Kamrynn’s POV
I stare, frozen in place, my mind spinning as the realization settles in. Luna? The woman I had just been speaking to so freely, sharing stories and laughing with… she’s the Luna of the Blue Bell Pack?
The shock courses through me like a jolt of electricity, followed by a wave of dread. I scramble out of the bed despite the searing pain in my ribs and legs, an attempt to bow to Rmonica. “L-Luna, I- I’m so sorry! I didn’t know-”
“Shhh,” Rmonica hushes me gently, her hands already on my shoulders, pressing me back down onto the bed. “None of that now. You’re still in no condition to be moving about,” she says, her voice as soothing as the touch of a mother’s hand. “There’s no need for all the formality.”
I let her guide me back onto the pillows, my heart pounding with both embarrassment and relief. “I’m so sorry,” I whisper, wincing as I try to settle comfortably. “I didn’t mean to speak to you so casually. I had no idea-”
“It’s alright, Kamrynn,” Rmonica interrupts, shaking her head with a soft smile. “I didn’t tell you who I was for a reason. I expected this kind of reaction if you found out. And, well, you’ve proven me right.” Her eyes twinkle with a hint of mischief, and I feel some of the tension in my chest begin to loosen.
“But you’re the Luna,” I say, still trying to grasp the idea. “I should’ve-”
“There are plenty of people who bow and scrape when they see me,” Rmonica says, a touch of humor in her voice. “It gets old, you know? Sometimes, I just want a normal conversation without all the titles and formalities.” She sighs lightly, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. “Being Luna has its perks, sure, but it also makes it hard to have a genuine, easy-going chat. The moment people know who I am, everything changes. I just… wanted to be myself for a while.”
I blink up at her, trying to process what she’s saying. “So, you… don’t mind?”
“Mind?” Rmonica chuckles softly. “If anything, I enjoyed talking to you more because you didn’t know. You didn’t treat me differently or weigh your words too carefully. It was refreshing.” There’s a warmth in her tone that makes me realize just how humble and down-to-earth she truly is. Despite her position, she seems… so ordinary in the best possible way. Kind, hopelessly so-someone who would use her power to heal rather than harm.
“Thank you for helping me,” I say earnestly, meeting her gaze. “Especially since… well, I’m not even part of your Pack.”
Rmonica’s expression softens further. “I’ve never liked the way rogues are treated,” she admits, a hint of disapproval in her voice. “Just because a wolf is no longer part of a Pack doesn’t mean they lose their worth. Whether by choice or circumstance, they are still wolves, just like the rest of us. The way some people treat rogues… as if they’re less than kin-it’s never made much sense to me.”
Her words bring a sense of relief washing over me, like a balm on an open wound. It feels like a small flicker of hope in a world that’s otherwise seemed so cruel. “It’s… good to know someone feels that way,” I murmur. “Sometimes, I think the world is just… full of people looking for reasons to hate.”
Rmonica gives a sad, knowing nod. “There are always those who find comfort in their own superiority,” she says quietly. “But I believe there are also people who seek to understand and to heal, even if they are fewer in number.” She hesitates for a moment, then adds, “Thank you for listening to my story, Kamrynn. I don’t usually speak about myself so openly. In fact… I rarely do. I much prefer to listen to others. But… I don’t know. Something about you felt familiar. I felt… safe enough to share.”
The words light a warmth inside me that I haven’t felt in a long time. “That means a lot to me,” I reply, a smile tugging at my lips. “I’m glad you felt like you could talk to me. I… I enjoyed talking to you, too.” There’s a giddiness rising in my chest, a flicker of joy at the thought that someone as important as Rmonica finds me easy to talk to. For the first time in forever, I feel like I could really make a friend. I want to share my plight with her… if I can gather the courage.
Elara’s voice cuts in from the doorway, her tone cool and professional. “Luna Rmonica, I just wanted to remind you… Kamrynn is an inmate. After her treatment, she’s due back in the prison.”
The words land like a stone in my stomach. I brace myself for Rmonica’s expression to change, for her to look at me differently now that she knows I’m not just a rogue, but a prisoner. But to my amazement, her demeanor remains calm and compassionate.
“That may be true,” Rmonica says, turning to face Elara, “but that doesn’t change anything about the conversation we had.” She looks back at me with the same kind eyes, as though my status has no bearing on her opinion of me. “Kamrynn, dear, please finish your meal and rest,” she says, her voice gentle. “You need your strength.”
She straightens and addresses Elara, “If you don’t mind, I’d like to speak with you in private.”
My chest tightens with a sudden surge of anxiety as they both head toward the door. I watch them leave, dread seeping into my bones. What are they going to talk about? Are they discussing my fate right now? Whatever they decide could change the course of my life.
I finish the food quickly, but it feels tasteless now, my appetite swallowed up by worry. As I lie back down and close my eyes, I try to rest, but my thoughts keep racing. Even the pain in my body seems dulled by the intensity of my nerves. The seconds stretch into what feels like an eternity, my mind spinning with all the possible outcomes of that private conversation.
Finally, after what seems like forever, Elara returns, her expression more composed than before. I sit up as best as I can, my heart thudding in my chest. “What… what did she say?” I ask, my voice trembling.
Elara takes a step closer, her gaze unreadable for a moment. “Luna Rmonica doesn’t feel comfortable with you returning to the Pack prison,” she begins, and I feel my breath catch in my throat. “Given your condition, she doesn’t think it’s suitable for you to be in that environment.”
The relief is overwhelming, and I’m afraid to hope. “Then… what happens now?”
“Since the Luna doesn’t have the authority to set you free,” Elara explains, “she has proposed an alternative. She wants you to work as a maid in the palace. It’s not freedom, Kamrynn… but it’s a far better situation than being locked up in a cell.”
My pulse quickens with a mixture of gratitude and disbelief. “The palace?” I echo, struggling to wrap my mind around the change. “I… I don’t know what to say. Please, tell Luna Rmonica thank you. I-”
Elara interrupts, her tone still businesslike, but there’s a flicker of something gentler in her eyes. “You’ll have the chance to thank her yourself, I’m sure. But for now, rest and recover. You’ll need your strength if you’re going to be working in the palace.”
As Elara leaves, a swell of emotion fills my chest-hope, gratitude, and a sense of relief I haven’t felt in what seems like forever. Rmonica had done more than just treat me with kindness; she’d given me a chance. It may not be the freedom I longed for, but it was a path out of the darkness I had been trapped in.
For the first time in a long while, I allow myself to believe that maybe… just maybe… things might change for the better.