His Fanged Luna

Chapter 9: Raised By Vampires

Emma's POV

I stood frozen, eyes wide with shock, unable to comprehend the scene before me. My heart raced, thudding so loud it drowned out everything else.

The man laid on the table, blood pooling beneath him, staining the blue rug. It was like something out of a nightmare. My family stood around the body, calm, as if this was just another day.

“Mom?" My voice was soft, breathy. I couldn't say anything else. Was this a robbery gone wrong?

"Emma, get behind me, now," Kael commanded, his voice low and firm. His stance was protective, already sensing the danger before I could.

"Emma," my mother, Barbara, called out softly, stepping toward me. "I didn’t expect you home today. You should—"

“What… what is this?” I stammered, pointing at the blood, at the lifeless body. My legs felt like they might give out, and I stumbled back.

My mother looked lost for a second and she didn't know what to say, she opened her mouth and then snapped it shut.

“I said get behind me, now." Kael said, getting tense, he nudged me behind even as I tried to peek out to have a conversation with my family.

Alec wiped his lips, wearing a sheepish look. He didn't know what to say either. He looked just as lost as my mother was.

“Alec, what is going on?" My voice was shaky as I asked, looking deeply at him.

Alec didn't answer, he shifted slightly and then raised his hands to his lips, wiping lightly. When he put the hand down, I noticed that it was smeared with a crimson liquid. I gasped, covering my mouth. "Are you… are you all—werewolves too?"

"No, Emma," came Selene’s voice from beside me, laced with mockery. "If they were werewolves, I’d have known. They would have bowed to Kael because he's an alpha wolf. But this..." She smiled and stepped closer. "This is something else."

Kael’s growl echoed through the room, low and threatening, his eyes locked on Alec. William stood by his side, fists clenched, ready to defend me. They were both shielding me, ensuring no one could reach me.

"I don’t understand..." My voice cracked. "What is going on here?" My gaze darted between Kael and my family, searching for answers.

“Emma, darling,” Barbara tried again, her tone calm but shaky. “Please, go outside. We’ll… we’ll handle this.”

I shook my head, backing away from her. “Handle what?” Panic seeped into my voice. “What is happening here?”

I made a move toward the door even as Williams nodded at me. But Selene’s cold hand gripped my arm, pulling me back. "No, no, no," she purred, her smile cruel. "You deserve to see this. See what your family really is."

Kael’s eyes darkened, stepping closer. "William, take Emma outside. I’ll deal with this."

William nodded and moved toward me, but I yanked my arm free from Selene’s grasp, glaring at my mother. "What are you hiding from me? What’s going on?!"

"Emma, please," Barbara’s voice broke, pleading. "You shouldn’t be here. Just go."

"Go?!" I couldn’t control my voice, the anger rising within me. "Go where? What am I supposed to not see here?"

Selene’s laughter echoed in my ears as she tightened her grip on my arm. "Oh, Emma, poor little clueless Emma. You don’t know a thing. You’ve been lied to your whole life." She yanked me closer, lowering her voice to a whisper. "Look at them, Emma. Look closely. They aren’t werewolves. They’re monsters."

"Let go of her," Alec growled, stepping forward, fury radiating from him.

Selene sneered at Alec, refusing to let go. "What are you going to do, Alec? Fight me? Haven’t you been keeping secrets from her? Don’t you think she deserves the truth?"

Kael shot Alec a sharp glance. "Secrets? What is she talking about?"

"She’s lying," Alec spat, his fists tightening. He looked at Kael with anger in his voice. "You brought them here, Kael. I trusted you to protect Emma, and this is what happens?"

"I’m protecting her," Kael shot back, his voice cold. "The real question is, why have you been hiding things from her?"

My head spun, overwhelmed by the confrontation. "What secrets? What are you talking about?"

Selene’s grip tightened again, dragging me closer. "Your family’s been hiding something from you. Look at them." She motioned toward Barbara and Alec. "Can’t you see? They’re monsters."

"You're a werewolf," I shot back, fueled by anger. "You’re the monster, not them."

Selene’s laughter filled the room. "A werewolf? Oh, darling, no. They’re much worse than that. And so are you. You’re an abomination."

"Let go of her!" Alec roared, lunging at Selene without warning.

