Betrayal Or Love 1

Chapter 1

I settle into the plush armchair in the parlor, cradling my warm tea in my hands. The sweet scent of the Circle of Life bouquet envelops me, calming my senses. Soft sunlight filters through the windows, casting a gentle glow on the room.

As I take a sip of my tea, the warmth spreads through my body, soothing my muscles. I close my eyes, letting the gentle breeze rustle my hair. The leaves outside whisper secrets, their soft murmurs a lullaby.

In this peaceful moment, I feel the world slow down. My thoughts untangle, and my heart rate slows. I breathe in deeply, letting the tranquility of the parlor envelop me.

The warmth of the tea, the sweetness of the flowers, and the gentle caress of the breeze blend together in perfect harmony. I feel my soul relax, letting go of the restlessness that often plagues me.

As I sit here, a sense of contentment washes over me. This is my happy place – surrounded by nature's beauty, savoring the simple joys of life. I feel my worries fade away, like the ebbing tide, leaving me serene and calm.


Just as I'm savoring the peacefulness, I hear the soft rustle of skirts and the gentle creak of the parlor door. My sister, Aria, enters with a weary expression, her eyes drooping like the petals of a tired flower.

"Luna, I'm so exhausted," she says, collapsing onto the sofa beside me. "I don't know how much more of this I can take." She said before Exhaling loudly.

I set my tea aside and turn to her, concern etched on my face. "What's wrong, Aria? You look like you've been carrying the weight of the world." I said Chuckling quietly.

Aria lets out a deep sigh, her shoulders sagging. "It's just...everything. Mother's been pushing me to practice my magic nonstop, and Father's been breathing down my neck about my duties as the future matriarch. I feel like I'm drowning in responsibilities."

I nod empathetically, knowing exactly how she feels. We've both been under immense pressure lately, our roles in the family and community weighing heavily on us.

"Come," I say, opening my arms to her. "Let's take a break from it all. Just for a little while, let's forget about our duties and simply be." I said as I sipped my sugary Tea resting my back on the sofa.

Aria smiles weakly, but nods, leaning into my embrace. We sit there in comfortable silence, the warmth of our tea and the soothing scent of the Circle of Life bouquet enveloping us, as we let our worries fade away...

Aria smiles, her eyes sparkling with affection. "You know, Luna, I have to say, my brother has been absolutely wonderful to you. I've never seen him so happy and caring." She said while I purposely Dragged my eyes from her Face.

I blushed, feeling a warmth in my heart. "He's been amazing, Aria. Luca always knows how to make me feel loved and supported. He's the rock I lean on, my partner in every sense." I said staring into space.

Aria nods, her expression sincere. "I'm so glad to see that. Luca deserves all the happiness in the world, and I know he's found it with you. The way he looks at you, Luna... it's like his whole world revolves around you." She said before Looking around the house probably wondering when her Turns gonna come.

I smile, feeling grateful for the love we share. "He's my everything, Aria. I don't know what I'd do without him." I said while Aria Just Stared at me with an Unreadable expression.

Aria's eyes mist, and she reaches out to squeeze my hand. "You two were meant to be. I'm honored to have you as a sister, Luna." She said as she smiled warmly at me.

Just as Aria and I share a warm smile, the tranquility of the moment is shattered. The parlor door bursts open, and three strangers rush in, carrying Luca's battered body. My heart stops as I take in the sight of his bruised and swollen face, his eyes closed, and his body limp.

Aria gasps, her hand flying to her mouth. "Luca! Oh no, what's happened to him?"

The strangers, dressed in dark clothing, look around frantically. One of them spots me and rushes over. "Please, you have to help him! He was attacked, and we can't wake him up!"

I'm in shock, but my instincts kick in. I rush to Luca's side, feeling for a pulse. It's weak, but he's alive. I look up at the strangers, demanding answers. "Who are you? What happened to him?" I asked.

