The Muted Luna’s Revenge Chapter 01

The Muted Luna’s Revenge Chapter 01

When a group of rogues dragged me into the woods, my childhood friend, Kael Ashford, and my best friend, Selene Whitmore, played their twisted freeze game again.

My wolf screamed for them through the mind link.

They acted as if they heard nothing and stood perfectly still.

After the pack patrol arrived, Selene skipped over with a grin. “Good job, Maeve! You can make little sounds now! A couple more scares like that, and you’ll be talking again!”

As she spoke, she traded a knowing look with Kael.

I didn’t need to see their phones to know they’d posted my ordeal in the family group chat again.

Ever since I lost my voice, they’d staged one cruel stunt after another, claiming they were trying to shock me into speaking again.

When an asthma attack hit, they hid my inhaler and stood by watching.

When they left me stranded at an intersection, they silently watched me sprint after their car.

I’d told myself they only did it because they cared. They were just going about it the wrong way.

Then this morning, I found a group chat on Kael’s phone that I’d never been added to.

It was packed with photos and messages documenting every sick stunt they’d pulled on me.

Mom had just sent a laughing wolf sticker.

[Lyra laughed so hard at the pictures she could barely breathe.]

[She’s finally over Maeve taking first place from her.]

[We can stop giving Maeve the muting drug now.]

As I stared at those familiar profile pictures, every trace of warmth drained from my body.

The nightmare I’d endured for months had been nothing more than a way to cheer up my younger sister.

And everyone I knew had helped hurt me.

I thought of the acceptance email I’d received from Royal Crescent Conservatory the day before.

I couldn’t speak, but I could still say goodbye in my own way.

***

“What? Too thrilled for words?”

When I stayed crouched on the ground, Kael smiled and ruffled my hair.

“You really improved this time. Those sounds were almost words.”

Growing up, I’d had a voice unlike anyone else’s in the pack.

The elders said it was a gift from the Moon Goddess.

Whenever I sang at a pack celebration, people said my voice was as pure as moonlight.

So when I lost it, I nearly fell apart.

I smashed things, hurt myself, and tried more than once to end my life.

And what had my family, my mate, and my closest friend done?

They took pictures of my worst moments to entertain my sister.

I didn’t answer Kael. I only bent down and gathered everything scattered across the ground.

Kael paused, then scoffed.

He probably thought I was sulking again, certain I’d come crawling back to them soon enough.

It had happened plenty of times before.

After losing my voice, I’d clung desperately to the few relationships I had left.

This time, I picked up the last item and walked away from Silverveil Pack territory.

Behind me, Selene laughed under her breath.

“Did you see her? Her clothes were practically torn off. That was hilarious. Send the pictures to Lyra. She’ll love them.”

“Shh. Don’t let her hear you. She’ll go after Lyra again.”

Selene brushed it off. “Relax. She’s a coward. So what if she hears us?”

My steps faltered.

A coward.

That was how the two people who had been part of half my life saw me.

I was such a coward that when pups our age bullied Selene, I put myself between them and made faces through every blow so she wouldn’t be scared.

I was such a coward that when Kael’s mother fell gravely ill, I dropped out of a major competition, raised every dollar I could, and dragged her back from death’s door.

My phone buzzed again with another message from the family group chat.

[How long do you think Maeve will cry this time?]

Realizing they’d sent it to the wrong chat, they quickly deleted it.

But not before I saw Lyra’s reply: [One day.]

One day.

Last time, Lyra had thrown my puppy from a sixth-floor window.

I cradled his dying body and frantically called for help.

I strained until my face burned and my throat bled, but not a sound came out.

I pounded on Mom’s door, then grabbed at Kael and Selene, frantic for help.

Amid the chaos, Lyra cleared her throat.

The freeze game began.

Everyone went still in an instant.

My puppy convulsed once in my arms and died.

That time, I held his bloodied body and cried for an entire day.

I wouldn’t do that this time.

I wiped away the tears gathering in my eyes and quickened my pace.

But just as I reached the edge of pack territory, a bucket of ice water crashed over my head.