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Home / Werewolf / TASTE OF THE CURSED LUNA / Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

All Chapters of TASTE OF THE CURSED LUNA: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

62 Chapters

21

He gave a subtle nod of recognition, a silent tribute to the performance.Then, the stasis of the bus shattered as the collective breath of the initiates returned.“By the Ancestors!” “Incredible!” The cabin erupted into a chorus of howls and whistles.A hand clamped onto mine, shaking it with such vigor I nearly jolted. I looked up to find Daniel, his face split by a wide, radiant beam.“You truly found your claws...”He leaned in, his voice a low vibration meant only for me.I felt as though I were drifting through a dreamscape. It seemed impossible—both high-ranking Alphas offering me such profound validation. Daniel’s reaction I could fathom; he was my joyous, hidden protector. But Lucas? He had smiled at me—not a smirk, but a genuine expression of warmth—and he had initiated a physical touch. I had never seen him bestow that rare, blinding light on any female before. My poor, Hollowed heart felt as though it might burst from the sheer intensity of the moment.Praise rained down f

22

“The warrior who shall be paired with this candidate is… Emily Carter!” Mistress Smith’s voice echoed through the obsidian rafters.The shock was a physical blow.Daniel pivoted in his high chair, a triumphant, blinding grin cutting across his rugged features. That look alone communicated a thousand secrets.“I have tracked your scent through every thicket, Princess… You would be stunned to learn how deeply I have mapped your soul.” I recalled the low vibration of his voice from the messages.When I had doubted their knowledge of our squad, I had foolishly excluded myself from the equation. But he knew me—perhaps better than I knew the wolf hiding within my own skin.Show me then, my protector. Show the Great Packs how clearly you see me!“Emily, synchronize your slate and prepare for the link,” the Mistress commanded.The ritual commenced.The initial six inquiries were trivial, merely testing the memory of the words we had traded over the table earlier. They matched every rune with

23

"What in the Abyss do you think you're doing?" he snarled.Emily frozen. His features were a jagged mask she couldn't read—was it fury, or the panic of a predator whose den had been breached?"I... I was... the water basin..." she stammered. Avoiding the piercing blue of his gaze, she bolted toward the iron font at the edge of the hall.Her skin prickled. Was he tracking her movement? Would he follow her into the shadows? A thousand questions howled for answers, but she didn't dare glance back. It was a grave dishonor to peer at another's runic slate, yet what did it mean when that slate was a shrine to her own face?There was no logical reason for the elite Alpha of the Montgomery line to possess a single image of a Hollowed girl, let alone a gallery that spanned seasons. And the way he had touched the glass... it was a gesture of such raw, silent yearning that it made her head spin. Lucas Montgomery was the frost made flesh—cold, untouchable, and indifferent to the high-born females

24

I paused at the threshold, my heart hammering against my ribs. Was I truly entering an Alpha’s private den? In the Silver-Run Territories, a female—especially one of the Hollowed—never entered a male’s quarters without a binding reason. The weight of the Moonlight Law felt heavy on my shoulders.“Enter, Emily,” Daniel said, a weary, supportive smile gracing his face. He looked utterly drained. My poor protector...Let us resolve this quickly so you can find your furs, Daniel. You have carried enough of my burden for one lunar cycle.Lucas was reclined on his sleeping furs, his runic slate resting atop his powerful thighs.“Daniel and Emily... I hope you both can cast aside the static of the Great Hall. We must harmonize our essence if we are to conquer the dawn,” Daniel said, his gaze shifting between the two of us.Lucas watched me, his expression a jagged obsidian mask. No matter how I tried to suppress it, the memory of those archived images flashed in my mind like a lightning stri

25

The squad collectively determined to convene in the tactical hall after the evening feast, mirroring the previous night’s rhythm.Following the meal, Emily made her way to the obsidian hall, casting a wary scent for the others; she had no desire to be cornered by Lucas again. The memory of his explosive departure yesterday lingered like a frostbite warning. To her relief, only Dean was present, his brow furrowed as he etched runes onto his slate.With her spirit anchored by the silence, she approached their designated table and took her seat.Before long, the rest of the pack arrived, and the air hummed with renewed focus. They labored in a shared trance, the passage of the moons unnoticed.“My marrow is turning to ice,” Adam groaned, stretching his aching limbs.“I am fading as well,” Coal echoed, casting a tentative glance toward Lucas.It was clear the two were flagging under the weight of the runes, though they feared the Alpha’s rebuke for showing weakness.“We have several defen

