“The Luna's Awakening”

Chapter 5: The Ties That Bind

The moon hung heavy in the sky, casting a silvery glow over the darkened landscape. Kiera stood at the edge of the forest, her heart in a vice grip, every instinct in her body screaming to run. But run where? To whom? Xavier’s words had sliced through her like a blade, the truth he revealed about Maya and their shared past threatening to unravel the fragile stability she’d tried so hard to build.

“Maya is your future,” Xavier had said. "She won't let go of either you or me."

Kiera felt suffocated by the boulder-like pressure of his words on her chest. What did that signify, though? The thought of Maya coming back had hardly occurred to her, much less what it may imply for her. Her veins throbbed with the echoes of Xavier's rejection, a harsh reminder of how little she actually meant to him. However, this new information—Maya's imminent return—made her shudder.

Reign, standing beside her, glanced over his shoulder toward the distant horizon. He sat alertly, the stress emanating from him like scorching heat. He was fully aware of the stakes involved.

"We cannot wait any longer," Reign stated in a firm, urgent voice. “Xavier’s already in the wind. Maya will be here soon. And when she arrives, she’ll want more than just the pack.”

Kiera nodded absently, her mind still reeling. She had always known that Maya was a force to be reckoned with. The woman was not only beautiful, but her power, her ambition—it was the kind of thing that could bend even the strongest Alphas to her will. And Xavier… he was still tangled in her web, caught between his guilt and his love for her.

“You’ve already made your choice, Kiera,” Reign continued, his eyes locking with hers. His words were direct, but there was something softer in his gaze—something that betrayed the calm exterior he wore. “You’re here with me now. And I won’t let you go.”

Kiera swallowed, her throat dry. She wanted to believe him, wanted to embrace the security he offered. But Xavier's rejection still echoed in her ears. She had put a lot of effort into being the woman he desired and fitting into his world, but he had rejected her like she was a piece of furniture that should be thrown away when it no longer worked for him.

With her voice shaking, Kiera murmured, "I'm not sure I know what's real anymore." “Xavier... he was supposed to be my mate. But now... Maya is back. And I don’t know how much of him is still mine.”

Reign stepped closer, his gaze softening, though there was a steely edge behind it. “Kiera, look at me. You’re not his, not anymore. You are not a fallback option. In your own right, you are a leader.Your future... it’s yours to choose.”

But Kiera wasn’t so sure. The Alpha blood coursing through her veins made her feel as though time was running out, and she wasn't prepared for it. She had been brought up to lead, be strong, and be the Luna. However, she was still trying to sort out the mess that was her heart, so how could she be a leader?

Before she could answer, there was a sudden, sharp rustling sound coming from the trees behind them. Kiera turned toward it out of instinct as her senses blazed. Reign's stance was tight as he looked around, his hand already on his knife's hilt. However, the person who stepped out of the shadows was not an enemy.

It was Sebastian.

Kiera froze, her heart racing. “Sebastian?” she whispered, disbelieving.

He took a hesitant step forward, his eyes heavy with resolution and shame. His face was drawn and his clothing were rumpled, as though he had been running around for days. What unnerved her the most, though, was the haunted, desperate expression in his eyes.

“Xavier needs help,” Sebastian said, his voice low, almost shaking. “He’s… he’s not himself, Kiera. He’s been keeping something from you. And I can’t—”

“Enough.” Reign’s voice was cold, cutting through the tension. “You’re too late, Sebastian. You’ve already chosen your side. There’s no turning back now.”

Sebastian didn’t flinch. His eyes were locked on Kiera, and for a moment, the anger in Reign’s eyes dimmed, replaced by something else. Something Kiera couldn’t place.

“Please, Kiera,” Sebastian said, his voice trembling. “You need to know the truth. Xavier… he’s cursed.”

Kiera's throat tightened each breath."Cursed?" she repeated, her mind racing. "What do you mean by that?"

Sebastian looked down as if he couldn't look her in the eye. “The magic that binds him to Maya... it’s not just love. It's a curse. He is susceptible to her every whim due to a sinister, antiquated curse that controls his emotions. And he has been consumed by it from the inside out.”

Reign took a step forward, his expression darkening. “What kind of curse?”

“A curse placed by Maya,” Sebastian muttered, his hands trembling as if the words themselves were too much for him to bear. “It was a final act of control. One last way to bind him to her. It’s why he pushed you away. Why he couldn’t… wouldn’t let himself love you.”

Kiera felt the floor beneath her shift, the world tilting as the truth hit her like a blow to the chest. The curse. The one thing she had never even considered. Her gaze shifted to Reign, who appeared to share her sense of the seriousness of the issue.

“You’re telling me,” Kiera whispered, her voice shaky, “that Xavier never had a choice in this?”

Sebastian nodded slowly. “The curse… it feeds on his guilt, on his need to atone for the things he did to Maya. It makes him weaker, makes him forget the part of himself that’s still alive. That part of him that could love you. But he’s fighting it every day. And now… now Maya’s coming. She will take advantage of him and trick him into thinking she is the one he should be with.

His words weighed heavily on Kiera, like a chilly blanket. The world felt heavy, suffocating. She had been angry at Xavier, had resented him for pushing her away. But perhaps—just possibly—he hadn't really rejected her at all if what Sebastian was saying was accurate.

Kiera's thoughts were racing, divided between the man she believed to be familiar and the one she didn't comprehend. She had been unfamiliar with Xavier for a very long time. But now, with the truth of his curse hanging in the air, Kiera was left to question everything she had believed.

“We can’t afford to waste time,” Reign said, his voice commanding, snapping her out of her thoughts. “Maya is close. We have to act before she gets her claws into him again.”

Kiera nodded, trying to focus, trying to push aside the storm of emotions swirling inside her. She had always understood the complexity of love. She wasn't sure she had the strength to untangle it, though, and it felt like an insurmountable knot now.

But one thing was certain.

Xavier wasn’t the only one who had been cursed.

As the last words hung in the air, Kiera's senses flared again. A figure stepped out of the darkness, and her heart stopped.

Maya.

Her eyes were cold, calculating, and every step she took seemed to send the air crackling with electricity. The game had just begun.