The Runaway Luna

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e corners. My eyes flicker in the shadows, and I realize I'm chained up just high enough that my shoulders ache from holding m

water seeping through a rock, or may

ld blood in my mouth. A part of me wishes I had just stayed as

n front of my lips. I shut my eyes for a moment and see him again-the boy who was meant to be my mate,

ling, laughing, and snapping their teeth. The Mating Ceremony is the

wed silk dress was torn. Kaela, in a crimson lace so sheer it g

d over me like I was just a stain on his boots. Even though the old seer had hinted that he wouldn't choose me anymo

meone who wouldn't look down on me, and maybe, just may

at me intently, just as we had when we were puppies chasing fireflies in the or

ze shifted to Kaela, and h

spat at

hoing off the stone walls. "You

pled through the crowd, hitt

mouth opened, but my

he was wiping dirt off his knife. I could see Kaela behind hi

ws, Pearl. Kaela is powerful. I'll have

he pack roared their approval, and the sound rang in my ears

s brushing against his ear while her eyes

k beams overhead as Kaela and Aleric celebrated somewhere deep in the Alpha's wing.

lay there, counting my breaths as I

knew what I

e Kaela decided I was too filthy to breathe h

make it to Vartun. They say the Alpha King is a beast, and no woman who enters his cham

h at the hands of a monster

ned up, blood dried on my lip, and my wrists rubbed raw. I almo

son. The aim is to instill a sense of self-awarene

not defe

leric stands there, his eyes filled with the same disdain that stung me three nights ago, w

he floor, crouching down to make sure we

purrs. "So pitiful." "Did you

pes his arm over her shoulders as if sh

e sh

e your gratitude, little sister. If you'd left, Vartun's

and I curl my lip. "Bette

er than ever. "Tomorrow, you'll burn where Mother burned

chuckles, a sound t

choking the stale air one last time. Then, the cell door sl

oments

eavy boots shuffle in the stillness, and for a brief second, I'm convi

flickers, casting gold over the scarred face of a man I vaguely remember from my childhood, back when I

to as a slave or a thing or a useless

blinding me. I want to speak,

ew your mother. Saria. She once hid my family when the old Alpha was hunt

f in regret. "I should've don

rry. Take these off. When yo

on guard's cloak, too big for my frame but

t to say thank you. Wh

e to say is, "H

drain tunnel under the orchard wall. Don't turn; just crawl straight

down the hall without waiting for thanks-per

ip the key into the left shackle; it clicks

in is the price of freedom. I encounter one shackle after anoth

ls of old sweat and stale oil, but at least it's be

cold wind biting at my torn wrists; the drain tunnel engulfs me, frost pric

stone at the mouth beneath the orchar

ady to bolt into the orchard's quiet e

gure passes through the golden spill, with delicate shoulders, pe

sc

my breath before biting

just enough that her silhouet

looking

still chained, helpless, wai

her heart still remembers orchard tre

he cloak tightly. I'm certain she can

dungeon door as the torch flickers again

and finds nothing but cold shackles and my blood staining the stones, the al

swear I can feel her w

e com

b that's pushing up my throat, hoping the still

d she hear the chain slip? Did she

pen that door. Don't see

bove cracks;

tern

opening

n my head. Now or never

orchard, I wait, breath held