Chapter 3: Whispers of Betrayal
1250 Words
The stone floor was cold beneath Rose’s knees. Candlelight flickered all around the dark chamber, casting shadows that danced like ghosts on the walls. Thick smoke curled from the burning herbs, making her eyes water. She tried to keep her head down, her body still, but her heart pounded so loud she could hear nothing else.
Luciana stood at the center of the circle, holding a silver dagger.
“You will not fight this,” she said, voice like ice. “It is your honor.”
Honor? Rose wanted to scream. Being bled like a sacrifice didn’t feel like honor. It felt like pain.
The Sanchez brothers stood in a triangle around her. Ares wore his usual smirk. Arthur looked too eager, licking his lips. Artemis… Artemis looked like he hated every second of it.
Luciana raised the dagger.
Rose flinched.
But instead of stabbing, Luciana dragged the blade slowly across Rose’s palm. Blood welled up, red and thick, and dropped into a silver bowl.
One drop for each brother.
Luciana stirred the blood with an old wooden stick. The liquid shimmered with silver threads. It didn’t look normal. It didn’t even feel real.
“Drink,” Luciana said, holding the bowl out to Ares first.
He took it without hesitation and drank deeply.
Arthur followed, eyes glowing.
When Artemis hesitated, Luciana narrowed her eyes. “Drink, boy.”
He took the bowl, lifted it to his lips… and drank.
As soon as the last drop was gone, something strange happened.
Rose’s eyes rolled back. A jolt of heat raced through her body. Her heart skipped, then stuttered. Images exploded in her head like fireworks.
She saw fire. Blood. A boy holding a dagger.
A boy with storm-gray eyes.
He stood over a man—older, stronger. The man was shouting. Begging.
The boy didn’t stop.
He stabbed down. Again. And again.
The man gasped—and died.
Rose screamed.
The vision shattered.
She collapsed onto the ground, trembling, her breath ragged.
“What did you see?” Luciana snapped.
Rose couldn’t speak.
“Tell me!”
“I—I saw…” Rose swallowed. “Artemis. He killed his father.”
The room went still.
Then, without warning, Luciana struck her across the face. Rose’s head whipped to the side.
“Silence, Moonmarked!” Luciana hissed. “You speak of things you do not understand.”
Rose touched her cheek. Her skin burned from the hit, but her fear burned hotter.
Luciana turned away, her black dress trailing behind her. “Take her back to her room.”
The guards grabbed her arms.
As they dragged her away, Rose looked at Artemis.
He didn’t deny it.
He didn’t say a word.
His eyes just followed her. Cold. Sad.
Empty.
Later that night, Rose wandered the halls of the mansion. Her palm still ached where Luciana had cut it. Her head spun with the vision—was it real? Or just a trick of the blood?
She didn’t know.
She ended up in the library. It was quiet, the air filled with dust and the scent of old paper. She ran her fingers along the books, trying to calm her mind.
Then she felt it.
A presence.
She turned—and saw him.
Artemis.
Standing in the shadows between shelves.
“What did you see?” he asked softly.
His voice was low, dangerous.
Rose stepped back. “I saw you. Killing your father.”
His eyes flickered.
“You think that makes me a monster?” he asked.
“Did you do it?” she whispered.
He stepped closer. “What if I did?”
Rose backed into the bookshelf.
“You killed your own father,” she said.
“You don’t know the whole story.”
“Then tell me.”
His hands slammed the shelf on either side of her head. “You want to know how he died?” His breath was hot. “He tried to kill me first.”
Rose froze.
“He found out what I was. What I could become. And he feared it.” His voice cracked. “So he came into my room with a blade. I was thirteen.”
She swallowed hard. “Why didn’t you tell anyone?”
“They would’ve sided with him,” Artemis said. “He was Alpha. His word was law.”
She looked into his eyes. “What are you?”
His mouth brushed against hers before she could stop him.
A fire sparked between them.
His kiss wasn’t gentle. It was wild and burning and full of secrets. His lips moved fast, pressing into hers like he’d waited forever. She didn’t want to want it—but her body didn’t listen.
When he pulled back, they were both breathing hard.
“I am the true Alpha,” he whispered. “That’s what he feared.”
Rose stared at him. “Then why hide it?”
“Because they’d kill me, just like they tried to kill you.”
He stepped away and disappeared between the shelves, leaving her heart racing and her lips tingling.
The next morning, the mansion was quiet.
Rose crept through the halls, careful not to run into Luciana or Ares.
She didn’t trust anyone anymore.
Except Elena.
She found her in the laundry room, folding towels like nothing had happened.
“Elena,” Rose whispered. “I need to leave. Now.”
Elena looked up. Her face went pale. “What happened?”
“I saw Artemis kill his father. Luciana forced me into a ritual. They’re going to use me.”
Elena dropped the towel.
“Then we don’t have time.”
They moved quickly, packing a small bag with food, water, and clothes. Elena wrapped Rose’s hand in clean bandages.
“You’ll take the side gate,” Elena said. “I’ll create a distraction.”
Rose blinked. “You’re helping me? Even if it means—”
“I’d do anything for you,” Elena said.
Rose’s chest tightened. “Why?”
Elena smiled sadly. “Because you’re not just some servant girl.”
“What are you saying?”
But Elena didn’t answer. She turned away.
They slipped out the kitchen door and moved through the back garden. The gate was just ahead. Freedom.
Then a figure stepped into their path.
Malachi.
He was grinning.
But not just at Rose.
He was holding something.
Something wrapped in cloth.
No. Not cloth.
Hair.
Long black hair.
Elena’s.
He dropped it.
Elena’s head rolled across the grass and stopped at Rose’s feet.
Her scream tore through the night.
Malachi laughed. “Going somewhere?”
Blood soaked the ground.
Rose fell to her knees.
Tears blurred her vision.
“No,” she whispered.
“She didn’t tell you, did she?” Malachi said, stepping closer.
Rose looked up.
“She was your mother,” he said. “Didn’t you ever wonder why she protected you more than the others? Why she always knew where to find you?”
Rose couldn’t breathe.
“She gave birth to you in this house. But Luciana ordered her to kill you. Said you were a danger. Elena hid you instead. Let you grow up thinking you were nothing.”
Rose stared at the head on the ground.
Her mother.
Gone.
Before she could say anything.
Before she could tell her the truth.
“No…” she sobbed.
Malachi stepped closer.
“You’re not going anywhere, Moonmarked.”
And then—
She ran.
- Writer
