The Alpha’s Hidden Luna

CAPTIVE IN CHAOS

The camp descended into chaos as arrows shot through the air, taking down rogues effortlessly. I was on the altar, my wrists bleeding from thorny vines, and my head spun from Kain's potion. His blood dripped from the arrow lodged in his shoulder, warm and sticky, while his furious voice reverberated in my mind “You’re mine now!” But he had no chance to assert his claim. Shadows rushed from the trees, swift and deadly, their blades glinting in the firelight. Nightfang scouts. I recognized their precise, disciplined movements even with my mind clouded.

Kain snarled and yanked the arrow from his shoulder, but the scouts were already upon him. I rolled off the altar, hitting the wet ground hard, mud splattering into my wounds. Pain coursed through me, but I crawled away, panicked. A rogue lunged at me, claws outstretched, only to be struck down by an arrow to the throat. He collapsed beside me, convulsing, and I scrambled back, heart racing. The scouts were not here to save me they were here for blood.

Then I spotted him. Kade. Tall and imposing, with cold gray eyes. He marched through the turmoil, barking commands, his sword dripping with blood. When he saw me, his lip curled into a sneer. “Still alive, stray?” he said gruffly. Without pause, he sheathed his sword and yanked me to my feet. I stumbled, legs too weak to support me, and he didn't hesitate. He produced cold, heavy iron chains from his belt, snapping them around my wrists. The metal dug into my raw skin, causing me to hiss in pain, but he tightened them further. “Move,” he barked, pulling me along.

The mayhem of the camp faded as he dragged me into the forest, the sounds of violence receding. With every step, my body protested. The venom in my leg burned fiercely now, creeping higher into my body. Each breath was sharp and tasted of blood. Kade showed no mercy, his grip on the chains bruising my arm. The other scouts flanked us, their boots crunching the underbrush, faces grim. One scout, a lean man with a crooked grin, stared at me, eyes raking over my tattered clothes and injuries.

“Looks like the stray's had a rough night,” he commented, stepping closer. He reached out, grabbing my side where a sticky paste clung, and his fingers sunk into the wound, causing me to gasp in agony. “Soft beneath all that dirt,” he laughed, moving his hand lower. I recoiled, but the chains held me fast, and he pressed harder, breath hot against my neck.

Before I could cry out, Kade was on him. Quick and fierce. He seized the scout by the throat, lifting him effortlessly. “Touch her again,” he growled, “and you’re dead.” The scout’s eyes bulged, his hands clawing at Kade’s grip, but Kade showed no sign of relent. With a sickening crack, he twisted and snapped the scout's neck. The body fell lifeless, and the rest of the scouts halted, stunned. Kade turned back to me, his expression grim, chest heaving. “Mine to deal with,” he muttered. In his eyes, I saw something raw and intense that made my skin crawl.

I had no time to process it. My stomach twisted, and I doubled over, vomiting blood onto the ground. It pooled, dark and thick, as my knees faltered on the ground. The venom was winning, tearing through me. I collapsed, gasping, vision blurring. Kade cursed and scooped me up, his grip vice-like. He held me tightly, causing pain in my ribs. “Weak little thing,” he murmured, almost too quietly to hear. “But you’re not dying yet.” His breath brushed against my ear, and his fingers tightened on my skin a mix of threat and something darker that unsettled me.

The journey blurred with each agonizing moment. My head rested against his shoulder, every jolt jarring my bones. The venom clawed at my lungs, making each breath a challenge. I felt like a trophy, a broken object being dragged back to Nightfang territory, and I despised it. I hated him, loathed how his touch burned even through the pain.

Minutes or hours passed; I couldn't tell. We finally arrived at an outpost, a cluster of wooden walls and watchtowers illuminated by torches. Kade carried me through the gates and unceremoniously dropped me to the ground like a sack of grain. I hit hard, coughing, blood speckling my lips. Scouts fanned out, shouting reports, but a familiar voice pierced the clamor sharp and venomous.

“She’s alive?” Sienna emerged, her green eyes blazing with fury. Her black hair was pulled back tightly, claws displayed, glinting. She approached me, lips twisting into a snarl. “You’ve got more lives than a damn cat, stray.” Her shadow loomed over me, engulfing me. “You should’ve died out there. It would’ve made things easier.”

I struggled to sit up, but my arms trembled, chains clanking. “Sorry to disappoint,” I gasped, glaring at her. She laughed, cold and cruel, then crouched to meet my gaze. “Oh, I’ll fix that,” she said, clawing at my chest. Pain shot through me, hot and bright, as blood welled up with a scream. She grinned, reveling in the sight of my blood soaking my shirt, her nails painted red.

“Enough.” A deep voice cut through the air, freezing her in place. Damon. He stepped from the shadows, his golden eyes gleaming like fire. His presence struck me hard tall, dark, and formidable. Sienna halted, her smile fading, but stayed put. Damon focused his gaze on me, then shifted it to her. “She’s not yours to break,” he said, icily. “Yet.”

Sienna clenched her jaw but took a step back, claws still ready. I pressed my hand against my chest, blood seeping through my fingers, breath uneven. Damon watched me, expression inscrutable, those fiery eyes fixed on me. I wanted to curse him, to fight back, but I was too weak. The atmosphere grew taut and heavy, and suddenly, a wolf’s howl pierced the night wild, nearby, furious. Sienna turned, Kade drew his sword, and Damon snapped his head toward the sound. Before I could react, a massive shape broke through the darkness, teeth bared, charging straight for us…