5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Luna

I t was dark, the kind of suffocating blackness that pressed in from all sides, making it hard to breathe. I stood in the middle of a forest, the trees towering over me like silent sentinels. The wind whispered through the leaves, carrying with it a strange, eerie melody that sent a shiver down my spine. My breath caught in my throat as I scanned the shadowy woods, a deep, unsettling feeling growing in my gut.

I wasn’t alone. Something was lurking just beyond the shadows, watching, and waiting.

“Orion?” I whispered, though my voice barely broke the stillness.

And then I saw him—Orion. He was standing in a clearing not far from me, his broad shoulders tense, his sharp gaze scanning the darkness, as if he sensed the danger, too. Relief washed over me for a fleeting second.

Why is he here? Why does this place feel so wrong? I thought.

“Orion!” I called out to him, but no sound escaped my lips. Panic began to claw at me as I tried to move toward him, but my feet felt rooted to the spot, like they were sinking into the earth itself. My chest tightened with fear. I tried again, harder this time.

“Orion! Look out!”

Nothing. Not even a whisper of my voice reached him.

And then, from the shadows, she appeared. A figure cloaked in black, her face hidden beneath a hood. I could feel the malevolence radiating off her, a dark energy that made the air hum with tension.

My breath caught in my throat as I watched her, frozen in place, powerless to move or scream.

She was a witch. I didn’t know how I knew, but I felt it deep in my bones. Her power was ancient, dangerous, and twisted.

She moved toward Orion with slow, deliberate steps, her hands glowing with an unnatural light that sent a jolt of terror through me.

Every instinct in my body screamed at me to act, to warn him, to stop her. But I was paralyzed, helpless, as I watched the scene unfold.

“Orion! Behind you!” I screamed inside my head, but no sound came out.

Why couldn’t he hear me? Why wouldn’t he turn around? I thought.

He was focused on something else, something behind me, his gaze narrowing as if he sensed a different threat. But he didn’t see her, he didn’t see the danger creeping up on him.

My heart pounded in my chest, frantic. I pushed against the invisible force holding me in place, desperate to reach him.

“Orion, please! Turn around!”

But the witch was faster. She raised her hand, and a surge of energy shot from her fingertips, striking Orion in the chest. The force of it sent him staggering backward, his body convulsing, as the magic tore through him. His face contorted with a mixture of pain and agony, as if every nerve in his body was ablaze.

“No!” I screamed, finally finding my voice. The sound of my own terror echoed through the forest, but it was too late.

Orion collapsed to the ground, his body limp, his eyes wide open but unseeing. A cold smile spread across the witch’s face, a smile that chilled me to the core.

“No, no, no …” I choked on the words as I ran toward him, my legs finally obeying me. I dropped to my knees beside him, my hands shaking as I reached for him.

“Orion, please … wake up. Orion!”

But as my fingers brushed against his lifeless skin, the world around me shattered like glass. The forest, the witch, Orion’s lifeless body—it all dissolved into nothingness, leaving me gasping for air in the darkness.

I jolted upright in bed, my heart racing, my skin drenched in sweat. I clutched the blankets around me, trying to steady my breathing, but the terror from the vision still clung to me like a shadow.

“Orion …” I whispered, my voice trembling, as I pressed a hand to my chest, feeling the frantic beat of my heart.

What the hell was that? Why did it feel so real? I thought.

I couldn’t shake the image of Orion’s face—his pain. It had felt so vivid, so terrifyingly real. My visions were never just dreams. They were warnings. They were pieces of a puzzle that I had to put together before it was too late.

Why Orion? Why do I keep having these visions of him? I thought.

Going back to sleep was impossible. Every time I closed my eyes, the vision came rushing back—Orion collapsing to the ground, the witch’s cold, cruel smile. My heart raced as I stared at the ceiling, trying to push the images away, but they lingered, haunting me.

I tossed and turned for hours, the sheets tangling around my legs, as I fought the fear that gnawed at my insides.

I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to will myself to sleep, but all I could see was the witch’s hand glowing with dark magic, her energy striking Orion down. A shudder ran through me, and I knew sleep wouldn’t come tonight. Not with those images burned into my mind.

When the first light of dawn finally broke through the darkness, I gave up on sleeping. Exhausted but restless, I threw off the covers and got up, pacing the length of my small bedroom, as if moving could help me make sense of everything.

After a quick shower, I dressed and headed to work, hoping that the familiar routine would help clear my mind. The office was quiet when I arrived, the usual morning buzz not yet in full swing. I slipped into my desk, trying to focus on the work in front of me, but my mind kept drifting back to the vision.

Where’s Orion? I thought.

The question nagged at me as I checked the time on my phone for the third time that morning. He was usually in the office by now, his presence unmistakable. It wasn’t just his size, or the way he carried himself with that air of authority, it was something else, something that drew the attention of everyone in the room without him even trying.

But today, there was no sign of him.

A strange sense of unease settled in my chest. I couldn’t help but wonder if my vision had something to do with his absence. The thought made my stomach twist with anxiety.

“Where are you, Orion?” I whispered under my breath, glancing toward his empty office. The door was closed, the lights off. It felt wrong, like something was missing, like a vital part of the day hadn’t started because he wasn’t here.

