Page 35 of Luna's New Reign
I don’t know how to explain it. I don’t know how to make sense of the darkness in my head, the voice that feels like it’s wrapped its claws around my mind, around my brother, dragging us both into the abyss.
I sob into Remi’s chest, my fingers tangling in his shirt as I cling to him, desperate for something—anything—that feelsreal. “They have him,” I whisper, the words broken. “I can feel him. He’s out there, Remi. He’salive,but something has him. And it’swrong.”
His arms lock around me, his voice trembling with anger and determination as he whispers fiercely, “Then we’ll get him back, sunshine. We’ll get him back, no matter what it takes.”
The voice fades for now, retreating into the shadows of my mind, but its words linger like a cold touch I can’t shake.
Come here.
The darkness isn’t done with me yet.
And neither is whoever—orwhatever—has my brother.
19
MATEO
The council room is suffocating. The air feels thick, charged with unspoken tension, my wolf pacing beneath my skin, ready to snap at the smallest provocation. I sit at the head of the table, fingers curled tightly around the arms of my chair as my glare sweeps over the faces staring back at me.
Kehlani sits across from me, his expression cool and calculating, like he’s already decided this conversation isn’t going anywhere. River sits on my left, Bo on my right, arms crossed over his chest as he shifts uncomfortably, trying to stay neutral. The two other council members—Alphas appointed only weeks ago—don’t speak. They just watch, waiting to see who will break first.
I can feel Nepheline’s emotions through the bond, faint but relentless—a whirlwind of frustration, exhaustion, and something darker that I can’t quite place. I try to shield her from my own turmoil, but it’s useless. She feels everything, even when she doesn’t want to.
And she won’t ask for help.
That’s what weighs on me the most. I see it every time she pushes herself too hard, every time her magic slips out of control and leaves her gasping. I feel her unraveling, piece by piece, and I know if we’re not careful, she’ll shut us out again—just like she did when we found her. Trying to carry it all on her own. Trying to save everyone else while she drowns.
I can’t let that happen. Iwon’t.
But that doesn’t make this any easier.
“This is reckless,” Kehlani says, breaking the silence with his infuriating calm. He leans forward slightly, his silver hair catching the light. “Going after the super wolves is a mistake, Mateo. It’ll bring nothing but pain to your pack.”
I clench my jaw, forcing my voice to stay even. “And doingnothingis smarter?”
Kehlani narrows his eyes. “I didn’t say that. But charging headfirst into a fight you don’t need is a dangerous choice for any Alpha—one that could cost you more than you realize.”
My wolf growls low inside me, River shifting subtly at my side, as though sensing my rising irritation. “We’re not charging headfirst into anything,” I bite out. “We’re preparing. We’replanning.”
“And putting your pack directly in harm’s way,” Kehlani shoots back, his voice hardening. “The super wolves are not your problem anymore. Silas is dead. The pack of the Forbidden is scattered. There’s no reason to risk your people for ghosts.”
I slam my palm down on the table, the sound echoing through the room like a gunshot. “They’renotghosts,” I snarl. “They’re out there. I can feel it—Asani can feel it. And if we don’t act now, we’ll be the ones caught off guard when they come for us.”
Kehlani doesn’t flinch, but I see the way his jaw tightens, the faintest flicker of something uncertain in his eyes. “And you think your pack is ready to face them?”
“Maverick used to take them down before,” I say, my voice sharper now. “Alone.He didn’t shift. He didn’t have magic. And he still survived. So don’t sit there and tell me this can’t be done.”
“That was different,” Kehlani argues. “He fought in the shadows, picking them off one by one. That’s not what you’re proposing here. You want to hunt them down. To confront them head-on.”
Bo clears his throat, finally stepping in. “Mateo’s not suggesting we fight them blindly,” he says carefully, his deep voice steady. “There’s a plan. Isn’t there?”
“There is,” I answer, leaning forward to meet Kehlani’s gaze. “Asani’s been working on an anti-serum—a neutralizer that can target their enhancements. It can be delivered from a distance. We don’t have to get close to them. We’ll take them down before they ever see us coming.”
Kehlani scoffs, shaking his head. “And you trust this… serum? You trust that it will work when the time comes?”
“I trust Asani,” I growl. “And I trust my pack.”
The room falls into silence again, tense and heavy as Kehlani glares at me. I know what he’s thinking—that I’m being reckless, that my need to protect my family and my pack is clouding my judgment. And maybe it is. Maybe I’m too close to this.