Caged Human Luna — He Stole My Freedom To Hide His Curse Chapter 13

Caged Human Luna — He Stole My Freedom To Hide His Curse Chapter 13 “Not Too Tired To Claim You”

Elaine.

The emissary’s words hung in the air like a bad joke. Walk into the cage? Surrender my soul? stared down at the silver stakes pulsing with stolen pack energy and felt my blood boil.

“You’ve got balls, I’ll give you that,” I called back. My claws flexed at my sides. “But Kael’s not getting shit from me.”

Before the emissary could answer, Horns blared from the far ridge. Empire soldiers poured over the hills like a black tide-wolves in armor, mages with glowing runes, and archearrows.

“Positions!” I shouted, spinning toward the freed wolves behind me. Some still looked at me with doubt after everything that had spilled out, but there wasn’t time for that. “Fenris, take th left flank. Push them back from the river!”

He met my eyes for half a second, that fierce loyalty burning there even after my breakdown the mud. He nodded once and charged.

The clash hit like thunder. I leaped down the slope, half-shifted and snarling, dodging a spear that whistled past my ear. A soldier swung at me. I ducked and raked claws across his throat. Warm blood sprayed my arm.

“Elaine, behind me!” Fenris roared, pulling his massive broadsword from his back. The glowin blue light returned to his eyes with a violent vengeance.

Lord Kael stepped out from the chaos like he owned the battlefield. Tall, silver-haired, with cold eyes that locked straight on me. His black cloak swayed in the wind.

“There you are, little female Alpha,” he sneered, drawing a long silver blade. “Weak and unstable. Just like the reports said.”

Kael,” I spat, tightening my grip on my dagger.

“You’ve caused quite a mess for a weak female Alpha,” Kael said, his voice entirely calm as he stepped over a fallen warrior. Beside him, lurking in his shadow like a beaten dog, was a heavily scarred, mangled wolf wearing stolen Imperial leather. Ethan.

I bared my teeth. “Come say that closer.”

He moved faster than I expected. One blink and he was on me, blade slicing down. I twisted away but the edge caught my shoulder, burning like coal.

We crashed together. His fist slammed into my ribs. I drove my knee up and caught him in the gut. He grunted but didn’t fall. Around us, wolves tore into each other. Screams and snaps filled

N8 pack laws and no covenants holding you back. Y

could shatter everything we’ve built.”

Ethan snarled from behind him, his mangled jaw foaming as he lunged forward, eager to fi what he started three years ago.

His grip tightened. Black spots danced in my vision. “You’re the threat, girl. And threats get down.”

He raised the blade for the kill.

I ducked, but the force of his aura slammed into my chest, throwing me violently onto my back. The wind was completely knocked out of me. Ethan was instantly on top of me, his heavy, scarred paws pinning my shoulders to the mud, his ruined face twisting into a sick, triumphant grin.

Let me in, a voice echoed inside my mind. They want a monster, Elaine? Let’s give them one Together.

I reached deep into the core of my chest and pulled Lira’s spirit and wolf into mine, merging our wills into a single bond.

An explosive wave of light erupted from my body. The force of the raw lunar energy sent Ethan flying backward, crashing into the stone mantle of the grand hall. Kael stumbled, his eyes widening in terror as the unbound power of the Moon Goddess roared.

Ethan scrambled up from the mud, coughing up black blood, his eyes wild with rage as he lunged one last time. I sidestepped his heavy weight, grabbed the back of his matted hair, and drove my silver-tipped dagger straight through the roof of his mouth. A hissing sound escapes his open mouth as the silver reacts with his supernatural blood. His body slumped, his raging expression instantly goes blank.

Kael charged, his sword raised in a desperate attempt to end me when Fenris blocked his strike with a force that shattered his blade into a dozen pieces. With a clean, vicious swipe of his claws, he slashed across his face, carving deep, permanent lines through his arrogant golden

eyes.

“Fall back!” Kael shrieked, clutching his bleeding face as he scrambled away into the shadows of his remaining guard. “Fall back!”

The Imperial army broke, retreating into the dark woods like cowards.

Run, I growled at him. “And tell your pack I’m coming.”

He fled with what was left of his men. The battlefield fell quiet except for the rain and the groans of the wounded.

And right in the center of it, Fenris collapsed to his knees, his broadsword slipping from h bloody fingers.

“Fenris!” I ran to him, dropping into the mud and catching him before he hit the ground. chest was covered in deep gashes, his breathing shallow and ragged.

“I’m fine,” he panted, his hand shaking as he reached up to touch my cheek, his thumb wip away a smudge of Ethan’s blood. “You did it. You’re incredible.”

“You fool. You didn’t have to take that hit for me.” I held him tight, keeping my expression perfectly blank as the remaining wolves began to gather around us in a quiet, tense circle.

He gave me a bloody grin. “Yeah I did. Told you. It’s you. Always you.”

I pressed my forehead to his for a second, letting myself feel the fear I’d shoved down.

Chief Elder Thomas stepped forward from the crowds, his hands still covered in the residu the silver stakes. “The Empire will return with reinforcements, Elaine,” Thomas said, his void cold, looking down at the dead bodies. “Many died tonight because our defenses were weak. Because you ran. How do we know you won’t leave us to burn again?”

A murmur of agreement rippled through the battered survivors.

I slowly stood up, leaving Fenris safely supported against a rock. I looked every single one of them in the eyes.

“I did run,” I said, my voice carrying clearly across the quiet valley. “I ran because I was terrifie I ran because I thought I was a fraud. And because of that, we lost people tonight. I will carry that guilt until the day I die.”

I stepped closer to the crowd, my jaw set. “But I came back. And I didn’t win this fight with an ancient prophecy or a pureblood title. I won it because I chose to fight for you. If you want a perfect, flawless leader, I am not her. But if you want someone who will tear down anyone who tries to put a cage around this pack, then stand with me.”

The silence stretched for a long, agonizing moment. Then, slowly, the injured warrior who had screamed at me from the cage bowed his head. One by one, the rest of the pack followed, the heavy tension in the air finally shifting into a quiet, hard-earned respect.

Later that night, in the quiet medical bay, the doors clicked shut. The mask I’d worn for the pack finally cracked.

I sat on the edge of Fenris’s cot and buried my face in his shoulder. Heavy tears soaked his as my body shook. He wrapped his good arm around me, holding tightly, his voice low and steady against my hair.

“C’mon, Alpha’s don’t cry,” he murmured.

“At least not after winning a war.” A sly smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

I clung to him, letting the tears come. After a long minute, he tilted my chin up. His eyes pierced mine.

“I need to mate and mark you, Elaine.” he whispered slowly. “My wolf’s done waiting.”

I wiped my eyes, glancing at the bandages covering his wounds. “You’re hurt and tired after everything today.”

I adjusted his bandages, pecking his cheeks. “Sure we will when you’re fully recovered”

A tired smirk tugged at his lips. “Yeah, I might be. But I’m not too tired to mate with my Lun

Before I could answer, he pulled me over him. I straddled his hips, and a moan slipped from my lips as his hard length pressed against my wet folds.

Fen…ris