Why not?

Luna's POV

The forest was dark and cold, the only sounds were the crunch of leaves beneath my feet and the distant howls of wolves.

I ran blindly, my chest heaving with every ragged breath. My legs ached, my mind spinning with questions I didn’t have time to process.

“Keep moving,” the man-Kael-growled behind me, his hand gripping my arm as he guided me through the trees.

“Where are you taking me?” I demanded, trying to yank my arm free.

“Somewhere safe.” His voice was sharp, but not unkind.

“Why should I trust you?” I snapped, finally pulling away and stopping in my tracks.

He turned to face me, his amber eyes glowing faintly in the moonlight. “Because if I wanted you dead, you’d already be dead.”

I swallowed hard. He wasn’t wrong. I glanced over my shoulder, half-expecting to see the rogues bursting through the trees. “Why were they after me? What do they want?”

Kael’s jaw tightened. “It wasn’t random.”

“What do you mean?” I asked, my voice rising.

He hesitated, scanning the forest as though expecting an ambush. “Not here,” he muttered. “We need to keep moving.”

“No!” I stepped back, my fists clenched. “I’m not going anywhere until you tell me what’s going on.”

Kael’s gaze locked onto mine, his expression hard. For a moment, I thought he might argue, but then he sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

“The attack was planned,” he said quietly.

“Planned?” My stomach dropped. “By who?”

He didn’t answer, his silence speaking volumes.

“No.” I shook my head, backing away. “That’s not possible. My father would never-”

“Your father would do whatever it takes to secure his pack,” Kael cut in. “Even if it means sacrificing you.”

The words hit me like a slap. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

His eyes softened slightly. “You don’t want to believe it, but deep down, you already know it’s true.”

“No!” I shouted, my voice echoing through the trees. “You’re lying!”

Kael stepped closer, his expression calm but firm. “Think, Luna. Why would the rogues target you during your betrothal ceremony? Why take you alive? That wasn’t an accident.”

I shook my head, tears stinging my eyes. “You don’t know anything about my father.”

“I know more than you think,” he said bitterly, turning away. “Now, if you want to survive the night, you’ll follow me. Or stay here and wait for them to find you. Your choice.”

He started walking again, his broad shoulders disappearing into the shadows. I stood frozen for a moment, my mind racing. Could he be right? No. It didn’t make sense. My father would never put me in danger.

Would he?

A distant howl shattered my thoughts. My heart leapt into my throat, and I scrambled to catch up with Kael.

“I’m not doing this because I trust you,” I said breathlessly as I fell into step beside him. “I just don’t want to die.”

“Fair enough,” he said, his tone unreadable.

We moved quickly through the forest, Kael leading the way with confidence. He seemed to know exactly where he was going, which only made me more suspicious.

“How do you know this area so well?” I asked, breaking the silence.

Kael glanced at me over his shoulder. “I used to be a Beta in your father’s pack. Remember?”

I frowned. “I remember you were exiled. For treason.”

He smirked, but there was no humor in it. “Is that what they told you?”

“That’s what happened,” I shot back, though doubt crept into my voice.

“Believe what you want,” he said simply.

I wanted to press him further, but his tone made it clear he wasn’t in the mood for questions.

Eventually, we reached a small cave hidden behind a thick curtain of vines. Kael pulled them aside and motioned for me to enter.

“In here,” he said.

I hesitated. “How do I know this isn’t a trap?”

He rolled his eyes. “If I wanted to trap you, I wouldn’t need a cave to do it. Now get in.”

Reluctantly, I stepped inside. The cave was dark and cool, the air damp and musty. Kael followed, letting the vines fall back into place.

“We’ll rest here for the night,” he said, sitting down against the wall.

I stayed near the entrance, keeping my distance. “You still haven’t told me everything.”

Kael sighed, leaning his head back against the stone. “You don’t need to know everything right now.”

“Yes, I do!” I snapped, my frustration boiling over. “You show up out of nowhere, drag me into the woods, and throw around accusations about my father. I deserve answers!”

His eyes opened, and he studied me for a long moment. “Fine,” he said at last. “What do you want to know?”

“Why were you exiled?” I demanded.

Kael’s jaw tightened. “Because I found out something I wasn’t supposed to.”

“Like what?”

“Something about your father and the alliances he’s making,” he said vaguely.

“That doesn’t explain anything,” I said, crossing my arms.

“I’m not going to lay it all out for you here,” Kael said sharply. “Not when we’re being hunted. You want answers? Stay alive long enough to hear them.”

I glared at him, but his words stung. He was right. This wasn’t the time or place for a full interrogation.

Silence fell between us, broken only by the distant rustling of leaves outside.

“You should rest,” Kael said after a while.

“I can’t,” I admitted.

He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “Luna, I know this is hard to hear, but you can’t go back. Not yet.”

I frowned, shifting uncomfortably. “Why not?”

Kael leaned forward, his eyes locking onto mine with an intensity that made my breath catch. “If you go back now, they’ll kill you.”

His words hung in the air, and I felt the blood drain from my face. “What do you mean… kill me?” I whispered, my voice trembling. But Kael didn’t answer.