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Chapter Twenty Five

Author: Retroferd
last update Last Updated: 2025-05-01 05:38:33
As the dinner wrapped up, Laura felt a strange mix of dread and excitement swirling in her stomach. The whispers around her had grown louder, and the stares more obvious. Everyone was curious about the outsider who dared attempt the Riddle Box challenge.

Zephyr stood, his chair scraping against the stone floor. "It's time."

Three words that made Laura's heart skip. She took a deep breath and rose from her seat, ignoring Selene's icy smile.

"Follow me," said a young woman who introduced herself as Mira. "We need to prepare you."

Laura followed Mira down a dimly lit hallway, leaving the buzzing conversation of the dining hall behind.

"Has anyone from outside the pack ever tried this before?" Laura asked.

Mira glanced back at her. "No. Never."

"Great. No pressure," Laura muttered.

They entered a small room with stone walls covered in intricate carvings. A basin of clear water sat in the center, steam rising from its surface.

"The ritual cleansing," Mira explained. "The R
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  • Betrayed Luna To Alpha Queen   Chapter Forty Six

    Night had fallen by the time the pack meeting ended. Laura stood at the edge of the clearing, looking up at the stars, her mind racing with thoughts of empty-eyed wolves and dying trees. Something dark was coming. She could feel it in her bones."Can't sleep?" Dante's deep voice came from behind her.Laura turned to find him watching her, his golden eyes catching the moonlight. "Too much on my mind."He nodded, coming to stand beside her. For a moment, they just breathed in the night air together."You fought well during the hunt," he said finally. "But there's more I could teach you. If you want."Laura raised an eyebrow. "You think I need training?"A smile tugged at Dante's lips. "Everyone needs training. Even me.""So modest," she teased.His smile widened before turning serious again. "The Crimson Fang style is different. Raw. Instinctual." He gestured to the forest around them. "We use everything—trees, rocks, water. The land itself becomes our weapon."Laura considered his offe

  • Betrayed Luna To Alpha Queen   Chapter Forty Five

    Sunlight streamed through the cave entrance when Laura opened her eyes. She stretched, a smile lingering on her lips before she realized she was alone on the fur bedding. Her hand reached for Dante, finding only empty space, already cold.She sat up, wrapping a fur around her naked body. The events of last night flooded back in vivid detail—Dante's hands on her skin, his lips against her neck, the way he'd looked at her as if she were the moon itself."Get it together," she muttered, feeling her cheeks heat up.Laura stood and found her clothes neatly folded nearby. As she dressed, her body hummed with the memory of Dante's touch. Every movement reminded her of how their bodies had moved together, how he'd whispered her name like a prayer."Stop thinking about it," she told herself firmly, but her body wasn't listening.She was just pulling on her boots when Freya appeared at the cave entrance."Good morning," the healer said, eyes twinkling with knowing amusement. "Sleep well?"Laura

  • Betrayed Luna To Alpha Queen   Chapter Forty Four

    Inside, the cave opened into a spacious chamber. Furs covered the stone floor, and lanterns cast golden light over the walls. It was simpler than Laura had expected for an Alpha's quarters, but comfortable and warm.Dante turned to face her, his expression intense yet questioning. "We can stop," he said, though it clearly cost him to offer. "If you're not ready."Laura stepped forward, reaching up to trace the strong line of his jaw. "I don't want to stop."Something wild flashed in his eyes. He caught her hand, turning it to press a kiss to her palm. "Once we start, I don't know if I can be gentle.""I don't want gentle," Laura whispered, surprising herself with her honesty. "I want you. All of you."With a groan, Dante claimed her mouth again. This kiss was different, hungrier and more demanding. His hands roamed her body, leaving trails of fire in their wake. He backed her toward the furs, never breaking the kiss.When her knees hit the edge of the makeshift bed, Laura pulled back

  • Betrayed Luna To Alpha Queen   Chapter Forty Three

    They began to sway together, his body guiding hers. The drum's heartbeat pulsed in Laura's veins as Dante showed her the steps—three forward, turn, step back, arms raised to the moon."That's it," he encouraged as she matched his movements. "You dance like you were born to it."As they moved around the fire, other dancers formed pairs, mirroring their steps. The pattern grew more complex, but Laura followed instinctively, her body responding to the drums and to Dante's gentle guidance.When the dance called for partners to face each other, Laura found herself breathless at the intensity in Dante's golden eyes. His hands slid from her hips to her waist, pulling her closer as they circled each other."The final step," he said, voice husky, "is when the dancers acknowledge their connection."Slowly, deliberately, he pressed his forehead against hers. Something electric passed between them—an acknowledgment of something deeper than physical attraction. Laura's eyes fluttered closed, overw

