All Chapters of The Luna With Ruin: Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

One week after Damoew left, Jasmina held her first official Alpha council meeting.The council chamber was smaller than she remembered. Or maybe she just felt smaller sitting in the Alpha's chair. Damoew's chair. Now hers.Eight elders sat around the long table. Jetstar at her right hand. Six others whose names she was still learning. And one empty seat where Hardy Armstrong used to sit."First order of business," Jetstar began. "The Fernwood family and the Blackstone family are disputing territory along the eastern border. Both claim the same hunting grounds."Jasmina looked at the two family representatives standing at the back of the room. Both middle-aged males. Both looking at her with barely concealed skepticism."Explain," she said.Marcus Fernwood stepped forward. "Alpha, my family has hunted those woods for three generations. The Blackstones know this.""The border was never officially marked," Tomas Blackstone countered. "We've used those woods just as long.""That's a lie."

Two weeks into her reign as Alpha Supreme, Jasmina received disturbing news from the border patrols. "They crossed three times this week," the patrol leader, a wolf named Stefan, reported. "Always the same excuse. 'We didn't realize we'd crossed the border.'" Jasmina sat in the Alpha's office, reviewing maps. The River Stone Clan territory bordered theirs to the west. A long, winding border that had been peaceful for decades. "Three times in one week isn't accidental," Jetstar said. "No, it's not." Jasmina traced the border on the map. "What were they doing when you caught them?" "Hunting. Scouting. One group claimed they were just 'passing through.'" Stefan's jaw tightened. "They weren't aggressive. But they weren't apologetic either." "Did they submit when confronted?" "Eventually. But it took longer than it should have. Like they were testing how far they could push before we

The storm hit on Damoew's third week in the Outcast Lands.Wind tore through the camp like claws. Rain hammered the tents. Thunder shook the ground.Damoew woke to water pouring through his leaking tent. Again. He'd learned to sleep on the driest corner of his mat.Outside, wolves were shouting. Scrambling to secure supplies before they blew away.He emerged into chaos.Three tents had collapsed completely. Food storage was flooding. The central fire pit had turned into a muddy lake."Get the supplies under cover!" Dax yelled over the wind. "Save what you can!"Damoew ran to help without being asked. Grabbed crates of preserved meat. Hauled them to the covered storage area.Other wolves were doing the same. Moving fast. Working together.No one told him to help. No one thanked him for helping either.He just worked.For two hours, they fought the storm. Secured everything they could. T

Theo had been searching the Outcast Lands for two weeks. Every camp. Every settlement. Every lone wolf they encountered. "Have you seen Elara Walstrong? Female. Mid-twenties. Dark hair. Exiled three years ago." Most said no. Some said maybe. None had concrete information. Until they reached a camp on the fourteenth day. It was small. Maybe ten wolves. All older. All keeping to themselves. The camp elder, a woman named Marta, studied Theo carefully when he asked his question. "Elara Walstrong," she repeated. "Why are you looking for her?" "I'm her brother. I have a pardon from our Alpha. Her exile has been nullified." "Convenient timing. Three years of exile and suddenly it's nullified?" "Our Alpha is new. She's trying to right old wrongs." Theo pulled out the official pardon scroll. "This is legitimate." Marta examined i

Five weeks into exile, Damoew thought he was making progress. Oliver spoke to him regularly now. Sometimes even ate meals sitting next to him instead of three feet away. Two other outcasts had started accepting his help with daily tasks. Nothing major. Just small acknowledgments that he existed. It wasn't forgiveness. But it was something. Then Marcus destroyed it all. It happened during the evening meal. The entire camp gathered around the fire. Sharing food and stories. Damoew sat on the outer edge as usual. Oliver beside him. They were talking about hunting strategies. Marcus appeared out of nowhere. "You," he said, pointing at Damoew. "Stand up." Damoew stood. "Marcus, I…" The punch caught him across the jaw. Stars exploded in his vision. "You exiled my daughter," Marcus said. His voice was cold. Controlled. "For def