chapter 2
1976 Words
Chapter 2
Ema
I sat across from Mia in the quiet corner of her sleek apartment. The lights of the city beyond the tall windows looked like small diamonds.
My hands shook as I set down the glass of juice she gave me. Everything I found out the night before felt like a heavy weight on my chest. It was hard to breathe.
Saying the truth out loud made it feel real. It felt like someone was twisting a knife in my heart.
Mia picked up her glass and took a slow sip. Then she slammed it down on the wood table. The glass made a sharp clink that echoed in the room.
Her eyes were bright with anger. She looked like she wanted to break something.
"What do you mean that bastard dared to hurt you like this?" Mia asked. Her voice was loud and full of fury. "How dare he? Does he not know who you are? You are the true Luna of the Shadow Pack. One word from you and his entire pack would be crushed. They would be nothing. Who does he think he is to treat you like a dog?"
Her voice was raw. She was very protective of me. I liked that she was angry for me.
Mia was the only person who knew my real self. To everyone else, I was just an adopted girl or a quiet wife. To her, I was a leader who chose to walk away from power for a man.
But I knew that yelling would not fix the betrayal. It would not take away the pain of the last three years.
I reached across the table. I put my hand over hers and squeezed it gently. I wanted her to stay calm so we could think.
"There is no need for yelling, Mia," I said. My voice was low but firm. "Yelling won't change what he did. I have already made up my mind. I am going to reject him."
Mia stared at me for a long time. She was breathing hard from her anger. Finally, she let out a deep sigh. Her shoulders dropped and she turned her hand over to hold mine.
Her skin was warm. It made me feel like I was not alone.
"Are you sure about this, Ema?" she asked. She looked worried now. "Can you really do it? You loved Max so much. You loved him so much that you refused to take your place as Luna of the Shadow Pack. You walked away from your home and your title just to be with him. Are you truly ready to let all of that go?"
I looked her straight in the eyes. I did not blink. I gave her a small smile, but it was a sad one. I felt the weight of my choice.
"Yes, I am sure," I replied. "Now I am coming back. But I am not just going home to hide. I am going to make sure I crush him. I lift him up high so everyone can see him, so will I bring him crashing down. I want him to hit the ground so hard that he never recovers."
Mia looked at my face for a minute. She was searching for any sign that I was lying or scared. She saw that I was serious. Slowly, she began to nod. Her face changed. She looked proud of me.
"What about Alpha Desmond?" she asked. The room got very quiet when she said his name. "Do you still want to marry him? The bond was arranged when you were just a child. He never took another Luna. He has been waiting for you all this time."
I thought about Alpha Desmond. His name brought back memories of my old life. I remembered the duty I owed to my people. I remembered the destiny I had ignored because I thought I found love with Max.
That love was a lie. It was poison.
I lifted my chin. I felt a new kind of strength in my bones.
"I will return to the pack in one month," I told her. "But before I leave, I want to look Max in the eyes. I want to reject him to his face. I need him to feel the same pain he gave to me."
Mia smiled. It was a fierce smile. She stood up from her chair and pulled me into a tight hug. She was very strong.
"Good," she said. "Don't you dare change your mind. Leaving that man is the best thing you will ever do. The Shadow Pack has missed its true Luna. We will be ready for you when you come home."
I hugged her back. Her loyalty gave me the energy I needed to keep going.
"I am going back to the house now," I said. "Keep the pack in good shape until I get there. Make sure everything stays stable. No one can know what I am planning yet. It must be a secret."
She let me go and stepped back. Her eyes were shining.
"I won't let you down," Mia promised. "Go handle your business, Ema. Just remember that you deserve much more than what he gave you. You are a queen, not a dog."
…
The drive back to the pack house felt like it took forever. Every mile I drove made the fire inside me grow hotter. I thought about the photos. I thought about the secret son. I thought about the baby my sister was carrying.
When I finally pulled into the driveway and walked inside, It smelled like pine trees. Usually, that smell made me feel safe. Now, it made me feel trapped.
I stopped walking when I saw them in the living room.
Ana was sitting on the big couch. She looked very comfortable. Max was standing right next to her. He was standing too close for just a brother-in-law. His hand touched her shoulder.
