Chapter 3<\/p>\n
Rebecca\u2019s POV<\/p>\n
The Bloodmoon Club pulsed with music and the scent of sweat and heat, thick in the air like a storm about to break. My heart felt heavier with every beat, and no amount of flaming whiskey could quiet the howl clawing at my insides. The world spun around me in reds and silvers\u2014lights, bodies, smoke\u2014but all I could see was them.<\/p>\n
There, in the VIP booth, stood Lucas. My wolf knight. His tall frame towered like a silent fortress beside her\u2014Maurine. She leaned in with a flirtatious whisper, her fingers grazing the edge of his jaw, and I saw it\u2014his stoic expression faltering, his ears reddening. A blush. A real one.<\/p>\n
My grip tightened around the glass in my hand until it cracked.<\/p>\n
I downed the last of my drink and pushed my way to the dance floor, letting the music drown out the growl in my throat. My red dress clung to me like war paint, bold and fearless, daring anyone to approach me. And they did. A group of young wolves\u2014rich pups, drunk on power and liquor\u2014surrounded me like flies to blood. One tried to slide his hand down my side.<\/p>\n
\u201cBack. Off,\u201d I snarled.<\/p>\n
They laughed. One got too close. I bared my fangs, but the burn of liquor dulled my reaction time.<\/p>\n
\u201cLucas!\u201d I barked, voice sharp and furious.<\/p>\n
It took less than a breath. The crowd parted like prey sensing a predator. Lucas stormed toward me, wolf aura rippling off his body, powerful and commanding. The boys shrank back, some even bowing slightly before fleeing.<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, I thought you wouldn\u2019t even bother,\u201d I hissed, not thankful\u2014furious. \u201cYou looked so busy I thought you forgot your real duty. Or were you just waiting for your real Luna to give the order?\u201d<\/p>\n
His eyes darkened. \u201cI didn\u2019t see them\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo,\u201d I cut in, stepping close, my breath brushing his cheek. \u201cYou didn\u2019t want to. You saw Maurine. That\u2019s all that mattered.\u201d<\/p>\n
He stiffened, glancing away. \u201cYou\u2019ve had too much to drink.\u201d<\/p>\n
I laughed bitterly. \u201cBetter that way.\u201d<\/p>\n
He didn\u2019t answer. But before I could throw another insult, a scream shattered the air.<\/p>\n
Then chaos came.<\/p>\n
A blood-curdling shriek rose above the music, followed by a storm of panic. Fangs flashed, claws unsheathed. Screams echoed across the club. Wolves shifted mid-step, tearing out of clothes as they answered the instinctive call to protect and fight.<\/p>\n
Vampire hoodlums. The dangerous kind. The ones even lower Alphas fear recently.<\/p>\n
I turned sharply, my wolf ready to break through my skin, but not fast enough. I saw him shift\u2014Lucas\u2014his massive white-gray wolf crashing into a vampire.<\/p>\n
But not for me. He was shielding Maurine.<\/p>\n
Again.<\/p>\n
I barely had time to brace before I felt it\u2014a blur of movement, too fast. A vampire. He appeared in front of me, and I swung wildly, claws out. We clashed\u2014fangs to fang, claw to claw. I got a swipe to his face, but he was faster. Stronger. I snarled, tried to lunge, but he dodged and sank his fangs into my shoulder.<\/p>\n
The pain.<\/p>\n
It was like fire laced with death. I screamed as his poison coursed through me, burning every nerve. I tried to push him off, claws scraping his arm, but he let go on his own\u2014satisfied\u2014and vanished into the chaos.<\/p>\n
My knees buckled.<\/p>\n
The club was a warzone. Wolves clashing with vampires, blood splattering walls and floors. I saw Lucas. He was tearing through three vampires at once\u2026 still by Maurine\u2019s side.<\/p>\n
And then\u2014<\/p>\n
My eyes glowed. My wolf surged\u2014but not out of strength. It was something strange. I didn\u2019t know.<\/p>\n
Suddenly, my body collapsed, and dakrness claimed me.<\/p>\n
I woke to the sterile scent of antiseptic and the faint beep of monitors. My shoulder throbbed like it had been torn open\u2014because it had.<\/p>\n
But I was\u2026 awake?<\/p>\n
Why? I had heard stories\u2014vampire hoodlums didn\u2019t just attack. They poisoned. Their fangs caused deep, cursed sleep. The same venom that put Alpha Maximus Thane into his years-long slumber.<\/p>\n
Why was I not gone? Why wasn\u2019t I cursed?<\/p>\n
Before I could sit up, a sound caught my ears. A muffled voice. Then another. I turned my head slowly toward the glass wall of the recovery room.<\/p>\n