  • Betrayed Luna To Alpha Queen   Chapter Forty Two

    Laura kept moving despite the throbbing pain in her leg. Each step sent fresh waves of agony up her thigh, but she refused to stop. Not when she was so close."Just a little longer," she whispered to herself, using a branch as a makeshift crutch.She glanced at the sky. The sun touched the edge of the western mountains, painting them gold and crimson. Minutes. She only needed minutes more.Behind her, she could sense Dante keeping pace, watching her struggle yet not interfering. After cleaning her wound, he'd helped her stand but hadn't tried to claim her as his prize. Instead, he'd stepped back, eyes intense as he studied her face."You're still trying to win," he'd said, somewhere between a question and a statement.Laura had lifted her chin. "I'm going to win."Now, limping through the forest, she heard him a few paces behind her. Close enough to catch her if she fell, far enough to give her the choice to finish on her own.When they reached the edge of the clearing where the chall

  • Betrayed Luna To Alpha Queen   Chapter Forty One

    Laura dragged herself onto the rocky riverbank, her body shivering uncontrollably. The icy water had numbed her skin, but it couldn't numb the searing pain from the deep gash on her thigh. She must have hit a rock during her wild ride downstream."Stupid, stupid," she muttered through chattering teeth.Blood trickled down her leg, mixing with river water. Laura pressed her palm against the wound, wincing at the sharp sting. It was deep—too deep to ignore.She glanced at the sky. The sun hovered just above the mountain peaks. Another hour, maybe less, and she would win. All she had to do was stay hidden until then.But the blood...Laura knew what blood meant in a forest full of predators. It was like ringing a dinner bell.Or worse, it was a beacon leading Dante straight to her.Gritting her teeth, Laura tore a strip from the bottom of her shirt. She wrapped it tightly around her thigh, but the makeshift bandage quickly soaked through with red."Come on," she hissed, applying more pre

  • Betrayed Luna To Alpha Queen   Chapter Forty

    Laura's lungs burned as she pushed through the dense forest. The wound on her leg throbbed with each step, but she couldn't slow down. Not with Dante so close behind.The trees thinned ahead, and Laura's heart sank as she burst into a clearing. She skidded to a stop, pebbles scattering beneath her feet.A cliff edge. She'd run right to the edge of a cliff with a waterfall thundering down beside it. The drop was at least fifty feet to the churning river below."No, no, no," Laura whispered, turning to find another path.Too late.Dante emerged from the trees, his chest rising and falling with steady breaths. Unlike her, he wasn't even winded. His golden eyes locked on hers, and that infuriating smile spread across his face."Nowhere left to run, little wolf."Laura backed up, feeling loose stones shift beneath her heels. "Stay back.""The hunt is over," Dante said, taking a slow step toward her. "You did well—better than anyone ever has. But it's time to surrender."Laura glanced at t

  • Betrayed Luna To Alpha Queen   Chapter Thirty Nine

    By midday, Laura was deep in unfamiliar territory. The forest had grown denser, the trees taller and more ancient. Strange sounds echoed through the underbrush—snaps and growls that made the hair on the back of her neck stand up. She wasn't alone out here. A low growl froze her in her tracks. Slowly, Laura turned to face three massive wolves with matted gray fur and yellow eyes. Not werewolves—just regular wolves, but much larger than any she'd seen before. "Nice doggies," she whispered, taking a step backward. The lead wolf snarled, baring teeth as long as her fingers. Laura's heart hammered in her chest. She knew enough about wolf behavior to understand running would be a death sentence. But standing her ground against three predators didn't seem much better. The lead wolf lunged forward. Laura dodged, but not fast enough. Pain seared through her leg as teeth grazed her calf. "Shit!" she hissed, stumbling back against a tree. The wolves circled her, closing in. Laura looked a

  • Betrayed Luna To Alpha Queen   Chapter Thirty Eight

    Laura ran into the forest, her heart pounding against her ribs. The cool morning air filled her lungs as she pushed herself harder, putting as much distance between herself and the Crimson Fang pack as possible.Ten minutes. That's all the head start she had.She couldn't outrun an Alpha wolf—especially not in his own territory. Her only chance was to outsmart him.Laura paused to catch her breath, scanning her surroundings. Back when she was a warrior, before Kieran had taken her as his luna, she'd learned tracking and evasion. Those skills had gathered dust since then, but they weren't forgotten."Think, Laura," she whispered to herself before coming to a realization. "Water. I need water."Rivers masked scent. Even an Alpha's nose couldn't track through running water.She listened carefully, then smiled when she caught the distant sound of rushing water. Picking up speed again, Laura headed toward it, being careful to leave as few tracks as possible.---Dante stood at the edge of

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