8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Orion

T he name alone was like a knife twisting in my gut. Katherine. Miranda’s mother. The one person I couldn’t save. I closed my eyes for a brief moment, steeling myself for what I knew I had to say. Luna deserved the truth.

"Orion, what happened to Katherine?"

“She was killed," I said, my voice rougher than I intended. "By Marcosias’s father and his clan.”

Luna’s breath hitched, and I could see the shock register in her eyes, but I had to keep going. She needed to understand.

"It was two years after Miranda was born," I began, my voice growing distant as the memories clawed their way to the surface. "Katherine and I ... we were happy. I thought we were safe, too."

I turned away from the window and faced Luna, my chest tightening as I spoke. “We’d been careful, or so I thought. I didn’t know Axel, Marcosias’ father, was already watching us. He wanted power. Control. He saw Katherine as leverage because of her connection to me."

I walked closer to Luna, feeling the weight of every word as it left my mouth. "It happened on a night not so different from this one. We were at the estate. I was in my office when I heard ... a sound, like something heavy crashing upstairs. I ran. I ran as fast as I could.”

The memory of that night was burned into my mind, a nightmare I relived over and over.

“When I got to our bedroom," I continued, my voice barely holding steady, "the door was already open, hanging off its hinges. Katherine ... she was lying on the floor, blood everywhere. Her throat was slashed, her body torn apart. I couldn’t ... I couldn’t recognize her face.”

Luna gasped, her hand flying to her mouth in horror, but I pressed on, the images flashing in my mind as if they were happening all over again.

“There were claw marks all over the walls, the floor. The scent of wolves was thick in the air. I knew it was Axel. He wanted me to find her like that. He wanted to send a message. To break me. And it worked.”

I could still hear Katherine’s last gasps for breath, the way her body twitched as I knelt beside her, helpless. “I held her, Luna. I held her as she bled out in my arms, but there was nothing I could do. I failed her. She was ... she was gone before I could even get help.”

I clenched my fists, anger and guilt rising like a tidal wave. “Axel took everything from me that night. And the worst part? Miranda was in the next room, asleep in her crib. They could have taken her too, killed her like they killed Katherine. But they didn’t. Axel wanted me to live with the fear. He wanted me to know he could take her anytime he wanted.”

Luna was crying now, silent tears streaming down her face as she listened. I hated myself for dragging her into this, for exposing her to the horrors of my world. But there was no turning back now.

“I had never known rage like the kind I felt after Katherine’s murder. It was all-consuming, a fire that burned so fiercely inside me, I couldn’t sleep, couldn’t think of anything else but vengeance. The thought of her lying there, her body destroyed by those wolves, haunted me every waking moment. I swore I’d make them pay.”

“I can’t even imagine the pain you must have gone through.”

I leaned forward, elbows resting on my knees, looking directly into her green eyes. "It wasn’t enough to just mourn. That wouldn’t bring justice. Axel was brutal, but predictable. And I knew exactly where to find him."

Luna’s breath caught. “Where?”

“His clan had a stronghold deep in the woods outside of Silverpoint. The territory was dangerous, filled with rogue wolves and traps meant to deter anyone stupid enough to enter. But I didn’t care. After Katherine, nothing scared me anymore."

Reliving every moment of that night - the adrenaline, the fury—it all came flooding back.

“I tracked him for weeks, like an animal. I followed the scent of blood, his pack’s movements, until finally, I cornered him. Alone. He had no idea I was coming.”

Luna’s eyes widened. “What did you do?”

I smiled grimly. “I waited until nightfall. Axel was in a clearing, by a fire. He had a bottle of whiskey in his hand, celebrating, probably, thinking he had won. He was talking to one of his men, bragging about how easily they took Katherine. How I was nothing compared to him. How they planned to come for Miranda next.”

My fists clenched just thinking about it. I could still hear Axel’s smug voice in my head, taunting me even from the grave.

“I snapped. That’s when I shifted. I didn’t wait. I charged at him, took down his guard first—ripped his throat out before he could even react. The sound of his gurgling blood filled the air, but Axel didn’t even flinch. He just stood there, smiling at me, like he’d been expecting me all along."

I stood up, pacing the room, as the memory overwhelmed me. “He laughed, Luna. He fucking laughed when he saw me.”

Luna gasped softly, her hands gripping the arms of the chair, as I continued.

“He said, ‘I was wondering when you’d show up, Blackwood. Took you long enough. We left her in a pretty state for you, didn’t we?’"

I stopped pacing, my fists clenched at my sides. “That’s when I lost it. I wasn’t thinking, wasn’t human anymore. I lunged at him, claws out, teeth bared. Axel didn’t even try to run. He just stood there, waiting. He believed he could take me out.”

I paused, my breathing heavy, reliving the raw violence of that night.

“When I got to him, I tore into him. I didn’t stop. I slashed his chest, his face, anything I could reach. He tried to fight back, but I was too fast, too far gone. I broke his ribs, crushed his windpipe, and then … I snapped his neck.”

I looked at Luna, the weight of what I’d done heavy in my eyes. “But even then, it wasn’t enough. I didn’t stop. I kept tearing into him, until his body was nothing but a bloody mess. By the time I was done, there was nothing left of him to recognize. He died like an animal.”

Luna’s face had gone pale, but she didn’t look away. Her voice was shaky when she spoke. “Did it help? Did it make you feel … better?”

I let out a bitter laugh, shaking my head. “No. It didn’t. I thought it would. I thought killing Axel would make me feel something—relief, maybe even satisfaction. But all it did was make me feel emptier. Katherine was still gone. And killing Axel didn’t bring her back.”

