Ruby:
“No, Damian,” I choked out, feeling overwhelmed by the situation. As his Luna, it was my duty to ensure his honor wasn’t compromised by neglecting the well-being of his pack members, who had placed their trust in him.
“What do you mean by no?” he questioned, and my heart fluttered at his words. He was making this difficult for me, but as I looked over at his pack members, seeing disappointment all over their faces, probably because I, as their Luna, was associated with criminal charges, I knew I had to do this.
It would be selfish and foolish of me to drag Damian down with me into this mess until the misunderstanding was settled.
Even though it deeply hurt me, I couldn’t allow that. So for now, letting him go and saying things I didn’t mean was my only option.
“I’m nothing but trouble, Damian,” I said through gritted teeth, my glare directed at Ava. “Be with her because she’s the one who came back from the dead for you.”
“Ruby, please don’t say-”
“Your daughter would be happy to see you keeping your promises,” I continued, my voice strained with emotion. “So, please, you don’t need me complicating things. Let’s just pretend that today never happened.”
Or last night.
“Stop saying nonsense, Ruby,” Damian interjected firmly. “Your happiness matters to me more than anyone else’s, even more than that of my daughter. You, Ruby, are my true Luna, and I will never regret that,” Damian declared, shocking me to the core.
If it were any other situation, I would have blushed, but I had to maintain composure, concealing my emotions from Damian’s penetrating gaze.
“Don’t say that. Your first mate died while giving birth to her, so she’s your one and only precious daughter,” I insisted, tears threatening to spill from my eyes.
“You’re precious to me too, Ruby,” Damian replied, his eyes softening. And together, we’ll have precious children.” He smiled, taking my hands lovingly in his.
His words hit me hard, and I felt my heart swell with a mixture of joy and sorrow. The tears I had been holding back finally spilled from my eyes, realising the heartbreaking truth that I would never be able to give him a child. It was a bittersweet moment, knowing that he saw a future with me despite not knowing my inability to give him the one thing he desired most.
But as the weight of reality crashed down on me, my heart felt like it was going to explode. I couldn’t keep this from him any longer. Taking a deep breath, I mustered the courage to speak my truth.
“Damian, the truth is this: even if we’re together, I won’t be able to give you more children because, you know, why?” I smiled sadly as I locked eyes with him.
“I’m infertile,” I finally admitted.
Damian’s expression morphed from anger to shock, his features contorting with disbelief. He opened his words to speak, but no words emerged; his mind was undoubtedly struggling to process the bombshell I had just dropped on him.
“The Fake Luna is barren!” someone in the crowd exclaimed, and I turned to look at the source of the voice, feeling a lump form in my throat. Tears welled up in my eyes once again.
I had feared this moment and dreaded the thought of disappointing Damian. But now that it was out in the open, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of relief, knowing that I had been honest with him, even if it meant facing the painful consequences.
I gazed back at Damian, only to find him still standing like a frozen statue, his eyes clouded with turmoil, much like when he had first seen his dead mate, Ava.
His quietness made me uncomfortable, and the warriors, seeing this, seized the opportunity, edging closer to me, their presence looming over me like a dark cloud. Fear gripped my heart like a vice, and my pulse quickened with each passing second.
“I… I don’t know what to say,” Damian finally managed, his voice barely audible amidst the chaos. Before he could continue, his words were interrupted as his daughter ran to hold onto his legs.
“Daddy,” Anna giggled, releasing her hold on him, her innocent eyes filled with curiosity.
“Daddy, where’s Mommy? Why is everyone sad?” She asked, her voice trembling with confusion. My heart clenched at the mention of Ava, knowing that I could never give Damian a daughter like she had.
He kneeled down to her level, his arms enveloping her in a comforting embrace. “Not now, honey,” he said softly, like he was struggling to find the right words to explain.
Before Damian could continue, Selene stepped forward, her voice cutting through the tense atmosphere. “Anna, your daddy finally fulfilled his promises. You are going to be happy now, just like he promised,” she said with a smile, her words laced with false sweetness.
Anna’s brow furrowed in confusion, her eyes darting between Damian and Selene. “Daddy has finally brought Mummy,” she asked, her voice tinged with sadness.
“Yes, honey, Daddy has finally brought Mummy to you like he promised. I’m back, sweetheart… I’m your mummy,” Ava said, stepping forward to stand beside Selene, and Anna rushed to hug her happily.
“Take me away,” I muttered to the warriors, as I couldn’t bear to watch what was unfolding before my eyes, and they did instantly. It was better to be taken away than watch Damian be with his perfect family, to which clearly I didn’t belong.
