Chapter 2: Blood on the Stone

Luna’s POV

The forest swallowed me whole, its shadows clawing at my skin as I ran, the silver dagger clutched tight in my hand. My wolf howled inside, a storm of rage and grief, but I forced my legs to move, the blood moon’s glow flickering through the canopy like a taunting eye. Dominic’s betrayal—his cold words, Nova’s smug triumph—burned hotter than the pup stirring in my womb. I wasn’t safe here, not with that unseen stalker’s scent lingering in my memory, metallic and wrong. The dagger’s runes pulsed under my fingers, whispering of secrets I didn’t yet understand, but one thing was clear: someone wanted me dead.

I reached the neutral hunting grounds, a rocky clearing where pack territories blurred, and collapsed against a boulder, gasping. My moonstone pendant, cracked and heavy, pressed against my chest, a reminder of everything I’d lost. Dominic, how could you? My wolf whined, picturing his amber eyes, how they’d softened when we hunted together. But he’d chosen Nova, chosen power over love. And Nova—my sister-wolf, my confidante—had stabbed me deeper than any blade.

Footsteps crunched nearby, deliberate, not animal. My wolf snapped alert, senses sharpening. I gripped the dagger, crouching low, heart pounding. “Show yourself!” I snarled, voice echoing off the stones.

A figure stepped into the moonlight—Kara, one of Dominic’s pack guards, her lean frame tense, eyes glinting wolf-gold. “Luna,” she said, voice low, “you shouldn’t be here. It’s not safe.”

“Not safe?” I laughed, bitter, standing to face her. “You think I don’t know that? Someone left this for me.” I held up the dagger, its runes catching the light. Kara’s eyes widened, a flicker of fear crossing her face before she masked it.

“Where did you get that?” she asked, stepping closer, her scent sharp with unease.

“Found it after Dominic and Nova ripped my heart out,” I spat. “Someone was watching me, Kara. Care to explain?”

She hesitated, glancing over her shoulder. “Luna, you need to listen. There’s a plot—”

A howl cut her off, sharp and urgent, from the direction of Dominic’s territory. Kara froze, then grabbed my arm. “Run. Now.”

I yanked free, claws extending. “I’m done running. Tell me what’s going on, or I swear—”

Another howl, closer, followed by the snap of branches. Kara cursed, shoving me toward the trees. “Go, Luna! They’re coming for you!”

“Who?” I demanded, but she was already shifting, her wolf form—sleek and gray—darting into the shadows. My wolf surged, urging me to follow, but the dagger’s weight grounded me. I couldn’t trust anyone, not after Nova, not after Dominic. I bolted in the opposite direction, toward my pack’s border, the howls chasing me like ghosts.

The forest blurred, my breath ragged, until I stumbled into my family’s den, the familiar scent of pine and earth grounding me. My stepmother, Selene, stood at the entrance, her eyes narrowing as I staggered forward, dagger in hand. “Luna,” she said, voice cold, “what have you done now?”

“Don’t start,” I growled, pushing past her. “I’m not in the mood for your lectures.”

She grabbed my wrist, her grip iron. “You reek of Dominic’s territory. And that—” Her gaze locked on the dagger, her face paling. “Where did you get it?”

I wrenched free, backing away. “Why does everyone keep asking that? What is this thing?”

Selene’s lips thinned, but before she could answer, a figure burst into the den—Nova, her black hair wild, eyes blazing. My wolf snarled, claws itching to strike. “Luna!” she snapped, ignoring Selene. “You weren’t supposed to run off like that. The ceremony’s tomorrow, and you *will* be there.”

“Get out,” I said, voice low, dangerous. “You’ve done enough.”

Nova’s smile was all teeth. “Oh, Luna, don’t be so dramatic. You’re my witness, remember? It’s tradition. Or do you want the pack to think you’re too weak to handle a little rejection?”

I lunged, dagger raised, but Selene stepped between us, her eyes flashing. “Enough!” she barked. “Nova, leave. Now.”

Nova smirked, unfazed. “Fine. But Luna, don’t make me drag you to the ceremony myself.” She sauntered out, her scent lingering like poison.

I turned on Selene, dagger still in hand. “Why are you protecting her? You hate me, same as everyone else.”

Selene’s face softened, just a fraction. “I don’t hate you, Luna. But you’re playing a dangerous game, carrying that.” She pointed at the dagger. “It’s a ritual blade, used to seal pack alliances—or break them. Whoever left it for you wants blood.”

My stomach twisted. “Whose blood? Mine?”

“Or Dominic’s,” she said, voice grim. “There’s a faction in his pack that doesn’t want this alliance with Nova’s family. They see you as a threat—or a tool.”

I stared at her, the weight of her words sinking in. “Why are you telling me this? You’ve never cared about me.”

She sighed, looking older than her years. “You’re still my cub, Luna. And that pup you’re carrying—” Her eyes flicked to my abdomen, and I froze. “Yes, I know. Your scent’s changed. You can’t hide it forever.”

I clutched the dagger tighter, my wolf bristling. “Don’t you dare threaten my pup.”

“I’m not,” she said, raising her hands. “But others will. You need to decide, Luna—run, or fight.”

Before I could answer, a scream tore through the night, high and panicked, from the neutral grounds. My wolf’s instincts kicked in, and I sprinted out, ignoring Selene’s shout. The dagger thrummed in my hand, almost alive, as I reached the clearing. Kara lay crumpled on the ground, blood pooling beneath her, her gray fur matted. Her eyes, barely open, met mine. “Luna… run… they know…”

“Who?” I dropped to my knees beside her, heart racing. “Kara, who did this?”

She coughed, blood flecking her lips. “The pack… betrayers… the blade…” Her voice faded, her body stilling. I checked her pulse—nothing. My wolf howled, grief and rage colliding, but then I heard it: footsteps, circling the clearing, closing in.

I stood, dagger raised, scanning the shadows. Figures emerged—three wolves, their eyes glowing, scents unfamiliar but laced with Dominic’s pack. “You have something that belongs to us,” one growled, shifting to human form, a scar slashing across his face.

“The blade?” I held it up, defiant. “Come and take it.”

They lunged, and I fought, my wolf’s strength surging. Claws slashed, blood sprayed, but the dagger felt alive, guiding my strikes. I downed one, then another, but the third pinned me, his weight crushing. “You’re done, rogue,” he snarled, raising a claw.

A roar shattered the air—Dominic, his wolf form massive, crashing into the attacker. The wolf yelped, thrown aside, and Dominic shifted, bloodied but standing between me and the third. “Luna, go!” he roared.

I hesitated, our eyes locking. Pain, guilt, love—it was all there, raw and real. But the third wolf recovered, lunging for Dominic. I threw the dagger, instinct guiding it. It sank into the wolf’s chest, and he collapsed, dead.

Dominic stared at me, chest heaving. “Luna, why—”

A new scent hit me—Nova’s, close, watching. I spun, but she was gone, her laughter echoing. My wolf screamed betrayal, and I realized: she’d set this up. She’d wanted me dead, or Dominic, or both.

“Luna,” Dominic started, but I backed away, daggerless, blood on my hands.

“Stay away,” I whispered, heartbroken anew. “You did this to us.”

I ran, the blood moon watching, Kara’s body a weight on my soul. Nova’s betrayal was clear, but the dagger’s purpose wasn’t. And Dominic—why had he saved me? I had no answers, only a pup to protect and a fight I couldn’t escape.