I sat down again, my shoulders heavy with the weight of it all. “After I killed him, I left his body for the wolves.”

“Where was Marcosias during all this?”

“I have no idea where he was. He’s just ten years older than Miranda. So, I’m guessing he was with a relative at that time. He wants to avenge the death of his father, and also strip me of my power and status as the Alpha.”

Luna’s voice was barely a whisper. "You’ve been carrying this alone ... all this time."

I nodded, unable to meet her eyes. "I didn’t want you to see this part of me. This part of my life. But you need to know. Marcosias isn’t just a rival clan leader. He’s a monster. He is worse than his father and very unpredictable, and now that he knows about you ... he’ll come for you, too. But I won’t let him get to you."

“I know you won’t let him hurt me. I believe in you,” Luna said, and gave me a tight hug.

Luna led me to the bed, where we both cuddled like it was our last time on earth. Having her so close to me made me feel a sense of relief. I kept on stroking her hair till she fell asleep.

I need to find Marcosias, but where could he be hiding? He can be very irrational, which means that he is bound to make a mistake. Oh, Orion, you need to be two steps ahead, I thought, as I held Luna in my arms.

The night was still, the only sound the rhythmic beating of Luna’s heart against my chest. We lay tangled in each other’s arms, her warmth pressed against me, as we shared the quiet comfort of just being together. For a moment, everything felt right. The chaos of our world was kept at bay by the simple fact that she was here, in my arms, and I could protect her.

Her breathing was slow, soft, and I traced lazy patterns along her back, content in the silence. But as the minutes passed, I felt something shift. Her body, which had been relaxed, suddenly stiffened.

I frowned, pulling back slightly to look at her. “Luna?” I whispered. Her eyes were closed, but her face had twisted in discomfort, her brow furrowed, as if she were fighting something in her sleep.

At first, I thought she was dreaming, but then her breath caught, and she let out a soft, almost painful whimper.

“Luna, wake up,” I murmured, brushing a strand of hair from her face. Her skin was damp with sweat, her breathing quickening with every passing second. I tightened my grip on her. “Luna?”

She didn’t respond. Her body jerked slightly, her fists clenching around the sheets, and a low moan escaped her lips. Something was wrong, this wasn’t just a dream. The air around us grew heavy, thick with tension. My chest tightened as I watched her.

“Luna,” I said louder, my heart pounding now. I shook her gently, trying to wake her. “Luna, wake up.”

But she didn’t. Instead, her breathing grew more frantic, her chest rising and falling rapidly. Sweat dripped down her face, soaking her hair. Her whole body trembled, trapped in whatever vision had gripped her.

“Come on, Luna. Wake up,” I urged, my voice tinged with panic. I shook her harder, but it was like she was locked in a nightmare she couldn’t escape. Her lips parted as she gasped for air, her hands clawing at the sheets.

My pulse quickened. “Luna!” I called out, fear creeping into my voice. She was burning up, her body radiating heat, her breathing labored. The room felt stifling, the air was thick, like it was pressing in on us.

I pulled her closer, trying to ground her, to snap her out of it. “Luna, wake up! Please.”

Suddenly, her body tensed one last time, and with a sharp gasp, her eyes flew open. She shot upright, her chest heaving as if she’d just been pulled from the depths of the ocean. Her hand flew to her chest, and her wide, terrified eyes found mine.

“Orion,” she whispered, her voice trembling.

I reached out, gripping her arms gently but firmly. “It’s okay. You’re here. You’re safe. What happened?”

She stared at me, her body still shaking, and for a moment, I thought she wouldn’t answer. But then she exhaled sharply, rubbing a hand over her face, as if trying to clear the remnants of the vision.

“I saw them,” she said, her voice hoarse.

“Who?” I asked, already dreading the answer.

Her eyes darted around the room, as if the shadows held the danger she had seen. “The traitors … in your clan. They were meeting with the rival clan. They’re planning to attack.”

I felt my blood run cold, a chill creeping up my spine. “Who? Who’s betraying me?”

She swallowed hard, her hands trembling, as she gripped the edge of the blanket. “I don’t know, I couldn’t see their faces clearly. But from the conversation they were having, I could tell they were from your clan.”

I clenched my jaw, fighting the rage that surged inside me. “What else did you see?” I asked, my voice rough.

Luna took a shaky breath, her eyes clouded with fear. “They’re planning an attack, soon. They want to weaken you before they strike. Someone close to you is helping them but I couldn’t see who it was.”

I sat up fully, my mind racing. “How soon?”

“I don’t know,” she admitted, frustration flashing across her face. “But it felt close. They’re gathering strength, Orion.”

I pulled her close, wrapping my arms around her. Her body trembled slightly, still shaken from the vision, but she leaned into me, her head resting against my chest.

“I think its best I go for a walk or maybe read a book to distract myself” Luna said, as she stood up from the bed.

“Yeah … uh … there are some books in the study. It’s just down the hallway. Do you want me to come with you?”

“Nah … its fine … I just want to be alone for a while.”

When Luna left the room, I decided to take some time to do a little research on where Marcosias could be, but my mind kept on drifting to her vision.

“Who could be the person betraying me? Who would want my downfall so bad as to team up with my enemy?” I whispered, as I sat on the bed.

It’d been almost an hour since Luna left the room. Just when I was about to go meet her in the study, she barged in, holding a book in her hand.

“What is this, Orion?” she asked, with a tight voice.