CHAPTER 004

Raven's POV:

The cold dungeon air wrapped around me like a wet, suffocating blanket as it seeped into my bones, and the smell of decay irritated my nostrils. How long have I stayed here? A day or two, maybe three, I don't really know, but the mark on my neck burned hotter with each passing day, a cruel reminder of my betrayal, my rejection, and the culprit that led me here.

I sat by the far corner of the dungeon, clutching my arms as if that could shield me from the despair sinking its claws into my soul.

How did everything succumb to this?

It seemed like a dream I couldn't escape.

All of these, it's all because of 'her.'

Kaelith's face flashed in my mind-her fake crocodile tears, the way she turned the entire pack against me with her deceit and lies.

'I was a fool,' I thought, hating the fact I trusted her, believing that this plan, as reckless as it was, would somehow come in our favor.

Another stream of tears fell down my face as I remembered my parent's disappointment, their disownment, the pack's discouraging glares, and his disgust. My mate, my Alpha, my Theodore.

I replayed his rejection in my mind, his words cutting deeper than any dagger.

"I'm innocent!" I shouted, my frustration getting the best of me as a new stream of tears fell.

"Shut it, girl. Everyone thinks they are." A grave voice spoke from the cell adjacent to mine. "You're to die in a few hours just like us, but do you see us crying? No! Stop your foolish whining and enjoy these few hours of your life."

I ignored them, as I had done for days now, scooting even farther into the wall of the cell, for I didn't want to associate with these rogues. They attacked our pack weeks ago and killed some of the pack warriors. They were criminals and savages.

Now, I was one of them.

I turned to the small window, and true to the rogue's words, it was almost a full moon.

Almost to the point of my death.

The deafening silence that gripped the entire dungeon like a second skin was shattered with a loud boom, shaking the very foundation of the whole place.

I clung to the cold walls as the ground trembled from the force of the explosion, debris falling from the ceiling. The dungeon was now enveloped with shouts, the metallic clatter of iron bars hitting the stone floor, and dust that blocked every view.

"What the hell was that?" The rogue across from me snarled, gripping the iron bar of his cell as another blast erupted, this time, closer to us.

The walls cracked as I scrambled to my feet, adrenaline surging through me as I peered through the iron bars of my cell.

Chaos. Pure, unrelenting chaos.

A wave of dust filled the whole place as a figure draped in black, the face covered by a hood, emerged from the wreckage.

The rogue in the cell opposite mine cackled, gripping the bars of his cell with wild excitement. "Hurrah, the great Beta has come to save us. Looks like the cavalry's arrived! Time for freedom!"

The stranger, the beta freed all the rogues and lastly opened the gate opposite mine, releasing the lousy rogue.

"Thank you, Great Beta." The rogue said, running away immediately.

The stranger didn't say anything, only turned to me as he stared. I didn't know what to do but stare at his supposed face, completely covered by the shadow of his hood.

He turned and was about to leave, causing me to scream, my voice filled with desperation. "Please, sir. Help me. I don't want to die, please."

The stranger stopped, his back now facing me. He was silent for a while before he spoke. "Why should I help you?"

His voice was strangely smooth yet strong, like a fine wine with a powerful alcoholic effect.

"B-because...because." I was speechless. He was a rogue, and I was his enemy, a member of the pack meant to destroy him. He had no reason to save me, but I was desperate. "Please."

He turned to me, and with a snap of his sword, the door sprung open, the key lock damaged.

"Run," he said, his back still facing towards me. "For if I see you again, I will kill you myself."

I need not be told twice, as he broke my cage and I ran as fast as my small legs could carry me, out of the dungeon and into the forest.

Chaos and panic filled the whole place as the Fangborn Pack warriors tried to subdue the rogues.

The icy wind whipped at my hair as I tore through the dense forest, dry branches tearing at my skin and legs, but I didn't dare stop.

I couldn't stop.

Shouts and growls followed behind me as the trees thinned suddenly, and I skidded to a halt, my heart sinking.

A cliff. I always hated that cliff.

The jagged edge loomed before me, the drop plunging into a dark, roaring river below as the moonlight reflected off the churning water, mocking my escape.

I made a move to find another way out to escape but as I spun around, my blood ran cold.

Standing there were two fully transformed wolves and Kaelith in the middle. She held a cruel smile that twisted her perfect face.

"Well, well, Sister." She poured, stepping closer, her voice dripping with venom. "Ever the coward you are. Running already? I thought you'd at least grow the balls to wait for your grand execution."

"Kaelith," I breathed, slowly backing closer to the cliff's edge as stone pebbles dropped beyond. "You... This is all your fault. You framed me? You turned the whole Pack, our parents, and my mate against me! Why?"

She burst out laughing, stepping even closer. "Oh, Raven. Always the dumb twin you are, how pathetic. But what do you want me to do? I can't have the pack against me, can I?"

