Twenty seven

Rhea.

The battle had ended, but the aftermath was far worse than I could've ever imagined. I stood amidst the wreckage, my body sore, bruised, and heavy with exhaustion. The scent of blood and smoke clung to the air like an unwanted memory. Broken trees and shattered walls told the story of a war we barely survived.

Warriors around me, once proud and strong, were now bloodied and hunched over, tending to their wounds, some leaning on each other for support, others crouching in silent pain.

But the real weight wasn't in my aching muscles or the cuts on my skin. It was in my mind. I felt it pressing down, pushing me further into the ground with each breath I took. I had never been in a battle like this. I never expected that becoming Luna meant stepping into a battlefield soaked with the blood of my packmates. Every face I looked at was etched with pain, loss, and exhaustion, mirroring the chaos swirling inside me.

I should've listened to Remus when he told me to stay back but I was too persistent to listen. I so badly wanted to prove myself. And I should have felt relief, knowing we had won, but there was no victory in this. Not with so many lives shattered and so many questions still left unanswered.

My mind replayed the battle over and over again, Zara's face haunting me, her eyes filled with such raw grief and rage. Had we truly seen the last of her? The truce felt shaky, like it could collapse at any moment.

I wrapped my arms around myself, though the chill I felt wasn't from the cold. It was deeper, a hollow ache in my chest that kept troubling me. Could I have done more? Could I have fought harder, been stronger? The guilt was relentless, creeping into every thought. As Luna, I was supposed to protect my pack. But looking at the ruin around me, I questioned if I had truly fulfilled that role.

And then, as if the weight wasn't heavy enough, I saw her—Elara. Her eyes locked onto mine with a fury that sent a cold shiver down my spine.

Her expression was sharp, like a blade ready to cut. Tessa was trailing behind her, her face twisted into a smug, hateful sneer. They walked straight toward me, and I braced myself for what I knew was coming.

"You brought this upon us," Elara spat, her voice cold and biting, the accusation hitting me like a slap to the face. "If it weren't for you, we wouldn't be in this mess."

Her words cut deep, but I stood my ground, refusing to show the sting they caused. My heart pounded in my chest, a combination of anger and hurt bubbling up inside me. I met her gaze, holding onto the resolve I had left, though it felt like it could crack any moment.

"I've done everything I can to protect this pack—your pack," I said, my voice firm but weary. "You think I wanted this chaos? You think I wanted any of this?" I took a step closer, not backing down. "I'm here to stay, whether you approve or not."

Elara's glare deepened, but before she could respond, Tessa chimed in, her voice dripping with venom. "Since the moment you became Luna, everything has gone downhill. Look around, Rhea. This is all because of you." Her jealousy radiated off her like a bitter wave, her hatred toward me clear in every word she spat. "You're manipulating Remus, twisting him to your will, using this chaos to weaken his authority."

I clenched my fists at my sides, the accusation stinging more than I expected. Tessa's words were flared by her own bitterness, her desire for Remus, a desire that had never been fulfilled. But her spite didn't change the fact that she was wrong. Dead wrong.

The fury in me flared, but I held it down, forcing myself to remain calm. My heart raced, anger surging through my veins, but I refused to let them see me falter. I had been pushed aside, doubted, and blamed for far too long, and I wasn't going to let them break me now.

"You're wrong, Tessa," I said, my voice low but dangerous, each word laced with the strength I felt building inside me. "I am Luna. And I will not be silenced."

There was a moment of stunned silence. Elara's eyes widened slightly, her mouth opening as if to speak, but no words came out. She hadn't expected me to stand up to her. She thought I would cower, that I would take the blame and wither under her accusations. But not this time. Not anymore.

Tessa's face, on the other hand, twisted with barely contained rage. She wanted to lash out again, I could see it in her eyes, but something stopped her. Maybe it was the realization that her words no longer held the power they once did. Maybe it was the unshakable truth in my voice.

I turned on my heel and walked away, leaving them both standing there in the debris of their own bitterness. My heart was pounding in my chest, a mixture of triumph and guilt swirling together in a confusing storm. I had stood up for myself, for my role as Luna, but the weight of the destruction still hung over me. I knew this wasn't over. Far from it.

 I walked through the pack, the devastation hit me like a tidal wave. Everywhere I looked, there was pain. Warriors limped by, some holding their sides, others cradling broken limbs. Blood stained the ground, mingling with the dirt and smoke still hanging in the air. I could hear quiet sobs, families mourning their lost loved ones. It was hard to breathe.

