The Alpha's Lost Luna

12

Rowan

I walked through the halls of the pack house, scanning every door that I passed. The tray in my hands felt heavier than it should have, like I was carrying something far more valuable than food. In a way... I was. When was the last time Elizabeth had eaten a real meal? Not scraps. Not something stolen or rushed between duties. Something meant for her.

The memory of her crouched on the rocks surfaced — eating quickly, like she expected it to be taken away. Had that even been a full meal? Or just whatever she managed to grab before someone noticed? A knot tightened in my stomach.

Stuart's words echoed in my head. She wasn't allowed to eat until everyone else was finished. Food was used as punishment. A basic... fucking... necessity. How had this happened right in front of me? Had I known... or had I simply chosen not to see? My jaw clenched. No. I wasn't that person. I had my own thoughts. My own choices. Didn't I?

Then, why hadn't I done anything? The answer settled in my chest like something rotten. Because I hadn't looked. Because it was easier not to. I exhaled sharply, disgust curling through me. A single plate of food wouldn't fix any of this. I knew that. But it was something. A start. An olive branch I wasn't even sure she would take. Would she think there were strings attached?

I needed Cade. I needed someone outside my own head before I made this worse. Still... a part of me hesitated. What if he told me to reject her? To walk away and find someone stronger, more suitable? Like I had thought myself when I first found out. But Cade had changed at the academy just like I had. He hid it better though. Behind lazy smiles and flirtation, but I saw it. The edge. The awareness. The darkness.

I reached the end of the hall, far from the noise and life of the rest of the pack, and stopped. Her scent was strongest here. The door in front of me was plain. Worn. The handle was loose beneath my fingers when I tested it. Unlocked. Of course, it was. I stepped inside and anger hit me instantly.

The room was barely livable. A bed sagged in the corner, its frame splintering. Springs pushed through the thin mattress. A broken mirror hung crooked on the wall, its surface cracked beyond use. The dresser was missing knobs, the drawers uneven and warped. The walls were bare. No pictures. No color. Just cracked paint and long streaks of water damage. The air smelled faintly of mold and yet... it was clean. Spotless. Like she had tried to make something of nothing. My throat tightened. This wasn't a room.

I set the tray on the dresser and lowered myself onto the bed. It groaned under my weight, threatening to collapse entirely. Even this... was too much for it.

Moonlight filtered in through a small window no bigger than the span of my face. It was pathetic. I moved toward it, glancing outside. The shoreline stretched in the distance, waves crashing rhythmically under the pale glow of the moon. My eyes searched instinctively. For her. The small white wolf that had run from me.

Was she afraid of me? Or did she just want distance — from me, from all of this... from everything?

Minutes passed. Maybe more. Time blurred as I stood there, waiting for a flicker of white against the sand. Nothing. I glanced back at the tray. The food had gone cold. Should I reheat it? Should I wait? Would she even come back here if I was here? We couldn't keep existing like this — circling each other and avoiding the inevitable. Whatever this was between us needed to be faced. One way or another.

I began pacing, her scent wrapping around me with every step. Lavender and roses. Soft, warm, and addicting. My wolf stirred, a low hum of approval vibrating beneath my skin. He didn't care about the room, the damage, the injustice. He cared about her. That alone was enough to calm him.

My next step landed with a hollow creak. I paused. Frowning, I crouched and ran my fingers along the uneven floorboards. One shifted under slight pressure. That wasn't right. I pried it loose. A small hidden compartment revealed itself beneath. My chest tightened as I pulled a bag tucked inside. It fell open as I lifted it. Clothes spilled out, worn and torn. Small trinkets. Packs of food that would perish. Items carrying another wolf's scent. Gloria.

A photograph slid free, and I picked it up carefully. Elizabeth stared back at me smiling. Bright and alive! Her green eyes shimmered like jade in the light. My fingers traced the edge of her face. I had never seen her look like that. So free and... happy. I swallowed hard. I wanted to see that again. Wanted to be the reason she smiled like that.

A book slipped from the pile. I froze. I knew it. The worn leather binding, the maps inside. It was my father's. My blood ran cold as realization crashed into me. I looked at the scattered items again. Clothes. Supplies. Essentials. This was a go bag. She was leaving.

"No..." I whispered. The word came out low and strained. "No, no, no, no, no..."

My claws pricked at my fingertips before I forced them back, dragging a hand through my hair. Control. I needed control. She couldn't run. The thought hit harder than it should have. Not because I wanted to cage her. But because I wanted... no. I exhaled slowly, grounding myself.

At first, I had wanted to reject her. Push her away. Pretend none of this existed. But now... now I wanted to protect her. Care for her. Give her everything she had been denied. Everything she deserved. I pulled my phone from my pocket.

Rowan: I need you. Now.

Cade: I'm on my way. This could have been a mind link though.

Rowan: Not the time

I shoved the phone back into my pocket. When I looked up again, the sky outside had shifted. Soft pinks and oranges bled into the horizon. Morning. My jaw tightened. She hadn't come back. The bag and the supplies... she was planning to run. But she wouldn't leave unprepared. Not with rogues, vampires, hunters, and rival packs lurking beyond our borders. The risks were too high. I needed to find her before she tried. Before something else, or someone else did.

A knock sounded at the door. Cade stepped inside before I could answer, his gaze sweeping the room. His expression darkened instantly. "You're telling me someone lives in here?"

I nodded. His eyes flicked to the photo still in my hand. He didn't ask. He didn't need to, so I told him everything. About the mate bond. The party. What I'd learned. Each word seemed to drain the color from his face.

"She's trying to leave," I said, gesturing to the bag. Cade exhaled slowly.

"Maybe that's not a bad thing."

A growl tore from my chest before I could stop it. He lifted his hands.

"I'm not saying that against you. I'm saying... if everything you told me is true, then this place isn't safe for her. Hasn't been. Maybe leaving is the safest option she has. It would be easier."

"Easier?" I snapped. "Maybe. Right? No." I shook my head. "Were the problem, Cade. The pack. You've seen it. My parents. Your father. The way they act. The way everyone does. It has to change."

My voice dropped, rough with anger. He nodded in agreement.

"They're starving her, man." The silence stretched between us. Cades expression shifted. Something heavier settled in his gaze. "I'm surprised you don't remember. She was never allowed what we had. Not even as kids," he said quietly. And my chest tightened. "That's why people treated her the way they did. Myself included. You never joined in. But you didn't stop it either. You watched."

He held my gaze. The words hit harder than anything else. I swallowed roughly. "No... I don't remember..."

"Well..." Cade hesitated. Something uneasy flashed across his face. "That might not matter right now."

My stomach dropped. "What?"

He exhaled. "She's at the stake. Your mother took her there." The room went still. "My father came back home an hour ago," Cade added. His voice was tight. "He smelled like blood. And fear. Mixed with lavender..." he met my eyes. "And he looked satisfied... happy about it. If he was involved...." silence crashed over the room as Cade shook his head. "It's not going to be pretty."

Every ounce of blood in my body drained....