๋ก๊ทธ์ธ๊ณต์
Chapter 20: Escaping Reality
์ต์ ์
๋ฐ์ดํธ:
2024-09-24 23:28:24
๊ด๋ จ ์ฑํฐ
Under the Shadow of the Moonย ย ย Chapter 21: Rising From The Ashes
Delaney Paola eyes me through the mirror as she dries her hair. She's just gotten out of the shower, and it's my turn next. "Ingrid told me the strangest thing, you know.""What?" I ask as I pull my clothes off and climb inside the bathtub. The shower curtain is made of plastic, and it's parted slightly. I turn the water on and sigh in relief and gratitude as it gets warm. I stand under the spray of water, and the water saturates my hair entirely before running down my body. "She told me she used to be mean to me because she had a huge crush on me," she states before giggling. "Can you imagine that?""I guess it makes sense," I comment. "I felt the same way," she claims. "I guess it was just an immature thing for her to do, but she apologized and it's over now. I didn't think I'd forgive her as quickly as I did, but it happened."I grab the bar of soap and start to scrub my body. It has a hint of vanilla scent. I breathe it in as I lather the soap between my hands, and Paola keeps
์ต์ ์
๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2024-09-25Under the Shadow of the Moonย ย ย Chapter 22: Offer
Delaney Pollux walks ahead of the two of us, and stands in front of us, almost like heโs acting like a shield between us and this predatory looking man. Behind him, Ingrid looks like she might be sick, and the look she gives us is apologetic. I donโt know whatโs going on, but I donโt like how the suspense is making me feel nauseous while at the same time, making me feel like I should run far away from this place. โWhatโs going on?โ Pollux asks, his voice thick with command. Ingrid takes a shaky breath, and says, โThis is Matteo, and heโs just leaving.โ โNo, no, no,โ Matteo says in that same deep voice that cuts through the air. A wicked smile is curving his lips, and he gives all three of us a good look. โThis is what we need, like I told you. You three believe in the cause, donโt you? Youโre rebels.โ Nobody answers his question, and he steps closer to us in response before saying, โMy name is Matteo, like Ingrid said, and Iโm the head of the rebel force up here. We do th
์ต์ ์
๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2024-09-25Under the Shadow of the Moonย ย ย Chapter 23: A Flash of Red
AlecI straighten my bow tie in front of the mirror, and Carla appears behind me and wraps her arms around my waist. โYouโre a sight,โ she says with a soft smile. Ever since our argument yesterday, sheโs been in a much better mood. I guess itโs because I lied to her about Delaney, and now, sheโs more assured about our relationship and the way I feel about her. None of this is honorable. Itโs merely necessary. I hate having to lie to her, but I canโt tell her the truth. The situation in itself is just downright tragic. She has always loved meโsince high school, to be preciseโand my mind has been on the redheaded Omega that paid for my crime since the day we found out that we were mates. My feelings havenโt changed since, not even after the rejection.The same protective feeling that overpowered me when I saw Trevor trying to kill her is still within me, forcing me to protect her from these people who want to see her dead. And I canโt tell this to anyone. Itโs my cross to bear. I
์ต์ ์
๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2024-09-25Under the Shadow of the Moonย ย ย Chapter 24: Disbelief
DelaneySo far, the night has been calm and pretty uneventful, at least for me. Iโm being kept in the sidelines; Iโm here mostly to fill the shoes of someone else, so not a lot of duties are expected from me. Matteo made sure of that. We were to steer clear of the main room; Pollux has other duties that donโt involve us, and of course, he didnโt mention what they were. Heโs mysterious like that, and hates to give explanations about what heโs doing. Paola and I are keeping a close eye on each other. We mostly just fill trays with canapรฉโs and then send them out, even though weโre in waiting uniform. The mask covers my face pretty well, but I havenโt found a way to cover my hair. The worst part is that Iโm the only redhead among the servants, so that does complicate things a little bit. Even so, I try not to be nervous about it. Itโs unlikely that anyone will look too closely at me. Why would they?Iโm just a simply Omega. Nobody ever looks twice at us. Knowing that the bomb will e
์ต์ ์
๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2024-09-25Under the Shadow of the Moonย ย ย Chapter 25: Explosion
