Moonlight Betrayal-Chapter 82

Chapter 82

Astrid’s POV

The silence that descended upon Rebecca’s office was so thick I could feel it pressing in on me. The playful, food-filled atmosphere had evaporated in an instant, replaced by a stunned stillness. Rebecca’s pizza slice hovered halfway to her mouth, forgotten. Shadow’s eyes, usually full of mirth, were wide and fixed on me with an intensity that made my skin prickle.

"You what?" he asked, his voice a low, incredulous whisper that was so unlike his usual cheeky tone.

"Did you just say remember how to fight?" Rebecca asked me.

I gave her a nod.

"But...I don’t understand. Please explain." Shadow said to me.

I held his gaze, refusing to shrink back. This was a part of me, a piece of the puzzle of my past that they didn’t know. If I was going to truly be a part of this family, this pack, they deserved to know who I was all of me or rather what part of me I wanted them to know. Not just the quiet, broken girl Kaeleen had found.

"After I ran away from my father’s pack," I began, my voice steady, "I couldn’t stay in one place for long. I was always looking over my shoulder. I needed to learn how to disappear, how to defend myself in a way that didn’t involve shifting. I... I fell in with a group. They were rogues, but more organized. Assassins."

The word hung in the air, ugly and sharp. Rebecca carefully placed her pizza back in the box, her full attention on me, her expression a mixture of shock and deep, empathetic concern.

"I wasn’t with them for long," I continued, needing to make them understand. "Just for a short while. They taught me how to fight, how to use blades, how to move without a sound. In exchange, I did tasks for them. Nothing... nothing that took a life," I added quickly, the thought making my stomach churn. "Mostly reconnaissance, retrieving items. But I learned. I learned how to be a ghost. How to make my body a weapon."

I paused, the memories threatening to pull me under. The cold nights, the constant hunger, the hard, unforgiving training that left my body bruised but my will forged in steel.

"Why did you leave?" Rebecca asked softly, her voice gentle, devoid of judgment.

I shrugged. "I found Leon."

That was only half the truth but I wasn’t going to tell her everything. Not because she didn’t deserve to know but rather because I was scared of what she would do if she found out that I had almost been sold.

Shadow let out a long, slow breath, running a hand over his face. The shock in his eyes had been replaced by a grim understanding.

His lips curled up and I knew he was over the shock. "You went through some wild shit, Luna."

I laughed at that.

"But seriously, learning to fight or relearning is dangerous. Your body isn’t equipped to keep up and most weapons used now are unlike them. You could get hurt." He said to me.

"Oh, hush, Shadow," Rebecca snapped, her voice sharp as she waved a dismissive hand at him. She turned her fierce, protective gaze back to me, her eyes shining with something that looked like pride. "What’s dangerous is being unable to defend yourself. Astrid is a strong woman. She survived that, and she survived Leon. If she wants to remember how to fight, then she should. She can play with any weapon in our armory if she wants to."

"Play with weapons?" Shadow balked, looking at Rebecca as if she’d lost her mind. "Rebecca, we’re not talking about sparring for fun. This is different. The muscle memory, the mindset... dredging all that up could be..." He trailed off, searching for the right word.

"Empowering?" Rebecca supplied, raising a challenging eyebrow. "It’s her choice. Not yours, not mine, and not Kaeleen’s."

Shadow sighed, shaking his head, but the hard line of his jaw softened. He knew he wasn’t going to win this argument with a determined and hormonal Rebecca.

"You know, I would have enjoyed it so much better if you were more like Rebecca," he said to me, a wry smirk playing on his lips. "The kind of Luna who just lets her big, strong Alpha do everything for her."

I couldn’t help the small laugh that escaped me. The tension in the room fractured, and I felt a wave of affection for these two people who bickered like siblings but were so fiercely loyal.

"I don’t think that’s the whole truth about your senator, Shadow," I said, glancing at the formidable woman beside me.

"You got that right," Rebecca scoffed, but she was smiling. Then her smile turned into a predatory grin as she looked Shadow up and down. "You think I let Alex do everything? You and I should fight then. Right now. Let’s see who’s been letting their skills get rusty."

Shadow immediately threw his hands up in surrender, his eyes wide with mock fear. "Oh, no. Not happening. Absolutely not. I am not getting on Alex’s bad side by putting a single hand on his pregnant, mated wife. The man would skin me alive and use my hide as a welcome mat. I choose life, thank you very much."

His dramatic refusal was so comical that I laughed again, a real, genuine laugh that felt freeing. It was amazing how quickly they could turn a heavy, painful confession into a moment of light and banter. It was a gift. freeweɓnovel-cøm

When our laughter subsided, Shadow’s expression turned serious again. He looked at me, his gaze thoughtful.

"Rebecca’s right," he said, his tone sincere. "It’s your choice. And if you’re serious about this... Kaeleen should be the one to teach you."

My breath hitched. The thought of training with Kaeleen, of being that close to him in such a raw, physical way, sent a jolt of nervous energy through me.

"Why him?" I asked, my voice barely a whisper.

"Because he’s the best," Shadow said simply, without a hint of exaggeration. "I’m a good fighter. Alex is a beast. But Kaeleen... he’s different. He’s precise, strategic. He’s a true teacher. He doesn’t just show you how to throw a punch; he teaches you the theory behind it, the physics of movement, the strategy of a fight before it even begins. He’s patient. He’ll push you, but he’ll know your limits better than you do. If you want to not just remember how to fight, but to master it... he’s the one."

I absorbed his words, my mind racing. Training with Kaeleen. It would mean letting him see that dark, violent part of my past. It would mean trusting him with my body in a way that had nothing to do with softness or comfort, and everything to do with strength and control. It was terrifying.

And I wanted it more than anything.

Sheena purred in appreciation. She was anticipating being sweaty with Kaeleen. Hell, I was too.

I looked from Shadow’s earnest face to Rebecca’s encouraging smile. The fear was still there, a cold knot in my stomach, but for the first time, it was overshadowed by a thrilling, powerful anticipation. This wasn’t just about remembering how to fight. It was about reclaiming a part of myself I thought I had to bury forever. It was about becoming the woman, the Luna, this pack deserved. One who could stand on her own, not behind her Alpha, but beside him.

"Okay," I said, my voice clear and firm. "I’ll ask him."

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