The Luna Rises From Ashes

The screen on my phone had just gone dark when I heard the click of the lock turning, shattering the silence. Maddox stormed into the room, his broad frame filling the doorway, muscles taut with barely restrained fury. His scent—sharp and aggressive—filled the space, a reminder of his rank as Beta of the Silvermoon Pack.

"You've got time to make phone calls, even after what you did to Kinley?" he snarled, his voice laced with the alpha tone that sent a shiver down my spine. Before I could react, he grabbed my arm, his grip bruising, and shoved me against the doorframe. The impact forced a pained gasp from my lips.

Two Deltas—Everest and Desmond—stepped forward at his command, each seizing one of my arms. Their strength was overwhelming, and I was dragged into the bedroom, forced to kneel on the cold hardwood floor beside Kinley's bed. My knees ached, but I refused to cry out.

"Kinley was just frightened," Maddox said, his voice calm now, though the edge of his alpha tone lingered. "She nearly lost the baby. You'll stay here until she calms down."

I glanced at Kinley, who lay propped up on the bed, her golden hair fanned out like a halo. Out of Maddox's sight, she shot me a smug smile, her eyes gleaming with triumph. My stomach churned.

How could I ever have confused Maddox, with his cold ruthlessness, with Cristian, whose warmth and strength had once been my refuge?

Time dragged on, and the sharp pain in my knees grew unbearable. Just when I thought I couldn't endure it any longer, the sound of barking echoed from downstairs.

Kinley's eyes lit up. "My new dog is finally here!"

She whispered something to Maddox, her voice sweet and pleading. His expression softened, and he nodded before heading downstairs. When he returned, he was carrying the urns that held my parents' ashes.

I stared, my heart pounding, a terrible dread settling in my stomach. "What are you planning?"

Kinley feigned innocence, covering her mouth with a giggle. "You know what they say about dogs loving bones, right? I'm curious—if we grind them up, will they still eat them? Since we've got bones already, why not let the dog have a taste? Just a little, right? You wouldn’t mind, Violette?"

Her words struck me like a lightning bolt, freezing my blood. They were going to feed my parents' ashes to the dog!

Fury surged through me, and I shouted, “Kinley! If you touch my parents' ashes, I'll never let you get away with it!”

"She's so scary, Maddox," Kinley whimpered, huddling into his arms.

He held her close, his expression darkening as he turned to me. "Enough! It's just a little ash, and you're making a fuss?"

"That's your punishment for messing with Kinley."

I trembled with rage. "Maddox, if you have any decency left, give me back the urns! Or I'll hate you forever!"

"Hate me?" Maddox knelt down suddenly, his face inches from mine. His grip on my chin was ironclad. "You're just an Omega, Violette. What right do you have to talk about hate?"

With those words, he nodded to Kinley. She gleefully instructed Everest to bring over a bowl of dog food, emptying the entire contents of my father's urn into it right before my eyes.

When she moved to pour my mother's ashes, Maddox frowned. "Weren't we just using a little bit? Isn't this too much?"

"Maddox!" Kinley pouted, her voice dripping with false hurt. "Didn't you promise to help teach her a lesson? I nearly had a miscarriage because of her. If you don't put her in her place, she'll trample all over you."

His hesitation vanished, and he folded his arms, watching the scene with cold detachment. "You're right. It's time to teach her, so she remembers her place."