Semua Bab The Demoted Luna : Bab 31 - Bab 40

Darren's POV The garden was one of the few places in the entire packhouse that still allowed me to think without interruption, because beyond the stone walls and disciplined guards, there was only wind moving through trimmed hedges and the distant sound of training drills that felt far enough away to belong to another world entirely.I sat at the stone table with a stack of documents spread neatly in front of me, each one carrying updates from patrol routes, supply counts, and border surveillance reports that I had already read twice but still could not fully commit to setting aside, because in times like this repetition meant survival and overlooking even a small detail had cost more than one pack dearly in the past.The cup of tea beside me was untouched.I was not in the mood for it.Or at least that was what I told myself.Footsteps approached from behind me with a familiarity that did not require confirmation, and I did not turn immediately because there were very few people who

Nia’s POV The moment I stepped out of my quarters, the air felt wrong in a way I could not ignore, because even though the corridors looked the same and the guards still stood in their usual positions, there was a tension beneath it all that moved quietly, like something unseen pressing against the walls and waiting to break through if given the slightest opportunity.My steps were steady as I made my way toward the great hall, though my mind was anything but calm, because what I had just confirmed in that pail of water was not a coincidence and it was not something that could be delayed or handled slowly without consequences that would spread faster than anyone in this pack was prepared for.When I reached the great hall, I immediately saw Narek standing beside the head physician, both of them deep in discussion with expressions that carried concern they were not attempting to hide.They noticed me at the same time.Both of them straightened immediately.“Lady Nia,” they said in unis

Nia's POV I did not stop running until the walls of the packhouse were far behind me, until the familiar scent of home was replaced completely by the wild scent of the forest, thick and grounding, yet unable to calm the storm raging inside my chest.My breath came out uneven, my vision blurring not because I could not see, but because tears would not stop falling no matter how hard I tried to steady myself, and every step I took only seemed to drag more memories to the surface, memories I had buried so deeply that I had convinced myself they no longer had the power to affect me.I was wrong.My hands trembled slightly as I slowed down, my feet finally coming to a stop near a cluster of trees where the shadows stretched long and the air felt cooler, my body leaning forward slightly as I tried to catch my breath, but it was not the running that made it difficult.It was everything else.“I did not do it,” I whispered, though there was no one around to hear me.The words sounded hollow

Nia's POV The air felt wrong the moment I veered off the main path and forced myself into the narrow trail that twisted between thick trees and low hanging branches, because everything around me carried a scent that did not belong to this forest, and I could feel it settling under my skin in a way that made my chest tighten as I kept moving forward even when every instinct was telling me to turn back and run.Because I had already seen enough to know that whatever was hidden here was not something I could ignore, and even as my feet moved faster against the uneven ground, my fingers curled tightly around the rough bark of a fallen branch that I picked up without hesitation, testing its weight briefly before gripping it firmly as a weapon.My breathing came out uneven as I pushed forward, my ears straining to catch every sound, every shift in the air, every whisper of movement that did not belong.I turned sharply, my body already moving before my mind could fully process it, but it w

Nia's POV I did not move immediately after Narek agreed to keep silent, even though the weight of what I was about to do pressed heavily against my chest, because there was no turning back once I began, and I needed that brief moment to steady my breath and prepare myself for what I knew would follow.My eyes remained on Torin as I reached out slowly, brushing my fingers lightly against his arm, the warmth of his skin still there but faint, as though it was slipping away bit by bit, and my jaw tightened at the thought.“You do not get to leave,” I whispered under my breath, my voice low and firm even though it trembled slightly. “Not when you still have people who need you.”His chest rose slowly.I straightened, forcing myself to step back before my emotions could take control, because what I needed now was clarity, not hesitation.“Narek,” I called quietly.“I am here,” he responded immediately, stepping closer, his eyes searching my face as though trying to read my decision before