Chapter 83
Chapter 83
31
5 vouchers
Linda slipped into the room right after Damien left, moving like she was scared the hallway itself might hear her. She closed the door quietly and came straight to me. Her eyes kept flicking back to the door, and that alone made my stomach drop before she even spoke. Her voice was low, almost a whisper.
“Some warriors have abandoned their posts,” she said. “They’re saying they won’t fight for a human Luna.”
I stared at her, my stomach twisting. For a second, my mouth opened, but nothing came out. I pressed one hand against the edge of the dressing table, trying to steady myself because my knees suddenly felt stupidly weak. “What?”
Before I could say anything else, the door opened again. Three warriors walked in and dropped to their knees right in front of me. Their faces were hard. Not respectful. Not loyal. Just hard, like they had already decided I was dirt under their boots. One of them kept his head lowered, but his jaw was clenched so tight I could see it ticking.
One of them looked up. “We refuse to follow a human Luna.”
I took a step back, my hands curling into fists at my sides. My nails pressed into my palms, but I barely felt it. “You don’t even know me.”
The second warrior shook his head. “We know enough. You’re tearing the pack apart.”
The third one stayed quiet but his eyes said everything. He looked at me like I was a sickness they needed to cut out before it spread. They all stood up and walked out without another word, boots hitting the floor like they wanted every step to bruise me. I stood there, staring at the space they had left behind, feeling so small it actually made me angry.
Linda touched my arm. Her fingers were gentle, but I still flinched because my whole body felt too awake. “News is spreading fast. Damien chose you over the pack. People are talking.”
I nodded like I was fine. Like my chest wasn’t folding in on itself. Like those warriors hadn’t just knelt in front of me only to reject me to my face. I swallowed, blinked fast, and forced my shoulders back. “Okay. I’ll deal with it.”
I walked out of the room with my head high. Servants passed me in the hallway. Some of them looked away fast, refusing to meet my eyes. Others stared straight at me, not even trying to hide the disgust on their faces. I kept my fingers curled in the blanket around my shoulders and forced my steps to stay steady. My heart was going crazy, but I made my face stay blank because I refused to give them the satisfaction.
One older woman stopped and crossed her arms. Her mouth tightened as she looked me up and down. “This is your fault. The pack was fine before you came.”
I kept walking, jaw tight. My throat burned, but I refused to let my voice shake in front of her. “I didn’t ask for any of this.”
Another servant muttered loud enough for me to hear, “Human Luna. She’s going to get us all killed.”
I didn’t stop. I kept my shoulders straight and my chin up until I got back to our bedroom. Every step felt heavier than the last, but I didn’t let them see me break. My fingers kept twitching against the blanket, and I
11:46 Thu, May 21 ♫
Chapter 83
31
5 vouchers
wanted to scream at all of them that I never asked to be their problem. The second the door closed behind me I slid down to the floor. My hands started shaking again. I raked my fingers through my hair and pulled hard.
“This is too much,” I whispered to myself. “They all hate me. They really think I’m the problem.”
Tears burned my eyes. I wiped them fast but more came. I sat there on the floor crying quietly, my back against the door. I tried to be strong in front of everyone but I couldn’t do it anymore. Not right now. My shoulders kept jerking no matter how hard I pressed my hands over my mouth. It was embarrassing, even alone, how badly it hurt. I hated that Damien had chosen me, and I hated even more that part of me needed him to. That made me feel selfish. Messed up. Like maybe they were right about me ruining him.
After a few minutes I stood up and wiped my face. My cheeks felt hot and damp. I grabbed a small bag from the closet and started throwing clothes into it. Jeans, hoodies, a couple shirts. My hands moved fast, messy, desperate. I didn’t even fold anything. I just shoved everything in like if I moved quick enough, I wouldn’t have time to think. My breath kept catching, and every sound outside made me freeze for half a second before I kept going.
“If I leave, maybe they’ll calm down,” I muttered. “Maybe Damien won’t have to choose. Maybe the pack will stop falling apart because of me.”
I zipped the bag halfway and kept stuffing things inside. My hands were still shaking, and one shirt fell to the floor. I bent down, grabbed it, and pushed it in with the rest, breathing hard through my nose. “I can go back to the human world. I can figure it out. I have to.”
The door opened.
I spun around fast, the bag clutched against my stomach. My chest tightened so hard I almost dropped it.
Damien stood there. His eyes went straight to the bag in my hands. His face changed so quickly it almost scared me. The anger drained first, then something worse took over. Panic. Real panic. He crossed the room in three steps and caught my wrist before I could move. His fingers wrapped around me like he was scared I would disappear right in front of him. And that was the first time I saw him look completely terrified of losing me too again.
“If you leave,” he said, voice low and rough, “you don’t save me. You destroy me.”
11:46 Thu, May 21
