All Chapters of The Luna With Ruin: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

"I, Damoew Herstrong, Alpha of the Strong Black Clan, reject you as my mate and Luna."Jasmina heard the words but couldn't process them. She stood at the edge of the coronation platform, watching Damoew pull Arlene Swinkstrong into a kiss that made the entire hall go silent.Arlene's fingers tangled in his hair. Her body pressed against his like she belonged there.The mate bond tore. Jasmina felt it rip through her chest, a physical wound that no one else could see. Her wolf screamed inside her, clawing to get out, to fight, to make him remember what they were supposed to be.But Damoew didn't even look at her."This woman," he announced, his arm around Arlene's waist, "is stronger, smarter, and more worthy of leading beside me. Jasmina Lesvendstrong is weak. She's always been weak."The crowd erupted. Elders shouted in protests. Pack members who'd known Jasmina since childhood stared in shock. Hardy Armstrong, the oldest elder, stepped forward with his staff raised."Alpha, this vi

Theo returned the next night with information that changed everything.He waited until the other guards finished their rotation, until the dungeon fell silent except for the drip of wate. Then he crouched outside Jasmina's cell, his face tight with anger."My sister's name was Elara," he said without preamble. "Three years ago, Alpha Damoew summoned her to his chambers. Told her she'd make a good mistress. She was only nineteen."Jasmina listened, her chains clinking softly as she shifted position."Elara refused. Said she was waiting for her mate, that she wouldn't dishonor herself like that." Theo's jaw clenched. "Damoew called her defiant. Said she was disrespecting his authority as Alpha. He exiled her the next morning. There was no chance to defend herself. Nobody even listened to her own side of the story.""I'm sorry," Jasmina said quietly."Don't be sorry. Be angry." Theo pulled something from his pocket—a scrap of fabric, singed at the edges. He held it up to the torchlight.

Jasmina and Theo are now in the rotten smelling tunnel.Theo's torch threw shadows on the walls. Jasmina followed him, stumbling every few steps. The silver cuffs on her wrists burned straight through to bone. He'd tried to pick the locks but couldn't manage it.The baby hadn't moved in over an hour."We're close," Theo said. "Another ten minutes and we'll be…"Then a growling sound cut him off. As they looked closer, they saw yellow eyes in the edges. Dozens of them, surrounding them from all sides.Theo drew his knife and yelled... "Run!"A gray wolf the size of a horse slammed into him before he could finish. He went down hard, his head cracking against the tunnel wall. The torch fell and rolled away.And on the other hand, another wolf’s claws caught Jasmina's shoulder and threw her sideways. She landed on her bad arm and screamed. The fall made aaathe silver cuffs dug deeper."Stop." A voice commanded and all the wolves froze.A woman walked into the torchlight. Scars covered hal

Lyanna returned to the cave three hours before dawn, dragging a body wrapped in cloth. Theo followed behind her, his face pale. "Is that…?" Jasmina started. "Darren Moltstrong. He died twenty minutes ago." Lyanna laid the body down carefully. "The silver poisoning finally stopped his heart. I didn't have to do anything." Jasmina stared at the wrapped form. Somehow that made it worse. "We need to move fast," Lyanna said. "Rigor mortis sets in within two hours. The body has to be positioned in your cell before it stiffens, or the guards will know something's wrong." Theo knelt beside the body. "How do we make this look like her?" "We don't. Not completely." Lyanna started unwrapping the cloth. "The fall into the furnace will destroy most identifying features. But we need her scent on the body. And her blood." She pulled out a knife and looked at Jasmina. "Just a few drops on his clothes," Lyanna said. "Enough that the guards will smell you when they investigate." Jasmina held

Arlene's ritual chamber was hidden beneath the packhouse library, accessible only through a concealed door behind the philosophy section.She'd spent three hours preparing. Salt circles. Blood runes. Candles arranged in specific patterns. Everything exactly as her mother's journal instructed.The transfer spell required precise timing. The mother had to be dead. The baby's soul had to be unanchored. And the new vessel had to be willing to receive it.Arlene was more than willing.She stood in the center of the circle, naked except for the ceremonial markings painted on her skin. Her hands shook slightly as she began the chant."*Sanguis ad sanguinem. Anima ad animam.*"Blood to blood. Soul to soul.The candles flickered. Dark energy swirled around her, responding to her call. She felt the magic building, growing stronger with each repeated phrase."*Fetus non natus, veni ad me.*"Unborn child, come to me.She reached out with her power, searching for Jasmina's baby. The soul should be