The Outcast Luna

The Hunt.

The forest seemed to close in on us, the shadows stretching long and dark as the rogues' howls echoed in every direction. My legs moved on instinct, following Andre and Selena as we raced deeper into the woods. Twigs snapped underfoot, branches clawed at my skin, and my breath came in ragged gasps.

"Keep moving!" Andre shouted, his voice sharp and commanding. He ran ahead, his tall frame cutting through the foliage like a blade.

“Selena? Where is uncle Marcus and Darius?” I asked, because they were absent in the midst of the chaos.

“That shouldn't be your concern,” she replied.

“But…”

Selena clutched my wrist, pulling me along as my strength began to wane. "Focus, Amelia. Whatever that power was, it saved Andre back there. You might need it again."

"I don't know how I did it!" I gasped, stumbling over a root.

"You will when it matters," she said, her voice calm despite the chaos around us.

A deafening growl erupted from the trees behind us, and I dared a glance over my shoulder. My heart sank as I saw the glowing eyes of rogues closing the distance, their snarls growing louder with every second.

Andre slowed, turning to face the threat. His eyes were fierce, his body already shifting into his wolf form.

“Amelia! Stay back!” Andre ordered.

"No!" I cried. "You can't take them all on alone!"

"Keep running!" he barked, his voice distorted as his transformation completed. "I’ll hold them off."

I froze, my feet rooted to the ground. The idea of leaving him—leaving anyone—behind felt unbearable.

Selena yanked me forward, her grip firm. "He’s buying us time. Don’t waste it!"

But my body wouldn’t listen. My gaze locked on Andre as he charged into the pack of rogues, his massive wolf tearing into the first one with ferocity. Blood sprayed across the forest floor as he fought, but there were too many of them.

"Amelia!" Selena’s voice snapped me out of my trance. She pulled me forward again, and this time I let her.

We ran until my lungs burned, and even then, we didn’t stop. The sounds of battle faded behind us, replaced by an eerie silence that made my skin crawl.

“Do you think he’s okay?” I whispered, my voice barely audible.

I was still on motion.

Selena didn’t answer right away. Her lips were pressed into a thin line, her expression grim. “Andre can handle himself. He’s the Alpha for a reason.”

But I saw the doubt in her eyes.

We emerged into a clearing, the moonlight bathing the area in a soft, silvery glow. Selena released my wrist and scanned the surroundings, her sharp eyes darting to every shadow.

“Which way?” I asked.

“This way,” she said, leading me toward a large, hollow tree. She knelt beside it, pushing aside the thick undergrowth to reveal an opening just big enough for a person to crawl through.

“Get inside,” she ordered.

“What about you?” I asked, my voice shaking.

“I’ll keep watch.”

I hesitated, the thought of leaving her out here alone gnawing at me. “Selena—”

“Do as I say, Amelia.” Her tone was firm, brooking no argument.

Reluctantly, I crouched down and crawled into the hollow. The inside was dark and damp, the air thick with the scent of moss and decay. I pressed myself against the rough wood, every nerve on edge.

Minutes passed, each one feeling like an eternity. I strained to hear anything outside—footsteps, voices, anything—but the silence was deafening.

Then, suddenly, a low growl rumbled through the air.

My breath caught as I heard Selena’s voice, sharp and commanding. “Show yourself.”

A chilling laugh followed, one that sent shivers down my spine.

“Selena,” a male voice said, smooth and mocking. “Always the protector.”

“Darius,” she spat, her voice dripping with venom.

I couldn’t believe it.

My heart lurched. Darius. Andre’s beta. The man who had stood by his side during every trial and triumph. The man I now realized was a traitor.

“What are you doing here?” Selena demanded.

“Finishing what should have been done years ago,” Darius replied, his voice cold. “You’ve always been a thorn in my side, Selena. Always meddling where you don’t belong.”

“You won’t touch her,” Selena said, her voice steady.

“Her?” Darius let out another laugh. “Ah, yes. The little outcast. The rogue lover. Do you honestly think she’s worth protecting?”

I clenched my fists, anger bubbling beneath the surface.

“She’s worth more than you’ll ever understand,” Selena said. “And she’ll prove it.”

“Bold words,” Darius sneered. “Let’s see how long you can keep them up.”

The sound of a struggle followed, and my heart raced. I wanted to burst out of the hollow, to help her, but fear held me back.

A sudden thud silenced the scuffle, and my blood ran cold.

“Selena?” I whispered, barely daring to breathe.

But I got no response.

A shadow blocked the entrance to the hollow, and my stomach dropped.

I heard footsteps creeping above me, but I knew they weren’t Selena’s steps.

“Come out, little rogue,” Darius’s voice called, sickly sweet. “Hiding won’t save you.”

I said nothing.

He continued “come out! Look around, no one gives a damn! About you or your miserable life, so why don’t let me end it for you, huh?”

My mind raced, every instinct screaming at me to run, but there was nowhere to go.

The shadow moved closer, and I braced myself, every muscle tense.

Then, just as I thought it was over, a deafening roar shook the forest.

Andre.

The shadow vanished as Darius turned to face the new threat.

Taking a deep breath, I crawled out of the hollow, my heart pounding as I saw Andre standing at the edge of the clearing, his wolf form bloodied but defiant.

“Stay away from her!” Andre growled, his voice low and dangerous.

“The outcast? Your rejected mate?” Darius questioned.

“I won’t repeat myself,” Andre shot back.

Darius smirked, his eyes gleaming with malice. “You’re too late, Andre. She’s already mine.”

Andre lunged, and the clearing erupted into chaos.

I barely had time to react before Selena’s hand grabbed mine, pulling me toward the trees.

I was in shock. “But, I thought you were….”

“Run!” she hissed. Interrupting my question.

But I couldn’t move. My eyes were locked on the battle before me, on Andre and Darius clashing with a ferocity that shook the ground.

And then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw another figure emerge from the shadows.

Lucy.

Her eyes gleamed with hatred as she stalked toward me, a cruel smile spreading across her face.

“You should’ve stayed hidden,” she said, her voice dripping with malice.

Before I could respond, she lunged.

And everything went black.