The air was thick with tension as the joint hunting party began. The Red Hill Pack and the Onyx Sky Pack were attempting to rebuild a fractured alliance that had been strained by past disputes. So, we invited Alpha Elliot to come as well as renew our alliance with the Onyx Sky Pack.
While I actually didn’t wish to attend the hunting party, Oscar had insisted I attend despite the strained silence between us. My husband was always quick to put on his mask of politeness. However, I could feel the growing distance in his cold gaze.
His mind was clearly elsewhere, often drifting to Gloria Turner who had been circling around him like a hawk all evening. I couldn’t ignore how she seemed to grow bolder with each passing minute. Tonight, it was obvious that her patience was wearing thin.
The moonlight bathed the clearing where we had gathered. Its silver glow made everything feel too still, too quiet. The forest surrounding us seemed to close in while the shadows grew darker as the night stretched on.
“We need to stay close,” Oscar told me as he approached.
His eyes flicked to Gloria, who stood not far off, pretending to chat with some of the other pack members. She caught his gaze and smiled, her attention fixed on him. Again, I was ignored.
So, I just nodded and stepped closer to Oscar.
I really wanted to remind him that I was still his Luna and I had a role to play in this pack, but everything in me was telling me that no matter how much I tried, I wouldn’t matter to him anymore.
‘He’s already made his choice,’ Orla, my wolf, muttered in the back of my mind.
She continued, ‘Gloria is the one he’s focused on. And you ... you’re just the duty he’s tired of carrying.’
I closed my eyes for a moment, letting out a slow breath.
‘I know. But I’m not done fighting yet. Not for the pack, and certainly not for myself,’ I replied softly.
The hunt had gone well, but there was a sudden shift in the air as we made our way back to the clearing. Oscar led the group, followed by Alpha Elliot. When Oscar, Alpha Elliot, and I arrived, I noticed Gloria was already watching us. She narrowed her eyes as Oscar spoke to her husband.
As soon as Oscar turned his back, Gloria's gaze shifted toward me. Her eyes darkened with something I couldn't quite place. I had a bad feeling.
It seemed that Orla agreed with me as she warned me, ‘She’s up to something. Watch her carefully.’
When I turned to walk back to where the other pack members had gathered, I felt a sharp prickling at the back of my neck. Before I could react, I heard a faint rustle in the trees behind me. A shadow moved fast, and at that moment, I saw Gloria.
She had her bow out. The arrow was notched, aimed directly at me. Instinctively, I ducked, but I wasn’t fast enough.
The arrow shot forward, I heard it whistle through the air. The sharp tip grazed the edge of my shoulder, causing me to stumble slightly. I gasped in pain, my injured hands aching in the cold air. But the shock wasn’t from the pain. It was the realization of what Gloria had just done.
I turned toward her, my eyes flashing with fury.
“Luna Gloria!” I shouted, but she simply sneered, drawing another arrow.
This time, the woman aimed it more carefully and took her time. Immediately, the rage that boiled inside me surged. Without thinking, I lunged forward. My injured hands trembled as I grabbed her bow, twisting it out of her grasp. She fought back, pushing me away with a snarl. But I didn’t let go.
‘I won’t let you hurt me!’ I thought to myself.
The struggle was short but intense. In a swift motion, I shoved Gloria back. The Onyx Sky Pack’s Luna instantly lost her balance. The arrow she had been aiming at me flew wide, hitting a tree just beyond the clearing. But the movement caused the woman to trip and fall backward.
Gloria collided with the sharp edge of a rock that jutted out from the ground. The woman let out a sharp scream of pain, clutching at her shoulder where she had landed. Blood started to seep from the wound. I knew it wasn’t serious, but it would certainly leave a mark.
I didn’t have time to check on her. My focus was on the fact that I had just defended myself, despite my still-healing injuries. The tension in the clearing had shifted. Pack members were beginning to gather, murmuring, unsure of what to do.
Oscar was the first to react. His face twisted in disbelief as he rushed toward me. However, the man rushed towards me as if he wanted to kill me.
The Alpha quickly shouted at me, “What the hell is going on here? You’re the Luna! How could you hurt Gloria-”
Immediately, I cut my husband off by saying, “Luna Gloria was trying to kill me, Oscar. You saw it. I had no choice.”
