The Rise of a Betrayed Luna

The night it happened, I was returning from a meeting with the pack's elders. The forest was quiet save for the distant rustle of leaves and the occasional hoot of an owl. My thoughts was laden with Derek and Vivienne's betrayal, of my own dwindling place in the pack I once called home, Of the fact that I should leave, the pain, the humiliation was just too much to bear.

I should have just trusted my instincts that night, stayed at home or instead walking back together with other members of the pack. But I didn't want their pity suffocating me.

That was when I heard it.

The snap of a twig.

The low guttural growl of an unfamiliar wolf.

It lunged at me before I had the time to react, its amber eyes gleaming with primal rage, sinking it's teeth into my shoulder.

I screamed, the sound echoing through the empty woods. My wolf surged to the surface fighting back with claws and teeth.

It was no use, I was outmatched.

Every swipe of it's claws tore into me, every bite sent pain searing through my body.

The blood…. The gore…. Oh.

I managed to knock it off balance with a desperate kick, but it was relentless, circling me like I was a prey.

My vision blurred and the world titled on its axis.

I wasn't going to survive this.

The wolf pounced again, it's claws raking down my side, more blood poured from the wound, warm and sticky against the chill of the night. The last thing I saw was the wolf snarling above me and then everything went black.

The last thought I had in my head was… Finally.. I wouldn't have to deal with anything anymore, I was finally leaving…but what a nasty way to leave everything behind…

When I came to, I was being carried, my body, a dead weight, my senses dulled but I could hear a voice low and urgent.

Elder Marcus

“She's barely breathing,” he muttered, his steps quick and steady.

“Stay with me, Luna Leila, you hear me, you can't give up now.”

I wanted to respond, to tell him that I wasn't giving up, but my throat was too dry, my body too weak. Darkness tugged at me time and time again, but his voice kept pulling me back.

When we got to the pack's infirmary, the medics rushed to my side, their hands working quickly to stabilize me, I drifted in and out of consciousness, catching snippets of frantic voices and the metallic smell of blood.

“Call the Alpha,” someone said. “He's need to be here for her.

Derek never came.

Hours passed before I woke fully. My body aches with every breath, the bandages around my torso pulling tight against my wounds.

Elder Marcus sat beside me, his brow furrowed with concern.

“How are you feeling?” He asked gently.

“Like I was run over by a truck,” I said, my voice hoarse. “ Did… did anyone call Derek?”

Marcus's expression darkened. “He's preoccupied.”

I didn't need to ask what that means, my chest tightened, the pain shaper ths. The injuries I'd sustained.

Minutes later, voices echoed from the hallway.

Vivienne's laughter cut through the quiet, grating and annoying.

“Derek, my hand still hurts,”she whined.

“What if it gets infected?”

“You'll be fine,” he said, his tone soft, indulgent, “let me take a look at it again.”

My fist clenched breathe blankets.

Her hand?

She had a scratch on her hand while I had nearly died and he was tending to her?

The door opened slightly and Vivienne peeked in, her eyes narrowing when she saw me awake.

“Oh, you're alive,” she said with mock surprise. “For a moment, I thought we'd have to mourn you.”

Derek appeared behind her, his gaze sweeping over me briefly, before returning to her.

“Let's go, Vivienne, you need to rest,”

That was it, no concern, no questions about my condition, nothing. He didn't even step inside the room.

I felt something inside me break as I watched the door closed behind them.

Derek's betrayal wasn't just an affair, it was a complete disregard for my existence, my worth, my life.

Elder Marcus placed a hand on my shoulders, his touch grounding me. “You deserve better than this,” he said quietly.

I nodded. Yet the despair was overwhelming, I had given everything to Derek, now I was nothing more than a shadow in his life.

The days in the infirmary dragged on, each one blending into the next. My body healed slowly, the pain a constant reminder of how close I’d come to death. I spent most of my time staring at the ceiling, thinking of the life I once had and the one I now needed to escape.

It was during one of these long, silent afternoons that Vivienne arrived.

The sound of her heels clicking against the tiled floor was like the ticking of a bomb. I turned my head as she stepped into the room, her lips curling into a saccharine smile that made my skin crawl.

“Well, well,” she said, her voice dripping with mock concern. “Look at you, Leila . Still clinging to life, I see. Honestly, I’m surprised. Most people would’ve had the decency to just die after such a fatal incident, but not you, I have to give you credit, you are quite strong, even though you don't look like it.”

“What do you want, Vivienne ?” I asked, my voice low and steady despite the tremor in my chest.

She laughed, the sound cold and hollow. “I just came to check on you, of course. It’s only polite, isn’t it?”

She sauntered closer, her presence suffocating. “You know,” she began, her tone casual, “you’re not exactly popular around here. No one in the pack really wants you. You’re like a ghost haunting the place, tormenting everyone with your sad, pathetic existence.”

Her words struck like a whip, each one leaving a stinging mark. “Derek —” I started, but she cut me off with a sharp laugh.

“Derek?” she sneered. “Oh, Leila. You still think he cares about you? He’s mine now, heart and soul. Soon, the rest of the pack will see that too. You? You’re nothing but a fading memory.”

She leaned in closer, her eyes glinting with malice. “You should’ve died out there in the woods. It would’ve saved everyone so much trouble. Including me.”

Something in her voice sent a chill down my spine. I studied her face, searching for answers, and caught a flicker of satisfaction in her eyes—a flicker that made my blood run cold.

“What are you saying?” I whispered.

Vivienne smiled sweetly, a predator toying with her prey. “I’m saying that if you want what’s best for you, you’ll leave. Pack up your little broken heart and disappear. Because next time…” She trailed off, her claws extending slightly, glinting like polished daggers in the dim light.

“Next time,” she said softly, “you might not be so lucky.”

Before I could react, she pressed her claws into my side, directly where the rogue had torn me open. Pain shot through me like lightning, I bit down on my lip to keep from crying out.

“You should be thanking me for the advice,” she murmured, her voice dripping with faux kindness. “It’s the least I can do for a dying breed like you.”

The door creaked open, and a pack doctor entered, her presence like a beam of light cutting through the darkness. “Leila I’m here to check—” She stopped short, her eyes narrowing as she took in the scene.

“Vivienne,” the doctor said sharply. “What are you doing here?”

Vivienne straightened, her claws retracting as she plastered on an innocent smile. “Oh, nothing. Just a friendly visit,” she said breezily. “Leila and I were having a little chat.”

The doctor’s gaze didn’t waver, suspicion etched into her features. “I think it’s time you left. Leila needs rest.”

“Of course,” Vivienne replied, her tone dripping with false sweetness. “Take care, Leila.” She winked at me before turning and sauntering out, her heels clicking against the floor.

Once she was gone, the doctor turned to me, concern softening her expression. “Are you okay? Did she hurt you?”

I shook my head, though my body screamed in protest. “I’m fine,” I said weakly, unwilling to explain.

But inside, I wasn’t fine. I was unraveling, Vivienne’s words echoing in my mind like a cruel mantra. I was unwanted, unloved, a burden to the pack. And worse, her veiled threat left no doubt—my life was in danger, and Derek wouldn’t lift a finger to save me.

As tears slid silently down my cheeks, I made my decision.

I had to leave. Not just for my dignity, but for my survival. If staying meant enduring more of Vivienne ’s cruelty and Derek ’s indifference, then it wasn’t worth it.

And when I did leave, I would make sure they both realized what they had lost.