Chapter 02: The Fall of the Luna

Chapter 02: The Fall of the Luna

I turned to my family and relatives, desperately hoping for their support, but they averted their gazes and treated me like a complete stranger.

“Marion, I haven’t done anything wrong! Someone set me up. The accusations against me aren’t true!” I cried out, my voice shaking. But before I could finish, Therese appeared, flanked by several members of her pack.

“W-What are you doing here?” I asked, suspicion thick in my voice.

Like me, Therese was a Luna, the daughter of a powerful Alpha from a prestigious pack. Her rare ability to see the past of anyone she touched made her revered and considered one of the goddesses chosen. But unlike me, she lacked strength. I surpassed her in almost every way, and perhaps that was why she despised me so deeply.

I had caught her countless times trying to seduce Marion, sneaking into his chambers when she thought no one was watching. If not for the wolves loyal to me, I wouldn’t have known or stopped her from making those shameless advances.

“Stop denying your betrayal, Lyra,” Therese sneered, stepping forward. “I am one of the witnesses who can prove you’re a traitor. You planned for your pack to be conquered out of resentment toward Marion.”

“W-What are you talking about?” I stammered, utterly confused. I turned to Marion, searching for even a flicker of trust in his eyes. “Don’t tell me you believe her over me, Marion?”

“You know she can see the past of anyone she touches, Lyra. That’s how we discovered your treachery, through the wolf who exposed you!” Marion shouted, his voice hard with fury. He pointed again at the bloodied, broken wolf lying nearby.

I shook my head, heart pounding. “I don’t know anything about these accusations, Marion. I would never betray the pack. I would never betray you.”

“Stop acting innocent!” Therese snapped. “You were furious when you learned that my father and Marion had agreed to arrange our marriage. So, you allied yourself with the enemy to destroy Marion and have your pack conquered!”

“What?” My voice cracked as I froze, as though drenched in iced water. Then, like a cruel film playing in my mind, the truth began to unspool, painfully and clearly.

Therese sneaks into Marion’s chambers. Marion left without telling me where he was going. Their stolen glances I once brushed off as harmless. Each memory struck like a dagger. Everything started falling into place. My heart clenched in agony as the realization hit, but I didn’t want to believe it.

“Marion, I’m begging you. Please, believe me, not her! Let me clear this misunderstanding,” I pleaded, desperation thick in my voice. But Marion remained unmoved, his gaze as cold and empty as before.

“Marion…” I called out again, my voice cracking.

“What more proof do you need?” Therese sneered, stepping closer. “Shall I peer into your mind, too? Maybe then we’ll uncover even more of your lies.”

She reached toward my head, but I jerked back, glaring at her with all the fury I had left.

“Don’t you dare touch me!” I snapped. “And you think I’d believe a single word that comes out of your mouth?”

Therese smirked that wicked glint flashing in her eyes. She stepped even closer. Bound and restrained, I couldn’t move when she gripped my shoulder and leaned in, her whisper like poison in my ear.

“Look at you. Do you really think anyone will believe you now?” she hissed. “You’ve already been branded a traitor. I win, Lyra. The man you love, this entire pack, it’ll all be mine. And you? You’ll rot and die, forgotten. Your name will be cursed.”

Without thinking, rage surged through me like wildfire. I slammed my forehead into her face. She screamed as she collapsed to the ground, clutching her mouth, blood dripping from her lips.

“Therese!” Marion rushed to her, panic etched across his face. He turned to me with blazing fury. “What the hell did you do? What if something happens to our child? Are you okay?” he asked, cradling her gently.

My heart stopped. Our child?

Therese whimpered and clung to him like a frightened lamb. “I just wanted to expose the venomous snake behind that innocent mask, the traitorous demoness who dared to betray her own pack.”

But I barely heard her. Her words echoed in my head, drowned out by the roaring in my ears. My entire body felt numb. I could only stare, frozen, as Marion helped her to her feet.

They had all heard it. Every single soul in the tribunal had heard it. And not a single one said a word.

“You… you cheated on me?” My voice came out as a whisper, but it sliced through the silence like a blade. “How dare you!”

Marion took a deep breath, lifting his chin. When his eyes met mine, there was no guilt. No shame. Only a cold, ruthless resolve. He looked at me with all the pride of a man convinced of his righteousness as if he had done nothing wrong. And in that moment, everything became clear.

This was never about betrayal. This was a setup from the very beginning, a carefully orchestrated plan to erase me. They wanted me gone. Dead. Out of the way so nothing would stand between them.

A laugh broke from my lips. Bitter. Shattered. It started low, trembling, then rose into a wild, hollow cackle.

I was a fool. A pathetic, trusting fool. I believed every sweet lie Marion whispered. I believed in the love he pretended to give. His burning kisses and reckless touches blinded me. It was all fake—every moment, every promise.

He used me. He fcking used me.

“I’m sorry, Lyra,” Marion said, his voice coated in mock sorrow. “But you must answer for your crimes. My duty as Alpha comes first.”

There was no grief in his tone. No hesitation. He didn’t even try to explain why. He wanted me dead, discarded like worthless trash. And that made my laughter grow louder.

“Don’t give me that bullsht excuse, Marion,” I smirked, my eyes blazing. “I know what this is. I know your plan now.”

For too long, I had submitted. Bound by those cursed silver shackles, I stayed still, hoping, praying it was a mistake. But now? Now that I know the truth? I would not die for their convenience.

The silver wasn’t enough to weaken me. Not anymore. With a single surge of will, I shattered the chains, the metal snapping like brittle glass. My wrists and ankles stung as blood rushed back into them, but I relished the pain. It made me feel alive.