The lead stranger hesitates before speaking. "We're... associates of Luca's. We were ambushed, and he took the brunt of it. We managed to escape and bring him here." The explained while I shrieked at the Thought of Luca's Body.

Aria steps forward, her eyes blazing. "Take us to whoever did this. Now." Aria said looking around furiously for God knows what

The strangers exchange nervous glances, and I sense a deeper story. But for now, my focus is on Luca. I turn to Aria, my voice firm. "We need to get him to a healer, now."

I cradle Luca's head in my lap, my heart racing with fear. "A Pack attack? Who would dare harm him?" I asked while the men Ignored my and tried to help Luca.

Aria's face sets in a determined expression. "We'll find out, and we'll make them pay." She said gritting her teeth furiously.

I try to hold back tears, but they flow freely as I gaze at Luca's battered face. His eyes flutter open, and he whispers my name, his voice barely audible.

"Luca, stay with me!" I beg, my voice shaking.

He tries to smile, but winces in pain. "Luna... my love... I'm sorry..." He stuttered.

I sob, my body shaking with fear and worry. "Don't apologize, my love. Just stay with me. Please." I said while Shooking my head in Denial.

Aria places a hand on my shoulder, her eyes welling up with tears. "We'll get through this, Luna. We'll make sure he's okay." Aria said as she kept sobbing while avoiding Luca's bloody figure.

The strangers, who introduced themselves as Luca's allies, quickly arrange for a healer to be summoned. I hold Luca close, praying for his recovery, as the room spins around me, And everything turned black.

𝑨𝒓𝒊𝒂 𝒓𝒖𝒔𝒉𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒅𝒐𝒐𝒓, 𝒇𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒊𝒕 𝒐𝒑𝒆𝒏. "𝑮𝒆𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒆𝒓, 𝒏𝒐𝒘!" 𝒔𝒉𝒆 𝒚𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒓𝒔, 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒔𝒑𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒔 𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒓𝒐𝒐𝒎.

𝑰 𝒉𝒐𝒍𝒅 𝑳𝒖𝒄𝒂'𝒔 𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒅, 𝒎𝒚 𝒆𝒚𝒆𝒔 𝒇𝒊𝒙𝒆𝒅 𝒐𝒏 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒑𝒂𝒍𝒆 𝒇𝒂𝒄𝒆. "𝑷𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒆, 𝑳𝒖𝒄𝒂, 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒚 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒎𝒆. 𝑫𝒐𝒏'𝒕 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒎𝒆."

𝑯𝒊𝒔 𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒆𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒇𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒔 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒔𝒉𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒐𝒘 𝒃𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒉𝒔, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒉𝒆 𝒓𝒆𝒎𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒔 𝒖𝒏𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒄𝒊𝒐𝒖𝒔. 𝑰 𝒇𝒆𝒆𝒍 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒑𝒖𝒍𝒔𝒆, 𝒘𝒆𝒂𝒌 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒆𝒏𝒕.

𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒆𝒓 𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒔, 𝒂 𝒘𝒊𝒔𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒂𝒈𝒆𝒅 𝒘𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒏 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒂 𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒅 𝒇𝒂𝒄𝒆. 𝑺𝒉𝒆 𝒆𝒙𝒂𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒔 𝑳𝒖𝒄𝒂 𝒒𝒖𝒊𝒄𝒌𝒍𝒚, 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒆𝒙𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒈𝒓𝒂𝒗𝒆.

"𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒅?" 𝒔𝒉𝒆 𝒂𝒔𝒌𝒔, 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒗𝒐𝒊𝒄𝒆 𝒇𝒊𝒓𝒎 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒈𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒍𝒆.

𝑨𝒓𝒊𝒂 𝒆𝒙𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑷𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒂𝒄𝒌, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒆𝒓 𝒏𝒐𝒅𝒔. "𝑰'𝒍𝒍 𝒅𝒐 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑰 𝒄𝒂𝒏. 𝑩𝒖𝒕 𝒘𝒆 𝒏𝒆𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒈𝒆𝒕 𝒉𝒊𝒎 𝒕𝒐 𝒂 𝒔𝒂𝒇𝒆 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒆, 𝒏𝒐𝒘."