“Oh Luna … maybe he’s in a meeting elsewhere. You think too much” I whispered.

The soft murmur of voices from across the office barely registered in my mind until I heard it—the unmistakable low timbre of Orion’s voice. My head snapped up, my breath hitched sharply, tangling in my throat, as tension coiled within me. There he was, striding through the door like nothing was amiss, his broad frame cutting a path through the office as people instinctively made way for him.

You finally decided to show up, I thought.

He moved with his usual confident grace, but there was a tension in his shoulders, a tightness around his eyes that I hadn’t noticed before. He looked tired, almost as if he hadn’t slept either.

Orion’s eyes scanned the room, and when they landed on me, something flickered in his gaze. Something intense and unreadable. My heart skipped a beat, and I quickly looked down, pretending to focus on the documents scattered across my desk. But I could feel him coming closer, the air shifting with his presence.

“Luna.” His voice was deep, commanding, but there was a softness beneath it, an edge of something unspoken. “Come with me.”

I looked up, meeting his gaze, and for a moment, the rest of the office faded away. His dark eyes held mine, and I could feel the tension between us thickening, like a live wire waiting to snap.

“Okay,” I managed to say, my voice coming out a little too breathless for my liking.

Without another word, he turned and walked toward his office, not waiting to see if I was following. I quickly gathered my things and hurried after him, my heart pounding in my chest.

Orion held the door open for me, and I slipped inside, the quiet click of the door closing behind me making the room feel smaller, more intimate.

He leaned against his desk, arms crossed over his chest, as he studied me, his expression unreadable. The silence stretched between us, thick and heavy, until I couldn’t take it anymore.

“Everything okay?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady. My nerves were frayed, and I could feel the heat of his gaze on me, making it hard to focus.

Orion’s lips curled into a small, enigmatic smile. “Everything’s fine,” he said, though his eyes told a different story.

He walked toward me, and the space between us seemed to shrink with each step he took.

“Actually,” he said, his voice low and intimate. “I think it’s time we talk about what’s really going on. because I’m sure I’m not the only one feeling this urge to taste your lips again. I know you miss mine too. Just like I yearn for yours.”

Orion stepped closer, his hand gently touching my cheek, and I could feel the warmth of his skin, his pulse steady beneath his fingertips.

"Luna," he murmured, his voice soft, yet filled with something more.

My breath hitched, my heart suddenly beating out of rhythm as I looked up at him. "Orion … what are you doing?"

He didn’t answer immediately. His eyes, dark and intense, locked onto mine, searching for something. "I … I don’t know," he admitted, his voice low. "But I can’t stop myself."

I swallowed hard, trying to think clearly, but the way he looked at me made it impossible. "Orion … this … we shouldn’t."

But he moved closer, his thumb brushing against my cheek, and I felt myself leaning into his touch despite my words.

"It’s like …" he hesitated, his gaze never leaving mine. "I’ve been waiting for this. For you."

His words sent a jolt through me, and for a moment, I was lost in the depth of emotion in his eyes. Everything else faded away. It was just the two of us, caught in this charged moment.

"Orion," I whispered, unsure of what to say next.

"Tell me you feel it too," he urged softly, his voice barely above a whisper, but filled with need. "Tell me this isn’t just me."

“I want you to be mine and no one else’s,” Orion said softly, his gaze locked on mine. “If only you knew how much it takes for me to fight the urge to make you wet. Your scent drives me crazy.”

His hand wrapped around my neck as he made me lean against the wall.

“Someone might see …”

Before I could finish my statement, he placed his index finger on my lips. His other hand slowly raised my skirt as he slowly massaged my butt.

He inhaled like he was ready to devour me that very minute. He then moved his hand to my boob and caressed it as he moaned softly.

“Orion … we can’t,” I whispered, stepping back, breaking the intense connection between us. The space between us felt like a chasm, but I forced myself to create that distance. I had to.

Orion’s expression shifted, a mix of longing and confusion. “Luna, I—”

“No,” I interrupted, my voice shaking.

“This isn’t right. Miranda … she’s my best friend. I can’t—” My voice caught in my throat as guilt gnawed at me. “I can’t do this to her.”

The weight of Miranda’s name hung between us, and I saw the way it hit Orion. He closed his eyes briefly, as if wrestling with the same guilt that was tearing me apart. When he opened them again, there was a softness there, a vulnerability I hadn’t seen before.

“I know,” he said quietly.

“Believe me, I know.” His voice was rough with emotion.

“Every time I look at you, I feel this … this connection. But every time I think of Miranda, I feel this crushing guilt. She’s my daughter, Luna. I should be able to stop this. I should be able to … to control myself.”

My chest tightened as he spoke, and I could see how much this was hurting him too. “Orion, she trusts me, she confides in me. I’ve been there for her through everything. How could I possibly betray her like this?”

His hand fell to his side, and he turned away slightly, as if trying to shield himself from the truth of the situation.

“You think I haven’t thought the same thing?” he asked, his voice raw. “Every time I see you, I feel like I’m betraying her. But damn it, Luna. I can’t stop.”

Orion moved closer and grabbed my neck while fighting the urge to kiss me. He leaned in for a kiss as he stroked my hair.

“Dad …” Miranda said.