The Alpha's Stolen Luna-Chapter 108: Trust

Kaya

At first, there was news about female wolves suddenly disappearing, one after another. Slowly, with a measured pace, one girl after another vanished, and no one ever knew where they went. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

No one could find them. Not even those who truly searched.

A year later, they started noticing a slight decline in mating rates. Male wolves simply couldn’t find their fated mates. Coming-of-age galas, mating meetings, arranged gatherings––nothing really worked. Year after year, more and more males failed to find their mates.

I don’t know who started that rumor first. As the panic around missing female mates began to grow, something had to be done about it. And someone did––they spread the rumor that girls were running away from their packs. It was simple, yet somewhat genius. And, disturbingly, it seemed to work.

"Not being able to find one’s mate means growing weak," Camilla’s voice rings in my head as I keep staring at the chessboard, watching the move of her piece. "Our wolves grow impatient, tired, restless. It affects us, too. And eventually, they might even walk out on us. It’s a slow poison. And it’s already working."

"How do you know?" I ask, clutching my fingers tightly on top of my bishop.

"The Alpha of the Mistfall Pack is gravely sick," Camilla grins at me, watching my expression shift from serious to stunned. "His Luna was a fucking bitch, I know that. Still, she was his mate. And he lost her."

I hesitate to make my move, my mind sifting through the memories of my first pack. I don’t know how I feel hearing about the misfortunes that have befallen my tormentors. I suppose, now that I can see the bigger picture, all I can really feel is disappointment.

As much as I want to feel vengeful, whatever Damien is planning here is no longer personal.

"Do you come out of the room at all?" I suddenly ask, forgetting about the game altogether.

Camilla shakes her head. "I peeked out a few times when he first dragged you here. After that, I’ve been listening to whatever noise I could catch in the hallway."

She pauses to take a deep breath, but before she can continue, I cut in instead. "Were you waiting for me to visit you?"

Camilla stares at my abandoned chess piece for a while before lifting her empty eyes again and nodding. "On the first night he brought you here, they wheeled you out of the room somewhere—perhaps to the first floor. I don’t know what they did to you there, but last night I heard Damien saying he would do it again once you’ve recovered."

She bites her lip, as if guilty for telling me this, but I only want her to say more. "What are you recovering from?"

I arch my eyebrows in surprise, because her concern seems genuine. Instinctively, my hand moves up, over my shoulder and behind my neck. My eyes narrow as my fingers trace the thick scar left there by Damien’s fangs.

"He found out I had a mate. And he damaged my scent gland."

"Fucking jackass," Camilla spits, and I feel a little better because, once again, I can sense that she truly means it.

"But how do you feel now?" she adds quickly. "Do you think you can tell that old bitch you’re feeling better?"

The old witch’s face flashes before my eyes, and for some reason, I nod without hesitation, ready for whatever Camilla is going to suggest.

"Now... like I said, I have no idea what they did to you in that lab, so I’m not sure if you can actually pull it off—"

"I’ll do it," I interrupt eagerly. "I’m still alive, so I doubt it’s anything fatal. Damien wants me by his side, so I need to find out what he wants me for."

Camilla’s lips stretch into a wide grin before she continues. "The drugs are in the water. They slip you a sleep inducer so you’ll fall asleep fast and deep. Then, they push more drugs through the IV drip. I recommend you don’t touch the water for a while."

"Then what about the drip?" I ask, already following where this is going. "Won’t it make me fall asleep anyway?"

"No. The IV drug doesn’t knock you out—it just makes you slow and sluggish. It relaxes your muscles so you can’t move properly. You know, in case you wake up and go into shock."

A nagging sense of suspicion suddenly coils in my chest, urging me to pause and take a mental step back. Camilla knows too much. And she hates me. Yet she’s already planning something that involves using me.

I want to believe she has no bad intentions, but given our history... I don’t know if I can.

"Go on, ask me," she cuts through my internal turmoil as if she can read my mind. "Ask me how I know about the drugs."

"...How?" I do as she says, and a brisk laugh shakes her shoulders, a pleased grin slicing across her mouth.

"I told you, I peeked. When they were wheeling you out, I saw the letters on the IV bag. I recognized the drug."

Her explanation makes sense, but once suspicion has taken root in my heart, it’s hard to let it go, hard to see her as anything close to an ally.

Camilla leans back in her chair, folding her arms across her chest again.

"I’m not asking you to hold my hand and run off into the sunset," she scowls, though it’s clear my hesitation doesn’t truly offend her. "I just want to get out of here. We need to figure out what this place is and what the fuck Damien is planning. And by the looks of it, you’re our only chance. So... what will it be? Will you risk trusting me this much?"

I want to say yes. Honestly, I do. If I can find a chance to escape and warn Magnus, I’ll do whatever it takes.

Magnus... The scar on my neck burns at the mere thought of his name, and my entire body feels as though it’s itching from the inside out.

If I can see him again... I’ll do anything. I have to.

So I take this chance and, for the first time in my life, I choose to trust Camilla.

"Alright," I say without hesitation, my heartbeat quickening. "Tell me what I need to do."