My heart ached as I watched people grieve. Mothers clutched their children, trying to soothe them, but their own eyes were hollow and red from crying.

Others stood silently by the side, staring into nothingness, probably wondering if this nightmare was truly over. A part of me wanted to reassure them that the worst was behind us, that we could finally breathe easy. But deep down, I knew this wasn't over. Zara might have retreated for now, but it felt like the calm before another storm.

The guilt gnawed at me like a relentless beast. Every injured person I passed, every tear I saw, felt like another punch to my gut. I was their Luna now. I was supposed to protect them, to lead them, and yet here we were—broken and bleeding.

My mind swirled with doubt. Was I truly cut out for this? Could I ever be the Luna they needed? Every decision I made from here on would determine the future of this pack, and the weight of that responsibility made my knees feel weak.

I stopped for a moment, taking a deep breath, trying to hold it together. But the longer I stood there, surrounded by the destruction, the harder it became. The doubts, the guilt, it all threatened to drown me. Was this what being Luna was? Pain, loss, and never-ending fear of what's to come?

Just as I was about to completely lose myself in that dark spiral, I heard footsteps behind me. I turned, and there was Alaric, his broad figure moving steadily toward me. His face was hard, weathered by the battle, but there was a softness in his eyes, a warmth that cut through the cold fear gripping me.

He stopped in front of me, placing a firm but comforting hand on my shoulder. "Rhea," he said gently, his voice rough but full of care. "They need you now more than ever."

I tried to blink back the tears that threatened to fall. My voice came out shaky. "I don't know if I can do this, Alaric. I'm not sure if I'm enough."

Alaric's expression softened even more. He'd always been like a father to me, guiding me when I was lost, always knowing the right thing to say. "You are enough, Rhea," he said firmly. "You are more than enough. Remus chose you for a reason. There's a strength in you, even if you don't see it yet. The pack doesn't just need a Luna who can fight—they need hope. That's what you give them."

His words hit me like a jolt of energy. I wiped away the tears threatening to fall and nodded, feeling a new surge of determination rise within me. He was right. I couldn't afford to doubt myself now, not when so many lives depended on it. "Thank you, Alaric," I whispered, my voice steadying. "I won't let them down."

Alaric gave me a reassuring nod, and with that, I steeled myself. I wasn't going to let the pack crumble. We would stand strong. If Zara and her pack came back, we would be ready. This time, we'd be prepared. Stronger. United.

I started to move through the camp, rallying the pack, helping the wounded, and organizing those who could still fight. I had to push aside my own fears and lead because that's what they needed from me. I could feel the eyes of the pack on me, watching, waiting for guidance.

Just as I began formulating a defense strategy, I saw him. Remus. He emerged from the shadows, his tall figure walking toward me, his face etched with a mix of weariness and something darker. His clothes were torn, dirt and blood smeared across his body. But it wasn't the physical wounds that concerned me—it was the look in his eyes. A deep, simmering conflict.

"Remus!" I rushed to him, my heart pounding in my chest. Relief washed over me just seeing him, but something was off. He looked… distant. Like his mind was somewhere else, somewhere far from here.

He barely met my eyes as I reached him. His jaw was tight, his brow furrowed. "Zara isn't done," he said, his voice low and tense. "She's still out for blood. This peace… it won't last. We need to be ready."

I could sense the turmoil raging inside him, the weight of leadership crushing down on his shoulders, just as it had on mine. But this felt deeper for him, more personal. I touched his arm gently. "We'll face her together, Remus," I said, trying to break through the wall he was putting up. "Next time, we'll be stronger. We'll be ready."

For a moment, he didn't respond, his gaze hard and distant. But then, slowly, he turned toward me, and I saw it—the raw pain in his eyes. The guilt. He was breaking, piece by piece. "I'm failing them, Rhea," he whispered, his voice cracking with emotion. "I couldn't save Emmie… and now, I'm putting everyone at risk again."

My heart shattered hearing the pain in his voice. I gently took his hand, squeezing it. "You're not failing anyone," I said softly, my voice filled with as much love and strength as I could muster. "You're the strongest Alpha I know. But you don't have to carry this alone. We're in this together, Remus. Always."

His shoulders sagged slightly, the weight of everything pressing down on him. But he didn't pull away. For the first time in what felt like forever, he let his guard down, even if just a little. I could feel the tension ease, just enough for us to breathe.

We stood there together, the world around us still chaotic, still uncertain. But in that moment, I knew one thing for sure—we wouldn't let it break us. We couldn't afford to.

Because together, we were stronger.