26

The atmosphere of the previous cycle, fraught with Lucas's biting frost, had shifted within the fortress of Emily's mind. Where once she felt only a stinging resentment for his arrogance, she now carried a flicker of quiet gratitude for the way he had shielded her from Ryan’s venom.Yet, it was Daniel who began to weave himself more tightly into the fabric of her spirit. His warmth was a hearth-fire in the frozen waste of the Academy, radiating a joyful energy that made her feel as though they had walked the ancient forests together since their first winters. Every stolen whisper and brief exchange left her floating in an ethereal bliss. She yearned for the moment the Watcher would finally step out of the shadows and claim her in the light of the moons.Great Mother, let the reveal be swift! I am starving for the truth.She clutched her runic slate to her chest, her mind racing. How could she bridge the distance between Sarah, the Hollowed pariah, and Daniel, the shining star of the A

27

"I suppose grand celebrations have never truly been my preference," Lucas mused, his voice smooth through the digital link. "But the elders have deemed this one essential; I cannot absent myself from the lineage rites. Ordinarily, I would do anything to avoid the spectacle. These formal gatherings are quite stifling, aren't they?""Are they? I wouldn't truly know," Emily replied, her fingers hovering over the runic slate. A pang of bitterness sharpened her scent. In the Silver-Run Territories, the Hollowed were never summoned to the great feasts unless it was to serve the wine or clear the bones. "I have not been invited to enough ceremonies to offer an opinion." Even as she sent the words, she felt the familiar sting of her status. While the elite of the Five Great Packs traded stories of midwinter balls and lunar festivals, she sat in the dark, an invisible ghost in her own home."Forgive me, Princess... I have caused you distress, haven't I?""Do not let it trouble you. It is simpl

28

Hearing that supportive tone, a wave of relief washed over Emily."Yes... I am unharmed," she murmured, disentangling her fingers from the servant’s tunic. She shifted her weight toward Daniel, who anchored her with a look of deep concern.Lucas stood just a step behind him. The Alpha heir was clad in a formal black ceremonial vest that made his presence feel even more imposing. His eyes were fixed on Emily, swirling with a darkness she couldn't identify. He looked too striking to be a creature of flesh and bone.Control your thoughts, Emily. This is hardly the moment to be captivated by him."Pay it no mind. I shall inform the Lodge Master that the error was ours. Tend to the shards," Daniel commanded the waiter, whose scent was still sharp with the tang of terror. Daniel kept a steadying arm around Emily’s waist, his other hand firmly clasping hers. "Steeling your spirit, Emily... there is no cause for shame," he whispered.His resonance was a balm to her frayed nerves.The warmth o

29

The obsidian-clad corridor felt like a frozen grave as Ryan’s eyes locked onto the pearls. "What?" he spat, his voice a low growl of suspicion. "These ocean-stones... you claim to have secured a tribute of this magnitude from a mere clerk’s advance?"Emily’s heart hammered against her ribs, but her mind remained sharp. "They are not true pearls, Ryan," she lied, her voice steady despite the thin air. "I am a Hollowed girl; how could I possess such wealth? They are common river-glass I scavenged from a merchant’s scrap bin." She was becoming far too proficient at weaving deceptions within the Silver-Run Territories.He stared at the necklace for another heartbeat, his predatory gaze unblinking, before he finally released her arm. "Watch your footing, little sister. The ice you walk upon is thinner than you realize," he warned, disappearing into the shadows of the lodge.Emily practically bolted toward the refreshment pavilion, draining a cup of spring water as if she had just survived

30

"That day," she started, her voice trembling like a leaf in a mountain gale. "You left the fortifying draught and the elk-meat on my training station when I stepped away for the Runic trials.""Ah... that morning," Daniel replied, a heavy sigh escaping him.So, he did remember.The confusion roared in her mind like a blizzard. Why would he deny the link now? Was this some cruel sport of the elite? But Daniel’s scent remained grounded, devoid of the sharp tang of deception. He seemed burdened by a truth he wasn't permitted to speak."I merely placed those offerings there because he commanded it of me," Daniel confessed.Emily’s breath hitched. "Commanded? Who has the authority to demand such a thing?""He was watching you from the shadows of the high balcony," Daniel explained, his eyes fixed on the frost-locked path ahead. "He saw that your 'Essence-Aura' was flickering from hunger, yet he knew your pride wouldn't allow you to break your focus. He had urgent matters with the Council o

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