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Chapter 75: The Claiming
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2024-10-30 18:51:19
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Under the Shadow of the Moonย ย ย Chapter 76: Long Live
Delaney With a racing heart, I make it outside. For some reason, I look over my shoulder to ensure that Alec isn't right behind me. He isn't, and I sigh in relief. I stand in the dark and watch as people run up and down the cramped passageway. If I walk out now, it might be suspicious, and they can't find Alec. Not a chance. I don't know where this protectiveness over him came from, but now that it's here, there's no turning back. Something between us has changed, and we will never go back to what we were. My legs are still shaking from the pleasure he's given me, and I can taste myself in my mouth. My head is spinning, so much that I grab the wall of the house to stand upright. I take a few steps, and focus on breathing. They continue to rush past me with torches in their hands. I feel bad for giving them so much trouble, but I have to be mindful and careful, and not make anyone suspicious about where I truly was. I'd told Pollux that I was going to the bathroom, but I probably
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2024-10-30Under the Shadow of the Moonย ย ย Chapter 77: Curse or Blessing
AlecThe exit is as free as it was when I first got here, thank fuck, as I make my way down the dark, narrow tunnel. I run my hand along the rough stone wall, ensuring that Iโm going the right way. All the tunnels tend to be interconnected, and when I got here, I almost got lost, but Iโve always had a good memory, so I make my way through be right tunnel.When I reach my destination and push the trapdoor open, the faint scent of lavender and those pungent herbs fills the air. Anna is behind the counter, a pile of ancient-looking books spread before her. She glances at me, her face severe even though a smile flickers over her face. โYou look haunted,โ she says, a hint of amusement in her voice as I brush the dust off my shirt. I grab my coat from the hanger right next to the trap door, and shrug it on. โHaunted?โ I lean against the counter, glancing down at the mess of trinkets and dried plants. โWhy do you say so?โShe raises a brow, closing one of the books with a snap. โReading p
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2024-10-30Under the Shadow of the Moonย ย ย Chapter 78: Speeches
DelaneyA meeting is held to introduce me to the world as the daughter of Tobias Renner.Throughout the whole meeting, Iโm silent. I let Matteo take the lead. To be honest, I donโt quite know what to do with this newfound admiration that Iโm seeing in peopleโs eyes. Almost everyone is treating me differently, and I donโt see it in a bad way, but itโs quite overwhelming. The only person whoโs treating me the same is Pollux, and of course, Paola. Theyโre seated in the crowd at the bar now, staring at me. Iโm seated next to Matteo, and heโs giving a huge speech about my father and what his beliefs were. The whole time, Iโm thinking about whether or not Alec left. Iโm almost tempted to go and check, but itโll attract too much attention if I do go there and someone sees me. โโฆso, let us continue to remember Tobias Renner, and keep him in our hearts for the sacrifices he made. Little did he know that the world would always have a reminder of him, and that his own daughter, not knowing w
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2024-10-30Under the Shadow of the Moonย ย ย Chapter 79: The Stalkerโs Identity
DelaneyI race to the spot, feeling somewhat nervous. I make sure to look around before stepping into the darkness. The passageway is completely vacant, so Iโm not spotted by anyone. I donโt feel any presence in the dark, but in any case, I say, โAlec?โNo answer. I decide to step even closer to the open window, and then peer at it. Itโs too dark for me to see a thing, so I call his name again. No answer. I take this as a sign that heโs gone. Otherwise, why wouldnโt he answer me? I choose to believe that heโs safe because thinking the opposite makes me way too paranoid for my own good. I start to turn back, breathing a lot easier, but then I hear a familiar voice calling my name, and no, it isnโt Alecโs. I turn around, and see the manโmy stalkerโclimbing out the window. The sight of him there fills me with dread all of a sudden, but I try to regain my composure. โYou,โ I say. He steps closer to me, though I can only see the outline of his body and not his face. Suddenly, it all