𝑰 𝒏𝒐𝒅, 𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒉𝒐𝒍𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑳𝒖𝒄𝒂'𝒔 𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒅. "𝑻𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒖𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒂𝒇𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘. 𝑷𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒆."

𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒆𝒓 𝒏𝒐𝒅𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒃𝒆𝒈𝒊𝒏𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒕, 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒔 𝒘𝒆𝒂𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒑𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒏𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒂𝒊𝒓. 𝑨 𝒔𝒐𝒇𝒕 𝒈𝒍𝒐𝒘 𝒆𝒏𝒗𝒆𝒍𝒐𝒑𝒔 𝑳𝒖𝒄𝒂'𝒔 𝒃𝒐𝒅𝒚, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑰 𝒇𝒆𝒆𝒍 𝒂 𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒈𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒉𝒐𝒑𝒆.

𝑩𝒖𝒕 𝒂𝒔 𝒘𝒆 𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒔𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒕 𝒉𝒊𝒎 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒆𝒓'𝒔 𝒔𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒕𝒖𝒂𝒓𝒚, 𝑳𝒖𝒄𝒂 𝒓𝒆𝒎𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒔 𝒖𝒏𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒄𝒊𝒐𝒖𝒔, 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒇𝒂𝒄𝒆 𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒑𝒂𝒍𝒆. 𝑰'𝒎 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒖𝒎𝒆𝒅 𝒃𝒚 𝒇𝒆𝒂𝒓, 𝒎𝒚 𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒅 𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒔𝒕-𝒄𝒂𝒔𝒆 𝒔𝒄𝒆𝒏𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒐𝒔.

I wake up with a start, my heart racing and my sheets drenched in sweat as the memories of what happened Came flooding making me realize it wasn't a dream. It takes me a moment to realize I'm in my own bed, in the healer's sanctuary. The events of the previous day come flooding back – Luca's battered body, the Pack attack, the healer's urgent chanting...

At first, I think it was all just a terrible dream. But as I sit up and look around, I see the healer, Elara, sitting in a chair beside my bed, her eyes watchful.

"Good morning, Luna," she says softly. "How are you feeling?" She asked as she held my hands .

I rub my eyes, trying to shake off the haze. "What... what happened to Luca?" I said panicking, looking around in search of Luca.

Elara's expression turns serious. "He's stable, but still unconscious. I've been keeping a close eye on him." She said as she lowered her gaze in a sad gaze.

I throw off the covers and swing my legs over the side of the bed. "I need to see him." I said

Elara nods. "I expected as much. Let's go." Elara didn't wait for me before she started walking out of the room.

I rush out of the room, Elara following close behind. We navigate the winding corridors of the sanctuary, and I can feel my anxiety growing with each step.

Finally, we reach Luca's ward, and I burst through the door. He lies motionless on the bed, his face still bruised and swollen. I rush to his side, taking his hand in mine.

"Luca, my love, please wake up," I whisper, tears streaming down my face.

I press my fingers to Luca's wrist, feeling his pulse. It's there, but it's weak and faint. My heart skips a beat as I sense the fragility of his life force.

I look up, my eyes locking onto Elara's concerned expression. She approaches me, her steps quiet.

"Luna, we need to speak," she says, her voice low and serious.

I nod, feeling a sense of trepidation. What does she need to tell me?

I gently lay Luca's hand back on the bed, my touch lingering for a moment. I follow Elara out of the ward, my mind racing with worst-case scenarios.

We step into a small, cozy room adjacent to the ward. The door closes softly behind us, and Elara gestures for me to sit. I do, my heart pounding in my chest.

Elara's expression is grave as she begins to speak. "Luna, I need to be honest with you. Luca's case is critical. The attack... it's caused significant damage. We're looking at a long and difficult recovery, with many potential medical complications." She said Sighing loudly as she say I wasn't ready to say anything and Continued speaking.

I feel a cold dread creeping up my spine as she continues.