DelaneyAlec is dragging me toward the kitchen, where the lights are flickering on and off. Dust and debris billows in thick clouds, and the ground beneath my feet continues to vibrate. Iโm choking on the dust particles suspended in the air, and itโs stinging my eyes, too. We make it to the exit, where hours ago, Paola and I entered the building through. When we step outside, where the air is clean, thatโs when I remember my best friend. For some reason, I completely forgot about her while the building was collapsing all around us. Iโll blame it on the panic, and also the shock of being face to face with my greatest enemy. But I have to go back inside. I have to find her. I take a few steps forward and Alec holds my arm again. I whirl around to face him angrily, and tear my arm from his grip. โWhat are you doing!?โ he asks angrily in a low voice. โAre you trying to go back inside? Is it death youโre looking for?โโLet go of me!โ I command. โIf youโre not going to kill me or have
์ต์ ์
๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2024-09-25Under the Shadow of the Moonย ย ย Chapter 26: Having To Choose
DelaneyThe silence in the tattoo parlor is almost stifling, but things get better once Pollux wakes up. The mood just lightens, and even Iโm glad that the bastard is alive. He rubs his eyes and looks around the room quickly, assessing his surroundings and giving each of us a look before nodding. โGood. Youโre all here, so that means that none of you are dead.โโWhat happened?โ I canโt help but ask. Pollux shakes his head as he tries to sit up. He winces at whatever pain he feels, and continues. โThat guy lied to us when he said that the bomb was only meant to scare people.โโWhy wouldnโt he tell us the truth?โ Paola asks. โIt doesnโt make any sense.โโIt does, actually,โ I tell her. Iโve figured this out while Pollux was asleep, but decided to keep my thoughts to myself until now. โHe wanted people to participate. For the plan to work, there had to be enough Omegas to serve them. Who would join his side if they knew thereโd be the possibility that theyโd die?โPollux nods. โExactly
์ต์ ์
๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2024-09-26Under the Shadow of the Moonย ย ย Chapter 27: New Rules
AlecWhat a mess this whole event has turned out to be. Thankfully, most of the members of my pack were alive. Three men did get seriously hurt during the explosionโone lost a legโbut from my side, there werenโt many casualties. Alpha Fredrick, however, has lost quite a number of people, the most tragic one being the death of his daughter. War has been announced. I was there when it happened, and I had to sign the treaty that we would open fire against the rebellion. As one of the three Alphas, I canโt overlook what happened here. The rebellion has never taken things this far. Iโm blown away by the severity of their actions. This explosion was brutal and cowardly; there were children present during the wedding reception. Innocents have gotten hurt. This canโt be overlooked. โAlpha Alec,โ I hear Alpha Jason say behind me. โCould we speak for a moment?โI tear my eyes away from the rubble, and follow him to a more secluded area so we can have a word in private. We rarely have priv
์ต์ ์
๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2024-09-27Under the Shadow of the Moonย ย ย Chapter 28: The Decision
DelaneyThe rest of the day is really quiet, and I find myself alone for most of the time. I guess everyone else is trying to reach within themselves for answers. This isn't a simple decision to make. It has plenty of consequences, and getting caught means that we could die. Even if Paola and Pollux decide to join the rebel army, that doesn't mean that I have to, and the opposite is also true. This is my life here and shouldn't be tied to anyone else's decision. That was the decision I made after leaving the prison, but I've been sucked into that world now, and honestly, I don't find any of this bad, and maybe that makes me a bad person. I want freedom. Running away to a place where I'll still be kept under the ranks for being Omega won't give me that freedom that I need to feel fulfilled. This is where the change happens, and it'll be the only chance I'll ever get to do something significant with my life. This is it. The ultimate war. If I have any hope of making a difference, i
์ต์ ์
๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2024-09-28
์ต์ ์ฑํฐ
Under the Shadow of the Moonย ย ย Epilogue 2