There they were. Maurine. Crying. In his arms.<\/p>\n
Lucas held her like something precious. Stroking her back, his voice gentle. Soft. The way he never spoke to me.<\/p>\n
\u201cI never should\u2019ve gone to the club,\u201d she whimpered. \u201cIt\u2019s my fault she got hurt.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo,\u201d Lucas murmured. \u201cYou didn\u2019t know. I should\u2019ve protected you both.\u201d<\/p>\n
She looked up at him with big, wet eyes. \u201cWhy\u2026 why did you protect me? Why not her?\u201d<\/p>\n
His voice cracked. \u201cBecause\u2026 I lo\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n
Before he could finish what he was about to say, a loud crash sounded..<\/p>\n
The vase beside my bed hit the ground, shards scattering. Lucas\u2019s head snapped toward me. Maurine inhaled sharply and rushed into the room.<\/p>\n
\u201cRebecca!\u201d she cried, eyes wide with fake relief. \u201cYou\u2019re awake! Oh thank the goddess, I was so worried\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSave it.\u201d My voice was a blade. \u201cWith you here, being an eyesore, how could I possibly get better?\u201d<\/p>\n
Her face crumbled. She ran from the room sobbing. Meanwhile, Lucas stayed.<\/p>\n
\u201cI didn\u2019t have time\u2014\u201d he began.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou had time to save her,\u201d I snapped. \u201cYou always have time for her.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2014<\/p>\n
The day of my discharge, I walked into the study. My shoulder bandaged. My body stiff. My fury\u2014a volcano behind glass.<\/p>\n
He stood when I entered.<\/p>\n
\u201cKneel.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lucas flinched. But he knew. Oh, he knew.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou failed your duty as my wolf knight. You know death is the only payment for that as per the oath you swore, right?\u201d I asked him seriously. \u201cBut I won\u2019t take your life, Lucas. A punishment is more befitting, don\u2019t you agree?\u201d<\/p>\n
He hesitated\u2014but then nodded. And knelt.<\/p>\n
An Alpha. On his knees. I wanted to laugh bitterly. With his status, he could just simply walk away instead of offering me his dignity. And yet, he chose to stay. He chose to be punished and humiliated instead because it was the only way to keep Maurine close.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll take it,\u201d he muttered. \u201cIf that\u2019s what it takes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019ll really doing anything\u2026\u201d I uttered, voice trembling. That was how much he loved her.<\/p>\n
He looked away. And that was when I raised my clawed hand.<\/p>\n
However, before my claws could land on his skin, the door burst open.<\/p>\n
\u201cStop!\u201d Maurine screamed, hurling herself between us. \u201cPunish me! He didn\u2019t do anything wrong, sister!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMove, Maurine.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo!\u201d<\/p>\n
Lucas tried to pull her away, but she wouldn\u2019t budge.<\/p>\n
\u201cI said move!\u201d I screamed in so much anger. Why he heck was she acting like a freaking hero now?<\/p>\n
She didn\u2019t move, and that was when my wolf snapped.<\/p>\n
I slashed, ane blood flew in an instant.<\/p>\n
The next thing I knew, Maurine screamed and fell, arms torn open.<\/p>\n
Lucas caught her, roaring, his wolf rippling just under his skin. He looked up at me with eyes so cold, so filled with hatred, it froze my soul.<\/p>\n
Then he carried her out. Not a word. Not a glance back.<\/p>\n
The door slammed.<\/p>\n
And I stood there\u2014claws bloodied, fists clenched, the pain in my palm nothing compared to the gaping wound in my chest.<\/p>\n
When My Alpha Ex-Husband Came Looking for Me by Mark Twain 3 Chapter 3 Rebecca\u2019s POV The Bloodmoon Club pulsed […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[64],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-23871","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-the-unclaimed-luna-novel"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23871","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23871"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23871\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23871"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23871"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23871"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}