COME BACK TO ME DEAR LUNA

ia'

robbing with pain. With each heartbeat, a wave of betray

ints but quickly gave up, r

with an air of confidence and elegance,

lips slightly parted-she looked like she'd already claime

im with a reverence that made him seem almost divi

y, her voice trembling as if she unders

hough everything inside me screamed

down, the lace clinging to he

her, his expression u

his voice calm yet cold,

as if summoned by

nd he didn't even react. And I was forced to

and of something sacred. A bo

here I was, bound and powerless, watching him take

ing hints of uncertainty, her bro

e he was creating a piece of art. But there

e clai

desperate, her cries echoing through my min

with every sound, every cry sh

himpered, her voice haunting. "H

asting blood as I

hem see me break

movement, each touch shattered a piece

down, as though he sensed so

s eyes wandered, d

's pain? But just as quickly, he looke

nside me snapped-a cold, firm

thy of his title or the

rem

out a word, dismissing

e ordered. "You

with her head down, as if feelin

e meet my gaze, though I was burn

edging my presence with a gaze empty

the dungeon,"

by, glanced at him with

n you," he muttered

my heart like a blade. Adel, once his fr

he cold, damp dungeon, lo

alone in the silence, crus

the anger grow, filling

th rose within me, the ancient power o

me powers-gifts tha

nd Mar's will until the chains broke. I s

ape, but I

uld make

regret ev

☆☆☆☆☆☆

rt

dream-or vision, nightmare, wha

tened further as I heard her voic

ss. "Why did you mistreat your own Luna, you

e was fierce, her eyes

e her accusations, but my voic

r mother kille

o me, a mix of p

, to betray her, to lead her to ruin,"

with more bitterne

he's Melissa's daughter. Blood c

row in her expression, almost pi

ispered. "You've sur

crept through me,

t her know the truth twisting inside. I ha

pered, my pride breaki

shook her head slowly, as if

roken her spirit when you cho

ike a stone, bur

into ruin. This is the

d, leaving a silence s

My hands shook, but I forced them

muttered, desperate

"Come in," I barked, ea

entered, pale and tense. He lo

aria is

ned inside me, a chill

u mean, 'mi

☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

rt

ia's

l balcony, staring out over the t

ied to bury here in Callaway City. Four months. Four months since I escaped Alpha Noleen, leav

o sweet, but in reali

delicate, as insubstantial as gossamer. I was living for mys

me first. My li

e cold metal of the r

th, feeling the city's pulse sync with my own. I had built a routine here, a shaky

but in many ways, not a

king my thoughts. "Girl! Are yo

snapping out

it somewhere," I mut

her arms, han

Planning to be the only bart

hroom, catching her exaggerated eye-roll in

ays urging me forward, even when I w

s if we're late," she

voice laced with sass,

tapping her foot, but a

y bag, and we headed

t reckless. Seline smirk

Paul's spinning tonigh

ayed focused, daring me to relax,almo

she almost tapped the car

ot this," she

ly, unapologetically. I envied that, the

d in front of the c

e pavement, the music pulsing as pe

kky, our manager, arms fol

scold us, Seline s

ashing him a smile. He rolled his eyes, wa

ind the bar as the cro

lashing winks here and there. I focused on the work, kee

told myself, letting the

inning slyly. "Did you

say that about

k to a guy who watched her l

ssed her hair back, grinning as he invited her to da

ame a bartender. It's one of the things I adm

customer teased her

ow about a dance?" s

er hand and leading

he whispered t

outed after h

the crowd. Here, surrounded by strangers, I could lose

when I felt a familiar

ur shift?" Jude ask

iling despite myself. I kne

He pressed a quick kiss to my chee

running through me as he

after drink, the faces blending tog

e. It was like cold trickling throug

hake it off, but what I

hat, his face hidden in shadow

vering, even as strippers

y heart stopped, then thundere

ed in darkness, strippers pressed against him, but his gaze cut through i

time,

nstinct telling me to run, t

escaped, disappeared-he sh

chest heaving as I stared at him. He didn't move, but

e after everything he'd done? Anger spark

still belonged to him. After all the sc

hadn't felt in years b

couldn'

e bass as blood roared in my ea

ace here, not in this life I'd r

ok as I gripped the bar. I felt

n my hands shook, why I felt trapped now. He k

found me... if he

ll. Jude, my boyfriend, was waiting in one o

my breath unsteady as I