Kael was faster, slamming into Alec, holding him back. "Don’t touch her!"

"Get out of my way!" Alec’s voice was almost a snarl, his fury evident in his tone.

I couldn’t take it anymore. "What’s happening?! Someone tell me what is going on!"

Barbara’s voice trembled, pleading with me. "Emma, please—"

"Tell her," Selene hissed, shoving me forward. "Or I will."

Alec’s voice was low, nearly defeated. "Emma… you don’t understand. This isn’t what it looks like."

"Then what is it, Alec?" I asked, my voice cracking, tears welling in my eyes. "What are you hiding from me?"

Selene grinned wickedly. "He’s hiding what they really are. They aren’t just werewolves, Emma. They’re much worse."

"Shut up!" Alec roared, his fists clenched. "You don’t know anything."

"Oh, but I do." Selene’s smile widened. "And so does Kael. Don’t you?"

Kael’s jaw tightened, his eyes narrowing. "Get Emma out of here."

"No!" I screamed, my voice echoing in the room. "I’m not leaving until someone tells me what the hell is going on!"

Selene’s grip on my arm became almost painful as she leaned in, her voice cold. "You’re about to find out."

Before I could even react, Selene lunged at Alec, her body twisting and contorting mid-air. Bones snapped and reshaped as she transformed into a massive, snarling werewolf, claws extended toward Alec’s throat.

"Emma, get back!" Kael barked, blocking me from the chaos erupting in front of us.

Barbara moved with lightning speed, pulling off a small ruby ring. Her fangs elongated in an instant, sharp and gleaming. With a fierce growl, she grabbed Selene and threw her across the room. Selene hit the wall with a sickening thud.

“Stay down!” Barbara hissed, standing between Selene and Alec, her fangs bared. Her eyes gleamed, cold and terrifying.

Selene grinned through her pain, still enjoying the chaos. “Oh, Barbara, finally showing your true colors.”

Barbara sneered at Selene on the floor. For a second, she wasn't the calm and caring and nurturing woman. She was a beast. “You wanted this to happen, didn't you?!" She growled.

I stared at my mother, my heart racing. “What is happening?!” I cried, but no one responded.

William grabbed me and pulled me behind him. “Stay here,” he ordered, his voice tight. “Don’t move.”

Alec turned on Kael, fury blazing in his eyes. “This is your fault!” he roared, charging at him, fangs bared.

Kael dodged, his voice desperate. “Alec, stop!”

But Alec lunged again, trying to sink his fangs into Kael’s neck. Kael countered, throwing Alec into the dining table. The table shattered under his weight, sending wood splinters everywhere.

Blood sprayed as the lifeless body toppled off the table and hit the ground with a thud. I screamed, unable to process the horror around me.

“No!” My scream pierced the chaos as I collapsed to my knees, covering my face with my hands, tears streaming down. This couldn’t be real. It had to be a nightmare.

Selene, slumped against the wall, grinned through bloodied lips. “Lovely family you’ve got here, Emma,” she spat, her voice dripping with mockery. She was evidently enjoying the chaos that she'd orchestrated. She was basking in it all.

Kael turned to Alec, who was slowly rising from the wreckage. “Alec, stop this madness! You're hurting Emma,” he shouted, his voice hoarse. “I didn’t come here to fight!”

“How dare you bring lunatics into my home! How dare you?" Alec growled loudly, fingers grasping at Kael who refused to transform.

But Alec wasn’t listening. His eyes were filled with rage as he moved to strike again. But this time, I couldn’t take it anymore.

“STOP!” My voice rang through the room, loud enough to freeze everyone in place.

I stumbled forward, tears blurring my vision as I stood between Kael and Alec. “Please,” I begged, my voice shaking. “Stop. I don’t understand all of this. But you're all I have, you can’t kill each other.”

Alec halted, his chest heaving with rage. Kael raised his hands in surrender, stepping back.

I turned to my mother, who stood with her fangs extended, her claws sharp and deadly. She was no longer the mother I knew.

“I’m sorry, Emma,” she whispered, regret in her eyes. “I didn’t want you to see this, not this way. Not now.”

“What are you?” I whispered, my voice barely audible. Fearing the worst.

Selene’s laughter rang out. “Your family… they’re vampires.”

My heart stopped.