Chapter 1

• Chapter One
• Riya Pov
• “Where’s Adrian?” I asked one of the guards, a wave of frustration crashed over me. Why hadn’t he come back to me like he promised?
• “Alpha Adrian is in the cell's passageway, he was called on duty.”
• The cell passageway? My pulse quickened as I made my way down toward the underground levels. Why was he there? And why hadn’t he told me?
• As I descended into the cold, dark corridors of the cells, something felt wrong. The air was thick with tension, and the deeper I went, the more suffocating the atmosphere became.
• Suddenly, a low growl echoed through the hallway. My heart skipped a beat.
• I turned the corner and froze, my breath catching in my throat.
• Before me stood a rogue, its eyes glowing with hunger, its body twisted and scarred from years of living in the wild. And it wasn’t alone. There were others. Dozens of them. Loose. Unchained.
• My blood ran cold.
• How did the rogues get loose? My mind raced, but I couldn’t form the words. I couldn’t ask the question out loud. All I could do was stare as the closest rogue snarled, its eyes locked on me, ready to pounce.
• My legs felt like they were made of stone. I wanted to run, but there was no escape. The rogues were everywhere, closing in from all sides.
• All I could think of was Adrian. How did I get stuck in here?
• The rain hit the ground, and unceasing lightning struck the sky, the eyes of the rogues were as bright as the moonlight as they walked closer.
• The loud sound of thunder made me stumble on a tree branch. I fell into the mud, struggling to rise on my feet, but a sudden pain, as if an iron pierced my foot left me dumbfounded.
• I was bitten.
• I screamed in agony when the rogue’s teeth sliced through my skin as rain pelted down. My hands ruffled through the wet ground. I grabbed a block and hit the rogue on its head.
• He howled in pain. I called on my wolf and destroyed his face with my claws, but there were more of him.
• As Luna of this pack, I had to defend my wolves.
• I shifted into my wolf form and charged, biting off heads and clawing at bodies. My pack wolves later surfaced and joined me in fighting.
• But suddenly, a sharp pain tore through my chest, almost blinding me. It was another episode of Angina.
• I had been born with the rare sickness, but it had started to surface more frequently now.
• My vision became blurry. I tried to hold the scream that hung on the tip of my lips, but it was becoming impossible to bear.
• I looked up, trying to focus my gaze on the rogue running towards me with its mouth widely opened revealing its sharp fangs.
• My life flashed before my eyes, and suddenly an arrow pierced the rogue's chest.
• “Riya!” A familiar voice called out in agony and my gaze drifted towards him.
• Kalix! The pack's Beta and my childhood friend. We grew up together and he always had my back and supported me. I loved him for that.
• He screamed again, words that only echoed in my ears. I watched him shift to his wolf, killing all the wolves in his path to get to me.
• Kalix grabbed my hand, pulling me into his arms and shielding me from their attacks.
• He fought more of them off.
• And the warmth of his skin and the strength of his presence calmed my racing heart.
• I knew I was safe with him here now. Kalix was an exceptional fighter. I used to love watching him train with other wolves while growing up.
• My eyes wavered and I saw Tasha and Adrian fighting nearby. They came for me, but Kalix never let go of me in his arms.
• "I'm sorry for coming late, the other borders are under attack,” Adrian said.
• "There must have been..." I stopped.
• There's no way a traitor was within our pack. My breathing increased, as my vision slowly recovered. I joined in the fight again, feeling a bit better as the Angina episode wearing off slowly.
• "Riya, I'm going with Tasha to the main entrance. Hold down this place with the beta." Adrian grabbed my hand and stared deep into my eyes, "Don't you dare get hurt." I bobbed my head, still feeling the warmth of Kalix’s body, standing protectively next to me.
• My heart shattered, couldn’t he finally see that I was ill? Adrian had never noticed that.
• "Adrian, let's go quickly!" Tasha screamed at him causing rage to run through my spine.
• As though Adrian could sense my rage, his grip around my arm tightened and he said, "This is no time to be sensitive, you are the Luna, it's only fair you hold this border with the beta while I go over to the other."
• "But Adrian, I'm..."
• "Stop it, Riya! Do your duty."
• He released his grip on me as he grabbed Tasha's hand and they ran with two other pack members.
• My hurt gaze followed them, and just then, I felt my vision get duplicated and a sharp pain in my eyes and my entire body. A rogue had hit me in the head, but Kalix immediately ripped out his heart.
• As I groaned, Kalix couldn’t hold me anymore because he was ambushed too.
• He quickly fought off the four rogues that had suddenly ambushed him and whirled around to grab me.
• I rushed for his arms again, where I could breathe and find safety, but a spear went right through my heart. Blood sputtered out of my mouth.
• A horrified expression was on Kalix’s face as my body twitched. I looked at my chest in shock. The puddles on the ground splashed as my knees hit it. I coughed and more sputters of blood poured out of my mouth, staining my body.
• Kalix’s voice roared like a hungry lion, but his feet were dug to the ground. Frightened and shocked, he couldn't move.
• 'So this is how I die?'
• My gaze lingered on Kalix’s sad face. I couldn't take the pain flickering in his eyes.
• There were so many regrets that engulfed me now.
• I should have spent more time with my husband than constantly fighting over his growing friendship with Tasha.
• I couldn't even tell him about our child. My little puppy was dying with me now.
• And Kalix…this shouldn’t be how we say goodbye to each other.
• My vision slowly darkened as everywhere awfully became quiet.
• ....
• The sun shone brightly, but I could feel chills running down my spine.
• The sound of a woman's sobbing caused my ears to perk up and my eyes instantly opened.
• I sat up, my eyes wavered for a moment.
• I wasn't dead. My lips curled in excitement, and my broken heart mended.
• I turned to the maid who was hunched over on the floor. Her sobs are louder by the minute.
• From her posture, I knew exactly who she was-
• "Nanny..."
• There was no response from her. I jerked up from the bed and snapped my fingers at her, but at the very least, she only lifted her head.
• Her cheeks were red and her eyes were swollen. I called her name again but there was no response. Frustrated, I stood, rolling my eyes but then-
• The sound of high heels clicking against the tiled floor got closer until Tasha's gorgeous face appeared.
• She delicately opened the door and threw a white dress at Nanny Paula.
• "Dress her up."
• The delight on Tasha's face was hardly unnoticeable. I walked towards her and then it occurred to me-
• I wasn't in pain.
• I could still remember the piercing pain of the claws when it dug into my body, and the feeling of helplessness and fear of death, when I fell to the ground, but now, I couldn't feel a thing.
• My anxiety was getting the best of me, as my eyes trailed my body.
• There was no bandage around my stomach.
• My gaze wavered, I tried asking but no one responded.
• They were either drinking or whining like children as though someone had died.
• 'Died?'
• My legs froze in a spot. Tears rolled down my cheeks and I bite down on my lips.
• I looked around and saw a picture on a decorated altar. One of the guards stood beside the picture and a coffin that looked rather empty.
• Shivers ran through my spine and cold breath escaped my lips as I stared at the picture next to the guard.
• My feet trembled towards the alter but just then, the door clasped open and everyone's gaze drifted toward the door.
• A body was clothed in white and carefully placed on the coffin.
• I stood beside the coffin and when the face was opened, I felt my heart pierced over and over again.
• The body looked identical to me.