I walked quietly down the hallway, my heels barely touching the floor. The voices coming from the council chamber made me slow down.
"...we are not taking sides," one of the elders said firmly.
Another voice added, "Besides, Lisa is just a human. She does not fit to be the Luna of this pack."
My chest tightened. Lisa?
Damon’s voice rose sharply. "I don’t care what you think! I choose who I want..."
"You don’t get to choose against the traditions of this pack!" another council member snapped. "Everyone knows Luna always comes from the Beta’s family. That is how it has been for generations."
"Enough!" Damon’s voice thundered. "You think you can decide my future? You think I will marry Belinda just because of tradition?!"
My heart stopped. So it’s true...
Another elder sighed. "Damon, you know the law. Beta’s daughter has been prepared for this role since birth. Belinda is the rightful Luna. Lisa... is nothing."
I stepped back quickly, afraid someone would catch me listening. My stomach felt heavy, and my hands were shaking. So Damon is defending her... fighting for her...
I turned away from the council room and walked fast to my quarters, my heels clicking hard against the polished floor. My chest felt tight, each breath sharp, like the air itself was angry with me. I didn’t even look at anyone I passed. I could still hear the last words from inside the council chamber ringing in my ears, heavy and cruel.
By the time I reached my door, my pulse was pounding so loudly it was all I could hear. I shoved the door open, stepped in, and slammed it shut behind me with more force than I meant to. The sound echoed in the room, bouncing off the walls like a gunshot.
I stood there with my back pressed against the wood, my eyes closed. My whole body was shaking, not from fear, but from fury. My breath came fast and uneven, and I could taste the bitterness in my mouth.
"That bastard," I whispered, my voice trembling. "After everything... after all these years..."
The words burned on my tongue. I clenched my fists so tight my nails dug into my palms. I had stood by him, defended him, and trusted him. And now, in front of the council, he let them speak like that about me, like I was nothing.
The room felt smaller with every passing second, like the walls were moving in. I pushed away from the door and started pacing, my steps quick, restless, my bare fingertips brushing against the furniture as I passed. The curtains swayed slightly from the wind sneaking in through the window, but even that soft movement seemed to irritate me.
I needed to do something. Sitting still would only let the anger eat me alive.
My thoughts were a tangled knot, but one memory kept cutting through, him.
A slow, bitter smile tugged at my lips as I stopped by the edge of the bed. "If only they knew..." I murmured, brushing my fingers over the fabric absentmindedly.
That rogue. I could still see his face the day I found him, half-starved, clothes torn, blood crusted at the corner of his mouth. He was from another pack, one I had no reason to care about. The smarter thing would have been to leave him where he was, let Damon’s men finish the job when he was caught sneaking in. But that day... I don’t know. Maybe I was feeling generous. Or maybe I just liked the way he looked at me, like I was the only thing standing between him and death.
I tossed him a piece of bread and ordered one of my men to patch him up. No questions asked. I remember thinking it was nothing, just a small act, a flicker of mercy. I didn’t even ask his name. I ordered my men to take him to our place and work as one of my father’s guards.
I chuckled under my breath now, the sound sharp and humorless. "And look at that," I said to the empty room. "Turns out, even useless strays can be worth keeping alive."
The time came... when I needed someone to take care of Lisa quietly, without it tracing back to me... he was perfect. A ghost. No ties to me, no ties to anyone here. Just a debt he still owed, and I would be sure to collect.
I grabbed my phone from the table, my hands trembling so badly I almost dropped it. I gripped it tighter, pressing it to my chest for a moment, closing my eyes. My mind raced with a hundred thoughts, memories of promises, of moments when I believed Damon, of nights I told myself I was safe with him.
My thumb hovered over the screen. I didn’t even need to scroll through my contacts. I knew the number by heart because I brought him the phone and some basic things he needed at that time, I could dial it in the dark, half-asleep, with my eyes closed.
I swallowed hard, my throat dry, and started to dial. Each button made a small click, the sound oddly loud in the quiet room. My finger hesitated once, but then I pressed the last digit.
The phone felt heavier than usual in my hand, almost as if it knew the weight of the conversation I was about to have. My other hand ran through my hair, tugging slightly, trying to keep my mind steady.
I paced again, back and forth across the room, the line still ringing in my ear. My heart pounded in time with each tone. I could feel the heat in my cheeks, the tightness in my jaw.
When I heard the faint click, I stopped pacing, frozen in place. I took a deep breath, trying to control my voice, even though the fury still vibrated through every part of me.
His voice answered, deep and slow. "Yes, Miss Belinda?"
"It’s me," I said through clenched teeth.
"What do you need, Miss Belinda?"
"I need something done. Quietly."
There was a pause. "Who?"
"Lisa." I spat her name like poison. "I don’t care how you do it, but make sure she disappears. Do you understand me?"
The man gave a short laugh. "Disappears how?"
I stopped pacing and stared at the wall. "I don’t want her breathing by the time the sun rises tomorrow. Make it quick. Make it clean."
"Consider it done," he said, then hung up.
I dropped the phone on my bed and sat down heavily. My chest was still burning from what I heard in that meeting. Damon could scream at the council all he wanted, but I was going to make sure Lisa never saw another day.