28. Lucien

Chapter 28

Lucien

I slam her bedroom door open, expecting resistance. But it wasn't locked. Who the fuck unlocked it?

I stride in, searching for her, almost blind with panic at the thought of her being gone. Being out of reach.

The room is empty. She has turned the camera away, so it's facing the wall. She no longer wanted me to see her.

Her shoes are by the bed.

Where is she?

I tear through the room at superhuman speed, ripping the paintings from the walls and the sheets from the bed as though I might find her hiding from me.

I can barely breathe.

Did I forget to lock her in? Has she run?

I let out a loud roar and lift the armchair, then throw it at the wall. I am leaning onto my knees, breathing hard, trying to sense her scent in the air, when something shifts.

The temperature changes. It becomes instantly cooler. When I look up again, the shadows are moving.

They dance across the wall, morphing into distinct shapes. My breath catches in my throat as I watch the silhouettes form a familiar figure – Luna. Her shadow-self runs, long hair streaming behind her. She reaches the gates and tries to climb.

The dogs are chasing her but then there is another figure.

Larger, more menacing. A wolf. Its jaws are open, teeth bared, gaining on her with each loping stride.

"Trent," I whisper, white hot rage pooling behind my eyes.

The shadows shift again, showing Luna trying to climb the gate. Losing her footing. Falling.

She is on the ground now, writhing in pain, and Trent is moving toward her.

Suddenly, the room plunges into complete darkness. The shadows have swallowed every bit of light, leaving me in a void so absolute I can hardly breathe.

Then, as quickly as it came, the darkness recedes. The shadows pull back to the corners of the room, leaving me standing in the wreckage of my panic.

My mind races. Is this Luna's power? Is she calling for me?

It doesn't matter; she is in danger, and I need to find her. Now.

I close my eyes, forcing myself to focus. To think. Where would she go? How far could she have gotten?

I'm out the door and down the stairs in a heartbeat, moving faster than any human eye could follow. The cool night air hits my face as I burst out of the mansion, rain pelting my skin. I scan the tree-lined driveway, searching desperately.

There — a scream pierces the night, coming from the direction of the gates. I push myself harder, my feet barely touching the muddy ground as I race towards the sound.

I round the last bend and the scene before me makes my blood run cold. Luna is lying on the ground, her body soaked and shivering. Her arm is jutting out at a strange angle and the dogs – my dogs – are gathered behind her giving her no way to escape.

Towering over her, snarling, is Trent.

Without hesitation, I launch myself at him. We collide just as his hand reaches for Luna, the impact sending us rolling across the wet grass in a tangle of limbs and snapping jaws. Trent is strong, but I'm stronger. And far, far angrier.

With a roar of rage, I grab Trent by the throat, lifting him off the ground. His eyes widen in shock and fear as he realizes his mistake. "Lucien," he chokes out, "I can explain. It was a game. I wouldn't have hurt her. I wouldn't have?—"

I don't give him the chance. With one swift motion, I snap his neck. The sound echoes in the rainy night, followed by the dull thud of his body hitting the ground.

I stare down at him as the rain batters his pale face. "I never should have trusted a wolf," I spit, barely able to control the rage coursing through me. I want to destroy his corpse. Rip his limbs free and feed them to the dogs.

"Lucien…" Luna's voice makes me turn around.

Panting, I run to her. She's shaking, one arm wrapped tightly around herself, the other still hanging at an unnatural angle, rain streaming down her face. "Lucien," she whispers, her voice trembling.

I move towards her, wanting nothing more than to take her in my arms, to assure myself that she's real, that she's safe. But before I can reach her, the shadows around us begin to writhe and twist.

They surge up from the ground, from the trees, from the very air itself. They swirl around Luna, caressing her skin like dark flames. Her eyes widen in a mix of fear and wonder as the shadows respond to her presence.

As I watch, stunned, the shadows form a protective cocoon around her, shielding her from the rain. And from me.

And in that moment, I know I was right.

"Do you trust me?" I ask her.

She sits up, tears merging with the rain. "I don't know."

"Look at me, Luna." I meet her gaze. "Do you trust me?"

As her resolve to hate me weakens, the shadows dissolve and I reach for her. I skim my hands down her body. She smells of blood. Something is bleeding.

"My shoulder."

"It's dislocated. I need to pop it back in."

Her eyes spring wider and she shakes her head.

"It will hurt. But I have to."

I gently place my hands on her shoulders, feeling the unnatural angle of the joint. Luna's face is pale, her breathing shallow with pain and fear.

"Look at me," I say softly, catching her gaze. "It will be quick. I promise."

She nods, her lower lip trembling. I can hear her heart racing, smell the adrenaline coursing through her veins.

"On three," I say, positioning my hands. "One..."

In a flash, before I even say "two," I move. My speed and strength allow me to rotate and push the joint back into place with precise force. There's a sickening pop, followed immediately by Luna's sharp cry of pain.

The entire process takes less than a second.

Luna gasps, her good hand flying to her newly relocated shoulder. Tears spring to her eyes, but the relief is evident on her face as the intense pain gives way to a duller ache.

"You said on three," she manages to say, her voice shaky but with a hint of reproach.

I give her a small, apologetic smile. "It's better when you don't expect it. The tension makes it worse."

"I knew I shouldn't have trusted you."

My gut twists, but then she smiles at me. Gently, I run my hand over her shoulder, checking to make sure everything is in place. "How does it feel?"

"Sore," she admits, blinking at me through the rain, "but better. Thank you."

I nod, then pull her close, careful not to jostle her injured arm. "Let's get you inside and dry."

As I scoop her into my arms, I can't shake the image of the shadows protecting her. Whatever's happening, whatever she is becoming, she has no idea how powerful she is. And I'm not sure I do either.