They looked like a couple.
When Ana saw me, she jumped up. She put a fake, sweet smile on her face. It was the smile she used when she wanted to trick people.
"Oh, Ema!" Ana cried out. "It is not what you think. Alpha Max was just helping me. Earlier today, I got hurt while I was out for a run. If Max had not been there to help me, I might still be out there. He has been so kind to me."
I did not say anything. I did not even look at her. I acted like she was made of glass and I could see right through her. I started walking toward the stairs. My heels made a loud clicking sound on the marble floor.
Max spoke. His voice was cold. It stopped me in my tracks.
"Why are you acting this way, Ema?" Max asked. He sounded annoyed. "She is just trying to be nice. She doesn't want you to be confused. Why are you being so difficult?"
I paused. I turned around very slowly to look at him. I felt very calm, but it was a dangerous kind of calm.
"And what if I don't want to talk to her?" I asked. "What should I do? Should I stay here and say I'm sorry? Should I act like a good, obedient little Luna?"
Max’s face turned hard. His jaw tightened. Before he could say a word, I walked toward him. I stopped when I was close enough to see the look in his eyes. He looked confused. He didn't understand why I wasn't listening to him.
"You told me you had a very important pack meeting today," I said. "What kind of meeting was it, really? I would love to see the notes from that meeting."
I turned to walk away again, but he reached out and grabbed my wrist. His grip was very tight. It did not hurt yet, but it was strong.
"What is wrong with you today?" he barked. "You have been acting different since the sun came up. Is this because I missed my birthday dinner?"
I looked at his hand on my wrist, then I looked at his face. I let out a loud, bitter laugh.
"Your birthday?" I asked him. "Is that the only thing you remember about yesterday? It was our anniversary, Max. It was the night of the full moon. And all you care about is your own birthday. Well, I have something to say. f**k off. Both you and your birthday can go to hell."
I pulled my hand away with a hard jerk. I turned and ran up the stairs. I felt like my blood was boiling.
I got to our bedroom and went inside. I slammed the heavy wooden door so hard that the noise echoed through the whole house. I leaned my back against the door. My heart was beating fast. I felt like my brain was going to explode because of the anger and the lies.
I stayed there for a few minutes. I thought I was alone. Then, I heard the door handle turn. The door creaked open.
I thought it was Max coming in to make more excuses. I thought he was going to try to trick me again.
But it was not Max. It was Ana.
She had a mean smile on her face. She stepped into the room and closed the door softly behind her.
"Oh, dear sister," she said in a high, fake voice. "I did not know you were so angry. You should have used that energy for something else. Listen to me. I have some good advice for you. Alpha Max does not love you. He never did. Why don't you just die? It would be much easier for everyone if you were gone."
I looked at her. I didn't cry. I just let out a cold laugh.
"You are so kind," I said. "You had a son for him. And now you have another one in your stomach. At least you are finally telling the truth about being a traitor."
Ana tilted her head to the side. She looked at me like she felt sorry for me, but I knew she was happy.
"I didn't know you found out," she said. "I didn't say anything before because it didn't matter. But since you know, why don't you just give up? Nothing in this pack belongs to you anymore. You were never supposed to be the Luna here."
Ana opened the door to leave. She stopped for a second and looked back at me. She looked like she had already won.
"Today, I will show you who Max truly loves," she whispered.
I didn't have time to move. She stepped out onto the landing and looked down the stairs. Then, she threw herself forward. She fell down the stairs on purpose.
Her body hit the steps over and over. She let out a loud, dramatic scream that filled the house.
I stood at the top of the stairs, frozen in shock. I couldn't move. Max appeared at the bottom of the stairs. His head snapped up.
He saw Ana lying at the bottom, and then he looked up at me. His eyes were wide and full of hate.
"Ema!" he screamed. He sounded like he wanted to kill me. He didn't ask what happened. He just blamed me.
He turned to the hallway and shouted for the guards. "Take her! Lock her in the dark basement! Now!"
I did not say a word. I just watched as he picked Ana up. He held her very gently, like she was something precious. He looked at her with more love than he had ever shown me.
Then he turned his back on me and walked away.
Maybe Ana was right. Max did not love me at all.
- Writer
