Chapter 38: Betrayal's Kiss

Luna's POV

The opulent study we were led into felt more like a gilded cage. Ash's presence at my side was both comforting and electrifying as we faced Alpha Liam and Moira, the witch who had cursed my mate. The air crackled with tension, thick enough to choke on.

"Now then," Liam began, his jovial facade slipping to reveal something colder, more calculating. "Let's discuss the real reason we're all here, shall we?"

My heart raced. Had our cover been blown? I felt Ash's hand brush mine, a silent reassurance.

"I'm afraid I don't follow," Ash replied smoothly, his expression betraying nothing.

Moira's laugh was like shattered glass. "Oh, come now, Ash. Surely you didn't think you could fool us with your little mating charade?"

Ice flooded my veins. They knew. Somehow, they knew everything.

"What I find most intriguing," Liam continued, circling us like a predator, "is how you managed to work around the curse. Tell me, Luna, how does it feel to be mated to a man who can't bear your touch?"

Anger flared within me, hot and fierce. "Our relationship is none of your concern," I snapped.

"On the contrary, my dear," Moira purred, her eyes gleaming with malice. "Your unique... situation... is of great interest to us. To all of us."

With a wave of her hand, a hidden door slid open. My jaw dropped as familiar faces entered the room. Beta Marcus from my old pack. Kira, Ash's trusted warrior. And most shocking of all, Rowan - my best friend, the one person I thought I could always trust.

"No," I breathed, disbelief warring with betrayal. "This can't be..."

Ash's growl reverberated through the room, his body coiled for attack. "What is the meaning of this?"

Rowan stepped forward, her eyes filled with a mixture of regret and determination. "I'm sorry, Luna. But this is bigger than any of us. The prophecy-"

"The prophecy is a lie!" I shouted, hurt and anger making my power surge. The lights flickered ominously.

Liam's eyes widened with interest. "Fascinating. You see, this is exactly why we need you, Luna. Your power, combined with Ash's leadership... together, you could unite all the packs under one rule."

"Our rule," Marcus added, his expression hungry.

The pieces clicked into place. This wasn't just about Ash and me. This was a coup, a play for power using us as puppets.

"And if we refuse?" Ash's voice was deadly calm, but I could feel the rage simmering beneath the surface.

Moira's smile was all teeth. "Then the curse remains. Forever. Imagine it, Luna. An eternity with your mate, never able to touch him without causing him agony. Unless..."

"Unless what?" I demanded, even as dread pooled in my stomach.

"Unless you agree to our terms," Liam finished. "Join us. Help us unite the packs under our guidance. In return, Moira will lift the curse."

The offer hung in the air, tempting and terrible. I looked at Ash, saw the conflict raging in his eyes. For a moment, just a moment, I allowed myself to imagine it - a life with Ash, free from the curse's torment. But at what cost?

"Never," Ash snarled, his decision made. "We'll never be your puppets."

Pride and love swelled within me, even as fear threatened to overwhelm me. We were outnumbered, outmaneuvered. How could we possibly escape?

As if sensing my thoughts, Ash's hand found mine. The touch sent sparks racing up my arm, and I marveled at how, even now, he was willing to endure pain to comfort me.

Time seemed to slow. I saw Liam's mouth open, no doubt to order our capture. I saw Moira's hands begin to glow with malevolent energy. And I saw Rowan, my once-trusted friend, reach for a weapon at her belt.

In that fractured moment, something inside me snapped. Power exploded outward, raw and uncontrolled. Lights shattered, furniture splintered, and our would-be captors were thrown back against the walls.

"Run!" Ash yelled, already pulling me towards the door.

We burst into the hallway, alarms blaring. Chaos erupted around us as confused party-goers and security alike tried to make sense of the situation. Through it all, Ash never let go of my hand, even as I saw him wince with each step.

"We need to get out of here," I panted as we rounded a corner.

"Working on it," Ash growled, his eyes scanning for an exit.

A shout from behind us spurred us on. We dove through a set of French doors, emerging onto a moonlit balcony. The cool night air was a shock after the stuffy interior.

"There!" I pointed to a trellis that led down to the gardens below. It was risky, but it was our only chance.

As Ash helped me onto the trellis, our eyes met. For a heartbeat, the world fell away. There was only us - Ash and Luna, two halves of a whole. His gaze dropped to my lips, and I felt myself leaning in, curse be damned.

Our lips were a whisper apart when a crossbow bolt embedded itself in the wood beside my head.

"Go!" Ash roared, practically throwing me onto the trellis. "I'll hold them off!"

"Ash, no!" I cried, even as I began to climb down. "You can't-"

"I'll be right behind you," he promised, his eyes burning with an intensity that stole my breath. "Now go!"

Heart in my throat, I scrambled down the trellis. Above me, I heard the sounds of fighting - snarls, crashes, cries of pain. Please, I prayed to anyone listening, let him be okay.

My feet had barely touched the ground when I heard a triumphant shout from above. Dread pooled in my stomach as I looked up to see Rowan standing over Ash's prone form, a bloody knife in her hand.

"I'm sorry, Luna," she called down, her voice thick with emotion. "But this is how it has to be."

"No!" The scream tore from my throat as I watched Rowan and several others drag Ash's limp body back inside.

In that moment, something fundamental shifted within me. The betrayal, the fear, the rage - it all coalesced into a burning determination. I would save Ash. I would break the curse. And I would make every single one of them pay for their treachery.

As howls split the night and the sounds of pursuit grew closer, I melted into the shadows of the garden. They thought they had won, that they had broken us.

They were wrong.

This was just the beginning. And when I returned - because I would return - they would learn the true meaning of power. Of vengeance. Of love.

Watch out, Moira, I thought grimly as I fled into the night. Your curse isn't the only thing that's about to be broken.