“My brother…Ronan…is dead because of you.”
“Do you even remember that night?” he continued, “You wandered into enemy territory like it was a walk in the woods. You didn’t think…didn’t care…about the consequences. And because of that, Ronan and I had to risk everything to get you back. He died protecting you.”
I flinched at his words, but before I could respond, he took a step closer, his towering frame radiating fury on me.
“In this pack, Anya, you’re the last person who has the right to question me or Lila. If I choose to protect her, to put her first, it’s because I owe it to Ronan. You don’t get to complain. You owe her, too.”
The memory of that night was as vivid as ever, haunting me like a ghost.
I hadn’t meant to cross the border at least, not truly. But I hadn’t been thinking clearly that evening. The weight of Lila’s cutting remarks had pushed me to the edge.
It had started as a stupid challenge.
FLASHBACK
“Prove your worth, Anya,” Lila had sneered earlier that day, her voice dripping with mockery as she stood surrounded by a few pack members. “You’re all talk and no bite. No wonder the pack doesn’t respect you.”
I’d clenched my fists, trying to stay calm, but her next words struck a nerve. “What kind of Luna will you ever be if you can’t even face a little danger? Honestly, I wouldn’t blame Harlan if he regretted choosing you.”
“Lila, stop,” I’d said through gritted teeth.
She smirked, “Tell you what,” she said, “Prove me wrong. Go into Shadowclaw territory tonight. Bring back a branch, a stone or anything. Show us you’re not as weak as everyone thinks you are.”
My wolf bristled at the challenge, but my human side knew better. Crossing into enemy territory wasn’t just reckless; it was a death sentence. Yet the humiliation burning in my chest, the stares of the others as they waited to see if I’d accept or back down, drowned out my common sense.
“You think I won’t?” I snapped.
“I think you can’t,” Lila shot back.
Harlan wasn’t there. He didn’t know. If he had been, he would’ve shut it down immediately. But Lila had planned it that way, waiting until he was busy with pack matters to sink her claws into me. And so, driven by anger, pride, and the desperate need to prove her wrong, I went.
That night, I slipped into the forest to prove her wrong. The air was cold and heavy, the moonlight barely piercing the canopy above. I didn’t think about the danger. I didn’t think about the consequences.
I crossed the border quickly, my heartbeat roaring in my ears. It was just a line in the dirt, a boundary marked by scent and territory claims. It didn’t feel real until I was standing in Shadowclaw land, the oppressive energy of their pack settling over me like a storm.
I bent down, to grab a jagged stone as proof of my supposed bravery. That’s when I heard a growl low and menacing, the sound reverberating through the forest.
The Shadowclaws had found me.
They emerged from the darkness, their glowing eyes and snarling teeth cutting through the night like blades. Their alpha stepped forward, his massive frame radiating power and malice.
“Trespassing, are we?” he snarled, “The Moonshine pack thinks they can send spies into my territory? Foolish.”
I froze, in fear. “I-I’m not a spy,” I stammered, backing away, but they weren’t interested in explanations.
Their wolves circled me, snapping their jaws, their growls growing louder. My wolf itched to fight, but I knew I stood no chance. My voice broke as I screamed for help, the sound tearing through the mid night.
By the time Harlan and Ronan arrived, it was too late to reason with the Shadowclaws. The moment they saw Moonshine wolves, the situation escalated. Words turned to growls, growls to violence, and the forest erupted into chaos.
I could only watch in horror as Ronan, Harlan’s elder brother and the pack’s second-in-command, fought with unmatched ferocity. His strength was legendary, but even legends had their limits.
One fleeting moment of distraction and the enemy alpha struck, his fangs sinking into Ronan’s neck and dragging him down.
“Harlan!” I screamed, but it was too late. Ronan’s blood pooled beneath him, and his body went still.
Harlan’s anguished roar cut through the night as he tore through the remaining Shadowclaws. By the time it was over, the ground was littered with bodies, and the air was thick with the stench of blood and death.
PRESENT
Harlan’s voice snapped me out of the memory.
“You think I can just forget that?” he demanded, “You think I don’t see his blood on your hands every time I look at you?”
I shook my head, tears streaming down my face. “Harlan, I didn’t mean…”
“Didn’t mean to?” He laughed bitterly. “Intent doesn’t matter, Anya. Ronan is dead because of you. And now, you dare to question why I protect Lila? She lost her mate because of you!”
I opened my mouth to protest, but the words died in my throat. What could I say? That I didn’t mean to cross the border? It was lila who forced me and that I didn’t ask for Ronan to save me? None of it mattered.
To Harlan, I was guilty. And nothing I said would ever change that.
“Anya,” he said, as he stepped closer to me, “you could make this right. If you’d just try. Be understanding. Be... selfless. Help me take care of Lila. Do that, and I promise you’ll always be first in my heart.”
I am doing that but Harlan is blind to not see how much I sacrificed for the action I didn’t even do. Harlan left the house once again leaving me in my misery.
Later that night, my phone buzzed with a message. It was from Lila.
The photo she sent made my stomach turn.
In it, Harlan stood with his back to the camera, cradling Shadow he’d abandoned me for. Beneath the image was a caption that made my blood boil:
“Anya, what do you think? I won again. No matter when I call, Harlan will always come to me. Maybe next time, I’ll let you feel what it’s like to hold him. Or better yet, I’ll show you what you’re missing.”
The phone slipped from my hands as nausea overtook me. I stumbled to the trash can, retching violently.
The phone buzzed again.
“Oh, and about your little crowning ceremony ? Don’t bother. Harlan doesn’t need a Luna. He already has me.”
Something inside me snapped. Tears blurred my vision as I picked up the phone, my fingers trembling with rage.
“You manipulative, conniving bitch!” I screamed, my voice echoing through the empty room.