"And after all, only one of us can be Luna."

My gaze narrowed. "You have your own mate," I hissed, "Stop this nonsense, admit your mistake and we can go back to the way it was, please, sister. For our sake. For my sake."

"Nonsense?" She laughed, a cold, mirthless sound that chilled my bones. How could I not have noticed so much evil in her? "I am to be Luna. I am the better twin; instead, I am stuck with an ordinary Beta as a mate. Either one of us was going to have Theodore as a mate, and when I saw Gilbert was my mate, I knew I had to intercede before Alpha Theodore could claim you."

"That's why you framed me. You had these planned all this while."

"Bravo, Sherlock. You're finally catching on."

"Y-you'll never succeed." I couldn't believe she would do this to her sister. "You'll never be Luna."

Kaelith smirked. "And who's to stop me? A dead girl?" She turned to the wolves beside her. "Get her."

As they lunged for me, I jumped away from the cliff end, narrowly escaping a swipe to the face and a fall to my death.

Before I could regain balance, I saw a blur as Kaelith lunged at me, her claws glinting in the moonlight. I barely dodged, but she was faster than I'd anticipated. Her nails tore through my arm, blood splattering the rocks as pain ripped through me.

"Stop running, Raven!" Kaelith snarled, her eyes glowing with predatory fury. "It's useless."

I stumbled back, clutching my arms, but she was relentless. She swung again, her claws tearing my chin. I screamed, falling to the floor as she climbed on top of me. I shivered from her cold claws on my face.

"Sister, please, let me go," I shivered as I pleaded, "I swear, I would be out of here, and you'll never see me again."

She smiled, which made my stomach turn, and not in a good way. "Nah, I prefer you dead."

She slashed her claws at me as she spoke, causing a blood-curdling scream to escape me, but she didn't stop.

"That way,"

Slash!

"My secret,"

"would never be..."

Slash!

"Exposed,"

Slash!

"And I can also take my position as Luna. It's a win-win."

My vision turned hazy as I felt my strength slipping. I couldn't move, only lying on the floor as my body was being torn apart by her.

"Are you going to kill your own sister?"

I couldn't recognize the voice that spoke, I was in too much pain to think.

Do they want to kill me? I was already dead. Killed by my sister.

Kaelith replied. "Nah, I can't possibly kill my blood, can I? Let the wild wolves finish the job."

In the course of a few days, I had undergone what I could never have imagined. I wasn't ready to die, not now and at least not in the hands of my sister and wild wolves. I began to drag myself to the cliff, bearing the pain that coursed through my veins.

I didn't know how far I'd gotten, but I felt the free edge of the cliffside.

I could hear muffled sounds from behind me, and I knew the wild wolves were ready to feast, but after everything, this wasn't how I wanted to be remembered on earth.

If I wanted to die, I would die by my own accord.

With the last remaining strength I had, I said my final goodbye to the world and pushed myself off the cliff.

CHAPTER 005

KAELITH:

I looked down the edge of the cliff, my crimson-stained hands trembling ever so slightly, though not from guilt-never from guilt. Raven's broken body had disappeared into the roaring darkness below, swallowed by the merciless river that churned and foamed as if eager to claim her.

For the longest moment, I stood still, my chest rising and falling with strange exhilaration. I had finally done it. The nuisance. The burden. The weakling twin who dared to think she could stand beside me-gone.

A small part of me does feel guilty. She was my blood; we grew up together. But I had to do what was necessary. I was to be Luna. Not her. Theodore is mine and mine alone.

"Luna Kaelith Silvera," I whispered, the title tasting sweet on my tongue, though my lips curled into a smirk. The wolves beside me showed their heads, eyes glowing with obedience. They had seen what I'd done, and none of them would dare speak against me.

"Is that really necessary?"

A figure came beside me, but I didn't turn my eyes away from the rocky river below. "There are other ways to get what we want."

"This is the only way," was my only reply. I continued staring below as the cold night air whipped against my skin.

A small flicker of unease crept into my chest.

'What if she survives?'

I shook the thought away. No. She's dead. She has to be. No one survives a fall like that. The river was as good as a grave, and even if her body were to wash ashore, it would be unrecognizable.

"So, what next?"

I turned back to the wolves and wiped the blood from my chin with the back of my hand, forcing a smile that mirrored the victory bubbling in my veins.

"My ascension." I said, my voice sharper than steel. "There is no Raven anymore. Theodore is mateless and soon... He'll see no other but me."

"It's not as easy as you say, Kaelith. You have to- "

I ignored him and made my way back to the pack. The sound of warriors chasing the rogues echoed loudly, but none of them concerned me. I had orchestrated chaos, and in chaos, the clever thrive.

The torches around the courtyard flickered against the stone walls as I stepped through the broken gates, the smell of blood and smoke hanging heavy in the air.

