Who To Blame
Conrad growled at Reiga. He knew that the man was angry and sad but it was not right to pin the blame on the Luna. “Reiga, watch your words. The Luna can’t be blamed. This is all because of the enemy.”
Reiga laughed. “The enemy? The enemy!?” He looked at Conrad and at Regulus. “Yes,” another laugh, “I am to blame too because I did not fulfill my promise and listened to the orders that were given to me and the Luna can’t be blamed because she’s the leader and whatever she says is law. Blame the enemy? They just played their role while we sat in the comfort of our homes and waited for three days, three f*cking days before moving!”
The beta’s words echoed in the forest. No one spoke. No one answered. No one made a move. Even the Luna was speechless and remained deaf. She was still processing what was happening and in that silence her wolf appeared and took over her body. She stood up and faced Reiga.Content protected by Nôv/el(D)rama.Org.
“I am still your Luna.” The growl was enough to put them all into submission but Reiga did not give in.
“You are my Luna and he is my Alpha. Do you know the first thing he asked me? He was asking if the pack was alright. In that state, in that situation, he still cared about the pack and yet we chose to abandon him.”
He did not back down, there was no point in doing so when he already disobeyed the Luna. Sangria growled at the blatant disrespect but Reiga did not feel anything.
“He was thinking of you. He was waiting for you but you never came. You chose to leave him in the hands of the enemy just because you were angry at what he did, when he did it just to save the pack. Perhaps Grim was right, you never cared for Regulus because you see him as an insult to your position. That’s why you never marked him right?”
It was a heavy accusation but Sangri couldn’t refute it. She wanted to deny the man’s words but she knew that deep inside her, there was truth to his words. It confused her even more and left her vulnerable. His words were hitting a soft spot in her heart.
“The world is about to be plunged into the moon’s anger. I hope that her blood is ready to face the consequences of the silver’s wrath. The mark of her sin will forever accompany her in desolation as she walks in eternity.” Those words naturally flowed out from Reiga’s mouth even though he thought that he had forgotten it.
A shiver ran through Sangria’s body after hearing those words. The clouds that were covering the moon parted, revealing the silver moon that was hiding behind it. It was the brightest full moon they ever saw and it mesmerized them.
While they were enraptured by the moon’s light, a silver silhouette appeared beside Regulus’s body. The apparition crouched down and extended its hand towards the unbreathing body. The wisp of silver passed through the silver and touched the body under it.
Regulus’s body was covered in a silver glow that intensified until it filled the whole forest. The glow slowly subsided until it disappeared. The body under the cloak also visibly vanished but the silvery silhouette was still there. It moved and stopped in front of Sangria.
An intense blood lust suddenly replaced the aura around the silver silhouette. Conrad wanted to move to protect the Luna but he was locked in place. The silver glow around the apparition slowly changed into a red glow that started to suffocate them.
“He died when he was supposed to be by your side. His body was defiled when it was supposed to remain pure. His soul was damaged when it was supposed to remain whole. I gave him to you for you to protect and treasure but you failed. You are not worthy of your title and power. Suffer for eternity for your sin.”
After those words were uttered, the red glow started to scatter and it covered Sangria. The moment that the red glow touched her skin, it caused her a searing pain. Her flesh started to burn but she could not heal it. She tried to heal it but her regenerative ability was not working.
Smoke started to appear from her burning skin but the silhouette wasn’t moving and just stood there watching her in pain. Sangria fell on her knees and the screams of pain followed. It was not only her flesh that was burning. Her wolf’s soul was on fire. It was a flame that cannot be extinguished unless the giver takes it back.
Her whole body finally gave in and fell to the ground. She was wriggling and screaming but the pain did not stop. All of her skin was burned and what remained was a bloody mess. She was almost unrecognizable with the current state of her body but it did not stop there.
Her screams filled the entire place but the wolves who stood there as a witness couldn’t do anything. Conrad was full of worry as the other wolves but Reiga remained unmoved. He stared at the woman and felt nothing. He could only think that she deserved it. His eyes then fell on the silhouette that initiated it all. Reiga pretty much had an idea on the identity of the apparition but he chose to stay silent.
It continued through the remainder of the night until the first sign of light. The silhouette started to fade with the sun’s first ray of light. Before it completely disappeared, they heard an eerie voice. “My anger, quench it all you want but it will remain for eternity.”
The power that was binding them disappeared and the first thing that Conrad did was to check on Sangria. He wanted to assist her but the woman’s growl stopped him from doing so. They watched as her skin slowly knitted back and covered her exposed flesh. It took a while before she returned to her original self.
Reiga gave the Luna one last look before he turned around. Conrad noticed his actions, “Reiga, where are you going?” His question caught the attention of the other werewolves who came to the Luna’s side.
“I’m leaving,” he answered. “I no longer have any place in the pack. Crimson Eclipse is no longer my pack.”
“You can’t leave. You are bound to the pack!” Conrad was surprised at the man’s sudden decision.
“Bound? My connection to that pack no longer exists. My connection to Luna Sangria is already severed. The moon goddess has permitted me to leave. I don’t wish to serve under a Luna who lost my respect.” Reiga turned around and met Sangria’s gaze. “I’d rather choose to be a lone wolf than to return to a pack with a leader like her.”
“Reiga!” Conrad was angry. The man already crossed so many lines and yet he was still doing so.
“Let him be. I don’t feel any connection with him anymore.” Sangria stood up and balanced herself. “The moon goddess severed his connection with the pack. You are still welcome to visit your daughter.”