The Rogue Luna

~ANGELINA~Evening had fast come and the atmosphere was anything but comfortable. A harsh breeze blew, swaying trees and raising debris in the air.I remained, hunched on the ground, crying. I couldn't believe Luca would treat me that way. Like I was some sort of trash. It was true he'd never liked me too but I had thought his attitude would change as time went on. Obviously, I was wrong. And the fact Luca would see me as the reason for our childlessness just demonstrated how low he thought of me. I didn't know why the moon goddess had decided to punish me this way.My tears kept pouring. Even when my stomach growled out of hunger, I didn't stop. Then, a stinging sensation hit me.At first, I resisted the urge to rub my eyes, but the discomfort grew by the minute till I began a fresh set of tear. Not out of emotional pain, but physical.I stood to leave, but caught sight of a figure several feet away from me. It didn't make sense at first, but soon enough, I realised what it was.From

~ANGELINA~My attacker never finished me off, nor did he come around. I’d laid on the bare ground for what could be ages, drifting in and out of sleep which was haunted by nightmares. I kept seeing Glenda running after me with her claws. And having Luca baring his teeth at me. All this meant I wasn't safe.I'd thought of simply killing myself, but hadn't gotten around doing it. One, I was too scared, timid to carry that out. Two, suicide was a taboo; I wouldn't want to incur the wrath of the moon goddess.Heaving myself off the ground, I looked around the dark woods. The sounds of crickets and a howl rang it into my ears that I was lonely. I didn't know where to go from here.Without thinking, I just simply began to walk. The half moon lit my path up; the gently swaying plants whispered nothing but words of sympathy to my ears. Inwardly, I nodded even as tears crowded my eyes. I refused to come to terms with my harsh reality.Time stretched on and I continued to walk. Soon, the tears

~ ANGELINA ~Warmth.That was the first thing I noticed. The pleasant heat cocooned me, a stark contrast to the biting cold I had endured for so long. My body felt weightless, floating in a hazy space between sleep and wakefulness. For the first time in what felt like forever, I wasn’t in pain.Then, slowly, awareness crept in.I was lying on something soft—a bed. A real one, not the cold, hard ground I had grown used to. My fingers twitched, feeling the smooth fabric beneath them. My senses sharpened, picking up the scent of burning wood and something faintly herbal, like dried lavender mixed with pine.I forced my heavy eyelids open.A wooden ceiling loomed above me, its beams dark and sturdy. A fire crackled in a stone fireplace across the room, casting flickering shadows on the walls. Thick fur blankets draped over me, their weight comforting but unfamiliar.Where was I?My heart pounded as the memories came rushing back—the attack in the woods, the stranger in the green cloak, th

~ ANGELINA ~The word hung in the air between us, heavier than I intended.Stay.I had said it. Chosen it.Killian’s expression didn’t change, but something in his gaze sharpened. As if he had expected this outcome all along.“Good,” he said simply. “Then we have an agreement.”Agreement.The word made my stomach tighten. There was no contract, no oath sworn in blood, yet I couldn’t shake the feeling that I had just tethered myself to something unseen. Something dangerous.Killian turned away, moving toward the long dining table. “You should eat properly,” he said. “You’ll need your strength.”My jaw clenched. I hated how easily he dismissed me, as if my choice had been inevitable.I crossed my arms. “And what exactly am I staying for?”Killian didn’t pause as he poured himself a drink from a dark glass bottle. “You need protection.”I scoffed. “I don’t need—”“Don’t lie to yourself.” He cut me off, turning back to face me. “You wouldn’t have made it another night out there.”Heat fla

~ ANGELINA ~Dawn broke over the horizon, painting the sky in muted shades of orange and pink. The forest surrounding the cabin was eerily silent, as if the world itself was waiting for something.Or maybe I was just imagining it.I rubbed my arms, trying to shake the unease settling in my chest. Today was the beginning of something new. Something terrifying.Footsteps crunched against the damp earth behind me.“You’re up early.”I turned to see Killian approaching, his dark hair slightly tousled from sleep, his expression unreadable. He wasn’t wearing a shirt, and the sight of his toned, battle-hardened body was… distracting. Not that I had any right to be distracted.“I didn’t sleep much,” I admitted.Killian stopped a few feet away, crossing his arms. “Good. You’ll need that restless energy.”I scowled. “That’s a terrible way to encourage someone.”A smirk ghosted across his lips. “You’re not here for encouragement. You’re here to survive.”He wasn’t wrong.I had spent too much of