I Fought for Our Family—He Fought for My Sister

I never thought laughter could turn into screams so quickly. One moment, I was watching my five-year-old son, Noah, play in the clearing, and the next, chaos erupted like a storm. The sun had been shining brightly, or at least it was supposed to be, before the world came crashing down.

“Luna!” My heart sank when I heard one of the pack, Claire yelling. Her eyes were wide, breath coming in quick gasps. “There are rogues! We need to get everyone to safety!”

I turned to Noah, blissfully unaware, throwing dirt at his friends. “Noah! Come here!” I shouted, but it was too late. The air filled with growls and the sound of chaos. Panic surged through me as I saw shadows moving among the trees.

“Mommy, look!” he shouted, waving his arms excitedly. “A big bad wolf!”

“Noah, no! Get back!” I screamed, but he didn’t listen. I rushed toward him, adrenaline pumping through my veins, my heart pounding like a drum. I reached him just as the rogue lunged.

“Noah!” I lunged, but the rogue was quicker. It grabbed him, and my world shattered.

“Get away from him!” I shrieked, desperation clawing at my throat. I flung myself at the rogue, but it was like fighting a shadow. The creature tossed Noah aside like he was nothing.

“No!” I collapsed beside him, cradling his limp body in my arms. Blood soaked through his shirt, staining my hands. “No, no, no… please, God, no! Noah!"

I felt a mix of anger and hurt but I felt a mix of rage and pain swell in my chest, but there was no time to dwell on it. I looked around for Damon, my mate, my supposed protector. Where was he?

“Damon!” I yelled, my voice cracking. “Help! Where are you?”

I spotted him across the clearing, running—running away—with Leah, my sister. While I fought for our son’s life. The realization hit me like a punch to the gut, and the breath escaped my lungs.

“Luna!” Claire shouted, pulling me back to reality. “We have to go! More are coming!”

But I couldn’t leave. Not like this. Not with Noah. “Noah, please! Open your eyes!” I whispered, cradling his head, desperate for a sign of life. His little eyelids fluttered, but he didn’t wake.

“Mommy…” he mumbled, barely audible. My heart shattered into a million pieces.

“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.