"The treatment he requires... it's going to be expensive. Very expensive. I'm not talking about a small fortune, Luna." She said while I just slapped my forehead in exhaustion as I sat down trying to process everything That Elara Just said.

"...We're not talking about a small fortune, Luna. We're not just talking about the cost of my services, but also the rare herbs, the specialized care... it adds up quickly. And to make matters worse, Luca's family... they're not in the best financial position to cover these costs."

I frown, confusion etched on my face. "But they're wealthy, aren't they? I mean, they're one of the most influential packs in the land."

Elara nods. "They are, but... they've recently incurred some significant expenses. Moon's travel, the mating ... it's all added up. They've spent nearly half their fortune in the past year alone. And now, with Luca's medical bills... it's going to be a struggle for them to cover everything."

I feel a wave of worry wash over me. We can't let Luca's pack go bankrupt because of his medical bills. But what can we do? I think back to the conversation I had with Aria earlier... Maybe there's a way to raise the funds we need.

"Elara, can I ask you something?" I say, a plan is beginning to form in my mind. "How much time do we have to raise the funds? And are there any... alternative treatments we could consider?" I asked Elara while She just stared at me.

Elara nods understandingly. "I see what you're getting at, Luna. Yes, we can work out a payment plan. It doesn't have to be a lump sum. We can break it down into smaller, manageable amounts. Even monthly payments would be acceptable, as long as we can see a commitment to covering the costs." She explained while I smiled in Satisfaction as I breathe a sigh of relief, feeling a weight lift off my shoulders.

"That's great, Elara. I was worried we'd have to come up with the entire amount at once. But if we can spread it out over time... I think we can make it work." I said.

Elara smiles, her expression softening. "I'm glad we can work something out, Luna. I want to see Luca recover just as much as you do. And I'm willing to work with you to make that happen." She said smiling warmly.

I nod, feeling a sense of determination. "Okay, let's do it. Let's get Luca the help he needs, no matter what it takes." I said in determination.

Elara's expression turns somber, and she places a gentle hand on my arm. "Luna, I'm sorry to tell you this, but... you're alone in covering the sum. Luca's Pack has spent their resources on his sister's travels and his own mating ceremony. They won't be able to contribute to his medical expenses." She explained Sadly.

My eyes widen in shock, and I feel like I've been punched in the gut. "What? But... but I thought they would help!" I stuttered, gulping, Sweating, Panicking...

Elara's grip on my arm tightens. "I'm afraid not, Luna. You're on your own in this. But don't worry, we'll work out a payment plan that suits you. It won't be easy, but... we'll make it work." She said.

I feel a wave of despair wash over me, and my mind races with the impossible task ahead. How can I possibly cover the entire sum on my own?" But I know I have to try... for Luca's sake.

And with that, Elara's words hang in the air, leaving me with a sense of uncertainty and a daunting challenge ahead...

I left Elara's chambers feeling like I'd been handed a crushing burden. The weight of Luca's medical expenses settled heavy on my shoulders, and I couldn't shake the feeling of dread that had taken up residence in my stomach.

As I walked through the winding corridors of the sanctuary, I tried to clear my head. I needed a plan, and fast. But every door I passed led only to more questions. How would I raise the funds? Where would I even start?

I finally found myself at the entrance of the sanctuary, staring out at the bustling streets of the city. The sounds and smells of everyday life seemed distant, muffled by the weight of my responsibilities.

And then, a gentle voice broke the spell.

"Luna? Are you okay?"

I turned to see Aria standing beside me, concern etched on her face.


"Aria" I called before running to hug her as my sobs came out loudly as I cried loudly on her shoulders while she patted my back in a soothing manner whispering ''It'll be ok" But she didn't understand.

I shook my head, feeling a lump form in my throat. "I'm not okay, Aria. Luca's medical bills are piling up, and I have no idea how I'm going to pay them. And to make matters worse, I'm jobless." I rapped while Sobbing loudly.

