Caged Human Luna — He Stole My Freedom To Hide His Curse Chapter 05

Caged Human Luna — He Stole My Freedom To Hide His Curse Chapter 05 72 Hours To Burn It All Down

Fenris.

“Say that again,” I rumbled. I stepped closer to Elaine, my hands shaking so hard the nails almost broke through my skin. “Tell me exactly what you saw at the border, Elaine. Do not li

to me.”

The fire popped between us, but the heat suddenly felt miles away. I stood there, frozen, sta at Elaine. Inside my head, Liam, my wolf, clawed at the walls of my mind. He let out a deafening roar that made my vision blur.

He lied, Liam snarled, his voice a vibrating tremor of pure hatred. The parasite lied to

everyone.

“I saw his Betas walk straight across the line, Fenris. There was no lightning. They went into t human world, grabbed supplies, and walked right back. It all seemed normal. But Ethan… Ethan stayed on our side. He didn’t step a single foot over.”

A breathless laugh ripped out of my throat.

For years, I believed the entire pack was trapped because of some collective punishment, or that the borders were a cage no one could break. But it was all a theater. He had convinced an entire population that they were prisoners with him.

“He kept them all in the dark,” I muttered, the realization settling in. “He forced an entire pack to live in fear just so he wouldn’t have to face his own executioners outside.”

“And he kept me because a human Luna makes him look like a god who can protect anything.” Elaine added, her voice dropping. “We aren’t just dealing with a tyrant, Fenris. We’re dealing with a coward who will burn everything to keep his secret.”

I turned away, stalking to the edge of the cliff. A roar tore out of me. I slammed my fist into the nearest pine. Blood trickled down my knuckles, but the pain felt good.

Liam pushed harder. Kill him. Now.

Not yet. I forced him down, breathing through my teeth.

“Then we let it burn,” I growled.

I turned back, studying her face like I was seeing her for the first time. The fighter who’d just handed me the biggest weapon I’d ever had. “You could’ve kept that to yourself,” I said.

She shrugged, wiping sweat and dirt from her cheek. “We’re in this together now. Not after I heard what he did to your sister and others.”

A short laugh escaped my lips before I could withhold it, “Together.” I shook my head. “Y got balls, human. I’ll give you that. We don’t have two weeks anymore. When a coward ge cornered, he strikes fast. We will train harder tomorrow. No mercy.”

“Never asked for any,” she shot back.

Liam whispered in my mind, calmer now. She’s strong enough.

Well, let’s see how strong.

The next four days were a blur of mud, sweat, and the bitter taste of blood. I didn’t hold ba Ethan was desperate, his enforcers would be ruthless. I pushed Elaine until her muscles trembled and her breaths came in desperate gasps.

We were three miles deep into the pine forest, Elaine was twenty paces ahead of me.

“Slowing down!” I barked from behind her. “An enforcer would have torn your throat out by now!”

“Shut up and watch your left!” she shot back without looking.

I smiled faintly. The human had claws.

Suddenly, Liam went completely rigid inside me. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up The wind shifted, carrying a scent that made my stomach turn.

Wolf, Liam warned, his voice a low hum. Not a pack member but a rogue hunter.

Before I could shout a warning, a metallic clack echoed through the trees.

Elaine tripped over a root, tumbling hard into the dirt. That stumble saved her life. A massive steel net embedded with jagged silver spikes whipped upward from the forest floor, snapping shut exactly where her torso had been a second ago.

“Elaine, get up!” I yelled, drawing my blade.

But as I lunged forward to reach her, the ground beneath my feet gave way. A concealed pit trap yawned open. I twisted mid-air, catching the edge of the pit with my forearms, my boots dangling over a bed of upward-facing silver stakes gleaming in the shadows. The proximity of the silver instantly hit my bloodstream, making my muscles go weak and dizzy.

“Well, well. Look what we have here,” a mocking voice boomed from the thick brush.

A massive, scarred werewolf stepped into the clearing. It was Vance, a notorious bounty hunter

say unharmed. You’ve caused a lot of trouble, human.”

I cursed, trying to pull myself out of the pit, but the silver fumes rising from the stakes belo were paralyzing my Lycan strength.

“Vance! Touch her and I will tear your spine out!” I roared, my eyes flashing.

“You’re stuck, Patrol boy,” Vance barked, his finger tightening on the trigger. “Watch the prize bleed.”

He fired.

The bolt whistled through the air. Elaine rolled hard to the right, the silver bolt slamming in the mud where her thigh had been, splashing dirt across her face.

Vance cursed, reaching behind his back to reload, but he underestimated human speed.

Elaine scrambled to her feet, running towards him. She grabbed the silver bolt stuck in the mud, ripping it out.

Vance didn’t even have time to raise his weapon before Elaine lunged. With a fierce scream, sh drove the silver bolt straight into his thigh.

He let out a deafening shriek as the silver pierced his flesh. He dropped to his knees, his crossbow clattering into the dirt.

She grabbed the wooden stock of the dropped crossbow and swung it with everything she had slamming it right into the side of his jaw. Vance’s head snapped back, and he collapsed into the mud, unconscious and convulsing from the silver poisoning.

She stood over him, chest heaving, the broken crossbow still gripped in her hands.

I forced through the weakness, grabbing a root, and hauled myself out of the pit. I jogged over to her, my breath catching in my throat.

“You’re not fragile,” I breathed, looking from the giant rogue on the floor to her.

Elaine turned her head slowly, wiping a streak of Vance’s blood from her cheek. A breathless smile broke across her face. “I told you. I’m not a trophy.

Flooked down at the unconscious hunter, my face hardening as I searched his vest. I pulled out

an official pack scroll stamped with Ethan’s crest. I ripped it open, my eyes scanning it. My blood ran cold.

“What is it?” Elaine asked, stepping closer, her voice trembling slightly.

“It’s a decree,” I rasped. “Ethan isn’t waiting for the Council Gala in two weeks. He’s locked down the entire Crystal Waters territory. He’s telling the pack that the Moon Goddess is punishing them with a plague because you escaped. And look at this date… He’s moved the execution declaration up. He’s holding an emergency pack assembly in three days to officially declare you a traitor and execute your memory.”

I looked up at her, “He’s going to seal the borders permanently and kill anyone who questions him,” I said, my icy eyes locking onto hers. “We don’t have two weeks, Elaine. We have less than seventy-two hours before he cements his absolute rule forever.”