5
343 Words
No, I cannot be so selfish. I couldn’t give Deckard an answer because I haven’t decided the fate of my life. Do I stay here, remain his Luna, and accept this protection—knowing it comes with chains? Because the moment I step outside these walls, I will be a rogue, hunted and vulnerable. Or do I take the risk and run, knowing that Dane is out there, waiting to exert his fleeting power over me? Both paths feel like a prison, but which one will suffocate me less?
Amid the chaos of everything happening, I never expected to see Stephan Magna—my childhood friend. Before I joined my father in the Ironclaw pack, I lived with my mother in the European leagues. That’s where Stephan and I met. We were inseparable for three years. He taught me how to ride a bicycle, and I still remember the heartbreak when we were forced apart due to the war that tore through the leagues. A war that took my mother’s life.
Once I step out of the dining room and lay my eyes on Stephan, memories flood me—memories of her, of a time when I still had hope, when the world was a little kinder. With a heart of vulnerability, I reach out and hug him. I embrace him tightly, closing my eyes, and for just a second, I allow some of the burdens I’ve been carrying to fall away. But then, I feel Stephan stiffen.
He pulls back and the warmth of that reunion disappears almost as quickly as it arrived.
“Luna…” Stephan murmurs, and I open my eyes, catching the hesitation on his face. But worse, I meet Deckard’s gaze as he comes out—there is silent fury, carved into his sculpted features. If I were within his reach, I swear he would strangle me with the intensity of those eyes.
“Amica, you are not allowed to hug another man, especially not in front of your mate and Alpha!” Bria says and I jump.
- Writer