AlecI wake up suddenly, in the middle of the night. Itโs another one of those nightmares that make my fucking ankle burn like shit. I sit up, reaching for it in hopes that itโll remember to stop hurting, and thatโs when I realize that Delaney isnโt in bed beside me like she has been for the past seven years. โDelaney?โ I say loudly. โHere,โ I hear her say. Sheโs standing near the balcony, which I only realize now is open. The curtains are billowing in the wind, covering her from view. I get out of bed, and limp to where sheโs standing. She turns to look at me, and fuck, my heart stops beating for a moment. Sheโs never not stolen my breath from me. Snatched it right out of my lungs. โWhatโs wrong, baby?โ I ask her as I approach her. โJust thinking,โ she says as she turns to face me. She places her hands on either side of me, and I inch closer to her and kiss her lips. โI didnโt mean to wake you,โ she says. โNo, it wasnโt you, it was my foot,โ I explain briefly. I then pay clos
Under the Shadow of the Moonย ย ย Epilogue 1
DelaneyAlec comes up behind me, his arms circling my waist. It startles me because I was so deep in my thoughts that I completely forgot that he was somewhere behind me. All I can think about is the election that will start in about twenty minutes. Weโll be late if we donโt leave the house now. โYou okay?โ he asks while placing a tender kiss along my jawline. I find it in me to smile at him. โNever been better.โโItโs finally happening,โ he claims as he steps back. I turn around to face him, and he hops back on his one good foot to circle my waist with his arms again. โI hope thatโs not sadness I see in your eyes.โโNo, Iโm just thinking,โ I admit. The memories claw at the edges of my mind as Alecโs arms tighten around my waist. His warmth anchors me in the present, but itโs not enough to silence the ghosts of the past. Faces flash before my eyesโpeople we lost, friends who sacrificed everything, moments drenched in pain and blood.But here we are. The war is over. We won.It doe
Under the Shadow of the Moonย ย ย Chapter 118: The Real Rebel Army
Alec Delaney. No. Pain courses through me, thick and intent to kill. She shouldnโt be here. When I realized she wasnโt in the car that came speeding down the road, I was relieved. But now sheโs here, with the few other rebels who came here to save me. I donโt know what is going on. โAh,โ the sick fuck next to me says. He has his eyes on Delaney. On my girl. And the gleam in his eyes is twisted. โMiss Renner. Youโve finally joined us. I thought youโd never come.โAt the sound of the manโs voice, her face completely transforms. She appears fierce. Ready. A warrior. My heart swells with pride, then shrinks with fear in the same beat. โYouโll unhand him,โ she says, stepping into the role of a rebel leader swiftly. Seamlessly. โOr, weโre going to rain bullets down on you. On all of you.โThe man laughs, and the crowd gasps. I stare at her face, and pray to the goddess that she wonโt die here, right before my eyes. Thatโll kill me faster than the silver will. โHow typical of rebe
Under the Shadow of the Moonย ย ย Chapter 117: Pushing Forward
Delaney I drive around in circles, and nothing springs to mind. I don't find Alec, nor do I figure out what to do. I even drive all the way to our pack, and nothing. I think it's ridiculous for me to assume that I'd find information on him so quickly. Who would tell me? How would I just know? I guess what made me run so fast was the need to get away from Pollux. The fact that he'd hated on me for so long simply because I hadn't recognized him as my mate means a lot. He was always toxic and problematic, but at least I didn't fall for his schemes. I have this distinct feeling that tonight, everything is about to change. Thinking about Alec makes me cry. If it weren't for Pollux, he would've been safe. He doesn't deserve whatever will happen to him. He's a good person and all he ever tried to do was help us. I feel so responsible. Now, I don't know where to find the others or why they even left the camp to begin with, and I have no clue where to find Alec.I've never felt so lost
Under the Shadow of the Moonย ย ย Chapter 116: The Trap
Alec When I open my eyes, I realize that Iโm in a very bright room. Thatโs the first thing. The second thing is that thereโs someone standing right next to me. On my right, to be precise. I look up and see the man from earlier. Heโs peering down at me with disdain written all over his face. When he sees that Iโm awake, he smiles a little and asks me, โReady for whatโs to come?โI look down at my body and realize that Iโm still in wolf form. Pain immediately shoots down my paw when I try to move, and a growl leaves my lips. Iโm chained to a metal table, and I have to way of moving without feeling a crippling kind of pain. โYes, I think you are,โ he claims. Before I know it, the table starts to move and Iโm being wheeled out. The sharp screech of metal grates in my ears as the table wheels over the polished floor. Because all my senses are sharper in this form, I see and hear a lot better, so these little sounds while Iโm disoriented are too loud and obnoxious in my ear. But not