The pack warriors present all turned to look at me, their faces pale, weary, and uncertain. Perfect. They needed strength. They needed certainty. And I would give it to them.

"Lady Kaelith!" one of the guards called, rushing toward me. His chest was heaving; his uniform smeared with soot. "Where's Raven? Her cage is empty."

I forced my eyes to glisten, tilting my chin just enough for the moonlight to catch the streak of blood still clinging to my cheek. "She ran off. I... I tried to stop her." I whispered, my voice trembling just enough to seem genuine. "I wanted her to see reason, but she ran away with the rogue. I tried to reason with her. I tried, but-" my hands clutched my chest, as though the memory broke me.

A hush fell over the warriors as they stared at me with pity evident in their eyes. I lowered my gaze, hiding a smile that threatened to curl my lips.

"Once a traitor, always a traitor. Raven is a traitor to the pack, and we must see to it she is dealt with accordingly. Come on, let's take you to your parents."

I nodded solemnly, walking under the warm arm of the head of the pack warriors. From the corner of my eyes, I saw my companion slipping through the forest and away from sight, and that's when I saw him-Beta Gilbert-my mate. His muscular arms folded across his chest, eyes narrowed in on me as if trying to read the truth beneath my mask.

My stomach tightened at his stare, but I lifted my chin higher. Gilbert had always been too perceptive for his own good.

I stepped past him, reaching my blood-stained hands to his. He didn't step away. "Raven escaped. She abandoned me." I said, meeting his gaze with feigned grief. "But I'm still here. For the pack. For you."

Before I knew it, thick muscles surrounded me as he engulfed me fully. Sparks flew from the skin-to-skin contact, and I hated it. It only reminded me of the failure of the moon goddess in choosing a suitable mate. Raven was the one to be mated to Gilbert, and I, Alpha Theodore. Not the other way around.

"You're safe. That's all that matters now. Come on, it's late. Let's get you to bed."

I almost laughed at his pathetic excuse of being the caring mate. Such a pathetic man. Thinking he could get a perfect she-wolf like me as his.

It didn't matter though. Soon, Theodore would learn of Raven's 'death'. His rage, his loneliness, his broken bond-everything would lead him to me. And once he did, once he made me the Luna, no one-not Gilbert, not the rogues, not even the Moon Goddess herself-would ever strip it away.

CHAPTER 006

RAVEN:

I groggily struggled to open my eyes, feeling the cold chill sink deep into my bones.

No matter how much I struggled to get my eye open, to move an inch of my eyelid, nothing. They never responded, as they felt like lead.

'Was I dead?' I wondered, still feeling the cold-water seeping into my bone and the rocks digging into my flesh. The memory and the pain all came rushing forward.

'Was I in the afterlife? Was this how it feels? Like... nothing?'

I knew I was dead since no one, not even the strongest of wolves, could survive such an impact. But... the persistent pain radiating off my body, the throbbing of my heart, and the feeling of adrenaline rushing through my veins told me otherwise. The pain and the coldness were all too real.

But where was I? And why was it so cold?

A shrill beeping drilled into my ears. Finally, my eyelids twitched as light pricked through the fog in my head, and I groaned, shutting them back up.

The cold, antiseptic smell hit me, sharp and stinging, and reality came rushing back.

My eyes shot open with a force I never knew was possible.

The room was stark, with walls painted sterile white, the floor glistening as though it had been scrubbed clean of blood too many times. A heart monitor beside me blinked in steady rhythm, the sound grating against my raw nerves.

What?

Panic surged through me. I tried to sit up, but pain lanced down my arms, forcing a painful gasp out of me. My wrists jerked against cold iron cuffs that clinked against the bed frame. Shackles. They'd chained me down like an animal.

My heart raced, and the heart monitor concurred in a frenzy with the increased heart rate.

The pack. They found me again.

The thought hit like a whip crack, and instinct screamed at me to escape. I struggled against the cuffs, ignoring the pain as they dug into my skin. My breath came in short, ragged bursts.

The door creaked open.

I froze.

A tall, dark man in a doctor's coat stepped inside, carrying a clipboard, but his eyes softened as they found mine. "Easy, easy," he mumbled, his voice calm but firm. "Stop struggling; you're only going to make everything worse. You're safe here."

"Safe?" My voice cracked, raw with disuse. I coughed, and the doctor handed me a cup of water by the desk. I drank greedily in one go, breathing heavily.

"You call this safe? I'm chained-"

He raised his hands to stop me. "Restraints are for your protection. You have been in a coma for two weeks now. Your body is still unstable."

Comma? Two weeks?

So I didn't die?

The memory of falling down the cliff, staring one last time at Kaelith's face as I plummeted into the rocky bottom, resurfaced, and I closed my eyes tight, refraining from crying.