Aria's expression turned sympathetic. "Oh, Luna, I'm so sorry. I had no idea it was that bad." She said

I took a deep breath, trying to hold back tears. "I need to find a job, and fast. But it's not easy, especially since I... since I don't exactly have the best reputation among the humans." I said as I felt a Pang on my head knowing fully well it was The result that came from Overthinking.. but why won't I overthink when my only Love is in the Hospital.

Aria nodded understandingly. "I know it won't be easy, but we'll figure something out. You can't give up, Luna. Luca needs you."

I nodded, determination rising within me. "You're right. I'll do whatever it takes. Even if it means working with humans." I said

Aria's eyes widened in surprise. "Luna, are you sure? You know how they can be..." She trailed off scratching the back of her head.

I steeled myself. "I know. But I have no choice. I'll swallow my pride and do what needs to be done. For Luca, and for myself." I said as I wiped my eyes to get a Clearer vision

"I can do it, Aria. I'll find a job and pay off Luca's medical bills. I'll do whatever it takes." I Told her running my hands through my hair.

Aria's expression turned serious. "Luna, I know you're determined, but you have to be careful. You can't just go in there and be yourself. You have to... hide who you are, at least for now." She explained as I kept Nodding my head

I nodded, understanding. "I know. I'll put on a mask, pretend to be someone I'm not. I'll do whatever it takes to get the job and earn the money." I joked about the mask stuff before she laughed quietly.

Aria's eyes narrowed. "Just remember, Luna, you're not just doing this for Luca. You're doing it for yourself, too. Don't lose sight of that." Aria stated.

I took a deep breath, steeling myself for what lay ahead. "I won't, Aria. I promise." I said

Aria's expression softened. "Good. Now, get some rest. I have school tomorrow, and I can't afford you to be tired." She said before Chuckling though I knew it was a forced one.

I rolled my eyes, but smiled. "Yeah, yeah. I know. I'll be fine, Aria. Thanks for worrying about me." I said.

Aria smiled back. "That's what friends are for, Luna. Now go get some sleep." Aria said as I smiled at her before nodding.


Here's the continuation:

Aria and I sat in silence for a moment, the only sound being the distant howling of wolves. Then, Aria spoke up, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Do you miss him, Luna?"

I nodded, feeling a pang in my heart. "So much, Aria. It's like a part of me is gone."

Aria's eyes welled up with tears. "I miss him too. I keep thinking he'll walk through the door, smiling and joking like he always did."

I took a deep breath, trying to hold back my own tears. "He's not dead , Aria. He's not gone." I said as a Tear slid down my cheek

Aria's face crumpled, and she buried her face in her hands. I pulled her into a hug, holding her tightly as she sobbed.

After a few moments, Aria pulled back, wiping her tears away. "I know, Luna. I just... I wish things were different..like it didn't happen and all."

I nodded, feeling a lump form in my throat. "Me too, Aria. Me too."

We sat in silence for a moment, lost in our own thoughts. Then, Aria spoke up again.

"Luna, have you thought about the job? What are you going to do?"

I shrugged. "I don't know. I'll figure something out. I have to." I said my voice Unintentionally Nonchalant.

Aria nodded. "You will. You're strong, Luna." She Stated while I just looked at her

Before smiled weakly. "Thanks, Aria."

Aria yawned, covering her mouth with her hand. "Sorry, I'm just really tired. School was exhausting today." She said

I nodded. "Go to sleep, Aria. We can talk more in the morning." I told her

Aria nodded, snuggling under the blankets. "Night, Luna."

"Night, Aria." I said as I noticed she was already sleeping

As Aria drifted off to sleep, I lay awake, my mind racing with thoughts of Luca, the job, and the uncertain future ahead. But as I listened to Aria's soft breathing, I felt a sense of peace wash over me. I'd get through this, together, with her support... I'll bring help Luca.

Slowly, my eyelids drooped, and I let sleep claim me, the sound of Aria's gentle snores lulling me into a restless slumber.