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2024-10-31Under the Shadow of the Moonย ย ย Chapter 80: Finding The Address
DelaneyโWhere were you?โ Pollux asks when I open the door. Paola and Cade arenโt in the living room anymore, so I assume that theyโre in the room. โOh, I just wandered around,โ I reveal. Thereโs no way that Iโll be able to tell them about my father. Goddess, I can hardly believe it myself. โBut youโre feeling better?โ he asks. โYeah, way better,โ I lie. I donโt feel better than I did earlier. In fact, I might be feeling worse. My fatherโs words are sinking in with quickness, and theyโre blending in with Alecโs words. But how can I step away from all of this now? People are counting on me. Even Matte is deriving inspiration from this. What about what I believe in?I want to fight for this. I felt fulfilled. I understand that this is a movement that could change the lives of many people. I was happy doing it. I canโt and wonโt change my mind just because people are telling me to. I still havenโt changed my mind. But maybe I have to sleep on it. Pollux leans against the door, gra
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2024-10-31Under the Shadow of the Moonย ย ย Chapter 81: The Meetup
Alec Seeing Delaney makes my heart beat out of my fucking chest. She made it. She actually made it. The whole morning, Iโve been thinking about whether or not we should have made a better plan. How would she find her way to me when she could have ended up taking one of the hatches on the other side of the Underworld? She wouldโve ended up on the other side of the city. But I trusted that she might show up here. Something stronger than me made me stay, and itโs times like these that make me realize that thereโs a higher force guiding us all. We were meant to meet today. Iโve been thinking about last night nonstop. When we finally reach each other, her steps slow and so do mine. I keep my eyes on her face, though, taking in every little part of her. Her eyes. Her lips. Her nose. Everything. I commit it all to memory. โYou made it,โ I tell her.โYeah,โ she replies breathlessly. โIt was by some miracle that I found this place.โGoddess knows how much I want to pull her close to me
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2024-10-31Under the Shadow of the Moonย ย ย Chapter 82: Heartwarming Words
DelaneyThings escalate quickly after that. Before I know it, Alec is pressing his lips against mine and kissing me deeply. I feel each stroke of his tongue in my mouth in my core. Alec kisses me like Iโm the music precious thing in the world to him. His kiss is hot and passionate, leaving me a little lightheaded because of all the oxygen it robs from my lungs. My fingers dig into his sides while he devours me with his mouth, and for a moment, I let go of all my worries. Everything that stresses me out is pushed to the back of my mind, and I prepare myself emotionally and physically for what will soon transpire between us. My core tightens with the anticipation. Alec breaks the kiss to peer into my eyes, and I swear that this is more sexy and intense than the kiss itself. He looks at me like he canโt believe Iโm here. I stare back at him, drinking him in. โBeautiful,โ he says before running his fingers down my face. โYouโre beautiful, Waters.โโItโs Renner now,โ I say, wanting to
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2024-10-31Under the Shadow of the Moonย ย ย Chapter 83: The First Time
Delaney After I say the words, he and I share another heated kiss and this time, Alec climbs on top of me to kiss me even deeper than before. He leaves me breathless with his kisses while tears continue to run down my face. I canโt believe he told me he loved me, but what affected me so much werenโt the words, per se. It was the sincerity in his eyes. He spoke with an honesty Iโve never heard before. Not once. He loves me. Dammit, I think I love him, too. This feeling in my chest that keeps growing and expanding and taking up so much space inside of me has to be love. I think Iโve loved him from the moment we first shared a kiss right under this roof. Unfortunately, he burst the bubble for us both, drawing us back to reality, but that feeling lingered, thatโs pretty evident. This feeling in my chest, itโs like a wild, blooming thing that refuses to be tamed. It grows and expands, stretching to fill every inch of me, until it feels like I might burst from it. Itโs inescapable, thi
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2024-10-31
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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.
