005

The Fallout

~LUNA~

The city lights shone through my big windows. Red and gold mixed with the dark. I poured whiskey into a glass. My hand was steady. It should have been, after what I did tonight. After seeing Damon's face fall apart. After everyone found out how much he stole.

I spent five years rebuilding and keeping control. I thought I had it all secured. But there were small cracks, waiting to show.

My phone kept buzzing. Sixty-three missed calls. Two hundred and fourteen unread messages. Every news outlet wanted my thoughts on the Blackwood scandal. Forbes, Bloomberg, and even gossip sites that still called me "the discarded Luna."

They all wanted the same thing: to know if I started the fire and walked away happy.

I took a sip of whiskey. It burned going down. I waited for the feeling of satisfaction, for the high of victory, for the joy of revenge.

But it didn't come. Instead, I felt an ache in my chest, like broken pieces from five years ago were still stuck inside me.

Maya's name popped up on my phone again. I answered.

"Ms. Ashford, they won't stop. CNN, every business desk, even some older people are trying to reach me. What should I say?"

"Tell them I'm not available. For a long time."

A pause. Then softer: "Are you okay?"

I almost laughed. "What does okay mean?"

She didn't press further. "I'll take care of it. Don't go away tonight."

"I'm not going anywhere."

I hung up and put the phone down on the marble. It kept buzzing. Quiet. Annoying. Like something stuck and suffering. That's when I felt the bond. A sudden tightness in my chest. Taking my breath away. My wolf inside me started to move. Slowly at first, then quickly. Restless. Scratching. Whining.

She wanted him.

I needed him. I could smell pine, smoke, and something dark. The penthouse was empty but I could still smell him. My skin felt hot. My heart raced.

I hated it. I Hated how my body remembered what my mind tried to forget for years.

I closed my eyes. "Not again. Please. Not again."

My wolf whined louder. The sound echoed in my head like sadness. I took off the red gala dress and left it on the floor. I stepped into the shower and turned the water cold enough to hurt.

The shock made me gasp. My teeth started chattering. I stayed under it anyway, hugging myself. Letting the cold water try to wash him out of my mind.

It didn't work.

His smell stayed in my thoughts. The bond pulsed. Strong. Unstoppable. My wolf kept sending me images of him. His glowing eyes in the dark. His hand on the glass. The promise in his voice.

I stayed until my lips were numb and my fingers wouldn't move. When I finally got out and wrapped myself in a thick towel, the clock said 2:17 a.m.

The doorbell rang.

My heart skipped a beat.

No one was allowed on this floor. No one except—The security camera showed a delivery man. He held a large black box tied with silver ribbon. No logo. No return address.

I opened the door just enough to take the box. He left without saying anything. I brought the box to the kitchen island and looked at it. It could be dangerous. My wolf felt excited. I untied the ribbon and opened it. Inside was a laptop.

It was black with silver details and had great features. On it, it said: "For the woman who breaks into anything except my heart. -D"

I touched the words and felt warm inside, even though I didn’t want to. Underneath was a small velvet box. I opened it to find a necklace with a red ruby and black diamonds on a strong platinum chain. It was beautiful but hurt to look at.

There was a note written in his clear handwriting:

"Red for the fire you hide. Black for the walls you've built. Wear it tomorrow. Let me see my ruby against your skin. The 48-hour challenge starts now. But I'm not trying to break your system, Luna. I'm trying to break your walls." I should have thrown it away or broken the laptop, but I just stood there holding the necklace.

My wolf finally calmed down. I opened the laptop, and it turned on quickly. A secure connection request appeared. I accepted it. Code appeared on the screen. He was really good at this. I blocked the first three attempts quickly and sent back, "Nice try. 46 hours left." He replied quickly: "Just warming up, mate."

That word felt like a threat. I shut the laptop and started pacing, trying to think. The balcony door opened. I turned around. My gun was too far away in the drawer. Draven was there, standing high above the city with the wind messing up his dark hair and his eyes glowing in the dark.

He looked dangerous.

"How did you—"

"I told you." His voice was low and rough. "I'll always find you."

He didn't come inside. He stood in the doorway, with wind blowing around him. He respected the line that kept him out, even though he climbed a tall building to get there.

"It's two in the morning," I said. My voice sounded steadier than I felt. "This is breaking and entering."

"This is courting." He took a step closer but stayed outside. "In my world, we don't wait for invitations. We take what is ours."

"I'm not yours."

His eyes darkened. "Your wolf is calling for me right now. I can feel it. She knows who she belongs to."

"Get out."

He didn’t move. He just looked at me. "Wear the necklace tomorrow. I want to see red against your skin."

"Why would I do that?"

"Because every time it touches your throat, you'll feel me there. Every time you see yourself, you'll see my claim. And soon—" He leaned closer, his breath fogging the glass. "—you'll stop fighting what we both know is coming."

He turned to leave but stopped.

"I won't touch you until you ask me to." His words were quiet and gentle, but the promise behind them was strong. "But I'll make you want it. Until asking is all you can think about."

Then he jumped off the edge. I rushed forward. Forty-seven stories straight down.

A huge black wolf landed on the roof below with amazing grace. He looked up at me with glowing eyes and flashed his fangs in the moonlight.

Then he was gone.

I stood there for a long time, my heart racing. My hands were finally shaking. I went back inside and locked the door, checking it twice. I walked to the counter. The necklace sat in its box. The ruby sparkled in the low light. Deep and red.

I picked it up to feel its weight. The chain was cold in my hand. The stone was warm, as if it still held his heat. I sank onto the couch, towel still wet, holding the necklace to my chest. The ruby pressed against my skin, reminding me it was real.

My wolf calmed down. Finally quiet. It curled around the necklace as if it belonged there.

Traitor...