7:That is your sister🤯

Luna Valerius

"Go on then, Alpha. Let's see who breaks whom."

My voice bounced off the walls. Silas's eyes lingered on my face for a few seconds. Then he laughed. It wasn't an angry laugh. It was dangerous.

"There she is at last," he said, mockingly.

I frowned. "At last what?"

"The real Luna finally showing herself," he said, still taunting.

"I've always been this way," I said, lifting my chin in anger.

"No," said Silas, shaking his head. "For years you were afraid, Luna."

I took a step toward him. "I wasn't afraid," I said, my anger rising with every word.

"Don't lie to yourself," he said, smiling.

"You don't know anything about me," I said, shoving him lightly. He didn't even budge. Silas's jaw tightened.

"I don't know? Are you sure, Luna?" he said calmly.

"Yes, you don't know. You have no idea what I've been through!" I screamed.

He grabbed my arm and shouted right in my face. "I HAVE BEEN WATCHING YOU FOR THIRTEEN YEARS."

The hall went silent. Even Dante froze. I couldn't breathe.

"What?" I said, stunned.

Silas held my gaze. "Thirteen years," he said, this time in a whisper.

"That's impossible," I said, immediately refusing it.

"It's possible," he said, sounding exhausted.

"You're lying," I said, pulling my arms free. "Liar!" I shook my head and stepped back.

"I wish I were," he said with a shrug. It was as if the moment they burned his brother's bones, all his strength had been drained out of him.

"This can't be true!" I insisted.

"IT IS TRUE!" he said, this time angry.

My heart sped up. Suddenly images from my childhood flashed before my eyes. The food left at the cabin door. The roof never blowing off during stormy nights. The shadow I thought I saw in the dark. Was Silas the one who had always helped me? No. It couldn't be.

"You..." My voice faltered. "You were the one leaving food at the door."

Silas said nothing. That silence was the answer. I walked toward him in fury.

"It was you?!"

"Luna—"

"It was you?!"

"Yes."

My hand went up. And my slap rang through the hall. No one even dared to breathe. Dante's mouth hung open. Hestia's eyes were wide as saucers. They'd never seen anyone slap an Alpha. But I didn't care.

"You're sick."

Silas's face was turned to the side. Slowly he looked back at me. His gaze was far too dangerous.

"Maybe."

"For thirteen years you watched me?" I said, incredulous.

"Yes," he said, without shame.

"Why?"

"Because I had to protect you," he said.

"I never asked for your protection!" I said. I felt crushed.

"You were five years old, Luna!" he said, desperate. His voice rose for the first time. The hall shook. "A five-year-old child can't make that choice!"

"Why didn't you tell me?" I said, resigning.

"Because I didn't want you to hate me."

I laughed bitterly. "Too late, Silas."

A brief flash of pain crossed Silas's eyes. But it vanished instantly. He was about to speak when Dante ran to the window.

"Silas."

The tension in his voice stopped us all.

"What is it?"

Dante swallowed. "The Eastern Pack isn't retreating."

Silas frowned. "So?"

"Because they're not alone."

A deathly silence fell over the hall.

"Who's with them?" I asked.

Dante didn't answer. His gaze was fixed outside.

"Who is it, Dante?" This time Hestia spoke.

When Dante didn't answer, Hestia went to the window and looked. Then she turned back to us. Her face was as white as paper. She was trembling.

"Impossible..." she said.

Silas turned to her, curious. "What's impossible?"

Hestia's voice was shaking. "She's dead."

"Who's dead?" said Silas.

"She can't be here."

"Hestia!" I finally shouted. Who had died?

The woman wasn't looking at me. She was looking at Silas. Then she whispered.

"Aria."

Silas froze. So did I. Wasn't Aria Silas's dead sister, whose bones had just been burned? What was she doing here?

Dante slowly shook his head. "The woman standing at the door..." He took a breath. "Silas," he said, fearfully. "It's your sister."

The hall sank into tomb-like silence. Because the person everyone knew was dead was standing right outside the door.