Under the Shadow of the Moonย ย ย Chapter 115: Clarity
Delaney โHow!?โ I yell as I continue punching his chest. โHow could you have done such a thing!? HOW!?โPollux takes the punches and doesnโt say anything. I grow angrier with his sudden silence, and punch him even harder. After a while, my arms start to hurt and my throat grows hoarse from all the screaming. I step back, and let my arms drop to my sides. By the goddess. What the hell is happeningHow did things take such a terrible turn in a matter of hours?I realize that Iโm screaming in the streets while people are driving and walking by, and that somehow, I lost my beanie. My hair is out, red and wild, but I couldโve give a shit less about that. Alec has been captured. Everything has gone to shit. Shit, shit, shit.A strangled sound leaves my throat as I try not to cry. I canโt cry now. I have to use this anger to focus on what the hell Iโm going to do. I bite my knuckles and think deeply. Where could they have taken Alec? โDelaney,โ Pollux has the audacity to say. โYouโre not
Under the Shadow of the Moonย ย ย Chapter 114: Evil Confession
Delaney Upon reaching the bar, I find it empty. The doors are barricaded and it looks like there hasnโt been anyone in here for a while. The windows are broken, and when I peer inside, everything is covered in dust. Whatโs worse is that I donโt even see footprints, so I know that nobody was in here. They arenโt here. Iโve wasted my time coming all the way here. Bile rises up my throat, and I have to throw up on the side of the road, right next to Cadeโs car. I donโt feel better afterward. Instead, this has made me more nauseous. I donโt have much left inside of me, though, just breakfast from earlier. I get in the car, and shut the door. I run my fingers through my hair as wave after wave of despair crash into me. I pull my knees up to my chest and rest my forehead against the steering wheel as despair takes hold of me. This wasnโt supposed to happen. They were supposed to be here. I hoped theyโd be. Iโd imagined walking through those doors and finding themโsafe, together, alive.
Under the Shadow of the Moonย ย ย Chapter 113: Captured
Alec It doesnโt take me long to find out that there will be a raid in a newly discovered rogue camp not too far from the city. They were hidden in the middle of nowhere, but someone leaked the information and now, everyone will be headed there when the sun sets. I have a feeling deep inside of me that Delaney is in that camp, and I now regret telling her not to tell me the address of where she was staying. That way, Iโd be sure.Fuck. That doesnโt mean I canโt call her though. I tell myself that as soon as I can, Iโll give her a call and ask for her exact location. Right now, Iโm just waiting for this meeting to end. I notice that the hall is uncommonly empty, which makes me wonder where the hell everyone else is. Where have they gone? Iโm not in the state of mind to ask, though. Carlaโs burial was meant to be today, but Iโve asked for them to cremate her instead. Iโll keep the ashes at home andโฆI donโt know. I donโt know what Iโll do with them. So much is going on. I donโt have
Under the Shadow of the Moonย ย ย Chapter 112: Empty Lands
DelaneySaying goodbye to Alec is always a bittersweet moment. This time, itโs more bitter than it is sweet. He drops me off near the car, and after saying goodbye to each other for the hundredth time, I start making my way back to the rebel camp. At least now I know that we have Alecโs support. What happens next canโt be predicted by anyone, weโll just have to wait and see. And keep fighting, of course. I hope I wonโt find the group as demoralized as they were last night. I come bearing good news, I hope. I hope itโll cheer them up. Weโll see.The drive back feels longer than it should. Maybe itโs the silence in the car. The rebels donโt exactly have state-of-the-art vehicles, and the rumbling engine is loud enough to drown out my thoughts if I let it. But my brain insists on working overtime, replaying Alecโs words over and over again.I clench the steering wheel tighter, his words curling like smoke in my mind. Iโve never felt this desperate, not even when I was in the prison.