"You suffered numerous broken ribs, a broken femur and tibia, internal bleeding- "

"I don't trust you," I hissed, yanking again at the cuffs, though my strength faltered quickly. My body was still sore, and the faint sting of wounds beneath the bandages told me I wasn't fully healed.

The doctor sighed, but before he could reply, another presence filled the doorway.

The air in the room shifted, colder, heavier.

I knew that face.

"You." I breathed, remembering the night of my escape.

The man stepped forward, his expression carved in stone. Tall, broad-shouldered, his black hair combed neatly to the side, showcasing his strong angular jaw and handsome face. Those eyes-black as night-sharp, unreadable, locked on mine as he pulled a chair closer to the bed.

"You're awake." His tone carried no warmth, no relief. Just suspicion.

The doctor took this as his time to leave, closing the door behind him and leaving me with the strange rogue. The silence filled the room, choking.

I swallowed hard, shrinking against the metal headboard as much as the cuffs allowed. "You... you saved me."

He tilted his head to the side, his expression still unreadable. "Saved you or caught you – which one do you think?"

My breath hitched. I couldn't answer his question. He had been the one to break the lock to my cage, letting me escape. But I couldn't say it out loud.

"Who are you?" He demanded, leaning forward as his eyes thinned in suspicion. His scent, woodsmoke and forest, filled my lungs and made my nostrils flare. "And why are you following us?"

I backed. "Following-? "What are you talking about?" My voice trembled despite my best effort to keep it steady. "I would never follow a rogue. Never."

The corner of his lips twitched, breaking his cold persona. "So, you're saying after I let you escape your cage. Is it a coincidence you were near my territory? That you just managed to be washed up at the riverbank of my pack?"

"I..." My throat dried. I had no answer. Betrayal had dragged me into the river, and here I was, chained to a bed with this man glaring down at me like judge, jury, and executioner.

He moved suddenly, so quickly the chair legs scraped harshly against the floor. His face was inches from mine, breath hot against my cheek. "You're a spy for the FangBorn pack. Admit it."

My eyes widened as words burst out in desperation. "I'm not!" I exclaimed. "I don't even know who you are!" I said this, trying to back farther away from this weird guy.

His gaze searched mine, as if digging into my soul for the truth, yet my heartbeat thudded so loudly I could barely hear my own thoughts.

"What's your name?" he asked finally, voice low and dangerous.

I clenched my jaw, but refusing would only make me look guilty. "...Raven."

The syllables felt heavy in the silence that followed. I couldn't say my surname, for it wasn't truly mine again. I wasn't a silvera anymore. My twin sister had made it clear when she betrayed and almost killed me. My parents made it clear when they disowned me. I was just Raven. Plain and stupid.

He suddenly straightened, the intensity in his eyes cooling into a mask of indifference. "Raven." He repeated my name as though testing its weight, then gave a curt nod. Without another word, he stood up, turned and strode to the door.

I let out a shaky breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding.

The door closed, but I still felt his presence close. He spoke through the closed door; his voice carried through the hallway, sharp against the sterile walls. My wolf hearing caught every word.

"Is she ready for interrogation?"

My stomach dropped.

The doctor's reply was softer, but I caught enough. "Her vitals are stable, though she hasn't shifted yet. The wolf isn't responding. It's... unusual. Strange even."

I squeezed my eyes shut. My chest ached with the truth. I haven't shifted even though my eighteenth birthday has long passed. Every wolf is meant to shift at the age of eighteen, but not me. Not even the perfect Kaelith. But as Mother said, 'We only need to be patient. Your wolf is in you. She will come at the right time.'

But what if the right time never came? Even when Kaelith tried to kill me. Even when I fell to my death. Not even now, when I needed her most. My wolf was silent. Dead, maybe. And without her, I was nothing but a human with advanced hearing and smell.

The sound of approaching footsteps dragged me back to reality. I stiffened as the doctor entered again, his hands carrying a syringe which glistened with silver liquid under the harsh lights of the hospital room.

My instincts screamed.

"No-don't-" I fought against the cuffs, yanking until the metal cut into my wrists and blood began pouring onto the floor. "What are you doing? Stay away from me!"

The doctor's face remained calm, almost sympathetic, as he approached, unbothered by my struggles. "It won't hurt. It will just help us... get to the truth."

"I told you the truth!" My voice broke into a plea. "Please, I'm not your enemy! I was- "

I couldn't finish my words as the needle pierced my arm, the cold fire burning in my veins as the substance spread. The edges of my vision blurred. The ceiling swayed.

Through the haze, I turned my head toward the door.

And there he was.

The man who had saved me-or doomed me-stood by the doorway, his expression unreadable, his dark eyes locked on me with something I couldn't name.

I tried to hold his gaze, to ask him why, but my voice was gone. Darkness swallowed me whole.