Chapter 109
Chapter 109
Alice chose the abandoned border chapel because of course she did.
5 vouchers
The place already looked guilty. Broken benches, cracked windows, dust on the floor, and old claw marks across the wooden door. I stepped inside with my arms folded, hoodie pulled tight, eyes locked on her.Whst the hell was going on
Alice stood near the altar, fingers playing with the necklace at her throat. “You came alone.” I stopped a few feet away from her. “You said you had answers. Start talking before I change my mind.”
She smiled, but it looked tired this time. “Still pretending you are brave.” I tilted my head. “Still pretending you are not obsessed with me.” Her smile dropped for one second. Cute. Finally, something real.
“You want to know what happened to your wolf?” she asked. My fingers curled around my sleeves. “Yes.” Alice walked around the altar slowly, one hand dragging over the dusty wood.
“During one of the attacks, old rogue blood magic was used. It was not meant to kill you. It was meant to wake whatever was buried inside you.” My throat tightened. “You did that?”
“I helped arrange it.” I stepped toward her before I could stop myself. “You put blood magic on me?”
Alice lifted one hand. “Relax. I meant to trigger instability, not strength. You were supposed to become a problem Damien had to remove.”
My wolf pushed against my ribs so hard I grabbed the back of a broken bench. “You are sick.”
“No,” she said, laughing softly. “I am realistic. You are dangerous, Sienna. Nobody knows what kind of wolf you will become.”
I raked my fingers through my hair and looked at the cracked window. “And you think you get to decide that?”
“I think Damien loves saving you.” Alice stepped closer, eyes sharp. “But what happens when you become something he cannot control?”
I swallowed. “He does not want to control me.” Alice’s mouth curved. “Not yet.” I hated that her words landed. I hated that my chest tightened even though I knew she was twisting everything.
She leaned in. “Ask Damien what happened to the last awakened Luna.” I stared at her. “What?” Alice backed toward the side door, smiling again. “Ask him.”
By the time I reached the packhouse, I was breathing hard. Damien stood in his room, reading a patrol report. He looked up the second I entered. “Sienna?”
I shut the door behind me. “What happened to the last awakened Luna?” His face changed so fast I almost laughed. Not because it was funny, but because wow. Alice had been right. He knew.
I crossed my arms. “So it is true.” Damien set the report down. “Where did you hear that?”
“Do not do that.” I pointed at him, voice shaking. “Do not answer my question with a question.”
11:51 Thu, May 21
Chapter 109
5 vouchers
He rubbed a hand over his jaw and looked away. My stomach dropped. “Damien.” He walked toward me slowly. “There was one. In my family history.”
I stepped back. “And you did not tell me?” He swallowed. “I was going to.” I let out a flat laugh. “When? After I grew claws in the middle of dinner?”
His jaw tightened. “Sienna.” I lifted my hand, stopping him. “No. Talk.”
He stopped in front of me, hands open at his sides. “She was an awakened Luna. Human at first, then changed by magic tied to the pack. They used her. Sent her into battles. Made her believe every fight was her duty.”
I stared at him. “What happened?” His voice went quieter. “She lost control.” I pressed my hand to my chest. My wolf went still, listening.
Damien continued, “The pack pushed her until she stopped knowing when to stop. She killed rogues, then enemies, then anyone they told her was a threat. By the end, she did not trust herself.”
My mouth felt dry. “And?” He looked down. “She died.” I closed my eyes for a second. “How?” Damien rubbed the back of his neck. “The records say she was put down.”
I opened my eyes. “Put down?” He flinched at my tone. “I know.” I stepped away, shaking my head. “No, you do not know.”
He tried to reach for me, but I moved back before his fingers touched my sleeve. “You knew there was someone like me. You knew she was used. You knew she lost control. And you let me walk into a Luna trial without telling me?”
“I was trying not to scare you.” I laughed, and it came out ugly. “That is so convenient.”
His brows pulled together. “I wanted to protect you.” I wiped under my eyes fast. “By hiding the one thing that might have helped me understand myself?”
“I did not know if it was the same.” I looked at him with furrowed eyebrows. “But you knew enough to be scared.” He looked down, and that hurt worse than if he argued.
“Trust cannot only work when it is convenient.” My voice cracked, but I kept standing straight. He stepped closer. “Sienna, I made the wrong call.”
“Yes,” I said. “You did.” His face tightened. “Do not shut me out.” I wrapped my arms around myself. “I am not shutting you out. I am standing where I can breathe.”
He stopped moving. The room felt too quiet. I leaned against the wall, staring at the floor because looking at him made my chest hurt. He stood across from me, hands curled at his sides, looking like he wanted to cross the room and knew he had no right.
Then glass shattered downstairs. Damien’s head snapped toward the door. A scream ripped through the hall. My wolf surged. Damien reached for me. “Stay behind me.” I looked at him, eyes burning. “Do not tell me what to do right now.”
Another crash shook the packhouse. Linda shouted from below, “Alice is inside!” Damien and I looked at each other, both still angry, both scared, both too late. Then the lights went out.
11:51 Thu, May 21
