couldn't deny the odd feelings that were brewing inside of me.
A reassuring and unsettling warmth crept through my veins, causing my palms to tingle. It had the feel of might.
I extended my hands and looked at them as though they were someone else's. What was going on with me?
"Laura?" My thoughts were interrupted by a voice, so I hastily stuffed my hands into my pockets.
One of the few pack members who had ever been nice to me was Leila. With worry on her face, she inquired, "Are you okay?"
I tried to grin. "I'm all right". All I needed was some air.
Despite her lack of conviction, she nodded. "I'm here if you ever need to talk."
I couldn't help but wonder if I should tell her as she left. However, the danger was too high. For the time being, I had to bear the burden of whatever was occurring to me.
The pack met together in the main hall the following day. As he spoke to the group about border security and rogue threats, Eric stood in the forefront, his presence commanding.
I tried to blend in with the crowd by staying close to the back. But it was impossible to ignore the weight of his eyes on me.
Outside, there was a sudden ruckus as he was speaking. A pack of renegade wolves roared in as the doors sprang open, their howls reverberating around the corridor.
As pack members desperately tried to protect themselves, panic spread like wildfire. My instincts told me to run. I froze, but something deeper kept me where I was.
Eric rushed forward, fighting off one of the rogues with quick, accurate movements. However, time appeared to slow down when a second rogue pounced at him from behind.
I moved ahead mindlessly as a wave of energy erupted within me. The rogue was flung back, yelling in agony, as my hands radiated a bright light.
With everyone's attention on me, the room became quiet.
A whisper went up, "What the hell was that?"
I had nothing to say. The brightness vanished as fast as it had come on, yet my hands were still tingling.
Eric's eyes pierced mine with a mixture of surprise and an inexplicable emotion. "Laura," he began in a hesitant, quiet voice.
Another rogue snarled before I could reply, and the chaos returned. But I was unable to concentrate on the battle. As I attempted to process what had just transpired, my heart was thumping and my mind was racing.
Eric turned to face me as the struggle continued, his voice rising above the din. "We must speak. Right now.
The air was heavy with the weight of what had just transpired, and the hall was eerily quiet. The amount of power that had burst through me was still causing my hands to tremble. Everyone was staring, some suspiciously, some in wonder.
Eric's voice broke the silence. "Laura, what did you just do?"
With a dry throat, I swallowed hard. "I'm not sure."
Like a wave, murmurs swept across the pack. “Is she the real Luna?” someone said.
A different voice retorted, "She is dangerous."
Eric put up his hand to cut off the conversation. His look was fixed on mine as he looked for answers that I did not possess.
"Go back to work, everyone," he ordered. "We'll talk about this later."
The pack slowly moved away, but they continued to stare at me. Like a bug under a microscope, I felt vulnerable.
I took Eric's arm as he turned to go. "What am I experiencing?" My voice trembled as I asked.
His face was unreadable as he paused. "We'll work it out." Not here, though.
Victor was leaning against a tree near the boundary of the pack's domain, far from the mayhem. He watched the chaos from a distance with a cunning smile on his lips.
He whispered to himself, "They are already betraying her."
Beside him, Calum emerged, his posture rigid. "What will happen next?"
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