Chapter 31
Chapter 31
Lynda’s Poy
The rwm bummed with ton, the wavy with the promise of Blood and betrayal. I watched Darius pace, his movements sharp and restless, like a enged wall waiting for the right moment to prepare. His black leather boots echoed ominously against the marble floor, the crescent moonlight slicing through the large bay windows of the shandoned manor in the Mack Moon Park territory.
1gene/he grooted, is dark eyes gluing, with a feral hunger. “We have waited long enough. Sebastian’s Shadow Forest Pack is weak. Their Alpha is barely ludding them together after our last attack. 1 dealt heavily with them when they tried to infiltrate my territory. It’s time to end this. I can’t wait for the Blood Moon for our opportunity to drike. 1 mud have Sebastian’s head.”
yed against the old stone wall, the Crescent Stone glowing faintly at my throat. Its pulsing energy synced with my heartbeat, both steady and
- g. Darius though he could dictate the terms of this alliance, but the fool had no idea that I was the one truly in control. He never did.
*Patience, Darius,” I said, my voice a soft, silken whip. “The Blood Moon isn’t just about attacking the Shadow Forest Park. It’s about ensuring Elena fulfills her destiny”
Darius scoffed, his sharp features twisting in frustration. “Destiny? That pup doesn’t even know the power she’s sitting on. She’s unworthy of the Crescent Stone, and you know ic”
“That’s precisely why I’ve been motivating her,” I replied, the corners of my lips curling into a sly smile. “Elena’s resistance only sharpens her potential. The corruption I’ve seeded in the Crescent Stone ensures that she’ll either break or ascend to her full strength. And if she ascends…”
Darius’s eyes narrowed. “If she ascends, she becomes a threat to us.”
“To you,” I corrected sharply, stepping forward so the Crescent Stone’s aura flared between us. “She’s my weapon, Darius. A blade honed to perfection. But a blade doesn’t cut without a master to wield it. She must be perfect before the ritual takes place. Not a second before.”
The weight of my power rolled over him, and for the first time, I saw a flicker of doubt in his eyes. The Crescent Stone’s glow intensified, filling the room with a faint bluish haze,
Before he could respond, the heavy oak door creaked open, and Marcus stepped inside. His once–pristine Beta uniform was torn and stained, his face haggard with exhaustion. Yet, there was a determined fire in his eyes–a spark of hatred that fueled his every step.
“Beta Marcus,” I greeted, my tone syrupy sweet. “How kind of you to join us.”
Marcus dipped his head in deference but didn’t miss the opportunity to glare at Darius. “I’ve had enough of Sebastian’s lies and weakness,” he said, his vice laced with venom. “He’s let our pack falter, all for the sake of protecting her.”
“Elena,” Darius spat, his fists clenching, “That naive little girl has them all wrapped around her finger.”
4
Marcus nodded, “He’s blind to her faults, and it’s costing us. I know every weakness in the Shadow Forest Pack’s defenses, every patrol route, every blind spot. Give me the word, and I’ll deliver them to you on a silver platter.”
I tilted my head, studying Marcus. His hatred for Sebastian was genuine, but men like him were dangerous. Betrayal came too easily to him, and I had no doubt he would turn on us if it suited his agenda. Still, he was a useful tool–for now.
“Interesting,” I said, my voice dripping with mock approval. “But tell me, Marcus, what’s to stop you from betraying us as easily as you’ve betrayed your Alpha?”
Marcus stiffened, his jaw tightening. “I’m loyal to results, not ideals. Sebastian’s leadership has failed, and I won’t let our pack crumble because of his
weakness.”
Darius sneered. “He’s a traitor, Lyanna. We can’t trust him.”
“Trust isn’t the issue,” I said coolly, stepping closer to Marcus. The Crescent Stone flared, and Marcus’s defiance faltered as the oppressive weight of its auragressed down on him. “Loyalty can be bought, but fear… fear ensures obedience.”
Marcus dropped to one knee, his breathing labored under the Stone’s power. “I’ll do whatever you ask,” he rasped, his voice trembling.
“Good,” I murmured, lowering the Stone’s intensity. “Return to the Shadow Forest Pack. Keep an eye on Elena. Her resistance is complicating things, and 1 need to know her every move. Report back to me as regularly as you can before the Blood Moon.”
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Chosen by the Moon: Rise of Female Alpha
68.2%
Chapter 31
Marcus odded, rising shakily to his feet. He avoided Darius’s gaze as he left, the door closing softly behind him.
“Do you trust him?” Darius asked, his voice quieter now, almost wary.
I turned to face him, the Crescent Stone pulsing against my skin. “Of course not,” I said with a smirk. “But I don’t need to trust him. I only need him to play his part.”
Darius’s expression darkened, and I could feel the weight of his suspicion growing. He was no fool, and he was starting to see the cracks in our alliance.
“You’re playing a dangerous game, Lyanna,” he said, his voice low. “Don’t forget who your mate is.”
I stepped closer, the Stone’s glow casting eerie shadows across his face. “And don’t forget, Darius,” I whispered, “who holds the power in this partnership.”
moment, neither of us spoke, the silence heavy with unspoken threats. Then he looked down in resignation and slinked out of the room as quiet asa shadow. Then, a soft, chilling laugh echoed through the room, and a shadow detached itself from the corner.
The figure stepped into the dim light, her features obscured by a hooded cloak. Her presence was suffocating, an unnatural darkness that seemed to devour the light around them.
“Lyanna,” the figure said, her voice smooth and cold. “Are you certain you can trust them to carry out the plan without fail?”
“I trust no one,” I said, my eyes locked on the figure. “But trust isn’t necessary. Results are.”
The figure chuckled, her gloved hands clasping together. “Good. Because the Blood Moon waits for no one, and failure is not an option.”
Their words hung in the air like a death sentence, and for the first time that night, I felt the weight of what was to come. The Blood Moon was more than an opportunity–it was a reckoning. And I intended to be the one standing at the center of it all, holding the threads of fate in my hands.
The figure turned to face me fully, her movements unnaturally fluid, and I said to her. “And if they fail?”
The figure paused, her head tilting slightly. “Then you’ll have to decide, Lyanna, who is more important–your mate, or your ambition. As for me, I will see Lucian dead and everything he ever loved burned to the ground. I must have my revenge. When the time comes, I will personally plunge a knife into Lucian’s heart.” She said darkly
The Blood Moon was coming, and with it, the culmination of everything I had worked for. Betrayals, alliances, power–it was all leading to this moment.
And I would see it through, no matter the cost.