As the warriors led me away, their stern expressions and iron grip left no room for resistance, and a part of me hoped that Damian would tag along or try to stop them again, but he didn’t.
My heart sank in defeat with each step, and as we approached the border, a sense of finality loomed over me. But before I could turn back and take one last look at Damian’s pack, a sharp blow struck the back of my head.
“Ow! What was that for?” I exclaimed, hissing in pain.
“Quiet, impostor; no one is here to save you now,” one of the warriors grunted, his voice cold and unforgiving. I stumbled forward, clutching my head as the world spun around me. Everything seemed to blur into a haze of darkness as consciousness slipped away, leaving me at the mercy of the unknown.
***
I woke up slowly, feeling a sharp pain in my head. Blinking away the fog of sleep, I found myself confined within the cold, stone walls of a dimly lit cell. Panic flooded over me as I realised I was trapped and at the mercy of my unknown captors, with no means of escape. I scrambled to my feet, my heart pounding with fear and confusion.
I pressed my palms against the bars, peering out into the gloom beyond. The cell was small and cramped, with no windows to offer even a glimpse of the outside world.
Being confined was not an option, especially when I needed to return to my son, who would likely be the only one waiting for me. He had refused to attend the ceremony because he was against it.
Did he see this coming?
Desperately, I tried to reach out through the mate bond with Damian for help, but the connection seemed blocked. My cries for help echoed unanswered in the empty silence, leaving me feeling more isolated and alone.
Feelings of hopelessness and suffocation overwhelmed me with each passing moment. Whoever must have had me locked up here must be powerful, and all I could do now was wait, trapped in this lonely prison cell with nothing but uncertainty stretching out before me.
Would Damian search for me, or would he be consumed by his reunion with his long-lost family? Tears welled up in my eyes at the thought of being alone and forgotten once again by the person I loved.
Soon, I heard the footsteps of someone echoing down the corridor outside my cell. I cried out desperately for help, my voice echoing off the stone walls, and as the footsteps got closer, hope filled my heart.
I mustered the strength to look up, hoping to plead with whoever approached to set me free. However, to my horror, it wasn’t a saviour who appeared-it was Lilith, dressed in her favourite black attire as if preparing for a funeral. A sinking feeling settled in my stomach as I realised that I might be the one she was preparing for, and her cruel laughter filled the cold, dimly lit cell.
I shrank back in fear and disgust, my heart sinking at the sight of her smirking face.
“This is your doing, isn’t it?” I asked, though it was more of a statement than a question.
“You guessed right,” she replied, clapping her hands.
“What do you want?” I demanded, my voice trembling with a mixture of anger and dread. Lilith’s laughter only grew louder, a chilling sound that sent shivers down my spine.
“Oh, nothing much,” she replied.
“I just thought I’d come and pay a visit to the newest resident of our little dungeon.” I pressed myself against the bars of the cell, my hands trembling with fear and frustration.
“Let me out of here,” I pleaded, desperation creeping into my voice. But Lilith simply smirked, her gaze cold and calculating.
“Oh, I’m afraid I can’t do that,” she taunted, her voice laced with cruelty. “You’re exactly where you belong, my dear. And believe me, this is just the beginning. The past is re-happening.”
Lilith’s words sent a chill down my spine as I tried to comprehend their meaning. “What do you mean, ‘the past is re-happening’?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. She chuckled darkly, her eyes gleaming with malice.
“Oh, don’t you remember, dear Ruby?” she taunted.
“History has a way of repeating itself, and it seems you’re destined to relive your past mistakes over and over again.” My heart sank as memories of past traumas flooded my mind.
“No,” I whispered, shaking my head in denial.
“I won’t let it happen again. I won’t let you or anyone else control me,” I said, but Lilith only laughed.
“We’ll see about that, won’t we?” She sneered, her tone dripping with venom. Her eyes bore into mine, filled with malice and satisfaction.
“Just like seven years ago, you’re going to be betrayed, and you’ll lose everything you once had,” Lilith declared before turning to leave.
But this time, it was my turn to laugh out loud. I laughed so hard that I doubled over, my belly facing the sky, tears of mirth streaming down my cheeks uncontrollably, mingling with the dirt on the cell floor.
“What’s funny?”Lilith demanded, spinning around sharply. Her voice dripped with irritation, and I couldn’t help but feel a twinge of satisfaction at the reaction I provoked . I struggled to catch my breath between fits of laughter, my body shaking with emotion.
“What’s funny,”
“You,” I managed to gasp between giggles, feeling a surge of confidence “You never learn, Lilith. You are so cute.” My words were laced with amusement, despite the gravity of the situation.