Gasps echoed through the tribunal. Cries of alarm followed, but no one, not even my parents, stepped forward. I heard their voices, their distress, but they never reached for me. Not once did they defend me.

At that moment, I was utterly alone. The people who once adored me, who called me Luna . . . now cowered in fear. Their silence was a knife to the heart. But if they thought I would crumble, they were gravely mistaken.

“What are you doing, Lyra?” Marion’s voice darkened, his expression unreadable as he pushed Therese protectively behind him. “Don’t make this worse. Accept your punishment.”

“How could I?” I choked, my voice trembling with fury and sorrow. My heart had been shattered into pieces, the weight of betrayal crushing my chest.

I wanted to scream. To fall apart. But I wouldn’t. I refused. I would not let them see me broken. I would not be the victim in their wicked tale.

“I was framed. Someone wants me dead.”

My gaze flicked to Therese, who cowered behind Marion, a smug smile dancing on her lips.

“Lyra, please,” Dracob’s voice broke through the thick tension. His tone was soft, almost pleading, but there was a finality to it. “Just accept your punishment. Don’t fight back.”

I turned toward him, shaking my head. “I can’t.”

Every warrior surrounding me shifted into their werewolf form as I stepped forward. A low growl rumbled through the air. Eyes glowed with menace. Claws extended. Fangs bared. They were ready to strike the moment I made another move.

“Please, don’t do this,” I warned, my voice steady despite the chaos. “I don’t want to hurt anyone. But I will leave this place, whether you like it or not.”

“Kill her.” Marion’s voice sliced through the air like a blade.

My breath caught. I turned to him, heart pounding. “You’re really willing to kill me for her?”

“It is your punishment,” he interrupted coldly. Then to the warriors, “Kill her. Do not let her escape. If she does, every one of you will be branded as traitors to this pack.”

A collective gasp rippled through the crowd. Even the warriors, ready to pounce, faltered. I saw the flicker of hesitation, the conflict in their eyes. But it wasn’t enough. They were bound by Marion’s command, his ability forcing them into obedience.

They began to close in, circling me like predators under the moonlight. But could they really defeat me?

Three werewolves lunged. Their claws aimed for my throat. But I moved before they could reach me, dodging swiftly, landing a meter away before they even realized I was gone.

“Lyra!” Marion roared. “Don’t even think about escaping! One more move, and I swear, I’ll kill your parents!”

My blood turned to ice. I whipped around, and there he was. His hands wrapped around my parents’ throats. They struggled, their eyes wide with terror.

“You bastard!” I snarled, fury erupting from my chest. “Haven’t you done enough?! And now you’re dragging my parents into this?!”

“I’m only doing my duty as Alpha,” he said coolly. “What will the pack think of me if I let a traitor escape?”

“Fine!” I shouted. “Just let my parents go—ugh!” A searing pain tore through my side.

I gasped. My vision blurred as I looked down to see claws embedded deep into my flesh. A cruel laugh echoed behind me.

“Stop resisting, Lyra,” Therese’s venomous voice slithered into my ear as she withdrew her hand, blood staining her nails. “Just accept your death. It’ll be your final gift to me and Marion… before our wedding.”

And that’s when it happened. The fury within me erupted, no longer just rage, but something darker, something ancient. A storm of wrath and power surged through my veins, and I knew I wouldn’t die here. Not like this. Not by their hands.

With the last of my strength, I shoved Therese away, my power fueled by sheer rage and desperation. She flew through the air like a ragdoll, crashing into a massive tree on the far end of the clearing. The impact was brutal. The trunk cracked and then shattered completely, splinters exploding in every direction as she disappeared beneath the avalanche of wood and debris.

A bloodcurdling scream shattered the silence. It was Marion. It was the sound of a man who had just watched everything he built shatter, and for the first time that night, I smiled.

But then, blood erupted from my chest in a hot, gushing surge. I choked and coughed, crimson spilling from my lips. Her claws had pierced my heart. My vision blurred. My knees buckled. Weakness spread through my limbs like poison, but I forced myself to move. To flee. To survive.

I barely escaped the tribunal when the warrior wolves closed on me, their fangs and claws slashing in perfect, ruthless synchronicity. I had trained them and taught them discipline. And now, they tore me to pieces.

I collapsed. Bloodied. Broken. My body was a canvas of wounds, open flesh, and shattered bones. I was drowning in agony, yet it was nothing compared to the searing ache in my chest. My heart—my foolish, trusting heart, was the one thing that hurt the most.

I tasted blood again as I coughed, lifting my gaze to meet theirs. I saw it then, the sadness in their eyes and the hesitation. But still, they did nothing. They couldn’t. Marion’s command bound them more than loyalty ever could.

“Lyra…” Dracob’s voice trembled as he knelt beside me. “If only you hadn’t resisted. If only you had accepted Marion’s punishment... we wouldn’t be here.”

I gave him a bitter, broken smile. Silent tears slipped from his eyes as he stood back up, and I watched as they all turned away from me. Traitors. All of them.

I turned my eyes skyward, my voice little more than a whisper.

“Can I… at least take my last breath here?”

No answer. Just the sound of footsteps fading into the distance.

Why did this happen to me?

I didn’t want to die like this. My tears mixed with the blood on my face, hot and salty. My body had gone numb. I could no longer feel my limbs. But my heart, damn it, my heart still hurt.

Why does it still hurt? Why can I still feel the weight of his betrayal? The burn of their deception?

No! I won’t let this be the end. I refuse to die like this!

Through blurred vision, I stared at the darkened sky above, my bloodshot eyes filled with fury and defiance.

Even if I die tonight… I will come back. I swear on every scar they’ve carved into me. I will return. And when I do, you will all pay—a hundredfold.