“Shh, baby. I’m here. You’re okay. Just hold on.” Tears streamed down my face as I looked back at Damon and Leah. “You promised me,” I choked out, feeling the betrayal cut deeper than any knife. “You promised to protect us.”
But there he was, running away with my sister, as if my world didn’t matter. It wasn’t just Noah I was losing; it was the future I thought we had together.
Suddenly, a wave of rogues flooded into the clearing, and Claire grabbed my arm, dragging me to my feet. “We have to move!”
“No! I can’t leave him!” I struggled against her grip, but my body felt like lead.
“Luna, please! We can’t fight them off alone. We need to get help!”
I glanced back at Noah, the world narrowing to just him and the growing darkness. I wanted to scream, to rage against the universe, but all I could do was nod and scoop Noah’s limp body into my arms. He felt so light, so fragile, as I held him close.
We ran toward the trees, my heart pounding in my chest, my thoughts spinning. I could feel the weight of Damon’s betrayal pressing down on me. He was supposed to be my rock, the one who would stand by me no matter what. But he chose Leah. Chose to abandon me in my time of need.
“How could he leave me and my son?” I whispered, the words catching in my throat.
“I don’t know,” Claire replied, her voice soft but urgent. “But we need to get to safety. We can’t let them take us, too.”
I didn’t respond. My mind was consumed with images of Noah, the blood, the laughter turning to screams. “I can’t believe this is happening,” I murmured, my breath shaky. “I can’t believe he didn’t come for us.”
“Luna…” Claire squeezed my hand, pulling me along. “We’ll get help!”
But deep down, I knew. I knew he was gone. My son gone. The bond I thought would always protect me had shattered like glass.
As we reached the edge of the woods, I turned back one last time. Damon was still there, running away with Leah, saving themselves. My heart twisted in pain. “You’ll pay for this!"
Because I wasn’t just losing my son today. I was losing everything I ever believed in.
The funeral was a blur. People came, offered their condolences, and left, but none of it registered. My son was gone, and no amount of kind words or sympathy could change that. It felt like the whole pack was moving on while I was stuck in this endless pit of grief.