*CHAPTER 10; SHADOWS OF THE HEART
798 Words
*MAYA'S POV*
They say love makes people do foolish things.
But this wasn’t foolishness. This was war.
I stood in the shadows, just beyond the training grounds, my heart thudding painfully in my chest. The scene before me was a knife to the soul—*Kendrick’s hands cupping Arya’s face*, his usually cold, unreadable eyes melting into something far too tender. Their lips met, a slow, deliberate kiss that shattered every ounce of self-control I had left.
She was supposed to be broken.
She was supposed to leave after a few days—grieving, pitiful, rejected.
Instead, she stood there, wrapped in Kendrick’s arms, her hair dancing in the breeze like she belonged.
And maybe she did.
That thought alone lit the fury in me like wildfire.
I turned away, fists clenched so tight I felt my claws threatening to emerge. I had warned her. I had *given her the chance* to leave with her pride intact. But she stayed. And now she was claiming what should’ve been mine.
Kendrick had been mine for years—well, not *officially*. He never let anyone in. But I was the closest to his heart. I had been by his side through battles, council meetings, wounds and victories. I earned him.
Not her.
*She kissed him. And he kissed her back.*
That was the moment I knew I couldn’t let her stay.
If the first attempt didn’t work, the next one would.
I turned on my heel and stormed off, already dialing one of my oldest allies in the shadows. If Aria wanted to stay, she’d have to fight to survive. And next time, *no one would be around to save her*.
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*CADE’S POV*
I hadn’t touched Lira in over two weeks.
Not since the wedding.
Not since I watched Arya walk away—her heart shattered, her soul crushed.
And I let her go.
I let my mate go.
I sat in my study, eyes burning into the fireplace, the flames mocking me with every flicker. Lira had done everything to replace her sister, even wore Aria’s favorite perfume. But none of it worked.
Because none of it was *her*.
The door burst open and Lira stormed in, wearing a silk nightgown that clung to her curves. I didn’t look up.
"Are you ever going to touch me, Kade?!" she yelled, arms flailing.
I said nothing.
"You married me, didn't you?! I'm your Luna now! Your WIFE!"
"You were never supposed to be," I muttered under my breath.
She froze. "What did you just say?"
I stood up slowly, my voice bitter. "You tricked me. You *helped* destroy her. You told me she was cheating. You showed me fake photos. You knew what that would do."
"I did it for us!" she shouted. "She was weak! She would've held you back!"
"You don’t know her," I said quietly. "You never did."
"Don't you dare say her name again!" she snapped, tears brimming. "You still love her, don’t you?!"
I turned to leave.
"Say it!" she screamed. "Say her name!"
But I was already walking out the door, her cries echoing down the hallway like a haunting song.
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*MAYA'S POV*
I was back in my room, scribbling names, locations, and schedules.
The rogue I hired last time failed. He underestimated her.
*But this time, I’d plan it myself.*
She would be lured to the edge of the southern cliff under the guise of patrol training. Then a *fall*. Just enough to get her out of Kendrick’s sight. Maybe break a few bones. Maybe worse.
I smirked at the thought.
She’d either run away... or be carried away.
Either option worked for me.
But something inside still twisted. A small part of me wondered if Kendrick would see through it. He was sharp, dangerous, observant.
But also blind when it came to her.
I couldn’t let her become Luna.
Not when I had spent years preparing for that role. *Not when I loved him.*
She would fall. And when she did, Kendrick would finally see who was truly loyal to him.
Me.
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*KADE’S POV*
I didn’t go far. I found myself outside, staring up at the moon. The same moon Arya used to whisper her secrets to. I remember those nights in the forest—her laughter, her silly stories about stars and wolves and fate.
And now?
She was gone.
And Lira?
I didn’t trust her anymore.
Something was off—her behavior, the wedding, everything.
I needed answers.
And deep inside, I began to suspect that I had made the worst mistake of my life.
Somewhere in the distance, the wind whispered through the trees.
And if one listened closely enough…
They’d hear a warning only fate could deliver:
*"The past always finds a way back."*
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- Writer
