The Cursed King's Luna

Chapter 3: Second Chance

I don't know for how long the crashing waves of the river pushed my body. I hit rocks and woods, the water filled my mouth. I knew it was a miracle I had survived the raging river. My consciousness left my body for a while. I thought it was finally my end but when I opened my eyes, I realized I am still alive as my body shivered in the cold.

Half of my body was still submerged in the calm stream. I tried to drag my body and crawled away with my remaining strength. Gasping for air, I leaned my back on the huge rock. I looked around and saw the unfamiliar place but I am sure that I'm still in the forest.

My hands instinctively moved to my aching body parts. With the help of moonlight shining through the leaves of the giant trees, I saw my arms covered in bruises. My beautiful gown is now torn apart, it turned to a short dress. I licked my lips and huffed a sigh.

I thought I was already safe but I heard steps on the dried leaves and were nearing my location. I hugged my knees in front of my chest, trying so hard to keep hidden behind the huge rock.

"She can't be that far. I am sure she's just around here!" It was Fiona's voice.

I covered my mouth to stop any noise that may come out. The stream nearby must be hiding the sound of my heartbeat. My scent is still hidden for now because I'm dripping with water. If they don't see me here, I can survive.

"That bîtch is weak. She won't last long here in the forest with the wild animals roaming around." I can't believe those words were coming from my cousin.

"We didn't even notice she ran! That rat!" Sullivan said.

I swallowed the lump in my throat. It's my uncle and cousin haunting me to probably kill me. Did they just forget the fact that I lived with them for the past years? I literally grew up with Fiona but now, she sounded so heartless as she talked about me.

"We were so focused on killing Emily."

"I didn't know my sister still had that strength even though she's been bedridden. She really protected her bastard," Sullivan uttered coldly. "But I am stronger than her. I finally had a reason to kill her after a long time."

Fiona chuckled. "She's finally dead. There's no threat to our dreams anymore."

My brows furrowed as hot tears filled my eyes. They really killed... Mama?

No! Mama promised me we will meet again. She never breaks promises. She can't do this to me!

I tightened my hand on my mouth, muffling my sobs. How can they be so merciless?

If I am really not their relative because I am a human, they should have at least spared my mother. She was once one of the protectors of our pack and just because of the baseless accusations, they killed her!

"The dress you gave her made our plan successful. It reeked of human scent on the right time! They believed that Isla is really a human though she's not." Fiona laughed. "Where did you get that, Papa?"

I am not a human, either? Then what am I? Could I be just wolfless? Then I don't deserve everything that happened tonight! My mother shouldn't have died but because of them, these happened. Their lies and deception ruined my 18th birthday and turned it into a tragedy!

"Shut up, Fiona! We need to find her if you really want to secure Lord Caelum for yourself! Tonight, he finally noticed you. He's definitely going to marry you and make you the future Duchess so we need to make sure Isla won't come back to ruin it!"

Their footsteps faded in the distance. All the cries and sobs I've been stopping finally escaped my mouth.

It's all been planned. My evil uncle and cousin plotted this against me so she could marry Caelum. And the pack believed them. The Ducal family believed their lies. I would never forget Caelum's cold gaze on me. His trust and love in me was incredibly fragile. He immediately promised to marry Fiona that fast just because of their lies.

And with all of that, my Mama was killed!

I closed my fist, my nails dug my palm. The pain from everything that happened was turning into rage.

I put down my hand beside me to adjust myself and it crushed the dry leaf resting on the ground.

Before I could move, someone dragged me and pushed me to the ground. My breath caught in my throat when I realized that on top of me was Fiona. She was in her human form but her eyes were glowing red. A growl was sounding from her mouth as she raised her hand holding a knife.

"Got you!" she roared and plunged the knife straight to my chest.

I felt my flesh being cut straight to my heart. Her stab was so deep it mirrored the anger she's feeling for me.

"You should've died in front if everyone!" She stabbed me once again. "Everything that should've been yours..." Fiona pulled the knife out again. "...is finally mine!"

My once beloved cousin began stabbing me straight to my heart maniacally. I stared at her wide-eyed as my blood spurted out my chest and mouth, some drops hit her face. But instead of disgust or fear, it just hyped her even more. She stabbed me again and again, making sure that I will not live tonight.

When Fiona was finally content, she looked at my face one last time, with a victorious grin on her face. She left my body in the middle of the forest for the wild animals to feast once they smell my blood.

As my life slowly left my body, the moonlight found its way through the spaces between the leaves to shine on me. Tears were streaming down my eyes staring at its enchanting beauty. My ripped heart was seething with anger but it has nowhere to go because my life is about to end.

"If only I could live... I would make all of them pay for what they did to me. I will avenge my mother. They'll beg for mercy they never showed her. If only... I am given a second chance... please."

My eyes slowly closed, the final ounce of consciousness was about to leave. But then, I heard faint movements and then a generous amount of liquid dripping in between my lips made its way to my dry throat. Each drop was like fuel igniting every cell of my body, reviving every part of me that had been dying.

In the fleeting moment, when I tried to open my eyes, I saw a pair of silver eyes. We stared at each other as he let me drink his blood.

That was the night that death claimed me, and someone else gave me back my life... through blood. I got my second chance.